Troy Page #15

HELEN:

...bringing this.

Priam shakes his head and smiles sadly.

PRIAM:

I blame you for nothing.

Everything is in the hands of the

gods.

(beat)

Besides, how could I blame anyone

for falling in love with Paris?

Helen looks out at the battlefield, fixing on Paris, at

this distance a tiny figure on horseback. Priam takes

her hand.

81.

89 EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY 89

Hector and Paris ride up to the Greek kings. Menelaus

stares at Paris, his fingers tapping the hilt of his

sword. Paris does not make eye contact.

The kings step down from their chariots and the Trojan

princes dismount from their horses. Both armies are lined

up several hundred yards apart.

Agamemnon surveys the Trojan army.

AGAMEMNON:

I see you're not hiding behind your

high walls. Valiant of you. Ill-

advised, but valiant.

HECTOR:

You come here uninvited. Go back

to your ships. Go home.

AGAMEMNON:

We've come too far, Prince Hector.

MENELAUS:

Prince? These are not princes.

What son of a king would accept a

man's hospitality, eat his food,

drink his wine, and then steal his

wife in the middle of the night?

PARIS:

The sun was shining when your wife

left you.

Menelaus draws his sword. He points it at the city walls.

MENELAUS:

She's up there watching, isn't she?

Good. I want her to watch you die.

Agamemnon places a hand on his brother's arm.

AGAMEMNON:

Not yet, brother.

He makes a sweeping gesture, indicating his entire army.

AGAMEMNON:

Look around you, Hector. I've

brought all the warriors of Greece

to your shores.

(CONTINUED)

82.

89 CONTINUED:
89

NESTOR:

You can still save Troy, young

prince.

AGAMEMNON:

I have two wishes. If you grant

them, no more of your people need

to die. First, give Helen back to

my brother. Second, Troy must

submit to my command, to fight for

me whenever I call.

HECTOR:

You want me to look upon your army

and tremble. Well, I see them. I

see fifty thousand men brought here

to fight for one man's greed.

AGAMEMNON:

Be careful, boy. My mercy has

limits.

HECTOR:

I've seen the limits of your mercy.

And I tell you now that no son of

Troy will ever submit to a foreign

ruler.

AGAMEMNON:

Then every son of Troy shall die.

PARIS:

There is another way.

Everyone watches Paris now.

PARIS:

(to Menelaus)

I love Helen. I won't give her up.

And neither will you. So let's

fight our own battle. Let the

winner take Helen home, and that

will be the end of it.

AGAMEMNON:

A brave offer. But not enough.

Menelaus pulls Agamemnon aside and speaks to him out of

the others' earshot.

MENELAUS:

Let me kill this little peacock.

(CONTINUED)

83.

89 CONTINUED:
(2) 89

AGAMEMNON:

I didn't come here for your pretty

wife. I came for Troy.

MENELAUS:

And I came for my honor. His every

breath insults me.

(beat)

Let me kill him. When he's lying

in the dust, give the signal to

attack. I'll have my revenge and

you'll have your city.

Agamemnon ponders the offer. He nods. They rejoin the

others.

MENELAUS:

(to Paris)

I accept your challenge. And

tonight I'll drink to your bones.

He walks over to his chariot and grabs his shield. Hector

helps Paris into his helmet and speaks quietly to him.

HECTOR:

He doesn't have the stamina he once

did. Make him swing and miss.

He'll tire.

Paris nods. He turns toward Menelaus but quickly turns

back and grabs Hector's arm.

PARIS:

Hector!

Hector waits. Paris opens his mouth but no words come

out. He tries again.

PARIS:

If I fall -- tell Helen -- tell

her -

HECTOR:

I will.

PARIS:

Don't let Menelaus hurt her. Make

him swear -

HECTOR:

Think about your sword and his

sword. Nothing else.

(CONTINUED)

84.

89 CONTINUED:
(3) 89

Hector hugs him close for a moment and releases him.

Paris walks toward the center of the field, where Menelaus

waits.

89A PARIS'S POV 89A

It's difficult to see from inside your bronze helmet.

Your peripheral vision is severely restricted, and the

nose guard bisects your vision.

Your breathing sounds amplified, impossibly loud and half-

panicked. But there's no turning back. Menelaus stands

in the center of the vast battlefield, patient and

menacing, carving the air with lazy strokes of his sword.

You look back and see Hector. Hector nods, trying to

encourage you, but he looks worried. Behind Hector is the

Trojan army, twenty-five thousand silent men.

Behind the army is the city of Troy. Atop those walls,

beneath that blue canopy, your father is watching, and the

woman you love.

You turn back to Menelaus. He's smiling at you.

89B BACK TO SCENE 89B

Menelaus charges at Paris and swings mightily, trying to

knock the prince's head from his shoulders. Paris manages

to duck beneath the flashing blade.

Menelaus fights with little art and great savagery,

exploiting his superior strength. Paris is quicker. He

nearly surprises the bigger man with a fast sword thrust,

but Menelaus dominates the fight, hammering Paris's shield

with a furious barrage of blows.

Paris steps away and tries another thrust, but this time

Menelaus sidesteps and smashes Paris in the jaw with the

hilt of his sword, knocking the prince's helmet off.

Paris falls, blood leaking from his nose and mouth.

Hector, frustrated and powerless to help, tries to will

his brother to victory.

HECTOR:

(under his breath)

Get up. Get up.

85.

89C EXT. GREEK LINES 89C

Ajax and Odysseus, standing together, watch the bloodied

prince. Ajax looks disgusted, Odysseus amused.

AJAX:

This is the prince of Troy? In

Salamis, the women fight better.

ODYSSEUS:

But they're not as pretty.

90 EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS 90

Helen, unable to sit, now stands at the wall, watching her

lover battle her husband. Priam stands beside her.

91 EXT. BLUFF - CONTINUOUS 91

Patroclus and the other Myrmidons watch the battle.

EUDORUS:

Menelaus still knows how to fight.

92 EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS 92

Menelaus swings at the fallen prince but Paris is able to

block the blow with his shield and scramble to his feet.

Menelaus points to the sky. Three CROWS circle above.

MENELAUS:

You see the crows?

(beat)

They've never tasted a prince

before.

The Spartan's mind games are working -- Paris wears the

face of a man who doesn't want to fight. He swings

clumsily and Menelaus manages to catch his wrist. The

Spartan grins and raises his sword for the kill.

Paris lashes out with his free hand, punching the Spartan

hard in the jaw. Menelaus grunts and shoves the Trojan

away. He spits out a tooth. He's no longer smiling.

92A ODYSSEUS AND AJAX 92A

exchange a quick glance: not bad.

86.

92B MENELAUS 92B

But Menelaus bores in again, blow after blow. Finally his

bronze blade bites into Paris's thigh. Paris staggers

backward, blood flowing down his leg. He swings

desperately but Menelaus parries, knocking the sword from

Paris's hand.

Paris stares at his fallen sword, five feet away.

Paris runs. Menelaus snarls and chases after him.

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