Pandora's Box Atlantis

SHE GASPS

THEY LAUGH

It seems I've caught you.

It seems you have.

To the victor, the spoils...

What is it?

-I have such feelings for you.

-And I for you.

I hear so many stories...

Stories of my many good deeds and heroic acts?

Stories of your gambling, your drinking, your debts...

your fondness for women.

Lies. Lies spread by small, cowardly men, jealous that I have

captured the heart of the most beautiful woman in all of Atlantis.

All I ask is that you speak the truth.

I have been known to drink, and gamble.

There were debts,

there were women - many of both.

It is all in the past.

All the women I have known, I have never felt this way before.

Then I shall put these stories from my mind.

THUMP

SHE SCREAMS

Kyros. I was just on my way to see you.

I had your money, the entire debt.

Unfortunately, I was attacked and robbed.

Save your breath, Hercules.

I'll get you your money! I swear on my life!

Enops is very skilled. Your death will be swift.

Kyros. I beg of you!

I have known men to live a moment after the head has been

severed from the body.

The look of confusion is most amusing.

Please! I will do anything!

You are full of promises when a sword hangs over your neck.

I swear to you. I am a man of my word.

No!

Perhaps there is a way for you to keep your head upon your shoulders.

Tell me what it is you wish for me to do.

I will spare your life if you perform a simple errand for me.

I wish for you to retrieve a box.

What's inside this box?

That, you do not need to know.

You must deliver it to me unopened.

Where will I find it?

It is to be found in Campe's lair in Hades.

Are you insane? You expect me to journey to the Underworld?

All of Atlantis has heard you boast of how you killed the Earth Bull.

Surely what I ask is not beyond a man of your talents?

I was exaggerating.

To descend to Hades means certain death.

You might as well kill me now.

As you wish. But you will not be the first to die.

She is not a part of this. Let her go.

I will let her go when you place the box I seek before me.

If you harm her, I swear to the Gods I will kill you.

You have until midnight tomorrow.

Bring the box to the Square of the Armourers.

If you attempt to rescue Medusa, I promise

she will suffer most cruelly before she dies.

Hercules!

Hercules!

Hercules!

HE SNIFFS

There is more mould on this bread than there is bread itself.

If we are to eat breakfast today, we will have to visit the market.

Hercules.

A dozen more paces and he would have actually made it to his own bed.

Wake up, you drunken fool! HERCULES MUMBLES

I am ashamed to call you a friend.

They've taken Medusa.

If I don't deliver the box by midnight, Kyros will kill her.

What's inside the box?

Kyros wouldn't say. He said it was to remain unopened.

He was very specific about that.

Where can the box be found?

It is in Hades.

Hades? The Underworld? The realm of the dead?

That's suicide. We should attempt to rescue Medusa.

We don't know where he is holding her.

He said he'd kill her if any attempt was made.

How is it even possible to descend to Hades?

There's the conventional route - which involves dying.

I suggest we find an alternative.

I've heard stories of people descending to Hades and returning.

How? How did they do it?

That is known only to those versed in the sacred mysteries of Eleusis.

We must find the hierophant, Eunapius.

Who is this Eunapius?

He is a servant of Hades' bride, Persephone.

It's believed that she revealed the secrets of the path of Hades

to her most devout followers.

They are sworn to protect the ritual.

How are we to persuade him to reveal it to us?

I'll persuade him by holding a sword to his throat

and threatening to kill him if he doesn't.

Are you Eunapius?

If I am not, you will have had a wasted journey.

We were told that you could help us descend into Hades.

Descending to Hades is simple enough.

There are many ways to die, and many people willing to kill.

We wish to descend to the Underworld

then return to the land of the living.

Ah. That is more complicated. I'm afraid I cannot help you.

I do not wish to hurt you, old man,

but you will tell me what I need to know.

Look around you.

I've seen the ruins.

Look again.

I thought you said that he was the only surviving member of this cult?

Perhaps it's regaining its popularity.

Much blood has been spilt in our temples.

Leave before there is more.

Our friend's life depends on us descending to Hades.

We will not leave until you tell us what we need to know.

Kill him.

Who are you?

I am a man who will do anything to save his friend.

I have sworn a sacred oath to Persephone.

Then be sure to tell Persephone that you kept that oath,

when you join her in Hades.

You do not realise the dangers involved.

We're willing to take our chances.

Very well. I will reveal to you the knowledge you seek.

You must first cleanse your bodies.

You must give a part of yourself as an offering

to the Goddess Persephone.

Drink the kykeon from the phial.

It will slow your heart until only the faintest traces of life remain.

When you desire to return to the land of the living,

you must sound the horn.

The one who is to stay with the bodies will be unable

to hear the horn.

He will be alerted by the crows, the harbingers of death.

When the crows caw, you will revive your friends with your blood,

for it is your life's force flowing into them that will

enable them to ascend to this world.

As the kykeon takes hold, you will hear a sound in your ears -

a pulse and a surging, bearing you on.

Move with the wave as it breaks through the wall before you.

Then allow Persephone to lead you forth into Hades.

So this is what it feels like to be dead?

It's different to how I thought it would be.

What did you think it would feel like?

I thought it would be warmer.

There.

CAWING

You're not a crow. Shoo!

WOOD CRACKING

Oh... Oh, thank the Gods.

Oh, no...

If this is the fate that awaits us when we die, I'm going

to do my very best to live as long as possible.

There's something out there.

Who are they?

They're here to greet their friends or relatives who have crossed

over into Hades.

What do they want with us?

Perhaps they're just being friendly?

It doesn't feel very friendly.

Go! Be gone! Leave them!

Jason! Hercules!

Cyrus!

I hoped it would be many years before I saw you in this place.

How did you die? Was it in the bull court?

No. We won our freedom.

We're not actually dead, as in DEAD dead.

How is that possible?

It's complicated. And we don't have much time...

We are here to retrieve a box. Medusa's life depends upon it.

What is in this box?

We don't know.

All we know is it's to be found in Campe's lair in Tartarus.

You journey to Tartarus?

We have no choice.

Then I will act as your guide.

We cannot ask that of you.

When we were in the bull court, you gave us hope when we had none.

Now I have a chance to repay that debt.

It's good to see you again, Cyrus.

Pythagoras?

Did you leap from the balcony to escape the flames?

What? What flames?

Oh, no.

HE PANTS

Pythagoras, Hercules and your friend Jason,

they were not as fortunate as you. They did not escape the fire.

What was done with them? Where are they?

The corpse bearers have taken their bodies to be buried.

Hey, what about the money Hercules owes me? Hey!

Where is this Tartarus?

It is the deepest, darkest part of Hades -

a dungeon of suffering for the most tormented of souls.

That doesn't sound so good.

We must follow the crack in the sky.

It will lead us to the entrance to Tartarus.

It is a place of eternal darkness.

If we are to descend, we must make torches.

The entrance to Tartarus lies at the bottom of the pit.

How far down does it go?

We will soon find out.

Thank the Gods.

Can I help you?

Where are they? The bodies of my friends,

Jason and Hercules?

I do not know these people you speak of.

There was a fire. They were overcome with smoke.

My neighbour said the corpse bearer took the bodies to be buried.

I know nothing of any fire.

Perhaps your neighbour was referring to Thanos.

Who's Thanos?

He is also a corpse bearer.

You will find him across the far side of the city by the North Gate.

Tartarus lies beyond.

How bad can it be?

The deepest, darkest part of Hades,

a dungeon of suffering for the most tormented of souls?

That's probably very bad.

Let's just nip in, quickly grab the box and nip back out again.

HE STRAINS

ENTRANCE SLAMS

We must move swiftly and quietly.

The tormented souls that reside here cannot learn of our presence.

What will they do to us?

They will suck all life from you, keeping you in the dark

and suffering for all of eternity.

HE PANTS

In all my life, I never saw such darkness.

DRAMATIC MUSIC

We must not rouse them if we are ever to leave this place.

Campe's lair.

Keep watch.

There it is.

It's such a small box. What could be inside it?

I've been wondering the same thing myself.

Where's this Campe that guards the box?

Fortunately for us, she's not here.

Let's retrieve the box and leave before she returns.

RATTLING

RATTLING

SHE SHRIEKS

SHE SHRIEKS

SHE ROARS

SHE GROANS

You must not open the box. It will cause great suffering.

What's inside it?

It is said that it once belonged to Pandora, the first woman on Earth.

Zeus cast the box into Hades, for it contains all the evils of the world.

Pandora's Box?

For mortal man, the temptation to open the box is overwhelming.

If you do, you will unleash unimaginable horrors.

I cannot allow you to leave this place with it.

You and the box will remain trapped in the darkness for ever.

SHE CRIES OUT

ECHOING CRIES

THEY GROWL

They will come for us. Run!

ECHOING CRIES

ECHOING CRIES

We won't make the trap door. You must blow the horn.

No. We can't leave you in this place.

All life will be sucked from you.

You will be trapped here and Medusa will die.

You must blow the horn.

Blow the horn.

HE BLOWS HORN

I'm looking for the bodies of two men who were

taken from the scene of a fire earlier today.

They had been overcome by smoke.

Ah, yes. Poor souls.

They have gone to be buried.

-Where?

-On the far side of the city by the Western Gate.

CROW CAWS

Oh, no.

HE BLOWS HORN

Blow it again.

HE BLOWS HORN

GROWLING AND SNARLING

In the name of the Gods, what is Pythagoras doing?!

The trap door. It's our only hope.

Run!

Stop, stop, stop. Wait! Wait!

You have to dig them up!

I know it sounds ridiculous, but their lives depend on it.

CROW CAWS

SNARLING

Push!

I am pushing!

HERCULES GROANS AND STRAINS

For the love of the Gods, blow the horn!

SNARLING AND SCREECHING

HE BLOWS HORN

CROWS CAW

CAWING CONTINUES

SNARLING

HE BLOWS HORN

Pythagoras has failed us...

SNARLING

..and now we are to be trapped here for all eternity.

Curse you, Pythagoras.

There is blood on your lips.

Pythagoras!

Cyrus...

SNARLING AND GROWLING

THEY GASP

Why in the name of the Gods are we in a grave?

It's a very long story that involves a lot of running

and a lot of digging.

HE SIGHS

It's such a simple little box, which makes me

think that whatever's inside it must be truly incredible.

I was thinking the same thing.

Its simplicity is to make you think there is nothing of value inside it.

When in fact, the opposite is true.

Precisely.

It's Pandora's Box. No-one must ever open it.

You heard what Campe said.

She warned us that opening the box would cause great suffering.

Surely Kyros will open it as soon as we hand it over?

Which is why we can't give it to him.

We just risked our lives retrieving it from the darkest depths of Hades.

Yes, but it was cast down into Hades for good reason.

We cannot allow Kyros or anyone to open it.

If we do not give the box to Kyros, he will kill Medusa.

Then we'll switch it. We'll have an identical box made.

This is madness.

Kyros will see through the deception the moment he opens it.

There will be a surprise waiting for Kyros inside the replica box.

That will give us enough time to escape.

You are gambling with Medusa's life.

Give it to me.

Medusa wouldn't want you to cause suffering in her name.

We are not allowing anyone to open it.

We need to find a carpenter.

I won't allow any harm to come to Medusa.

You have my word.

It's time.

How are we to find them?

Ah. It would appear they've found us.

Take us to Kyros.

I hope for yours and Medusa's sake that you have the box.

We have it.

Let me see it.

Not until I see Medusa first.

-Medusa!

-Hercules!

If you've harmed one hair on her head...

She is unharmed,

and she will be back in your arms just as soon as I have the box.

Give it to me.

Medusa first.

The box, if you will.

Such a...plain little box.

I have waited many years for this moment...

HISSING

Kill them!

Return to my house. You will be safe there.

-I'm not leaving you.

-We will be right behind you, then I promise

we will never be apart again.

Go!

MAN SCREAMS

HE GASPS

I have been to Hades. An eternity of suffering awaits you.

Where's Medusa?

I told her to return to the house.

The box.

MUFFLED VOICES

Medusa? Medusa!

She's gone.

SQUEALING

Where did these statues come from?

They're not statues. She's turned...

What do you mean? Tell me!

-SQUEALING

-Medusa!

Hercules! Wait! Wait!

What in the Gods' name is happening?

Whatever you do, you must not look at Medusa.

Hercules!

Hercules!

Medusa. Medusa!

Stay away from me! Don't look at me!

Why would you hide from me?

SHE SOBS

I'm a monster.

That cannot be. Show yourself.

No! Please, Hercules. I beg of you.

Whatever has happened to you, we can make it right.

Don't look at her! You will turn to stone.

Use the shield. You must only look at her reflection.

Show me.

I don't want you to see me like this.

You will never be a monster to me.

I will die of sadness if I am never to look upon your face again.

Please.

SHE SOBS

Medusa...

I am cursed.

This cannot be!

SHOUTING IN DISTANCE

I must flee. If the guards catch me, they will kill me.

Where will you go? How will I find you?

You won't. I don't want you to search for me.

You can never look on me again. You must think that I am dead.

I will not do it. This is all my doing.

I will not rest until I find a way to lift this curse.

GUARDS SHOUT

Medusa?

Medusa!

I have seen the evil that it can do.

You must keep it somewhere that no-one can ever open it.

It will be done.

Did you know? Did you know that this was going to happen?

We both knew what would become of Medusa.

I did not know how, or when it would happen.

-How can the curse be lifted?

-It cannot.

No! There must be a way.

You were warned that the box was a source of great evil.

This is Medusa's fate.

But Medusa hasn't done anything to deserve such a fate.

Her fate is no more deserved than yours or mine.

She cannot escape her destiny, just as you cannot escape yours,

but one must happen to serve the other.

Wait. What do you mean?

There are some things it is better that you do not know.

Tell me.

There will...come a time when...

..you will have no choice but to kill Medusa.

No. I will never do that.

If you do not, thousands will die and Atlantis will be destroyed.

Well, then, if that is what it takes to break free of this fate

that has been decided for me, then so be it.

Curse you, and curse the Gods.

Do your worst.

THUNDER CLAPS

When all seems lost, hope still remains.

There is a way to kill Medusa.

No, no, no!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd