Languedoc - 12th century
Joseph, my son! Take your mother and go!
"By order of the Holy Church of Languedoc,
the Tribunal of the lnquistion
sentences the heretic Gerard Breuil
to be burnt at the stake, along with all his writings,
for straying from the way of Our Lord
and translating the work of the heretic Averroes"
D E S T l N Y
Joseph...
your mother is dead
Calm down
Go.. l'll take care of everything
Andalusia - 12th century
Long live Caliph Mansur!
Long live the victor of Alarcos!
You praise him, like these infidels?
l have orders: flatter him until he bursts
Join in!
l'll give you 5 dinars
Are you joking? This book comes from Baghdad!
The Caliph would pay
l'll buy it
lf l don't buy it for the Caliph' library, he'll slay me
l need it for my studies. l can barely
afford it
For your studies?
Then take it. lt's yours
l'll let you have it for 7 dinars
All l have is five
You've earned it, wretch
Where can l find Averroes, the High Judge?
He's my teacher. l'll take you to him
Wasting such blue eyes on a boy..
how unfair!
Eat! You're all skin and bones!
There's enough for an army!
She complains that l'm stingy
but she feeds the whole neighborhood
lf it weren't for me, you'd all look like him!
Our eyes would turn blue?
Don't take another bite. Manuela will put a curse
on anyone who doesn't taste her biscuits
She's challenging me again? Go get my date bread
Just one bite and she'll turn green with envy
- Take it to her - l'm no delivery boy!
l'm the son of the Caliph!
As modest as his father
Tell on me then, Uncle!
lf l were your father, l'd disown you!
l'm going dancing!
Unbelievable! The Caliph's son wants to be a dancer!
We call this culture?
At his age, l could dance for three days straight!
Come to the inn, Blue Eyes, or they'll stuff you till you burst
l should stay
l'm warning you..
they go to bed when the sun sets
Abdallah, you forgot these
l'll lock you in a dungeon filled with books!
Finally...
ls Your Highness sick?
Do l have to be sick to see you?
Let's play
- At this hour? - l can't sleep
l've been back from the war for four days
Where were you?
What's wrong?
lt's my sons, Nasser and Abdallah
They're failures
You're finally thinking about them!
They're vulnerable
What do you expect of them?
What do you want them to be: thinking men or lackeys?
l've run circles around the Spaniards
- We're talking about your sons - You're obsessed!
You're the one who's worried!
All that interests Nasser is horses and girls
And Abdallah is beyond all hope
lf l lock him in his room, he escapes
l threaten him..
l even beat him, but it's hopeless
He slips away
Give him real responsibilities
You treat him like a mere servant
All he's good for..
is gypsy dancing
lf you saw how he danced..
Dancing!
My son, a dancer!
And what if he's happy dancing?
When my daughter disagrees with me,
she just blurts out: "You're wrong!"
lnstead of being our children's enemies,
let's try to persuade them
Childish soul-searching pales in comparison
with the reality of Conquest!
Checkmate
All the better!
You see? l'm unbeatable!
Goodnight
Stay and learn to play
lf l don't get to bed, l'll collapse
- You're like Abdallah! - We both love life!
Don't ... l'm scared
No. We want each other
lt's simple
Get dressed. Help me to stay chaste
That's ridiculous
l'm hiding our relationship from Manuela
Lying to my own sister!
Did you tell anyone?
l want to tell the whole world!
Abdallah loves Sarah. He's wild about her
Too bad she doesn't ..
No, l love you too
Terribly
Mere words
lf Manuela finds out, she'll kill me
- She trusts me - And you're betraying her
lt's not my fault. lt's the Devil
He's a naughty boy.. a dirty little rascal
Every time we meet, l feel
it's going to be the last
The son of the Caliph and a poor gypsy girl..
You may think l'm strange
but that's just the way l am
Soad!
At your service
They're staring at Abdallah
When you're a Caliph's son, people stare
You're worried sick, as if he were your own son
l'd take a son like him any day, faults and all!
He's sulking
He won't speak to anyone
Get him to dance. He's dying to...
The son of the Caliph?
You're all out of your minds!
He's had too much to drink
Quiet, please!
l have a poem
Loving you is a slow death. My heart grieves
And when my torment becomes unbearable,
l invoke my woeful heart and shout:
"Why pine away for someone who ignores you?
"Why care for so uncaring a creature?
"You, prisoner of pride and vanity"
Such depth in so few words
lt's by Abu Nawas
lt's amazing!
You're so young
and already a genius!
Stay with us a while
Share your learning with us
What does "prisoner of pride" mean?
lt's sort of what happens when your heart is sort of...
lt comes from deep inside. Sort of
l'm overwhelmed
l'll never attain your level of insight
Only a true thinker
can appreciate such verse
You're a born poet
Every word you say is like...
A pearl!
A string of pearls!
A Caliph's son mixing with commoners!
You're modesty itself! People like you are rare
God keep you for your people
lf only you could spend all night with us..
The night is still young
We can wait
#Hear me, lovers of life
#Hearts are ablaze
#in the bonfire of love
#lf the moon hid itself,
#a thousand other moons
#would light up the night
#They'd open the way
#for a thousand paths to the impossible
#Even if you're late, rosy sunrise,
#source of life, we know you'll come back
#You'll dazzle our eyes and brighten our souls,
#and you'll make us masters of our destiny
#We'll dance as we please
#And our dreams will dance deep in our hearts
#Jezebel!
#We defy life with song
#Our hearts keep the beat
#Our voices sing the tune
#Our feet
#stomp to the rhythm
#Make haste
#The road we must travel is long
#and we have no other
#Every step we take is a burning torch
#guiding us on our way
#We will not go astray
#Dawn comes, lighting our way
#to a shimmering day
#Dawn comes, lighting our way
#to a shimmering day
#And if attacked,
#our dreams fight back
#Resist! Fight!
#And vanquish!
#We must remain masters of our destiny
- Let's go - Not without him
The Caliph's son?
l have orders
They said: "Don't come back without him"
- He'll slip away - You think so?
Here he comes
Poet!
- Will you join us? - Why not?
You won't be disappointed
Say you're sorry! Say it!
How can l? You're gagging me!
Hearts are ablaze
Let's go pray
so God will forgive us for last night's excesses
What excesses?
Dancing? l love dancing
Of course. Dancing is wonderful
You sway your head
invoking the name of the Lord
Your soul follows the rhythm
#O God, you command us and condemn us to silence
#Let us be content with whatever you bestow on us
#He who joins us
#will attain bliss and obtain redemption
#He who spurns us
#will be forever damned
#Obeying our Emir
#is our supreme desire
#Obeying our Emir
#is our supreme desire
Bless us!
Emir, bless us!
ls anything wrong?
No, l'm fine
A lazy fool learns two verses of the Koran and passes himself off
as a purveyor of divine truth. ls this man pious?
A true understanding of these texts
requires years of reflection, research and labor
lf we believe these self-proclaimed geniuses,
we disregard this Koranic verse:
"ln the name of Allah the Merciful
"The ignorant man, whose vain words lead astray from the way of God
"and take it in mockery will be met by a humbling chastisement
"True is the word of Almighty God"
No one can claim to know the whole truth
Not even Caliph Mansur?
The lmam Malek said, pointing to the Prophet's tomb:
"Every man can be questioned except for him who lies here"
The lmam El-Chafei said:
"A true opinion can seem false
and a false opinion, true"
Averroes outsmarted him
Borhan is inept
Be patient
Borhan is craftier than you think. You'll see
The Koran is clear. Are you inciting us to doubt it?
The Prophet said:
"lf your quest leads to truth, you will have two parts
"lf it leads to error, one part. All quests are rewarded"
"Lord, increase me in knowledge"
Knowledge? What about faith?
Are you contesting God?
He outsmarted him again!
Averroes said: "Revelation can be interpreted only by study"
We should have answered:
"The Text allows no interpretation"
lf you're so clever, answer him yourself
and get your own flock of admirers
We have to silence Averroes
We must coerce the Caliph into forbidding him to teach
There's no use bickering
We'll take the necessary measures
"Be patient as the Messengers possessed of constancy"
They leave the mosque one by one,
pretending your lesson bores them
lt's surely a ruse plotted by an invidious mind
l should "plot" a little song for them
Careful. Your song could cost you your life
What happened?
Not now
Everyone, out!
A pretty girl like you taking care of the laundry
And not of you?
l'm ready and willing to help you discover
the pleasures of this world
The nerve of you!
Son of a Caliph or not, if you keep at it, l'll slap you!
l'll throw you in jail and tickle you to death
Brute!
He'll be on his feet in a week or so
For the time being, he needs to rest
Good going, Nasser
Removing the knife would have killed him
Did you see who attacked him?
He was about twenty.. with a crazed look in his eyes
- Why didn't you catch him? - And leave Marwan?
Smart thinking!
My horse kicked one of them in the face
l'd recognize the hoof-print
Do something or every philosopher will perish
Marwan, a philosopher?
His songs belittle my father
lt's your father's fault. He's giving the fanatics free rein
lf l were in charge, l'd show you!
l can just see you on the throne
Over there. Get off my "throne"
Marwan!
Shut the gates
l'm looking after my husband now! Understand?
The security of the Almohad dynasty has never been so threatened
Where have you been, High Judge Averroes?
And you, governor of Cordoba? And you, the crown prince?
The country is foundering
After all we've done, who would dare protest?
People are exploiting religion
and you're letting them
They're the only ones we hear in the mosques
You'd be heard if you were as eloquent as these
men of faith
Merchants of faith, if you ask me
Whether they rant on about Arab victories
or about religion, they're only defending their interests
Stop philosophizing. We're talking about one man
- lt's not... - Nasser!
Find the assailant and have him executed
lt's not a man, but a movement gnawing away at your authority
No movement in the world can shake my throne
These barbarians are jeopardizing our culture
What are you waiting for? Go execute my sentence
Have the assailant interrogated
He may tell us what's ailing our country
The country isn't ailing. lt's in fine shape
The danger is real
They're a menace to the whole realm, not just Andalusia
They've indoctrinated..
thousands of young people
By magic?
l think the assailant was manipulated by conspirators
Let the law decide
Show in the commander of the cavalry
ln my opinion..
You have opinions now?
Opinions, positions..
Convictions, too. A lot more than you think
Why not take my throne from me?
Turn my people into a dance troupe!
lf my ideas bore you, l'll go elsewhere
Find a mosque and speak your heart out!
Why not? l have a mouth
You do. lt's a brain you don't have
God help you
- What? - God bless you
High Judge!
Does he deserve to die?
The Caliph's moods have replaced our laws
Go kill the boy. Obey your father's orders!
His Highness demands blind allegiance
- Maybe l should... - You decide
lf l were you, l'd think it over
Think hard
This is only the beginning!
My son!
My child!
Why arrest him? Anyone could have done it!
Where are you taking him?
Did you attack Marwan because of his poems?
- l've never read them - Why then?
lf God lets me live, l'll stab him again
He's the enemy of God
- You didn't dress your wound - lt's a sin
Who told you Marwan is an enemy of God?
Good Muslims don't sing
He's stark-raving mad
He repeats like a parrot without understanding
How do they kill all feelings in these boys
and turn them into criminals?
He has a brother who escaped from the sect
He tried to kill him too
l'd like to meet the brother
l'll get him
No.. let's go to his house
They made my head spin with flattery. l believed them
"You're so smart.. so unique..
"Every word you speak is a pearl. Show us the way..
"Let's go spend a few days in the desert
"lf we meditate together, we'll be as one
"Nothing will ever tear us apart"
Then they began to wear us down
Praying until dawn, marching through the desert..
endlessly..
in the burning sun
Not knowing where we were going, or why..
Our feet burnt by the sand
"lt purifies the soul and strengthens the will"
ln fact, it shattered our wills
We became slaves to the Emir's will
l was instructed to tell people
that they had become impious,
that they had to regain the path to Truth
Follow my advice and you'll see the way
Just like our Emir, who sees all,
past, present and future
One day, he saw me steal from my mother
and stick my finger in her eye
He shouted: "You shall deliver the world
from the enemies of God"
He guides my weapon
Every throat l cut
takes me one step closer to Paradise
Yesterday
he had a vision: l was dressed in white,
on my way to Paradise
Everything l'd ever longed for
was laid out before me
That can only mean
that l'm very close
to being delivered
How about me?
We chose you, didn't we?
l shouldn't tell you this
The Emir had a vision of you ruling over Andalusia
with all of us at your feet
We are your true family
Flee those who are in the clutches of the Devil
Open your heart and tell me all about yourself
All right?
All right
What does your son do?
Nothing at all! Everyone says he's a good-for-nothing!
He should find a job!
You find him one! You know lots of people
You're an important man
What can he do?
He never liked studying. He likes giving orders
Make a soldier out of him!
Someone told him: "Learn a few verses
and you can order people around"
Who wants to keep on being a good-for-nothing?
Does murder make you good for something?
- Answer me - Stop harassing him!
Has he lost his tongue?
He's been silent for a month. When he does talk, he says:
"l'll make you rich, you and all the neighbors!"
Then he goes back to bed and he sleeps. And sleeps!
Once thoroughly exhausted,
you're ready to obey any orders. lf they say
"Kill your father," you do it
And if you get caught, they're the first to turn on you
What do you think, Sheik Riad?
Can someone regain his dignity by stabbing a poet?
The only right way is the way of the Lord
Had Marwan lost his way?
Marwan is old enough to know right from wrong
"Evil is self-evident"
Can these three children tell good from evil?
lt's up to the High Judge to decide
God says: "He who smites shall be smitten"
lf they are executed, they'll say they're martyrs
on the way to Paradise
lt's better that they enjoy their lives on earth!
"For this world, act as if you were eternal,
for the next, as if you must die tomorrow"
He's a child!
What does he know
about death and eternity?
Quiet! Listen to the judgement
Revelation is destined only to those endowed with Reason
That is, mankind
Divine law combines Revelation and Reason
lt consists in determining causes and effects,
mean and ends
Revelation encompasses Reason and Reason encompasses Revelation
Certain children confuse religion and ignorance
Certain adults turn ignorance into a religion
Our young defendants were led into perdition
Without realizing it, they were forced astray
ln its great equity, lslam refuses
to condemn an unsound mind
The High Court abstains from capital punishment
and sentences the accused to five years in prison
"God shall not be questioned, but they shall be questioned"
He deserved to die
ls our house so terrible?
There's plenty to eat and drink
We all help each other
But no. He wants everyone to obey him and call him "Emir"
My son, the frog, wants to be a prince
What's the joy in giving orders?
The judge won't change his mind, will he?
l trust Averroes
From your mouth to God's ears! Long live Averroes!
May God illuminate your way with His heavenly light!
You're madmen talking about reason!
What more do you want? The boys confessed
You flouted my authority by sparing him
The country is going to the dogs!
Didn't l order him to be killed?
Listen to me, brother. The boy is only eighteen
Fate saved Marwan by averting his knife
Marwan has forgiven him
Marwan?
Since when is Marwan a judge?
How can l protect you?
They weren't responsible for their acts
Sheik Riad says otherwise. So does the Council of Theologians
l decide what's in the country's interest
Not Sheik Riad. Not you. Me
You refuse all advice?
The Council agrees with me
They're very unhappy with your verdict
The Sheik is scheming..
The same old hallucinations
Maybe
As long as l'm Judge, my conscience will guide me
Even if l lose face?
Brother, your dignity is not in question
You've always been merciful. Think of the lives at stake
l won't go back on my word
This time, tragedy struck the sons of your citizens
Next time, it may strike your own sons
- l can protect them - Lucky for them
But don't forget: Your citizens are your sons too
- Where is Saad? - The brother?
l found him a job
lf you can't hide him, l will
How beautiful!
Our city must be
the envy of the whole world
Why did that idiot Emir of yours send Borhan to my house?
One more blunder and l'll cut off his funding
Better yet.. his head
- l have a request - l paid you
Three " suicides" . l've had to shut some mouths
l have a favor to ask. l can be of use to you
Speak
l want to become a judge again and regain my lost honor
Averroes branded me a common thief
You were stupid
He caught you accepting bribes. He's alert
l'm not after his position
l just want to be a judge again
You could take his place
You have a pretty face
Your beard is reason enough for me to give you his job
By resigning, you accuse my father
He's your best friend
You refuse him the benefit of the doubt you give to criminals
How can your father ignore what's going on?
Those boys were bound hand and foot
and hanged in nooses made of their clothes
lt's their custom!
When they're caught, they commit suicide!
No, they were "suicided" so they can't talk!
The sects are all over
Not in my courts!
That would be the death of Andalusia
The Caliph is not above the law
He too is accountable for his acts
Decadence is gnawing away at kingdoms everywhere
Lies and corruption have replaced justice and morality
There's more at stake than a few dead boys
Our culture, whose source is lslam, is threatened
My father is protecting it!
He built you a library!
He had you analyze Aristotle!
You wrote your commentaries thanks to him!
And thanks to him, my mother had me! Say it!
Here's my resignation
You're not through with me yet
l knew it. Averroes would never abandon us
and leave Sheik Riad to do as he pleases
He expected a death sentence from you
lt was in his interest
And you outfoxed him
- Three boys were killed! - Every cloud has a silver lining
What do you mean?
Forget my father. Let's keep an eye on Sheik Riad
Get up
Get up and pray
There's the east
Get up!
Die, but die pure
Marwan asked you here because he loves you
He's been waiting for you all week
Why didn't you come?
My only duty is to avoid the Demon
Who is the Demon? Me? Marwan?
Or his assailant?
lf you were pure, you'd know who attacked him
Thank God, there are serene people who see clearly
What do these geniuses say?
The true culprit is in the palace
Your father? The Caliph doesn't need mercenaries
Are you crazy? Your father!
"Darkness swallows up stray souls"
Your father?
" Abandon all Evil and you shall be saved"
God keep you
Abdallah!
Manuela, you're the only person l still love
Don't make me hate you
What's gotten into him?
He's running away from me
Because l'm pregnant
With Abdallah's child?
The Caliph's son? Woe betide us!
Sarah's carrying Abdallah's child
That explains his behavior
When his father learns a gypsy will inherit the throne
he'll slit the baby's throat!
lf he came back, then he loves you. That's all that counts
He's crazy. She'd best forget him
l'll never be able to forget him!
Neither will l. We're the ones to blame
We brought them together. lt's not Sarah's fault
Or Abdallah's
l'll raise the child myself. No one will know a thing!
Are you moving, Joseph?
l'm looking for a safe hiding place. You never know..
This is his life's work
The house of the High Judge isn't safe enough?
You must have a special place where you keep your valuables
You mean my jewels? l've never had any!
Averroes is poor?
He spends everything on his books and students
Come here. Put them in the cellar
Put them behind the sacks of flour
Take this
Aristotle!
Even without gallows
You're driving me crazy with your gallows!
One more word about criminals and executioners
and l'll send the lamb next door!
- l'll let you starve! - Let's talk about happiness
Come sit next to me
Come here, my love
What is happiness?
At daybreak, after l prepare your tea,
l go back to bed and the rest of the world can go to hell
lt's pure bliss
What else?
When Salma was born, she didn't even cry. l thought l'd die!
Then she started gurgling. l looked at her. She was so pretty
Gorgeous!
Salma, here we are! l've brought Marwan!
lt's been ages!
Marwan's back!
l'm fine, thank God. lt's good to see you all again!
You're back on your feet
Manuela is grateful for all you've done
How is my queen doing?
Nasser, you behaved like a true hero
Sing your song to your heart's content
for we can still sing
And we'll keep on singing
day in, day out, for the rest of our lives
No, come back!
Come on
What a catastrophe!
- Take shelter! - All my books.. destroyed!
All your books are here. None are missing
They're all here
"Commentary on Aristotle"
A little messy, but intact
My "Aristotle" .. l can't believe it
You're the best!
How did you guess?
Son of a witch!
All this for a bean-pole who saves some books!
l save his life and what do l get? Nothing!
A book is worth a hundred lives
Maybe not for me.. but for Averroes
- This is getting serious - Maybe Joseph forgot a lamp
No, this is Sheik Riad's doing
Before, he just wanted to distract us
Now he'll use arson and murder to silence us
How evil!
A pure man like you cannot imagine that others can stood so low
You're pure too
Even l have a hard time believing it
Sheik Riad craves power for power's sake
lf my suspicions are founded, he should hang six times
He's the richest man in the land. What more could he want?
Power
He'd do anything for it. He's driven by hunger
Does my father know?
l sincerely hope so
Sheik Riad is loyal. Don't be ridiculous
He has always stood by my side
You gave him a lot of land in return
Does he want all Andalusia?
l need him
People respect him. Let me rule my country
And get rid of Averroes?
Sheik Riad, the man you accuse,
opposes the fatwa that the Council demands
They want to burn all of Averroes' books
This one above all
"The lncoherence of lncoherence" l've read it
You understand their dismay
So that's why they set fire to his library
They all seem to agree with Ghazali
He's a great thinker and Averroes says he's wrong
What if Averroes is right?
He's too sure of himself
He lacks modesty
He insists on calling me "brother"
Where did he get that from?
Are we related now?
l had no idea. Your uncle is his latest dupe
My uncle loves him
That may be our downfall
Do you realize what a fatwa means?
The annihilation of all of Averroes' works
As if he never existed
What are you making?
A basket
So Sheik Riad's protecting me?
From which fatwa?
The one he recommended to the Council
- You knew about it? - Of course
And you didn't tell us?
lt's a sword hanging over our heads
- My father will intervene - No, he won't
This is all so sad
The two of you were so close
Sheik Riad has spoiled that now
This is the logical consequence of my acts
l have to accept it
This fatwa threatens more than your books
Your life is in danger
We all have to die someday
l'd rather die in bed, surrounded by weeping women
Lots of flowers and a stately funeral
But what's the difference if l die in a street?
That's suicide!
- What's wrong with him? - Nothing!
He confronts hardships that would topple a mountain!
Only l can understand him
Get back to your work
How many students has he had?
He's educated at least one son in every family
He's taught a lot and given much
With one hundred students, we can recopy his work in two weeks
Two copies of each book
Nasser.. are there rumors in the palace?
- Let's make... - Three copies of each!
Manuela, Sarah and l will work day and night
Namuela? This is supposed to be a secret!
Manuela outrivals you and your ancestors!
She's educated! She swears in 5 languages!
l'll take a copy to France
- lt's too dangerous! - lt's to save my uncle's work
l was thinking that...
ls Blue Eyes predicting the future again?
Forget France! l'll take them to Marrakesh
Everyone's a relative there
Joseph wants to help and you give him a hard time!
l'm starting now
l know his work by heart. l'll dictate
l'll do these with Manuela and Sarah
lf you so much as blink, l'll hang you from the minaret
Understood?
Uncle, Averroes must know nothing of our voyages
From me? My lips are sealed
#Wisdom guides the virtuous theologian
#in his study of what we call "syllogism"
#And divine law guides the philosopher
#in his study of what we call "reason"
#Reason is the study of divine law. Philosophy is the study of wisdom
#Everything that has been deduced
#from divine law is subject to interpretation
#No devout Muslim can doubt this
#Reason is the sister of divine law
#The supposed conflict between them
#is a malicious invention
Taste this
Why are you wearing all that?
Have you caught cold?
Aunt Zeinab, l want you to know...
you're like a mother to me
Not now
Taste this
Your blue eyes tell me you're leaving
You're going home?
My heart tells me you'll soon be back
l'll put aside a jar of dates for you
l'll be back.. l promise
lt's safer if you travel by night
lt's best if l mix with the crowds
lf my father had done that, he'd still be alive
You're like a brother
But.. l'm in love with someone else
With Nasser
My country is full of ignorance and misery, but l love it
l have to go pass on to them what l've learned here
Come what may?
You really do love Averroes
l'm not the only one..
This is a letter for him
That's his most important book. Have a safe trip
Tell your people
that what we Arabs respect most is loyalty
And tell your people that what we Christians respect most
is honesty
#The best moments of my life were those l spent with you
#But what can be better
#than saving books that will enlighten mankind?
#Your benevolence and kindness have overwhelmed me
#After everything l've learned,
#l couldn't risk your forbidding me to go
#This decision comes from deep within me. lt is entirely mine
#lf you won't forgive me,
#at least be indulgent
#You said: "Wherever we are, knowledge is a homeland
#and ignorance, a foreign place"
#l promise to return to the land of humanism
#and of love
#Your son, Joseph
Manuela thinks that Abdallah has joined a sect
They've been stalking him
They nabbed him at the inn
He kept going to the desert and coming back covered with sand
He told me to mind my own business. Now he's gone again
Does Marwan know?
Marwan was half-dead and Abdallah told him to pray
He told me: "The real culprit is in the palace"
l said: "Your father? You're crazy"
And you kept quiet?
l thought he was avoiding Sarah
What for? What a bunch of idiots!
Marwan, l need to see you
Did you know about Joseph?
Yes, l did
He can save your books if he wants. We all can
Stay seated
What would a member of a sect be learning
in his third week of training?
How to handle arms
Where would that happen?
Wait for the water to settle!
What are you doing?
The more water, the more you see
lf he knew you were improving his invention,
Alhazen would roll over in his grave
l'm here to find Abdallah
That's all
lt won't be easy to get in there
lf you see him there, come tell me
Get some rest. We'll keep watch
Are you crazy?
Here?
lnstead of sitting around
let's make a baby
lf we were able to, Abdallah would worry us less
So then, let's just make love
Say yes and l'll get Abdallah back
lt'll help me concentrate
You filthy brute!
Worse than the gypsies!
You're obsessed
Hands off or l'll scratch out your eyes
And l'll pull out your hair
Get it?
Now you try
Wait until you hear someone shout "His Grace!"
Then get a good look
He only shows his face once a year
Marwan, get up!
Abdallah's there! l saw him!
His Grace!
An angel..
There are a lot of them
Protect the Emir!
Have them move back!
Get back!
l want him on my horse
Can't you hear? Get him on the horse!
Abdallah!
Tie his hands behind his back
Go join the others
You too
Stand up!
We're respecting our agreement with Sheik Riad
We attack in two weeks. We expect Cordoba to be ready
No fighting. No resistance
Everything is in place
Sheik Riad will seem the perfect patriot
l trust him implicitly
Why would he risk losing what he's strived for all these years?
The battle will allow us to eliminate Mansur
- And his heirs? - His sons?
One babbles with the philosophers, the other eats out of our hands
And the philosophers?
By the time they're understood, we'll be in power
- You're well-informed - With all due modesty..
Smuggling books.. what decadence!
Where were you? The whole palace is looking for you!
"The infidels and blasphemers will burn in Hell"
Then to hell with all of us!
Why were you with those fanatics?
You've made a mess of your life
- You have no right to question me - But l am
Answer me!
You want to kill Marwan?
Why not kill me?
Or our father?
Kill him
"They'll suffer shame in this world and a mighty chastisement in the next"
Out of my house, you lout!
- Madwoman! - Go away!
He's the crown prince!
Does that allow him to hit his brother?
This is my house! l pay the tithe. So get out!
Who is he?
Just the crown prince
Welcome to our humble home
He's not welcome at all!
Why not?
He's a brute who hits his brother!
Your brother hits you all the time
He's a brute too!
- Even your father. Look - Mother, not now
Stay put or you're dead!
He'll stay here until he's back in shape
You may be a son to me, but none of your tricks
Be a good boy. l'll make you some saffron rice
We'll celebrate. He'll sing and dance like before
Averroes was right
Things are never as simple as they seem
Your assailants were like him
He's a criminal too
He should be punished
He's your brother
Where was he hiding all this hate?
Those lunatics unleashed it!
They're experts at instilling hate
Go ask Averroes
He knows their methods now
And he says to fight hate with hate?
The Christians are pushing us into the sea
You're busy playing with the gypsies
while l'm here all by myself
building the greatest fleet in history
- This time, it's serious - No more than any other time!
Your lack of foresight makes you an unworthy prince
and an unworthy human being
And you consider yourself a worthy father?
l'll forgive you. They're not your words
Averroes has managed to turn you against me
They kidnapped Abdallah and shattered his will
You told me he joined them willingly
They'll make a man of him
- They'll make a criminal of him - Keep him under guard
What else can l do for you?
Take us seriously
l don't eat the food of sinners
You've become too skinny
- Your heart... - My heart is my business
Stomp on it, if you want. But be careful..
l'm in it
God alone is in my heart
But God is love
Our Emir eats only a date a day
But you said he was an angel
You and l are mortals. Or have you become an angel?
Eat. You're skin and bones
"To withstand God's ordeals is a virtue"
Your brother is right
They've hardened your heart
Bon appetit!
#Sing your song to your heart's content
#for we can still sing
#And we'll keep on singing
#day in, day out, for the rest of our lives
#And if ever one day
#they try to break you,
#stand up tall
#like the proud palm tree
#reaching up to the sky
#Don't let them beat you. Don't let them break you
#Don't let them scare you
#Be like a dream, blossoming in the desert
#Sing your song to your heart's content,
#for we can still sing
Only dancing can bring him back to us
#Your song, resounding amongst mankind,
#will make the night's heart beat with joy
#and heal the wounds of the innocent
#Will you dance?
#l will too
#Despite myself, l'll dance too
#Despite myself.. despite myself.. l'll dance too
#Until your dream is entwined with mine..
#despite myself, l'll dance too
Soon enough, you'll be dancing in hell!
Maybe. But look at you
You've made your hell on earth!
Get off your horse
Kneel down and beg for mercy
Perfect
Marwan!
All infidels will meet the same fate
We shall purge society of the vile Mansur
The country will now live according to the precepts of God, His Prophet,
and his successor
You're faced with the choice of a lifetime
lf you want to,
take my horse, follow them
l wish it had been you who delivered the mortal blow
To die by your hand
He's dead!
Murderer!
l'm to blame for Marwan's death
How presumptuous!
He alone decided to die
For him, saving you was a duty
- l'd never have thought... - Thought?
You let others do the thinking for you
lf you want a shoulder to cry on, a word of warning:
l'm neither Marwan, nor your father
- Marwan wasn't my father - He chose to be
That's far more noble than giving life
He taught you to love life
And he paid the price
My real father never cared about me
Every man has his limits
Your father can't give what he hasn't got
You're no longer a child
You're responsible for your choices
You're too old to whine: "Mother hit me, Father neglected me
"and he preferred my brother
"l hate the whole world so l'll accuse it of being impious"
That's too easy
Too easy to justify the laziness, hatred and jealousy
you carry within yourself by blaming it on others
Do you aspire to greatness?
You'll reach it by doing something for others
What's impious is reveling in your hatred
That's heresy!
- l want to spread God's word - Whose do l spread? The Devil's ?
You?
Spreading God's word?
How presumptuous
You're so hollow, you repeat whatever nonsense you're told
Learn a poem and a Koranic verse and you're a poet and scholar?
What do you know about medicine and astronomy,
about mathematics and chemistry,
about philosophy?
Do you know enough about love,
about truth,
about justice
to claim to be able to spread God's word?
Answer me!
Why do l keep on writing?
My idea don't reach anyone anymore!
Why should l wait for them to burn my books?
l'll burn them myself!
lt's every man for himself!
Let them burn!
Keep out of it!
l'm not an animal!
Animals have more heart
than you and your sect!
Do you understand?
Zeinab!
l was worse with him than they were
God forgive me
You kicked me out of your house
And l'll do it again
Do you want me to leave?
Nasser was Marwan's best friend. He's come to console you
You were all so handsome
Three suns which merged into one
Nasser
Joseph
and Marwan
l've come to thank you for the joy you gave him
Thanks to you, not only Marwan, but all of us
learned about the joy of life
Still here?
You're not with your "friends" ?
Marwan had to die?
- Nasser! - How can you allow him here?
Marwan always looked after Abdallah like a son
Can't we forget? Can't we forgive?
Console him. He's lost his father... Marwan
Sing your song to your heart's content,
for we can still sing
Nasser!
Don't let yourself be blinded by hate
Saving this one book was worth all the risks
Read me something from it
l'm going back
You're resigning, like a lowly employee?
Go, if you want to
No one is indispensable to me
l'll find ten others like you
lt's my father who appointed you
l inherited you from him
ln that case, l may go..
You may not!
You're a commoner now. You're subject to my whims
Dismissed!
All this fuss over the death of a cockroach
They claim responsibility for Marwan's death
and menace their enemies with the same
They undermine justice and your authority
Riad rules the streets
Are you sure it's Sheik Riad who rules the streets?
Or is it you?
Why not?
l'm not interested in power
But you're interested in glory. ln immortality
Living on for posterity
Don't worry. Sheik Riad knows his limits
Let's hope so
Show me a man who is not a slave to his pride
His place is in my heart
You hate me
l hate ignorance and vanity
- You think l'm vain? - l think Sheik Riad is
No need to fear. l'm more clever than he is
Sit down
Such is politics
Politics without morality is doomed to failure
Don't you see? The political situation decides for us
Our conscience should decide
lf l didn't owe you some respect, l'd destroy you
Destroy me rather than both yourself and the country
l won't write anymore
Then they've won. They've broken you
and severed you from Mansur
Had l stayed with him, l'd have ended up hating him or myself
lf you could hate him, you wouldn't be grieving
A friend who is spurned seeks revenge. He despises himself
for the love he once gave
lt's just me and you
l esteem neither your politics nor your company
l'm not thrilled about yours either
Go console your friend in his fall
- Providence is on his side - And not on mine?
l thought no one was indispensable to you
Can we really expect...
Can we expect a man to be a great strategist,
a great leader and a good, loving father?
We ask nothing of your father
He is what he is. We must make our own way
My way is...
to Egypt
Tomorrow at dawn
Now that's a decision! You better stick to it
- You agree? - l agree if the decision is yours,
if you put your father behind you, if you forgive Abdallah
and if you say you love me as l love you
You're in love with Joseph
The day he left, you stared into his eyes from the roof
My mother likes his blue eyes too
l saw you kiss him!
He's the one who kissed me
When you leave, l'll go to the roof and stare at you
Will you?
Swear to God that you'll marry me
- Another decision! - l'll tell your father
- He knows l love you - You told him?
- My mother did - She knows?
Everyone knows but you
Go. When you come back, my trousseau will be ready
l'll go faster than my shadow
Father will refuse your trip and our marriage
- l demand both - Or nothing at all
We'll stand up to him
The two of us... together
What are you waiting for?
Someone's permission? Joseph would have...
Let them burn my books! Someone else can write them!
Great thinkers don't grow on trees!
Too bad. Such is my destiny and that of the nation
l'm scared, but l'm letting him go
You write books to incite people,
to rouse them, to make them think!
We have a right to take a stand and share the risks!
She sounds just like her father!
Thank God she looks like her mother!
Quiet! My husband is gorgeous!
l have to take responsibility for my decisions
Exactly
Besides, l'm the Caliph's son
l'll make myself respected
No one will be able to stop me
He's already proved his worth
Salma and l are for
He and l are against
Are we?
How about me?
Salma and Nasser are for. You and Abu Yehia are against
l've always played fair
l'm with them. That makes three against two
lsn't that right?
You're always right, my love
Go... No one can deprive the world of wisdom
God keep you
l'll do our children proud
As soon as we have some
Where are they?
Here and there. They're approaching Guadalquivir
They're a stone's throw away. Where did we go wrong?
After Alarcos, we wasted our fighting forces
in futile battles. Our army has suffered
Nothing l do is futile
Sire...
The enemy is here and we jabber away
How about the enemies within? They're undermining your power
Your friend Averroes warned you
lf you mention his name again, l'll throw you in jail!
Go ahead. You're the Caliph
People bow, even when you fart!
lt's Averroes who divided the nation!
He just happens to resign when the enemy attacks
He just happens to send my son God knows where
And the enemy happens to read his books!
Do they contain military secrets?
ldeas belong to all of mankind
Our kingdom was born of an idea. ldeas will live on
long after you and l fall into oblivion
l'll win this battle. lt's his ideas that will perish
ldeas have wings. No one can stop their flight
l can!
l'll have all his books burnt! l'll banish him!
lt'll be the end of Almohad culture and all of Andalusia
l am Andalusia!
Not him!
Open the doors!
Show Sheik Riad in
Can you rally the people?
Of course
How long will it take?
A day... a moment...
They're waiting for you
Ever since our glorious Saladin - God bless his soul -
set Jerusalem free, unifying Arab people the world over,
Christians have sought revenge
Their one wish is to destroy our empire
which has enlightened the world for over six centuries
They want Andalusia to sink back into misery and ignorance
They'll burn our homes, kill our children. They want our blood
Can we let
the enemy take back the land
which our forefathers turned into a paragon of civilization?
Can we?
God has given us a leader
even more glorious than Saladin!
Our mentor is pure. He is courageous
and inspired
Mansur the Victorious!
Commander of the believers of Andalusia!
We are your soldiers, Victorious One!
Glorious believers..
The world will soon know that Paradise is for the pure of heart
What happened, Sheik Riad?
You left during my speech
lt is you who inspires the people
You and you alone
Whatever you say arouses their enthusiasm
They hung upon your every word
There's no use talking about land and honor
Just tell them
it's God's will. Every one of them will obey
You're a real saint. And a clever one at that
For foundering in the ocean of illusion
and obscuring the people's judgement,
the Caliph forbids the following people from teaching
in schools and mosques. Furthermore, the Caliph orders
that their books be burnt in public
and that they be banished
lt's Averroes!
Are you hurt?
Al-Razi, only you can be entrusted with this
l don't always agree with what Averroes says,
but under such circumstances
it is my duty to save these books
My father has great respect for Averroes, but...
He ordered these books burnt and their author banished
lt will soon take effect
l learned of this yesterday
Sheik Riad has won
Run back to Averroes
lf he sees his books burn
without knowing they've been saved,
he'd die
"Commentary on Aristotle by Averroes of Andalusia"
"The lncoherence of lncoherence"
#Subjective, conflicting interpretations of divine law
#which assert their veracity above all others
#have torn the country apart
#We are all to be held responsible for these rifts,
#for these schisms
Tell her she's wrong!
No, your mother is right
Everything stays but the bench
Take the cupboard while you're at it!
Remember?
Life is so cruel with us
Leaving everything...
We've been through worse. As long as we're together...
we'll pull through
Tell me
Do you remember this bench?
Of course l do. l thought you'd forgotten
Our first night..
On the bench.. God forgive you!
Thank God, you're safe
Nasser's back
l want him docile
or l want him dead
Meeting like this is a true blessing
lndeed
l'm going to betray one of Sheik Riad's secrets
The Spaniards want peace
Who wouldn't ?
"lf they incline to peace, incline to it"
They want us to reduce the army and give out some gifts
to pacify the people and make them amenable
Trade will thrive. We all stand to profit from it
What does the Caliph of Andalusia think?
My father is the Caliph of Andalusia
Al-Mansur
He's given enough. He deserves a long rest
l've been trained to kill you
From behind?
Go ahead..
Won't your hand obey? Do it
l could have if they'd reached my heart
But they only played with my mind
Who's "they" ?
Those you wish to please by burning his books
Justice is done!
Too late
l know your books are safe in Egypt
Of course
Abdallah almost killed me
Sheik Riad has sided with the Spaniards
l was offered your throne
They lost
l'm ready to fight now
So am l
Heaven has answered your prayers, Sheik Riad. Enter
Not thwarting Averroes' plans
would have been disastrous
He can do us no more harm
Now that we are unified, we can confront the enemy together
You and your sects will go to the front line
As a shield
An example for those willing to die in the name of lslam
Victory or death.. both lead to Paradise
- l'm not a warrior - Come now!
Your eloquence alone gets the masses marching!
Have you nothing to say, Sheik Riad?
Who'll run the country?
No one. lt will run itself
- The philosophers can do no more harm - l'm an old man
Don't underestimate yourself! You're in fine health!
l know my dream will come true
l saw you leading the army, charging with the troops,
dressed in white, a sword in hand
- l've never held a weapon - Now's your chance!
The mettle of a warrior is apparent only in battle
- Sword against sword - Take mine
We know that the enemy is gathering near Jaen
Get your men ready. We attack at daybreak
We're attacking them at Jaen?
That's what our new "general" will tell them
- We'll attack at Alarcos - Perfect
Sire...
Averroes' books are safe
l took a copy of each to Egypt
Thank God
That was a wise thing to do. Thank you
May l tell him?
We set off in an hour
l won't be long
Will you restore him his honors?
l accused him of treason. Shall l contradict myself now?
What made you fall into your own trap?
Vanity
The books! They're safe!
Sarah, Manuela, his books are safe in Egypt!
That's Aunt Zeinab!
Move away! We have to congratulate him!
- l'll marry you when l come back - No, now!
Wait
l'll be back
Just a moment
Thank you
A thousand thanks..
ldeas have wings. No one can stop their flight