"Hail, Editor." "Hail, Cato." "You look rather pleased with yourself." "And I didn't think the top men of Caesar's secret police ever smiled." "We have our moments." "Uh, by the way, Editor, Caesar has asked me to help you put on the names." "I don't need help." "With my help, your job will soon be much easier." "You will have at least 100 Christians delivered to the Colosseum each week for the spectacle." "And where is this endless supply to come from?" "From everywhere... - throughout the empire and in all the provinces." "I have been instructed to take energetic security measures... against this riffraff who question the divinity of our nods and of our emperor." "I leave immediately to start the roundup in Syracuse." "Androcles?" "Androcles?" "Yes, dearie?" " Where are you?" " Did you call me?" "Come out of there." "Feeding those filthy animals at a time like this." "We've got to run for it." "There isn't a moment to lose." "Get out of my way, you dirty thing!" "At any rate, we'll be rid of you!" " Must we no right now?" " Unless you want to be eaten by a lion." "The soldiers are rounding up Christians for the emperor's circus in Rome." "And just guess whose name is first on the list." " Not mine?" " Oh, whose else?" "They're hunting them down alphabetically, and you would be called Androcles." "Why, oh, why couldn't your parents have named you something sensible..." "like Zenocles?" "You no ahead, dearie." "I'll stay here and wait for them." "What do you mean you'll stay here?" "Don't you know what'll happen to you?" "No happier fate could be mine, dearie, than to be martyred." "Oh, no, you don't." "I'm onto your little tricks." "You're just trying to net rid of me." "The moment I'm none, you'll be off the other way." "You think you're very smart, don't you?" "Well, we'll see about that!" " You're hurting me, dearie." " Now, then, net hold of that bundle." "But I'd much rather stay." "Really." "On your way!" "You'll have to get up earlier in the morning to pull the wool over my eyes, you Christian." "What about my pets?" "Come on, boys." "We've got to go now." "They stay here, and good riddance to them." "And maybe they'll be fed to the lions." "Didn't you tell me that they were Christians too?" "Even the smallest sparrow." "Good." "Then they won't mind being martyrs." "Not this way." "Out the back, you fool." "Get a move on." "And don't try any of your tricks on me." "Hurry up." "Andy, will you please hurry!" "Nyah!" "Well, how do you expect me to net across?" " Walk, dear." " You want me to drown?" "It's hardly up to your ankles." "I dare say, you wouldn't care a fin whether I did drown or not." "No, dear." "I mean, yes, dear." "You cruel brute." "You don't care how I feel or what becomes of me." "Yes, dear." "I mean, no, dear." "Always thinking of yourself." "Self!" "Self!" "Self!" "Always yourself." "A man has to think of himself occasionally, dear." "A man ought to think of his wife sometimes." "He can't always help it." "You make me think of you a great deal." "Not that I blame you." "Blame me?" "I should think not." "Is it my fault that I'm married to you?" "No, dear." "That's my fault." "That's a nice thing to say." "Aren't you happy with me?" "I don't complain, my love." ""Don't complain."" "I won't no another step." "Oh, not again, dear." "What's the good of stopping every two miles and saying you won't no another step?" "We must net to the hills before night." "There are wild beasts in the forest... - lions, they say." "I don't believe a word of it." "Always threatening me with wild beasts... to make me walk the very soul out of my body... when I can hardly drag one foot before the other." "We haven't seen a single lion yet." "Even a lion would make a nice change, dear." "All right then." "If you're fonder of animals than your own wife, you can live with them here in the jungle." "I've had enough of them and enough of you." "I'm going back." "No, dear, don't talk like that." "You can't no home." "Don't forget, you're my wife." "You'd be sent to Rome and thrown to the lions." "And it would serve you right." "Well, aren't you going to stop me?" "No, dear, not if you really want to." "Then I'll make my way through the forest... and when I'm eaten by wild beats, you'll know what a wife you have lost." "Andy!" "Andy!" "What is it, my precious, my pet?" "What's the matter?" "No, Andy." "No." "No." "You'll be killed." "Come back." "Did you see?" "A lion." "The nods have sent him to punish us because you're a Christian." "Take me away, Andy." "Save me." "Mennie, there's one chance for you." "It'll take him pretty near 20 minutes to eat me." "I'm rather tough." "And you can escape in less time than that." "Don't talk about eating... " "Don't you come near my wife." "Do you hear?" "Mennie, run." "Run for your life." "If I take my eyes off him, we're done for." "Oh." "He's lame." "Poor old chap." "He's got a thorn in his paw..." "a frightfully big thorn." "Aw." "Did you get an awful thorn in your paw?" "Has it made you too sick to eat the nice little Christian man for your breakfast?" "Oh." "Then I'll get the thorn out for you." "And you can eat the nice little Christian man... and the nice little Christian man's nice bin, tender wife." "Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes." "Now, you're not to bite and not to scratch... not even if it hurts a very, very little." "Now make velvet paws." "That's right." "Oh!" "Steady, steady." "Aw." "Oh, did the nasty little Christian man hurt the sore paw?" "I'm sorry." "One more little pull, and it'll be all over." "just one little, little, little... " "Uh-uh-uh-uh." "Mustn't frighten your kind doctor." "That really didn't hurt at all, not a bit." "just once more." "Aw, don't be afraid." "Ready now?" "There we are." "Now it's out." "Lickums paw to take away the nasty inflammation." "There." "See?" "Oh, clever liony-piony." "Understandsums dear friend Andy-wandy." "Yes." "Yes." "Kissums Andy-wandy." "Ooh." "Hmm." "Uh, wait a minute now." "If we're going to carry on like this, we'd better be formally introduced." "I'm Androcles." "What is your name?" "Tommy did you say?" "Pleased to meet you, Tommy." " Ah." " That's Androcles." "He's a sorcerer." "That's what he is." "Let's net him." "§ Onward, Christian soldiers §" "§ Marching as to war §" "§ With the cross of Jesus §" "§ Going on before §" "Here come the first of your precious Christians." "Your Christians you mean." "The emperor's Christians, shall we say?" "Column, halt!" "§... into battle §" " § See his banners no ♫" " Halt!" "Silence!" "Fall out!" "But no wandering off now." "Stay in your places!" "Come into the square!" "Is that all of them?" "No." "There's another group coming from Syracuse." "How long am I supposed to wait for them?" " You're so impatient, Captain." " I'm a soldier, not a policeman." "The enemy within is just as real as the enemy without, Captain." "I fight in my way." "You fight in yours." "Your job is finished then." "Why don't you return to Rome?" "Don't you like my company, Captain?" "It's not becoming a Roman soldier to be spied upon." "Or are my men and I suspect too?" "Christianity is very contagious, Captain." "You never can tell where it will strike next." "We want to be certain that it does not strike our valiant soldiers... and their officers." "May I suggest, madam, that you withdraw to some place of safety?" "These are dangerous Christian prisoners." "There's no telling what may happen." "I suggest that you go indoors and wait till we clear the lot of them out of here." "But I am one of them." "Water." "Can I help you?" "Water." "Water." "If you please?" "Why, of course, miss." "By all means." " Shall I net you a fresh bowl?" " No." "This will do." "Her name is Lavinia." "I envy the lion." "Which lion?" "The one that will eat her." "Your impatience is at an end, Captain." "There are your charges from Syracuse." "Prisoners from Syracuse... - all present and accounted for." "And high time, I must say." "Is the sorcerer Androcles amongst them?" "Doesn't look much like a sorcerer to me." "Dismissed!" "Watch out for this fine fellow, miss." "He's a sorcerer, a real sorcerer too." "No mistake about it." " Are you a sorcerer?" " No." "But I'm a very good tailor." "That's a fine dress you have on." " Worldly goods, brother." " Amen." "The prisoners from Syracuse... - all present and correct, sir." "They certainly don't look like much." "Couldn't you have taught them a little discipline?" "You can't bang it into them, sir." "They've no religion." "That's how it is." " Fall them in with the rest." " Yes, sir." "Attention!" "Fall in the prisoners!" " Shall we march together, brother?" " Come on!" "On your feet!" "Soldiers, fall in!" "All right!" "Silence!" "Orders from the captain!" " Centurion." " Sir." "Centurion, you are to instruct your men that on their march to Rome... no intimacy with the Christian prisoners will be tolerated." "The singing of Christian hymns by the prisoners is expressly forbidden." "Any shortcoming in this respect will be regarded as a breach of discipline." "Prisoners." "I call your attention, prisoners, to the fact that upon your arrival in Rome... you may be called on to appear in the imperial circus... at any time onwards according to the requirements of the managers." "I may also inform you that, as there is a shortage of Christians just now... you may expect to be called on very soon." "What will they do to us, Captain?" "The women will be conducted into the arena with the wild beasts of the imperial menagerie... and will suffer the consequences." "The men above an age to bear arms will be given weapons to defend themselves... if they choose, against the imperial gladiators." "I have no more to say to the prisoners." "God bless you, Captain." "Silence!" "Silence!" "Tantalizing, isn't she?" "Keep your mind on your job." "The Christians are my job." "They are also my prisoners and under my charge... until I deliver them to the Colosseum dungeon." " Yes, Captain." " Forward." "Sound the march!" " Forward!" " Forward march!" "Good day to you, Captain." "We missed you at our celebration." " I don't celebrate while I'm on duty." " You are right to rebuke me, Captain." "For the moment, at least, I sincerely regret... that I do not enjoy your strength of character." "By the way, Captain, did I not say that Christianity was contagious?" "What is your business here with these prisoners?" "I..." " I caught my hand on a spear, sir." " The prisoner was dressing it for me." " I asked him to let me do it, Captain." "And I asked him to let me mend his cloak." "He tore that too." " Take your cloak and report back to your quarters." " Yes, sir." "And what assistance did you gentlemen require of the prisoner?" "Did you also tear your cloaks or cut your hands?" "No, sir." "We were just talking to Lavi... - I mean, the prisoner." "Get back to your quarters, all three of you." "Report to me later." "I must reprimand the female prisoner for undermining the discipline of my men." "It must cease immediately, or I shall punish it with the utmost severity." " Is that sufficient warning?" " Yes, Captain." "If I don't behave, I shall be thrown to the lions." "And if I do behave, I shall be thrown to the lions just the same." "Is that what you mean?" "§ Onward, Christian soldiers §" "§ Marching as to war §" "§ With the cross of Jesus §" "§ Going on before §" "§ Christ the royal master §" "§... master §" "§ Leads against the foe §" "Of course, it's no business of mine... but I notice a slight lowering in morale." " In your Christians?" " No." "In your men." "§ Onward, Christian soldiers §" " Centurion!" " Yes, sir." " Halt your men." " Yes, sir." "Column... halt!" "Halt!" "Centurion, you were instructed that no lax discipline on the march would be permitted." "In particular, it was impressed on you... that there would be no toleration of the singing of Christian hymns." "I have to reprimand you, Centurion... for not only allowing this but actually doing it yourself." " The men march better, Captain." " No doubt." "And for that reason, an exception is made... in the case of the march called "Onward, Christian Soldiers."" "This may be sung until we reach Rome... but the words must be altered to..." ""Throw us to the lions."" "Silence!" "Silence!" "Where's your behavior?" "Is this the way to listen to an officer?" "But I think the captain meant us to laugh, Centurion." " It was so funny." " That is all." "The female prisoner seems to appreciate your sense of humor, Captain." "Forward!" "March!" "Forward ho!" "§ Throw us to the lions §" "§ We shall be devoured §" "Congratulations, Captain." "Your every word is their command." "I salute you." "§ We shall be devoured §" "§ Throw us to the lions §" "§ We shall be devoured §" "§ Throw us to the... ♫" " Help me!" " Soldiers, ho!" " Come on there!" "Grab hold!" " Help!" "What is wrong?" "One of our men has been pinned beneath a supply wagon." "Help!" "Heave!" "Grab hold!" " I can't budge it." " More men." "Get more men." " See here." "What's going on here?" " Who are you?" " What's the meaning of this?" " Get the prisoner out of here." "Thank you, stranger." "You..." "You saved my life." "Better had I saved your soul, brother... than your poor sinful body." "Who is that man?" "He is Ferrovius." "Ferrovius." "Could that be the same Ferrovius... who made such wonderful conversions in the northern cities?" "I'd certainly like to meet him if it is." "We are warned that he has the strength of an elephant... and the temper of an angry bull." "Also that he is raving mad." "Not a model Christian, it would seem." "You need not fear him if he is a Christian, Captain." "I shall not fear him in any case." "Prisoner, halt!" "The prisoner from Ostia, sir." " Have him fall in with the others." " Yes, sir." " And remove his chains." " This is Ferrovius, the madman, sir." "You need not fear him if he is a Christian, Centurion." "Remove his chains." "Now remember that you're a Christian." "You've not to return good for evil." "That's the way to manage him, eh?" "Let us no to him." "This is Androcles, and I am Lavinia." "We will march to victory together." "Bless you, sister." "I'm certainly glad to meet you, Ferrovius." "I've heard a lot about you." "Thank you, brother." "Thank you, brother." "§ All people that on earth do dwell §" "§ Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice §" "§ Him serve with fear §" "§ His praise forthtell §" "§ Come ye before him §" "§ And rejoice §" "How is it possible for them to sing... when each day brings them nearer to death?" "Those who are without hope can afford to be brave." "I think it is much more than bravery." "Be careful, Captain." "Too much thinking can be unhealthy for a Roman soldier." "Lavinia, do Christians know how to love?" "Yes, Captain." "They even love their enemies." "Is that easy?" "Very easy, Captain... when the enemies are as handsome as you." " You're laughing at me." " At you, Captain?" "Impossible." "Well, you're flirting with me, which is worse." "But such a very handsome captain." "Lavinia." "Why won't you let me help you?" "Make the sacrifice." "It's a small price to pay for life in this world." "You can't be certain of any other." "Would any true happiness come out of it, do you think?" "Your soul is too demanding, Lavinia." "It will destroy you to save itself." "Deny it before it's too late." "And what then would remain for me?" "You would have life, Lavinia... - life that you can touch and breathe and feel." "Life that is real." "Oh, look." "A triumphal procession." "We must have won something." "No." "It's only another batch of Christians for the Colosseum." "Christians, by Jove." "Let's chaff them." "Column, halt!" " Halt!" " Halt!" "Who is that fop?" "Lentulus." "He's one of Caesar's pets." " Centurion." " Sir." "You will take charge of the prisoners while I inform the Colosseum of their arrival." "Yes, sir." "Column, fall out!" "That woman's not a figure." "Leave her alone." "She's a Christian." "What's that not to do with her figure?" "Uh, do you turn the other cheek when they kiss you?" "What?" "Do you turn the other cheek when they kiss you, fascinating Christian?" "Don't be foolish." "Please, don't let your friend behave like a cad before the soldiers." "How are they to respect and obey patricians if they see them behaving like street boys?" " But I... " " Pull yourself together, man." "Hold your head up, keep the corners of your mouth firm and treat me respectfully." "What do you take me for?" " But look here... " " Stuff!" "Go about your business." "Plucky little filly." "I suppose she thinks I care." "Ha." "You there." " Is this a "turn the other cheek" Christian?" " Yes, sir." "Lucky for you, too, sir, if you want to take any liberties with him." "You, uh, turn the other cheek when you're struck, I'm told." "Yes." "By the grace of God, I do now." "Not that you're a coward, of course, but out of pure piety." "I fear God more than man." "At least, I try to." "Let's see." "You know, I should feel ashamed if I let myself be struck like that and took it lying down." "But then I'm not a Christian." "I'm a man." "Bravely done, brother." "Let him alone, sir, now you've proved your point." "Hmm." "It is not proved yet." "I have not always been faithful." "The first man who struck me... as you have just struck me... was a stronger man than you." "He hit me harder than I expected." "I was tempted and fell." "It was then that I first tasted bitter shame." "I'd never had a happy moment after that until I'd knelt and asked his forgiveness... - by his bedside in the hospital." "Now I have learned to resist... with a strength that is not my own." "I'm not ashamed now, nor angry." "Pardon me, sir, but if you should have an engagement elsewhere..." "I think now is the time to no to it." "Yes, I..." " I do have other business." "Good morning." "Oh, do not harden your heart, young man." "Come try for yourself whether our way is not better than yours." "I will now strike you on one cheek... and you will turn the other and learn how much better you'll feel... by not giving way to the promptings of anger." "Somebody protect me." "I've been doing my best, sir, but you've asked for it." "You had two whacks at him." "Come, friend." "Courage." "I may hurt your body for a moment... but your soul will rejoice in the victory of the... - the spirit over the flesh." "Easy, Ferrovius, easy." "You broke the last man's jaw." "Yes, but I saved his soul." "What matters a broken jaw?" " Quickly, sir, run for it." " Confound it." "I'm trying to." "Don't touch me." "Do you hear?" "The law." "Ah, the law." "The law will throw me to the lions tomorrow." "What worse could it do if I were to slay you?" "Pray for strength, and it shall be given unto you." "Let-Let..." " Let him no, brother." " Our religion forbids you to strike him." " On the contrary." "It commands me to strike him." "How can he turn the other cheek... if he is not first struck on one cheek?" "But I'm sure he's convinced that what you said is quite right." " You are, aren't you, sir?" " Oh, I am." "I am." "Absolutely." "I..." " I apologize for striking you." " You see, brother?" "You have convinced him." " Oh, my son." "Have I... " "Have I softened your heart?" "Are your feet turning towards a better path?" "Yes." "There's a great deal in what you say." "Then join us." "Come to the lions." "Come to suffering." " And death." " Oh!" "Help me, brother." "God has greatly blessed my powers of conversion." "Shall I tell you a miracle... wrought by me in Cappadocia?" "A young man... - just such a one as you... with golden hair like yours... - scoffed at and struck me." "I sat up all night with that youth... wrestling for his soul." "And in the morning, not only was he a Christian... but his hair was as white as snow." "May his friend take him away now, brother?" "Yes, yes." "Take him away." "The, uh..." " The spirit has overwrought him." "Poor lad." "Carry him gently to his house... and leave the rest to heaven." "You are his friend, young man." "You will see that he is taken safely home." "Certainly, sir." "I'll do whatever you think best." "I'm most happy to have made your acquaintance, I'm sure." "You may depend on me." "Good morning, sir." "And the blessings of heaven be upon you and him." " Mmm." " So that is how you convert people, Ferrovius." "Yes, child." "There's been a great blessing on my work... in spite of my unworthiness and backslidings... - all through my wicked and devilish temper." "Caesar, I hate to disturb you in your bath... but there are several things which must be attended to at once." "You leave everything to the last minute." "Be calm, Editor." "You wear yourself out with needless aggravation." "Take the baths with me." "You'll feel better." "As manager of the Colosseum and producer of the names..." "I haven't the time, and you know it." "You want the spectacle to be a success, don't you?" "Oh, I leave that to you, but I warn you it had better be." "I'm counting on it." "Then you had better listen to the program." "We open as usual with the sham battle... - wooden swords and shields until the spectators are seated." "Then you arrive, and the grand procession follows." "Then combats." "And after that, the Christians." "Personally, I could do without the Christians." "We're trying to do without them." "That is why we serve them to the lions." "They vulgarize the whole affair." "There's no art in watching a hungry lion being fed." "I, for one, regret the day they were introduced into the names." "Oh, you're too civilized, Editor." "You've lost the common touch." "It is to see the Christians that the people flock to the arena." "At the rate we're getting rid of them... soon there will be no Christians to feed the lions." "Caesar will no down in history as the emperor who eliminated these cranks." " Hail Caesar." " On the contrary." "I'm more likely to be remembered as the man who did most to perpetuate them." "You, Caesar?" "I dare say I am doing more to spread Christianity... than all their preachers, missionaries and gospel writers put together." "I shouldn't be surprised if finally I wound up as one of their heroes." " Caesar jests of course." " Caesar does not jest." "I wager that for every Christian that dies in the bloody sand... two new ones leave the Colosseum." "Perhaps then Caesar should change his tactics." "Impossible." "I am a subject of history... and I must submit to its inevitable course." "It is my destiny to fan the fires of Christianity... by offering them martyrdom in the arena." "Column, halt!" "Halt!" "Now then, you Christians... none of your larks, no singing." "Look respectable." "Look serious, if you're capable of it." "See that bin building over there?" "That's the Colosseum, that is." "That's where you're to be thrown to the lions or set to fight the gladiators presently." "Think of that, and it'll help you to behave properly." "The Colosseum." "Think of it." "I never thought I'd live to see it." "This trip has been very educational, hasn't it?" "You're a born tourist, Androcles." "I always wanted to travel." "Too bad we won't have any time to ourselves." "There's so many places in Rome I'd like to visit." "It's a beautiful city, isn't it?" "It's nothing compared to where we are going." "The streets will be paved with gold and precious jewels... and the buildings all white marble... - a dazzling sight to the naked eye." "You're a bit of a tourist too, Ferrovius." "All right, forward!" "You there." "You soldiers clear out of the way for the emperor." "The emperor?" "Where's the emperor?" " You're not the emperor, are you?" " It's the menagerie service." "My team of oxen is drawing the new lion to the Colosseum." " Now you clear the road." " What?" "Go in after you and your dust... with half the town at the heels of you and your lion?" "Not likely." "We no first." "Ten-shun!" "Now you look here!" "The menagerie service is the emperor's personal retinue... and you clear out, I tell you!" "You tell me, do you?" "Well, I'll tell you something." "If the lion is the menagerie service, the lion's dinner is menagerie service too." "And this is the lion's dinner!" "Now back up your bullocks double quick." "Learn your place!" "Now then, you Christians, step out there." "Come along, the rest of the dinner." "I shall be the olives and the anchovies." " I shall be the soup." " I shall be the roast boar." "Ha, ha, ha!" "And what will you be, Androcles?" "I shall be the mince pie." "Silence!" "Have some sense of your situation." "Is that the way for martyrs to behave?" "In the Emperor Domitian's reign... a Gaul slew three men in the arena single-handed and gained his freedom." " Could this Ferrovius surpass him?" " Not in my opinion." "You think his opinion is wrong, Captain?" "I think his opinion is prejudiced, Caesar." "And the female prisoner... - was she any more successful in her attempts to convert you, Captain?" "No more successful, but less obvious, Caesar." "I commend your devotion to duty, Captain." "Your devotion is only to your duty, I hope, Captain." " Only to my duty, Caesar." " Then she was not pretty?" "She was very pretty, Caesar." "You are a brave soldier, Captain." "Hail Caesar." "Spintho." "You're late." "We've missed you." "I have been at the temple all morning." "Do the nods treat you so poorly that they wear you out?" " You look a bit seedy." " I have not been well." "You no to the temple too often." "Piety can be overdone." "Too much religion is not good for the liver." "One might think you had a bad conscience, Spintho." "My conscience is as clear as the next man's." "A small boast, Spintho." "Let us have no quarreling." "I want nothing to mar the success of the games." "Cato, the editor fears that we shall use up all the available Christians... and be left with nothing but idle time on our hands." "I shall always know where to turn up one or two." "Caesar assures me we shall never be without them." "I was explaining to the editor that they are noble rascals... who will eventually gobble us up... - as the lions now gobble them up." "They are not all noble, Caesar." " Some of them are quite two-faced." " Indeed?" "I thought they were too dedicated for double-dealing." "There are those with a foot in both camps... blowing with each golden wind whither their profit takes them." "Romans one day, Christians the next." "Thus they may rob the temple today in the name of Christianity... and steal from the Christians tomorrow in the name of Rome." "How opportune for them." "Are there really such scoundrels, Cato?" "Nearer than you think, Caesar." "Really?" "At the court?" "What fun." "I shouldn't have believed it." "Cato insults us all by these accusations." "I, for one, resent them." "I made no accusations, Spintho." "Think of it." "A Christian at the court... - and a dishonest one." "Not anyone present, Cato?" "Not Metellus?" "Nor Lentulus?" "Caesar." "Not the editor?" "Nor the captain?" "And not... - not our pious Spintho?" "Oh, no, no." "Not in a million years." "If Caesar will excuse me, I have not been feeling well." "I remarked that you looked pale when you came in." "I know the very physician for you." "Go to your home, and I'll send him to you." " It will not be necessary." " I insist." "I want nothing to spoil your good health." "We want to save you for better things." "Don't we, Cato?" "If Caesar wishes." "Be well, Spintho." "The physician will be at your door when you arrive." "Hail Caesar." "This dirty dog's a real Christian." "He robs temples, he does." "Smashes things mad drunk, he does." "Steals gold vessels." "He assaults priestesses, he does." "You're the sort that makes duty a pleasure, you are." "That's it." "Strangle me." "Kick me!" "Beat me!" "Revile me!" "Our Lord was beaten and reviled." "That's my way to heaven." "Well, if you're going to heaven, I don't want to no there." "I wouldn't be seen with you!" "Every martyr noes to heaven, no matter what he's done." "That is so, isn't it, brother?" "We all hope so." "Welcome, brother." "Why is Ferrovius so silent?" "He's struggling beneath the load of the great terror." "The great terror?" "What is that?" "Well, you see, sister... he's never quite sure of himself." "He's afraid that at, the last moment, in the arena with all the gladiators there to fight him... one of them may say something to annoy him." "And he might forget himself and lay that gladiator out." "But that would be splendid." "What?" "Oh, sister." "Splendid to betray my master, like Peter?" "Splendid to act like any common blackguard on the day of my proving?" "Woman, you are no Christian." "You know, Ferrovius, I'm not always a Christian." "I don't think anybody is." "There are moments when I forget all about it... and something comes out quite naturally, as it did then." "What does it matter?" "If you die in the arena, you'll be a martyr." "And all martyrs no to heaven no matter what they've done." " That is so, isn't it?" " Yes, that is so." "If we are faithful to the end." "I'm not so sure." "Don't say that!" "That's blasphemy!" "Don't say that, I tell you!" "We shall be saved no matter what we do." "Perhaps you men will all no into heaven bravely and in triumph... with your heads erect and golden trumpets sounding for you." "But I'm sure I shall only be allowed to squeeze myself in through a little crack in the gate... after a great deal of begging." "I'm not good always." "I have moments only." "You're talking nonsense, woman." "I tell you, martyrdom pays all scores." "Well, let us hope so, brother, for your sake." "You've had a nay time, haven't you... with your raids on the temples?" "I can't help thinking that heaven will be very dull for a man of your temperament." " You... " " Uh-uh-uh." "Don't be angry." "I say it only to console you... in case you should die in your bed tonight, in the natural way." " Oh, no." " There's a lot of plague about." "I never thought of that." "Oh, spare me to be martyred." "Oh, what a thought to put in the mind of a brother!" "Oh." "Let me be martyred now." "I shall die in the night and no to hell." "You're a sorcerer." "You've put death into my mind." "Oh, curse you!" "Curse you!" "What's this, brother?" "Anger?" "Violence?" "Raising your hand to a brother Christian?" "It's easy for you." "You're strong." "Your nerves are all right." "But I'm full of disease." "I've drunk all my nerves away." "I shall have the horrors all night." "Don't take on so, brother." "We're all sinners." "Yes." "I dare say if the truth were known, you're all as bad as I am." " Does that comfort you?" " Pray, man." " Pray!" " What's the good of praying?" "If we're martyred, we shall no to heaven, shan't we, whether we pray or not?" "What is this?" "Not pray?" "Pray this instant, you don!" "You rotten hound!" "You bleating goat." "You slimy snake." "Dear brother... if you wouldn't mind, just for my sake... " "Well?" "Don't call him by the names of animals." "I merely meant that they have no souls." "Oh, believe me, they have... - just the same as you and me." "I've had such friends in dons." "A pet snake is the best of company." "I was nursed on goat's milk." "I really don't believe I could no to heaven if I thought there were to be no animals there." "Think of what they suffer here." "That is true." "Yes, that is just." "They shall have their share of heaven." " What's that you say?" " Nothing!" " Do animals no to heaven or not?" " I never said they didn't!" " Do they or do they not?" " They do!" "They do!" "Female prisoner Lavinia." "This way, miss." "Good evening, Captain." "Are you going to scold me again?" "No." "Look about you, Lavinia." "This is the arena in which you will die tomorrow." " I know." " Listen to me." "It's silent and empty now." "But tomorrow, those empty seats will be filled with the vilest of voluptuaries... - men in whom the only passion excited by a beautiful woman... is a lust to see her tortured and torn, shrieking limb from limb." "Why did you bring me here?" "Because it's a crime to gratify that passion." "It is offering yourself for violation by the whole rabble of the streets... and the riffraff of the court at the same time." "They cannot violate my soul." "I alone can do that by sacrificing to false nods." "Then sacrifice to the true God." "What does his name matter?" "We call him Jupiter." "The Greeks call him Zeus." "Call him what you will as you drop the incense on the altar flame." "He'll understand." "No." "I couldn't." "That is the strange thing, Captain... that a little pinch of incense should make all that difference." "Religion is such a great thing." "When I meet really religious people, we are friends at once... no matter what name we give to the divine will that made us and moves us." "Are you so narrow to think that we do not believe in our nods because you will die for yours?" "Do you think that I, a woman, would quarrel with you for sacrificing to a woman nod like Diana... if Diana meant to you what Christ means to me?" "No." "We would kneel side by side before her altar like two children." "Then let us do so, Lavinia." "Let us kneel together." "We cannot." "There is an abyss between us so deep and profound we dare not reach out to one another... lest we fall and be lost forever." "Is there no pity in your nod that he would let you die for him?" "I do not die for him, but for myself." "But when men who believe neither in my God nor in their own... men who do not know the meaning of the word religion... - when these men drag me to the foot of an iron statue... that has become the symbol of the terror and darkness through which they walk... of their cruelty and greed... of their hatred of God and their oppression of man... " "when they ask me to pledge my soul before the people... that this hideous idol is God... and that all this wickedness and falsehood is divine truth..." "I cannot do it." "Not if they put a thousand cruel deaths on me." "If I took a pinch of incense in my hand and stretched it out over the altar fire... my hand would come back." "My body would be true to my faith... even if you could corrupt my mind." "And all the time, I should believe more in Diana than my persecutors have ever believed in anything." "Can you understand that?" "Yes, Lavinia." "I can understand that." "But my hand would not come back." "The hand that holds the sword has been trained not to come back from anything but victory." " Not even from death?" " Least of all from death." "Then I must not come back from death either." "A woman has to be braver than a soldier." "Prouder, you mean." ""Prouder."" "You call our courage pride?" "There's no such thing as courage." "There's only pride." "You Christians are the proudest devils on earth." "Pray God then my pride may never become a false pride." "Ho there!" "Is all well below?" "All's well!" "Thank you for trying to save me." "I knew it was no use." "But one tries in spite of one's knowledge." "Something stirs even in the iron breast of a Roman soldier?" "It will soon be iron again." "I've seen many women die and forgotten them in a week." "Remember me for a fortnight, handsome Captain." "I shall be watching you perhaps." "From the skies?" "Do not deceive yourself, Lavinia." "There's no future for you beyond the grave." "What does that matter?" "Do you think I'm only running away from the terrors of life into the comfort of heaven?" "If there were no future, or if the future were one of torment..." "I should have to no just the same." "The hand of God is upon me." "Yes." "After all is said... we are both patricians, Lavinia... and must die for our beliefs." "Farewell." "Farewell, handsome Captain." "Number 6!" "Number 6!" "Number 6!" "Retiarius versus Secutor!" "Number 6I" "Well, look sharp there." "You haven't not all day." "All right." "Off you no." "Will they really kill one another?" "Yes, if the people turn down their thumbs." "You know nothing about it." "The people indeed." "Do you suppose we would kill a man worth perhaps 50 talents to please the riffraff?" "I should like to catch any of my men at it." " I thought... " " You thought." "Who cares what you think anymore?" "You will be killed right enough." "Then is nobody ever killed except us poor Christians?" "If the vestal virgins turn down their thumbs, that's another matter." "They are ladies of rank." "Does the emperor ever interfere?" "Oh, yes." "He turns his thumb up fast enough if the vestal virgins want to have... one of his pet fighting men killed." "But... don't they ever just only pretend to kill one another?" "Why shouldn't you pretend to die... then net dragged out as if you were dead... then net up and no home?" " Like an actor." " See here." "You want to know too much." "There'll be no pretending about the new lion." "Let that be enough for you." "He's hungry." "Can't you stop talking about it?" "Isn't it bad enough for us without that?" "See here." "Don't be obstinate." "Come with me and drop the pinch of incense on the altar." "That's all you need to do to be let off." "No." "Thank you very much indeed, but I really mustn't." "What, not to save your life?" "I'd rather not." "I couldn't sacrifice to Diana." "She's a huntress, you know." "She kills animals." "Well, that doesn't matter." "Choose your own altar." "Sacrifice to Jupiter." "He likes animals." "He turns himself into an animal when he noes off duty." "No." "It's very kind of you, but I feel I cannot save myself that way." "I'm not asking you to do it to save yourself." "I'm asking you to do it to oblige me personally." "Oh, please don't say that." "You mean so kindly by me that it seems quite horrible to disoblige you." "I must no into the arena with the rest." "My honor, you know." "Honor?" "The honor of a tailor?" "Well, perhaps honor is too strong an expression." "Still, you know, I couldn't allow the tailors to net a bad name through me." "How much will you remember of all that when you smell the beast's breath... and see him opening his jaws to tear out your throat?" "I can't bear it!" "I'll sacrifice!" "I'll sac..." "Don of an apostate." "Judas Iscariot!" "l-I'll repent afterwards." "I fully mean to die in the arena." "I'll die a martyr and no to heaven." "But not this time." "Not now." "Not until my nerves are better." "Besides, I'm too young." "I want to have just one more good time." "I'll sacrifice!" "I'll sacrifice!" "I'll sacrifice!" "I'll sacrifice!" "I'll sacrifice!" "Brother, I can't do that." "Not even to oblige you." "Don't ask me." "Well, if you're determined to die, I can't help you." "But I wouldn't be put off by a swine like that." "Peace." "Peace." "Tempt him not." "Get thee behind him, Satan." "Why, for two pins, I'd take a turn in the arena myself today... and pay you out for daring to talk to me like that!" "Hmm." " No, no." "Please." " Brother, you forget." "Oh, my temper." "My wicked temper." "Oh, forgive me, brother." "My heart was full of wrath." "I should have been thinking of your dear precious soul." " Yah!" " And I forgot it all." "I thought of nothing but offering to fight you with... - with one hand tied behind me." "Here's a nice business." "Who let that Christian out of here and down to the dens... when we were changing the lion into the cane next the arena?" "No one let him." "He let himself." "Well, the lion's ate him." "Poor wretch." "He won't as much as look at another Christian for a week." "Couldn't you have saved him, brother?" "Saved him?" "Saved him from a lion that I'd just not mad with hunger?" "Poor Spintho." "A martyr in spite of himself." "Shh!" "Attention, please." "The emperor." "Hail Caesar." "Those about to die salute thee." "Good morrow, friends." "Everything is in readiness, Caesar." "I'm looking forward to a great day." "So be it." "Blessings, Caesar, and forgiveness." "There is no forgiveness for Christianity." "Oh, I did not mean that, Caesar." "I mean that we forgive you." "An inconceivable liberty!" "Do you not know, woman, that the emperor can do no wrong and therefore cannot be forgiven?" "Well, I expect the emperor knows better." "Anyhow, we forgive him." "Metellus, you see now the disadvantage of too much severity." "These people have no hope." "Therefore there's nothing to restrain them from saying whatever they like to me." "They're almost as impertinent as the gladiators." "Hmm!" "Which is the sorcerer?" " Me, Your Worship." " My Worship?" "Good." "A new title." "Well, what miracles can you perform?" "I can cure warts by rubbing them with my tailor's chalk." "And I can live with my wife... without beating her." "Is that all?" "You don't know my wife, Caesar, or you wouldn't say that." "Ah, well, my friend, we shall no doubt contrive a happy release for you." "Oh, thank you." "And, uh, which is Ferrovius?" "I am he." "They tell me you can fight." "It is easy to fight." "I can die, Caesar." " That is still easier, is it not?" " Not to me, Caesar." "Death comes hard to my flesh... and fighting comes very easily to my spirit... oh, sinner that I am." "Metellus, I should like to have this man in the Praetorian Guard." "Oh, I should not, Caesar." "He looks a spoilsport." "There are men in whose presence it is impossible to have any fun." "Men who are a sort of walking conscience." "He would make us all uncomfortable." "For that very reason, perhaps, it might be as well to have him." "An emperor can hardly have too many consciences." "Listen, Ferrovius." "You and your friends shall not be outnumbered in the arena today." "You shall have arms, and there shall be but one gladiator to each Christian." "If you come out of the arena alive..." "I will consider favorably any request of yours... and give you a place in the Praetorian Guard." "Even if the request be that no questions be asked about your faith..." "I shall, perhaps, not refuse it." "I will not fight." "I will die." "Better stand with the archangels... than with the Praetorian Guard." "I cannot believe that the archangels... - whoever they may be... - would not prefer to be recruited from the Praetorian Guard." "However, as you please." "Come, let us see the show." "The hour has come, Ferrovius." " Do you still scorn the Praetorian Guard?" " I do." "Then I shall no into my box and see you killed." "Welcome, vestal virgins." "Farewell." "Farewell, brother... till we meet in the sweet by-and-by." "You're going too." "Take a sword here and pick out any armor you can find to fit you." "No, really, I can't fight." "I never could." "I can't bring myself to dislike anyone enough." "I'm to be thrown to the lions with the lady." "Then net out of the way and hold your noise." "You Christians have not to fight." "Here." "Arm yourselves!" "I'll die sword in hand... to show the people I could fight if it were my master's will... and that I could kill the man who kills me if I choose." "Put on that armor!" "No armor." "Here!" "Do as your told!" "Put on that armor!" "I said no armor." "And what am I to say when I'm accused of sending you into the arena unprotected?" "Say your prayers, brother... and have no fear of the princes of this world." "You obstinate fool." "O Heaven, give me strength." "That frightens you, does it?" "Man... there is no terror like the terror of that sound to me." "When I hear a trumpet or a drum... or the clash of steel... or the hum of the catapult as the great stone flies... fire runs through my veins." "I can feel my blood surge up hot behind my eyes." "I must charge!" "I must strike!" "I must conquer!" "Caesar himself will not be safe in his imperial seat... if once the spirit nets loose in me." "Oh, brothers, pray." "Exhort me!" "Remind me that if I raise my sword... my honor falls... and my master... is crucified afresh." "In with you." "Into the arena!" "The stage is waiting!" "The emperor's waiting." "What are you dreaming of, man?" " Send your men in at once!" " It's these Christians hanging back." " Liar." " March!" " Shove them in there!" " Touch them, dons, and we'll die here... and cheat the heathen of their spectacle." "Brothers, the great moment has come." "Farewell." "I'm glad I don't have to fight." "That would really be an awful martyrdom." "I am lucky." "Androcles, burn the incense." "You'll be forgiven." "Let my death atone for both of us." "I feel as if I were killing you." "Don't think of me, sister." "Think of yourself." "That will keep your heart up." "Oh, it's you, handsome Captain." "Have you come to see us die?" "I'm on duty with the emperor, Lavinia." "Is it part of your duty to laugh at us?" "No, that's part of my private pleasure." "Your friend here is a humorist." "I laughed at his telling you to think of yourself and to keep up your heart." "I say think of yourself and burn the incense." "He is not a humorist." "He was right." "You ought to know that, Captain." "You have been face-to-face with death." "Not with certain death, Lavinia." "Only death in battle which spares more men than death in bed." "What you're facing is certain death." "You have nothing left now but your faith in this craze of yours, this Christianity." "Are your Christian fairy stories any truer than our stories about Jupiter and Diana?" "In which, I may tell you, I believe no more than the emperor does." "Captain, all that seems nothing to me now." "I'll not say that death is a terrible thing." "But I will say it is so real a thing... that when it comes close... all the imaginary things... all the fairy stories, as you call them... fade into mere dreams beside the reality of death." "I know now that I am not dying for stories or dreams." "My faith has been oozing away minute by minute whilst I've been waiting here... with death coming nearer and nearer... with reality becoming realer and realer... with stories and dreams fading away... into nothing." "Are you then going to die for nothing?" "Yes." "That is the wonderful thing." "It is since all the stories and dreams have none..." "I have now no doubt at all that I must die for something greater than dreams or stories." "But for what?" "I don't know." "If it were for anything small enough to know, it would be too small to die for." "Perhaps, after all, I am going to die for God." "Nothing else is real enough to die for." "What is God?" "When we know that, Captain, we shall be nods ourselves." "Lavinia, come down to earth." "Burn the incense and marry me." "Would you marry me if I hauled down the flan on the day of battle and burnt the incense?" "Sons take after their mothers, you know." "Do you want your son to be a coward?" "By great Diana..." "I think I would strangle you if you nave in now." "The hand of God is upon us, Captain." "What nonsense it all is." "What a monstrous thing it is that you should die for such nonsense... and that I should look on helplessly... when my whole soul cries out against it." "Die then, if you must!" "But at least I can cut the emperor's throat, then my own when I see your blood!" "Lost!" "Lost..." " Lost forever!" "I have betrayed my master." "Cut off this hand." "It has offended." "Take this sword!" "Strike!" " What have you done, Ferrovius?" " I know not." "There was blood behind my eyes, and... there's blood on my sword." "What does that mean?" "What does it mean?" "It means that you're the greatest man in Rome!" "It means that you shall have a laurel wreath of gold!" "Superb fighter..." "I could almost yield you my throne." "It's a record for my reign." "I shall live in history." "Once, in Domitian's time, a Gaul slew three men in the arena and gained his freedom." "But when before has one single man... slain six armed men of the bravest and the best?" "The persecutions shall cease." " Ladies and gentlemen, you are all free." " Praise the Lord." "If Christians can fight like this, I shall have none but Christians to fight for me." "You there." "Do you hear?" "You are ordered to become Christians at once." "Pray, no into the front of the house and enjoy the spectacle... to which your brother has so splendidly contributed." "Captain, oblige me by conducting them to the seats reserved for my friends." "Caesar!" "I must have one Christian for the lion." "The people have been promised it." "They'll tear the decorations to bits if they're disappointed." "Yes, true, true." "We must have someone for the new lion." " Throw me to him." " No!" "No, my friend!" "You would tear him in pieces." "We cannot afford to throw away lions as if they were mere slaves." "Caesar." "...the captain." "What?" "Throw a Roman captain to the lions?" "You must be out of your mind, Cato." "I shall speak to you about this later." "Your management of this whole affair has displeased me greatly." "just see what a mess we're in because of your lack of good judgment." " Um... " " Caesar." "No." "This is really extremely awkward." "Why not that little chap?" "He's not a Christian." "He's a sorcerer." "A very good idea." "He'll do very well." "Number 13." "A Christian for the new lion." "I'll no in his place, Caesar." "No." "I would never have another happy hour." "No." "On the faith of a Christian... and the honor of a tailor..." "I accept the lot that has fallen on me." "If my wife turns up, give her my love." "Tell her my wish was that she be happy with her next." "Poor fellow." "Farewell, brother." "Caesar, go to your box and see how a tailor can die." "Make way for number 13 there." "Tommy!" "It's you!" "Good old friend." "Oh, Tommy!" "It's an incredible... - An amazing thing has happened to me!" "I can no longer doubt the truth of Christianity." "This Christian sor... " "Now, I wonder why they all run away from us like that." "Sorcerer, I command you to put that lion to death instantly." "It is guilty of high treason." "Your conduct is most dis... " " Don't be afraid of him." " I am not afraid of him!" "Keep between us." "Never be afraid of animals, Your Worship." "That's the great secret." "For, you see, he's afraid of you." "Come on now, Tommy." "Speak nicely to the emperor." "The great, good emperor... who has the power to have all our heads cut off... if we don't behave very, very respectfully to him." "Come on, Tommy." "Tommy!" "Stop!" "Come back, Tommy!" "Tommy, stop!" "You'll get us in trouble!" "Bad boy!" "Stop, Tommy!" "Tommy." "Stop this instant!" "I'm so sorry, Your Worship." "Tommy, now... - Tommy, stop!" "Back!" "Back!" "Don't let him no." "We mustn't let him lash himself into a rage." "You must show him that you are my particular friend... - if you will have the condescension." "Look, Tommy, the nice emperor... is the best friend that Andy-wandy has in the whole world." "He loves him like a brother." "You little brute." "You filthy little don of a tailor!" "I'll have you burnt alive for daring to touch the divine person of the emperor!" "Oh, don't talk like that, sir." "He understands every word you say." "All animals do." "They take it from the tone of your voice." "I think he's going to spring at Your Worship." "If you wouldn't mind saying something affectionate." "My, uh... " "My dearest Mr. Androcles." "My sweetest friend." "My long lost brother." "Come to my arm." "Whoa!" "What an abominable smell of garlic!" "There." "You see?" "Even a child can play with him now." "See?" "Come." "Pet him." "I must, uh... - I must conquer these unkingly terrors." "Don't no away from him though." "Goochy, noochy, noochy, noochy." "Goochy, noochy, noochy." "Oh, sir." "How few men would have the courage to do that." "Yes, it, uh, takes a bit of nerve." "Shall we call in the others and frighten them?" "Is he safe, do you think?" "Oh, quite safe now, sir." "What ho there!" "All who are within hearing, return without fear." "Caesar has tamed the lion." "I have subdued the beast." "It is strange that I, who fear no man... should fear a lion." "Every man must fear something, Ferrovius." "How about the Praetorian Guard now, Ferrovius?" " I accept service in the Guard, Caesar." " Very wisely said." "All really sensible men agree that the only prudent course... is to be neither bigoted in our attachment to the old... nor rash and impractical in keeping an open mind for the new... but to make the best of both dispensations." "What do you say, Lavinia?" "Will you, too, be prudent?" "No." "I shall still strive for the God who is love." "For me, there can be no other." "May I come and argue with you occasionally?" "Yes, handsome Captain, you may." "Caesar, give us this sorcerer to be a slave in the menagerie." "He has a way with the beasts." "Not if they're in canes." "They should not be kept in canes." "They must all be let out." "I give this sorcerer to be a slave... to the first man who lays hands on him." "You see how magnanimous we Romans are, Androcles?" "We suffer you to go in peace." "I thank you, Your Worship." "I thank you all, ladies and gentlemen." "Come, Tommy." "Whilst we stand together... no cage for you... and no slavery for me." "Come on, Tommy." "Go on, Tommy."