The Silver Chalice Page #3

-Helena, over here. Helena.

Ah! Someone new.

Peach fuzz.

My Little vestal virgin in armor.

What manner of man will you be

when you're full-bearded?

Helena, Helena.

Smaller.

Make a mess for me, Simon.

Smaller.

Pour it, pour it into me, Simon.

Smaller.

Simon, Simon, over here.

To Bacchus, who has given us wine.

To Mars, who has given us warriors.

And to Venus, who has given us Helena.

-Helena.

-Helena.

Noble Romans, since you have all Lost

your heads for the fair Helena...

...I think it is fitting

she should Lose hers for you.

-No, Helena.

-Rest easy.

She will feel no pain.

She is closing her eyes,

not as one in sleep...

...but as one who has been transported

to the netherworld.

Can you still hear me, Helena?

-Yes, your voice still reaches me, Simon.

-Good.

Now that I've found her, I've Lost her.

Fear not, my eaglet of Rome.

The magic of Simon

will restore me as I was.

This ointment, is it magic too?

My slave girl brought the secret with her

from her tribe in Nubia.

With these wounds,

do you wonder I hate the Romans?

You must be a brave man

to speak such treason.

Or a desperate man.

A determined man, Let us say.

-A rich man?

-I have enough.

For whom, Mijamin? You or me?

You.

For what I want, I pay Well.

In that case, shall I speak my treason?

In that case, I would be a traitor

to myself if I did not Listen.

For years, Jerusalem has suffered the

humiliation and agony of a conquered city.

The Romans are not gentle conquerors.

Their judges imprison and kill

without justice.

Their tax gatherers rob without mercy,

their soldiers ravish and destroy.

Most of Jerusalem's meek and Helpless,

relying on God to deliver them.

But not all of us.

There is a brotherhood of determined men

ready to resist.

I am their Leader.

We are called the Sicarii.

You've heard of us?

Sicarii?

No.

We are sworn to drive out

the Roman tyrant.

Knowing the Romans, I would be inclined

to place a wager on them.

-Not with you to Help us.

-Simon is no soldier.

And we prefer to keep the Romans

as our friends.

We are not paying Simon

to carry a sword.

-Or die by it.

-Or die by it.

I have a plan in which you will Help us

in your own way to raise men.

But that's what we need:

men, fighting men.

Why can't you raise your own army?

There are many men in Jerusalem.

You call them men, pious Jews...

...devoted to the Law of Moses

and those others who follow Jesus?

I have no Liking for either of them.

No more have I, for any religion.

They do not Like my methods...

...I do not Like theirs,

with their preachments of Love and mercy.

True, you cannot fight Romans

with those weapons.

It's all because of this Jesus,

who sapped men of their virility...

...and courage

and beguiled them with his miracles.

Do not make Light of those miracles.

Many of them were very good.

As a magician myself, I know.

That's why I've come to you...

...but it's true magic I seek,

not mere tricks.

You think I would waste my powers

on those wine-soaked Legionnaires?

They are too bemused

with vying for the favors of Helena.

She makes each one think

her smile is for him alone.

Alone.

What of those mystical powers

of yours?

Will multitudes marvel?

Can you work miracles

such as the world has never seen?

Greater than any man ever performed?

If you mean the miracles wrought

by Jesus of Galilee...

...there are many

I am certain I can match.

Even excel.

Come to Jerusalem.

Show us new miracles

that will wean the people...

...from the milk and water teachings

of Jesus and give us men again.

Men willing to fight and kill

instead of pray.

Leave Antioch?

Does not a journey

to Jerusalem please you?

No city means anything to her.

She has but two Loves:

Simon...

...and gold.

Give us some wine, my fairest flower,

and we shall talk of miracles.

And money.

Peace be with you.

And unto you, peace.

Do you know

where that caravan is going?

To Jerusalem.

They are the camels

of Joseph of Arimathea...

...a rich merchant of that city.

Jerusalem.

A holy city to us.

And to us Christians too.

See?

There is the temple of Solomon.

And there, close by,

is my master's house.

They've come, Grandfather, they-

And who are they

who so excite my daughter?

-My good friend Luke, did you see him?

-Yes, Grandfather.

-Did he bring someone? A young man?

-Yes.

Who is this mysterious young man?

Oh, I see.

It has something to do

with the new religion.

I wish you could understand

why I've become a Christian.

It has brought me

so much peace and happiness.

It is all your doing. Since she was a child,

you've tried to win my daughter's affection.

No, that's not true.

While she should have been at home,

she was with you on your journeys.

Visiting lands whose people have

no understanding of our way of Life.

She heard you preach your stories of the

Nazarene in their own barbarous tongues.

Why is it wrong for me to know something

of the world outside of this house?

Why, Father?

Because you do not know

that which you were born to.

You know other peoples, other creeds,

even other Languages, better than your own.

She is Like a stranger in our own Land.

If you think I spend too much time

with Deborra, don't blame her.

I only wish to share her Love with you,

Aaron, my son...

...but for one thing I make no apology.

If I try to persuade strangers

to follow Jesus...

...then why should I not persuade

the one I Love most in the world?

Hear me, brothers.

Our struggle to overthrow

the Roman conqueror is not going Well.

The Jews of this city have disavowed us.

So have the Christians.

We need a new ally,

and I have brought you one.

So Let us bid welcome

to Simon the Magician...

...who, by the force of his miracles...

...will turn the hearts of strong men

away from the preachers...

...who rob them of their manhood

with sermons on Love and peace.

You are men of valor...

...but you are not men of wisdom.

-Why is this?

-Why?

Because you are known as the Sicarii,

which is a word of contempt.

In the Language of the Romans,

this means ''assassins.''

-We rejoice in the name.

-Therein Lies your folly.

Assassins is a harsh word.

If you wish to ennoble your cause, give

yourselves names of grandeur, not of crime.

Call yourselves liberators, friends of

justice, redeemers of freedom.

Like most men who Live by the sword...

...you overlook

the greater power of the word.

What is this?

We brought you to Jerusalem

to perform miracles...

...to convert the people to our ways,

not to preach.

You will have your miracles,

but that is only the first step.

A good miracle is only a good trick.

Unless it is made part of a new faith,

a new religion...

...then it becomes a holy mystery

and wins devoted followers.

People must be made to believe

before they can be made to act.

Then Let them believe in revolution.

Why be afraid of the word ''religion''?

It can be made to serve any purpose.

Our purpose is recruits, men who will

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