You said this was a shortcut. If we'd kept to the road,
we'd be in Sentinum already.
We're lost!
No, we're not. Just follow me.
Look at that.
There must be some hunters out here.
I don't see anyone around.
How about roast hare for supper?
I say we take the lot.
That sheepskin will fetch a good price in Sentinum.
What's that?
Aw, it's just an animal.
Oh...
It's a cyclops!
Let it go, Titus! Let him have it.
By your look, Senators, I see bad news travels fast.
An alarming loss, Caesar.
I think we should forbid transit through the territory pending an investigation.
That's not good enough, Casca. The cyclops declared war on Rome
by murdering our citizens. My nephew's right.
The only decision left to make, Senators, is...
whom do we send after this monster?
If Livius, our recently deceased and much missed leader of the Senate,
were here today, I know what he would advise.
He'd say, "Send the best and bravest young officer.
Send my son Marcus."
Good idea, Casca. Tell Marcus to assemble his troops right away.
I'll bring him the message myself. Good.
Marcus, I thought I'd find you here.
Marcus!
By the order of the Emperor Tiberius, you are to set out at once
to subdue a cyclops that ambushed and killed two of our merchants.
But of course, Falco.
And would you like me to take care
of that petrifying witch Medusa on my way back?
This is not a joke, Marcus.
There's a cyclops out there. It killed two of our merchants
and ate them. We know this from the one man that survived...
Menander.
Menander?
You could take anything he says with a pinch of salt.
The cyclops is a story told by drunkards and beggars.
Those beasts were exterminated long ago
when Augustus himself wiped out the last of them.
And even if one cyclops did still exist,
he's hardly a threat to Rome.
That's not your decision to make, is it?
I suggest you muster your men at once.
Apparently they'll have to carry you up the road.
The only way they'll ever have to carry me
is triumphant into Rome.
Tell the Emperor Tiberius
I salute him and obey.
I don't think I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance.
I am Falco Maximilius.
Flavia Corona. I'm delighted to meet you, Flavia.
I've heard that you were the star of the evening at Cato's Saturnalia.
You know, I'm planning an evening of my own.
A symposium...
just like Plato's...
with the most distinguished philosophers. And just one woman
is invited to join us in discourse on the art of love.
Would you be interested in joining us, Flavia?
Of course.
Severus, fetch Tarquin while I round up the others.
Sorry, Marcus, Tarquin paid me to take a couple months' leave.
He paid you? If he wants leave, he's supposed to pay me!
I was going to pass it on to you, but after a few drinks...
I just...
Here's your money. But I don't want the money.
I want the man, so find him!
And tell him to report to duty at once.
Yes, sir.
Halt!
Menander wasn't lying after all. The cyclops ate them.
The one thing Menander wasn't lying about.
He claimed the cyclops ambushed them while they were looking for a shortcut.
I think he saw them trying to steal his food.
There's some sheep too. They probably tried to grab them.
He could be lurking around here anywhere.
Send scouts? No!
We flush him out.
Ho!
Put the cloaks over your armor. Yes, sir.
Charge!
Adjust your aim!
Fire!
Pull it tightly!
No!
I didn't order you to kill him.
But your orders were to subdue him, sir.
That's right, so I'm going to bring this beast back to Rome in chains.
Let everyone see that Marcus Romulus has subdued the cyclops.
Tarquin, get the chains.
Severus!
No!
Aim your spears at his eye now!
Shackle and blindfold him.
To Rome!
I have a little problem to tell you about.
Saragosa is complaining that he ordered
two lions and two tigers for the games.
Mm-hmm. But the cyclops attacked the caravan
bringing them from Carthage. Supposedly he tore the animals apart
and ate them. What a beast!
What's this? The price of the animals.
Saragosa expects me to pay for them?
They were killed on a Roman road.
Let's eat.
Who are you? Who sent you?
He's Julia's son, Uncle. Julia... your herbalist.
I know who Julia is.
Don't ever creep up on me like that.
Didn't your mother ever tell you?
No?
If I don't trust a yes-man,
what do you think I feel about a man who answers both yes and no
to the same question?
Very shrewd, Uncle. I'll have him flogged and sent away.
So someone else can turn him against me? No, Falco.
He's so stupid, he could be dangerous.
He may be stupid, Uncle, but he's also Julia's son,
and she's been a good and faithful servant.
Hmm.
What about his father?
We can't be certain who he was, can we?
Exactly.
So...
You're adding on to your new villa?
Just a small addition.
Nothing extravagant, given the times we're living in.
Of course.
Have that slave boy arrested for assaulting me
and then sell him to your overseer.
Girl, more wine.
Begone.
Oh, wait.
Wait wait.
Come.
Ah. It's about time he showed up.
Get rid of the girl.
Make sure she doesn't steal anything.
Cletus!
You are six months behind schedule
and 20,000 denarii over budget.
Give me one reason why I shouldn't have you beaten
and crucified in the middle of the Forum for everyone to see.
A thousand pardons, Vizier. With our armies fighting the Huns
good slaves are hard to come by. I will double my efforts.
Everyone, including Tiberius himself,
knows about my renovations because of your sloth.
Be quick before I lose my patience.
You clumsy old fool.
And that's for wasting the time of two men.
Cletus.
Don't be a fool.
You'll only get a public execution.
Back to work.
Barbara, bring me a hot one.
Hey, you, farmer boy!
Come on, burn it.
Julian.
Boy, get on with it!
Now work him.
We all have to answer to the name "boy" here,
but you are Julian,
and I am Gordian.
Put this on.
I don't see Marcus. Do you, my dear?
If he'd succeeded in subduing the cyclops,
he'd be leading his troops in triumph.
Guard!
Go warn the emperor it's bad news.
Marcus Romulus has failed.
Go!
Boy, stop the guard from telling the emperor that Marcus has failed
or I'll look like a fool. Run!
Flavia!
What are you doing?
I'm going to see what Marcus has under his blanket.
The cyclops perhaps?
Citizens of Rome!
I have returned
and I bring with me
the beast that has been terrorizing our countryside.
I give to you
the cyclops!
Shoo! Go away.
I congratulate you, Marcus.
You and your troops acquitted yourselves well.
Thanks to you
another enemy of Rome is in chains.
Ah yes.
I just have one question.
Why did your second-in-command lead the triumphal return to Rome?
I sent him ahead to escort my fallen comrades,
so that the proper honor and respect was paid to them.
You see, I knew that once the crowd saw me
lead the cyclops captive into Rome,
it would be a circus. Hmm.
And quite a circus it was, huh, Falco?
In that case, I commend you... and promote you
to the rank of tribune.
I thank you, Caesar.
I believe it is customary for a land grant...
a modest land grant to be awarded.
You've just been elevated to tribune
and you have the effrontery to ask for more?
I'm simply asking for what I deserve and for what is customary.
But if it is a question between the two,
I would rather have the land than the title, Caesar.
The Emperor Tiberius rewards as he sees fit.
And what the emperor gives, he can also take away.
There will be no land grant and I revoke the promotion.
Dismissed...
Centurion.
Fine, now let's go over the menu for the banquet.
Rome's victory over the cyclops calls for boar as the main dish.
Half a boar. What?
A whole boar split lengthwise... serve one half, store the other.
Don't you think that'll look silly? Excuse me?
Anyway, half a boar isn't going to serve all the guests we've invited.
Then split the guests... put the first tier in the dining room,
second tier in the annex. Serve the second tier eggs and greens.
Put Marcus in the second tier.
Ah.
Cyclops, no! Stop right there.
Stop him, Caesar. Stop!
Do not kill the creature.
I think he was hungry.
You're right. Find the butcher, tell him to bring meat...
the biggest cuts he's got.
Now why did you want me to save that awful creature?
I have an idea for you to save some money
on the games. Really?
What? Throw the cyclops into the arena.
Hmm. I shall have to pay to put the gladiators up against him though.
Not if the man-eating cyclops is pitted against the vilest criminals in Rome.
It would be far more entertaining than executing them
and the public will love it.
It's a good idea, Falco.
We'll start with the lowest of the low...Cletus's convict slaves.
No, but they're building my villa. Easily replaced.
You think Rome is short of slaves? Well, actually...
Are you disagreeing with me? No...
Emperor.
Cletus's slaves it shall be. Good.
We have new orders.
They want him hungry.
Any sign of Barbara? I don't see her.
Hey, shut up!
Guard!
What do you want now? Where's our bread?
You tell Cletus if we don't eat, we can't work.
He don't care.
Barbara?
Barbara!
Yes?
Get on with it.
Of course.
Higher.
Higher and more pressure.
Barbarian...
you wanna play rough, do you?
You want me to beat you?
The slaves haven't eaten.
Shouldn't I bring them their bread?
No.
But they'll be too weak to work.
They won't have to.
Barbara?
You there! Halt.
Gordian... No talking!
No, please, I saved the biggest one for Gordian.
Why? It... it's his birthday.
Yeah, his last one.
Well then, make the most of it.
What is this?
A love letter from Barbara?
She can't write.
She can't draw either. The message is clear enough:
We're to be thrown into the arena.
Our only hope now is escape.
Shut up, you one-eyed bastard.
That's what I thought.
Bark's worse than your bite. The big ones always are.
Oh ho ho ho!
All of it.
Oh my God!
Get the troops. Tell them the cyclops is loose
and it's killing people. Now run!
Barbara!
Where do you think you're off to? The cyclops is loose.
He's killing people and eating them.
Good job. Now you run home and stay inside, okay?
He's gonna try and leave the city.
I want you to alert the guards at the gate.
We'll split our forces... you flush out the neighborhood
east of the Temple of Jupiter, I'll scour the western sector.
Tarquin, keep the people off the streets.
I don't want another person killed by that cyclops.
The rest of you with me!
Barbara.
Come here. There's nothing to be afraid of,
unless you lie to me.
Back!
Open it up... quickly!
Open the door!
No! Let me in!
Move!
Now's our chance...
while the troops are going after the cyclops.
In case anyone sees us, the story is...
I am your owner now, leading you to safety
and away from the cyclops.
Column, march!
Archers!
Halt!
Archers, bring up the ballista.
Cyclops, surrender or die!
Fire!
He's still alive. Shall I kill him?
No.
The Emperor Tiberius forbids it.
Just make sure you secure him properly this time.
Yes, sir.
No!
Cyclops, no.
You are never getting out of here again.
Sir?
Tiberius summons you. There has been a slave uprising.
I warned all of you.
As long as Marcus remains in the guard, there is incompetence.
From now on, listen to me.
Remember that.
The scum of the earth...
slaves convicted of crimes against their masters
and sentenced to hard labor
murdered my overseer Cletus
when he was bringing them extra bread
out of the kindness of his heart.
They found the loaves on the prison floor,
stained with his blood.
They slit his throat with his own key.
You sent for me.
I hope you've managed to secure your prisoner this time, Marcus.
The slaves would never have escaped the city
if the entire garrison hadn't been deployed
to recapture the cyclops.
True, Falco. True true.
There's no time to lose. I'm dispatching you and Marcus immediately
to capture these murdering slaves.
Show them no mercy.
Give them no quarter but bring back as many as you can alive.
I want all of Rome
to watch them die in the arena.
One more thing:
Since Marcus has been demoted,
you, Falco, will be commanding officer.
Marcus will follow your orders.
Now go make yourselves heroes.
They must be heading for the harbor,
thinking they can trust the Greeks to ship them out.
Maybe this lot's smarter than you think.
They could take the pass into Gaul.
Wait for my order!
I'm waiting.
Follow me.
There they are.
They're nowhere near the harbor road.
If you were a runaway slave, would you take a Roman road?
This is easy. We can catch them in a pincer movement.
Come on, Julian, you can...
Charge! With me!
Easy, tiger.
Cletus's ring.
So you're the one that killed him.
Guards,
crucify him.
Chain her.
Go and hurry them up.
Gordian? Stop!
Gordian, I freed you.
I failed.
I tried to farm... wrong place,
drought and debt,
creditors sold me.
You don't deserve this. What do you think you're doing?
This man was my slave. I freed him once,
I'm freeing him again. He's not a criminal.
He killed my overseer and led the slave revolt.
I found another one. He was playing dead.
Julian. I defended you to the emperor
and you show me your gratitude by joining the uprising.
Gordian didn't kill Cletus. Liar!
Tiberius was right. You'd stick a knife in any of us if you had the chance.
It's a waste not to use a perfectly good cross,
isn't it?
When they throw him into the arena to face the cyclops,
you're gonna wish you'd let him die on the cross.
He looks like a good fighter.
Take him away and deliver him to the gladiators' quarters.
Deliver the rest of them to the dungeon.
And as for you...
you're under arrest...
for disobeying the orders of your commanding officer...
and Tiberius.
Follow.
Marcus Romulus,
Centurion.
You defied the direct order of Falco, your commanding officer,
by deliberately freeing Cletus's murderer
and a leader of the slave revolt.
I find you guilty of treason.
Now treason
is punishable by death.
However, in honor of your late father's services to Rome,
I grant you a choice of punishment:
Decimation of your troops...
Every other man, step forward.
Every remaining man, execute them on my order.
...or you can volunteer
to be a gladiator. I volunteer.
My men have committed no crime.
And since you won't allow me to fight as a soldier,
I'll fight in the arena. Yes, you will.
Starting tomorrow
at my Victory Games.
The entire lot of them, sir?
Wait!
Unchain her from the rest.
Look at me.
Cletus used you for construction?
No, I cooked for him.
You'd certainly whet any man's appetite.
Attention!
Strip him.
Sword.
Take him away.
Turn around.
We've enough to throw at the cyclops,
but I could use another whore to service the gladiators.
Very good. Take her.
Ah. Is everything ready for tomorrow?
Yes. Good.
And you brought the accounting of the expenses to date?
Mm-hmm mm-hmm mm-hmm.
What's this?
An entire lamb for the cyclops? Why are we feeding him?
He eats his guards if we don't.
Let's find him some cheaper meat. No problem, Uncle.
Citizens and free men of Rome,
welcome to the best, the biggest,
the most spectacular gladiatorial games
ever presented by your great Emperor Tiberius!
Three days of fights to the death
between the bravest of gladiators,
three days of... Come on, go on!
Get on with it! But there is more.
He's an arrogant bastard, isn't he?
You've seen men torn apart by tigers,
you've seen men devoured by lions,
but now, for the first time ever, right here
you will see men face off
against a far more terrifying beast of prey,
bigger than any man on earth:
In all his fighting fury,
the legendary, the one-eyed cyclops!
But first, the murderous slaves.
What shall be their fate? Hanging?
Crucifixion?
Or the cyclops?!
Louder. Cyclops! Cyclops!
Cyclops. Cyclops.
Seeing as how our emperor is a fair and generous man,
he has decided to give the slaves a fighting chance.
They shall be given one sword
and one shield.
Bring on the cyclops!
Don't worry, citizens, the cyclops never bites off more than he can chew.
Please please, stay in your seats.
Our generous emperor has agreed to provide a few lucky citizens
vouchers for free food
during the intermission.
Can he spare it?
What are you laughing at?
What did he say?
He said it's a wonderful idea.
It cost you so little, Tiberius, and it means so much to them.
Gordian, wine?
Sit, please. We're equals now.
Equals? No.
I was born a slave,
sentenced to die as a criminal. You were condemned to be a gladiator
only because you tried to save me.
I should have enlisted you in the army
instead of freeing you to fail as a farmer.
At least I had the chance to fight for my life,
unlike my fellow slaves.
We tried to escape because we were condemned to die in the arena.
Perhaps we can't escape our fate, Marcus.
We're not here because of fate, Gordian.
We're here because of Tiberius. Gladiators!
The finest priestesses
from the Temple of Venus at your command.
Barbara!
She tried to help us... got me word we were to be thrown into the arena.
Nuh-uh-uh! No no no.
I'll take this one.
I like a fighter.
So fighting slaves and barbarians isn't enough for you
that you also spend your off-duty time in the arena?
It's hardly a choice.
I was condemned to fight as a gladiator
as punishment for my treason. What did you do?
Falco tried to crucify Gordian for a crime he didn't commit.
I chose to free him.
Barbara, huh?
Beautiful name.
It means savage and uncivilized.
To me it means pride and courage.
I have never seen a woman fight like you do.
I had nothing to lose.
I'd rather die fighting to be free
than die in the arena torn apart by the cyclops
to amuse the Romans. Me, I'd rather fight to win.
And claim me as your prize? Not as my prize,
as my ally...
against Tiberius and Falco.
Citizens, hold onto your seats
for the big event of this second day of Victory Games.
Citizens, a special announcement.
Marcus!
For the final day of the Victory Games,
two gladiators new to this arena...
I'll see you tonight.
...Marcus and Gordian will face off
in a fight to the death.
Marcus, Marcus, Marcus...
I'm betting on the handsome one.
Which one do you mean? The one with the net.
He's done for.
Live live live live live!
Citizens, a special announcement:
For the final day of the Victory Games,
three pairs of gladiators chosen by lot
shall fight to the death.
Our gracious Emperor Tiberius
decrees that the victorious gladiators
shall be granted freedom!
Free Marcus! Free Marcus!
Flavia, it's time for you to go home.
My guards will escort you.
Free Marcus! Free Marcus! Free Marcus!
Free Marcus! Free Marcus!
Ah. May I have a private word with you?
Flavia, you startled me.
You are a sophisticated man and your help is needed
at the highest level on an extremely confidential matter.
This is strictly between us.
Understand?
You've come to the right man.
Whatever it is you tell me, I won't even think about it,
let alone pass it on.
By the way, you've outdone yourself
with the arrangements for the games this year.
Thanks to you, the public is singing Tiberius's praises,
and I'll make sure Falco tells him that.
You are a woman of many generosities, Flavia.
You have a new very striking-looking slave girl with long hair,
attending the gladiators. I know just the one you mean.
I selected her personally. I've come to borrow her.
You are interested in her services?
Not personally, no. Falco sent me.
Ah. Falco.
Tired of his new plaything so soon, is he?
I am truly sorry. Don't be.
It's not what you think. You mean
the dark-haired slave girl has attracted the attention of...
Shh! Don't even think about it.
Oh ho.
Girl, where's Barbara?
Huh? Come on!
Hey!
Are you gladiators or cowardly savages?
Torturing him when he's powerless to defend himself?
Feeding him worse than your dog?
He's a cannibal. Because they're starving him...
to sharpen his appetite for your flesh in the arena.
Girl, bring me the meat.
The rest of you, back to your quarters.
You can go.
Cyclops.
"Meat."
Meeeat.
More?
More meat?
Where were you?
I waited all night... like a fool.
A person of rank sent for me. I had no choice.
Who? Falco?
He dies. No, not Falco.
Flavia.
She wants to help. She's on your side.
Trust me, Flavia is only out for Flavia.
You underestimate her.
She's using her position to find out
what Falco and Tiberius are really up to.
She's communicating with you through me,
because she dare not talk to you directly.
Go on.
Falco is pushing Tiberius
to name him his successor.
Tiberius feels threatened because you are becoming too popular.
The tide is turning against him.
He fears a rebellion to restore the Republic.
He was always paranoid.
He was threatened by my father for the same reasons.
Maybe. But Flavia says the people admire you.
You are the son of the great politician.
You're the one who captured the cyclops.
You're their hero in the arena.
In an uprising they'd follow you.
You heard them.
They want you free.
And I'll fight for that freedom every chance I get.
Tomorrow, if you're lucky,
you'll have a chance to win that freedom.
Yes!
But the price is to kill another gladiator
or the cyclops.
Flavia says Tiberius will never give the cyclops a chance to be free.
When the people tire of him,
he'll be executed.
How fickle is the applause of the crowd, Falco.
First Gordian was a hero,
then suddenly Marcus is their favorite. And shouting for his freedom?
Who can explain it?
It's circulating through the marketplace
that Marcus the gladiator is the same centurion
that captured the cyclops. No no no.
No no, you might want that drink, Uncle.
News from the front isn't good.
Which front?
All of them.
The legions fighting in Pannonia
are demanding the same pay as the praetorian guards here,
and there's been a camp mutiny in Germany.
I suppose they want more money too?
Worse.
They've lost their faith in you.
They think you're stretching the troops too thin.
Decimate them. That'll show them how thin I can stretch them.
And you should know this:
The Forum is buzzing with hero-worship for Marcus.
Who better than Marcus to lead a coup against you?
He'd have the people's support
and half the army.
Captain of the guard!
Triple my protection at the games tomorrow.
Wait!
What about Marcus?
I'll take care of him.
Cyclops.
Meat. Meat.
That's right.
Meat.
Cyclops?
Tomorrow...
I fight.
If I win,
me free.
Meat.
Fight!
Kill!
Win! Me free.
Meat. No.
No meat.
Free. Free!
Meat!
Cyclops.
Free. Free.
Free! No.
Cyclops no free.
Me free.
Cyclops no free.
Never free, no matter how many men you kill.
Free. No.
Never.
Citizens of Rome,
the Emperor Tiberius...
commander of our invincible army,
dedicates the final day of the Victory Games
to you, the people.
You are noble Romans all,
you who wish to reward courage and victory in the arena
with the great gift of liberty.
You have spoken
and your emperor has heard.
In tribute to your wish,
three sets of gladiators chosen by lot
will fight to the death.
The victors shall be granted their freedom.
Attilicus versus Pompeii.
Place your bets on who will die...
and who will win his freedom.
Attilicus versus Pompeii.
Picking combatants by lot makes no sense.
Pompeii and Attilicus are not well matched.
This is going to be over in just a minute.
They should just pit the victors of the last two days' games against each other.
I'm sorry, Gordian. I would just rather know
that at least I'm going to have a chance to win my freedom.
Marcus, they have to let you fight.
Flavia told me if they don't, the public won't stand for it.
Kill kill kill kill!
Attilicus, from this day forth,
you are no longer a gladiator, but a free man of Rome.
The emperor presents you with this wooden sword.
And the next two gladiators are...
Gordian
and... Marcus, Marcus, Marcus!
Gordian versus...
Gordian versus Goldoni
the Sicilian.
Keep Goldoni on the run and tire him out.
He's fast, but you're faster.
Three times lucky they say.
They're gonna call you for the last match, I know it.
Then we'll meet again as free men.
Gordian shall be granted freedom!
Citizens and free men...
the last fight for noble death
or glorious liberty
shall be between... Marcus, Marcus!
Marcus, Marcus, Marcus!
Marcus it is, my friends.
Call Marcus to the arena.
Bring Marcus to the arena.
Marcus versus...
the cyclops.
Marcus versus the cyclops!
Open the gate.
What? Stop. No!
Stop the fight. Stop the fight, stop the fight!
My fellow Romans,
I share your outrage.
Quintus Maximilius,
I hold you responsible as manager of these Victory Games.
Are we barbarians
that we take delight in sheer slaughter?
No, we want worthy opponents, well matched.
Without this,
neither victory nor death has meaning.
The cyclops is twice the size of any man.
Therefore I will not make Marcus fight him alone.
Bring me the casket.
Another gladiator chosen by lot
will fight alongside Marcus.
That's better.
The final fight shall be
the cyclops versus Marcus
and the most ferocious, the most savage,
the most terrifying barbarian ever captured alive!
Get it! Chosen by lot?
What do they take us for? This whole thing is rigged... it's obvious.
Are we gonna let them get away with this?
Open the gate! Stop the fight!
Stop the fight! Stop the fight!
Bring on the cyclops!
Free Marcus! Free Marcus! Free Marcus!
Free Marcus! Free Marcus... Cyclops?
Here here! Here!
Marcus! We've got to help them now.
Are you with me?
Now is the time.
Open the gate!
Free!
Free free!
Kill him and you're free.
No! Cyclops, no free.
Free!
Kill him. Free!
Cyclops, what are you waiting for?
Never free!
Kill him!
Gordian, the axe!
Tiberius!
Your tyranny is over.
Handle this. Handle this.
Yes, Uncle.
Flavia, go home.
Guards, kill the cyclops.
Kill him!
You! Call out the city cohort.
Come with me! Come with me!
Go!
Free! Free.
Free.
Cyclops, look out!
The beast is dead!
No, the beast lives...
but not for long.
He's dead.
Romans!
We're free!
Long live the Republic!
Long live the Republic...