Original subtitles

After the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans...

...and the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 A.D.,

a group of Jewish zealots led by Eleazar ben Yair...

...flee to the mountain fortress of Masada.

From there they conduct guerilla raids...

...on Roman occupied towns in the countryside,

threatening the Judean War victory the Romans has already proclaimed.

A truce is negotiated between Eleazar...

...and the General of the Roman Tenth Legion, Flavius Silva.

But the Roman Emperor Vespasian is forced to reject it...

...because of political pressures in the Roman Senate.

Meanwhile, through the treachery of two of Silva's officers,

the truce has already been violently broken by the Romans.

Learning of this, upon his return from Rome,

Silva marches the Tenth Legion to the foot of Masada...

...and lay a siege to the apparently impregnable fortress.

The ground you occupy is the property and territory...

...of the Emperor, Senate and people of Rome!

In their name I order you to depart from it!

The ground you occupy was given as promised...

...to the children of Israel by Almighty God.

I have warned you once.

You have sentenced yourself and your soldiers to death!

Formalities are over! Let's get to work!

Siege engineer Rubrius Gallus...

...orders a ramp built to nearly the summit of the mountain,

planning to break through the Masada walls with the aid...

...of a fifty foot assault tower that is being secretly constructed.

Now!

When Eleazar successfully attacks the Roman soldiers building the ramp...

...with a rain of catapulted stones,

Silva rounds up hundreds of Jewish slaves to finish the work,

guessing correctly that such a tactic will stop...

...Eleazar's assaults from the mountain top.

We kill no more Jews.

Eleazar's tactics then changed to a form of psychological warfare,

attempting to use the heat and the surplus of water on Masada...

...to demoralize the Roman troops.

As part of this new strategy,

he initiates a plan to capitalize on the Roman's belief...

...in reading future signs from the entrails of sacrificial goats.

When will you be slaughtering next?

Tomorrow, a very fat ram.

Eleazar's problems are compounded by his own religious doubts.

But if you don't really believe in God...

...then, what difference does it make?

Why do you keep at it?

Eleazar also faces hostility from the more pacifist elements on Masada.

Silva's relationship with the captured Jewish woman, Sheva,

has progressed far beyond that of master and slave.

But Sheva's identification with the besieged Jews on Masada...

...is a growing emotional complication.

The first thought that came to me out there was...

...that I hoped Eleazar would be merciful and let you live...

...after you surrendered. I would miss you, I thought.

Get out of here.

And as the months pass, both the ramp and the tower...

...are nearing completion.

Stop!

Good.

It'll need reinforcing. Use a double thickness of iron plating...

...down the front and around both sides here.

-Yes, sir. -Right.

Damned wind!

It could be rain, couldn't it?

Ayhh... it could be cantaloupes from Egypt, too.

But it's not.

It's what it is...

...stinging dust to warn the righteous.

You're not righteous, are you, soldier?

-No when I can help it, sir. -Good man.

Get on with the work.

All right, get back.

Storm coming.

No more than a day away.

Where's that butcher?

By gracious order of His Excellency, the Governor General,

...members of the rear echelon not under disciplinary report...

...may leave the camp for the purpose of recreation,

on condition they return before roll call at sunrise tomorrow.

These, and wrap them in grape leaves.

Tie them tight at the ends and they should serve well.

Tell them what you told me.

Goats chew everything before swallowing.

What you have to do...

...is to hold the jaws open and throw the stuff down.

Then wait,

count three, then let them go.

Want me to go along and show you?

Bravery is not enough tonight, one must also be experienced.

I know how difficult this was for a religious man to do.

The rabbi doesn't want us to discuss religion with you people.

He's right.

Mphhh... the smell!

Help me.

That's not worth the walk, is it?

Just as long as we can walk back afterwards.

-Still homesick? -Like everybody else, sir.

It won't be long, now. Rubrius Gallus has cracked...

-...the puzzle of that fortress. -That's good news, sir.

He's worth his weight in gold.

Speaking of which, enjoy yourselves.

You know the mistake you've made, don't you?

I've heard that joke before. It doesn't make me laugh.

What if he had killed him? We'd still be here, wouldn't we?

I'm not so sure.

-If Quadratus had the command-- -Easy...

Can't even talk politics?!

It's not like any duty I've ever had.

You're not much of a conversationist.

She's not much of a listener.

She's tired, she's tired...

Five denarii.

That's ten. I feel romantic.

Your Excellency, what an honor!

Hello, Kofar, I see you're still one step ahead of leprosy.

Your Excellency remembers me. I'm only sorry my children...

...and my grandchildren are not here to witness it.

Kofar is the proprietor of this traveling garden of delights.

And to be part of the exploits of such a great commander...

...is to insure one's own immortality.

Where did you find that?

She was wandering in the desert. An orphan.

She was wandering in the Damascus slave market, you old jackal, but...

...I'm talking about the thing around her neck.

This?

Does it interest you?

It does.

Then accept it as a token of admiration...

...for all the magnificent military encounters I've been privileged--

Name a price and stop the nonsense.

200 denarii.

Pay him.

It looks very beautiful there.

From one whore to another?

From an unfortunate child who cannot be saved...

...to a woman to whom I wish to apologize.

Why did you have to say that?

You're quite right. I did forget myself.

But this excursion reminds me.

Down, down.

One, two, three.

This was a mistake, wasn't it?

Why do you ask me?

-I'm trying to understand you. -Why?

Because I know you feel something when I touch you.

I know you do...

...whatever you pretend.

And if I do? There's no mystery about me.

I'm a woman and I feel.

That changes nothing.

You're wrong.

I'm a Jew. There are many of us in this place.

But there's a difference.

The ones on top of that mountain are willing to die to defeat you.

We, down here, we slaves, are not.

They're not slaves, Sheva.

When this is over, they'll be free.

I never said you were unkind.

Yes, you're a kind man. Even gentle.

I do think so.

And I want to settle for that.

I have nothing else to tell you.

Come on, come on!

Down, down!

This is the last one.

Come on, come on!

Liar.

You try...

...how you try to withhold yourself.

But at last, you give it.

If you want to understand me you must understand this:

there is nothing I can give you.

There's only that which you can take.

Only 31 legionnaires unfit for duty.

That's really quite admirable.

I wonder how the forward echelon will look.

We've had our first desertion as well, sir.

Desertion or love at first sight?

Give him the rest of the day. He'll be back.

This one was on duty last night, sir.

Only once before has such an omen been recorded,

on the morning of the death of Pompey The Great.

His serving animals were likewise riddled with live maggots.

His Excellency has decided...

...to give the camp a morning's rest!

Work will commence at midday!

What must be done to purge the omen?

What are the instructions from Olympus?

In cases of this sort, the God demands...

-...a personal act of expiation. -Namely?

It would call for the Governor General to strip himself nude,

to abase himself at the foot of the altar...

...and then to run a barefoot course round the entire camp.

I've never seen anyone but a priest do that.

Probably, the command in question paid for a surrogate.

Fine idea. What's the price?

Well, a fee of a thousand gold pieces--

Fine, see to it.

That guard didn't desert. He was killed by the zealots...

...who fed the maggots to those goats!

That's impossible!

I was awake and outside the camp all night.

-They got past you, Gallus. -Nothing gets past me!

What do you expect me to believe?

That God Mars wants to waste his time...

...playing practical jokes on the Tenth Legion?

We must face the truth.

We laid out this camp for the prosecution of a siege,

we didn't expect them to come visiting at odd hours.

We expected them to be stubborn, and they've turned out to be clever!

I hate cleverness, it's the soldier in me...

...but we could use a little of it ourselves right now.

Would that be all?

Aw, don't sound like an underpayed streetwalker.

Friend, I need you too badly.

Without you,

I feel outnumbered.

Maggots! Look,

we were closer to the platform than you are to me...

...and that's what we saw.

-Live maggots. -Like this.

Running that priest around this camp won't do any good.

And it wasn't the work of Mars.

What are you saying?

You know what I'm saying. You saw the sky!

That maniac up in the mountain,

he laid it out as plain as I need to hear it.

I don't know about you, but I'm--

going to terminate my enlistment.

-When? -Soon enough.

Just like that?

No, not just like that.

Close the flap.

If we have as little as 1,000 denarii,

we can hire a boat in Caesaria and get to the African coast...

...in two weeks. There's plenty of work for mercenaries.

Where are we going to get 1,000 denarii?

-From Silva. -Aw, c-- let me out of it!

No, just wait! Hear me out.

-You're talking about a close friend! -Only if we're--! Listen.

He gets drunk every night. And now, there's this woman!

Look how easy it was for him, and Silva was sober...

...and there was no woman!

He's not such a bad commander.

That doesn't matter anymore! The signs are against him.

Luck runs out, Plinius, and the only thing we can do is...

...try not to be here when there's no luck left.

Will you at least think about it?

No.

Well,

we dig this out first.

Come on! Come on!

You got anything to tell me?

I'm with you.

All right, back to work! Everybody work!

-How goes it? -Slowly.

Did you get wiped out in the storm?

I managed to save most of my gear.

Really?

Stop right there!

-That's enough, soldier! -Don't move that knife!

I'll take that.

Good evening.

Get them out of here!

Not him.

Move!

I'd say we were even, sir.

What will you do with them?

No more than I have to.

The entire force will form up by cohorts...

...to witness trial and disposition...

...of the accused legionaries for conspiracy to commit treason.

Punishment, as prescribed for these actions,

is that you be flayed alive and then beheaded with your own swords.

But such punishment also denotes a military death...

...and that is too good for you.

Wasn't too good for Quadratus!

And Merovius.

They were brighter than you! I don't think they'll be too pleased...

...to welcome you into the presence of the immortals.

Therefore, this is my judgement:

since you're so anxious to leave us, you shall have your wish.

You'll be taken to the gates of this camp...

...and turned into the desert...

...without food, without water and without your boots.

Before you're set free, you'll be circumcized.

Perhaps then, if you meet any Jews in the wilderness...

...they will be merciful enough to kill you.

Let this be done...

...and let all witness it!

Murderers! Murderers!

Murderers! Murderers!

Murderers!

What are they up to now?

I know that music.

In Alexandria, we call it Nicanor Day...

...to celebrate a triumph over a Greek general.

Here they have a different legend.

How Queen Esther saved her people from destruction...

...by using her wits.

Tell me.

-Well, King Darius of Persia-- -Of Persia...!

...of Persia, once asked three of his wisemen:

...wisest of whom, doubtless, was a Jew...

"What", he asked, "is the strongest thing in the world?".

And the Jew replied...

The Jew Zrubbavel replied:

"A woman is stronger than wine and the King's might..."

"...but the truth is stronger still."

And what was his reward?

To be allowed to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

And so he did. And so it stood...

...until you came along, Your Excellency.

The name of the destroyer changes,

but, in the springtime, there's always a celebration like this.

Here, they call it 'Purim'.

A festival of deliverance.

He comes to me and says:

"Kill tomorrow and let the meat rot."

"We must have maggots".

"Maggots?", I say to him.

You call yourself a Jew?

To let meat be unconsumed after sundown?

What a mind! To have a mind like that!

Did you see them running away?

I saw it.

Caravan entering camp!

Pass the caravan through!

Down!

So much for atheism.

There is a Hell.

This is it.

Greetings.

Rubrius Gallus.

Pomponius Falco.

Almost the last person I met before I boarded the ship...

...was your brother. He sends the love of your family.

-Take mine back with you. -It's almost beyond belief!

Is Vespasian punishing you for something?

I will speak of it later. Aren't they ghastly?

But foreign bodyguard's all the rage.

This is Claudius Albinus, my secretary.

Now, we've brought our own-- what do you call it?

Camping equipment, I suppose.

If you could just find us a out-of-the-way corner...

...I'll get these German things to put up our tents.

See to it!

I wish I could give orders like that.

Go with the Tribune, Albinus!

It works!

Come in!

Come in.

What's that sound?

It's called 'Purim', something to do with a queen delivering them...

...from their enemies.

Obviously, they're celebrating something.

My dear, dear friend.

Is this the best we could do for you?

I'm getting used to it.

What a trip!

The sea was calm enough, which was a waste,

I'm a good sailor, don't ask me why.

But the road south!

The dust seems to pile up on one till he looks positively grotesque.

Last night, we camped at some outdoor privy...

...they had the nerve to call an 'oasis'. "Look", I said,

"a humming bird, drinking out the well. How picturesque."

It was a mosquito.

Falco, your travel stories are second to none,

but, what in the name of Heaven are you doing here?

I know you'll find this hard to believe, but...

...I made this dreadful journey at my own request.

-It doesn't go at all well in Rome. -With the oposition, you mean?

Stronger every day. I don't know where Mucianus...

-...get so much support-- -From fools.

There you have it.

But enough fools acting at one moment,

they press him hard in the Senate now.

-Is he bearing up? -Yes and no.

Vespasian is an old soldier, he's used to pressure.

But he doesn't know how to bend to it.

He's like a wolf, he snaps in every direction, suspects everybody.

And some of it is he wonders whether this expedition...

...will be finished on schedule.

And I know you won't repeat this but he was about to do...

...a terribly stupid thing.

Go on.

He was about to send Rufius Pothinus out here to...

...how did he put it?...

"...give Silva the benefit of an older head."

Obviously, that would've been madness.

Send Pothinus anywhere, whatever the situation,

he'll recommend himself as a replacement.

I told Vespasian I wouldn't be surprised if Silva sent the old clot...

...back on the end of a rusty javelin and how could we blame him.

-And Vespasian? -Well, you know him.

If you're negative on one of his ideas,

you'd better come up with one of your own.

And for lack of anything better, I suggested myself.

"Caesar", I said, "what we need in this particular spot..."

"...is someone who understands not only the situation,"

"but Silva, the way he works, the way he thinks."

We couldn't sully you with Pothinus, could we?

-I'm very grateful to you. -It's nothing.

And I'm sorry the Emperor's worried.

Of course, there's no need for him to be worried.

No need.

I couldn't help noticing the camp has undergone a certain hardship.

A windstorm, we've just dug ourselves out.

How dreadful things, I've read about them.

But you do feel the schedule will be met?

-Troops out on time? -I do.

The Emperor was thinking in terms of weeks, it's been months.

Not from choice.

-The spirit of the men still high? -They're legionaries.

Nothing wrong with their spirit.

So, in short, you'd say that the Emperor can rest easy...

...on the Judean side of his mattress?

I would say it, perhaps not in the same way.

Good. I told him that would be the case.

I've interrupted your hours of rest.

I'm close to exhaustion myself. We'll talk again in the morning.

I hope we can make you comfortable.

All this life in the field will probably be...

...very good for me. In the long run.

Rubrius Gallus.

Very nice.

Ah, Albinus! If you found us a home in this wasteland...

...lead me to it immediately.

So, what're you going to do about him?

Do?

I give you my word I'll back you up,

but you've got to do something! And quickly!

Gallus, it's late and I had too much to drink,

so, you'll have to speak more plainly.

There's nothing plainer! I can smell it!

"...Life in the fields..."? Yuuckkk!

A thing like that doesn't volunteer to spend one night out of doors...

...unless he's sure to be rewarded.

He's crawled into the Emperor's confidence.

The old man trusts him and he'll use that...

...to make a quick end of you.

There's nothing he could do to me, even if he wanted to!

You weren't in Rome when that man began his climb.

I was. I saw him go from a third-rate money lender...

...up through the Knights Assembly to the Privy Council.

And by that time, four men who wouldn't worry about Falco,

ended up in a bathtub with their veins open.

He's poison! Deadly!

-Very likely, but not to me. -Why not to you?!

Because I have no ambition!

All that's left for me to do is what I promised Vespasian.

If Falco can find something for himself in that, let him!

Stay out of politics, my dear friend, you are too honest.

You--

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

-Will he think you're ungrateful? -I can't read minds.

Still, he's not hard to understand.

Have you noticed he's become more courteus to me?

Almost pleasant.

It's because he thinks I make you happy.

Yes.

Sometimes I think you're the loneliest man on earth.

But he is your friend.

And you do make me happy.

You want to make me happy.

You can't read minds.

Romans! The Jews of Masada thank you!

You have helped make our Purim celebration...

...a joyous occasion!

And to the great Governor General of the skeleton army,

may your wine stay sweet until your woman turns sour.

Now, sleep well! Sleep deeply!

Soon, the sun will come!

Soon, the water ration will be cut once again!

Soon you'll be praying to your gods...

...for a quick and painless death!

Good night, Romans! Sleep well, Romans!

Sleep well!

For people who are about to be destroyed any day now...

...rather high morale, isn't it?

What are you waiting for?

I thought you might want to dictate a letter home.

I will.

Soon enough.

From today...

...and until further notice,

the water ration will be cut by one quarter.

Wait!

This is due to the fact that the recent sandstorm...

...has clogged the northern wells.

It will take some time to clear them.

Since more slaves are to be employed in each shift,

guard duty will be doubled,

beginning with the roll call this morning.

May the Gods preserve our Emperor!

That doesn't apply to us, does it? They're cutting rations.

Have you never gone without water before, my delicate child?

That isn't funny! How long are we going to stay in this place?

It's like living at the bottom of a stew pot!

Help me finish this, stop whinning!

In Caesaria there's always a cool wind.

And the Governor's palaces perch over the water...

...like a great marble bird of prey.

A little hardship now, and the reward will make up for it.

Go and get the litter-bearers.

We're going to make a tour of this stew pot today.

Keep moving!

Are there casualties?

No?

Get out of the way!

Let's go.

They're still at it.

What did you expect?

That they would be melted away this morning?

We've bruised them. We'll continue.

And in the end, the ramp will be finished.

-It's possible. -It's also possible to stop them.

-What do you think? -You only ask me what I think...

...when you think I agree with you.

We could send down a barrage of arrows on those slaves...

...like this country has never seen.

And we could keep it up for days!

That, and the sun, and they will go.

We save our arrows...

...for any Romans foolish enough to march up that ramp.

If they last long enough to finish it.

It's worse than ever.

Even we stay inside.

Marvelous. Such coolness in the hottest part of Israel.

Reuben, as you live your life,

you will hear many horror stories about Herod the Great.

And many will be true enough.

But never forget, he knew how to build.

Aqueducts, palaces, cities.

He was proud of this country that heeded him.

-Remember it. -I will, father.

As he lives his life...

Aaron and I are going swimming.

Simply march his men up that ramp...

...and into our arrows?

Would he do that?

First maniple!

Now!

Now!

Now!

Up!

Line up!

Second maniple!

Faster!

Try the Forth Cohort on the ladders tomorrow!

Pull this batch away until the position has been secured.

-They're sharpen up, sir. -When it's cooler.

Try the Forth Cohort.

Remember, all marching orders...

...must be coordinated with the position of the tower.

Your Centurions are trained to lead on level ground.

Therefore, now and till the day of the assault,

drum it into the heads,

no trumpet signals, no Tribune standards,

they'll advance and retreat on the orders of Gallus...

...and his officers.

I don't want the Jews to draw any cheap first blood...

...because some over-eager foot soldiers get to the wall...

-...before the tower has done its job. -Over-eager, sir?

Remember that the end will be in sight,

they'll be smelling the sea,

it will make them forget the fundamentals.

And drum this, now, into your own heads:

I want as many of the Jews alive as we can manage.

-Understood? -Yes, sir.

Carry on.

Dismiss the men.

Late breakfast?

Forgive me. I was up an about practically at dawn.

-So much to see. -Did we pass inspection?

I have read every word Xenophon and Caesar...

...ever wrote about laying a siege.

I would stake my reputation no-one has seen a better job.

Superb diplomat.

In the daylight, your work is an awesome spectacle.

The tower! It's like-- something out of a legend.

Now, that will be pushed up the ramp.

-Pulled. -Pulled...

Forgive me, I'm not quite with you.

We will sink blocks of wood in the upper section of the ramp...

...and attach pulleys to them,

leading down to ropes on the front of the tower.

I see.

If I were stuck in this place for a century and a half...

...I would never have thought of that.

The upper section, you say, forgive me again.

When the ramp is completed...

...it will feature as well as a lower section, an upper one.

It's the way of ramps, you know, it's-- a characteristic.

Very good, exactly what I deserved.

Well, at any rate, you certainly passed inspection.

I do have one question to ask.

It might sound trifle stupid, so, pardon me in advance.

-Yes? -To the untrained eye,

all this seems to be taking rather long.

Is it possible-- just possible,

that there's a quicker way to end this thing?

Well, I could declare an amnesty,

let the slaves go, pull up stakes,

withdraw a few miles, and then,

-when they came down... -Yes?

Of course, they wouldn't come down.

They wouldn't believe me in the first place.

Well, actually, I was thinking of something...

...much more nearer to the point.

After all, those slaves we have, they are all Jews, aren't they?

Part of my job here is to win the peace.

We must teach the population of this country they can trust us.

That's what the Emperor wants.

I wonder if that's quite accurate.

As I've told you the Emperor is in a rather delicate position.

Yes, you told me,

but a hundred men can come from an audience with the Emperor...

...and there will be a hundred versions of his position.

My version is that he gave me this command and while I have it...

...I can only do the Emperor's will as I see that will.

Do I make myself clear?

With a soldier's clarity.

Pardon me, I've got a tentful of officers waiting for me.

-Gallus never changes. -No.

He's the wrong partner to bring to a banquet on the Palatine,

but in a fight like this he's irreplaceable.

No doubt.

Well, Albinus is out there somewhere. In that dreadful sun,

my poor Sicilian grape will be turning into a raisin.

Better go and find him.

By the way,

I think you handled that attempt on your life in a brilliant fashion.

-Circumcision. Brilliant. -You've heard of that?

Of course.

It was meant to be an object lesson and...

...the troops have learned from it.

They speak of little else.

Until later.

Keep working!

Faster!

Faster!

Move along, move along.

Until midday, you know that.

Stand aside.

It won't be long till midday, son.

I want my ration now!

And in two hours you'll want it again.

The same thing'll happen.

I want my ration...

...now.

What the hell was he wearing this for?

-Take him away. -Since the Jew make that speech...

...about boiling fluid, he'd take a swallow of his ration and...

...spit the next one under the belt, to cool his stomach.

He was tall.

The Jew said it would happen to the tall ones.

I appreciate you accepting my invitation, I really do.

Your secretary asked if I could spare a moment.

I'm taking he meant his word.

Yes, forgive me, it must be a nuisance but it's necessary.

To you?

Gallus, I'm well aware you're not an admirer.

You understate.

I found you a devious, favor-seeking,

...dangerously ambitious and treacherous presence...

...both here and in Rome.

All that? Then I'll return the gesture.

To me you're a bore, an ignoramus and an overrated officer.

Good. Then, we understand each other.

-Then sit. -Thank you, I prefer to stand.

As you wish.

For all our differences, we do have one thing in common.

A friend...

...named Silva.

Probably, we cherrish him for the same reason.

He's managed to reach the age of 40...

...without losing his innocence. We have not.

Such a man must be protected, he will not protect himself.

Say what's on your mind and be done with it!

Your being dense on purpose. I must make a report to the Emperor.

What am I going to say about this ramp?

-Will it be finished on time? -It will.

-Can you guarantee that? -I already have!

Are you at this moment on schedule?

Well, we aren't at the moment, it's not that--

You are in fact behind schedule.

And everyday, the pace of the work slows.

It is almost a month to the date when the Legion--

or what's left of it,

must report to the fleet commander at Caesaria.

I want you to look me in the face and tell me...

...there is a shadow of a chance for that to happen.

We've had a setback because of that bloody windstorm!

-What if there's another one? -I can guarantee what I will do,

not what the gods will do.

You proved my point for me.

You cannot be certain, the evidence is against you.

You've heard what he said.

This will be done his way.

The tower is almost finished...

...and that ramp will be ready...

...if I have to carry that dirt upon my own back.

Get up!

-I said get up--! -Stop!

Get a replacement. A stronger one!

In the meantime...

...carry that yourself!

"To the Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Pontifex Maximus,etc.,"

"from Pomponius Falco, in haste and in confidence."

"Caesar, it is my sad duty to report..."

"...that the conditions here..."

"...are far below the level of our expectations."

"If these conditions do not change..."

"...a grave question arises as to whether the troops here..."

"...will be of any value to Rome, if and when..."

underline 'if',

"...if and when they are finally transported for duty on the Danube."

"As for Flavius Silva's plan to take the fortress, Masada,"

I'd better go easy here, I must give the impression...

...I'm trying to muffle the truth.

"I must strongly state that our mutual friend..."

"...is not at fault here in any deliberate way."

-Don't you think? -Why bother?

Vespasian's given you the power of a Legate.

What stops you from using it?

My intelligence,

a gift the goddess Minerva obviously forgot to drop in your cradle.

If you'll take off my head everytime I ask a question--

And if I do?

It's taken me long enough to get this white rod out of him.

I've no intention of wasting it on a false assumption.

There will be two letters:

first, I will tell him what is wrong...

and in the next letter, I'll tell him...

...how I'll put it right. where did I stop?

"...our mutual friend is not at fault in any deliberate way..."

"...but he's only mortal flesh..."

"...and mortal flesh has its weaknesses."

Something about the drinking, perhaps.

How much rope have we got in store now?

Plenty of light rope and about 600m. of the heavy duty.

600, huh? Let's hope it's enough.

Battering ram alone is going to take...

...twenty-four...

48 by 4...

Idiot!

You... damned... idiot! -Sir?

Not you. Me, me!

Look, come here! The battering ram.

If we mount it 3 meters higher,

it's 3 meters less we'll need on the height of the ramp.

It'd save a week.

-Well, it might, sir. -Might? No might, it will.

Come on, come on, let's get out!

And bring the plans with you!

But, sir, the ramp is designed for the balance of the tower.

If we change the angle of the ramp--

Then, we adjust the balance of the tower.

It's quicker to do that than raise the ramp.

Don't look so miserable, we've got this solved.

Sir, don't you think we should get some cover up here...

-...before you do any more? -Oh, will you stop fussing?!

Now... and... give me a reading there.

Well, we have--

Try this way:

"Far stronger men than Silva..."

"...might be driven to excessive bouts of drunkenness..."

The surgeon! Call the surgeon!

Go and see.

Wake the Governor General.

Rubrius Gallus has been hit with an arrow!

-Did you see him? -Just now.

They can't stop the blood, he--

he's dying.

The gradient to be no steeper than 10 degrees.

Did you hear that? No more than 10 degrees.

Anything steeper, even 2 degrees,

will square the weight of the tower.

Keep the surface hard.

A softer surface...

...will call for greater amount of rope.

No... heavy rope... to be found... in time.

Did you get that?

No, come on, you're bad enough.

-By no means... -By no means...

-...attack before the 14th day... -...attack before the 14th day...

-...of next month... -...of next month...

I've...

...calculated the angle of the sun...

...have calculated the angle of the sun...

-...at 6 hours... -...at 6 hours...

-...after dawn... -...after dawn...

-Two hours... after that... -Two hours... after that...

-...the sun... -...the sun...

-...will be in the eyes... -...will be in the eyes...

-...as ...as the tower... -...as the tower...

-...rises. -...rises.

As the tower rises up the ramp...

...I suppose that's what he meant, sir.

Close his eyes.

Tragic.

I know what you're feeling. I share your grief.

Most of us will, I think.

In the light of this, Silva, what now is the plan?

Plan?

The same!

Attius will command the engineers.

We have the sketches, the models--

This was your irreplaceable man. Your own words.

We'll do the best we can!

No, I've seen enough.

The job can't be finished on time.

The troops are close to being useless.

I will not permit it to continue!

You will not permit it to continue?

Is this Pomponius Falco I'm speaking to?

No, it isn't.

In this instance, Pomponius Falco does not exist.

The staff of the Imperial Legate,

touched by the hands and imbued by the person of the Emperor,

over my head...

...and over yours.

Read.

"I declare that this is my Legate, with full power..."

"...to act and speak in my name."

"Who disobeys his word commits treason."

"I, Vespasian, have signed this."

There isn't any Falco now. Only Vespasian.

The Emperor and I had an understanding.

Conditions have changed. You're tired.

I'm only taking the burden off your shoulders.

The Emperor and I had an understanding.

This cancels it.

Only taking the burden!

No.

Take it all!

Of course, it is your privilege to resign your office.

It is my privilege to go home! With the Emperor's permission...

...or without it.

I know what you're thinking.

There are too many careers to be made.

Obey him.

Attius!

As soon as it's light, I want 500 picked troops,

all volunteers, no conscripts.

Assemble them at the catapults.

Then pick 100 Jews,

very old ones, very young ones,

assembled at the catapults.

The rest, soldiers, slaves, confined to quarters.

This campaign will be over tomorrow and then...

...we can all think about going home!

If there's anything you can't bear to part with,

I'll have it postpacked with my stuff.

No need to worry about clothes, I'll buy you clothes.

-You are taking me with you? -Oh, yes.

Of course I'm taking you with me.

Rome...

Everyone should see Rome, once, if they p--

Jews of Masada!

...if they possibly can.

Jews of Masada...

...salutations from your Emperor.

I bring you the final word of Vespasian.

Your defense has been a gallant one.

It shall be noted in the annals.

But the time for defense is now over.

Surrender now!

The Emperor is merciful, you will live.

You will be free.

There will be peace in Judea.

That is what everyone wants.

If you do not surrender now,

we will fire this catapult...

...until you change your minds.

The drummer here will play a slow...

...marching cadence of twenty beats.

You have until he's finished to give me your answer.

-The leader's name again, I forgot. -Eleazar.

It means they're losing and they know it!

You must see Rome for yourself.

You will not love it, perhaps, for the same reasons I do,

but you will find reasons of your own, everybody does.

In the portico of the temple,

just across the way from where my mother is buried,

there's a high bench, and if you stand on it...

...you have a view down into the central market,

along the Via Floresta where the shops are,

and up the hill to the palace and the temple of Augustus.

Plebians, patricians and nobility all ranged and aligned,

all lines converging on the forum...

...to where the law is made.

When you can see the system work with your own eyes...

...it all seems very clear.

From this time forward,

the death of every Jew will be on your heads.

Your head, Eleazar!

You can stop it whenever you wish.

I shall be waiting.

All day.

That was your first victim, Eleazar!

I should give you time to think...

...while we prepare to do it again.

I've told you of the villa I'm building in Praeneste.

Of course, with a woman in the house...

...there'll have to be additions.

A second level for the tributarium,

private rooms, decorated with murals.

Scenes from the "Aeneid".

Are you familiar with Virgil? He's not as popular now...

...as he used to be, Catulus has taken his place.

But, for my taste...

"Roman, your art should be this:"

"to impose the custom of peace,"

"to spare the humble and wear down the proud."

You must see Rome for yourself.

I can already hear it for myself.

Eleazar!

Eleazar,

is there a man with you named Ephraim son of Levi?

Do you hear me, Eleazar?

The old man Levi was our guest.

But now, he's about to meet your Jewish god.

You understand?

I will give my signal after the count of five,

unless I hear from you the word "surrender".

To prove to you the mercy of Rome,

I will count slowly.

One!

Two!

Ephraim...

Three!

Four!

Five!

Nobody!

You--

You...

Are you hiding in here?

Are you anywhere?

Is this what you want, Jehovah of Sinai?

Is this what you want?

They've done nothing wrong.

They're afraid of you. And they love you!

At sundown, they'll all be in here,

no matter what you ask of them.

What more can you make them suffer?

If you're here, in this place...

if there's anything in here except stones,

if you're here, Jehovah of Sinai...

...tell me how to help them!

Talk to me!

Talk to me!

Talk to me or kill me!

I'm the one they want.

-I'm going to surrender now. -No.

You said yourself they're desperate.

It doesn't matter. I can't let that go on.

I'm not as strong as I thought I was.

Silva must have known that.

Go and bring Reuben to me. Hurry.

That is not Vespasian.

That is not Rome.

That is not Rome!

Enough!

Get out of my chair, citizen!

The ex-Commander is drunk. Get him out of the way.

I'm resuming command!

We were friends.

You're not yourself. So, I will remind you,

your behavior is dangerous. There are witnesses.

Stand still if you're happy with your face the way it is!

Get out of my chair!

Tribune!

Reload the catapult!

The Emperor wants the fortress taken and...

...the Tenth Legion out by the middle of next month.

If that's done, there is no treason.

Will he make the charge...

...going against us, the winners?

He won't even hint at it!

We have no choice.

We cannot keep doing this!

We're legionaries, we're not barbarians!

I'll say he stall the battle!

What about him?

His bodyguard will escort him to his tent and stay there!

It wouldn't take much to finish them all.

Let there be no more unnecessary casualties.

-That includes him. -My bodyguard...

...will enforce the Emperor's law.

Who are you?

Cilix, Third Cohort, Second Maniple.

Who am I?

The Commander!

This is my Legion. They'll fight for me!

You understand that, don't you?

Stand the men down!

Take the slaves back! And you've got your orders.

-They stopped the killing. -Slaves are being taken back.

And they're rolling away the catapult.

We're not sure what's happened.

I'm sure.

No Essene of our order has ever taken arms...

...and you've all despised us for it.

Our reason for not fighting was this:

we were meant to fight in one war only.

That battle between the sons of light...

...and the sons of darkness ordained by God,

that is prophecy.

Now we see that this is that battle and we will fight...

...under your command.

-Why? -When the killing began...

...one man left the walls and came here.

He came here and prayed, then the killing stopped.

God has sanctioned your leadership.

Subtitles: Lady80s :)