"Take another's life and I will end your misery." "Ariadne plans to marry without the blessing of the gods." "You must stop the wedding." "Why has Jason been arrested?" "He stands accused of murdering the Oracle." "Before Poseidon, you are sentenced to death." "Medusa?" "It's all right, it's all right." "Everything's going to be all right." "How can it be?" "It will, I promise." "I killed the Oracle." "I am cursed for ever." "The execution is set for the full moon... as the law decrees." "What news?" "None of comfort, I'm afraid." "They are preparing the bronze bull." "The bull?" "The bull is only for traitors, for those who betrayed Atlantis." "Melas says, by blaspheming the gods, you did betray the city." "~ Has a date been set?" "~ The night of the full moon." "In two days' time." "I'm so sorry." "Ariadne won't let this happen." "She can't." "She'll reverse the judgment." "I know she will." "Where is she?" "You gave me your word I could see her." "~ Have they hurt you?" "~ When can I come home?" "Soon." "Very soon." "I'm doing all I can, I promise." "~ Enough." "~ I need to... ~ Take her away." "~ No, no, no." "Please..." "Please don't leave me!" "Please don't leave me!" "I must..." "You're sure he'll remain loyal?" "She is like a daughter to him." "More than a daughter - the future Oracle of Atlantis." "~ Poseidon's voice on Earth." "~ From the day she was chosen," "Melas took a solemn oath to protect her above all else, even with his own life." "You need not fear." "As long as we have Cassandra, we have Melas." "You assured me the Oracle would not be harmed." "You chose to believe that to make it easier to betray her." "The date for the execution has been set?" "For the day after tomorrow." "The sooner it is done, the better." "~ And yet it is such a cruel death." "~ We have no choice." "It is as Poseidon decreed." "He may also grant clemency." "After all, what threat is the boy?" "None yet, but in time he may be." "It is a terrible thing to witness the death of your own child, let alone sanction it." "Are you suggesting I turn a blind eye to blasphemy because it was committed by my own son?" "And what of Ariadne?" "Will she interfere?" "She seems to have accepted the judgment of the gods." "~ She makes no special plea for Jason?" "~ I have not heard her do so." "Hm." "She is learning what it means to be a queen." "Perhaps I underestimated her." "Cassandra?" "You promised she would be freed." "And she will be, the moment I am on the throne." "~ Pythagoras?" "~ I couldn't sleep." "~ Where have you been?" "~ I went for a walk." "At this time of night?" "I thought it might help." "It didn't." "We should get some sleep." "We see the Queen tomorrow." "She granted us an audience?" "Thank the gods." "Lipareo de tukhein eleon su kai s'iketeuo." "Your Highness." "I came to pray for Jason." "And to beg for clemency." "Only the gods may grant pardon." "We have spent many hours together." "I know you to be a good man, a loyal servant to me and to Poseidon." "And yet you condemn an innocent man." "Jason could no more kill the Oracle than I." "The gods have spoken." "Who am I, or you, to doubt them?" "You would swear, on the golden bull, that Jason is guilty?" "A priest has no need to swear." "His whole life is dedicated to serving the gods." "It's not too late." "You could petition the council, overturn the sentence." "Goodnight, then." "Your Highness..." "You think I am your enemy." "I am not." "No mortal has the right to challenge the gods - neither priest nor queen." "To do so would bring the wrath of Poseidon upon us all." "Please... remember that." "As Poseidon's servant, we know your power is without limit." "We come to plead for our friend Jason." "We ask that he may be freed." "On what grounds do you make this plea?" "He's not guilty of any crime, Your Highness." "Jason has been condemned by the gods themselves for murdering Poseidon's most sacred servant." "We do not believe that to be the case, Your Highness." "Then who committed the act?" "For the Oracle is dead, that much is certain." "~ The Gorgon Medusa killed her." "~ And where is this Gorgon?" "~ We don't know." "~ Without her testimony, how are we to believe you?" "We have served you well." "We would not lie to you." "You wish to save your friend, and that is commendable." "But Jason has been found guilty by Poseidon himself." "How can I contradict the gods?" "He is not guilty!" "Take care, Hercules." "To challenge the word of the gods is to blaspheme them." "Perhaps Your Highness could petition Poseidon to show clemency..." "There can be no clemency, only justice." "Your Highness!" "The sentence must and shall be carried out... according to the will of the gods." "I'm sorry." "No clemency, only justice?" "Those were her very words?" "Was it all lies, then?" "Did she never care for me at all?" "I'm sure she did." "If I am to die, then I need to know her feelings for me were true." "You must ask for an audience." "See her in person." "You are right." "I'll look into her eyes and I'll know." "We both will." "Ariadne is in a difficult position, I can see that, but I still cannot believe how she would turn her back on Jason." "Hercules?" "~ Hercules!" "~ What?" "!" "Your friend is about to be executed." "Do you have nothing to say?" "I saw her." "What?" "I saw Medusa." "Where is she?" "~ I can't tell you." "~ You must!" "We have to fetch her at once." "~ No." "~ No?" "I won't lose her again." "I won't bring her back to be executed." "You have no choice." "You'd have me hand Medusa over to Melas?" "Have her put in the brazen bull and be burnt to death?" "~ I cannot do that." "~ It's either her or Jason." "She has suffered so much already." "The gods can be cruel." "~ There must be another way." "~ If there was, we would have found it." "Would you like me to go to her?" "No." "If it's anyone, it should be me." "Medusa?" "Medusa?" "It's me, Hercules." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "Yes, I think so." "I have done a terrible thing, Hercules." "I know that." "But I will earn your love again." "~ I will." "~ You already have that." "You always have." "I don't deserve it." "You deserve so much more than I can ever give you." "I am the luckiest woman in the world to have found you, Hercules." "What is it?" "~ It's nothing." "~ I know you too well to believe that." "It's just nice to see you feeling better." "After all that I have done," "I never thought the gods would smile on me again, and yet..." "You have no idea how wonderful it is to be able to look at you once more." "~ You asked to see me." "~ Thank you for coming." "I wish to have an audience with the Queen." "She was present when Melas delivered his verdict." "But after everything that we have been through together... .. I think she owes me this." "I'll see what I can do." "Ennosigaie pater, timel se latreuomen hemeis." "Great Poseidon... accept these, our libations." "May the bull burn away the evil that has been done... and free your people from its curse." "~ Your Highness." "~ Cilix." "I just wanted to say, you've done the right thing." "If you had granted Jason a reprieve," "Poseidon would have wreaked terrible revenge on the city." "No doubt." "I know how difficult it must have been for you, how impossible." "Jason has served you well in the past." "The thought of him dying like that..." "But it is the will of the gods." "I cannot put the fate of one man before the future of all of Atlantis." "What must be must be." "Hercules?" "I didn't want to wake you." "You looked so... perfect." "What are you doing?" "I have to return to Atlantis." "There's something I must attend to." "What do they say about me?" "~ How do you mean?" "~ Do they blame me" "~ for the Oracle's death?" "~ Of course not!" "They blame Pasiphae, as they should." "When will you return?" "As soon as I can, I promise." "Goodbye, Medusa." "Goodbye." "Well?" "Has the Queen agreed?" "Will she see me?" "I'm sorry." "But you told her?" "You told her I asked for an audience?" "What did she say?" "~ Please!" "~ She refused your request." "Her Highness bows to the will of the gods." "That's all?" "I'm sorry." "Truly." "Yes?" "Nothing." "Then why are you looking at me like that?" "~ Like what?" "~ Like that!" "I wasn't looking at anything." "Oi!" "Oi!" "What is wrong with this place?" "!" "Maybe they think you've had enough." "What did you say?" "Nothing." "You're the one who cheated me." "No." "At dice." "You cheated me." "Give me my money back, you little rat!" "You said you forgave me." "That was only if you didn't survive." "~ Hercules!" "Hercules!" "~ You stay out of this!" "~ We don't want any trouble." "~ Enough!" "He stole my money!" "I don't care if he stole your wife." "Take him to the cells." "Thank you." "Thank you so much." "And him." "A jug?" "We never agreed on a jug!" "It was all I could find!" "Does it hurt much?" "I've had worse." "Have you got the pitch?" "Right." "Are you ready?" "Help!" "Help, he's going to kill me!" "Help!" "Get him off me!" "What's going on here?" "~ What have you done to him?" "~ He threw himself into the bars." "If you've..." "I haven't." "See how you like it." "I'll come with you." "No, Critias, you've done enough already." "More than enough." "~ There's no way you're going to go..." "~ It'll be easier on my own." "But thank you." "I won't forget this." "Jason!" "Come on." "This way." "Are you mad?" "Trust me." "Hold this against your mouth." "~ Wait, where's Pythagoras?" "~ Cooking supper, I hope." "The kitchen storerooms are that way." "We can cut through." "~ How do you know that?" "~ Medusa used to work here, remember?" "No-one ever goes down there at this time of night." "Maybe not absolutely no-one." "I came as soon as I could." "I know you have been of service to the Queen in the past, which is why I wanted to tell you in person." "Hercules attempted to free Jason." "He's been arrested." "I feared he would do something foolish." "He faces grave charges." "He is to be executed in the bronze bull, along with Jason." "Jason has committed no crime." "And if Hercules is guilty, it is only of loving his friend too much." "~ Nevertheless..." "~ Well, can the Queen not intervene?" "~ Ariadne can do nothing." "~ She could have them imprisoned, exiled, anything but the cruellest of deaths." "The people would never allow it." "The people are frightened of Poseidon's anger." "And you?" "I am but a servant." "So there is no hope?" "The gods have spoken." "Can I at least say goodbye?" "Tonight, Jason and Hercules are to be purified." "Tonight, they belong to Poseidon." "They can see no-one." "I'm sorry." "Hercules acted out of loyalty." "All he's done is make things worse for us all." "It's my fault, all of it." "You did everything you could." "There's so much I should have done, so much I shouldn't." "It doesn't matter now." "I should have told you about Medusa." "I should have told you that she..." "Hercules..." "It's not important." "But you've been a good and loyal friend to me." "That's all that matters." "It is time." "You must... be prepared." "You must make your peace... .. with Poseidon." "O megal' Ennosigai'... ei gar tade thumat' areskoi." "Put these on." "You know the north parapet, above the kitchen?" "Take the side stairs." "I'll have someone meet you there." "Hurry!" "I cannot leave this unreported for long." "Why?" "Because sometimes even the gods need a little help." "Now go." "~ There's no-one here." "~ There has to be." "You must be quick." "Pythagoras!" "~ No time to explain." "~ I'm sorry, but what the hell is going on?" "~ Hercules, for once in your life, will you just do as you're told?" "~ Pythagoras!" "Go!" "You!" "Now!" "Go!" "Meet me at the sacred grove of Artemis." "Show yourself!" "Me?" "Do... not... move!" "Absolutely." "Not a problem." "Not moving." "Not moving." "What news?" "They're safely out of the city." "~ Thank the gods!" "~ I have Nestor and his men searching the streets." "It's important we're seen to be doing everything we can." "The people must have no idea you were involved." "I don't know how to thank you." "Loyalty needs no thanks, Your Highness." "But we must be careful." "It's not over yet." "We shouldn't have left him." "He knew what he was doing." "You think?" "He's a clever man, Hercules." "He's the cleverest." "I hope you're right." "Of course I am." "Besides, he has Ariadne to help him." "You can't be sure." "She helped us." "She'll help him." "We have no proof she was behind our escape." "Well, then, who else?" "She was never going to let me die." "Don't you see?" "I was a fool to ever have doubted her." "If you're right, she's playing a dangerous game." "Instruct the council to issue a decree." "It is the duty of every citizen to apprehend the fugitives." "To help them in any way is punishable by death." "The Queen has already done so." "She learns quickly." "Jason is free, yet the people do not blame her." "Then they need to be enlightened." "They need to be told the Queen is behind these crimes towards the gods." "~ That will not be easy." "~ You are a councillor." "Use your influence." "I am but one among many, and the many remain loyal." "There is no loyalty to a blasphemer." "They must be made to see the truth." "Jason's escape threatens everything." "Not necessarily." "He will not be content to remain outside Atlantis." "~ While he lives, you are vulnerable." "~ On the contrary." "He has made me all the stronger." "Jason is Ariadne's weakness." "She will fall because of him." "~ How can you be sure?" "~ You will see." "~ You wished to see me?" "~ I did." "Thank you." "Shall we walk?" "Jason's escape..." "It is causing much unrest." "The people... fear Poseidon is angry." "They are afraid." "They may have good cause." "They need a sign." "They need to know for sure." "You want me to seek answers from the gods?" "If the omens are bad, the unrest will grow." "The people will be in no doubt that Poseidon will take revenge upon Atlantis unless Jason is found." "And if the omens are not bad?" "They will be bad." "You will make sure they are." "Hercules, wake up." "~ Wake up!" "~ Hm?" "Where?" "What's going on?" "~ Sh." "Did you hear that?" "Was I snoring?" "There's a funny thing." "~ You'd think you'd be able to hear yourself snoring..." "~ Not that." "That!" "~ What are they doing?" "~ What do you think they're doing?" "I thought Delmos was on our side." "~ Why's he sending his men to search for us?" "~ I don't know." "Maybe he has to, to convince the people." "Or maybe they caught Pythagoras and he told them where we are." "~ He would never do that." "~ But what if he did?" "~ We should leave." "~ No." "He told us to wait." "~ That was before he told everyone where we are." "~ Pythagoras wouldn't say anything to anyone." "~ Then why isn't he here?" "~ Well, he probably thinks it's too dangerous and that he'd lead them straight to us." "~ What if that's exactly what he is doing?" "~ Hercules, if you want to go, go." "I'm staying." "All right." "~ But if they come one step closer, I'm off." "~ Fine." "And so are you." ".. historeo tod' alethes." "Ennosigai', epi su nun... historeo tod' alethes." "The gods have spoken." "The path to the right of the left lobe is black." "How do you interpret this?" "The gods' will has been defied, their judgment insulted." "I move that the council be called before it is too late." "We must find a way to appease the gods." "I once held Melas in the utmost trust." "Now he's little more than Cilix's slave, to jump in joy at every snap of his master's fingers." "~ The council will require answers." "~ And we shall provide them." "Cilix may be cunning, but he's also a coward." "You are still their Queen." "The council will hardly doubt your word." "I hope, for all our sakes, you're right." "Before Poseidon, I ask the council to consider a most grave matter." "The blasphemers, Jason and Hercules, have defied the judgment of the gods, absconded from justice and insulted the memory of the holy Oracle." "All is being done to find them." "This very day, the omens have been read, and they are quite clear." "Poseidon is angry, angry with us for allowing the blasphemers to escape." "He will be avenged on the murder of his Oracle, and when his ire strikes, it will destroy us all, guilty and innocent alike." "~ Is this not what the omens say, Melas?" "~ It is." "Every soldier in Atlantis is looking for the prisoners." "They will be found." "But, Your Highness, someone must pay for this crime." "That is our only hope." "The only hope for the city." "There are some, Your Highness, who say that you knew about Jason's escape." "Even abetted it." "~ Does the council now listen to rumour?" "~ It listens to the people." "And the people are fearful, Your Highness." "Fearful their own Queen may have angered Poseidon." "Well... .. is there any truth in these malicious rumours, any at all?" "I know only what everyone knows." "That the prisoners were condemned and sentence was passed." "And as a servant of Poseidon, we must, of course, accept your word." "It is the word of your Queen." "You would have no problem, then, repeating your oath on the golden bull, just to allay any remaining doubt?" "Your Highness?" "I will not swear." "Jason is innocent." "He does not deserve to die." "You challenge the judgment of the gods, of Poseidon himself?" "~ I refuse to sanction an injustice." "~ Then I fear you leave the council no choice." "You must be placed under arrest." "You have blasphemed." "~ Seize her." "~ Stand down!" "You have no authority to issue such an order." "The council cannot pass judgment on a queen." "It is not the council that accuses her." "Melas..." "You have defied the will of the gods." "Such hubris... cannot go unpunished." "Take her to the cells." "Pythagoras?" "Who's asking?" "Delmos sent me." "Look, please." "You must get word to Jason." "The Queen has been arrested." "He can't do that." "Cilix cannot arrest the Queen!" "It seems he has." "Well, do we know where they're holding her?" "~ Is she alone?" "Does she have anyone with her?" "~ I don't know." "~ I must go back." "~ Why would you do that?" "How can I stay here and let Ariadne take the blame?" "~ You'd be lynched before you got through the city gates." "What good would that do?" "~ I can't do nothing!" "There is one person... .. who can save Ariadne and you." "~ Medusa." "~ I'm sorry, Hercules, but we must go to her." "There's no choice." "Delmos?" "I'm so sorry." "This is all my doing." "If it wasn't for me..." "Loyalty doesn't question the cost..." "Your Highness." "Is this the place?" "Hercules, if you'd rather I..." "No." "It should be me." "I..." "I'd rather... do it alone." "I give you my word." "Where did they arrest you?" "In my chambers." "But your men..." "The army is no longer loyal, Your Highness, either to me or you." "Who ordered your arrest?" "I believe it was Cilix." "Your men would never obey him." "Yet it seems they did." "~ Please, say something." "~ There is nothing to say." "I must return to Atlantis." "I would give my life to stop this." "I know." "I know you would." "And my only regret is leaving you." "How can the gods let this happen?" "I did what I did, Hercules." "Ever since I opened that box, my fate has been sealed." "I... thought I could live with it, outrun my past." "But I cannot." "I must pay the price." "Medusa..." "It's time." "We must be brave." "Both of us." "~ Medusa..." "~ It's all right, you don't have to say anything." "I want you to know my life only made sense when I met you." "I know, because it was the same for me." "It is the right thing to do, Hercules." "Doesn't make it any easier to bear." "Why's no-one here?" "Something's wrong." "There's another way." "All hail!" "I think I know a way to get Ariadne out of the city." "You have to trust me." "The fate of Atlantis is at stake." "There is something I must retrieve." "Hercules!"