All language subtitles for Masada.1981.Part1of4.DVDRip-eng

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Masada, a Hebrew word
meaning fortress.

Thousands of people
from throughout the world...

...daily tour the giant cisterns,

the ruins of the
vast store-rooms,

the synagogue,

and the premises of this once
impregnable city dome.

Everyone marvels at the
brilliant engineering skills...

and immense labors that produced
this unique fortification.

With almost unlimited
provisions and water...

an army could survive
up here for years,

and most important, there was
the security of knowing...

...that a handful of people
could hold the approach...

...against thousands.

The Israeli army has brought
young trainees here today,

and according to tradition,
they will be sworn in...

...at the summit of Masada,

reaching back nearly 2,000 years
for the inspirational heritage...

...that has made the Israeli
soldier of today...

...the most daring and defiant
defender of freedom in the world.

Part of their ceremony here...

...will be the recounting
of that moment in History...

...which still echoes
resoundingly today:

the stand of 960 Hebrew
man, women and children...

...against the 5,000 men
of the Roman Tenth Legion.

A young Israeli soldier
up here has to think back...

...on how it all began.

He knows that along with
so much of the world,

the Roman Empire had also
conquered Palestine...

...in the first century B.C.

And he knows that finally,

the Jews had rebelled against
the Roman oppression.

The soldier has been taught
since childhood...

...that it took four years,

the full military might
of Rome...

...and 600,000 Jewish dead
before Jerusalem would fall...

...and the Romans could claim
the rebellion was at an end.

But he knows, too, that
for the incredible events...

...that took place
on this mountain,

that was only a beginning.

Dear God.

They've broken through.
They're at the Temple.

It won't be easy, but if you
keep to the backstreets...

...we'll try to meet
where we planned.

Now, now, go.

- Our turn.
- We're ready.

Go.

Two years...

Two years of starvation...

... killing...

...and this is how it ends.

We're out of it, now.

Eleazar!

Here!

Thank God you're safe.

We can't stay here, the Romans
are all over the hills.

I know. We'll try to reach Masada
as soon as the others--

There are no others!

-My brother?
-On a cross, outside the Jaffa Gate.

His wife and daughters?

There's no need to wait,
don't ask me anymore!

-Simon bar Giora?
-Captured...

...he and John of Gischala.

My cousin?

I'm sorry.

It's finished!

No.

No, it's not finished.

Three years later...

...the men of the Roman
Tenth Legion...

...their spirits nearly broken by the
long and tiring years of service...

...far from home,
still occupy Palestine.

But Eleazar ben Yair
and his followers,

headquartered now in Masada,

begin to make their presence
known in the southern countryside,

acting Eleazar's vow that
the Judean war is not yet over.

Scream.

Great and mystical Father!
Don't stop, soldier, don't stop!

These, thy first fruits,

-by right--
-What do you think you're doing?

We need barley, millet,
grain for the cattle.

The God is just
like you and me,

he wants to be paid.

All first fruits
belong to the God.

Corporal, you can be empailed
for doing this!

Whose God? The Jews God?

The only God.
The God Moloch.

And you were going to
sacrifize your son?

All the Jews we've killed,
and this gets left alive?

Not for long.

Nothing to worry about,
little man.

Nobody worships Moloch
anymore, soldier.

Here it is.

They've all left
Jericho at once.

They're probably all carrying
the same message.

Looks like we caught him
on payday.

Well done.

You're thinking that soldier
was trying to help you.

It's war, tell him.

He knows.

"The following, to be read out
to all units of the Tenth Legion,"

"currently on occupation duty."

"Officers and men
of the Tenth, salutations."

"Upon receipt of this directive,"

"the collection of the
Imperial Tax..."

"...will commence in an
orderly fashion..."

"...throughout the Province
of Palestine."

"The merchants of Damascus..."

"...have agreed to exchange
gold coin of the realm..."

"...for fair barter of
ground grain,"

"base metals,
leather goods, etc."

"At the completion
of the barter..."

"...the men of the Tenth
will expedite the payment..."

"...of the aforementioned
gold coin..."

"...under the direction
of the Centurions."

All units?
More than a hundred.

"Imperial Tax"...
Imperial plunder.

Tekoa, Ein Gedi,
Hebron, Bethlehem...

...they're all the same.

Tekoa's closer.

Hebron is bigger.

Does it say anything else?

"To conclude,
on a personal note,

"as I make ready
to depart for Rome,"

"I'm bound to say that
this command..."

"...arduous it may have been...

"...will always live in my memory
as the high-point of my career."

"The men of the Tenth Legion
may be justly proud..."

"...of their long and
distinguished..."

He's not going to pull us out.
"...service to Palestine..."

"...and may assure themselves..."

"...that I will personally
bend every effort..."

"...to assure them the awards
of the highest military honors."

"Affectionately signed
and by order of..."

"...Cornelius Flavius Silva,
General Commanding."

Remember these battle machines?

No.

Final assault on Jerusalem.

They should be dismantled.

-Why?
-Might cheer up the men.

-Haven't they heard the directive?
-Yes, just before you came.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Domine.

-What's your name?
-Lentius, sir.

What town?

Town, sir?

I-I've been here at--
Jericho for--

At home, where were you born?

Tarentum, sir.
It's on the cost.

Family?

Half-wit! What's the matter
with you?

-She's dead.
-Who's dead?

Silva! When are we
going home?

Stand out, the man
who said that!

-I will now count--!
-Tribune!

My wife... that's who's dead.

Centurion!
Dismiss the ranks!

Ranks dismissed!

Call my secretary.

You will notice I haven't
promised you anything.

There's nothing to promise.

I will recommend that they make
your command here permanent...

...although, why you would
want it.

I want what Rome wants.

Quadratus, what Rome
wants now is money.

-Yes, sir.
-Well...

...there's money to be
found here, all right.

But we must give them the chance
to let the crops grow,

and that means keeping
the peace. Can you do it?

With 5,000 homesick
policeman?

You did.

So far.

As for this...

...this bathtub is older
than I am!

It's been hauled over
half the world,

it's like part of my armor
and I'm as sick of it...

...as I am of my armor.
It's yours.

Thank you, sir.

Good. A copy of this note
for the Emperor,

and one for the Senate.

To Vespasian, Emperor of Rome,
Pontifex Maximus, etc.,

and to the Consuls and
Senators, etc., salutations--

Halt! Stop him!

Grab him!

Grab him, you fool!
Hurry up!

-Were you asleep on your feet?
-He came out of nowhere!

Hold him! Hold him, man!

-I'll get the surgeon.
-Not yet!

It begins just like this.

One man.

If he draws blood, he can take
the regiment with him.

Look through the flaps, but
make sure you're not seen.

Yes, they're watching.

Gentlemen!

There is either a mutiny
or there isn't!

If there is,

and you see fit to kill me
and my officers here,

you'd better have a candidate
for emperor ready,

as well as a support to the rest
of the Legion in Palestine.

You'd better be ready to
march on Rome...

...and take the chair away
from Vespasian...

...just the way he took it
from Vitellius.

You'd be fools, of course.

Vespasian is the first
decent man in the job...

...for the last hundred years.

Most of you served
under him,

and all of you
have sworn allegiance.

The penalty if you
didn't succeed...

...would be crucifixion.

Plus loss of back pay.

You, stupid bastards.

It's almost over!

If I can't take you
home, who can?!

I take it, then,
there's no mutiny.

In that case, we have to
deal with an isolated incident.

Private soldier Lentius...

...has committed a crime which
demands punishment...

...in the name of every
loyal citizen present.

I want this man's best friend,

not his Centurion
nor his Decurion...

...but his best friend,

to come forward and carry out
that punishment at my command,

not on the count of three
but now,

or you'll all see hell
before you see Rome again.

Come on, Lucius.
It'll be all right.

I said at my command!

Go back to your regiments,
both of you.

Pray the command never comes!

Silva! Silva! Silva!

Now...
Silva! Silva! Silva!

...the surgeon.
Silva! Silva! Silva!

Forward! Keep going forward!

Keep them up, keep them up!

We're frightening them.
It can't be helped.

-We still frighten you, Myriam?
-Not for years.

Marriage was the cure.
You whimper in your sleep.

I won't be taking the boy this time,
that should please you.

It pleases me that
you don't need him.

Otherwise, you would be
taking him.

Eleazar...

You would make a terrible enemy
knowing me so well.

My friends...

...we're leaving our fortress,
now, to raid the town of Hebron.

You want our blessing for this?

Take it. Anything, just so you go!

You're going, too

None of these men is going
anywhere with you.

If we left them behind,
they'd just get foolish ideas...

...about not letting us
back up here.

Perhaps, not so foolish.

If we don't give them
a reason for staying,

eventually, the Romans
will leave...

...and we can come down
of this cursed mountain and...

...reunite our people again.

The Romans have our people
to slave for them,

our harvests to fill
their stomachs,

our money to steal,
out women to rape.

Why should they leave, ever?

No.

Life for the Romans
is very easy here.

So, you are going to
make it difficult!

Starting tonight, in Hebron...

...and these men
are coming with me.

And if they won't come?

Then we should have
to commit an offence...

-...and kill them.
-A Jew killed in Jerusalem?

Enough! We're leaving immediately.

Why the town of Hebron?

Why not build
a fleet of ships...

...and raid the city of Rome?

If we thought that way
a few years ago...

...we might still have
a temple in Jerusalem.

Now, we must do what we can.

What can you do with
a few hundred men...

...that you couldn't
when you had 20,000?

We can remind them that
some Jews are still free!

We can hurt them, make them
stop collecting taxes!

To the Romans,
not collecting taxes...

...is a very painful thing.

I repeat, General, I can
give you more mandragora.

No, you cannot give me
mandragora!

It would make me sleep
for three days...

...and I want to leave here
in the morning.

If I may beg a favor of you...!

I'm sure these incantations
will speed the healing of my wound,

but for now, I'd be grateful
if you, revered gentlemen,

would read the omens
for my return to Rome.

We have already done so, sir,

upon sacrificing and eviscerating
an unblemished male goat.

We found its organs to be
exceedingly healthy.

Your fee will be paid.
Leave now.

Leave now!

Healthy organs...

That goat has obviously had
little to do...

...with the females
in this country.

-What now?
-Normally, sir,

after a night sleep,
I would draw a little blood,

-and redress the wound.
-You can do that...

...on the march tomorrow. Put a
temporary dressing on it now.

-Where was I?
-"Salutations".

Salutations...

"I have the honor to report that
in all sections of the Province..."

"...the collection of the
Imperial Tax has begun."

"This collection is
the first of its kind..."

"...in 7 years, 4 months
and 9 days."

"The small and ill-organized
band of fanatics,"

"who call themselves
the "zealots"..."

"...and consisting in the main
of thieves, murderers and..."

"...fugitives from Roman and
Jewish justice..."

"...seems to have lost heart,"

"and dispersed, melting into
the population."

"There are no longer even
sporadic reports of rebellion."

"Thus, I can finally leave
this wretched land and..."

"...return to Rome with both
confidence and relief."

"Everywhere I've traveled
on this final tour..."

"...I've noticed a healthy desire
for peace..."

"...in the attitude of the
common people of Palestine."

I was born in this place.

Don't worry, we'll get back.

"On this, the eve of
my departure for Rome..."

"...I can and do affirm that
the Judean war is over."

Remember: don't waste
your time fighting.

Burn and get away.

Who goes there?

Guard!

Guard!

On my order.

At a dead run...

...Now!

Guards!
Turn out the guards!

Turn out the guards!

Now, hold them a little longer.

You're not dreaming, father.

What have you done?
What have you done?

Enough! Enough!

We will see you again
at Ein-Gedi!

Ein-Gedi, remember!

I'm sorry to wake you, sir.
The garrison at Hebron...

...has been attacked.

There's a good deal of
damage by fire.

Many of our man were killed.
It could have been bandits.

Were the horses taken?

No, sir.

Bandits don't leave
horses behind.

Turn out my officers. I want
a squadron of cavalry...

...ready to move before dawn.

How were they able to burn
the huts and the granary?

They burned the granary only, sir.
I burned the huts.

-You did.
-Yes, sir.

Every third hut.
I would have burned them all,

...but, of course, the men
needed the other two thirds.

I take it you were
extracting information.

Well, not exactly, sir.

I just felt that...

...the act shouldn't go without
some sort of retribution.

And having failed
miserably to collect...

...the prime source of the
Empire's tax revenue,

your remedy was
to ruin the farmers...

...who might, one day,
replace that source.

Haven't you thought about
issuing an order...

...to put every third tax-payer
to the sword?

Or are you saving that
for the next time?

General, these tax-payers,
as you call them,

are also the sons and
brothers of the fanatics.

They know who they are and
where they're hiding!

And after their houses
were burnt down,

no doubt they volunteered
to tell you what they knew.

Well, sir, it-it's never
as simple as that.

Centurion, I should have thought
it was as simple as manure!

"Jew.."

"...here is my fist."

"Tell me what I
want to know..."

"...and I won't hit you
with it".

But you can only burn
a man's house down once.

Confess it.

You just hated to see
all that fire go to waste.

Well, then...

...let's look at your prisoner.

Cheerful boy.

Yours?

Once.

When he became a bandit
he disowned me.

A bandit?

He knows better!

He's trying to save me
from the cross.

To die as a bandit has
no honor, but it's quicker.

-And that means nothing to you?
-Less than nothing.

And if I were hanging
right-side up...

...I'd spit on your face.

-Spoken like a zealot.
-Thank you.

Centurion!

What's your reason for
this trapeze act?

Sir, to make an example.

Of what? Courage and strength?

I would have thought
that was the last thing...

...we'd want these Jews to see.

I've done no more than
I thought was right.

You haven't had a decent word
for any of it.

I suggest you relieve me of my
command. In fact, I insist.

Calm down, boy. I stood
for worse than this.

You must appreciate
the position we were in!

No advance warning...

...those damn savages dropping
over the walls like a--

-an army of monkeys!
-Shut up!

I want him cut loose
from that thing... Now!

Cut him down!

What's your name?

Ephraim, son of Levi.
What's yours?

Flavius, son of Lucianus.

You're Flavius Silva?

The dispatcher said
you were going home.

Disappointed?

Flattered.

All right.

They've been sighted.
About 400, on foot.

-Where?
-In the foothills of Ein-Gedi.

But no more than 50 legionaries
quartered in the town.

In the foothills?

With 400 men?
What are they waiting for?

-The granaries untouched?
-Untouched.

Shall I order the squadron
to mount?

Align south of the town.
They'll see us coming.

They'll have at least
an hour's warning...

-...and time to escape.
-Escape? Where?

Further south. Other towns,
other granaries.

But in time, we'd catch up.
They know that.

At the cost of all
the southern revenues.

A good plan!

You had to wait
half a year...

...until all the crops
were ready.

You have the news
from Ein-Gedi?

Who's your commander
these days?

Where does he want to meet?

He has made a small camp outside
the town, the oasis Ein Shedek.

He and his officers
and a few guards.

-How few?
-Maybe ten.

Out of calling distance from
the rest of the squadron?

Of course, he wants us to know
he's not afraid of us.

-How does he strike you?
-Typical.

Nose in the air,
limping from a wound.

Very tired.

-He said nothing more?
-Not to me.

His second in command
doesn't like the idea.

-That much I could see.
-You could see...

All I know is
he's taking a risk!

To capture a leader is
worth a risk, true or not?

We can deal with that.

So, decide.

I already have.

Too dark to see, now.
Maybe in the morning?

Morning?

Now is when he will come,
if he's going to come at all.

Now...

...when we can't see how many
he's brought with him.

These aren't Britains or
Gauls we're fighting!

Good honest rustics who
stand out in the sun...

...like archery targets and dare you
to do something about it.

These are more like
the Egyptians,

brainy bastards without
a dram of ethics.

Silva!

Silva!

Up there. On the rocks.

Here I am! What is it?

Give your guarantees!

This is the standard of a
Commanding General...

...awarded by the Senate and
the Emperor of Rome.

This is a "corona muralis"...

...the highest military honor
bestowed on a Roman.

This is the legend and device
of the family known as Cornelii,

my family.

By this standard,
this medallion...

...and by the honor
of my family...

...I guarantee the safe
conduct and return...

...of any and all
who come here.

Good enough?

Good enough.

I have no weapons,
but see for yourselves.

In here?

Yes.

I take it you're Eleazar,
son of Yair.

That's who I am.

This is Marcus Quadratus,
General of the Legion.

Yes, I know, we all met before,
at Jerusalem.

I was not in command
in those days.

You're not in command
in these days either!

Let's waste as little time
as possible.

I haven't asked you here
to negotiate.

I don't negotiate with bandits,
whatever they call themselves.

You've been called here
so that I can tell you...

...face to face,
once and once only:

if it takes the balance
of the year...

...or even another year
on top of that one...

...your band will be
captured and annihilated.

It is not a threat, merely
a statement of fact.

No matter how many
granaries you burn,

no matter how long you can
keep the distance...

...between the legion and yourself,
the end will be the same.

Still, I know you know
a way to avoid that.

One way only,

disperse, now!

Listen to me,

I've been here
for seven years.

Every one of those small
insignias on my standard...

...is a representation of
at least 20,000 dead Jews.

I have no wish to add
to that record.

I'm sick of dead Jews,

live Jews, men, women
and children...

...and of your miserable
and yielding country!

Then do yourself
a kindness. Go.

I was about to do just that
when you made it impossible.

But in the rush, General, you
would have left 5,000 men behind.

The legion will stay, of course.

And we also, of course,
to keep fighting.

For how long?

How long do you think
400 can escape 5,000?

Oh...

That's what you want to know!

I won't give you a head count
of our troops, but 400?

Not even as a joke.

But, then, it really
is not my worry.

You want us to disperse?
And let your Syrians...

...turn our barley into
your money? We won't.

You tell me you will
catch us and kill us...

I invite you to try.

You invite me to try?

Your country is one long
and narrow graveyard already.

Your cities are flatter
than your deserts,

your temple has been destroyed,
and most of the survivors...

...are slaves, all for
7 years of us trying.

Give us our due, man,
we know how to kill.

You've pruned the orchard,

and the best trees
have survived.

And not just in the South.

Soon enough those in the North
will give you cause...

...to turn you back to us.
Then in the West.

Then, you'll have to turn
again and again.

A war on every front.

You may never get home.

I was curious about you,

but now the answer
seems simple enough.

You're insane.

I'm not about to argue
about insanity...

...with a man who got
his commission from Nero.

Oh, I think this one is
about to lose his temper.

He did the same at Bethsaida,
foolishly charging 40 archers...

...and letting 500 foot soldiers
get away.

You're a liar!
Quadratus!

I've had very few conversations
with Jews that didn't end in a brawl.

-This conversation is now over.
-You have not been dismissed!

-Is there anything left to say?
-Just this:

you seem to have some
pathetic notion...

...that we can't find
your headquarters.

Give it up. We know
all about Masada.

-My men are not there.
-No, but your women and children are.

Our women and children have less
to fear from you than we do.

They're on top of the safest
fortress in the world!

General, we both know it would
take the whole legion...

...just to keep the place surrounded.

And those on top can
hold you off with rocks,

and boiling water.

It would mean tying down
the Tenth Legion for months,

if not years. It would cost
Rome 2,000 or 3,000 men.

And at the end, supposing
it came in your lifetime,

what would you have,
the final victory?

We've seen these coins.
Very impressive.

A Jewish woman, at the foot
of a Centurion.

Judea vanquished.

As long as one of us
is alive...

...and remembers how to
start a fire,

or hold a sword,

this war will go on.

And if I am insane,

how does that help you?

I think we can safely discount
most of what he says.

Do you, indeed?

Bring that man back!

The honor of your family,
wasn't it?

Honor is like patience,
it has limits.

Spoken like a Roman.

Bandit!

-It's the one who burnt our granary!
-Kill him!

Kill him at once!
Don't wait!

No, no, burn him!

Kill him!

Kill him! Kill him!

Murderer! Murderer!

We finally put you
where you belong!

-Tonight?
-No, you wait.

You watch and
you do nothing.

Kill him!

Before these wars,
what was he?

Well, it's his version
of what he was,

a humble fisherman, lover of
freedom, family man.

-Is it a lie?
-Not that he was a fisherman.

Where he comes from, there are
few other ways to feed yourself.

That he was humble...

You cannot be unaware
of what politicians are.

You call him that?

He comes from a long line
of troublemakers.

A cousin was stoned
in the cage.

Menahem was a giant
of a man with...

...the crazy eyes of a prophet.

One morning, six years ago,
Eleazar and some others...

...dressed the giant
in a purple robe,

marched him into the temples and
presented him as the new leader.

-You mean as a king?
-As the messiah!

There was chaos. The Temple
faction sent word to...

...the Roman Legion at Damascus.
The Legion came,

the rest, you were here
to see for yourself.

You're asking me to believe that
was the way this rebellion began?

I was part of that
Temple faction.

I was part of that
great mistake.

Mistake?

Asking your help seemed to prove
what the zealots were saying,

in the end, we all had
to fight you.

Will you give him to us?

There's something obscene
about a country...

...that can be so hot in the
daytime and so cold at night.

You want some covering?

Of course I want some covering.

Go to bed. Leave us alone.

Leave us!

A messenger's just come
from Ein-Gedi.

I have disappointing news
for you.

There's been no attack,
if that's what you mean.

Your followers don't seem
too upset about your capture.

They're waiting.

-For what?
-News that I'm dead.

When that comes,
they will chose a new leader.

He will order them down
from the foothills...

...and Ein-Gedi will burn.

Maybe, we shouldn't
keep them waiting.

That's up to you, General!

Whenever you can't wait to see
that glow in the sky, then do it.

Now. Right now.

Before morning, Rome will have
one granary less.

Then they will move on
to Ammaus, or maybe Gurion.

Of course, at that point, it will
no longer be a concern of mine.

Good night.

This pretending to be
indifferent to your own death...

...is a trick you've
picked up from us.

I've always been good at it and
I can smell it a mile off.

Very difficult to sleep
with you talking.

I think your life still
means something to them.

I think they're offering
a bargain.

They know better.

If you send me back tomorrow
the orders would be the same.

No bargain is possible.

Was your idiot cousin
the "Son of God"?

The giant messiah?

He was my uncle,
not my cousin.

And for us, a messiah
is not the son of God.

He's a leader prophesied
to deliver us from our enemies.

A saviour of our people.

We've had many claimants
to that title.

The Nazareth faction and
that Christ.

What went wrong with yours?

Jealousy, backbiting...

I'll tell you a secret
not even Nero knew.

Do you want to know
how to destroy the Jews?

Leave them in peace.

They'll be at each other's
throats soon enough.

But as long as we have
an enemy, we are brothers.

Good night.

Is that my shadow?
That willow twig?

I was fat when I came
to this country, Epos.

Fat!

And if I don't get out
of here soon...

...one day, there'll be
no shadow at all.

Guard!

In here!

Go.

I'll be all right.

Out.

That's twice you've ended
a conversation...

...before I'd finished talking.

Nothing comes of
talking with you.

What do you expect?

Just that. Nothing.

Liar.

You're no fanatic.

But you have a hold
on them, somehow,

even those who hate you.

Sit down.

What does it take
to stop you?

That.

If I'd thought so,
you wouldn't be talking.

I mean, peace,

what will it cost?

You're serious?

We want our freedom back.

We want our country back.

Back? When was it ever yours?

It's always belonged
to somebody. Babylon, Egypt.

For a thousand years, it's been
a recognized war trophy.

-A costly one.
-Yes.

A curse to every army
that try to occupy it.

Well, there's a new possibility
for you. For Rome.

Rid yourself of that curse.

I spent some time
in your bazaars.

The man in the stall begins
at an impossible starting price.

It is understood by both parties
that he will settle for less.

What will you settle for?

You want taxes.

You want trade concessions.

You want rights of way.

Then, you must
give up something.

Get to the point.

Give us one tax-free year,
beginning now.

Let us use the money
to feed the people.

Then rebuild the temples...

...so that they may have
a center to their lives again.

Next.

If your Emperor insists
on ruling Israel,

let him rule it as Rome used to
in the days of Herod,

through a governor,
who is a Jew.

Next.

Let this governor form and
maintain an army made up of Jews,

so that the Legion
can go home.

So that after a time,
this country can assume...

...the status of an ally,
not a slave.

You have dreams.

No dreams.

That's what we'll--
settle for.

I don't doubt it. I think
your people would settle...

...for a great deal less.

Yes, but you're talking
to me now.

You know what I say
makes perfect sense.

Suppose I agree to take the terms
back with me to Rome,

what would you do?

If you agreed to pull
your troops north of Jericho,

and leave the south unmolested--

-Then?
-Then we would go to Masada...

...and wait.

No more raids.

No more granaries burnt.

Now,

if you truly know the bazaars,

you know the moment comes
when the man in the stall...

...will go no lower,
not to save his life.

The choice left belongs
to the buyer.

The buyer is Vespasian.

Will you take the terms
back with you?

I will.

It does make perfect sense.

Go on! There's nothing in your
books to say no, is there?

I don't trust it.

It's one of the few things
I do trust,

my oldest surviving friend.

What do you trust?

Not me, for certain.

You're wrong.

I do trust you.

After what I did
at the oasis?

Because of what you did.

If you'd let me go,
this couldn't have happened.

You're the first Roman
I've ever seen...

...who thought that peace might be
worth more than his honor.

Gods above the oriental mind.

Not a cavalry man, are you?

-I can handle him.
-Him?

It's a mare you're upon,
Solomon, not a stallion.

The orders from Vespasian
should be here by spring.

We'll wait.

If you ever come to Rome,
I'm building a villa in Praeneste.

I will never come to Rome.

They all say that.

Good bye.

Sir, the tax payment
has been promised.

I know.

It may already be a part
of the budget.

-You know how the Treasury works--
-The won't be disappointed.

I'll cover it from
my personal funds.

The Empire and I have
the same banker,

it's merely a question
of paperwork.

-It's an enormous sum--
-It is, indeed.

It's all I have.
Vespasian will reimburse me.

-Quadratus...
-Sir?

You understand this conversation
is unofficial.

-In fact, it never took place.
-Of course.

Now, officially...

All elements of the Legion to be
pulled back and billeted in Jericho!

No patrols, no sorties!

No action of any kind,
except in defense!

And no further attempt be made
to collect taxes...

...until the new directives
come through. Any questions?

None, sir.

Before you return to Jericho,
I want these burnt-out huts rebuilt.

-May I ask why, sir?
-Why?

For nothing, Quadratus,
for nothing.

-You're going to the port?
-Yes.

This is for no-one but Mucianus.

Tell one of the sailors
to bring it to him at his home.

Not at the Senate.
And to add this:

Silva is paying the taxes
out of his own pocket.

No!

Hurry, you'll be missed.

Sir,

what about the burnt-out huts?

Orders,

for the time being,
are orders.

He let you go?

He's a sensible man.

What now?

I made him a proposal,
for peace.

He promised to take it to Rome and
we'll wait for Vespasian's answer.

And meanwhile?

Meanwhile, we tend our crops
and we raise our children.

Or is it the other way around?

For a worthless promise, he does
what he couldn't do with his legion,

he takes away our swords!

He promised to pull his men back
to Jericho. I believe him.

Romans are suckled on lies.

If he lied, we will know
what to do.

Meantime, we keep our word.

We wait...

...and we see what Rome
has to say.

This is the king who solved
the famous riddle...

...and towered up most powerful
of men.

No mortal eyes but looked on
him with envy.

Yet, in the end,
ruins swept over him.

Let every man in
mankind's frailty...

...consider his last day...

...and let none presume
on his good fortune...

...until he finds life...

...a memory without pain.

Caesar, you have witnessed
the "Oedipus" of Sophocles,

a banquet for the soul.

Then, if the Imperial palate
is ready for the laxative...

...we will proceed
to our after-piece,

a newly-commissioned
dumb-show,

as usual, unfit for the delicate
sensibilities of the vestal virgins.

With apologies, and
farewell to the ladies.

-I've heard about this pantomime.
-Don't spoil it for me, woman.

Keep above the eggshells.

Caesar,

before our presentation--

Yes, I pardon you all
in advance.

-Ominous.
-Look at the Senators!

Titus! It looks just like him!

Look at that beast,
it looks like Titus.

It's Domitian, the donkey.

-It's Caesar!
-Caesar?

I want to hear you laughing,
understand?

Sir, Flavius Silva has arrived
from the sea port.

He's at the Temple of Mars
as you ordered.

He stays there, outside.

He speaks to no-one,
not even the priests.

It's a Britain.

Bending knees, just like
the Egyptians.

A Jew... Look at the Jew!

It can't be any plainer
than that, it's declared war!

A masterpiece of subtlety
and taste.

Is the author a prot�g�
of yours?

Anonymously written, Caesar.

It begins to bore me.
Does it go on much longer?

That remains to be seen.

Welcome home.

I'm a poor excuse
for an official reception.

Did they give you
something to eat?

Yes, they gave me
something to eat.

That was three hours ago.

Would you mind telling me
what all this is about?

I'd love to do just that,
my friend, but...

...the Emperor has yet
to tell anyone, including me.

But you'll find out soon enough,
I've been sent to fetch you.

-You look awful.
-Judea is an awful place.

It goes well with you,
I take it.

The gods have decided to be
reasonable, for a change.

Hard work is rewarded.

I don't expect it to last.

Oh, forgive me, we'd better
talk as we walk.

-Vespasian, how is he?
-His health is excellent.

Spoken to nobody since
you landed, especially...

-...about that awful place.
-Not even the statues?

No, this way.

It's shorter. I see you still
limp from your wound.

Falco, how do you know
about my wound?

It wasn't mentioned
in dispatches.

There are dispatches
and dispatches.

One thing I can tell you:
the Emperor and his sons...

...are no longer so secured
as they were a year ago.

-There's a rival for the position.
-So soon?

Vespasian's instructions are
for you to enter the Council chamber...

...and be surprised at nothing
that you see there.

Friend, if I knew what
was expected of me--

Dead silence, friend,
and a blank expression.

Pay his respects,

General of the Army,
Cornelius Flavius Silva.

Let it be noted that the
Privy Council paused in its work...

...to welcome and applaud
a comrade in arms.

On behalf of the Senate, may I
express my surprise and delight...

...on seeing General Silva
safe and alive.

May I voice the hope that the great
Tenth Legion is also... safe?

Mucianus, you place the General
at a disadvantage since...

...none but members may speak
in this chamber.

Allow me to speak for him.

No legion in the world this
evening is safer than the Tenth.

I wonder if that's because
they were pulled back...

...so far from the enemy.

Enemy? What enemy?

I do understand, Caesar,
that you wish...

...to bring up the Judean
question, now.

I understand that you've been
burning to bring it up for weeks.

Very well, by all means,
Mucianus.

Let us have a frank and open
exchange of views.

I bring this up, Caesar,
simply because I'm curious...

...as to why the General found it
necessary to meet there...

...with the commander of the Jewish
forces and conclude a truce.

A truce?

A truce is not possible
unless there is a war.

And there is no war in Judea.

The General, using his judgement
as a soldier...

...decided to show mercy
to a bandit.

We must all on occasion do that.

Nevertheless, it would appear
that you have allowed this...

...excellent officer to return without
having finished his job. Why?

My dear Mucianus, I thought
everyone knew that,

even your own sources.

Allow me to tell you, then.

This excellent officer has returned
to celebrate my forthcoming birthday,

to have his wound looked at
by some proper physicians,

and once, with the approval
of the Senate,

he's accepted the post of
Governor General of Judea,

he will return to take up
that post...

...and deal with those
minor matters...

...that seem to fear
your correspondent.

Yet, there are still one
or two niggling questions--

Niggle away, manage your
speciality.

We've been promised the resumption
of tax payment--

You've been promised nothing!

The Roman people have been
promised the revenues...

...and the promise
has been kept.

But how long can General Silva
continue to pay the taxes...

...out of his own
personal funds?

If you will permit me,

I have had some experience
in the area of...

...international monetary
exchange.

What General Silva
has done is this:

on being informed of his
impending appointment,

he merely notified
his bankers in Rome...

...to advance the tax
revenues here.

The Judean collections are
mainly in Syrian currency,

which the new Governor General
found more easily disposable...

...for his own use in that part
of the world.

As a matter of fact,

it's saving us
a 5% conversion fee.

The General has done the Empire
yet another service.

Anything else?

Caesar, this is all
very impressive.

What I want to know is, when
can we expect the Tenth Legion...

...to be free for duty
elsewhere in the Empire?

How strong are these bandits?

Where do we stand
in Judea?

We stand ready to bring
the Legion out.

When? With all due respect.

Next week? Next month?
Next year?

The Senate wishes to know.

Within six months
from today,

the Tenth Legion will be
free for duty on the Danube.

And the Emperor
will say as much...

...before the entire Senate?

The Emperor will say as much
before the entire country.

This Council begins to resemble
something less dignified.

For that, you have
the street corners, Mucianus.

We're adjourned.

General, please join us
in the other room.

-It looks like we've stopped him.
-Oh, rubbish.

We've only slowed him down.
Were you listening?

-Yes.
-What do you think?

I think he's not strong enough,
not yet.

He hasn't got the Praetorians.
They're still neutral.

Bloody ingrates.

Had the impertinence to be neutral
after all I've done for them?

Next thing, they'll want one of
them nominated as co-consul.

I agree, Caesar.

I advise you not to block him,
he'll only make an issue of it.

Let him, if he hasn't got
the votes--

If...? We've got to be sure
before we do anything!

After Nero killed himself...

...three Emperors in one year
went out of that window!

Largely, because they couldn't judge
the strength of the oposition.

If Vitellius had known how shaky
my support was, he'd still be here.

Thanks to the new Governor General
it was very nearly my turn.

What were you
thinking of, Silva?!

If that question isn't rhetorical,
I would like to answer it.

Answer!

I was thinking that
the concessions they wanted...

...were a very small price to pay
for peace, order and revenues.

I was thinking of
the good of Rome.

-My judgement in these events--
-Your judgement?

You're a soldier, you're supposed
to fight, not make policy!

With your permission,
I was not making policy,

I agreed only to bring
the terms to you!

Caesar, what do they want?

A temple, their own governor.

These things they had once.

It's my belief that our strategy
there has been a mistaken one.

What they wanted is what we
should have done in the first place.

All right.

You've answered.

Maybe you're right.

But the point is we cannot grant
these concession now.

You saw, you heard.

Hadn't been for our friend Falco,
double-talking the Privy Council,

we'd probably all be
on horseback by now.

-I won't forget that.
-Nothing, Caesar.

It's too late.

You can't grant concessions
once you've proclaimed the victory.

What's left of the opposition
must be stamped out,

the entire leadership
brought here in chains,

and the Tenth Legion brought
within six months.

I was in the Council chamber,
I heard the promise.

Look, you may not
realize this,

but I've been buying time
for both of us.

My name hits a list
and your name is on it.

So, if I take that little leap
off that top end rock...

...I won't be doing it alone.

-Understood?
-Understood.

You'd better get yourself
a new Second-in-Command.

That's right, the one you've got
is a spy for the opposition.

-Quadratus?
-Mm-hm, and one other, that--

-What's his name?
-Merovius, your Senior Tribune.

This has turned into
quite an evening.

-And who is yours, Caesar?
-Find out for yourself.

Oh, it's nobody you need
to be afraid of.

Oh, look, it's not so bad.

Once the troops are
out of there,

you can open a government
palace at Caesarea,

sit on the throne,
make some laws, be visible.

You'll be a very rich man
in a very short time.

You may not be
aware of it but...

...this is your new
emblem of office.

I'm not ungrateful, Caesar,
it's just that I'm so tired.

You know, it's, uh--

hard to recognize you without
a drink in your hand.

Shall we walk?

Though late, we never said
how sorry we all were...

-...about your lady, I mean.
-Thank you.

Look, it's not just tiredness,
you really did expect...

...those concessions
to be granted, didn't you?

Yes, I did, because it was
a way of reason.

That's unfortunate.

Nobody regrets it more than
I do. And sometimes...

...reason can be treacherous.

Caesar,

when you and Titus and I were
serving together in the field,

we talked of one thing
over and over again.

A dream we had. It wasn't just
a world without Nero,

it was a world enlightened,
that was the way we put it.

A gift Rome had to give
the world.

A way of life, civilization,
peace.

Yes, I remember.

You remember this because
it was you who said it.

Without that dream
as a mission...

...we were worse than
the barbarians we conquered...

...because they made no pretence
of a desire for anything better.

They had no dream.

I think of the zealot
and what I said to him.

That we were better at building
than at tearing down.

I believed it
when I said it.

And I believe the dream
to be a good one.

-Do you still believe it?
-More than ever before.

I haven't changed.

Look at me.
I haven't changed.

But Mucianus...

...although he's a skillful men,
as well as an ambitious one,

he has never dreamed that dream
and he never will.

That is why, if what we all
wanted is to be brought about,

we have no choice now
in Judea.

About my Second-in-Command,
I pray it won't come to this,

but I may need a good
Siege Commander.

-Is Rubrius Gallus still alive?
-Yes, he is! He's yours.

Good choice.

What do I do about
Quadratus and his friend?

Whatever you like,
as long as you're discrete.

To success!

To the dream.

Happy birthday, Caesar!

UN PUEBLO EN JUDEA

What do they expect us
to do about it?

Dance on the housetops?

Let's pray they pass us by.

I lost a father and
three brothers...

...when they celebrated
Caligulas's birthday.

-Will they pass?
-Does it matter?

Are you afraid
for your daughter?

For your wife, Mathias.

-Go back inside.
-No!

She's used to
the company of men.

Hey.

Hey!

Hey! Hey!

You're always on the look out
for whores?

I got one in my house!
You want her, huh?

She came from Alexandria
three days ago...

...dressed as a bride!

You want a woman?
You want her for free?

She's a whore!
Come on, take her!

I'm sorry...

...but then you never asked me
who I wanted.

She's for free!
She's a whore!

-Not a bad way to make a living.
-What? Peddling your wife?

No, you clot. I mean,
the threshing floor over there.

Farmers come from miles away.

Probably, pay six to eight
drachmas a bushel.

-I've seen it!
-So what?

So, a man can be very comfortable
doing that for a living.

You got anything better,
waiting for you, back at home?

No... No!

Well, talk to the Decurion
about it as soon as we stop.

If we ever stop.

The man never seems
to relieve himself.

Only when he sleeps.

Are you going to do it?

I'm thinking about it.

There's not much time!
We get mustered out tomorrow.

Well, I don't.
I've got another year.

Besides, you know what I have to do
if I want to talk to the General.

I have to shave.

Find somebody else.

Nobody can talk for us
but our own Decurion.

Mm-hm. Stupid regulation,
isn't it?

I know what he wants.

You want in, don't you?

You're in.

Somebody give me a razor!

Sir, this request is going
through channels...

...and comes from two
twenty-year veterans.

I ask the Commander to
consider it seriously.

They don't expect mustering-out
pay on top of it, do they?

Sir, they begged me to convey--

Pretend you're a man, Decurion,
and talk like one.

Sir, they'd be willing to
take title to the property...

...instead of the cash
they've got coming.

I don't doubt they would.

-Tell them I'm thinking about it.
-Yes, sir!

Thank you, sir!

Oh, Decurion?

-How much are you in for?
-Still one year to go, sir.

One third, sir.

Dismissed.

You're not really
thinking about it?

Yes.

What do we do
about the others?

In the next month, we'll have
900 men mustering out.

Precisely!
And let's say that...

...half of them decide to do
the same as these three, huh?

That threshing floor alone
could take thirty of them.

Then, there are orchards,

olive presses, vineyards...

Incredible opportunities
for an enterprising Roman!

Yes, half of them will
probably jump at it.

Whatever families they had
are probably dead by now--

Well, don't you see?

500 men signing over
their mustering-out pay,

500 drachmas each.

I think we are moving
too fast, sir.

The land's not ours to give.

Well, in dispatches,
we can call it, uh...

...reward for acts of bravery.

During the truce?

Oh, the Jews will have broken
the truce.

They will!

Merovius,

250,000 drachmas for us,
to begin with.

And one day,
we'll be mustered out.

I wish we had word
from Mucianus.

The next word from Mucianus
will be short and sweet:

"We observe Vespasian's funeral."

The Senate sends its best
wishes and my commission...

...and the Tenth hears
its marching orders.

If the savages haven't broken
the truce by then...

...that ought to do it.

In Caesar's name...

...this is your land!

Now, get this through
your heads!

This was our idea!
We give the orders!

I'm waiting for the day
you try to give me an order.

Who's going to live
in that house?

Centurion!

Not a Centurion, darling,
I'm a Tribune.

All the better, Tribune.
I'm clean.

Are you, now?

I was born in Egypt.

I learned things in Egypt.

-Why me?
-It's obvious, Tribune.

You see the choice I have.

I could give you to them,

afterwards.

You won't.

We'll see.

My parents are in that house.

I'm dying to meet them.

It's all right!

We're safe!

In Caesar's name...

...for long and valorous
service in the field...

...this is your property!

In Caesar's name,
this is your land!

Out of the way!
I said out!

God, will you see this
and do nothing?

Move them out. All of them.

Orders, you'll have to
vacate this settlement.

We must not stay
in any case.

As soon as you set foot
on our ground...

...our ground became befiled.

It had been many Caesars'...

...but none before
dared to do this.

If you live long enough,
you'll see everything.

Yes, Centurion,
you speak the truth.

Eleazar!

Eleazar!

Eleazar!

What has brought you here?

Truce has been broken.

The Roman Commander has seized
all the farmland...

...of the Lower Jordan Valley.

-Has there been fighting?
-As always.

When they move on us
they kill without question.

Why are the Essene left alive?

Because it pleases God.

Why?

Because He considers you
holier than the rest of us?

That, you must ask Him.

Scrolls of the Law and
the Prophets.

There's now no safer place
in Israel.

You believe in this fortress now.

The scrolls must be kept safe.

Then, why not leave them here
and go back down?

We are the guardians
of the written word.

We may not be
separated from it.

Very convenient.

You will now give ear
to the spoken word.

God has delivered you
to a place of work.

Work you will do
as long as you are here.

In a little time, this will be
a place of war.

Each of you will fight.

Whoever will not work
when he is bidded to,

whoever will not fight
when the time comes...

...will be lifted up
in these hands...

...and thrown down from
this mountain top.

And the scrolls after him.

Eleazar!

With all due respect.

How does it seem to you?

We have Vespasian's answer.

Now let's give him ours.

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