Zeus, By Jove! I, Claudius

I found it in that box.

In there.

The box was in my nephew Caligula's bedroom.

This once belonged to his father Germanicus.

I said I would tell everything and I shall.

I shall hide nothing. Nothing.

And if what comes next may seem incredible...

believe it.

Believe it.

"Of the last five years of Tiberius' reign, the less said the better.

"He remained at Capri, entirely given up to his perversions.

"And, at last, when people began to think he would never die, he suffered a massive stroke.

"He had named Caligula his principal heir and Gemellus,

"who was his grandson, still a boy, his second heir in case Caligula should die before him."

He's dead.

Really?

Get me his ring.

Tell the world

that the world has a new emperor.

Senators, gentlemen...our beloved Emperor Tiberius Claudius is dead.

I've just left his room having closed those tired, old eyes with this hand.

Before he died,

he took from his finger this ring, his own seal, and placed it on my finger.

And he said, "I die in peace, little Gaius,

"knowing that you rule in my place."

Those were his last words.

I wept.

I fell to my knees and wept.

Gentlemen, I stand before you now...

as your Emperor!

-Master!

->

-Long live Rome!

-Master!

->

He's alive again.

The Emperor's alive again.

He's calling for his supper and he wants his ring back.

Take it! Take it! I don't want...!

Gentlemen, gentlemen, I'm sure there's been some sort of mistake here.

This stupid slave saw the wind stirring the clothes on the Emperor's bed.

-No, he's asked for beef cutlets and a goblet of...

-Quiet, or I'll make a beef cutlet out of you!

He's out of his wits, can't you see?

-You'd better go and look for yourself.

-Exactly. Exactly.

I suggest that you all remain here until the matter's sorted out. Come on.

I want my supper.

And I...and I want...a beef...

MUFFLED GROANS

I told you he was dead.

Typical of him. Just wanted to see what we'd do if we thought he was dead.

I shan't forget this, Macro.

I really shan't.

Gentlemen, Tiberius Claudius is definitely dead.

No question of it.

When I entered his room he was lying peacefully in his bed.

-We shall take the corpse back to Rome and give him a most magnificent funeral.

-ALL: Hail, Caesar!

ALL: Hail, Caesar! Hail, Caesar!

Gentlemen, we are at the dawn of a new golden age.

A son of Germanicus has come before us.

Let us put ourselves in his hands.

Let the senate vote him supreme power and let us cry, "Rome is saved. Hail, Caesar!"

ALL: Hail, Caesar! Hail, Caesar!

Hail, Caesar!

Herod Agrippa...

Oh...

Oh, Herod! I was thinking about you only the other day

and wondering where you were and what you were doing.

If I wasn't trying to borrow money from someone I was probably thinking of you.

-Did you both arrive together?

-Ah, I landed and went straight to Capua, I knew he was living there.

I found him in the act of leaving Rome and intending to call on you on his way.

-Nothing could have pleased me better.

-Sit down. You remember my grandson Gemellus.

-He's grown.

-Too much in the wrong direction - he never stops eating.

Don't you know it's not good for you to eat all that pastry? That's what clogs the chest.

If I'm to be scolded, I'll go inside.

Listen to him. He's given himself such airs since Tiberius died. He thinks already rules in Rome.

I do. I was made alternate ruler with my cousin Caligula.

Hold your tongue. The Senate have set that aside as you're too young.

And people are not made emperors to have the run of baker's shops.

I can't see that it's any worse to eat too much pastry, than it is to drink too much wine.

And a lot of grown-ups do that.

He eats for comfort.

Livilla ignored him.

-She had other interests.

-Yeah, I wrote you about...

-Yes.

-Well, let's not talk of it.

She dead and at my hands.

I'd do it again.

-Well, perhaps things will improve now that Caligula is in command.

-Let's hope so.

Well, I like all the titles that you thought of for me, as does my sister Drusilla.

I shall probably use them all.

What about the consulship, Lentulus?

Your turn is up. Have you chosen the consul for the next term?

Well, the choice is obvious to us.

The Senate begs you to accept the next term.

And to chose your own colleague to share it with.

I accept. And I hereby proclaim that my first act as consul will be

to collect all criminal records and dossiers collected by Aelius Sejanus

and have them burnt in the market place.

And in memory of my dear mother Agrippina,

there will be a new annual festival of horse racing and sword fighting.

And in future, the month of September will be known as Germanicus,

after my father, as August was after my great...after my great grandfather.

And now I have a headache.

This audience is at an end.

Is your head bad again?

Well, come to my room and I'll soothe it for you.

Lentulus...

here is my chosen colleague to share the consulship with me.

-Gemellus - an excellent choice.

-No, no, no, no, no, not Gemellus, not him!

My uncle Claudius.

-(Your uncle Claudius?!)

-Of course.

Who else should share it with me, but my father's beloved brother?

Uncle, I appoint you my colleague as consul to the first term.

-Me, a c-c-c-onsul?

-Yes, we'd rule together.

But I-I've forgotten all the r-r-rules, and s-s-speeches.

-I'll think of everything and you can do everything.

-But-but-but...

Uncle, there is a galloping in my head and your stuttering is making it worse!

The matter is closed.

-What is the matter with him?

-The matter with him?

-Why does he keep clearing his throat like that.

-Well, he's had a b-b-bad cough.

Can't he get rid of it? It's irritating to have him clearing his throat.

But he's taking c-c-cough mixture.

Oh, I see. Well, let's hope it clears up soon.

I've got a weak chest. It's not my fault.

NO, but it's your chest!

Is that your own hair?

-Pardon?

-Is it your own hair or is it a wig?

-M-m-my own.

-Why have you got so much and I've got so little?

I find that extremely irritating - you're much older than I am.

Uncle, I'll arrange the suite of rooms for you in the palace.

-You can live with me and my sisters. You'll like that.

-GEMELLUS COUGHS

The whole family will be together. I'm very fond of my family.

Generally speaking!

Uncle, your first official duty as consul will be to have

two statues made of my late brothers Drusus and Nero.

And they'll be set up and consecrated in a market place,

and the ceremony will take place in early December.

Oh, yes, I know it will cost a great deal of money, but there's plenty of money -

Tiberius left 27 million gold pieces.

M-may I ask, h-how much is left?

Lentulus?

How much is left?

Between eight and nine, Caesar.

Is that all?!

He left a lot of debts.

That GREEDY skinflint!

He owed money to everybody and left me to pay for it all!

I should have killed him when I had the chance!

Oh, my headache's getting worse.

Galloping inside - a pounding of hooves.

Come to my room.

My head... Oh...

Oh.

What was I saying?

You should have k-killed him when you had the chance.

Many times I had the chance and many times I thought of doing it.

I should take Gemellus to his room.

Oh, no, no! I'm just about to tell you a story, let him hear.

This will become, I'm sure, an historic anecdote.

I want you to write it down, when you retire to your room. Will you stop coughing!

It's very difficult.

Well, TRY!

Lentulus, how much is left?

Of what?

Of Tiberius' fortune.

Between eight and nine million, Caesar.

Is that all?!

He also left a lot of debts.

We've had this conversation before. What's the matter with you?

I know what I was about to say... I was going to tell you a story.

It happened three, four years ago in Capri

when I was still nothing but an innocent young boy,

shocked and ashamed by the depravity to which the Emperor had fallen in his old age.

More and more,

in my precocious wisdom,

I realised that the fate of Rome might rely on the single stroke of a knife.

A knife...

in my hand.

And the thought tormented me.

I began to see it as my inescapable destiny.

But why me?

Why me who never had a single violent thought in his life?

Why should this onerous duty be THRUST upon ME?

Then, one night,

sleepless as usual with grief at the fate of my dear mother and my dear brothers...

I decided,

come what might,

that I would be avenged at last upon their murderer.

So I took a knife that belonged to my father Germanicus and I went into the Emperor's room

and he lay tossing and groaning in a nightmare of guilt.

And there was a galloping in my head and a pounding....

Yes, yes, I remember.

THAT was the first time I heard it.

And I lifted the dagger in order to strike...

when a divine voice sounded in my ear.

"Great grandson, stop, hold your hand! To kill him would be impious!"

I froze...

and I turned to see if I could find the owner of the voice

because there was no-one in the room besides the Emperor and myself.

And yet I felt the presence of the divine Augustus.

"Oh, God, Augustus!" I cried.

"He killed my mother and my brothers, your descendants, should I not avenge them?

"Even at the risk of being shunned by all men as a parasite?"

Augustus answered...

"Oh, magnanimous son,

"who art to be emperor hereafter.

"There is no need to do what you would do.

"By my orders the furies nightly avenge your dear ones while he sleeps."

-POUNDING IN HIS HEAD

-"Leave them to their work and him to his torments -

"the torments of his dreams and the torments to come in the hereafter."

POUNDING INCREASES

"He will suffer eternal agonies, I swear. While you...while you... While you, my son..."

POUNDING FADES AWAY

"..while...after a glorious reign, will enter the bosom of Augustus."

I threw the dagger aside.

POUNDING RETURNS

Father...

..help me!

HELP ME!

Stop it! STOP IT...!

-REVERBERATING POUNDING

-Stop it!

Stop it! Sto-o-op IT!

The st-st-statues must be ready by the end of November.

-I'll do my best. More I can't promise.

-Look here, I can take the work somewhere else.

You'd be losing time. We've started it.

You've got the marble, you haven't started.

I promise you we'll make a start tomorrow.

But the Emperor isn't going to be ready in time for the ceremony.

You n-never mind the Emperor, that's his business. You just make sure those statues are r-ready.

HE MOUTHS

The Emperor awoke earlier this morning but then relapsed into a coma.

That's all I can tell you.

And I suggest that you return to your homes.

Everything that can be done is being done.

We pray for him hourly.

-Tell him that if he wakes.

-I shall.

Tell him that I have offered my own life in place of his if the gods will spare him.

If anything should happen to him, it will be the worst calamity to befall Rome since the death of Germanicus.

Your prayers will help him, I'm sure.

Uncle Claudius, you must come quickly, he is awake and he wants to see you!

-What for?

-I don't know!

But for heaven's sake, humour him!

He'll kill you if you don't say what he wants you to say.

-Well, wh-wh-wh...?

-I don't know!

But he just tried to kill me.

He said I didn't love him.

He made me swear over and over and over again that I did.

Oh, do go, please!

H-h-hail, C-c-caesar.

What a j-joy to see you alive.

And to hear your voice again.

I-I-I hope that you're b-better.

I've never really been ill.

Oh, really?

No.

I've been undergoing a metamorphosis.

A... Oh.

Was it p-p-painful?

It was like a birth,

in which the mother delivers herself.

Oh, yes.

That m-m-must have been p-p-painful.

M-m-may I enquire...

wh-what is the...

character of this g-g-glorious change

which has come over you?

Isn't it obvious?

Y-Y-You've b-b-become a god!

Oh, my God.

Let me worship you.

Oh, how could I have been so blind!

Well, I am still in mortal disguise - that wouldn't help you.

I should have seen it at once.

Your face shines, even in this light, like a lamp.

Does it? Get up and give me that mirror.

Oh, it is bright, isn't it?

I could r-r-read by it.

I always knew that this would happen.

I always knew that I was divine.

Come to think of it,

when I was two I put down a mutiny in my father's army and so saved Rome.

Well, that was prodigious.

It's like the stories they tell of Mercury as a child, or Hercules

who h-h-handled snakes in his cradle.

Exactly. Only Mercury only stole a few oxen, whereas by the age of ten I'd already killed my father.

Oh, you didn't know that, did you?

N-N-No.

D-Deity...

Even Jove didn't do that, he merely banished the old man.

Why, if you don't mind my asking, did you do that?

Well, he stood in my way.

Me, a young god, he tried to discipline me.

So I frightened him to death in Antioch.

So it was you who did all that.

Quite incredible.

No, not at all.

Not for a god - it was very simple.

And not only did I kill my natural father, I also killed my adoptive father Tiberius.

And Jove never did that.

No, I've never read that he did that.

You see? And you're a very well-read man.

And whereas Jove only slept with one of his sisters, I've slept with all three of mine.

All three have admitted a god into their beds.

Martina told me it was the right thing for a god to do.

Oh, you kn-kn-knew Martina well?

Oh, yes, very well. A very wise woman.

When my parents were in Egypt I visited her every day

and she taught me the history of the gods, especially the Greek ones.

She said that I was more like Zeus than Jove. That Jove was just a pale, Roman copy of Zeus.

Zeus married his sister, didn't he?

What was her name?

-Hera.

-Hera, that's it.

And she became pregnant by him.

No, no, that was Metis.

And fearing that the child would become stronger than himself and rule the heavens,

he took the child from her body and swallowed it whole.

And Athena sprang from his head.

Yes, something like that.

I never used to believe that sort of story, but of course now...

I can see that they're true.

Well, now you understand why I have always been divine.

And Drusilla is divine too.

I shall announce it at the same time that I announce my own divinity.

This is the most glorious hour of my life.

Will you allow me to retire?

And sacrifice to you at once...

The divine air you exhale is too strong for me.

I'm fainting.

Go in peace.

I was thinking of killing you, but I've changed my mind.

Send Drusilla to me.

He wants to see you.

He's become a god.

Oh, you're a god too.

We're not.

A god?! Which one?

He thinks he's Zeus!

-Sounds bad for us mortals.

-Perhaps not.

When he decides to announce his d-d-divinity, they'll all see he's mad, they'll l-l-lock him up.

We'll have the Republic back.

My friend, this could be the best thing that every happened to us.

Oh.

The Emperor is coming.

Now, there is something that you ought to know before he arrives,

so that you won't be taken totally by surprise.

We are privileged to be living at the time of a most astonishing event.

The Emperor has undergone a transformation.

A metamorphosis.

He has become...a god.

LAUGHTER QUICKLY FADES

Now, that is unusual, to say the least.

But that's the nature of miracles - to be unusual.

And if it's the nature of some people not to believe in them,

well, the more fool them.

However, the Emperor doesn't want to make too much of it.

He doesn't want any fuss or public announcements.

He wants us all to behave normally.

Although he is now a god, he is still the same loveable young man who we've always known, I can attest to that.

And to enable his relationships with all of us to continue exactly as they were,

he has decided, for convenience, to retain his mortal form.

Oh, and, by the way, his sister Drusilla has become a goddess. Any questions?

Well, of course, it is unusual

but, as Sutorius Macro says, that IS the nature of miracles.

Why, one must ask oneself, are gods made only after death?

Sooner or later a man was bound to be reborn a god in our very midst.

If we worship the divine Augustus after his death,

doesn't it make sense to worship his great grandson while he is still alive?

I think we should count ourselves fortunate to be living at this time.

Gentlemen, posterity will envy us.

Posterity will call you an ass, you idiot.

The Emperor.

BUGLES PLAY

My sister and I are pleased to admit you into our presence once again.

Your recovery is a miracle.

But you prayed for it, Lentulus.

Night and day. But our prayers are not always heard.

Yes, but yours were very special, so I understand.

You offered your life to the gods in place of mine. That was extremely noble.

It's true. I did.

And what are you going to do about it?

Do about it? What do you mean?

Well, I'm still here and so are you.

But we oughtn't both to be here.

Should we not give the gods the things that we promised them?

You're in danger of the crime of perjury, Lentulus. Think about it.

But not too long. The gods won't wait forever, of that I can assure you, I know them only too well.

Now we will walk through the market place and the forum and show ourselves to the people of Rome.

Still coughing? We shall have to do something about that. You haven't forgotten my statues?

-C-c-certainly not.

-Herod, you're back with us.

-To bring you my congratulations, Caesar.

Come walk with me awhile. I want to talk to you.

You mean to tell me that there is no-one in all Rome man enough to strike him down like a dog.

It's very difficult, Mother. There are always guards - Sejanus saw to that.

And anyway, I've never k-k-killed anyone before.

Besides, everyone secretly believes his madness can't last.

Either he'll recover his senses or he'll die.

-Well, couldn't you poison his food?

-Oh, Mother, what am I? An assassin?

-A living god among us(!)

-And a goddess.

I saw that coming a long time ago.

To take a sister for a wife - they will rot in hell for it, both of them.

-To be honest, I feel sorry for her.

-You would!

She's terrified of him so she plays up to him.

-I can't say that I blame her.

-I'd kill myself first.

-No-one wants to die, Mother.

I saw Lentulus' face, the day it dawned on him that "the god" wasn't joking.

He waited a long time hoping Caligula would forget it, but he didn't.

He sent Macro with a colonel of the guard to watch him while he opened his veins.

He got what he deserved. They all deserve it, and you too! You are a pack of shameless cowards.

When Germanicus died, there died the last of the Romans.

Good to get away from Rome.

You are fortunate you don't have to live in the palace.

-The antics that go on there at night are...

-I don't want to hear it, I have heard enough!

-Is there anything left in the privy purse?

-No, not much.

He g-g-gave a charioteer 20,000 gold pieces the other day just for w-w-winning a race.

When the money runs out, you'd all better watch out.

I'll see you both at supper.

-She's very upset.

-Well, what can I do?

I've got a mad nephew but I can't kill him.

What's the matter with us, Herod?

These are the children of my noble brother Germanicus.

How could it happen?

Well, you know what they say about the tree of the glorious, it bears two kinds of fruit -

Sweet and red.

Well, we've certainly had a terrifying crop this season.

This isn't their house...

This is OUR house.

Yes.

We shall spend most of our time here.

I'll build a bridge to connect it with the palace.

And I'll hold my audiences here.

Yes.

Look at it.

-Jove.

-THEY LAUGH

Does he look like a god?

An inferior god.

(Yes.) An inferior god.

Did you hear that?

You're not important enough for this temple.

I beg your pardon?

Be careful what you say to ME

otherwise I'll have your face smashed in.

Well, speak up, I can't hear you!

Well, for now you may address me as Zeus -

for his power is the nearest that approaches me.

You were created by the old Romans in his image but you're nothing.

NOTHING! Do you hear me?

And this...

is Hera.

Out of whom...

the Romans created YOU!

We will move you both to an annexe.

You've been here far too long.

This is temple in which I have chosen to bear the child of ZEUS!

Child?

Mine...?

The child of Zeus...

to rule the universe.

Tell her.

Tell her what it's like to be loved by Zeus.

Tell her.

He was like the sun bursting in my veins.

He was like a shooting star.

It was if all the lights of the universe blazed at once in my womb.

And a new universe was born.

-But you promised they'd be standing today.

-I did not promise.

I said I'd do my best, that's all I promised.

-They h-have to be ready for the ce-ceremony tomorrow.

-Nero's ready.

-One's no good without the other one, you idiot!

-No need to be offensive.

-Offensive?! I'll have you thrown out of the city.

-Well, what can I do?

The marble didn't arrive until last week and my best sculptor's sick.

-The marble was here last time I called.

-It was? But there was a crack.

-Yeah, you used it for somebody else, you rogue.

-As Jove is my judge, we never used it for anyone else.

Take Nero and I'll have Drusus ready in a week.

You can keep it.

-You've got me into a great deal of trouble.

-Keep it?

What am I going to do with a statue of Nero?

You can stick it! And you know where you can stick it!

And I'll see you in the courts for breach of contract!

You'll sue me? I'll sue you.

I'll sue you for damages.

For misrepresentation.

You'll be hearing from my lawyers, I promise you.

CRASH

And I'll charge you for that too!

-Caesar, there is something you should know.

-Ssh!

Can you hear it?

Hear what?

Gemellus...coughing.

Can't you hear it?

No.

Oh, what it is to have the senses of a god, I can hear everything.

Even a leaf

falling on the other side of the world.

Sometimes it's unbearable to hear so much.

Can't you hear anything?

Not a thing.

He was coughing all the way through dinner.

Why weren't you at dinner, by the way?

I fell asleep.

He was coughing all the way through dinner.

And even when he went to his room on the far side of the palace, I could still hear it.

No-one else could.

Not even Hera.

Hera? Oh, yes, Hera.

No, I don't think she would have heard it.

Stopped.

Oh, yeah, I'm glad.

Yes, you wanted to tell me something.

Yes. It's about the st-statues.

That's something I wanted to talk to you about. You've noticed too?

-Noticed what?

-That none of the statues of the gods in Rome look like me.

I can't have that.

Collect all the important statues of the gods in Rome

and replace their heads with one of my own.

-Your own?

-Yes.

And Hera's too.

You could put her head

on the statue of Venus.

Isn't she beautiful?

And she's pregnant.

She carries my child in her womb.

That thought torments me - and what could it be like?

Could it be greater than Zeus himself? Could it rule the universe?

The statues of Nero and Drusus

won't be ready for the ceremony.

What?

The statues of your b-b-brothers

won't be r-r-ready in time.

-Won't be ready?!

-It's not my fault.

-I-I-I...

-You bungle everything! You're an idiot, your mother always said you were.

I was a fool to have trusted you!

-Sorry.

-I've a good mind to have your throat cut. In fact, I'll do it now.

-No. No!

-What is it?

Who is it?

Gemellus.

I've cured his cough.

Oh, no.

Oh. Oh.

And you're not consul any more.

You are dismissed!

I'll find somebody else.

Take it away. It looks horrible.

Yes, Caesar.

Drusilla, wake up, please.

Please, Drusilla, my head!

Please.

No-one can be greater than Zeus.

Not even the child of Zeus.

Well, there weren't many at the funeral, were there?

What did you expect? Caligula denounced him as a traitor to the senate.

All the same he was Iberius' grandson, and was still only a boy.

How could people believe such nonsense?

People will believe anything if it suits them.

We may count ourselves fortunate he didn't celebrate the funeral with games.

I want to speak to Claudius alone.

Of course. I'll go.

Is there something wrong, lady, or is it Gemellus' funeral that has upset you?

It's the funeral.

Goodbye, Herod.

Goodbye.

You going away somewhere?

Yes. At long last

I'm going to join your father.

What do you mean?

I'm going to kill myself.

-Now, don't start any nonsense.

-But you can't.

Oh, yes, I can. My life's my own. It will be a welcome release.

I have no wish to go on living in this place.

And you don't have to pretend you will miss me.

Of course I'll miss you.

-You're my mother.

-Well, that's very dutiful of you considering I've never been very loving towards you.

And I'm sorry for that, but you've always been a great disappointment to me, Claudius.

-Please don't say it.

-There, you see.

You're crying at your age.

-Well, why shouldn't I cry?

-Well, there's no need.

Keep your tears for yourself. You may need them. I shan't.

Don't do it, please.

My mind is made up. I don't want to stay here any more.

I was born into a world of people. It has become a kennel of mad dogs.

I have seen my splendid son Germanicus murdered, and my grandsons Drusus, Nero, Gemellus.

My granddaughter is a degenerate beyond redemption, and your sister Livilla died by my own hand.

That was the worst.

I should have died then myself.

Wait awhile.

Caligula is sick in his mind, sooner or later...

No, Rome is sick, sick to its heart.

He's just the rash it's come out in.

He can't last forever.

No.

And I dare say you'll survive him.

You'd survive the Great Flood, I know that now. But I have no wish to.

I have stayed too long and I have always thought it the height of good manners to know when to leave.

You will find all my affairs in order.

Pay my debts and be good to my slaves. They have been very loyal.

I shall go down to Antium and do it there.

Come in five hours, I shall be dead by then. But wait till Briseis confirms it.

I wouldn't want you to catch my dying breath.

I count on you to pay me the last rites.

And remember, cut off my hand for separate burial for this will be suicide.

It would be just like you to forget it.

And, Claudius...

Claudius!

Please...

don't make a muddle of the valedictory.

You may kiss me.

Don't, Mother.

She's dead, master.

-You can go in.

-How was it?

Oh, so easy, master.

When a life so wants to escape, it takes but the touch of a knife on the vein to let it flow away.

She didn't cry out?

Only at the end.

I heard her call to your father.

"Drusus," she said, "forgive me".

-"Forgive me."

-Forgive me?

Perhaps for keeping him waiting so long.

I've taken her out of the bath and laid her out.

She's covered with a sheet. You can go and see her now.

Yes, I'll come.

Don't be sad, master.

She wanted to go. It was no effort.

Calm as you like, and brave.

Well, she was Mark Antony's daughter and Octavius'. You'd expect it to be like that.

I've cut off her hand for separate burial.

Why did YOU do it?

She asked me to, master.

Perhaps she thought it might slip your mind.

Zeusy!

Zeusy!

My husband.

Where are you?

Ooh, you're not Zeusy!

You're not my husband Zeusy.

You're just my silly old uncle C-C-Claudius.

It was your grandmother's funeral today.

Couldn't you have attended?

Gods don't attend funerals.

You're drunk.

No, my husband found this wonderful portion which we take.

It makes you feel as if you're riding through the air.

Have you seen him, my husband?

-He's hiding.

-Do you mean your brother?

Yes, my brother.

My divine,

potent brother.

Potent.

Do you know he's to be a father?

Hera is with child by Zeus.

Or Diana. Sometimes I'm one, sometimes I'm the other.

He gets a bit confused.

Why do you play up to him like this?

Why do you?

You play the clown and I play the goddess.

God, you're disgusting.

You wouldn't dare say that to him.

You're afraid.

We're all afraid.

Even he is.

You know what he's afraid of?

This. He's afraid it will be more powerful then he is and rule the heavens.

Now I have something he's afraid of.

Zeusy!

Zeusy, where are you?

Zeusy.

Zeusy!

Uh!

Oh, you frightened me.

Oh, it's magnificent.

It will tickle a bit.

Why are you hiding in here?

I wanted you to find me in here.

You see,

I have altered my whole room.

Olympus, we gods like to live on mountain tops and while I

have to live in this awful palace, this reminds me of my real home.

And what's this?

A chariot to draw you up to the clouds.

Drink this.

I think I have drunk enough.

Is it the same?

It's the same. We gods drink it before we perform a miracle.

Drink, drink, drink.

Mmm.

You know I love you

more than anything in the whole world?

Let me show you how you will be drawn up into Olympus.

You see.

Gold and bracelets to help you...

..to help you...ride.

Shall we ride together?

Who am I?

Zeus, Lord of Heaven, my husband.

-Who are you?

-The Queen of Heaven, your wife.

Do you trust me?

Oh, utterly, my lover, my lord.

-There'll be no pain, I promise.

-Pain?

Why, what do you want to do, my angel?

You know I can resist you nothing.

What are you doing?

What do you want to do?

Oh, come on, tell the Queen of Heaven what her lord and master wants.

I must

draw the child from the Queen of Heaven's womb and swallow it whole.

So that a new child may grow out of the head of Zeus.

Yes, darling,

draw it out.

Let Zeus take the child and...

Let's go to bed.

Your queen's very sleepy.

What's that?

What are you going to do?

There'll be no pain, I know it.

Pain, but why should...?

Caligula?

We are immortal gods.

SHE SCREAMS

Open the door!

HAMMERING ON THE DOOR

Don't go in there.

Don't go in there.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd - 2006

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