Original subtitles

Free men,

I present your new king

who has acquired the throne by his bravery alone.

Let all free men swear their loyalty.

Son of glorious and lamented Ulysses,

you'll be worthy of your father

and with Spartan help you'll make Ithaca

strong and loyal to her allies.

May your reign be long...

Ulysses' weapons are sacred.

No one has the right to touch them.

I'm king. Put down that bow.

You say you're king but words don't make you so.

Go away, beggar,

before the new king punishes you.

I thought the only king of Ithaca was Ulysses.

- Ulysses is dead. - How do you know?

Do you fear a beggar

who seeks justice for Ulysses?

Who are you, stranger?

I'm not a stranger.

You call yourself king -

can you string Ulysses' bow?

My king.

Greet your father.

Ulysses has finally returned.

Glory to our father.

Stand up.

Ulysses, my friend.

We hoped so much for your return.

You thought me dead

and were ready to take hold of my kingdom.

We came to Ithaca

to save your family's life.

Did you need your whole fleet and your army

to get rid of a few barbarians?

We had to stop the chaos.

And loot my kingdom.

You're wrong about my intentions.

But if we're not welcome,

we'll leave whenever you want.

Guards.

You were my brother-in-arms.

I saved your life at Troy.

I thought you were dead.

And that gave you the right to take my place?

Welcome, my king.

What are you doing?

Removing the flag of lands with no king.

Leave it.

It recalls bad memories.

Even dire stories should be remembered.

At your orders, sire.

Who are you?

I'm Homer.

The new scribe. I'm from Smyrna.

"The new scribe"?

Yes, my king.

I have so many memories that should be written down.

I'll tell you how

I sailed the sea after Troy,

how I visited the world,

met monsters and heroes,

how my thoughts

turned to Penelope every night.

I'll see your mother.

I must be presentable.

Wash me.

Did you see me fight?

You fought well.

I was proud of you.

You remembered Achilles' death.

It was you?

Cut my beard.

Do you regret that you're not king?

I was ready.

Don't be in a hurry.

There's much time ahead of you.

Blood flows, that's its nature.

Let it flow.

Keep going.

Your neck -

I didn't want you to show it too often.

I feared you'd make an angry goddess jealous

of this small part of you that's so perfect.

You're not Ulysses.

The years haven't taken away your beauty.

Ulysses used words better than you do.

No words

could describe what I feel seeing you so beautiful and so close.

I dreamed of you so much.

There is something in your voice,

your tone.

It's me.

Why should I believe you?

Because in your heart you know it's me.

Ulysses!

I didn't understand why you left me alone

with these dogs.

But I never believed you were dead.

I thought only of you.

In every storm I had only one idea...

surviving

and seeing you again.

Poseidon's waves took me to the ends of the Earth.

The farther I was, the more I saw your face.

I was very afraid.

Me too, I was afraid, very afraid.

I saw my men massacred the first time we found land.

My ships were smashed on rocks as tall as the sky

or the waves covered them.

They called my name.

I could do nothing!

I saw them die, one after the other,

devoured by monsters, ravaged by disease,

struck by the anger of Zeus.

Without Athena, I wouldn't be here.

It's over now.

You're here safe and sound.

There's no more danger.

"No more danger."

Is this how you greet a friend?

A king.

But above all a friend.

I don't know what I missed more, you or war.

Forget war.

It doesn't deserve to be missed.

You're the luckiest of men, Mentor.

You stayed with my wife for 20 years.

Tell me about her.

She was very strong.

Many men wanted to take your place, and not just on the throne.

And you?

You stayed with her and never...?

I was here to protect your throne, Ulysses,

not to steal your wife.

I know what I owe you.

Without you, they wouldn't be alive.

I was a good guard dog.

- The only one who remained loyal. - Always.

You did stay loyal.

Set the suitors free.

They betrayed you, Ulysses.

Tried to kill your family, steal your kingdom.

They shed blood.

Have they alone betrayed me in 20 years?

Should they pay for all who forgot me?

Father.

I prayed to the gods so much

to let me live for this day.

I'll pray tomorrow

for them to keep you near me a long time.

We leave tomorrow.

- You give up? - We're done here.

You fear Ulysses?

No, I don't fear Ulysses,

but we'll get nothing from Ithaca.

Yes, we will.

- There's vengeance. - Vengeance for what?

I was king a few days. It's enough.

We'll go home with nothing

when power is in our grasp?

What's your plan? You failed.

Blood must flow.

What'll you do? Without Leodes, you're powerless.

I'll stop at nothing to avenge Leodes.

So, are you with me or will you flee like cowards?

You want to kill Ulysses and Telemachus.

If we succeed,

who'll be king?

I only care about avenging Leodes.

The kingdom's yours.

After the sacrifices you made to become king,

you'd give me the throne?

I'll take land and slaves.

You'll be my subject?

If Telemachus drowns in blood,

I'd even be your slave.

We'll live in peace.

Ithaca will live in peace.

Thanks to us, this war will finally end.

I'll never be a princess, Telemachus.

I'll make you queen.

Your father will oppose it.

He has nothing to say about it.

I love you and I'll marry you.

But he hates Trojans.

When you're my wife, there'll be no more Trojans or Greeks.

He'll understand.

Did I scare you?

I'm never scared of you.

Let's be happy together.

Ulysses can bring only misfortune.

Don't say that, you don't know him.

I saw him at Troy.

The war is distant now.

Ulysses came to bring peace to Ithaca.

Trust him.

Who's there?

Come. Approach.

Your face is familiar.

Do I know you?

My name is Eurynome.

Oh, yes.

- You're my wife's slave. - I am.

Mentor said you were close to Penelope.

You helped her a great deal?

I only served my queen.

You're Trojan?

Yes.

Were you there during the siege?

No.

Fortunately for you, you escaped the nightmare.

Ulysses has only Mentor and his son.

They'll be armed.

Not during the loyalty oath to the king.

Weapons are forbidden.

You think they'll let us in?

Ulysses wants peace. That's why he freed us.

- Don't believe in peace. - He can't enforce it.

Ulysses stands alone.

Good. We'll follow your orders.

And Leodes will be avenged.

Artemis, watch over my love with Telemachus.

Spare us from hatred and vengeance.

Calm the gods' anger at Troy.

The temple is off-limits to slaves.

How dare you speak to the goddess?

What happened to your bracelet?

She knows I wasn't born a slave.

Thanks to the goddess I'm free. Ask her.

Go take spices to the temple.

You, take these amphoras to the kitchen.

I see great wealth.

Hermes is kind, he's with you.

He'll give you 2 sons.

Wait, I can't see clearly.

Ah, I see now. He'll give you 3 sons loved by the gods.

All is ready.

Everyone wants to give thanks for your return.

It's finally time to celebrate.

"Everyone," you said?

Oh, you must forgive, my king.

Forgive, yes.

But not forget.

You took off her bracelet?

Clea is free now.

She'll be my wife.

Don't rush.

There's time to choose a wife.

A Greek princess, for example.

I love Clea.

- I'll marry her. - A Trojan? Your father'll say no.

You'll help me convince him.

You think it's so easy to do so?

Get ready.

Stop dreaming, Clea.

I'm not dreaming.

He told Penelope of our marriage.

You won't marry him.

Don't be sad.

- I'm lucid. - We just need Ulysses' blessing.

He'll never accept it.

You don't know him.

And you?

He killed your father.

Your father and brother.

I know that.

You don't hate him?

How can you forgive him?

I don't forgive him, but I don't hate him.

You defend yourself,

But you can't beat me yet.

Soon I'll beat you.

Become a man,

have children, and then we'll see.

I've found the woman I'll marry.

Really?

Who is she?

Her name is Clea.

You saw her at the palace.

The Trojan girl?

I won't allow Trojan blood

to defile my lineage.

Let's go.

Leocritus.

Your weapons.

Ulysses, my husband and king,

I'm devoted and faithful to you during your reign.

Ulysses,

my father and king,

I'm devoted and faithful to you during your reign.

Ulysses, my king, I'm devoted and faithful to you

during your reign.

Ulysses, our king,

we're devoted and faithful to you during your reign.

Whatever may have happened in the past,

I've decided to forgive those who repent.

I allow you to swear loyalty.

Who says we want to swear loyalty?

You won't be our king.

Enough.

Clean everything.

Did you hear the queen?

Who are you?

It's all right.

It's all right.

You're at home.

And I'm here.

Open it.

- I don't need your pardon. - Who says I'll pardon you?

Come out.

Why become a traitor?

Tell me.

You think I'm the only one?

Those who betrayed you are very close to you.

What do you mean?

You've grown naive.

But in your house,

in your bed, your death was wished for.

Speak!

You really don't know?

Penelope had a man

in her room,

and Telemachus invited him.

Thanks to your loyal slaves...

Why did you kill him?

Why?

His words were poison pouring into your heart.

Don't listen to traitors. Trust those who love you.

Prepare a pyre.

- I'm honored by your visit. - Stop groveling.

If I'm here, it's to hear the truth.

I've never lied to you.

You didn't tell me Ithaca changed.

What do you mean?

I left these people 20 years ago. They're the same, they smile,

but I don't recognize them. - You've got your family again.

What more do you want?

I don't recognize anyone.

Time affected them. You weren't here.

You can't make up 20 years, Ulysses.

- The gods took my life from me. - No.

They brought you back to your own.

They're not mine, Thyoscos.

I don't understand them.

I don't know anything.

You'll learn to recognize them.

You think so?

- What was your life in Troy like? - Troy is long dead.

I was the king's niece.

I lived in the palace.

I had married Cleitos, a prince of the blood.

War came and it was all over.

- Did you love this Cleitos? - Yes.

We loved each other.

How did he die?

Please talk about something else.

And leave the dead alone.

Every morning, I stood here and watched the sea.

I imagined your return,

but you didn't come.

I felt myself aging.

I was sad to age far from you.

I told myself:

"When he walks by me, he won't recognize me."

You're the same.

Beautiful as ever.

As beautiful as the women you loved on your voyage?

I loved only you.

And Calypso?

She was nothing.

She relied on spells, she knew I didn't love her.

And the others?

There weren't any others.

I spoke only of you

to those I met during my travels.

I told them about your beauty,

sweetness,

and loyalty.

I remember a storyteller

I saw on the coast of Pheacia

a year ago.

Eukaristos.

He mocked me because I had only your name on my lips.

And you?

Me?

Did you dream of other men?

You never let a hand stroke your skin?

You never heard an avowal of love?

I waited for you.

Even with Eukaristos? I heard his sad story.

I received him to hear him tell of you.

But he died after being in your arms.

I'll find out, Penelope.

Everything.

Who was loyal and who betrayed me.

Who kept me in their heart and who forgot me.

I'll learn each person's actions.

And I'll punish traitors and liars.

Subtitles: Eclair Group