I want this man...
and this boy...
and this man to be free.
And you...
and this child...
and all you women...are set free.
Thank you, Master, thank you.
Calidias...Tirias...go on.
I'm sure the confiscation decree will come tomorrow...
But we won't be here anymore.
My earth, sacred earth.
May the gods protect your journey.
Farewell, Master.
They told me the place we're going to is prettier than this...
but I won't believe it unless you tell me it is. Is it prettier?
Come and say goodbye.
Remember the woods you liked so much?
The wagon will go right through it.
-Tomorrow -Of course.
You're pale.
Drink some wine, and pour me some, too.
Don't do it... I know you will anyway...
but I implore you not to.
The seasons are not what they used to be.
Once, in Africa...
a lion entered my tent...
and sniffed around like a dog...
and then he left.
Before they left, the children didn't want to eat.
But then they ate some fruit.
The road is safe:
they'll get there before dark...
safely.
The ancestors of the owners.
My word, so many sentries!
Encolpius!
In the slave quarters.
Who's crying?
Who's in here?
Ascyltus!
Of course.
Where did she run off to?
Ascyltus, what did the poet used to say?
"As for me, I have always lived...
to enjoy the present moment as if...
it were the last sunrise."
Good!
I was exhausted.. like an old horse going uphill.
Cider!
How about you?
Mechin talk about...
our mistress..
very sick, unhappy.
She need man all time.
She more hungry than starving she-wolf.
Husband give up hope.
But what can he do?
She need men...always new one.
Mechin say you are good for mistress.
Oh, make her happy.
Husband generous...give you gifts.
My mistress!
My very beautiful mistress!
Tomorrow...
we take mistress see oracle.
You know Hermaphrodite, child of gods?
He little girl, but boy, too.
Make many magics. People with plague cured.
See our future.
He up there in old temple of Ceres.
One time punish city that bad to him... Changed into chicken coop...
Everyone like chickens.
He can cure my mistress.
You want to go? Master is good...give you gifts, go!
Child of Aphrodite...
and Hermes... Hermaphrodite.
I beg you, demi-god. He's my only child.
Don't let him die... He's sick, the poor child...
He was so sick I couldn't bring him here...
But you can save him...
Make a gesture... Tell me you will...
Your son is saved...You may go...
Demi-god.
The son of the gods Mercury and Venus...
The old man keeps him for himself.
Chickens, lambs, pigs...
Why is he so fortunate?
It's wrong...it's wrong for him to benefit from it all.
Pay homage to the unfortunate hero of the battle of Quadragesino.
Favorite of the gods.
They're asleep...
Now.
The old man!
Let's go down that way.
Let's try going that way.
He's not well. His mouth has dried up.
He wants something to drink.. give him something.
And something to eat, too.
Ascyltus...
it's almost empty.
Let's get going.
The sun is killing him.. the sun!
There isn't a drop of water left!
Demi-god...
What's wrong, demi-god?
He's dead!
You let him die!
You both let him die!
I'll kill you!
I'll kill you both!
Ascyltus!
Encolpius...
Who are you?
Tell me who you are! Who are you?
Where are you hiding?
Come out and face me!
Tell me who you are!
Why aren't you fighting a gladiator instead of me? I'm a student!
Don't take your anger out on me!
Spare me!
I don't know why they're playing this joke on me...
I'm not fit for this fight. I'm not a Theseus, worthy of you.
Dear Minotaur...
I'll love you, if you'll spare me...
I beg you, have pity on Encolpius...
You know me, right?
So forgive my incompetence.
Proconsul, did you hear that? That's not cowardice...
It's the sensible speech of an educated young man.
I won't kill him.
It's up to you to judge him and pass a sentence.
As for me, I tell you today marks the beginning of a new friendship.
You're a learned young man: a poet, they tell me.
Of course, you showed little ability in fighting.
You must be more skillful with a pen...
At least, I hope so.
But stranger, don't let our laughter offend you.
You must realize that the festival of the god Mirth started today.
And we all know, you can't have a better beginning...
than playing a joke on a foreigner.
That was a pretty good joke, wasn't it?
But that beautiful woman is real...
She's nojoke...
You have earned her, Encolpius.
Go face Ariadne...
At least you can lick her!
Go on, Encolpius.. make her happy!
Hey, what are you doing? You might as well be dead.
Wait, be nice.. don't get angry. You'll see, I can do it.
What are you doing? You are disgusting!
-You'll bring bad luck to us all! -Let me try again.
Let go of me, let go of me!
You squashed little worm!
It was the treacherous sun!
Ascyltus...
my sword is blunted!
Look, Encolpius...
There's a friend of yours.
Luxury, riches, beautiful women...
Tasty suppers that last until the cock crows...
Weaknesses that dull the heart and mind...
Vices never rejected and always accepted...
In short, all this happiness has infected me...
And these are the results.
You, who are not only penniless, are also somewhat crippled, my friend...
I saw you, you know. You looked like a drowned mouse on top ofa cow.
But it was a very beautiful cow...
all meat.
No more drinking.
So what's happened to you?
Priapus is angry with you.. that's obvious.
He's a spiteful god. First he makes you as hard as a log, then as soft as dough.
But there are remedies.
Your Eumolpius...
will cure you...
I'm powerful here! No doors are closed to me!
Eros protects me and always gives me proof of his friendship.
My swindling and trafficking have made me the master of the city.
If I feel like giving a dance, it's ready in half an hour.
First, I'll take you to the Garden of Delights.
So many positions...
and certainly more to invent.
Man makes daily progress.
I think I've tried them all...
although old age has made me forget a few.
No one can remember all the love he's given and received, not even the young.
Do you, for example, remember everyone who's kissed your lips?
Listen, I have a friend here...
uh, just between us...
whose 'scepter' isn't working.
He was quite proud of it, as you can understand...
Sleep now, all right? Sleep.
Remember dream of other night?
Not good dream foryou.
If you promise to be good, I call...
Eleutheria.
I'm here. Forget that pickled eel.
Encolpius, a snail.. squashed...
by me!
I want a cure! Give me a cure!
Farewell, Encolpius...
I'll be waiting.
For me, where?
A ship carrying slaves and precious goods to Africa...
sails at midnight tomorrow.
I know what you need...
the witch Oenothea.
Oenothea?
Very powerful witch...
mistress of whole city...
She can make stone into water...
put out stars...
Is old story.
Many years ago Oneothea, young and beautiful:
In her town was great wizard with bigpowers:
who fell in love with her:
Oenothea...come here... I need your beauty.
But the wizard was old and ugly:
You know what Oenothea did?
She say to him:
"Come tonight: I lowerbasket:
for you, so you can come up to my house:"
But when the old man in basket:
she tie him up like this:
But the wizard revenged against her and everyone:
He put out fire in whole town:
So all came to beg wizard:
"You give back fire:
No more can see at night:
No more cook food:"
And wizard say:
"The fire...under clothes of Oenothea.
There fire is hidden.
Go look for it. You'll find it."
So where is she now?
No one knows where Oenothea is.
You must look:
Many say beyond great swamp:
Ascyltus...
aren't you scared?
Me? Scared of what?
Do you think Oenothea will come?
And what if she doesn't?
She will, you'll see.
She'll come for this.
Encolpius...
Encolpius!
Oh, great Mother, can you see my disgrace?
The culprit facing you...
is guilty of treachery...
and murder...
and profaning a temple...
and is now a soldier without weapons.
I don't know who caused me all this trouble.
I just don't know... I can't understand what's happened to me.
I have to, have to, have to do it!
I have to! I have to succeed! I have to succeed!
Encolpius...
let's go.
Ascyltus, the great gods have cured me!
Mercury has given me back my power.
Farewell, Oenothea, generous Mother.
We've got to be happy now. I want to make up for lost time.
The flower of youth withers so soon.
Run, Ascyltus, run!
We'll get on a ship...
and go far away.
Besides, the ground is too hot under our feet..
the new Caesar is really hard on outlaws.
We'll leave tonight.
Ascyltus!
Ascyltus.
Ascyltus...
where is your joy now... and your arrogance?
Now you're at the mercy of the fishes and wild beasts...
you, who bragged about your warrior innocence.
Come on, mortals, fill yourselves with dreams.
Great gods...
how far he lies from his destination.
The ship that was to carry slaves and precious goods to Africa...
will not set sail tonight.
Our master is dead.
He left a strange will, sir.
Listen...
"All those named as beneficiaries in my will...
except the freemen, will come into possession of all I've left behind...
on the condition that they rip my body to pieces...
and eat me in full view of everyone.
I urge my friends not to reject my invitation...
but to devour my body with the same enthusiasm...
with which they sent my soul to hell."
This is impossible...
it has to be a joke.
Why?
In some cultures it's customary...
for family members to eat their dead.
In fact, the sick are often blamed for their condition...
because it makes their flesh taste bad.
I'm not worried about my stomach's rejection.
It will follow my orders, if in exchange for an hour of nausea...
I'll always have plenty of riches.
There are certainly many examples...
The Segutines, besieged by Hannibal, ate human flesh...
and expected no inheritance.
And when Scipio conquered Numanzia...
they found mothers holding the gnawed bodies of their children in their arms.
As for me, I'm ready to comply.
-Are you coming away with us? -Yes.
Let's go.
The wind is favorable.
The clouds are breaking.
I decided to leave with them:
We set sail that very night:
I was one of the crew:
We called at unknown ports:
For the first time, I heard the name of Kelisha, Rectis:
On an island covered with tall, fragrant grasses:
I met a young Greek who told me that in the years: