Troy Page #8

33B SOLDIERS 33B

prepare a series of fortifications at the beach. Men

carrying torches ignite giant pumice urns filled with

burning pitch. Others hammer long spikes deep into the

sand to hinder enemies rushing up from the beach.

There is little conversation and the men look tense.

Everything is touched with an air of extreme urgency.

33C A TEMPLE OF APOLLO 33C

overlooks the beach.

33D INSIDE THE TEMPLE 33D

two PRIESTS carve strips of fat from a roasted PIG and lay

them on the god's altar, muttering chants as they perform

the ritual.

Briseis, the temple acolyte, stands beside the priests,

pouring ceremonial wine on the stone floor.

33E MERCHANTS 33E

in the marketplace set up their stalls and display their

goods:
wine, olive oil, dates, figs, nuts and spices.

The BRONZESMITH hammers a bronze sword into shape.

42.

33F A SHEPHERD 33F

watches over his herd of SHEEP.

33G A FARMER AND HIS SON 33G

lead a team of yoked OXEN to the fields.

33H FOUR FISHERMEN 33H

in a small boat, a mile from shore, spread their nets in

the water.

34 EXT. GUARD TOWER - DAWN 34

Two SENTRIES stand in a guard tower on a corner of Troy's

city walls, sipping hot broth from bowls. A large flag,

emblazoned with Troy's HORSE EMBLEM, flies above the

tower.

Sentry #1 blows steam off his soup. He raises his eyes,

blinks and squints into the distance. He bolts upright.

Sentry #2 stands and follows his partner's gaze out to the

sea. Both of them stand slack-jawed.

34A A THOUSAND GREEK WARSHIPS 34A

clog the horizon, sailing straight for Troy.

34B SENTRY #2 34B

grabs a gong tapper and begins hammering the brass gong

hanging from the tower's lintel. Sentry #1 still stares

at the swarm of ships. No Trojan has ever seen such a

force.

34C SENTRIES 34C

in other guard towers hammer their warning gongs.

35 INT. HECTOR'S CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS 35

Hector sits on a rug by his bed, beside his wife

Andromache, watching his son.

The boy plays with the WOOD LION Hector carved on the

journey back from Sparta.

(CONTINUED)

43.

35

CONTINUED:
35

The city bells begin to ring.

Hector looks at his wife and walks to the balcony, where

he can see over the city walls to the Aegean.

He sees a thousand enemy sails. For a moment he stares at

the armada before hurrying back into the palace.

36

INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - DAY 36

Priam kneels before a grand statue of Zeus in the great

hall. The Thunder God, his stone face a mask of rage,

thunderbolts clutched in his stone hands, stares down at

the old king.

Listening to the bells, Priam takes a deep breath and Looks up

into Zeus's eyes. The father of the gods stares back.

37

EXT. TROY - DAY 37

Panic in the streets of Troy. Merchants quickly pack away

their goods; mothers run into the streets looking for

their children; young men hurry to the armory.

38

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY 38

A mad rush to get inside the safety of the city walls.

38A

THE FARMER AND HIS SON 38A

hastily load provisions onto a wagon.

38B

THE SHEPHERD 38B

hurries his herd toward the Trojan gates. He's joined by

hundreds of COUNTRY DWELLERS racing for sanctuary.

38C

THE FISHERMEN 38C

row desperately for shore.

39

EXT. AEGEAN SEA - DAY 39

The armada draws closer to shore. One ship sails far

ahead of the rest. Its sail is black.

44.

40 EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP 40

Achilles' OARSMEN holler encouragement to their shipmates

and check to see that their boat is safely in the lead.

Achilles stands in the prow, scanning the Trojan shore.

Patroclus stands beside him. EUDORUS (40), a Myrmidon

lieutenant, approaches Achilles.

EUDORUS:

Should we wait for the others?

Achilles marks the progress of the other ships. The

nearest is a quarter-mile back.

Those MYRMIDONS (Achilles' countrymen and comrades) not

rowing are suiting up for battle.

ACHILLES:

They brought us here for a war,

didn't they?

EUDORUS:

Yes, my lord. But Agamemnon -

Achilles stares at his officer until the man bows his

head.

ACHILLES:

Do you fight for me, Eudorus? Or

Agamemnon?

EUDORUS:

For you, my lord.

ACHILLES:

Then fight for me. And let the

servants of Agamemnon fight for

him.

41 EXT. AGAMEMNON'S WARSHIP 41

Agamemnon, Nestor and Menelaus stand in the ship's prow.

MENELAUS:

Whose ship is that?

Nestor shields his eyes from the sun and looks.

Nestor

Black sail. Achilles.

They watch Achilles' ship approach the beach.

(CONTINUED)

45.

41 CONTINUED:
41

AGAMEMNON:

What is that fool doing? He's

going to take the beach of Troy

with fifty men?

42 EXT. TROJAN BEACH FORTIFICATIONS - DAY 42

The TROJAN ARCHERS check their catgut strings one last

time.

43 EXT. TROJAN ARMORY - DAY 43

Tecton dismounts at the door of the armory and runs

inside.

44 INT. TROJAN ARMORY - DAY 44

The cavernous building is crowded with armaments: racks

and racks of spears, swords, breastplates, and shields.

Hector watches as hundreds of male CITIZENS rush into the

armory and are issued weapons by TROJAN SOLDIERS. The

faces of the men reflect fear, excitement, and resolve.

Tecton approaches the prince and bows.

HECTOR:

The Apollonian Guard?

TECTON:

Waiting at the city gates.

HECTOR:

Good.

Hector grabs the captain, LYSANDER, overseeing arms

distribution.

HECTOR:

How long before the army is ready?

LSYANDER:

Half our men are still coming in

from the countryside. We have to

arm them, we have to match them

with the right officers -

HECTOR:

How long?

(CONTINUED)

46.

44 CONTINUED:
44

LSYANDER:

(taking a deep breath)

Noon?

HECTOR:

Make it sooner.

We've never seen the prince in martial mode before. He

looks different:
eyes harder, mouth set and unsmiling.

HECTOR:

I want patrols to scour the

countryside. Check every home,

every pasture. I want every Trojan

brought inside the walls. If they

can't walk, carry them.

Lysander bows his head. Hector walks swiftly away,

followed by Tecton. Lysander and the other Trojans watch

their prince with silent respect. There is no doubt who

leads the city.

45 EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP 45

Though the oarsmen continue to pull, everyone is now

armored. Achilles sees Patroclus, armed and ready to

fight.

ACHILLES:

Where are you going?

PATROCLUS:

To fight the Trojans.

Achilles shakes his head and takes Patroclus' spear.

ACHILLES:

You're not ready.

PATROCLUS:

I am ready. You taught me how to

fight.

Achilles rests his hand on the back of the boy's head.

ACHILLES:

And you're a good student. But

you're not a Myrmidon yet.

He gestures to the Myrmidons around them.

(CONTINUED)

47.

45 CONTINUED:
45

ACHILLES:

These are the fiercest soldiers in

Greece. Each of them has bled for

me before.

(beat)

I can't fight the Trojans if I'm

worrying about you, cousin. Guard

the ship.

Patroclus looks about the deck. The only unarmored man

aboard is an old, ONE-LEGGED COOK, mending spears.

Patroclus angrily strips off his breastplate and drops it

to the deck.

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