All language subtitles for DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS

Then, Christians, die you shall!

Go! Both of you!

Into your kingdom!

For the big fisherman.

Prefect. Where's the prefect
of the guard?

Here, sire.

- How long till sunrise?
- Two hours, sire.

My lady.

Wait here.

Open.

- Where's Claudius?
- In his own room.

Doesn't your husband
sleep here?

- Well, what have you to report?
- This is very interesting, sire.

This is the report of Pontius Pilate,
our governor in Jerusalem.

The legends of a Messiah
have said to...

Don't waste my
time with legends.

I want to know one thing.
Gallio and the lady Diana...

...why weren't they afraid to die?

Perhaps they're not dead, sire.

- Not dead?
- According to their superstition.

Their king, this Jesus,
claims to have "overcome death...

...not only for himself,
but for all who had faith in him".

These are his words
as a spy reported them.

You mean those Christians thought
they were going to live for ever?

Ridiculous.

Of course, but the point is
they believed it.

Therefore
they were not afraid.

Everyone's afraid of death.

Take you, my dear uncle.

Are you prepared to die now?

Of course you're not.

You're sweating.
Your knees are shaking.

Very amusing.

Death's one inch from your heart,
one little push on the dagger.

Shall I, Claudius?

If you do, sire,
my knees will stop shaking...

...I will not sweat any more.

I won't be half as amusing dead
as I am alive.

The question is: are you alive?

Would you say so, Messalina?

As his wife, you're in the best
position to know.

My devotion to my husband
is well known, sire.

It's the talk of the Forum.

And your devotion
to your emperor?

Your wife is truly beautiful, Uncle.

Except for her ears.

They're shaped like keyholes.

Who are your spies at court?

Never mind. I'll find out.

Suppose it were true. Suppose this Jesus
had found the secret of eternal life.

It's only superstition, sire.
Philosophers have disproved the idea...

Philosophers!
Their brains are full of mildew!

I have the power of life and death
over every being in the empire!

My power is as great
as any god's! True?

- True, sire.
- Then why should I have to die?

Why should I have to suffer death
like any plebeian, any slave?

- Is that logical? Is it?
- No, sire.

Perhaps there was a spell.

A spell to make one immortal.

Like a god.

What have you found out
about the robe?

- The robe?
- Yes. The robe.

The robe of this Jesus.

Tribune Gallio was carrying it
at his trial today. Where is it?

The lady Diana gave it to a slave
as she left the hall.

She said something about it
being for the fisherman.

Fisherman.

Yes, that fits.

One of their leaders
is called the fisherman.

You're observant, Messalina.
It may please me to reward you.

I wouldn't let her
sleep alone, Uncle.

No one in this palace
can be trusted.

Prefect!
Prefect of the guard!

He's calling for his guards to find him
the robe to bring him eternal life.

- He's mad.
- No.

Quite logical, when you consider
that most of the emperors...

...go more or less mad.

Every emperor stakes his life
on the loyalty of the Praetorian Guards.

So if they can keep him alive at all,
why not for ever?

He nearly killed you.

Men do not kill what they despise.
Only what they fear.

Why don't you send
for a slave to do that?

Or do you enjoy
being on your knees?

With a tyrant,
it's better to live on your knees...

...than stand erect
and be killed.

And you have the blood
of the Caesars in you.

Rome was full of heroes once.

They're all dead...

...and their wives are widows.

Our friends, Marcellus and Diana,
are with Him.

Let us not mourn them.

Let us rather envy them...

...that they could go joyfully
and with pride in the service...

...of their belief.

Jesus spoke to us of death...

...the night he faced his own.

The night they took him
before Pilate.

It was our last supper together.

After we had risen from the table,
he washed our feet...

...and then he spoke.

He told us that in his Father's house
are many mansions.

That he went to prepare
a place for us there.

"And where I am," he said,
"there you may be also."

Our friends are
in our Father's house.

Some day we'll all walk
that same road...

...and at its end we'll find them.

Find our master.

His everlasting love.

Amen.

- Amen.
- Amen.

I know what you say
is true, Peter.

But it's still in my mind...

...that only yesterday
they were warm with life.

Young, breathing...

...laughing.

- Now it's...
- They never doubted.

I'm sorry, Peter...

...but I loved them so much.

Even Jesus himself on the cross
thought he was forsaken.

I remember.

Only you, of all of us here,
have that memory.

You saw him on his cross.

But we all saw desolation
give way to joy, death to life.

Friends, while I'm away
in the north...

...Demetrius will be
my eyes, my ears, my voice.

Come to him with your problems
as you would come to me.

This was our master's robe.

He wore it
when he healed the sick.

He wore it when he comforted
the sorrowing.

He wore it when he spoke to the multitudes
as no man has ever spoken.

He wore it when he went
to the cross to die for us.

Keep it for me.

Keep it.

You saved it for us.

God be with you all.

- God be with you, Peter.
- God be with you, Peter.

Good morning, Demetrius.

- You never make a mistake, do you, Kaeso?
- I'd know your step anywhere.

- Peter's safely on the road.
- Good.

- Have you had your breakfast?
- No.

Lucia will get it for you. Lucia!

Lucia!

- Where is that girl?
- Coming.

- Demetrius has had no food.
- It's ready.

Here's your breakfast.

I saved you some apricots.
I know you like them.

- I hid them for you.
- Thank you.

If there was only one apricot left
in the world, she'd give it to you.

Peter gave me our master's robe
to keep for him.

- May I?
- Of course.

I never thought of Jesus
as being so tall.

- Was he as tall as you, Demetrius?
- Just about the same.

You'd think his robe
would be made of silk and gold.

He was a carpenter.
All his life he'd worked with his hands.

- Like us.
- Just like us.

By order of the emperor,
I am authorised to pay 20 pieces of gold...

...for information
concerning the robe...

...which once belonged
to the criminal called Jesus...

...crucified
for sedition in Jerusalem.

Well? 20 pieces of gold.

The penalty
for concealment is death!

Start the search!

Anyone here
know of this robe?

It's said to be of homespun,
red in colour.

Are you slave or free here?

I am a born freeman.

All the others have been freed.

Christians?

I'll have a look around.
Get back to your work.

You! Come back here!

No!

Why did you run?
Why did you...

Demetrius of Corinth.

Assaulting a decurion
of the Praetorian Guard...

...in the execution of his duties.

- Is the decurion here?
- Here, sir.

The evidence seems impressive.
Are you slave or free?

Free, sir.

Mark of a slave, sir.

I was a slave,
but my master freed me, sir.

A slave may be freed by
emancipation before a praetor...

...inscription
on the censor's record...

...testament on death of master
or declaration before witnesses.

- Can you provide proof of any of these?
- No, sir.

- Were you bought or born to the house?
- Bought, sir.

Where is your master?

Dead.

A Greek should be able
to invent a better story than that.

Flavius, do you think
he'd make a gladiator?

Look at the decurion's face!

Sentenced to be trained
for the arena.

- Where is the master?
- Strabo!

- More prisoners.
- Open up.

You prisoners are lucky
to be sentenced to train...

...as gladiators
in the Claudian school...

...rather than to one
of the imperial schools.

This is the best.

We have the best trainers,
the best physicians...

...to watch over your skins,
your health, your food.

We'll feed you well
and dress you well.

You'll have meat at every meal.

Gladiators trained in this school
are sought after...

...for the most important
festival games...

...and also for the emperor's
private enclosure.

That's because
we have an iron motto:

"We live well, we die well."

Unchain them.

It may seem to you
that in being sentenced to this place...

...you're being sentenced
to death.

That's not necessarily true.

I, Strabo, was sentenced here
as you are, but I fought well.

I won fame and a fortune, too.
And I won my freedom.

The emperor himself
calls me by name.

Even the most famous of the charioteers
has to give way to me.

I fought 52 times in the arena.

I killed 52 men.

Perhaps one of you
will do as well.

Come.

Dardanius here
is the best of netmen.

You've seen his name often
where the girls have scratched it...

...on the walls of Rome.

He likes the way we live here.
He likes to kill. He's a born butcher.

But he can have his choice
of fair ladies. Tonight he will.

And so will you
when you're ready for the arena.

Glycon was a king in his own country.
Now he's the king of swordsmen.

Learn to use a sword like him
and you may well earn your freedom...

...as he'll earn his very soon,
perhaps tomorrow.

You'll train with wooden swords
till you're ready for the steel.

These men here
will fight tomorrow.

Half of them will live,
half of them will die.

They know it.

Some men who are sent here
don't seem to like it.

They'd rather live badly than die well,
so they try to escape.

Like this one.

All his training was wasted.

He dies badly
like a common criminal.

Try to escape
and this is your reward.

Strabo, Claudius is arriving.

Line up the men
who fight tomorrow.

You're luckier
than most recruits.

On your first day
you'll see the owner of the school.

Come.

My lord Claudius.

My lady.

So these are the men, eh?

Well, I hope you drew up
a better list than last time.

They know it's for
a special occasion, my lord.

Oh. Probus.

Dardanius.

Barak. Good.

Tomorrow is the emperor's birthday.

You men will have the honour
of competing in the palace itself...

...in the emperor's private arena.

I expect you to make
a good impression.

You are my birthday present
to Caligula.

They'll do you proud, my lord.

Every man has sworn
to die well if he has to.

To die with style.

I've also let them know
there's something special...

...in the way of entertainment tonight,
thanks to our lady.

Say a word to them, my lady.

I'm sending you a feast
prepared in my own kitchens.

Rare delicacies from every province
of the empire...

...and wine
from the imperial cellars...

...packed in snow and brought
by runners from the Alps.

I can assure you the rest
of the entertainment will be...

...of the very highest quality.

Guard! Guard!

Lock the gate!
Stay where you are!

Mark him!

- Stay where you are.
- Stop him!

Stop him! Mark him!

Lock the gate!

The best prospect of the lot
had to be a coward.

- I'm no coward.
- Then why did you run?

- Bind him!
- Wait.

Why did you run?

I don't think you're a coward.

You had no real chance of escaping.
You must have known that.

This is a place where men are trained
to kill each other like animals.

- And men aren't animals?
- No.

We admire a magnificent animal who fights.
Why not a man who fights?

Because God didn't put man on earth
to destroy his own kind...

...nor a woman to enjoy
their agonies as they die.

- Dog!
- Wait.

- What's your name?
- Demetrius.

You spoke of a god, Demetrius.
Which god?

There is only one God.

He's one of them.
This is very interesting.

A Christian.

- Are you a Christian?
- Yes.

- And you won't fight?
- No.

He can't, my dear.
It's against his religion to kill.

We'll see about that.

- Strabo.
- Yes, my lady.

Put him in the arena
tomorrow afternoon.

Messalina, he won't fight.
You know what Caligula will do.

I'm more interested in what
this Christian will do...

...when he sees
that his choice is kill or die.

Here they come!

Look, Dardanius!

Sit here and watch the game.

- Watch me win this.
- Get on with the play.

You may see a few things
you didn't bargain for, my lady.

These men
aren't exactly children.

They know that half of them
will be dead tomorrow night.

I'll try not
to be shocked, Strabo.

Your name is Demetrius?

I'm from Corinth, like you.

This is my first time here.

- Do you always eat like this?
- I don't know.

This is my first time, too.

And you're fighting tomorrow!

You must be a famous warrior.

I'm a potter.

Only a potter? And they're sending
you into the arena tomorrow?

You must have done
something awfully bad.

I did.

I'm a Christian.

Strabo...

...when you were fighting in the arena
what did you think about the night before?

It doesn't pay a gladiator
to think, my lady.

When you caressed a woman...

...was your mind on her
or on death?

You don't expect to die.
You never think it'll be you that gets it.

There's only one man down there
who knows he's going to die.

You're wrong, Strabo.
When the time comes, he'll fight...

...because he wants to live,
like any other man.

My lady, I tried to teach him
something this afternoon.

He wouldn't make a move to defend himself.
Wouldn't even pick up the sword.

And he admitted
he was a warrior once.

He was brought to Rome
as a prisoner of war, but he won't fight.

Why, you...

All right, you're out of the game.
Get back.

He's out.
Come on, whose throw?

- Mine. Let's go.
- Throw the dice.

Watch this one.

The stakes must be high.

They're gambling
for a longer life.

The winner gets me
for his opponent tomorrow.

Venus. I threw Venus.

I win.

I won you, Christian.

Tomorrow you're mine.

Now I want to show you something.

Watch.

Is it true that
when you strike a Christian...

...he must turn
the other cheek?

Well, go ahead. Turn the other cheek.
Let's see you.

Anyone else?

I am no Christian.

- Who is he?
- Glycon, the Nubian.

My lord Claudius has been considering
giving him his freedom.

Oh, yes. I remember.

Have him fight
the Christian tomorrow.

That should make it
even more interesting.

Listen to me.

The worst sort of life is better
than the best kind of death.

Forget your religion
for just one day.

Kill him. He is no good.

Your god will thank you for it.

Thank you for what you did.

This god of yours...

They say he thought as well of a slave
as of a patrician, even an emperor.

Can this be true?

It was one of the greatest
of his truths.

No wonder they crucified him.

The gladiators have arrived
at the palace enclosure, sire.

Well? What have you to report?

The robe is no longer
in Rome, sire.

The man who has it,
the one they call the fisherman...

...is said to have left
the city and gone north.

- I've issued orders to...
- I want the robe, not excuses!

Find it!

I hope you've provided better
entertainment than last time, Uncle.

Senators...

...my subjects...

...my loyal guards...

...we are touched by your devotion.

In honour of our birthday...

...a gift of 50 gold pieces
for every member of the guard.

We will proceed now
with the marriage of life and death.

Hail Caesar!

We, who are about to die,
salute you.

Begin the games!

Get ready.

Demetrius. Glycon.

Take it.

There's one chance for you.
A slim one.

- Have you ever used a sword?
- Yes.

Fight as hard as you can.
Try to kill me. Use your shield well.

Sometimes, very rarely,
if two men put up a good enough fight...

...they let them both live.

Do you understand?

If they think we're pretending,
they'll cut our throats.

If they begin to guess, defend yourself,
because then I'll have to kill you.

- Good luck.
- Good luck.

- That's Glycon, isn't it?
- Yes, sire.

Good. I don't know
the other one.

A Greek.
A most unusual man, sire.

We thought
he might amuse you.

Cut hard at me,
make it look good. Attack!

It's poor, Claudius.
Your gladiators are too fond of each other.

It's no good. They know.
Sorry, friend. Fight for your life.

- Glycon, pick up your sword.
- I can't. You've won.

Look, Glycon. It's life.

Not yet.
The emperor decides.

They want him spared, sire.

Cut clean, friend.

Sire, I'm a freeman of Rome.

I claim my right of appeal
to the emperor.

Your rights
are what I say they are.

But you may speak.

I ask you to withdraw
your command, sire.

Why should I?

I'm a Christian.
I can't take a man's life.

Very well.

Your request is granted.

- The Nubian goes free.
- Thank you, sire.

Christian!

Stay there!

Macro, go down and cut
the dog's throat.

Take your time with it.

Let him die slowly.

Sire, is that worthy of you?
A man who won't even fight back?

What do you mean not worthy?

Are you daring
to plead for his life?

I'm only thinking
of your own amusement.

Why waste his death?
Make him a birthday present to your tigers.

I think I begin
to understand, Claudius.

She wants him
to have a chance for life.

I didn't know your taste
ran to Christians.

- Did you, Claudius?
- It doesn't, sire.

Your eyes betray you.

Very well.

When the tigers are finished with him
you won't want what's left.

Macro...

...give him the dagger
and come back.

Release the tigers!

- He's lost much blood, my lady.
- I want him to live.

- What are you doing?
- We are going to bleed him, my lady.

The blood of slaves is impure.

We thought letting some out
to improve his health.

Bleed him when his trouble
is loss of blood?

Get out, both of you!

The fools.
Who can be trusted?

I'll stay with him, my lady.

Get blankets. He should be kept warm.
And heat some wine for him.

Heated wine.

I wish I knew
how to pray to his god.

Save your breath.
The wine will do him more good.

- I make you responsible, Strabo.
- I'll do everything I can, my lady.

If he dies,
I'll send you back to the arena.

Leave us.

I understand I have you
to thank for my life.

Caligula
would have wasted you.

You could become
a valuable piece of property.

- Why did you send for me?
- I didn't.

My husband
wants to question you.

- Claudius?
- Yes?

- The slave Demetrius is here.
- I'm not a slave.

You're our property,
whatever you want to call it.

Good afternoon.
I hope you're feeling better.

Yes, sir.

If you could survive our physicians,
you could survive anything.

But then it's hard to kill a man
who believes he'll live forever.

- You do believe that, don't you?
- Claudius, come to the point.

Oh, yes.

The emperor is interested in the robe
that Jesus wore to the cross.

Can you tell me where to find it
or the whereabouts of the man who has it?

Peter, I believe he's called.

No, sir. I can tell you nothing.

Caligula might take it into his head
to question you himself.

He has his methods.

I know his methods.

And you'd die for this robe?

You're an intelligent man.
You can't believe it could cast a spell.

Only the spell of memory.

I took it from the foot
of the cross myself...

...just before he died calling
on his Father to forgive his enemies.

He did that?

What men will do under
the inspiration of their beliefs!

I have none myself, none at all,
though my wife is a priestess of Isis.

I'm sure the Christians look on my faith
as debauched superstition.

Don't you?

The priestess of Isis
knows where her faith is.

- We believe that love rules the world.
- So do we.

Well, then why are you
such hypocrites?

Why do you pretend to be so pure,
above all temptation?

I think you misunderstand, my dear.
When a Christian speaks of love...

- ...he means...
- I'm asking Demetrius.

Jesus said,
"Love ye one another as brothers."

Tell me...

...how do you manage
to love a woman as a brother?

You don't.

It's a pity you can't tell me
something about the robe.

It might even mean
your freedom.

I can tell you nothing, sir.

Albus.

- Return this man to the gladiator school.
- Why, Claudius?

You might have
further questions for him.

We could find useful employment for him
here among our own bodyguards.

At least until he's fit
for the arena again.

As you say, my dear.

Besides, when he knows us better,
he might be willing to tell us more.

Albus, feed him,
then return to me for instructions.

Yes, my lady. Come!

Have you exhausted all the other sources
of your amusement?

- But don't you find him interesting?
- He's a remarkable young man.

He has something that Rome has lacked
since the early days of the republic.

Something to believe in: faith.

Our early conquests
weakened it...

...and my family, we Caesars,
killed and buried it.

Strange, if the memory of a dead Jew
should bring it to life again.

Messalina.

Don't hurt him.

Don't destroy what he has.

- Are you going to interfere?
- No, my dear.

I never interfere.

This is your post.
Don't leave it.

It's warm. Open the door.

Guard!

Pick it up.

Do you have a woman,
Demetrius?

No.

There's one thing about your religion
that still puzzles me.

Why should one want to live out
such a dull life forever?

To be a Christian these days
is anything but dull.

My husband tells me
you wouldn't fight because of a rule.

A commandment,
issued by your god.

- There are ten of them.
- Tell me about them.

They're very simple.

Thou shalt not kill,
thou shalt not steal...

...thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour...

...thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's wife...

...and so forth.

Where shall I put these?

Back on the floor.

Tell me, are Christian wives
all so ugly that no one desires them?

I didn't say
they weren't desired.

I only said there's
a commandment against it.

A commandment
against everything.

Don't look,
don't touch, don't fight...

...don't breathe, don't live.

Is there nothing human
in your religion?

Well, there's no commandment
that says a woman can't talk like a fool.

Be careful, Demetrius.

My claws can be sharper
than the tiger's.

My lady, the emperor
wishes to see you at once.

Come with me.

Do you know these objects?

Yes. They're my uncle
and my cousin.

They made an attempt on my life.
What should be done with them?

- The penalty for such a crime is death.
- You have sentenced them.

Macro, take them out!

Sire, I claim my right of trial
before the Senate.

You've had your trial!

Let their heads be hung
in the Senate House as a reminder.

Go.

They said that I must die because
I aspire to be a god. Because I'm mad.

But you knew all about
their plan, didn't you?

No, sire.

Don't lie to me!
I've heard who put them up to it.

There isn't a man in Rome who'd dare.
But you'd dare, Messalina.

You'd dare anything.

- Deny it!
- Sire...

- Deny it, I said!
- Sire, I didn't!

I'll give you witnesses
to your treachery!

You. You'll swear
that she's guilty.

- Yes, sire.
- And you! And you! And you!

You hear?

I deny nothing, sire. But what I said
was falsely reported to you.

Do you deny saying
that I aspire to be a god?

I said you are a god.

Isis herself revealed it to me
in the temple.

Isis?

That I'm a god?

She said the gods themselves
look upon you as one of them.

I spoke of this wonder
in the court...

...but your faithful courtiers
laughed in my face.

- The same who have accused me.
- Is this true?

- Is it true?
- No, sire.

Liars! Traitors!

So, you deny
that I am a god!

I'll hang all your heads
in the Senate House!

I'll have you torn to pieces!

Kneel! Kneel! Kneel!

Kneel to your god!

Some wine.
There on the table.

Now you've seen it.
Now you know.

Do you wonder that I behave as I do?
That we're all a little mad here?

Today in Rome many innocent people
know what it is to be accused.

Innocent?
Who said I was innocent?

Caligula was right.

I put those two up to it
and they bungled it.

Oh, if I were a man... If I were Claudius,
I'd have killed Caligula long ago.

I'd have won the guards to my side
and taken the empire for my own.

But he's no better
than the rest of them.

Where was he tonight
when I needed him?

I had only my wits to save me.

And not for the first time.

I don't want
another night like this.

I have a villa by the sea.
Claudius never goes there.

I need protection, and I want you
to come with me. Will you come?

Why do you ask me?

You said yourself
I was your property.

I'm not asking you
as my property.

I can free you. We'd be equals.

I'm offering you life, Demetrius,
and a great deal more.

Why do you choose me?

Because you'd never crawl to anyone.
Because you're a man.

Think, Demetrius. You're not blind.

Do I have to say it all?

For ten years I've been married
to a man old enough to be my father.

I've never been close to another man.
I've never wanted to.

I need you, Demetrius.
I need your strength.

You don't need me, Messalina.

A woman with your wit,
your courage and your reputation.

All Rome knows
why you married Claudius.

If anything should ever happen to Caligula,
Claudius will become emperor.

Since then, all of Rome
knows that a steady...

...procession of men
has stood guard at your door.

Albus!

When the truth is ugly,
only a lie can be beautiful.

It would have been better
for both of us if you'd believed me.

My lady.

Return this man
to the gladiator school.

Tell Strabo I'll send instructions
in the morning.

Yes, my lady.

White ball.

- Lycidas draws a black ball.
- Last week and this week, too!

Dardanius draws a black ball.

He has a right to choose
like the rest of us.

He has a right,
and I have orders.

Demetrius
draws a black ball.

White ball.

- What do you want?
- This is Kaeso's pottery?

- I've been a long time finding you.
- We don't sell at this hour.

I didn't come to buy.

You are friends of a Corinthian
named Demetrius?

What do you know about Demetrius?
You've seen him, he's alive?

Yes, he's alive.

He told me about
this place... and you.

I couldn't get him
out of my mind.

- That's why I came here.
- Where is he?

It won't do you any good to know,
but I'll see him tonight.

- If you want to send him a message...
- Where is he? Tell me.

He's been sentenced to the arena.
He's in the gladiator school.

- Can you read?
- A little.

What does it mean?

It's the pairings for the combat tomorrow
in the palace enclosure.

There, his name.

Take me to him.

To the gladiator school?

They'd never let a girl
like you in through the gates.

Please. I don't know your name
or why you came here, but please help me.

Please.

Here they come!

Lucia!

Who is that girl with Demetrius?

I've never seen her
before, my lady.

She hasn't quite the look
of the rest of them.

No, she hasn't.

Sometimes a man's
sweetheart finds out...

...he's here and sneaks
in with the others.

Please don't be angry.
I took another's place. I had to come.

You're not angry?

Of course not.

We tried to find out
what had happened to you.

No one would tell us.

I prayed that...

Oh, Demetrius.

I'm very grateful, Lucia...

...but you can't stay here.

- You must go.
- No, Demetrius, I won't go.

I have a right to be here.

Tomorrow they'll...
they'll kill you?

Yes.

I've loved you
since you first came to us.

You never knew.

And I'd never have told you.

No, Demetrius,
I won't let you send me away.

These last few hours
belong to me.

I've changed my mind, Strabo.
The Christian's not to fight tomorrow.

I'm glad, my lady.

Then he isn't entitled to entertainment.
Send him out.

- But, my lady...
- You know the rules.

Yes, my lady.

Demetrius!

- Demetrius!
- Stop!

Demetrius!

Get back. Get back, all of you.
Back to your quarters.

- You're wasted on that Christian.
- No.

- Forget him.
- No. No!

Demetrius! No!

Demetrius!

Demetrius! Demetrius!

God, help her!
God, help her!

If you are a God, help her!

Demetrius!

Get away!

Move!

She's dead!

- Give me a sword.
- You're not fighting today.

I said give me the sword!

Let him have it, Strabo.

If you want to give
the emperor some sport,

send these others out
to him one by one.

Why, it's the Christian.

- Again?
- He wasn't to fight.

I didn't draw him, Strabo!
You can't send me out there!

- You know the rules!
- We've changed the rules!

- We go now, together.
- Come on.

Not Glycon! Go back!

Sire, I speak for the guards.

The Prefect
Cassius Chaerea may speak.

Never at any games in history have Romans
seen what we have seen here today.

We say that this man
has earned his freedom for life.

And we'd like to have a sword like his
in the Praetorian Guard.

You forget that these Christians owe
allegiance to another king, another god.

Silence!

Sire, the guards want a hero.
Listen to them.

Ask him, sire.
Put him to the question.

Christian...

...do you renounce your false god,
this king of an invisible kingdom...

...who expects to come back
some day and rule the earth?

There is no other king
but Caesar.

There is no power greater than his,
in this world or any other.

By the mercy of Caesar,
you are a free man.

Prefect,
you may induct him...

...into the guards
with the rank of tribune.

Tonight let him sacrifice
in the temple.

Isis...

...Queen of the Mysteries,
Mother of Egypt...

...Protectress of Rome...

...your servant Demetrius
offers you sacrifice.

Well, are you waiting
for your goddess to strike me dead?

What have you and I
to do with gods?

I rejected mine because what he taught
was against all reason and reality.

Do you think I'll accept
this obscenity in his place?

We need no gods, you and I.

We have each other...

...for as long as we live.

There is no past.

No future.

Only now.

Do you see her, Claudius?

The goddess Diana?

Every night she comes to me...

...to my arms.

There.

There she goes.

- Now do you see her?
- No, sire.

Why not?

Only you gods
are privileged to see each other.

Of course.
What are you doing here?

You sent for me, sire.

Oh, yes.

I thought you might
be lonely, Uncle.

Caesar is considerate.

We haven't seen Messalina
for nearly three months.

- She has been busy at the temple.
- How pious.

- Which temple, Uncle?
- The temple of Isis, sire.

Oh, no, Uncle.

No. Messalina worships this summer
at the temple of Venus.

Even now at the seashore
Venus is rising from the waves...

...and Messalina's there
to welcome her.

Deny that she is there, Uncle...

...and that our newest tribune
is her constant visitor.

Shall I take steps?

After all, I'm responsible
for the morals of the court.

Messalina is my wife, sire.

Any steps that are to be taken,
I prefer to take myself.

My poor uncle...

...the tribune's so young,
so strong, so handsome...

...and so brave.

A hero of Rome.

I made him one myself.

Did you know that
when he goes out for the palace,

the guards cheer him
louder than they do me?

Did you know that, Uncle?

The first cup for thirst...

...the second for joy...

...the third for delight...

...and the fourth for folly.

Glycon.

- Who is that?
- A man to see the tribune, my lady.

I'll see him.
Leave me alone with him.

- You're the fisherman.
- And you're Claudius's wife.

- What do you want?
- My business is with Demetrius.

- This is my house.
- I know.

I was told, if I wanted to see him,
I have to come here.

You're wasting your time.
He doesn't want to see you.

I'm sure he can say that
for himself.

You can leave now.

Why are you afraid?

I, afraid?

You'll never get him back.

What can you offer him?
The company of slaves...

...and beggars,
the refuse of Rome?

Poverty and self-denial?
Prayers, tears, death?

You see, I've studied
your teachings.

And I, Fisherman,
I can give him the world.

If he has to choose between us,
do you think he'd hesitate...

...for one minute?
Of course not.

And that's why you hate me.
I can see it in your eyes.

What you see in my eyes is pity.

- Get out!
- Messalina!

- So they sent for you.
- No, Demetrius.

My work in the north
was finished.

Well, if you found
enough fools to satisfy you...

...I can't be
important to you.

Jesus himself
thought no man...

...was unimportant,
and no woman.

He was wrong.

As he was wrong
in so many things.

You are no longer
important to me, Peter.

I have nothing against you...

...but what you have to say
doesn't interest me.

So far I haven't said anything.

Then why did you come here?

Do I have to give a reason
for wanting to see an old friend?

He's right, Messalina.

We can't refuse our hospitality
to an old friend, can we?

- Send him away.
- No. Not until he's had some wine with us.

- Glycon, bring wine.
- Thank you. I've already had some.

Ah, you shouldn't
have done that, Messalina.

He's my friend.

We travelled here together
from Galilee, persuading people...

...to give up their lives
for a beautiful dream.

Take it, Peter. It's real.

Hot, spiced with cinnamon
and cloves.

It wasn't made out of water.

Did you know that Jesus
could turn water into wine?

- That was only one of his tricks.
- Yes, only one.

Anything that was base,
he could make noble.

He found a leper and he made him clean.
He found death and he made life.

He found you a slave
and he made you free.

Get out!

So now you've won a great victory
over him, haven't you, Tribune?

You've made yourself
a slave again.

- Let him go, Demetrius.
- Peter!

That's right,
I'm through with it. All of it.

Don't ever try to come back.

- I have no intention of coming back.
- I know you better than that.

You never give up.

You didn't let go of Marcellus
until he was dead.

You brought him to me.

Yes, and in doing so
condemned him to his death!

But your tricks won't work on me,
because I know them.

Tell that to Jesus
the next time you see him.

Has he made any of his
miraculous appearances lately?

Walking through the Forum, perhaps,
or strolling on the surface of the Tiber?

Tell him what I said.
Tell him, Peter!

He'll know
without my telling him.

You talked to Peter, didn't you?

What did you tell him about me?

I don't discuss your affairs
with anyone, sir.

You freed me and I am grateful.

You must have told him something.

I asked him if one who'd killed
30 men in the arena, as I have...

...could ever hope
to sleep at night.

Why did you ask him that?
Why should he know the answer?

Take your hand away.

You're under my orders, Glycon.
I forbid you to ever see this man again.

I won't obey that order, Tribune.

You are my superior,
but I choose my friends.

We were friends once, Glycon.

I know.

I suppose I should blame myself
for what has become of you.

When I put that sword
in your hand it killed...

...more than Dardanius
and the others.

It killed you.

I hope you sleep well, sir.

Good night.

Demetrius?

Demetrius.

Demetrius!

So, the mob can jeer me
in the Forum...

...tear down my statues.

Where were the guards
when these sacrileges were committed?

Sire, my men were
under arms all night...

...but we haven't enough
to patrol the entire city.

Are you insinuating
that the entire city is against me?

Sire, there's a shortage of grain.
It's only natural...

And I must take
the blame for that, too?

There's a shortage because
I've emptied my treasury for the guards.

They take my gold
and give me nothing in return.

These are my orders:

one more desecration
of this sort...

...one more unpunished
insult to your emperor...

...and every tenth man in the guards
is to be crucified at the city gates!

Post that at the guards'
headquarters!

Sire, not the guards.
Your power depends on their goodwill.

- Don't publish such an order.
- I'm the emperor!

I can do what I please
with whom I please!

The lady Messalina, sire.

Show her in.

You didn't tell me she was back in Rome,
or didn't you know it?

Stop there. Search her!

It pleases you
to question my loyalty, sire.

I've come to give you
new proof of it.

Must have been an
irresistible impulse to bring you...

...from the seashore
at this hour.

- I think you'll agree that it's important.
- Speak up!

I have no secrets
from your husband.

My news concerns the robe.
The magic robe.

Yes, yes, I remember.
Have you got it?

I know how to get it.

The man who owns it,
the one who calls himself the fisherman...

...is back in Rome.

Sometimes, Uncle,
I think I made a mistake...

...not to marry her myself.

The workings of her mind
appeal to me.

She leaves her warm bed
in the cold dawn...

...to rush here
full of zeal and loyalty.

Why, Messalina?

The robe, sire,
holds the secret of eternal life.

Seize this fisherman.
He's dangerous to you.

A threat to your power.

Dangerous to me...

...or to you?

Has this fisherman been making
trouble for you with your lover?

Of course. You're not interested
in the robe for me.

You want to get rid
of the fisherman.

And you!
Why didn't you bring me this news?

This fisherman comes and goes
as he pleases...

...making fools
of the whole Praetorian Guard!

I want the robe!
And I want it today!

I'll do my best, sire...

...but the Christians
will protect their leader.

They'll hide him and they'll hide
the robe of their king.

It may take more than one day.

I didn't ask you for excuses!

Get me the robe!
Take hostages! Kill them!

Torture them by the hundred
till they agree to give it up!

You'll find one that will talk.

Wait.

There's one of your
own tribunes who has...

...special qualifications
for this duty.

Who knows their leaders,
their hiding places.

We'll give Demetrius an opportunity
to earn the cheers he receives.

These are my orders. Go!

Guards, forward march!

Guards, halt!

What do you want here?

Don't you know me, Kaeso?

The footsteps I heard
were those of a stranger.

- I want the robe. Where is it?
- I haven't seen it.

Perhaps I can help you,
Demetrius.

- What do you want with the robe?
- I want to take it to the emperor.

- Why?
- I am giving you a chance.

Unless he gets his hands on it,
he'll wipe you out.

You mean we can buy our lives
with our master's robe?

It's only a piece of cloth.

And you'd let
a thousand people die for it?

That's what you want, isn't it?
You and your god...

...who let his own son
die on a cross.

Who let Stephen and James die,
Marcellus and Diana, and a hundred others.

The same god who turned
his face from me when I begged him...

...to save
an innocent girl's life.

- You blame God for that?
- Who else can I blame?

- Then you still believe there is a god.
- I believe in nothing.

Where's the robe?

You'll find it in there.

She's not dead.

No.

Lucia.

Ever since the night
she was so cruelly hurt...

...she's been as you see her...

...in some darkness where
her injured mind has crawled for refuge.

It's very strange.
No one's been able to take it from her.

It's as if, even in her darkness,
she finds some comfort in it.

- Get it from her.
- How?

How should I know?
One of your miracles. Wake her up.

Would it be kindness to bring her
back to remembrance and shame?

To learn that her sacrifice
was for nothing?

That the man she worshipped
now reviles and ridicules his god?

You could do much for her.

Only you.

When she comes into the light again
she'll need infinite kindness...

...infinite love.

If you want the robe,
pray for it.

Once you knew how.

Lucia.

Lucia.

Oh, God.

Father, forgive them,
for they know not what they do.

Father, forgive me.

Forgive me, Father.

Demetrius, what...

Why are you dressed like that?

Like our enemies?

I've been no one's enemy
but my own.

Like you,
I've been in darkness.

I... I had a terrible dream,
Demetrius.

- I can't remember...
- Don't try.

Let me have the robe, Lucia.

You must take it to the emperor,
if it will save lives.

No, Demetrius.

Peter's right.
There's no danger.

You'll come back.

You came back to me.

I said there was no danger...

...but there is for you.
Do you understand?

Make your way to the palace.
You know the Augustan steps?

Wait for me there.
I'll come out to you as soon as I can.

They're not cheering.
Do you notice it, Claudius?

Yes, sire. Your threat against them
was posted on the gate as they came in.

And they dare take offence?

I've pampered them long enough.

- Well?
- The tribune has returned, sire.

That's it?

That's the robe?

Give it to me.

Wait here.

Get out!

Kill him!

No!

Rise.

Rise!

By the power of this robe,
I command you to rise!

It's a fraud.
You've cheated me!

This is what you asked for, sire.

The robe that Jesus of Nazareth
wore to the cross.

You lied.
It has no magic powers!

- No one ever said it had.
- It's a fraud, and so was Jesus.

I tried it.
I had a prisoner killed.

I ordered him to rise.

- He's still dead!
- You did that?

You killed a man
to test our master's robe?

Stop him! You! Seize him!

Threaten your emperor, will you?
Christian!

Macro, get the Armour
and the weapons!

You shall kill him out there.

I took you out of the arena.
Now you'll go back to it...

...and die as
you should have died long ago.

May God forgive you
for what you've done.

My loyal guards...

...by your sullen attitude here today,
you have questioned steps...

...that I have found it
necessary to take...

...in order to preserve
the imperial dignity.

Now I will show you proof
that my actions were justified.

That treason is everywhere.

That it has even shown
its face among those...

...who are sworn
to protect my person.

In your own ranks.

Let what you'll see now
be a lesson to all among you...

...who fail in loyalty
to your emperor.

The instrument of my justice
will be the greatest...

...gladiator who
ever fought in the arena.

Macro.

- Put them back.
- What have you done?

- I want no shield.
- Demetrius, it's not too late.

- I'll go to Caligula.
- Come on!

Don't let him kill you.
Fight him.

We'll go away from here.

It doesn't matter that you're a Christian.
I'll be a Christian too, if you say so.

Don't let him kill you,
Demetrius!

Watch, my loyal guards.

Watch him die.

- Life! Life!
- Let him live! Let him live!

- Let a traitor live?
- Sire...

...the guards demand mercy.
They demand life.

Demand!

No one makes demands of God!

Claudius, stand clear!

No! No!

Hail Claudius!

Hail Claudius! Hail Claudius!

You have made me emperor
and I will try to serve Rome well.

I want it clearly understood
that I am not a god...

...nor am I likely to become one.

Nor am I quite the fool that
I have pretended to be all these years...

...in order to preserve my life.
That is ended.

You have made me Caesar,
and I will act the part.

- Hail Claudius!
- Hail Claudius!

Messalina.

It's no secret from any of you
that I've mocked my marriage vows.

That I've openly disgraced
my husband and myself.

That, too, is ended.

I am Caesar's wife,
and I will act the part.

- Hail Caesar!
- Hail Caesar!

- Sire.
- Tribune.

Sire, I've deeply wronged you.

You wronged yourself.
You merely disappointed me.

I give you your last commission
as Tribune of the Guards.

Go to your Christian leaders...

and tell them that as long as they commit
no acts of disloyalty to the state...

...they will have nothing
to fear from me.

- Thank you, sire.
- Demetrius...

...my husband and I
wish you good fortune.