The Ten Commandments Page #6

conqueror of Ethiopia,

general of generals,

commander of the Egyptian Host...

...a man of mud!

Is that what you want? To be a slave?

Then why aren't you kneeling

at the feet of a princess?

I'm afraid the mud pits have

stiffened my knees, royal one.

Shall I call back the guards?

- Do you think they could bend them?

- Oh, Moses! Moses!

You stubborn, splendid, adorable fool.

I'm not kneeling to a princess.

No. You are kneeling to a woman

who's been worried about you

day and night since you disappeared.

What is there in the mud

of these slave pits

-that could keep you from my arms?

- My people.

They may be your people,

but do you have to wallow with them?

Smell like them?

If they are stained,

it's with the mud of slavery.

If they reek,

it's with the stench of injustice.

If you want to help your people,

come back to the palace.

And hide the truth from Sethi?

That I am Hebrew and a slave?

The truth would break his dear old heart

and send Bithiah into exile or death.

Think of us and stop hearing

the cries of your people.

Their god does not hear their cry.

Will Rameses hear it if he is Pharaoh?

No. He would grind them

into the clay they mold,

double their labors.

What about me?

Think of me as his wife.

Do you want to see me

in Rameses' arms?

- No.

- Then come back with me.

Oh, Moses! The gods have

fashioned you for greatness.

The splendor of your name

will last beyond the pyramids.

When you are Pharaoh,

you can free your people,

worship whatever gods you please,

so long as I can worship you.

I will come to you at the palace

on the day of Sethi's jubilee.

Come with me now.

No, my love.

First I have a call to make

on the master builder.

No, no, no, no, no.

Not red with the sammur gown.

My eyes can best be used elsewhere,

Lord Baka.

Before you go,

let them look upon

what you thought unworthy.

You would let beauty

such as this go unseen?

You would let such a flower

go ungathered?

Dathan, you can see only mud,

so pick up her muddy clothes and go.

Go, all of you.

Did you know, my dear,

that this golden web

was spun from the beards of shellfish?

- Please let me go to my home.

- You are at home.

Here, taste this.

The blood of Thracian grapes,

the wine of love.

No wine can change my love.

Then your love shall be my wine.

There's fire in the chariot house!

The chariot house.

Guards! Guards!

You women take water to the roof.

Dathan, take charge. Guards, after him.

Pull it out of the shed.

Take it clear of the house.

No, no, your wings

must not be singed, my dove,

at least not by that fire.

- Joshua!

- Run, Lilia, run! The way is clear.

The master builder will not follow.

Neither will you, stonecutter.

Bind him between the columns.

See that his arms

are tightly stretched.

You will die on your feet, stonecutter.

He'll cut him to pieces.

Now, go after the girl!

- Don't come back without her.

- We'll find her.

You foolish, stupid man!

I would have kept her

only a short while.

She would have returned to you,

shall we say, more worthy.

Now, to whom shall I return Lilia?

You will not be there, Joshua.

You've seen me drive my chariot.

I can flick a fly from my horse's ear

without breaking

the rhythm of his stride.

You've seen me use my whip.

You make no outcry, Joshua.

But you will.

You will cry for the mercy of death.

One day you will listen

to the cry of slaves.

This is not that day, Joshua.

You hold your tongue almost

as well as I hold my temper.

It's a pity to kill

so strong a stonecutter.

- Death will bring death, Baka.

- Who are you?

One who asks

what right you have to kill a slave.

The right of a master to kill you

or any slave.

- Then kill me, master butcher!

- Moses!

Why have you done this?

- Where is the girl, Lilia?

- Gone.

Why are you dressed as a slave?

Why does a prince of Egypt kill

the Pharaoh's master builder

to save a Hebrew?

I am Hebrew.

God of Abraham.

Four hundred years we've waited.

The Pharaoh's soldiers

won't wait so long.

The Almighty has heard our cries

from bondage.

You are the chosen one.

- I know nothing of your god.

- He knows you, Moses.

He has brought you to us.

You cannot turn your back upon us.

You will deliver us. The finger

of God points the way to you.

- Where was his body found?

- Buried in the sand, royal one.

This is Bakas knife.

But there was no wound on the body.

Baka was a powerful man. It would

take strong hands to break him.

The slave, Joshua, is a stonecutter.

Go find me this Joshua.

Joshua's strength didn't kill

the master builder.

Now speaks the rat

that would be my ears.

Too many ears tie a rat's tongue.

Go. All of you.

Well? Who killed him?

I am poor man, generous one.

What I bring is worth much.

I have paid you much

and you have brought me nothing.

Now I bring you the world...

true son of Pharaoh.

You offer me the world when you

cannot even bring me the deliverer.

Who killed Baka?

- The deliverer.

- Would you play at words with me?

No, lord prince.

This murderer has now fled

to some distant land?

No, lord prince.

Name him!

One who made himself

a prince and judge over us.

If he knew I were here, he would

kill me as he killed the Egyptian.

I will hang you myself

if you tire me further.

There are those who would pay much

for what my eyes have seen.

You haggle with me like a seller

of melons in the marketplace?

No, I will not haggle, great prince.

Here's your money.

But for ten talents of fine gold,

I'll give you the wealth of Egypt.

Give me my freedom

and I'll give you the scepter.

Give me the water girl, Lilia,

and I'll give you the princess

of your heart's desire.

Give me this house of Baka,

and I'll give you the throne.

Give me all that I ask...

...or give me leave to go.

I will give you more than leave to go.

I will send you where you belong.

I belong in your service, glorious one.

Very well.

I will bargain with you.

If what you say pleases me,

I will give you your price, all of it.

If not, I will give you the point of

this blade through your lying throat.

- Agreed?

- Agreed.

The deliverer...

...is Moses.

Draw one more breath to tell me

why Moses or any other Egyptian

would deliver the Hebrews.

Moses is not Egyptian.

He's Hebrew.

The son of slaves.

I will pay your price.

Imagine poor Nefretiri,

not knowing in which bed

she will sleep.

- I'd be happy in either.

- But where is Prince Moses?

No Moses, no jubilee.

I am told, my tiger lily,

they're wagering against me.

Two golden debens to one.

Yes. I wagered five myself!

You'll lose your debens if Moses

keeps me waiting any longer.

I double the wager. I'll watch

for Moses, you watch the dance!

While you wait to honor Moses,

I will honor Sethi's jubilee...

...with a gift.

Strange gift.

You said if the deliverer were a myth,

-to bring him in a bottle.

- The bottle is empty.

Yes. It is empty

because he is not a myth.

- You have found such a man?

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