script3

T. C. O'Neill

Scene Three

INT. - DAWN

SUBTITLE: "Roman Fortress at Aliso - Lieppe Valley. "

ANGLE ON a sleeping legionary's face. His breath is steaming slightly in the wintery cold of the dawn air. In the faint light coming in through the flaps of the tent in which he is sleeping we can see several other figures wrapped in blankets. There is an increasing amount of noise outside as the camp around them begins to wake up - one of the other legionaries stirs, turns on his back muttering to himself in his sleep, settles again and begins to snore slightly.

The tent flap is suddenly pulled back and QUINTUS VARANIUS FIMUS stoops to lean into the entrance of the leather tent.

FIMUS
Come on boys, time to die for Rome.

The legionary on his back, DRUSUS SALONIUS CICO, stops snoring, frowns with his eyes still shut and reaches up from under his blankets to rub his face.

CICO
What, again?

The other soldiers are now sitting up and kicking off their blankets, shivering slightly in the chill air. AULUS SESTIUS ENCRATIS looks slightly mournful as he shrugs into a thick woollen military tunic.

ENCRATIS
Sometimes I think death would be preferable to being here.

CLOSE ON Fimus, still in the entrance of the tent.

FIMUS
Death can be arranged easily Encratis. I know some nice German lads who'd do the job for nothing.
Now I want all of you up and out of this tent. Move! That includes you Cico.

CLOSE ON Cico, still with his eyes closed and his blankets up to his chin.

CICO
It's nice to be included, I suppose.

ANGLE ON MANIUS ORANIUS GALLIO, who reaches across and pulls Cico's blanket off him. Cico growls in complaint.
Behind them other members of their contubernium are lacing up their caligae or already moving out of the tent, with their cloaks in their hands.

GALLIO
Come on mate, another lovely day in Germania.
Let's get some of that bracing northern winter air.

CICO
(muttering - opening one eye)
'Join the army' they said, 'See the world,' they said ...

EXT. - DAWN

ANGLE ON Gallio as he exits the tent yawning and doing up the brooch on his military cloak. Fico emerges blearily behind him with his cloak wrapped around him like a blaket and his caligae unlaced.

PAN BACK to show the camp around them. The other tents of their unit are laid out in a regular line along the camp's via principalis. In the distance, through a faint haze of early morning mist, we can see the turf and pallisade wall of the camp and its porta principalis dextra gate. Beyond that are the much higher permanent ramparts of the fortress of Aliso, beside which the marching camp has been established. Sentries from the legion stationed in the fortress can be seen in the gatehouse above the fortress' portis principalis sinistra.

Reconstruction of the gatehouse and wall of the fortress of Aliso - modern Haltern, Germany

ANGLE ON the men of the contubernium. One of them has stirred up the embers of a fire beside the tent and added some fresh wood. Still half-asleep, Fico squats beside the fire adding some water to a earthenware bowl of meal and begins making some cakes out of the mixture while Gallio blows on the fire so it catches the newly added fuel. Around them the other men are stretching while others wait their turn to wash their faces with water from a goatskin bag. Gallio looks up as the century's Optio, NUMERIUS PONTIDIUS GRUMIO, approaches the group.

CLOSE ON Fimus as he greets the Optio.

FIMUS
Morning sir.

GRUMIO
Morning Fimus. Rumour has it the Old Man has a present for you this morning.

ANGLE ON Gallio and Fico. Fico is now settling three cakes of meal dough in the ashes at the side of the fire to cook.

GALLIO
(mock hopefully)
The Egyptian dancing girls we asked for?

WIDER ANGLE on Grumio and Fimus, with Gallio, Cico and the others around the fire in the background.

GRUMIO
(to Fimus, ignoring Gallio)
A new recruit. They came up last night as part of the advance guard before the new Governor arrives.

FIMUS
About time - we've been a man short for ten months.

GRUMIO
Well, soon you'll have a boy to baby-sit.

CICO
We'd prefer to baby-sit an Egyptian dancing girl sir, if the Centurion has any spare.

ANGLE ON Grumio and Fimus.

GRUMIO
Tell that idiot to shut up.

FIMUS
(without looking at Cico)
Shut up idiot.

CICO
(from off camera - mock cheerfully)
Right you are. Don't mind me.

FIMUS
When's the new Governor arrive, Grumio?

CLOSE ON Grumio - like Fimus, the Optio is a veteran of the legions, weather beaten and hard as nails.

GRUMIO
(spits and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand - shrugs)
Today or tomorrow. He's coming up with the rest of the Nineteenth. Apparently he's got a lot of luggage to slow him down.
Once he's had a look at the fortress he wants to go for a jaunt across country - have a look at the natives.

FIMUS
At this time of year?

GRUMIO
His last posting was in Syria, I don't think he understands German winters.

FIMUS
He'll learn.

GRUMIO
(turning away)
They usually do, eventually. Look smart, the Old Man will be over soon.

ANGLE ON Cico and Gallio. Two other members of the squad join them beside the fire, GNAEUS GRANIUS BELLETOR and LUCIUS OLCINIUS AMBROSIUS. Belletor pours out two tin cups of wine from a small amphora and Ambrosius adds water from the goatskin. Cico is turning his meal cakes, brushing the ash from the cooked side as he does so.

CLOSE ON Gallio

GALLIO
A visit from the Centurion - good thing I shaved two days ago.

ANGLE ON the four legionaries as Belletor and Ambrosius sip their wine.

CICO
And a new tent-mate to help keep us warm at night.
I'd still prefer that Egyptian dancing girl.

AMBROSIUS
(to Belletor)
Egyptian dancing boy more like it.

CICO
Old farmer Ambrosius speaks! We haven't heard a word out of you for days.

BELLETOR
Wish we could say the same about you Cico.
(to Ambrosius)
Do you think if I killed them these two would actually shut up?

AMBROSIUS
Worth a try.

GALLIO
You wound me dreadfully Belletor.

BELLETOR
Try not to give me any ideas.

ANGLE ON Cico, lifting one of his cakes with a stick to check how it's cooking

CICO
Save your strength for marching Belletor - didn't you hear the Optio?
Our nice new governor is taking us on a nature walk.

WIDER ANGLE

BELLETOR
Anyone know anything about this Varus?

Fimus moves into shot, taking the amphora and swigging the wine straight from it.

FIMUS
He's a lawyer. Married to one of the Emperor's nieces. Another perfumed aristocrat.

CLOSE ON Gallio

GALLIO
A lawyer? Just what we need to keep the tribes in order.
What will he be prosecuting them for?

WIDER ANGLE

BELLETOR
Onion breath.

FIMUS
(laughs)
Strange haircuts.

CICO
Belletor had better be careful then.

BELLETOR
(eyes slightly narrowed )
And what's wrong with my hair?

CICO
Nothing. You're just going a bit native, old son.
Look like a Cheruscian.

Encratis moves into shot

ENCRATIS
Officer!

WIDE ANGLE - all the soldiers stand as the Legion's primus pilus centurion, MARCUS CAELIUS, approaches.

Tombstone of the primus pilus Marcus Caelius - Bonn.

Caelius is another veteran who has risen to the rank of the Eighteenth Legion's chief centurion through years of hard service. He is popular with the men as an intelligent but firm leader and skilled organiser. He is in armour, with his vine staff in his hand and a red transverse crest on his helmet as a sign of his rank. Behind him is one of his two servants carrying a wax tablet and stylus and a rather uncertain looking line of new recruits in new equipment. The legionaries of Fimus' contubernium stand to attention.

CLOSE ON Caelius

CAELIUS
As you were men.
(to Fimus)
Fimus, a word.

WIDER ANGLE - Fimus joins the Centurion while the others sit around the fire again, looking at the recruits.

GALLIO
(to Cico - nodding at the recruits)
I bet you two of your cakes we get the momma's boy.

ANGLE ON the line of recruits as Caelius speaks to Fimus. At the end is a tall, youthful looking young man looking around at the camp. Beside him is a shorter, slightly plump recruit with a nervous look, keeping his eyes straight in front.

ANGLE ON Gallio and Cico

CICO
Not with our luck. I bet you your new dagger we get the fat kid.

GALLIO
You're on mate.
(they pretend to spit in their palms and then shake hands quickly)

WIDER ANGLE ON the troopers around the fire, Fimus, Caelius and the recruits.

CAELIUS
(rasing his voice)
Fall out Aius, this is your new unit.

The taller recruit hoists his pack pole on his shoulder and steps forward to join the contubernium.

CLOSE ON Gallio and Cico

GALLIO
(picking two of the freshly cooked cakes from the fire and juggling them in his hands)
Told you.
(winks at Cico, who scowls at his remaining cake)

ANGLE ON Fimus and Centurion Caelius, as the recruit Aius is met by Gallio behind them.

FIMUS
I hear we're taking our new governor inland sir.

CAELIUS
(nods)
Varus has arranged a meeting with some of the chiefs of the allied tribes.
He wants to get things off to a diplomatic start.

FIMUS
Diplomacy isn't the Germans' forte.

CAELIUS
Varus is here to give them some lessons.
How's morale?

FIMUS
As it usually is in winter camp - restlessness and the odd squabble.
The men would rather be back down on the Rhine.
Closer to taverns and brothels.

CAELIUS
(smiling)
Then a winter march in the forest will do them some good.
Look after the new boy - he's been training with those amateurs in
the Nineteenth, so he'll need some rough edges knocked off him.

(Fimus nods and Caelius moves off down the via principlis with his freedman and the rest of the recruits)

An eagle-shaped oil lamp found on the site of the Aliso Fortress - Haltern, Germany

ANGLE ON Gallio as he hands one of the cakes to Aius, who has now put down his pack and is wondering what to do next.

GALLIO
Welcome to the First Century, Eighteenth Legion, Contubernium Fimi.
I'm Manius Oranius Gallio and I'll be your guide this morning.
(leads Aius over to the fire)

AIUS
(nervous, but trying to seem at ease)
I'm Marcus Aius.

WIDER ANGLE on the troopers by the fire

GALLIO
This is my compatriot and partner in crime Drusus Salonius Cico.
He'll be able to teach you the culinary arts of camp life and has a rare skill for losing bets.
(Cico nods with a mouth full of meal cake)
And these happy-looking gents are Gnaeus Granius Belletor and Lucius Olcinius Ambrosius.
Belletor can teach you foul language and street fighting techniques and Ambrosius the arts
of sexual intercourse with sheep.

AMBROSIUS
I farmed cows.

GALLIO
Sorry - sexual intercourse with cows. A trickier proposition.
(Ambrosius nods with feigned weariness to Aius - Belletor does not even bother to look up)<
The sad faced chap doing up his bootlace is Aulus Sestius Encratis.
We have absolutely no idea what he could teach anyone.

CICO
Simply do as he doesn't and you'll get on fine.
(takes another bite of his cake)
Where's Liberalis?

ENCRATIS
In the latrines again.

GALLIO
And our experienced Number Two is seeing to some personal business in the latrines.
You've met our illustrious tent caput, Quintus Varanius Fimus, so that's all of us then.
Make yourself right at home.

WIDER ANGLE as Aius sits by the fire and begins eating his cake. He clearly has not eaten in a while.

AIUS
(chewing)
So what happened to the man I'm replacing?

There is a sudden silence as the others look up at him.

BELLETOR
(grimly)
In some circumstances it's bad luck to speak of the dead, new boy.
(He gets up and goes into the tent)

ANGLE ON Aius, looking uncertain, Cico and Gallio. Fimus joins them.

GALLIO
Don't mind our gruff friend, our late companion was a drinking buddy of his.

CICO
A drinking buddy who met with an accident in the forest.

GALLIO
An accident which involved being ritually tortured by Germanic priests and then drowned in a
bog as a sacrifice to barbarian gods with unpronouncible names.

FIMUS
Gallio, Cico - go and find Liberalis will you.
(Gallio and Cico hesitate)
Tell him I need to have a word.
(Gallio and Cico look at each other, shrug in unison, and leave)

ANGLE ON Fimus and Aius

FIMUS
Ignore those two, they're the squad's comedy duo.
Don't believe a thing they tell you.

Aius relaxes a little

AIUS
Every squad has them I suppose.
So they were joking with me about the bloke who was sacrificed then?

FIMUS
Sort of - he was captured by the Langobardi out near the River Elbe.
We don't know exactly what happened to him, but we did hear him screaming for most of that night.
And part of the next day.
(He pours a cup of wine)
Stow your gear in the tent and get your armour on - we'll be on parade for the Legate soon.

Aius is about to say something, then rises and picks up his pack pole and other gear.
Fimus sips his wine and looks into the fire.

To be continued ...

In Scene Four Arminius is reunited with his young wife Thusnelda and encounters his father-in-law and political enemy Segestes.
The Cheruscian chiefs attend a formal meeting with Varus along with other tribal leaders.

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