Troy Page #2

your name.

Achilles gallops away, leaving the boy standing alone.

6 EXT. THESSALIAN VALLEY 6

Agamemnon confers with his OFFICERS on the battlefield,

including KING NESTOR (65), his trusted advisor.

When Achilles rides into view the Mycenaean soldiers

CHEER. Some cry out his name. Agamemnon and his officers

turn to watch Achilles dismount and approach them.

AGAMEMNON:

Perhaps we should have our war

tomorrow, when you're better

rested?

Achilles ignores the king and examines the waiting giant.

AGAMEMNON:

I should have you whipped for

impudence.

Achilles wheels on the king.

ACHILLES:

Who's giving the whipping?

He walks toward Agamemnon, fingers curling over the hilt

of his sword. Nestor slides in between Achilles and the

king.

NESTOR:

Achilles.

(CONTINUED)

7.

6 CONTINUED:
6

Achilles, nostrils flared, eyes narrowed, stares at

Agamemnon. Neither man is willing to turn away.

ACHILLES:

(to Agamemnon)

Why don't you fight him yourself?

Wouldn't that be a sight, a king

who fights his own battles?

NESTOR:

Achilles.

Achilles finally turns and looks at him.

NESTOR:

Look at the men's faces.

Achilles surveys the faces of the battle-weary soldiers.

NESTOR:

You can save hundreds of them. You

can end this war with a swing of

your sword.

(beat)

Think how many songs they'll sing

in your honor.

(beat)

Let them go home to their wives.

The soldiers, awed in his presence, stare at Achilles. He

finally turns and walks toward Boagrius.

Agamemnon watches Achilles with undisguised hostility.

AGAMEMNON:

(to Nestor, under

his breath)

Of all the warlords loved by the

gods, I hate him most.

NESTOR:

We need him, my king.

AGAMEMNON:

For now.

6A ACHILLES 6A

When Achilles is forty yards from the giant, Boagrius

turns to his army and shakes his spear over his head.

They cheer, slamming their bronze swords against their

bronze shields.

(CONTINUED)

8.

6A CONTINUED:
6A

Achilles keeps coming. He looks up at the circling crows.

Boagrius turns and throws his spear. The bronze spearhead

glitters in the sun, blazing straight for Achilles.

Without breaking stride, Achilles raises the shield. The

spearhead blasts through the bronze skin of the shield,

through the thick leather on the underside, stopping

inches from Achilles' face.

Achilles keeps coming.

Boagrius hoists a second spear and hurls it, grunting with

effort. Again Achilles raises his shield, again the

spearhead tears through the shield but does not harm

Achilles.

Achilles casts aside the shield and keeps coming.

Boagrius unsheathes his tremendous bronze sword. He opens

his mouth, lets loose a battle cry, and charges at

Achilles.

When Boagrius raises his sword, Achilles lunges forward

with terrifying speed. It does not seem possible that he

could close the gap between them so quickly, but he does,

thrusting his sword straight through Boagrius'

breastplate.

Achilles pulls his sword from the giant's chest and

continues walking toward the Thessalonian line, never

looking back.

Boagrius stares down at the hole in his breastplate.

Blood pumps out, pouring down the polished bronze. He

topples over.

The Mycenaean Army ERUPTS with exultant victory cries.

Achilles now stands in front of the massed Thessalonian

troops. He searches from face to face. None of the

soldiers are willing to make eye contact with him.

Finally Triopas steps out of the ranks.

TRIOPAS:

Who are you, soldier?

ACHILLES:

Achilles, son of Peleus.

(CONTINUED)

9.

6A CONTINUED:
(2) 6A

TRIOPAS:

Achilles. I won't forget the name.

Triopas offers Achilles the heavy gold SCEPTER.

TRIOPAS:

The ruler of Thessaly carries this

scepter. Give it to your king.

ACHILLES:

He's not my king.

Achilles walks west, away from both armies. The soldiers

watch him go in silence.

7 EXT. IONIAN SEA - DUSK 7

We're high above the wine-dark sea, gliding north. Soon

the Peloponnesian coast comes into view. The only break

in the shoreline is the inlet of Laconia, and we follow it

inland.

The inlet ends in a natural harbor where several tall-

masted warships are beached, sails unfurled, oars locked

and rowing benches empty. Dozens of smaller fishing boats

are scattered about the harbor.

On top of the highest hill, overlooking all Sparta, stands

a thick-walled PALACE. Torch-bearing SENTRIES, wearing

plumed helmets and carrying long spears, man their posts.

MENELAUS (V.O.)

Princes of Troy, on our last night

together, Queen Helen and I salute

you.

8 INT. PALACE OF SPARTA - RECEPTION HALL - CONTINUOUS 8

MENELAUS (40), king of Sparta, stands at the head of a

massive table that spans the length of a hall lit by

torches. A battle-scarred warrior, Menelaus is already

halfway drunk.

Beside Menelaus sits his wife, HELEN (25), wearing a white

gown, head bowed, half listening to her husband. Fresh

flowers are woven into her hair. Her beauty is so extreme

she seems to exist in a separate realm.

(CONTINUED)

10.

8 CONTINUED:
8

The only woman in the room and the only one wearing white,

Helen shines amidst the unwashed WARRIORS of Sparta and

Troy. All sit at a table laden with platters of roasted

game birds, whole fish, octopi, suckling pigs and bowls of

fruit.

Menelaus holds his gold wine goblet in the air, toasting

his honored guests, HECTOR (35) and PARIS (25).

Hector is not the best-looking man in the room, nor the

largest, but the intensity of his expression, the regality

of his bearing, confirms that he is a born leader.

Paris is the best-looking man in the room, by a long shot.

He's not paying attention to Menelaus. He's staring at

Helen.

MENELAUS:

We've had our conflicts before,

it's true. We've fought many

battles, Sparta and Troy. And

fought well!

Menelaus's soldiers cheer drunkenly. For a moment Helen

looks up and meets Paris's gaze.

MENELAUS:

But I've always respected your

father. Priam is a good man, a

good king. I respected him as an

adversary, and I respect him now as

my ally.

More cheering, this time from the entire assembly.

MENELAUS:

Hector, Paris, young princes, come,

stand, drink with me.

Hector stands. Paris does not. He's still staring at

Helen. Hector nudges his brother's shoulder. Paris

stands.

MENELAUS:

Let us drink to peace.

Hector nods to Menelaus and raises his cup.

HECTOR:

Peace between Troy and Sparta.

(CONTINUED)

11.

8 CONTINUED:
(2) 8

The king and the princes drink deeply and slam their empty

cups to the table.

MENELAUS:

May the gods keep the wolves in the

hills and the women in our beds.

All the men in the hall cheer and rise to their feet.

GUESTS:

To Sparta! To Troy!

A band of MUSICIANS strike up their instruments; SERVANTS

roam the hall filling goblets with wine.

POLYDORA (20), one of Helen's handmaidens, leads a dozen

attractive YOUNG WOMEN into the banquet hall.

The warriors howl at the sight of the women. Soon each of

the handmaidens is flanked by drunken soldiers.

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