"I'm sure even Nero can play better than that!" "The answer is of course is not to be caught playing it!" "Ohhh!" "So you want to fight do you?" "Come on, my friend." "Eh, what's the matter with you?" "Doctor, what's happening?" "Young lady why did you have to come in and interrupt?" "Just as I'd got him all softened up and ready for the old one two!" "You're alright then?" "Alright?" "Of course, I'm alright, my child." "You know" "I am so constantly outwitting the opposition" "I tend to forget the delights and satisfaction of the arts... the gentle art of fisticuffs!" "I realise you're a man of many talents but I didn't know fighting was one of them." "My dear, I am one of the best!" "Do you know it was I that used to teach the Mountain Mauler of Montana!" "The what?" "Do you remember, have you never heard?" "No, of course, no, no, of course, you haven't, have you?" "No." "Well, never mind, I think after all that wonderful exercise" "I shall be able to get a very pleasant nights sleep." "Right, off you go." "Goodnight!" "But Doctor, surely we're not going to stay here?" "Why not?" "What him?" "Oh, my dear child, I don't think he'll come back again." "Oh, no." "I think I can promise you that." "Oh, Doctor, I was coming to tell you another thing." "You know the Centurion who brought us here?" "He seems to have gone too." "Well, I'm not surprised." "It was he who obviously hired the man to kill me." "Or rather to kill this fellow, Maximus, emm... what is it?" "Er.." "Pettulian." "Er what?" "Pettulian." "Yes, yes, of course, yes." "I must remember that name." "Yes, goodnight." "But Doctor, if he wanted you dead why didn't he take care of it himself?" "Because this way he couldn't be charged with crime." "Yes, but if you were going to be killed anyway" "I can't see that it..." "My dear, it was an accepter accepted thing in this age to hire an assassin" "Prefembly, preferably someone dumb, and then he couldn't denounce you." "Ah, so he must have been looking in the bushes for the body when we first..." "Just as I suspected at the time." "Now, goodnight!" "And remember we make an early start tomorrow." "You don't mean to say we're going on?" "Oh, goodness me, goodness me child how you do talk!" "Yes, we are." "But they might try and kill you again." "Well, of course he might." "But who am I to worry about such little things like that?" "Now then, there's one thing you've got to learn about me." "When I say we go to Rome, then we go to Rome!" "Goodnight!" "Wait here." "Look, there's no more walking." "You can rest now." "Thank you, you're kind." "I'll have to see about getting you some new clothes." "You needn't bother!" "Ah, it's not for your sake." "I want you looking special at the slave auction." "Have we arrived?" "Is this Rome?" "Yes, this is Rome." "How are you feeling?" "Are you more comfortable now?" "Much better." "It's just this cough." "It was a long march." "Thirty-four days it took us." "You said your friend would meet you here." "Did I?" "On the road." "You told me all about him." "Yes, er, Ian." "Strange name." "I've never heard of it before." "I hopes he finds you." "...If I ever see him again." "In out, in out, in out, in out, in out, in out, in out, in out, in rest." "That's right." "Make the best of it." "There's supposed to be bad weather coming up." "Five days, Delos." "Five whole days." "Days, they soon melt into weeks then months, then years." "Gotta get away from here." "Land, Ian." "What?" "Ian, it's land." "It's a long way." "I'm not a great swimmer Delos but, I'll take any risks, believe me." "If the plan works." "Ah, there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" "Galley master!" "Galley master!" "He's dead." "Dead!" "Move away, let me see." "You'll have to do better than that." "You alright, Ian?" "Right!" "Prepare your oars." "Ready?" "Row!" "In out, in out, in out in out, in out, in out" "But you must try and eat something." "There's not enough for two." "Besides, I ain't hungry." "Come on, look, don't be silly." "Thank 'e." "What's your name young woman?" "Where do you come from?" "Young woman, I want to help you." "Of course, you have to trust me." "Would I... would I get out of here?" "Oh yes." "And be free to go where I choose." "No, I'm afraid not, you see, I should have to buy you." "Now please, let me explain." "I'm not interested." "But you will be when you hear my proposal." "Oh, go away!" "I don't have to listen to you." "Greetings, Tavius." "That young woman, how much?" "I'm sorry Tavius, no private sales" "She's to be sold by auction." "I'll give you a fair price." "Oh, I believe you would." "But the answer's still no." "You think you'll get a higher figure than I can pay you?" "We shall see at the auction then, won't we Tavius?" "Here." "There's only one." "What about her?" "She won't be wanting any new clothes." "Why not?" "Where's she going?" "She wouldn't fetch any price at all at the auctions." "She's to be taken to the circus and thrown in the arena." "In, out." "If anyone breaks time, they'll be thrown overboard." "...much more of this, Ian!" "In, out, row harder, row harder, do you hear!" "In, out!" "Keep rowing, Delos!" "I can't!" "Put your hands over the oars, he'll kill you!" "In, out, in, out, in, out!" "Keep rowing, keep rowing, do you hear!" "In, out, in, out, in, out!" "Isn't it wonderful, Doctor!" "Can we explore?" "Oh, I don't see why not, my child." "For a while, anyway." "Then we must present our credentials so to speak before night falls." "You're not planning to visit Nero?" "Now don't tell me what I'm not going to do." "I've been invited." "I can't disappoint Nero." "What's going on over there, Doctor?" "What is it?" "Oh, er, nothing to interest you, my dear." "We're going to Rome, come along, don't let us delay." "I am delighted, Gentlemen to see how much you have appreciated today's merchandise." "Let us prove how much so when you begin the bids." "Very well, Gentlemen." "How many Sesterchia am I bid for this fine female example of the beautiful, hard working, Britannic race?" "Five Hundred!" "Come, come sir!" "We all enjoy a good joke but today we are interested in serious offers only." "Take note gentlemen, of the fiery spirit." "Think about your bids and double it." "Two thousand Sesterchia!" "Yes?" "Two thousand, five hundred!" "Nearly a good offer gentleman but come, you can do better than that!" "Ten thousand" "You go to Tavius after all, my dear." "Oh, Delos" "Now you've come to, we'd better get these off." "I've found a couple of rocks." "You've er, you've been unconscious a long time" "Ian." "I was beginning to worry." "What happened?" "I..." "I remember the storm." "Oh, the ship was smashed to pieces and you were struck by some falling timber." "Oh, that's what it was, eh?" "Do you remember when you grabbed the Galley Master?" "Yes... yes, I remember that." "Well, well, I got the key from him and I managed to free us." "Except for our wrists." "Afterwards I managed to get to here." "The ship went down." "You saved my life, Delos." "Yes, well, lets... lets get on with these, shall we?" "Ready?" "Ready?" "There we are." "Ah, thanks." "Just one more." "I've, er" "I've managed to look around." "We must be somewhere near Rome." "Yes, we can't be far away." "The boat was heading south." "Perhaps we were going there." "Perhaps, You ready?" "Yes." "Oh!" "There we are." "You, er... you feel alright?" "To travel I mean." "We must get away from here." "Yes, yes I feel alright." "Oh good." "I..." "I think it's better if we stick together." "Now if we head north we can..." "Sorry, Delos." "I'm going to Rome." "Rome, but Ian, you're mad!" "You don't have to come." "I have a friend who was taken there." "I have to find her." "Rome?" "So you see, young woman, that's the whole story." "I saw you with that poor woman slave and it was then that I realised by the way that you were looking after her" "That I should have to help you." "Why I only did what... most people would have done" "Now, now." "No, I think not." "Most people under such circumstances would have looked after themselves." "No, you're kind and considerate." "Thank you." "Unfortunately, I'm not able to give you your freedom." "You'll still be a slave, but at least here in Nero's house, as a... a servant of Poppea life will be more pleasant than it could have been." "I'm grateful for what you've done." "But I must tell you that I have no intention of staying here." "Escape, you mean?" "Well, of course, I can't stop you but, er" "I think you should consider it very carefully." "If you escape and you're recaptured it would mean your death." "Yes, I know." "I only select and buy the slaves." "Fortunately, I'm not answerable for them." "Yes?" "Maximus Pettulian from Corinth has arrived, sire and with a small girl." "He requests an audience with Caesar Nero." "Pettulian?" "Very well, ask him to come in." "Sire." "Er no, wait." "On second thoughts perhaps it would be better if I came out to see him." "You'll excuse me." "I'll, er, instruct you in your duties later." "I shouldn't think there's a soul in this place that knows me, my dear so there's no cause for you to worry." "I'll try not to, Doctor." "Oh, it isn't a matter of trying my dear if I say, and don't make that funny noise." "But." "Hmm?" "What is it?" "Maximus Pettulian!" "That's you!" "Oh, ha ha, yes yes yes." "I am Tavius." "There was trouble, but I settled it." "What's happened?" "He's in the apoditarium." "The apodi-what?" "The apoditarium." "Oh really, well done, well done, yes!" "Caesar Nero, Emperor of all Rome!" "Nero!" "I'm going to see Nero!" "Royal felicitations!" "Oh, strentiatum!" "Someone spoke." "Did I give permission to speak Tavius, did I give permission?" "Caesar Nero, I..." "Now he's at it!" "How am I supposed to compose with all this noise going on?" "Maximus Pettulian." "Maximu... bu... he's Maximus Pettulian?" "Yes..." "The Lyre player from Corinth?" "In person." "Play." "Hmm?" "Play." "With such a great..." "musician as yourself present" "I would take the inspiration from your example sire." "Oh... a stool." "Oh, this is an inferior instrument, I cannot." "Bring the imperial Lyre." "Beautiful, beautiful!" "Did you not hear that, my child?" "That instant composition?" "Oh, yes, erm..." "Maximus." "Could you play it?" "Me?" "Well, er, I'll try, that is, er, with Caesar's permission." "That is the best I can do, I'm afraid." "Oh, no, it wasn't as good." "Oh, of course it wasn't." "Try this one." "That your excellency would be an impossibisil, impossibility." "After such exquisite playing..." "I cannot presume... it would be... out of the question." "May I suggest that this instrument goes to your temple?" "To the temple." "And the imperial footstool." "Have your, er, eaten, Maximus?" "Tigilinus." "We will talk and play together later, Maximus." "When you have eaten... and practiced." "Well, I must say, I got out of that one rather well, hmm?" "Well, what happens when he asks you to play next time?" "Yes." "Well, here were are Ian, Rome." "Now what?" "To tell you the truth, Delos, I hadn't really thought." "Well, I suggest you start." "We don't exactly look like respectable citizens of the capital." "No." "Well, first of all lets... er... find somewhere to clean up, eh, and I suppose Barbara must have been sold." "We'll make a start there." "It'll be hopeless." "I must, there must..." "You don't have to come, Delos." "I know, I know, but well lucks been with us so far." "Who's to say it won't hold?" "Good man, come on!" "Well, this seems to be the... apoditarium." "I wonder what Tavius meant?" "Oh, how should I know, my child?" "I can't for the life of me understand why I agreed to come here." "'Cos you're as curious as I am." "Me, curious?" "Huh!" "Nonsense." "Someone made a mistake." "He thought he was talking..." "with somebody else" "I shouldn't wonder." "Well, we might as well have a look round now we're here." "What?" "Or would you rather we forgot?" "No, no, no, no." "We may as well look around as you say." "Strange, very strange!" "Oh, Doctor that's the Centurion who found us and brought us to the house." "I'm quite aware of that, my child but what does it all mean?" "I don't know what all the fuss is about." "Your lucky the soldiers brought you to me." "Lucky?" "That's hardly the word I'd use." "Well, you know as well as I do escaped slaves are put to death automatically." "This way at least you'll have a chance of fighting for your freedom." "A chance?" "How?" "By putting on a good show in the arena." "And hoping Nero's in a benevolent mood." "The arena?" "Well, it sounds as if we're going to be trained as gladiators?" "Yes, but to fight what?" "Listen!"