Spartacus (1960) - full transcript

In 73 BCE, a Thracian slave leads a revolt at a gladiatorial school run by Lentulus Batiatus. The uprising soon spreads across the Italian Peninsula involving thousand of slaves. The plan is to acquire sufficient funds to acquire ships from Silesian pirates who could then transport them to other lands from Brandisium in the south. The Roman Senator Gracchus schemes to have Marcus Publius Glabrus, Commander of the garrison of Rome, lead an army against the slaves who are living on Vesuvius. When Glabrus is defeated his mentor, Senator and General Marcus Licinius Crassus is greatly embarrassed and leads his own army against the slaves. Spartacus and the thousands of freed slaves successfully make their way to Brandisium only to find that the Silesians have abandoned them. They then turn north and must face the might of Rome.

MALE NARRATOR: In the last century,

before the birth of the
new faith called Christianity,

which was destined to overthrow
the pagan tyranny of Rome

and bring about a new society,

the Roman Republic stood at the
very center of the civilized world.

"Of all things fairest,"
sang the poet,

"first among cities and home
of the gods is golden Rome."

Yet, even at the zenith
of her pride and power,

the Republic lay fatally
stricken with a disease

called human slavery.

The age of the dictator was at hand



waiting in the shadows for
the event to bring it forth.

In that same century,

in the conquered Greek
province of Thrace,

an illiterate slave woman
added to her master's wealth

by giving birth to a son
whom she named Spartacus.

A proud, rebellious son

who was sold to living death
in the mines of Libya

before his thirteenth birthday.

There, under whip and chain and sun,

he lived out his youth
and his young manhood,

dreaming the death of slavery

2,000 years before it finally would die.

SOLDIER 1: Back to work!

Back to work!



SOLDIER 2: Get up, Spartacus,
you Thracian dog!

Come on, get up!
Get up! Get. . .

Oh, my ankle! My ankle!

My ankle!

Guard! Guard!

(GROANING)

SOLDIER 3: Spartacus again?
Well, this time he dies.

Move along!
Back to work, all of you!

Welcome, Lentulus Batiatus.

Welcome, indeed, my dear Captain.

Oh, 11 miles through this disastrous heat

and the cost of hiring
an escort, ruinous.

Even so, I warrant you have
nothing fit to sell me,

have you, Captain?

I've wasted both my time and my money.

Tell me the truth.

I think we have a few
you might be interested in.

BATIATUS: But these carrion?

The buzzards are late.

This one is not bad.
He's a Gaul.

Oh, I don't like Gauls.
Hairy.

Can he come down unassisted?

Come down, you.

Come down!

Be good enough to
show me the teeth.

Open your mouth.

Thank you.

Yes, as the teeth go,
so go the bones.

This mouth is really impermissible.

The fellow's made of chalk.

We have others, many others.

The sun's over there.

I have to pay these people.

Who's that?

Oh, this one's a Thracian.

I'm making an example of him.

How?

Starve him to death.

Oh.

It's the only thing that impresses slaves.

Oh, what a pity.

He reacts. Good muscle tone.

Can I see his teeth?

Open your mouth, Spartacus.

You smell like a rhinoceros.

Captain, the teeth.
You asked him to open his mouth.

He doesn't obey you?

His teeth are the best thing about him.

He hamstrung a guard with them

not more than an hour ago.

Hamstrung? Marvelous. I wish I'd
been here. I'll take him.

Let's look at some of the others.

Come along.

In spite of sickness and death,

we will profit 11,000 sesterces.

Including your commission, of course.

Oh, no, sir.
Without my commission.

Marcellus, there they are.

They're a dirty-looking lot,

but it's the best I find.

No one else could have
made so fine a choice.

(BLOWING WHISTLE)

Slaves,

you have arrived at the gladiatorial
school of Lentulus Batiatus.

Here, you'll be trained by experts

to fight in pairs to the death.

Obviously you won't be required
to fight to the death here.

That will be after you've been sold

and then for ladies and
gentlemen of quality,

those who appreciate a fine kill.

A gladiator's like a stallion,
he must be pampered.

You'll be oiled, bathed,

shaved, massaged,
taught to use your heads.

A good body with a dull brain

is as cheap as life itself.

You'll be given your ceremonial caudas.

Marcellus, please.
There.

Be proud of them.

On certain special occasions,
those of you who please me

will even be given the
companionship of a young lady.

Approximately half our graduates

live for 5, 10, 10 years.

Some of them even attain freedom

and become trainers themselves.

Marcellus.

I congratulate you.

And may fortune smile on most of you.

(BLOWING WHISTLE)

Marcellus, watch the second
from the right in front.

He's a Thracian.

They have been killing him
for hamstringing a guard.

We'll break him of that.

No, don't overdo it, Marcellus.
He has quality.

(SHRIEKING)

Next.

(GROANS)

I like you.

I want you to be my friend.

I want to be your friend.

All I ask is that you get along with me.

What's your name, slave?

Spartacus.

I feel you don't like me.

Give him your sword.

Take it!

I have a feeling you want to kill me.

This is the only chance
you'll ever get.

Kill me.

Don't be afraid, slave.

You have that sword.

I only have this piece of wood.

Are you going to disobey me?

(LAUGHS)

Take his sword.

You're not as stupid as I thought.

You might even be intelligent.

That's dangerous for slaves.

You just remember,

from now on everything
you do I'll be watching.

You did the right thing.

Every once in a while Marcellus
likes to kill a man as an example.

I think he's picked you.
Better watch him.

How long have you been here?

6 months.

I wish he'd pick me.

All I want is just one chance at
that pig before they carry me out!

SOLDIER: Quiet! No talking down there.

Dionysius, you'll get us in
trouble just like in the mines.

What's your name?

You don't want to know my name.

I don't want to know your name.

Just a friendly question.

Gladiators don't make friends.

If we're ever matched
in the arena together,

I'll have to kill you.

(DOOR OPENS)

Helena

with Galino.

Patricia,

Crixus.

Priscilla,

David.

Claudia,

Pharox.

Varinia,

Dionysius.

No, no. Spartacus.

Spartacus.

Felicia. . .

I've never had a woman.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

BATIATUS: You have one now, Spartacus.
You must take her.

Go away.

What will she think of you?

Indeed, what will I think of you?

Go away.

Come, come.
Be generous.

We must learn to share our pleasures.

(MARCELLUS LAUGHING)

I'm not an animal!
No, no.

BATIATUS: Spartacus, do the job.

Direct your courage
to the girl, Spartacus.

I'm not an animal!

I'm not an animal.

Neither am I.

What's your name?

Varinia.

(UNLOCKING)

You'll have to take her
out of here, Marcellus.

You may not be an animal, Spartacus,

but this sorry show gives me very
little hope that you'll ever be a man.

MARCELLUS: First rule, you get
an instant kill on the red.

Here, here.

Always remember,
go for the red first.

Because if you don't,
your opponent will.

In the blue, you get a cripple.

Here, here,

here and here.

Second rule,

go for the cripple
before the slow kill.

Here's a slow kill on the yellow.

Here, here and here.

Remember,

a slow kill may have
enough left in him

to kill you before he dies.

With a cripple, you
know you've got him

if you keep your distance
and wear him down.

The rest is all right for a
public spectacle in Rome.

Here at Capua we expect
more than just simple butchery

and we get it.

Spartacus, why are you
looking at that girl?

Varinia! Stand still.

(LAUGHING)

Since all you can do
is look at girls,

all right, slave, go ahead and look.

I said, look.

(DOOR OPENS)

No. No, this one
goes to the Spaniard.

Have a good night's rest,
Spartacus.

(DOOR BOLTING)

(DOOR OPENS)

MARCELLUS: In there.

(MARCELLUS LAUGHING)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(DOOR LOCKING)

Woman!

I've warned you about
this kind of thing.

All right, bring them in.

No talking! Move along, man.

Did they hurt you?

No.

MARCELLUS: That's a kill.

One, two,

three, four, five.

One, two,

three, four. . .

We have visitors, tremendous visitors.

Two simply enormous
Roman lords on the hill.

How easily impressed you are, Ramon.

Just 'cause they're Romans,

I suppose they're enormous.

Tell them to wait for
me when they arrive.

Master, you don't understand. . .

How enormous do these Roman lords get?

One of them is Marcus Licinius Crassus.

What? Wait a minute.

Crassus here? Varinia, my red
toga, the one with the acorns.

Chairs in the atrium.
Second-best wine.

No, the best, but small goblets.

Gracchus. You know
how Crassus loathes him.

(GRUNTING)

Take him away.

I can't lift it.

Use your imagination. Cover him.

Tell Marcellus to get the men ready.

Crassus has expensive taste.
He'll want a show of some sort.

Forgive me, Gracchus.

Marcus Licinius Crassus.

Most noble radiance,

first general of the Republic,

father and defender of Rome,
honor my house.

Bless it with your presence.

Wine, sweetmeats!

Can't you see that
Their Honors are exhausted?

Have the goodness to sit.

Is anything wrong, Your Nobility?

No.

Welcome to the Lady Claudia Maria,

former wife of Lucius Caius Marius

whose recent execution
touched us all deeply.

Honor to the Lady Helena,

daughter of the late
Septimus Optimus Glabrus,

whose fame shall live on forever

in the person of his son,

your brother,

Marcus Publius Glabrus,

hero...Eastern War.

How very much he knows.

Allow me to bring you up to date,
minister.

We're here to celebrate the marriage

of my brother to the Lady Claudia.

A mating of eagles,
Your Sanctity.

Fan His Magnitude.
He sweats.

No, no.

My young friends desire a
private showing of two pairs.

Two pairs?

Oh yes. I think I have something
that would please them.

Two pairs to the death.

To the death, Your Ladyship?

Surely you don't think we
came all the way to Capua

for gymnastics?

(LAUGHS NERVOUSLY)

But I beg, Your Honors.

Here in Capua, we train the
finest gladiators in all Italy.

We can give you a display
of swordsmanship

which is better than anything
you can see in Rome at any cost.

When they're sold,

their new masters may do
with them as they wish.

But here, no, we never fight
them to the death.

Crassus.

Today is an exception.

But the ill feeling, it would spread
through the whole school.

Then the cost.
Oh, the cost.

Name your price.

25,000 sesterces.

Arrange it.

Are you serious, sir?

Arrange it immediately.

Of course, we shall want
to choose them ourselves.

You do have a certain
variety, don't you?

Yeah, inexhaustible.

Spartacus, there's going to
be a fight to the death.

To the death?
How do you know?

I heard Marcellus tell one of his guards.

Who fights?

I don't know.

To the death.

What if they matched you and me?

They won't.

What if they did?

Would you fight?

I'd have to. So would you.

Would you try to kill me?

Yes, I'd kill.

I'd try to stay. . .

I'd try to stay alive
and so would you.

MARCELLUS: All gladiators up to
the training area.

Some visitors want to admire you.

Form a line here in front of me.

Would Your Excellencies care
to make your selection now?

Claudia.

(INAUDIBLE)

Oh, they're magnificent.

For you, Lady Helena,

may I suggest Praxus?

A veritable tiger.

I don't like him.

I prefer that one.

Which one?
No, no.

David?

Oh, Crixus, yes.

Marcellus, Crixus for the short sword.

Ah!

Have you ever seen such a
pair of shoulders? Dionysius.

I admit he's small, but he's very
compact and extremely strong.

In fact, he looks. . .

He looks smaller here than
he does in the actual arena.

Optical.

Give me that one.

Oh, Galino.
Yes, yes. Galino.

You have a shrewd eye,
Your Pulchritude,

if I may adrmit myself the. . .

Galino.

Now practically every man in this school

is an expert with a Thracian sword

but the trident is something
very rare these days.

May I suggest... the Ethiopian?

(GIGGLING)

There are very few
Ethiopians in the country.

Ethiopians are recognized
as masters of the trident.

I'll take him.

Draba? Oh, no. For you
I want only the best, Lady Helena.

I do think the Ethiopian. . .
I want the most beautiful.

I'll take the big black one.

Draba.

Only one man in the entire
school stands a chance

with the Thracian knife
against the trident.

There.

Over there, Lady Helena.

He's impertinent.

I'll take him.

Impertinent, yes. He's a coward
to boot. Have him flogged.

Now, over there, Lady Helena.

The beast of Libya.

(LAUGHING)

I prefer the coward.

Spartacus.

If both men are down and
refuse to continue to fight

your trainer will slit their
throats like chickens.

We want no tricks.

BATIATUS: Tricks, madam?
At the school of Batiatus?

You heard the instruction,
did you, Marcellus?

Remember it.

I feel so sorry for the poor
things in all this heat.

Don't put them in those
suffocating tunics.

Let them wear just
enough for modesty.

Whatever they wear, Lady,
they'll bless your name.

MARCELLUS: Back, the rest of you.

Our choosing has bored you?

No, no, most exciting.
I tingle.

Do let's get out of the sun.

May I conduct Your Magnificences
to the gallery now?

Ah-ha!

An eavesdropper.
Oh, the gods.

(ALL LAUGHING)

How far from Rome must I go
to avoid that cunning face?

Ah, Crasuss, don't talk about
Gracchus. He's so hateful.

For Gracchus, hatred of the
patrician class is a profession

and not such a bad one either.

How else can one become master of
the mob and first senator of Rome?

Oh, Crassus, it's so boring.

I believe that girl smells of perfume.

GLABRUS: Whatever it is,
she smells most delectable.

You can't keep slaves from
stealing unless you chain them.

LADY CLAUDIA: When a slave's
as pretty as she is,

she doesn't have to steal.

An arrangement is made.

If her ankles are good,

you can be sure an arrangement was made.

Oh, master!

Oh, merciful! It's a catastrophe.

I've been anointed.

Why, you trollop!
You did that on purpose.

It was an accident.
Come here, girl.

Don't be frightened.

What country are you from?

Britannia.

How long have you been a slave?

Since I was 13.

You have a certain education.

VARINIA: My first master had
me tutored for his children.

I like her.
She has spirit.

I'll buy her.

BATIATUS: Buy her,
Your Magnificence?

I have spent quite
a lot of money on her.

Yes, I've no doubt of it.
2,000 sesterces.

BATIATUS: Two thousands...She'll
be waiting at your litter.

No, I don't want her feet
spoiled by walking.

Send her to Rome with your steward
the next time he has to go there.

He leaves tomorrow,
and the girl with him.

More wine and thank your gods.

You provoke me, Crassus.

I shan't be nice to you anymore.

Ah, why distress me so much?

You're horribly rich and yet you're
the only one of my brother's friends

who hasn't given him
a wedding present.

Ah!

I was saving it for a
more suitable moment.

Here. Give it to him, child.

What is it?

As from this moment,

your husband is commander
of the garrison of Rome.

Wonderful.

I don't know how I shall
ever be able to repay you.

Time will solve that mystery.

The garrison of Rome.

Yes.

The only power in Rome
strong enough

to checkmate Gracchus and his Senate.

You are clever.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

Open up.

Through that door.

(WOMEN GIGGLING)

But you will have to
watch him, Claudia.

Father almost disinherited him
because of slave girls.

LADY CLAUDIA: The marriage contract absolutely forbids
a harem. At least under the same rule.

GLABRUS: What about your litter bearers?

Every one of them is under 20

and taller than they should be.

CRASSUS: She sets rather a high
standard for you.

(MEN LAUGHING)

BATIATUS: Your pleasure, Your Highness.

CRASSUS: To you, my dear,

shall go the honor of
starting this poetic drama.

MARCELLUS: Open up.

First pair!
Crixus and Galino!

Those who are about
to die salute you.

(SWORDS CLASHING)

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(SWORDS CLASHING)

(GRUNTING)

(CRASHING)

(CLASHING CONTINUES)

(GALINO GROANS)

(SPECTATORS APPLAUDING)

Crixus.

Next pair!

Those who are about
to die salute you.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

Your Thracian's doing pretty well.

How were you able to
get my appointment

without Gracchus knowing?

I fought fire with oil.

I purchased the Senate
behind his back.

I still think the trident's going to win.

(PANTING)

LADY CLAUDIA: Why doesn't he kill him?

LADY HELENA: Kill him.

What's the matter now?

Kill him!
Kill him!

Kill him, you imbecile!

Kill him!
Kill him!

He'll hang there till he rots.

Take a last look, Spartacus.

She's going to Rome.
She's been sold.

She's been sold?

No talking in the kitchen, slave.

(SCREAMS)

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

Trouble in the mess hall.

They killed Marcellus and
maybe the other two.

Call out the guard.

Move, move.

On second thoughts,
I'll deliver the girl personally.

Ride to Capua.

Call out the garrison.
I don't trust this lot.

I hold you responsible.

Yes, sir.

(ALL YELLING)

(GLADIATORS CHEERING)

(SCREAMS)

Around Capua, they ravaged
the countryside,

forcing other slaves to join them.

Looting, robbing, burning everything,

while they make their camp

in the escarpments of Vesuvius.

Each day swells their numbers.

The situation presently lies in the hands

of this august body.

(SENATORS MURMURING)

Where's the mighty Crassus?

Out of the city.

At least, you're here.

No need to fear for Rome

as long as Glabrus is with us.

And let me add, over 100
estates have been burned.

Among them, gentlemen, my own.

Burned to the ground and
3 million sesterces lost.

I propose the immediate recall

of Pompey and his legions from Spain.

I could raise 500 men

and bring the lot of them in.

Don't make a fool of yourself.

Why call back the legions

when the garrison of Rome
has nothing to do

but to defend us from sausage makers?

(ALL LAUGHING)

Let's send Glabrus against
these scoundrels.

Give them a taste of Roman steel.

(SENATORS APPLAUDING)

I protest. I most strongly protest.

There are more slaves in
Rome than Romans.

With the garrison absent,

what's to prevent them
from rising too?

I did not say the whole garrison.

6 cohorts will more than do the job.

The rest can stay in Rome

to save you from your housemaids.

(ALL CHUCKLE)

Will you accept such a charge, Glabrus?

I accept the charge of the Senate,

if the Senate truly charges me.

The garrison of Rome stands ready.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

Slave hunting is a dirty business.

It takes a brave commander
to consent to it.

I propose we turn
the city out tomorrow

in tribute to Glabrus
as he marches through.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

And for temporary command of
the garrison during his absence,

I propose Caius Julius Caesar.

(SENATORS MURMURING)

(ALL APPLAUDING)

You...you don't look very
happy over the new job.

It's not a serious disturbance.
Glabrus will be back.

Maybe.

At least it gives me
a chance to separate

Glabrus from Crassus for a while.

You know, this Republic of ours

is something like a rich widow.

Most Romans love her as their mother.

But Crassus dreams of marrying
the old girl, to put it politely.

MEN: Hail Glabrus.

Hail Glabrus.

Hail Glabrus!

God be with you, Glabrus.

And with you too.

I hope he returns to such applause.

Oh, one fat one,
Fimbria.

(CLUCKING)

No. no. Keep the change.
Give it to your wife.

May the gods adore you.

Only through your prayers,
Fimbria.

Let's make an old-fashioned
sacrifice for Glabrus' success!

I thought you had reservations
about the gods.

Privately, I believe in none of them.
Neither do you.

Publicly, I believe in them all.

Greetings, Marcus Clodius Flavius!

Marcus Glabrus in attendance?

He awaits you in the atrium, sir.

Excellent.

What have we here?

A gift from the Governor of Sicily, sir.

"Antoninus. Sicilian, age 26,

"singer of songs."

For whom did you practice
this wondrous talent?

For the children of my master

whom I also taught the classics.

Classics, indeed.

What position have we, I wonder,

for a boy of such varied gifts?

You shall be my body servant.
Instruct him.

All of you, come with me.

Are you on guard duty?

My dear Crassus, congratulate me.

Or better still, let us
congratulate each other.

I congratulate us.

Tomorrow I lead 6 cohorts of the garrison

against the slaves on Vesuvius.

The whole city is turning
out to see us off.

Great merciful blood-stained gods!

Your pardon.

I always address heaven
in moments of triumph.

Did Gracchus have something
to do with this brilliant affair?

Yes, he proposed it.
Rather decently too.

And you?

Do you think I made you
commander of the garrison

to control some rock
patch on Vesuvius?

It was to control the streets of Rome!

I only take 6 cohorts.

The rest of the garrison remain.

Under whose command?

Under Caesar's.

Oh, excellent, excellent.

Finding Gracchus in control of
the mob and the Senate,

you felt impelled to hand over
the garrison to him also.

I see.

I'll refuse. I withdraw
from the expedition.

One of the disadvantages
of being a patrician

is occasionally you're
obliged to act like one.

You've pledged to go,
and go you must.

Gracchus should decide
to move against you. . .

He won't!
Has no need to.

He has, with your assistance,
immobilized me altogether.

Your legions are still in camp
outside the city walls?

My legions?

Do you truly believe I'd order
my legions to enter Rome?

I only point out you
can if you have to.

Are you not aware of
Rome's most ancient law

that no general may enter the city

at the head of his armed legions?

Sulla did.

Sulla?
To the infamy of his name!

To the utter damnation of his line!

(SIGHS)

No, my young friend.

One day I shall cleanse this Rome

which my fathers bequeathed me.

I shall restore all the traditions
that made her great.

It follows that I can not come
to power or defend myself

by an act which betrays the
most sacred tradition of all.

I shall not bring my legions
within these walls.

I shall not violate Rome

at the moment of possessing her.

Go.

Prepare your troops at once.

March out of Rome tonight,

but the city tribute is impossible.

We've already been
made to look a fool.

Let's not add the
trappings of a clown.

Leave by unfrequented streets

without fanfare, without even a drum.

Sneak out.

As you wish.

And for heaven's sake,
my young friend,

try see to it that you don't
have to sneak back again.

Farewell.

(SHOUTING)

(EXCLAIMING)

(INDISTINCT YELLING)

(PEOPLE CLAMORING)

(LAUGHING)

Come on, fat boy!

(ALL CHEERING)

Spartacus, come on!

MAN: Come on!

Noble Romans,

fighting each other like animals.

Your new masters, betting
to see who'll die first.

(ALL LAUGHING)

Drop your swords.

No! No! No!

(ALL SHOUTING)

I want to see their blood
over here where Draba died!

When I fight matched pairs,
they fight to the death.

I made myself a promise, Crixus.

I swore that if I ever
got out of this place,

I'd die before I'd watch two
men fight to the death again.

Draba made that promise too.

He kept it.

So will I.

Go on. Get out!

What are we, Crixus?

What are we becoming?
Romans?

Have we learned nothing?
What's happening to us?

We look for wine when we
should be hunting bread.

When you've got wine,
you don't need bread!

(ALL LAUGHING)

We can't just be a gang
of drunken raiders.

What else can we be?

Gladiators.

An army of gladiators.

There's never been
an army like that.

One gladiator's worth any two
Roman soldiers that ever lived.

We beat the Roman guards here

but a Roman army
is a different thing.

They fight different
than we do too.

We can beat anything they send
against us if we really want to.

MAN: It takes a big army
for that, Spartacus.

We'll have a big army.

Once we're on the march,

we'll free every slave in
every town and village.

Can anybody get a
bigger army than that?

That's right. Once we cross
the Alps, we're safe.

Nobody can cross the Alps.

Every pass is defended
by its own legion.

There's only one way to
get out of this country.

The sea.

What good is the sea
if you have no ships?

The Cilician pirates have ships.

They're at war with Rome.

Every Roman galley that sails out of
Brundusium pays tribute to them.

They've got the biggest
fleet in the world.

I was a galley slave with them.

Give them enough gold,
they'll take you anywhere.

MAN 3: We haven't got enough gold.

Take every Roman we capture

and warm his back a little.

We'll have gold all right.

MAN: Spartacus is right!

Let's hire these pirates

and march straight to Brundusium!

(ALL CHEERING)

SPARTACUS: Come join us.
All of you, come join us.

Come on and join us!

Come on!

Hey!

Back to Vesuvius!

Varinia.

I thought I'd never see you again.

Everything's so different.

The last time I saw you, you. . .

You were waiting in the arena to. . .

I. . . I thought you were in Rome.

How'd you escape?

I. . .

I jumped out of the cart
and Batiatus was so fat. . .

(LAUGHS)

I flew out of the cart

and Batiatus was so fat

that he couldn't catch me.

He couldn't catch up with me.

Do you realize

nobody can ever sell you again?

Nobody can sell you.

Or give you away.

Nobody can ever make
you stay with anyone.

Nobody can make you
stay with anybody.

Oh, I love you, Spartacus.

I love you. I love you.

I still can't believe it.

Forbid me ever to leave you.

I do forbid you.

I forbid you.

BATIATUS: It was funny at the time.
I wish he'd heard it.

How good you are to me,
if I may say so.

You may.
Thank you.

Don't just eye those
birds. Eat them.

You don't need to be on
your best behavior here.

On case you put the juries, may I remind you
you've been very good to me in the past.

I've been good to you?

Oh, yes.

You've sold me slaves at an
extremely reasonable price.

And you arranged private gladiatorial
jousts at cost practically.

You know you are both an
ethical businessman and

certainly far-sighted socially.

Zenobia's put on weight
since I last saw her.

Yes. Hasn't she?
I like it.

So do I.

You and I have a tendency
towards corpulence.

Corpulence makes a man reasonable,
pleasant and phlegmatic.

Have you noticed the nastiest
of tyrants are invariably thin?

In spite of your vices,

you are the most generous
Roman of our time.

Vices?

Ladies.

Ladies? Since when
are they a vice?

Perhaps I used the wrong word.

An eccentricity, a foible.

I hope I pronounced that word. . .

It's well-known that even your
groom and butler are women.

I'm the most virtuous man in Rome.

I keep these women out of
my respect for Roman morality.

That morality which has
made Rome strong enough

to steal two-thirds of the world
from its rightful owners,

founded on the sanctity of
Roman marriage and Roman family.

I happen to like women.
I have a promiscuous nature

and unlike these aristocrats,

I will not take a marriage vow

which my nature will
prevent me from keeping.

You have too great a respect

for the purity of womankind.

Exactly.

It must be tantalizing to be
surrounded by so much purity.

(LAUGHS)

It is.

Now let's mix business with pleasure.
How may I help you?

Great Gracchus, I find
it very difficult to hate,

but there's one man I can't
think of without fuming.

Who's that?
Crassus.

You have grown very
ambitious in your hatred.

Do you blame me?
There, I was

better than a millionaire in the morning;

a penniless refugee by nightfall

with nothing but rags and my
poor flesh to call my own.

And all because Crassus decides
to break his journey at Capua

with a couple of capricious,
over-painted nymphs.

These two daughters
of Venus had to

taunt the gladiators,

force them to fight to the death,

and before I knew what had
happened, revolution on my hands.

What revenge have you in mind?

I sold Crassus this woman, Varinia.

Who?

Varinia. May the gods give her wings.

There was no contract

but she was clearly his slave

as soon as the deal was made.

Now she's off with Spartacus

killing people in their beds.

And Crassus,

no mention of money. No.

You never offered me
this woman. Why not?

Well, she's not remotely
your type, Gracchus.

She is very thin and. . .

Look around you.

You'll see women of all sizes.

500 sesterces deposit on Varinia.

Since he hasn't paid for,

this gives me first call over Crassus
when she's caught and auctioned.

May the gods adore you.

Why do you buy a woman
you've never seen?

To annoy Crassus, of course,
and help you.

Fetch a stool, Antoninus.

In here with it?

That will do.

Do you steal, Antoninus?

No, master.

Do you lie?

Not if I can avoid it.

Have you ever dishonored the gods?

No, master.

Do you refrain from these vices

out of respect for the moral virtues?

Yes, master.

Do you eat oysters?

When I have them, master.

Do you eat snails?

No, master.

Do you consider the eating
of oysters to be moral

and the eating of snails to be immoral?

No, master.

Of course not.

It is all a matter of taste,
isn't it?

Yes, master.

And taste is not the same as appetite,

therefore not a question
of morals, is it?

It could be argued so, master.

My robe, Antoninus.

My taste includes

both snails and oysters.

Antoninus, look.

Across the river,

there is something you must see.

There, boy, is Rome.

The might, the majesty,

the terror of Rome.

There is the power

that bestrides the known
world like a colossus.

No man can withstand Rome.

No nation can withstand her.

How much less

a boy?

There's only one way to
deal with Rome, Antoninus.

You must serve her.

You must abase yourself before her.

You must grovel at her feet.

You must love her.

Isn't that so, Antoninus?

Antoninus!

Antoninus?

Take your time!

How are they coming?
Good.

Give me another thousand like them

and we can march on Rome.

Come on, once again.

(CHILDREN CRYING)

Here, on Vesuvius, we
are safe from attack

while we organize ourselves
into an army.

It may take 6 months, may
take a year. We don't know.

Once we're strong enough, we're
gonna fight our way south to the sea.

We're going to arrange for
ships with the Cilician pirates.

Then the sea will be a road
back home for all of us.

If you agree, you may join us.

You don't agree, go back before
your escape is discovered.

Too many women.

What's wrong with women?

Where would you be now,
you lout,

if some woman hadn't
fought all the pains of hell

to get you into this accursed world?

I can handle a knife in the
dark as well as anyone.

I can cast spells and brew poisons.

I have made the death shrouds
for seven Roman masters

in my time, you lout.

I want to see Spartacus.

All right, grandmother.
I'm Spartacus.

Stay with us.

We'll need a million Roman
shrouds before we're through.

(LAUGHING)

Where do you people come from?

Well, most of us come
from the estate of Lillius.

What kind of work
did you do there?

16 years a carpenter, a mason.

Good. We can use carpenters.

What kind of work did you do?

I was a chief steward.

You'll help with the food supplies.
Report to the man Patullus.

And what did you do?

Singer of songs.

Singer of songs?

But what work did you do?

That's my work.
I also juggle.

Juggle. What else do you do?

I can do feats of magic.

Magic?

Maybe he can make
the Romans disappear.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(LAUGHING)

I need one volunteer,
man or woman.

How about you?
You, sir?

How about that?

Here we have a likely subject.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

You'll notice there is
nothing in my hand, true?

How many fingers do you see?

Three.

How many fingers do you see?

Three.

I make a bowl.

And then, my hand is upside
down and I ask you to blow at it.

(BLOWING)

No, nott hard enough. Hard!

(BLOWING HARDER)

Thank you.

(ALL LAUGHING)

(BIRD TWITTERING)

(ALL CHEERING)

ANTONINUS: Would you like to try?

Hit it against
the rock, gently.

(CHIRPING)

(ALL LAUGHING)

Hey Poet, I haven't had an egg in days.

You haven it.

Here. Thank you.

I'm not going to
let mine get away.

(ALL LAUGHING)

MAN 1: Sing us a song.

MAN 2: Sing us a song, Antoninus.

MAN 3: Sing, Antoninus.

ANTONINUS: When the blazing sun hangs
low in the western sky,

when the wind dies away
on the mountain,

when the song of the meadowlark turns still,

when the field locust
clicks no more in the field,

and the sea foam sleeps
like a maiden at rest,

and twilight touches the shape
of the wondering earth,

I turn home.

Through blue shadows
and purple woods,

I turn home.

I turn to the place
that I was born,

to the mother who bore me
and the father who taught me,

long ago, long ago, long ago.

Alone am I now, lost and alone

in a far, wide, wondering world.

Yet still when the blazing sun hangs low,

when the wind dies away
and the sea foam sleeps,

and twilight touches
the wondering earth,

I turn home.

Where'd you learn that song?

My father taught it to me.

I was wrong about you, poet.

You won't learn to kill.
You'll teach us songs.

I came here to fight.

Anyone can learn to fight.

ANTONINUS: I joined to fight.

What's your name?

Antoninus.

There's a time for fighting and
there's is a time for singing.

Now you teach us to sing.

Sing, Antoninus.

ANTONINUS: When the blazing sun hangs
low in the western sky. . .

You like him, don't you?

Who wants to fight?

An animal can learn to fight.

But to sing beautiful things

and make people believe them. . .

(EXCLAIMS SOFTLY)

What are you thinking about?

I'm free.

What do I know?

I don't even know to read.

You know things that can't be taught.

I know nothing.

Nothing.

I want to know. I want to. . .

I want to know.

Know what?

Everything.

Why a star falls and a bird doesn't.

Where the sun goes at night.

Why the moon changes shape.

I want to know where
the wind comes from.

The wind begins in a cave.

Far to the north, a young
god sleeps in that cave.

He dreams of a girl and he sighs,

and the night wind
stirs with his breath.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

I want to know all about you.

Every line, every curve.

I want to know every part of you.

Every beat of your heart.

(RAIN PATTERING)

Go on about the city of Metapontum.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

What garrisons will we find there?

There are two legions in the garrison.

Some of them have
been sent south. . .

MAN: Set the litter down there.

Well, where is this slave general?

Dionysius, get the litter
bearers out of the rain.

Give them food, a bed
and their freedom.

DIONYSIUS: All right, follow me.

We'll pay you for them.

See, we have no slaves in this camp.

Tigranes Levantus at your service.

My credentials.

Come in.

"To the General of the Italian
slaves called Spartacus

"from Ibar M'hali,
Cilician Governor of Delos."

Sit down. "Greetings.

"Word has been received that

"you wish to embark your
armies on the Cilician ships

"from the Italian port of Brundusium.

"Receive now my agent, Tigranes. . ."

Levantus.

". . .who bargains in my name.

"May Isis and Serapis
bring victory to your cause.

"The Governor of Delos."

Who are Isis and Serapis?

Gods of the East.

Why should they want us to win?

Because they favor Cilicia

and Cilicia, like you,
fights against the Romans.

Would you like some wine?

I drink only after the bargain has
been concluded, never before.

How many ships do
these Cilicians have?

Five hundred, at least.

But no deal is too small,
I assure you.

SPARTACUS: We'll need them all.

All?

What is the price?

Price is 100,000 sesterces per ship.

For 500 ships, that would be

50 million sesterces.

You have such a sum?

We will have.

See for yourself.

(CHUCKLES DELIGHTEDLY)

Beautiful.

When will the ships be ready?

Beautiful.

I love to see such beauty.

When will the ships be ready?

Ah, my friend, when
will you be ready?

How long will it take you to

cross one-third
the length of ltaly

fighting a major battle
in every town?

One year? Two years?

If not in Brundusium 7 months
from now, we'll never be there.

LEVANTUS: And what if we assemble the ships,

there is no longer a slave
army to board them?

We'll give you a
chest of treasure now,

the rest when we get to Brundusium.

This one?
SPARTACUS: Yes.

(LAUGHING)

Done!

7 months from now, the
ships will be assembled.

Arrange to have the chest loaded.

And now, with your permission,

I should like to have the
wine you offered me.

Will you join me?

SPARTACUS: I will.

Excellent workmanship.

It came from the estate
of a wealthy nobleman.

I've heard that you are
of noble birth yourself.

I'm the son and grandson of slaves.

I knew that, when I
saw you couldn't read.

Of course, it pleases Roman vanity

to think you are noble.

They shrink from the idea
of fighting mere slaves,

especially a man like Crassus.

You know him?

I entertained him one afternoon.

You?

In the arena.

Excellent wine.

May I. . .

May I ask you something?

You can ask.

Surely you know you're
going to lose, don't you?

You have no chance.

At this very moment, 6 cohorts
of the garrison of Rome

are approaching this position.

What are you going to do?

We'll decide that
when they get here.

(LAUGHS)

Let me put it differently.

If you looked into a magic crystal

and you saw your army
destroyed and yourself dead,

if you saw that in the future,

as I'm sure you're seeing it now,

would you continue to fight?

Yes.

Knowing that you must lose?

Knowing we can't.

All men lose when they die.

All men die,

but a slave and a free man
lose different things.

They both lose life.

A free man dies, he
loses the pleasure of life.

A slave loses his pain.

Death is the only freedom a slave knows.

That's why he's not afraid of it.

That's why we'll win.

Spartacus, that pirate was right.

The garrison of Rome,
they're setting up camp.

How many are there?

About 6 cohorts.

Where?

CRIXUS: At the mouth of the valley,
against the cliffs.

Strong camp?

DIONYSIUS: They have no stockade.

No stockade?

Are you sure?

I'm very sure, Spartacus.

This campaign is great sport for them.

The Romans are having a picnic.

Did they see you?

No. We were hidden.

Maybe we ought to
join this Roman picnic.

Form your men.

6 cohorts.

A lot of arms and weapons
to build our army with.

Crixus always wanted to march on Rome.

Now he doesn't have to.

Rome's come to us.

(SCREAMING)

Half this way!
The rest over there.

Get along!

Stand up, the way a
noble Roman should!

MAN: That's Roman pride
for you, Spartacus!

(ALL LAUGHING)

That's better.

What's your name?

Marcus Glabrus.

SPARTACUS: Glabrus.

Commander of the garrison of Rome.

Commander?

He was commanding it on
his belly when we found him,

playing dead!

(ALL LAUGHING)

How you disappoint me,
Marcus Glabrus.

Playing dead.

You afraid to die?

It's easy to die.

Haven't you seen enough
gladiators in the arena

to see how easy it is to die?

Of course you have.

What are you. . .

What are you going to do to me?

I don't know.

What should we do with him?

Let's have a matched
pair, him and me.

(ALL CHEERING)

I'll not fight like a gladiator!

(ALL JEERING)

You keep staring at this.

You recognize this baton?

Yes!
You should!

It was in your tent.

The symbol of the Senate.

All the power of Rome!

That's the power of Rome!

Take that back to your Senate.

Tell them you and that broken stick

is all that's left of
the garrison of Rome!

Tell them we want
nothing from Rome.

Nothing, except our freedom!

All we want is to get out
of this damn country!

We're marching south to the sea.

And we'll smash every army
they send against us.

Put him on a horse!

(ALL SHOUTING)

Their leader said their hatred
of Rome was such that

all they wished was to
escape from her rule.

If unopposed, he promised a
peaceful march to the sea.

If opposed, he threatens
to ravage the countryside

and destroy every legion
sent against him.

And once they get to the sea?

They plan to take ship with Cilician
pirates and return to their homes.

From which port do they
propose to embark?

I don't know.

But city garrisons can't
stand up to them.

If they are to be intercepted,

it's work for the legions!

What sort of a man is
this leader of the slaves?

GLABRUS: I don't know.

I think they called him Spartacus.

Spartacus.

Is that name familiar to you?

Yes, it does seem to be.

I can't place it.

After he talked to you,
what happened then?

I was tied to a horse
and lashed out of camp.

How many of your company escaped?

14 have reported thus far.

I, myself, was taken prisoner
in my own command tent.

The camp was thoroughly infiltrated

before an alarm could be sounded.

Did you surround your camp
with moat and stockade?

No.

(ALL MURMURING)

We arrived after sunset.

Sentries were posted every 10 paces.

There was no reason to
expect an attack by night.

Then again, well, they. . .

Continue.

They were only slaves.

I see.

I submit that Publius Marcus Glabrus

has disgraced the arms of Rome.

Let the punishment of
the Senate be pronounced.

(SENATORS MURMURING)

If we punished every commander
who made a fool of himself,

we wouldn't have anyone left
above the rank of centurion.

(SENATORS LAUGHING)

This is a case of
criminal carelessness!

6 cohorts have been slaughtered.

Crassus sponsored this young man.

Let him pronounce sentence.

The punishment is well-known!

Let Publius Marcus Glabrus be
denied fire, water, food, and shelter

for a distance of 400 miles in all
directions from the city of Rome.

(SENATORS MURMURING)

One thing more.

Glabrus is my friend and
I will not dissociate myself

from his disgrace.

I now lay down the
command of my legions

and retire to private life.

(SENATORS CHATTERING)

Goodbye, Crassus.

I suggest this is no time
for a man of honor

to withdraw from public affairs!

ALL: Shame, shame!

SENATOR: Sit down.

GRACCHUS: This sort of heroic public
behavior is nothing new.

I've seen it before and we all have
now known the meaning of it.

Crassus acted on a point of honor!

Patrician honor!

No matter how noble this
looks from the outside,

I don't like the color of it.

Crassus is the only man in Rome

who hasn't yielded to republican
corruption and never will!

I'll take a little republican corruption

along with a little
republican freedom

but I won't take the
dictatorship of Crassus

and no freedom at all!

(SENATORS APPLAUDING)

That's what he's out for

and that's why he'll be back.

(ALL APPLAUDING)

(HORSES NEIGHING)

To the mother that bore me,

to the father that taught me,

to the god. . .

To the blue woods and
the purple shadows, I. . .

To blue shadows and purple woods.

Spartacus, you frightened me!

SPARTACUS: I'm sorry.

(EXHALING)

How long have you been there?

A little while.

Why didn't you say something?

You seemed so happy.
I didn't want to bother you.

I am happy.

Spartacus, I've been trying to remember
the song that Antoninus sang.

Is it blue shadows
and purple woods,

or is it purple woods and blue shadows
or what is it? Can you remember me?

I want to make love to my wife!

Spartacus, put me down.

I'm dripping!
I don't care.

You've got, you've. . .

Yes?

You have to be gentle with me.

Why? Why, darling?

I'm going to have a baby.
Now put me down.

What?

A baby.

A baby? When?

In the spring.

Well, how?
I mean how do you know?

I know.

A baby in the spring.

I'm gonna have a son.

It might be a daughter.

Why didn't you tell me?

I just did.

You're cold. Here,
get underneath this.

(GIGGLING)

Did I hurt you?
No, you didn't.

I didn't mean to be so rough.

Why don't you kiss me?

This is the first time I was
ever going to have a baby.

Varinia.

A baby.

I'm just the same as I
ever was, Spartacus.

I won't break.

SENATOR: These slaves have already cost
us a thousand million sesterces.

If now they want to relieve us of their unwelcome
presence, in the name of all the gods.

let them go!

Impossible.

They've already infected half
of Italy with this uprising.

If we permit them to escape now,

this condition will spread
throughout the entire empire.

(SENATORS MURMURING)

The Republic

is still weak from 20 years of civil strife.

We're engaged in two wars,

one in Spain and the other in Asia.

Pirates have cut off
our Egyptian grain supply,

and Spartacus raids the
commerce of all south Italy.

Half the precincts of Rome
are without bread!

The city is close to panic.

There are two things
we must do immediately!

Confirm Caesar as permanent
commander of the garrison

(SENATORS APPLAUDING)

and. . .

And assign two legions

to intercept and destroy Spartacus
at the city of Metapontum!

(PEOPLE CHEERING)

If we could only have had
Batiatus in the other pot!

Now you're talking!

Varinia, wonderful meal.

Varinia.

MAN 1: A small piece of land
with a few goats on it.

MAN 2: Oh, no, no.

MAN 3: I don't care.

MAN 2: The best wine in the world.

MAN 4: For wine, you've got
to go to Aquitania.

Sweetest grapes on there...

Come to Lidya for wine.
That's the best.

MAN 3: The best wine comes from Greece.

MAN 4: Everybody knows that,
even the Romans!

No, Lidya!

(ALL CHATTERING)

You're all wrong!

The best wine comes from home,
wherever it is.

I agree with you.

Gentlemen.

Are there any reports
on Metapontum?

Heralds are crying the news now.

We lost 19,000 men, including
Commodius and all his officers.

Nineteen thousand?

Have you estates in Metapontum?

No.

A son with Commodius.

With your permission, good day.

We take 5 years to train a legion.

How can this Spartacus
train an army in 7 months?

Something wrong,
something very wrong.

We should have an investigation.

Yes by all means, an investigation.

Where is Spartacus now?

He's nearing the seaport of Brundusium.

I need a few moments
of the Commander's time.

Will you excuse us?

I hear you've taken a house
in the fourth ward.

Not a very splendid house I did.

You feasted 11,000 plebeians
in the Field of Mars.

It scarcely could've
been called a feast.

(TUT-TUTTING)

For 200 years, your family
and mine have been members

of the Equestrian Order
and the Patrician Party,

servants and rulers of Rome.

Why have you left us for
Gracchus and the mob?

I've left no one, least of all Rome.

This much I've learned
from Gracchus,

Rome is the mob.

No!

Rome is an eternal thought
in the mind of God.

I had no idea you'd grown religious.

That doesn't matter.

If there were no gods at all,
I'd revere them.

If there were no Rome,
I'd dream of her

as I want you to do.

I want you to come back
to your own kind.

I beg you to.

Is it me you want or
is it the garrison?

Both.

Tell me frankly.

If you were I, would you take
the field against Spartacus?

Of course. Why?

Because we have no other
choice if we're to save Rome.

Ah, Caesar!

Which Rome?

Theirs

or ours?

You know Gracchus is my friend.

I won't betray him.

Caesar?

Which is worse?

To betray a friend or
to betray Rome herself?

My dear Crassus,
I face no such a choice.

You will, sooner than you think.

GRACCHUS: Good afternoon, Crassus.
I've been looking for you all day.

Your new master.

The Senate's been in session all day

over this business of Spartacus.

We've got 8 legions to march against
him and no one to lead them.

The minute you offer
the general's command,

they start wheezing
like winded mules.

I've seen such epidemics before,
haven't you?

How's your health?

Excellent, as you very well know.

I take it the Senate's now offering
the command of the legions to me.

You've been expecting it.

I have.

Have you thought how
costly my services might be?

We buy everything else these days.

No reason why we shouldn't
be charged for patriotism.

What's your fee?

My election as First Consul,
command of all the legions of Italy,

and the abolition of senatorial
authority over the courts.

Dictatorship.

Order.

Let me know if my
terms are acceptable.

I can tell you now.
They're unacceptable.

Yes, yes, I know.

For the present, perhaps. But
times change so does the Senate.

When that day comes,
I shall be ready.

Convey my respects to your wife.

With pleasure.

He's right, you know.

If something isn't done about
Spartacus, the Senate will change.

And Crassus will move
in and save Rome

from the slave army by
assuming dictatorship.

(SIGHS)

But that everything depends
on which way Spartacus jumps.

Just now he's trying
to get out of Italy.

If he succeeds, the crisis is over

and Crassus may stay in
retirement indefinitely.

I've arranged for Spartacus
to escape from Italy.

You've done what?

I've made a little deal
with the Cilician pirates.

I've assured them that
we won't interfere

if they transport Spartacus
and his slaves out of Italy.

So now we deal with pirates.

We bargain with criminals.

Don't be so stiff-necked about it!

Politics is a practical profession.

If a criminal has what you want,

you do business with him.

How far are we from Brundusium?

About 20 miles.

Our army will have to
camp here tonight.

They're still about
6 hours behind us.

Patullus, ride ahead to Brundusium.
Bring Tigranes here.

Marco, report back to Spartacus.

Tell him we camp
tonight by the sea!

(ALL CHEERING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

(PEOPLE CLAPPING IN RHYTHM)

If all goes well, my estimates,

we can load 150 ships a day.

That's your job, Dionysius.

Work with the Cilician pirates. Right!

That ought to keep him
him busy between...

Saves me finding some
place to sleep. Come on!

Crixus, keep giving
me reports on Pompey.

There won't be any surprises
as you can depend on it.

I still want patrols of the back country right
up to the time we call them to board ship.

I'll get them together now.

Spartacus,

the harbor district in Brundusium
has a lot of food warehouses,

but not enough to provide
for the whole fleet.

The countryside's filled with cattle.

And we've more than enough
salt to preserve them in.

I'll handle it.

Find out how many
men we have in camp

who were galley slaves or sailors.

Tigranes Levantus.

Ah!

My dear General.

Welcome, Tigranes.

No, no. You needn't look for
litter bearers to emancipate.

I rode a horse.

Your gods, Isis and Serapis
must've been good to us.

The balance of the 50 million
sesterces we owe you.

General, I. . .

I bear a heavy burden
of evil tidings.

What is it?

Pompey and his army
has landed in ltaly.

At the port of Rhegium
3 days ago.

We get complete reports
on their movements.

But do you also know

that a Roman fleet carrying
Lucullus and his army

arrives tomorrow at Brundusium?

SPARTACUS: Lucullus, here?

You have no ships.

l saw them in the harbor.

The Cilician fleet, out of strategic necessity,

has been obliged to withdraw.

To withdraw?

There are no ships at all?

Cilician pirates can destroy any
Roman fleet that ever sailed.

If they run away now,
it's not because they're afraid!

You have to give me a better reason.

I'm as desolated
as you are, General.

Stand up. Up!

On your toes.

(GRUNTING)

You'll cut the skin.

Why did the Cilicians run away?

They were paid.

And who paid them? Who?

Crassus.

(GASPS)

Crassus?

Spartacus, Crassus won't
fight us himself.

The reports say he won't take
the command of an army.

Why would he bribe your pirates
to keep us from escaping?

I don't know.

How can I answer when
there is no answer?

I've been betrayed
just as you have.

There is an answer.

There must be an
answer to everything.

5 miles from Brundusium.

Here's Rhegium.

Pompey's march must've
brought him to about here.

He's 4 days away, maybe more.

Lucullus lands at Brundusium tomorrow.

If we engage Lucullus,

Pompey will have enough time
to march against our rear.

If we turn west to meet Pompey,

Lucullus will march against our rear.

The only other army
in all of ltaly is here.

Rome.

Yes, of course!

Crassus is inviting us
to march on Rome,

so he can take the field against us.

You mean Crassus wants
us to march on Rome?

He's forcing us to. He knows

I won't let myself be
trapped down here

between two armies
with my back to the sea.

He knows my only
other choice is Rome.

Somewhere on the way, we meet.

He beats us, he becomes
the savior of Rome,

and there's his final
victory over the Senate.

General, allow me to redeem
myself in your eyes.

For a very small commission,

I can arrange for you and your
family and your leaders, of course,

to be smuggled out of Italy

and transported to one
of the eastern countries

where men of substance like you
are welcome and appreciated.

You can live there like kings
for the rest of your lives.

What do you think, General?

Go away.

Go away?

Go away.

Tell the trumpeters
to sound assembly.

Tonight, a Roman army lands
in the harbor of Brundusium.

Another army is approaching
us from the west.

Between them, they hope to
trap us here, against the sea.

The Cilician pirates have
betrayed us. We have no ships.

"By order of the Senate,

"be it known that we
have this day elected

"Marcus Licinius Crassus

"First Consul of the Republic

"and Commander-in-Chief
of the armies of Rome."

PEOPLE: Hail Crassus!

Rome will not allow us
to escape from Italy.

We have no choice but to
march against Rome herself

and end this war the only
way it could have ended.

By freeing every slave in Italy.

I promise you a new Rome,

a new Italy and a new empire.

I promise the destruction
of the slave army

and the restoration of order
throughout all our territories.

I'd rather be here, a free
man among brothers,

facing a long march and a hard fight,

than to be the richest citizen of Rome,

fat with food he didn't work for,

and surrounded by slaves.

I promise the living body of Spartacus

for whatever punishment
you may deem fit.

That or his head.

This I vow by the spirits
of all my forefathers.

This I have sworn

in the temple that guards their bones.

ALL: Hail Crassus!

We've traveled a long ways together.

We've fought many battles
and won great victories.

Now instead of taking ship for
our homes across the sea,

we must fight again.

Maybe there's no peace in this world,

for us or for anyone else.

I don't know.

But I do know that
as long as we live,

we must stay true to ourselves.

I do know that we're brothers.

And I know that we're free.

We march tonight!

Hail Crassus! Hail Crassus!

Greetings to you, Crassus.

Caius. Gentlemen.

Have your dispositions been made?

Each maniple knows its position in lines,
sir, and exactly what's expected.

Every legion commander has
been given his battle orders.

Excellent. All positions will now be changed.

Changed?

Spartacus takes too keen an
interest in our plans, I fear.

New battle orders will be
issued in a short while.

Spartacus has every reason to
believe that he has outdistanced

the pursuing armies of
Pompey and Lucullus.

However, there are passes

through the Apennine Mountains
unknown to any map.

It may fortify your courage to know

that Pompey is, at this moment, encamped
some 20 miles to the west of us

and the army of Lucullus
approaches from the south

by forced night march.

Sir, allow us to pledge you the
most glorious victory of your career.

Aye! Aye!

I'm not after glory!

I'm after Spartacus.

And, gentlemen,
I mean to have him.

However, this campaign
is not alone to kill Spartacus.

It is to kill the legend
of Spartacus.

You may go, gentlemen.

Hail Crassus. Hail Crassus.

Lentulus Batiatus
awaits Your Excellency.

Who?

The Ianista, sir.

Ah! Admit him.

Most Blessed Highness,

as soon as I received your message

I hurried into your
distinguished presence.

I'm glad you were able to
spare the time. Sit down.

Oh, how gracious.

I understand. . . I'm informed

Spartacus once trained
under your auspices.

Yes!

In fact, if it isn't too
subversive to say so,

I made him what he is today.

You're to be congratulated indeed.

I too, as it happens. Since
you're so admirably qualified

to give me what up to now
I've not been able to obtain,

a physical description of Spartacus.

Oh, yes.

But you saw him.

What? In the ring.

When?

When you visited my school
with those two charming ladies.

Wow!

I trust they're both in good health.

They selected him to fight
against Draba, the negro.

I remember the negro.

You had good cause to. If I. . .
If I may say so, Your Excellency.

A brilliant dagger thrust, difficult angle.

Spartacus was the opponent?

Yes.

What did he look like?

That's a matter of some
importance to Your Highness?

Yes, to every man who loves
Rome and wishes to see her strong.

We're both Roman patriots, sir. You
are a great one. I, of course, smaller.

We both believe in Roman fair play.

You want something from me.

I would be lacking in respect
for my own conscience,

if I did not say that I
wish something from you.

Name your price.

If. . . No.

When you win your victory tomorrow,

presumably the survivors
will be auctioned off

in order to pay for the expenses
of this heroic expedition.

Could not the agent for that sale be

he who shares this tiny moment
of history with Your Honor?

I authorize you to be the agent

for the sale of all survivors.

In return, you will
remain here with us

until after the battle and aid
me in identifying Spartacus.

After the battle?

You misunderstand me.
I'm a civilian.

I'm even more of a civilian
than most civilians.

Well, if you wish to remain so,

I should strongly advise you to
stay here and be our guest. Guard!

(STUTTERING)

My dear, all-conquering
Marcus Licinius Crassus,

what if it is Spartacus who crosses
the battlefield looking for you?

In such circumstances, I have no
doubt you will be helping him.

This fellow remains with us
until after the battle.

Make him comfortable.
Don't let him feel lonely.

GIRL: Mommy?
Mommy?

When do we go home?

Go to sleep, dear.

No pains yet?

He's a bad child though.
He hits me with his fists.

He wants to see his mother.
Can you blame him?

Can you feel it?

No, I don't.

I hope he waits
till we get to Rome.

Rome.

They've never beaten us yet.

No.

But no matter how many
times we beat them,

they still seem to have
another army to send against us.

And another.

Varinia, it seems like we've
started something that

has no ending.

If it ended tomorrow,
it would be worth it.

Oh, Varinia.

(SIGHING)

Don't make me weak.

You're strong enough to be weak.

Oh, Varinia.

Oh, Varinia,

I love you more than my life.

Yet, sometimes, even with
you here sleeping beside me

I feel so alone.

I imagine a god for
slaves and I pray.

What do you pray for?

I pray for a son
who'll be born free.

I pray for the same thing.

Take care of my son, Varinia.

If he never knows me,

tell him who I was and
what we dreamed of.

Tell him the truth. There will be
plenty of others to tell him lies.

I can't live without you, Spartacus.

Varinia, Varinia.

(SOBBING)

Varinia.

Varinia, for you and me
there can be no farewells.

As long as one of us lives,
we all live.

I felt it. Did you feel it?

Yes, I did.

That was so strong.
Does it hurt you?

No.

That was so strong.

Oh, Varinia, Varinia.

(MEN SCREAMING)

(SCREAMING)

Lucullus and Pompey.

(ALL SHOUTING)

(SCREAMING)

(ALL SHOUTING)

(BABY SQUALLING)

(HORSES APPROACHING)

Have we a count of prisoners?

We haven't made
the final count, sir.

HERALD: I bring a message from your master,

Marcus Licinius Crassus,

Commander of Italy.

By command of His Most
Merciful Excellency,

your lives are to be spared.

Slaves you were and slaves you remain.

But the terrible penalty of
crucifixion has been set aside

on the single condition
that you identify the body

or the living person of the
slave called Spartacus.

I'm Spartacus!

MAN: I'm Spartacus.

I'm Spartacus!

I'm Spartacus!
I'm Spartacus!

ALL: I'm Spartacus!

I'm Spartacus!

(ALL SHOUTING)

I'm Spartacus.

ALL: I'm Spartacus.

(ALL SHOUTING)

Forgive me for being one of the last
to congratulate you, Your Nobility.

There's an ugly rumor
going round the camp

that the prisoners are to be crucified.

That is true.

Perhaps this is the moment
to remind Your Highness that

yesterday you promised me I could
be the agent in their auctioning.

Last night, you promised Spartacus
to me! Where is he?

In return, I promised you the sale of
the survivors and there will be none!

(BABY CRYING)

But it's Varinia.

CRASSUS: Yes, I remember.
You're the woman of Spartacus?

I'm his wife.

CRASSUS: And this is his child?

Yes.

Where is Spartacus?

Dead.

Did you see him killed?

Yes.

You're lying.

Where is he?

At least here is someone
worth selling, Your Enormity.

I'll even take the child
as an investment.

How many women have been taken?

Under 40, sir.

Most of those who weren't
killed have run off

to the hills with their children.

You may sell all the others
but not this woman.

But you haven't seen the
others, Your Magnitude.

They're of surpassing ugliness!

A genius wouldn't be able to sell them.

CRASSUS: Flog that scoundrel out of camp.

This woman and her child are to be
conveyed to my house in Rome.

Halt them!
MAN: Halt!

Antoninus?

Tribune!

Slaves are to be crucified
along the roadside

the full distance between
here and the gates of Rome.

Hold this man till the end.

And that man too.

March on. March on!

I've more stripes on my
back than a zebra.

Every time I touch my wounds,
they sing like larks.

But in spite of that,

I think I've found something that I
never had before, with all my wealth.

What is that?

Don't laugh at me, but I
believe it to be dignity.

In Rome, dignity shortens life

even more surely than disease.

The gods must be saving you
for some great enterprise.

You think so?

Anyone who believes I'll turn
informer for nothing is a fool.

I bore the whip without complaint.

Yes, indeed. That sounds
like a bad attack of dignity.

I hope, however, this
will not deflect you

from the revenge you were
going to take on Crassus.

No, on the contrary, it only
strengthens my resolve.

I'm glad to learn that.

You know,

this woman, Varinia, is in his house.
All Rome knows about it.

Malicious tongues even say that he's
in love for the first time in his life.

Yes! Oh!

I noticed a strange look in
his eye when he first saw her.

It would take a great woman

to make Crassus fall out
of love with himself.

I'll be honest with
you, Cracchus.

She's not as unattractive
as I told you she was.

Dignity and honesty in one afternoon.
I hardly recognize you.

But she is an impossible woman.

Beautiful?

Beautiful? Well, beautiful.

The more chains you put on her,

the less like a slave she looks.

Proud? Proud, proud.

You feel that she would
surrender to the right man

which is irritating.

I like Crassus.

Let's save him from his agony.
Let's steal this woman.

Steal the woman? Why?

I can no longer hurt
Crassus in the Senate

but I can hurt him where
he'll feel it most, in his pride.

Attack our enemy from within.

Yeah, the scheme is excellent but
I hope you're not suggesting

that I steal the woman.

Yes!

Buy some horses and
a cart with a canopy.

Bring her here by nightfall.

Oh, no.

Add courage to your newfound virtues.

Would half a million sesterces
make you brave?

Half a million?

Well, Crassus

does seem to dwindle
in the mind, but. . .

Let's reduce him still further.
A round million!

A million.

For such a sum, I could
bribe Jupiter himself!

With a lesser sum, I have.

(LAUGHS)

(DOOR OPENS)

CAESAR: Forgive the intrusion. You know I'm
not in the habit of coming into your house uninvited.

You've always been welcome here.

As a pupil.

You're not alone.

No.

This time you've come to teach.

You've joined Crassus?

Am I arrested? No.

But I must ask you to come with
me to the Senate immediately.

What I do, I do not for
myself... but for Rome.

Rome? Poor, helpless Rome.

Let's go and hear more
about Rome from Crassus.

Did you truly believe
500 years of Rome

could so easily be delivered
into the clutches of a mob?

Already the bodies of
6,000 crucified slaves

line the Appian Way.

Tomorrow the last of their
companions will fight to the death

in the temple of my fathers,
as a sacrifice to them.

As those slaves have died,
so will your rabble

if they falter one instant in
loyalty to the new order of affairs.

The enemies of the state are known.

Arrests are in progress.
The prisons begin to fill.

In every city and province, lists of
the disloyal have been compiled.

Tomorrow they will learn the
cost of their terrible folly,

their treason.

Where does my name
appear on the list

of disloyal enemies of the state?

CRASSUS: First.

Yet, upon you I have no
desire for vengeance.

Your property shall not be touched.

You will retain the rank
and title of Roman senator.

A house. . .

A farmhouse in Picenum has
been provided for your exile.

You may take your women with you.

Why am I to be left
so conspicuously alive?

Your followers are deluded
enough to trust you.

I intend that you shall speak
to them tomorrow

for the sake of their own good,

their peaceful and profitable future.

From time to time thereafter,

I may find it useful to
bring you back to Rome

to continue your duty to her,

to calm the envious spirit
and the troubled mind.

You will persuade them
to accept destiny and order,

and trust the gods!

You may go.

Halt!

(SLAVES SCREAMING)

(HAMMERING)

Now, why hide behind that stola?

That's better.

That dress took some weeks
of a woman's life.

You, above all people, should
respect the work of slaves

and wear it proudly.

Come here.

This belonged to a queen,
the Queen of Persia.

It's heavy.

In time you will wear
it lightly enough.

Sit down.

Will you have some squab and honey?

No.

You'll enjoy it.

And a piece of melon?

And some wine, of course.

Eat.

(CHUCKLES)

I did not command you
to eat, I invited you.

You find the richness of
your surroundings

makes conversation difficult?

Why am I here?

(CHUCKLES)

Good question.

A woman's question.

I wish the answer could be
as good and straightforward.

The infant, it thrives?

He thrives.

I purchased a wet nurse
for him yesterday.

I hope milk agrees with him.

I sent her away.

I prefer to nurse the child myself.

I'm not sure I approve.

It ties you to the old life.

And I want you to begin to
look forward to the new.

I don't care about my new life here.

You care about the life
of your child, don't you?

Why do you threaten me with my baby?

I belong to you. You can
take me anytime you wish.

But I don't want to take you.

I want you to give.

I want your love, Varinia.

You think by threatening to kill
my child you'll make me love you?

I did not threaten to kill your child.

I'm sorry, Varinia.

One shouldn't grieve forever.

I'm not grieving, I'm remembering.

Do I interfere with your memories?

Oh, no.

(SCOFFS)

You tread the ridge
between truth and insult

with the skill of a mountain goat.

Well.

What do you remember,
when you think about Spartacus?

It doesn't distress you
to talk about him?

No.

Well, then,

what sort of a man
was he really?

He was a man who began
all alone like an animal.

Yet on the day he died,

thousands and thousands would
gladly have died in his place.

(CHUCKLES)

What was he?
Was he a god?

He wasn't a god.

He was a simple man.
A slave.

I loved him.

He was an outlaw!
A murderer!

An enemy to everything fine and
decent that Rome ever built!

Damn you!
You tell me.

Why did you love him?

I can't tell you.

I can't tell you things you
can never understand.

But I want to understand.

Don't you see?
I must understand.

You're afraid of him, aren't you?

That's why you want his wife

to soothe your fear by
having something he had.

When you're so afraid,
nothing can help.

Nothing.

We shall see.

Could we have won, Spartacus?

Could we ever have won?

Just by fighting them,
we won something.

When just one man
says "No, I won't,"

Rome begins to fear.

We were tens of thousands
who said no.

That was the wonder of it.

To have seen slaves lift
their heads from the dust,

to see them rise from
their knees, stand tall

with a song on their lips,

to hear them

storm through the mountains shouting,

to hear them sing along the plains.

And now they're dead.

Dead.

Varinia

dead.

And the baby.

All of them.

Are you afraid to die, Spartacus?

No more than I was to be born.

Are you afraid?

Yes.

Hail Consul!

Guard, fall in.

CRASSUS: Where are the gladiators?

Over there, sir.

Antoninus, the night passes slowly,
doesn't it?

Spartacus.

You are he, aren't you?

Gladiator, I'm Marcus Licinius Crassus.

You must answer when
I speak to you.

(SCREAMING)

Centurion!

Let them fight now.
Unchain them.

The entire city's been told
they'll fight tomorrow

in the temple of your ancestors.

They will fight now for me. Here!

And to the death. And the
victor shall be crucified.

We will test this myth
of slave brotherhood.

Unchain them!

(HAMMERING)

Form a circle.

Don't give them the
pleasure of a contest.

Lower your guard.
I'll kill you on the first rush.

I won't let them crucify you.

It's my last order.
Obey it.

CRASSUS: Let them begin.

I won't let them crucify you.

Do you realize how long it
takes to die on a cross?

I don't care!

Forgive me, Antoninus.

(ANTONINUS GRUNTS)

I love you, Spartacus,
as I loved my own father.

I love you like my son
that I'll never see.

Go to sleep.

Here's your victory.

He'll come back.

He'll come back and he'll be millions!

I wonder what Spartacus would say

if he knew that the woman,
Varinia, and her child

are slaves in my household?

Yes.

Spartacus.

Crucify him!

I want no grave for him.
No marker.

His body's to be burned and
his ashes scattered in secret.

Did you fear him, Crassus?

Not when I fought him.
I knew he could be beaten.

But now I fear him,
even more than I fear you.

Me?

Yes, my dear Caesar. You!

I don't see the letter here
to the leader of the Senate.

Yes. Julia, I don't like
the sound of weeping.

This is a happy house.
Please stop it.

Oh, there you are. Go away, Julia!
Where have you been all this time?

The city is full of Crassus' legions.
We've been hiding.

I don't know Rome
as well as I know Capua.

They're arresting everyone.

So this is the woman
it took Crassus

8 Roman legions to conquer.

I wish I had time to make
your acquaintance, my dear.

Unfortunately, we all have to make
journeys to different destinations.

Where are we going?

You're going to Aquitania.

The governor is one of
my innumerable cousins.

Here's a senatorial pass.
It's valid in all the known world.

Why do I have to go to Aquitania?

GRACCHUS: 'Cause I asked you to.

It's very good of you,
Gracchus, but I. . .

Yes. Double the money I promised
you. Here's two million sesterces.

Two million?

Here, articles of freedom for the woman.

And here's a smaller document
that I've prepared for the child,

befitting its size.

Where are you going?

Oh, to Picenum.

Picenum? That's the
dreariest town in Italy.

Will you please leave me?

Come with us. See to it that
I don't misuse the money.

Don't be ridiculous.
I'm a senator.

Will you please go before
the soldiers come here?

Oh.

This would really make Crassus jealous.

Go and make my joy complete.

Save your tears now.
Save them for the journey.

Well. Prettier.

Halt!

Identify yourselves, please.

Lentulus Batiatus.

Climb down please
and identify yourselves.

I object to that tone.

I've got my orders.

Come down and identify
yourselves, please.

(CLEARING THROAT)

As I told you, I'm Lentulus Batiatus,
the Ianista from Capua.

This. . . My sister-in-law.

Lady, please.

She's traveling with
her child to Aquitania

on a senatorial pass.

Take a look through his baggage.

Not a word, please.

What did you say?

Oh, Spartacus.

(CRYING)

Tell the lady no loitering's allowed.
Instantly.

Move on. Yes.

This is your son.

He's free, Spartacus!
Free!

He's free.

He'll remember you, Spartacus,
because I'll tell him.

I'll tell him who his father was
and what he dreamed of.

BATIATUS: Varinia, have mercy on us.
Get in the wagon.

Oh, my love, my life.

Please die, die.

Please, please die, my love.

Oh, God, why can't you die!

Come on. Come on.

Goodbye, my love, my life.

Goodbye, goodbye.