The legend began beneath these dark hills
and under this same sky.
It tells øf a swørd øf great pøwer.
førged før the cønquerør Julius Caesar.
This weapøn was passed døwn until it reached
the last øf Caesar's nøble line. the emperør Tiberius.
On his death. it was hidden away tø keep it frøm the hands øf evil men.
Før generatiøns. it lay in a secret place.
marked by the sign øf a pentangle.
and as it was written. under the very gaze øf Caesar.
I. Ambrøsinus. børn in Britannia...
was øne øf many men whø søught it.
In a time øf injustice.
I made it my life's task tø find the swørd
and the øne righteøus enøugh tø wield it.
I jøurneyed far acrøss the Cøntinent.
thrøugh the heart øf an empire that ruled half the knøwn wørld.
Nøw a threatened Røme was calling back her bravest and best
tø defend her bøundaries.
GUARD: Make way!
Good to be home, Commander?
Is this what I'm supposed to wear?
I can't even remember how to put it on.
Why ask, Vatrenus, hmm?
Why me?
Because they trust you. You are a true Roman.
Besides, 'tis a glorious thing, they say, to guard the new Caesar.
We held Africa for them for 10 years,
grew old on their battlefields,
lost good men.
What was it all for?
We're soldiers, Aurelius. Politicians make the decisions.
AURELIUS: Two breeds of men to be avoided like the pox...
- (blade scrapes) ...politicians and philosophers.
You know, in Alexandria they cut off the hand that steals.
No, please.
Once the hand is off, it's for God to decide whether you live or die.
Most die.
Batiatus!
Do it outside. It'll make a mess. Blood everywhere.
- Who's this? - Thief. Caught in the act.
I'm not a thief.
Now he's yours, big man.
- One hand or two, Commander? - Oh, just the one.
(chuckles)
No, let me go, please!
I wasn't gonna steal it, I swear to you! I give you my word.
AURELIUS: Your word?
You?
A street boy? A thief?
How can you be a man of your word?
I just wanted to look at it.
I am Aurelianus Caius Antonius, commander of the lmperial Guard.
I am asking you, do you lie to me?
I would not lie to you.
You come back in ten years, boy.
I'll give you your own sword.
Now get out.
Another worthy foe vanquished then, Commander.
It's heartening to see soldiers of Rome display such valor.
Who are you?
One who knows humiliation to be a poor teacher...
for both men and boys.
I smell a philosopher.
Are you all right?
- Take the boy and go. - In our own good time.
Heh. He said go, old man.
More than a philosopher, then.
(blowing softly)
How'd he do that?
Every time we have goose for dinner, you do that same old trick.
Oh, dear.
Have I done that one before?
And I didn't need your help.
(fountain trickling)
Either way, you missed your Greek lesson.
How come you never told me you knew how to fight?
Get out of here, both of you. Go, go!
Let them pass.
- Odoacer. - Orestes.
For ten years I have supported Rome.
Ten years my warriors
- have fought beside your legions. - Who is that?
(whispering) The commander of the Goths.
ODOACER: So now here I am...
to claim my dues.
And what are your dues, General?
One-third of all Italy.
(scoffs)
You think I'm joking?
Is this true, Orestes? Did you make such a pact?
No... how could I promise what isn't mine to give?
ODOACER: One-third of Italy.
That way the alliance continues
and your new Caesar
will not topple from his throne like the others before him.
I promised you nothing beyond the reward you were already given.
You 've grown so tall, Orestes...
you forget whose shoulders you stand on.
Romulus, where have you been?
We've been looking everywhere.
Ambrosinus, you took him outside without a guard?!
- You know the danger. - No, l...
It's a fine morning. We went for a walk. No harm done.
You know what tomorrow holds for him?
For all of us.
I know perfectly well, Orestes.
I have as much care for your son as you have.
What did you say?
You go too far, schoolmaster.
Leave us.
Orestes, sometimes I think you forget he is just a boy.
He has your blood in his veins, bloodline of the Caesars.
He was never just a boy.
Mother, in five years there have been five emperors...
and they were all murdered.
What will happen to me?
You will be guarded by the best.
You will live long and rule wisely.
(cheering)
My son...
this day you join the immortals.
Caesar! Caesar! Caesar!
(clanks)
Mother, am I now the most powerful man in the world?
You are.
Then why can't I stay out on the day I am crowned?
What am I to be, a god or a boy?
You are Caesar, and my Caesar must be protected.
But who would harm me?
The one you saw, Odoacer the Goth.
He is our ally.
And you, teacher of words and numbers,
what is the business of the state to you?
My only concern is the welfare of your son.
You make concern yourself no longer.
He is Caesar now.
He's still a boy.
Perhaps he still needs me.
Well, your task is over.
Leave us. Don't come back.
ORESTES: Romulus...
Hail, Caesar.
This is Aurelius, of the Nova Invicta.
He will command your personal guard.
May I see your sword, Commander?
He must do everything to protect me from harm,
- must he not, Father? - Indeed, he must.
To the last breath.
And do I have your word on that?
You have his word.
He is sworn to serve you.
Is it so, Commander?
Thank you.
I only wanted to look at it.
(blade scrapes)
VATRENUS: Open the gate.
AMBROSINUS: And this is also Caesar's will?
VATRENUS: You 've been well rewarded. Go back where you came from.
My crime is putting new ideas into a young head,
teaching a lad to think for himself.
This lad is our emperor.
Which do you serve: Caesar or your own ideas?
"A wise man never asks what another man serves...
...for only his actions will speak the true answer."
You 've read your Seneca.
I find poets as dangerous as philosophers.
And you...
Where did you get this?
AMBROSINUS: A long time ago...
in another land.
(screams)
...from a man who loved only power.
So you 're an adventurer, as well.
If I see you again in Rome, it'll be on the point of my sword.
Take care in the mist, Commander.
It may hide what the gods themselves dare not look upon.
NESTOR: But who will guard the guardians themselves?
Nestor?
Leave us.
A senator.
Well, these sit better on me than armor ever did.
How is it with you, Aurelius?
Oh, a little older... no wiser.
After all these years?
Did you ever marry, have children?
No.
So what do you make of Rome?
Different.
Uneasy.
If you 're to guard our new Caesar, keep your wits about you.
And come see me. Friends are a rare commodity these days.
I will.
GUARD: The Goths! They've betrayed us!
(shouting, swords clashing)
(catapult rumbling)
GUARD: You! To the wall!
Commander!
Prepare to fire!
Aurelius!
Down!
Defend the Emperor!
Get back, behind! Go! Go!
Form wall!
MAN: Over this way!
Get back, boy!
Yah!
(yells)
Ugh!
Father!
Odoacer wants the boy alive!
I'll do my best.
(squelches)
Save yourself.
Yah.
(horse whinnies)
Aah!
(hooves pounding)
(flies buzzing, fires crackling)
King, the emissary from Constantinople.
ODOACER: Welcome, Excellency.
The city is ours.
I ask that your empire recognize me
as the sole ruler of Rome and all her dominions.
My emperor is in Constantinople.
I am his eyes and his ears,
but I cannot speak on his behalf.
Then go and seek his word.
Master!
Aurelius! Fetch water.
The boy, Caesar... is he alive?
I couldn't find him.
His mother and father were killed, as were my men.
How did this happen?
Some of your men survived, that I do know.
Vatrenus was taken prisoner.
There may be others with him, but...
they're to be executed as an example
to those who would stand against Odoacer.
(chains rattling)
Come to me.
Is it for you that so many people have died?
Such an innocent face.
The blood of the Caesars flows in his veins.
Old Wulfila here thinks that I should fear you.
Is this true?
He is the last of the bloodline. End it now!
Old Rome will die, and we rule!
We?
We rule?
Take care, Wulfila.
Sometimes your tongue runs ahead of your brain.
What do you say, boy?
Should I be afraid of you?
Why is Caesar treated so?
Why is Caesar treated so...
Perhaps Wulfila's right.
Perhaps I should end this here, right now.
Can you see yourself?
Can you see your face?
What do you see?
Do you see a boy?
Or do you see a Caesar?
I see...
Tell me.
I see a Caesar.
I am Caesar.
Wrong answer.
Take him away. Cut his head off.
AMBROSINUS: That will be a grave error, Lord Odoacer.
ODOACER: Who are you?
You kill the boy, you make a martyr of him,
and Caesar's ghost will haunt you ever after.
Is that so?
- Read the signs. - What signs?
An omen.
Do not mistake it, Odoacer.
(caws)
If you hear one thing, then hear this.
What now happens in this room will echo across an empire.
A city may be won by blood.
(caws)
It takes a man of vision to rule.
All empires are built on blood.
People will judge you.
The people will thank the gods that they survived
and serve their new master.
Now, I asked. Who are you?
Will they respect a leader who's so afraid of a Roman child
he had to butcher him?
Perhaps the boy is more use to us alive than dead.
Do you want to look a fool? Kill them both!
Fool!
Your best hope for the future, Lord Wulfila, lies in silence!
Give me your hand.
(groans)
Now, I ask, who are you?
I'm known by many names.
Like a thief.
Here I'm called Ambrosinus.
The boy will be taken to the island fortress at Capri.
You... you will be his prison guard.
That's your reward.
No harm comes to him unless I say so.
Not a hair on his head, you understand me?
And take this one, too.
I don't trust him.
Someone's here.
Where?
Please.
Wait, Aurelius, I know this man.
He speaks for the Eastern Empire.
Is the boy alive?
I saw him in chains.
They're taking him to Capri.
I'll find him, bring him back.
From Capri? That's impossible.
- It's an island, a natural fortress. - I'll need my men.
We've long been allies, Senator.
Free your Caesar.
My emperor will give him sanctuary until it is safe for him to return to Rome.
We meet at Fano in six days, on the beach.
If you bring back the boy, there'll be a boat to take us east.
Six days, then.
- To the last breath. - To the last breath.
What's this?
One of the ambassador's guards. You 'll need help to free your men.
These people are our allies. Use them.
(sighs)
Follow me.
Act as my prisoner. When I give the signal, try to escape.
You understand what I've told you, yes?
Then do as I've said and nothing more.
(Demetrius groaning)
Uhn!
(spits)
Him first.
- Stop! - (horse neighs)
Another prisoner.
I'm to take this one's head back to Rome,
an assassin sent to kill Lord Odoacer.
(quietly) Go.
Uhn! Aah!
Get him!
(yells)
(blades ring)
(horse whinnies)
(yelling)
Uhn!
(swords clanging)
Ambrosinus...
I want to be with them.
I want to be with my mother and father.
You are with them.
They live on in your heart.
You cannot see them,
but it's as if you 're in one room and they're in the next.
I should have died, too.
Not your destiny.
I have no destiny.
Every living creature has a destiny, be sure of it.
But when the pathway gets dark and it's difficult to see the way...
Well...
that's why you have me...
for all that I'm worth.
(raven crowing)
Dumb bird. Forgot to feed it.
Pugie. Pugie!
I knew it.
I knew it was a trick!
Shh.
ROMULUS: Is this our destiny,
to be prisoners here for the rest of our lives?
AMBROSINUS: Have faith.
There is a purpose behind all things.
- (chuffling) - Where is he now?
No sign of the Goths.
But we should stay close to the river.
The river, yes.
They'll have scouts all the way.
- Agreed, so we... - Mira.
Yes.
What?
My name. Mira.
There's your boat.
How d'you want to do this?
If we all go down there, we'll scare him off.
He'll be gone before we get there.
Wait here.
He's a woman.
Uhn!
AMBROSINUS: This fortress was built as a palace
by the great emperor Tiberius, who, it is written,
was a man of great dignity and bearing...
both of which you 've inherited.
So my ancestors built my prison.
A prison it is.
You thirsty, boy, hmm?
Go on, drink.
Mm?
(spits) Drink.
You dare insult me, boy! Huh!?
It is a long way down, no?
How many fingers will it take you to learn
your fate lies in the palm of this child's hand,
as sure as Odoacer is your master.
Throw this boy to the rocks, you will follow.
When the time comes, boy,
I will send you to join your mother and your father.
You.
Odoacer said nothing of you.
String him up!
Hold.
What is this?
Are you some kind of priest?
A sorcerer?
Just a seeker after the truth.
You would never understand.
Put him up.
(grunts)
(Wulfila laughs)
How long is it to climb to the top?
BATIATUS: An hour. Faster coming down.
Take up all the wood we can spare. And rope.
You stay on the boat.
- You may need me. - No.
The pentangle!
Of course, of course, of course!
This is the place.
The sword! Tiberius must have brought it here.
And the boy will find it!
Romulus!
Ambrosinus?
Go to the temple.
Look for your ancestor, Julius Caesar.
There is something he guards for you.
Look under the gaze of Caesar!
(weakly) Of course, of course, of course.
ROMULUS: Under the gaze of Caesar.
I told you to stay on the boat.
You will need my help.
You know what happens to a soldier of mine who disobeys an order?
Your men are too slow.
Stay out of sight.
I don't see why you take the risk.
I serve my emperor.
He's your country's ally, so I am with you.
Where did you learn to fight?
I come from Kerala, in the south of India.
We were taught to fight like our forefathers.
It is called Kalarippayattu.
When I was 14, I was at the 7th level.
Out of how many?
Seven.
Shall we talk all day, or climb?
Julius Caesar.
"One edge to defend:
"one to defeat.
In Britannia was I forged to fit the hand of he who was destined to rule."
I have work for you.
(winch creaking)
Oh!
(cracking)
(yells)
(screaming)
Uhn! Uh!
(snoring softly)
Give me that sword.
Give it to me!
Uhn.
- You. - Only two to rescue an emperor?
More are coming.
- WULFILA: Caesar! - The temple!
(Wulfila yells)
Yours.
(grunts)
(gasps)
Uhn!
(thuds, clatters)
(head thuds, Wulfila yells)
(screams)
(running man yelling)
Uagh!
(thuds, clatters)
Tsk.
(swords clashing in distance)
AMBROSINUS: Romulus!
You found the sword, boy?
Save the emperor!
AMBROSINUS: Where's Caesar's sword?
ROMULUS: It's this way!
Get them away.
Get them away!
(banging on door)
I got it.
Batiatus.
Yours.
- Go! - This way.
Get the boy away.
(grunting)
(slashes)
(gurgles)
(sea birds calling)
Roman.
(swords ringing)
(Goths yelling)
Where's the boy?
Safe below with the others.
You were right, Batiatus. It is quicker on the way down.
(Batiatus laughs)
"One edge to defend: one to defeat.
"In Britannia was I forged
to fit the hand of he who is destined to rule."
Caesar's sword.
That is why it had such power.
Britannia.
Gather the men!
Made for a conqueror...
Julius Caesar.
Caius Julius Caesar ensis caliburnis.
Feel the weight.
This sword carries a prophecy.
Did you see anything...
anything written?
Then you know all you need to know.
Take it.
It's yours.
Welcome, Caesar!
Aurelius.
All of you.
There is food and drink inside the tent.
We need to talk.
Alone.
You 're safe now.
From here you 'll be taken to the Eastern Empire,
to Constantinople.
You 'll have sanctuary.
Uh!
The ambassador has heard from Constantinople.
The emperor will not give sanctuary to the boy.
He will not oppose Odoacer nor offend him.
Everything has changed.
The day after you left, the garrison of Rome swore allegiance to Odoacer.
Now the rest of the commanders have declared.
They all stand with the Goth.
There must be others still in the field.
What about the Ninth?
The Ninth Legion, they're far to the north in Britannia.
For all we know, Britannia has crumbled into the sea.
Then we must move fast.
Can you get me men?
(sighs) Yes, you can keep your rank, command a new army.
Good. Then do it now.
We'll drive out the invaders if I can have 5,000 men...
Not for that, Aurelius, I can't do that.
Why not? What is it with you, Nestor?
- Odoacer isn't just a barbarian. - Is he not?
No, he's become a politician, and a very astute one.
Now he has the Senate on his side.
How many of the Senate?
We have to see things as they are.
You 're with them.
In time, perhaps, we can challenge Odoacer, not now.
So let's say you give me this army, Senator.
What will you ask for in return?
The boy.
You mean Caesar?
Caesar is a word from the past.
There is no Caesar.
AMBASSADOR: Prepare the horses.
Where is the boat?
I said prepare the horses.
Where is the boat to take the emperor to Constantinople?
I gave you an order. What was it?