English titles based on the Czech original (the Italian titles are reconstructions).
The Last Days of Pompeii. A Dead city... All of its life, the joys and the pains of its citizens...
...who were struck by death in the excitement of their entertainment,
...with flowers in their hair, the gentle beauty of its women, the bold strength of its men,
...the innocent smiles of its children, safe in the arms of their mothers,
...the wisdom of its elders coming from antiquity.
All this has been buried for 1843 years.
A lonely pilgrim, wandering about the open grave of this dead city
...brings the city back to life in his mind.
He sees crowds of people flowing in the streets,
...and through those crowds flow the noble figures of patricians,
...he sees the temples of the Roman gods, filled with crowds of kneeling devotees,
...in the arena of the overflowing amphitheater filled with cheering crowds
... he sees the first Christians finding death for the faith in one God.
And in the shadow of a reservoir, he sees...
...a woman and a man, in loving embrace, forever the same...
May his dreaming be dedicated to the memory of the lovers in this dead city!
Ione, or the last days of Pompeii
Nydia, the blind dancer
Glaucus, the champion.
Ione
Julia
Arbaces, high priest of Isis
Prologue - Nydia (new subtitle)
A feast in the house of Arbaces.
Arbaces sends for Nydia to dance on the celebration.
Nydia, the poor dancer, has not sold any flowers so far.
"My master Arbaces sends me to bring Nydia, the blind dancer."
Nydia is preparing to dance.
The young people of Pompeii are having fun.
Julia, a noble lady of Pompeii, is passionately in love with Glaucus.
"I am not interested in Julia. I love Ione."
"He wanted to make me a part of festivities, that’s why I ran away."
In order to free Nydia, Glaucus buys the slave and thus saves her.
"In my house nobody is allowed to hurt you."
The birthday of a noble lady of Pompeii.
Chariot races.
A rival hiding in the shadow.
Arbaces, consumed by passion, tries to ensnare Ione.
"Expect me at your house, I will tell you an important secret."
"Glaucus is not worthy of your love, because he loves the slave girl he bought from Barbius."
"Come visit me tomorrow, and I will teach you to read in the book of the future."
A confession of love.
"You have a slave girl that you love in your house."
"I love you immensely, and to prove my love, I'll give my slave Nydia to you."
Glaucus gives Nydia to Ione, and asks her to sing for her new owner.
"Do you love Glaucus?" "Yes, I love him as my friend and saviour."
"Follow me, Nydia, I have to go to the house of Arbaces."
Arbaces orders his slaves to get rid of Nydia.
In the temple of destiny.
Nydia fears the worst for Ione.
"Beautiful Ione, no one can hear you here, except for my slaves."
"I won't leave her in the hands of this monster; it would be the death of Glaucus."
"Ione is in the hands of Arbaces, come, before it is too late."
"I love you, your hesitation is futile."
Glaucus tells Nydia that he is engaged to Ione.
Julia cannot forget, because she still loves Glaucus.
"Nydia, come to me, I have to talk to you."
Nydia tells Julia about the engagement of Glaucus and Ione.
"Nydia, come again tomorrow, and tell me what is happening in the house of Glaucus."
Julia asks Arbaces to give her a magic potion to restore Glaucus’s love to her.
"A witch who can make a love potion lives at the foot of Vesuvius ."
"A woman will come to you to ask for a love potion,
Instead, prepare a potion that will lead him to insanity and death."
Dear friend, We know that tomorrow you celebrate your wedding to the beautiful Ione.
So we invite you to dinner and we shall celebrate your last day of freedom. Julia.
Pour this philter in the glass of the man you love and you'll get what your heart desires (new subtitle).
"This magic potion will surely ignite Glaucus’s unknown affections for me."
"Glaucus is visiting me tomorrow, so stay and sing for us."
To get the love of Glaucus, Nydia steals the presumed love potion.
Nydia, who secretly loves Glaucus, gives him the love philter.
A potion of madness.
The temple of Isis, in the garden.
Arbaces stabs the priest Meneker and turns the suspicion to Glaucus.
Arbaces's triumph.
"If you stay quiet, I will give you plenty of gold. Come to my house tomorrow."
Nydia does not know she is a victim of the crime.
"Glaucus is arrested and accused of murder."
To save Glaucus, Nydia admits her crime to Arbaces.
Nydia uses a trick to escape from the guards.
"In my cellar there is plenty of gold, what you can carry is yours."
"Promise you will turn Arbaces in for the crime he committed, and I will set you free."
Glaucus is sentenced to death. Tomorrow he will fight wild beasts in the arena.
They lead poor Glaucus to the arena to leave him at the mercy of lions.
"Confess your crime and you'll be saved, otherwise you'll die in the arena by the wild beasts."
Sallust is saddened by the loss of his friend Glaucus, and seeks comfort in wine.
Arbaces committed the murder. I am imprisoned in his house, together with a witness of his crime.
Set both of us free, before it is too late. Nydia
"Bring this sheet to Sallust, and I will give you my jewels."
"Swear you will give him this letter."
With lot of noise, the people are heading to the arena.
Arbaces committed the murder. I am imprisoned in his house, together with a witness of his crime.
Set both of us free, before it is too late. Nydia
The spectacle in the arena. (new subtitle)
"We have to free the witness too."
The fight of the gladiators.
Vesuvius is awakening.
Arbaces wants to see Glaucus's death, then Ione's.
"Glaucus is innocent, Arbaces committed the crime."
"Throw Arbaces amongst the beasts!"
In the year 79 AD, Vesuvius awakened, and buried the city of Pompeii.
"I, a blind girl, will certainly find my way to the sea."
But poor Nydia has not forgotten her secret love yet.
The splash of a dark fall sounds in the silent night. The sea returns nothing but the cane of the poor girl.
Ten years later. A memorial statue of noble Nydia is a silent witness of Ione and Glaucus's happy life.
THE END