Troy Page #12

63.

72 INT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - CONTINUOUS 72

The largest tent on the beach, Agamemnon's command

quarters are a lush affair, decorated with the spoils of a

dozen wars. Several AIDES-DE-CAMP bustle in and out on

various errands. The Greek kings are here: Odysseus,

Ajax, Menelaus, etc.

Agamemnon sits on a heavy wood throne, garishly inlaid

with gold, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.

Triopas, king of Thessaly, kneels before Agamemnon.

TRIOPAS:

You've won a great victory, King of

Kings. No one thought the Trojan

beach could be captured so easily.

He hands Agamemnon a ceremonial dagger with a gold hilt.

AGAMEMNON:

A beautiful gift, Triopas. You

will be among the first to walk the

streets of Troy tomorrow.

Triopas stands and bows. Achilles has watched this

exchange with disbelief. He glances at Odysseus, who

shrugs. Now Nestor, king of the Pylians, kneels before

Agamemnon and hands him an urn decorated with painted

warriors.

NESTOR:

My father Neleus had this urn made

to commemorate his victory at

Cyparisseis. I present it to you

in honor of an even more memorable

victory.

AGAMEMNON:

Thank you, old friend. Tomorrow

we'll eat supper in the gardens of

Troy.

Nestor stands and bows. Agamemnon places the dagger and

urn beside a pile of other luxurious gifts. As the kings

file out of the tent, Odysseus clasps Achilles' shoulder

and speaks to him out of the others' earshot.

ODYSSEUS:

War is young men dying and old men

talking. You know this. Ignore

the politics.

(CONTINUED)

64.

72 CONTINUED:
72

Odysseus exits the tent. Agamemnon deigns to notice

Achilles waiting for him.

AGAMEMNON:

(to his aides)

Leave us.

The aides exit, leaving Achilles and Agamemnon alone.

Achilles eyes the pile of gifts.

ACHILLES:

Apparently you've won some great

victory.

AGAMEMNON:

Ah, perhaps you didn't notice. The

Trojan beach belonged to Priam in

the morning. It belongs to

Agamemnon in the afternoon.

ACHILLES:

You can have the beach. I didn't

come here for sand.

AGAMEMNON:

No, you came because you want your

name to last through the ages.

(beat)

A great victory was won today -but

the victory is not yours.

Kings did not kneel to Achilles.

Kings did not bring homage to

Achilles.

ACHILLES:

The battle was won by soldiers.

The soldiers know who fought.

AGAMEMNON:

History remembers the kings, not

the soldiers.

(beat)

Tomorrow we'll batter down the

gates of Troy. I'll build

monuments to victory on every

island of Greece, and carve

Agamemnon in the stone. My name

will last forever. Your name is

written in the sand, for the waves

to wash away.

ACHILLES:

First you need the victory.

(CONTINUED)

65.

72 CONTINUED:
(2) 72

Achilles turns to leave.

AGAMEMNON:

One more thing, son of Peleus.

Achilles stops.

ACHILLES:

I don't want to hear my father's

name from your mouth.

AGAMEMNON:

The first pick of the battle's

spoils always goes to the

commander. Your men sacked the

temple of Apollo, yes?

ACHILLES:

You want gold? Take it, it's my

gift, to honor your courage. Take

what you want.

AGAMEMNON:

I already have. Aphareus! Haemon!

Two battle-scarred soldiers, APHAREUS and HAEMON, drag

Briseis into the tent. Her face is bruised -- clearly

she's been slapped around.

AGAMEMNON:

The spoils of war. Tonight I'll

have her give me a bath. And then

-- who knows?

Achilles draws his sword.

ACHILLES:

(to the soldiers)

I have no quarrel with you,

brothers. But you'll never see

home again if you don't let her go.

The soldiers hesitate, then draw their own swords.

Achilles advances on them.

AGAMEMNON:

Guards!

The two sentries rush into the tent, swords drawn.

Achilles is surrounded. He raises his sword.

(CONTINUED)

66.

72 CONTINUED:
(3) 72

BRISEIS:

Stop!

Everyone stops and looks at the girl. Despite her torn

robes, her noble bearing and authoritative tone command

respect.

BRISEIS:

Too many people have died today.

She looks at the various men in the room and finally

addresses Achilles.

BRISEIS:

If killing is your only talent,

that's your curse. But I don't

want anyone dying for me.

Everyone is quiet until Agamemnon laughs.

AGAMEMNON:

Mighty Achilles, silenced by a

slave girl.

ACHILLES:

She's not a slave.

AGAMEMNON:

She is now.

Achilles' eyes are flat and merciless.

ACHILLES:

Before my time is done, King of

Kings, I will look down on your

corpse and smile.

Achilles turns and leaves the tent.

73 EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAY 73

Most of the ships have been hauled onto the beach.

Hundreds of soldiers finish digging a long trench in the

sand. Pikes are anchored and other fortifications

constructed to protect the tents and ships from attack.

74 EXT. CITY OF TROY - DUSK 74

In the dying light, the Trojans prepare their city for

siege. Gray-bearded OFFICERS oversee the reinforcement of

the main gates. SOLDIERS haul thousands of arrows atop

the city walls.

67.

74A EXT. TEMPLE OF ZEUS 74A

A massive CONGREGATION at the Temple of Zeus kneels before

the Thunder God's statue while PRIESTS burn the BODIES of

fallen Trojan soldiers on tall PYRES. The WIDOWS keen.

75 EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT 75

The beach is lit by thousands of torches. The Greeks have

transformed the serene beach into a well-fortified camp.

76 INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - NIGHT 76

Priam stands by the room's open archway. Beyond the city

he sees his beach occupied by the tremendous Greek force.

Hector, Paris, and several of Troy's leading GENERALS,

ARISTOCRATS and PRIESTS sit around the long table. One of

the generals, GLAUCUS (60), pounds the table with his

fist.

GLAUCUS:

If they want a war, we'll give them

a war. I'd match the best of Troy

against the best of Greece any day.

VELIOR (40), a big-bellied nobleman, shakes his head.

VELIOR:

The best of Greece outnumber the

best of Troy, two to one.

GLAUCUS:

So what do you suggest, we

surrender the city, let the Greeks

slaughter our men and rape our

wives?

Velior looks at Paris until the prince returns his gaze.

VELIOR:

I suggest diplomacy. The Greeks

came here for one thing. Let's be

honest, my friends. Trojans are

burning on the pyre right now

because of one youthful

indiscretion.

Paris looks away from Velior.

(CONTINUED)

68.

76 CONTINUED:
76

PRIAM:

Glaucus, you've fought with me for

forty years. Can we win this war?

GLAUCUS:

Our walls have never been breached.

Our archers are the best in the

world. And we have Hector. His

men would fight the shades of

Tartarus if he commanded. We can

win.

ARCHEPTOLEMUS (65), High Priest of Troy, wearing a long

white robe embroidered with gold thread, now raises his

voice.

ARCHEPTOLEMUS:

I spoke with two farmers today.

They saw an eagle flying with a

serpent clutched in its talons.

(beat)

This is a sign from Apollo. We

will win a great victory tomorrow.

Troy is the eagle. The Greeks -

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