Fabiola

Centuries ago, a Roman examining this newly made mirror,

would have recognized the approaching end of the long..

war between paganism and Christianity.

The goldsmith had placed the head of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings,

by the Christian cross,

a symbol reported to be favored by Emperor Constantine himself.

FIRST PART MIRAGE OF ROME

This film is dedicated to those who suffered,

to the persecuted, and to the victims of all violence.

At the beginning of the IV century, Rome has reached,

at the height of its domination, the apex of decadence.

The poverty of the many, prostrated by a series of wars,

contrasts with the richness of the few who provoked them.

Corruption and abuse from the violent are triumphant.

However, for three centuries, a new word of justice, brotherhood and peace..

has risen for the humble: the Christian word.

The blood of seven persecutions, by which they tried to drown it,

has made it stronger.

Emperor Constantine, who rules Gaul,

has been touched by it perhaps and tolerates it.

Maxentius, who rules in Rome, fears it and opposes it.

Our story starts in a little river port in the North of Gaul..

at the eve of the conflict of the two emperors.

Civilian traffic towards Marseille and Rome..

is suspended from the third hour of today,

and comes under the orders of the military command.

Only the goods of Fabius Severus may leave.

Thanks, pals.

Is this all?

No, the most important is missing: gifts for my daughter. - See you in Rome.

Tell Rome that she'll see the Roman soldiers again.

Be careful, those of Maxentius are Roman too!

Maxentius, all Africans, all barbarians. - The Romans are for Constantine.

See you! - See you, Quadratus!

All for Constantine, except you. - I? Hey, one of you two!

I'm done with it. 20 years of service, 10 wars, 3 wounds is enough, isn't it?

You, come here quick, load this stuff on board and I'll take you to Rome.

Which are you taking to Rome? - That one. Your friend, who's more robust.

No, wait. If it takes him for ever to get it, we're done. Do you understand?

Yes - What did I say? - You'll take him to Rome to carry your luggage.

Very well. Run faster, you're going to Rome.

Rhual! Don't leave me!

This boat belongs to Fabius Severus Maximus,

senator of the imperial transports.

Take this.

You see..

the river, then the sea, then Rome.

That guy must be loaded with money. - He?

In Rome, to say Fabius is like saying "half emperor".

Hey, you! What did you bring?

Wheat from Gauls, to fill the bellies of the Romans.

And so the Romans will fill the bellies of the lions I brought from Africa.

Why Romans, the Christians! It seems they'll round them up and kill them all.

They told me the ordinance is a matter of hours.

Hail.

You traveled instead of Lavinius. - Who gave the order to begin unloading?

Me, you were drinking. - Great! You don't waste a minute here.

Regulations. - Very well. And delivery orders? - Which? - Down! - What orders?

Down! - Look, the courier's biga is leaving.

I reserved you a place. In a few hours you'll be eating at home.

Thanks. I've waited 10 years I can wait one day more. Regulations.

You, take the sacks and bring them back on board.

You too, with the sacks. On board!

Wait! Wait! Put the sacks down!

Decurion, what's the matter?

Rhual!

Hey, decurion. Have you come to teach us our job? What do you want?

Nothing. I want to count the sacks, weigh them, with tables handy.

We put seals and do the deliveries. - Do you need anything else?

I need to see the wheat going to the deposit, to the people.

Do you know who speaks a lot about the people? - The poor.

I understood it as soon as I saw you. Do you know what you are?

A Christian, a Christian swine. - If you say it again, I'll kill you.

We'll kill you soon, fortunately.

Christians in Rome have their days numbered.

He's a spy for Constantine. - Damn hunchback!

Shut his mouth! - Take him to the food administrator.

To the food administrator, to the prefect, to the emperor. Nobody will shut my mouth!

Calm down, we're working here!

Here discipline is as necessary as bread.

Is it you who escorted the cargo? - Yes, from Gaul.

And now you won't deliver the wheat to Livy? - Who said so?

So what's this fuss about?

Rome needs as much.. what's your name?

Quadratus. - Quadratus as she needs Livy.

He who brings the wheat and he who distributes it.

Roasted.

Come, shake hands and back to work.

But I'm going to weigh, count the sacks, and put the seals.

Listen, sonny, you're exceeding the limit. Don't you see?

We, the officials, the state, have trust in you, and you..

With whom do you think you're talking? What are you up to?

To count the sacks, to weigh them, to put seals on them!

It's clear: you mean we're all thieves!

I want to do my duty. - By insulting imperial authority! - Shut up!

The prefect!

Thieves, starvers! - Long live the Christian!

Lower your voice! - And shut your mouth or I'm going to put seals on you too.

On me? - Yes. - The prefect! - Now no one will save you from the Mamertine prison!

To whom the Mamertine? - To you! - To the starvers of the people.

The prefect!

Are you the decurion who arrived from Gaul? - Yes, I am.

Very well. How many years of combat? - 10.

Very well. You'll be anxious to return home? - Sure.

But, my dear friend, first you'll have to count the sacks, weigh them and seal them.

It's another way to serve Rome. - That's what I want! They called me a Christian.

Alas, little by little it's becoming honorific title.

Come, quick, everybody to work.

Did you see? Rhual. What did I tell you?

Imbeciles! For four sacks of wheat!

Thieves! No flour, no bread, no nothing, and they got 2 inches of fat on the face.

Go to the dock and count them one by one or these will steal the ship too. Go!

Enough now, decurion. - Enough?

When I think that you called me a Christian!

Why Christian? Do I have a face that wants slapping?

What's that got to do with it? - Ah, you don't know how to recognize a Christian!

Quiet. I did it to explain it to you. It's clear you're not a Christian.

Imagine I'm a Christian. You slap me. What do I do?

Like this. So that you may slap me again.

No! I'm not a Christian and therefore I give it back to you.

One for one. Get it! just for your information.

Come on with sacks. Come on.

May I ask something, sir? Do you think they'll let me go on board the galley?

When it's unloaded. - Today? - Don't bother our friend with that just now.

It's yours.

Fifteen.

Didn't it fall from you just now?

It doesn't matter. It's an amulet my mother gave me.

You know women, she says it brings luck.

And you, you don't want it back? - 16, 17, 18. No, I threw it away.

You threw it away? - Superstition. I don't believe in it.

I only believe in what I touch. Nineteen.

A fellow used to say as you. He said there is no rainbow because you can't touch it.

20, 21..

And when he was in agony and crying he didn't want to die,

"Fool," they told him: Death doesn't exist, you can't touch it".

Tell me the truth. Are you scared?

Scared I? First, I'm not a Christian.

Then, a gladiator is scared of nothing.

Hey, boy! Where is all this going? - To Fabius's.

There's a big party. - Does the horse go to Fabius's too?

The horse too? - The horse too. It's nice, eh?

23, 24.. Can't you see, all to Fabius's.

If he told me, "Will you work for me," that would be luck.

We are ready.

He's my nephew, his name is Tarcisius, mine is Lucian. And you?

Rhual, Rhual! How many sacks so far?

27. - 26.

26. - Pay attention.

See you soon, Rhual.

Lucian!

Fabius Severus Maximus to the guests of this his villa by the sea: Hail.

Yes, Rhual, this is our master.

Sure he couldn't tell you, "You'll work for me. "

He's Fabius Severus, he's but a statue.

A servant of his told you, but you're happy anyway, eh?

Moreover, soon you'll fight as a gladiator before him and many important people.

They'll applaud you. And moreover.. open the gate.

You've all the time before they call you..

to go for a ride along the beach with this horse you like so much.

Really? - Go.

Good luck.. as you call it. - Thank you, Lucian.

Come, Come. - What if they call for the gladiators?

No way! They're starting to eat now. They always call for the gladiators at the end.

Life is beautiful, Tarcisius.

What are you doing here?

Will you answer me?

I'm watching you.

Do you know you can't enter here? - So much the better.

Who never dares never arrives. - Where?

How can I say where? Far!

Farther! - Where that emperor on his horse arrived?

The statue on the beach? - Who knows where he wanted to arrive!

There he is: a block of stone.

Then you saw me a little ago?

And you opened the gate.

Will you carry me on your black horse?

And if I say no? - I order it to you.

Come here. - No.

Are you always so cheerful? - Why?

Come here. - No. You come, the pillow is ready.

Move yourself.

And now we ask the Moon.. for what we want.

When two meet for the first time in the moonlight, what they ask for will happen.

You don't believe it? No.

I knew it. You only believe in what you can touch.

What do you know? - One can see.

It could be.

I met one like you.

One who said that the rainbow doesn't exist because you can't touch it.

Then, on his death bed, he cried he didn't want to die.

And the others said. Why are you crying? What are you scared of? Of death?

But death doesn't exist: you can't touch it.

Did this story affect you? Not me.

Who brought you here tonight? - Luck.

But you don't believe in it either, do you?

Tonight.. maybe.

Good night, Rhual. - Good night.

It's an enchantment to watch the sky together like this.

It's beautiful. - Yes.