Original subtitles

In the late 4th century AD, the Roman Empire was collapsing.

Alexandria, in the province of Egypt, still retained its splendour.

It possessed one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the legendary Lighthouse,

as well as the greatest library on earth.

The library was not only a cultural symbol, but a religious one.

A place where pagans worshipped the ancestral gods.

Pagan worship was then the most widespread in Alexandria,

coexisting with Judaism and with the unstoppable rise of a religion

forbidden until recently: Christianity.

How many fools do you think have asked themselves,

"Why don't the stars fall from the sky?"

But you, who have heard the teachings of the wise,

you know that the stars move neither up nor down.

They merely revolve from east to west,

following the most perfect course ever conceived, the circle.

Because the circle reigns in the heavens,

the stars have never fallen, and they never will.

But what about here on Earth?

Here, bodies do fall.

But their movements are not circular, but linear.

Watch again. Watch again.

No, leave it, leave it.

So, what mysterious wonder do you all think

might be lurking beneath the Earth that would make every single person

and animal and object and slave settle there?

What might it be?

-Their heaviness, lady. -No.

Synesius?

Their weightiness.

No, you're both speaking about the same thing,

but you're not talking about the primary cause.

Have any of you ever wondered at the thought that your...

That your feet...

Your feet are standing on the very center of the cosmos

that holds all things together and pulls them together?

If there were no center, then the universe would be shapeless,

infinite, formless, chaotic.

Well, it would make little difference if we were here or there or anywhere,

and we'd all be better off never having been born.

God, our father, lord of the universe, origin of all things,

eternal force of the cosmos,

where everything has its beginning and everything its end.

Almighty Serapis, Isis, Horus, Anubis and all you gods who enshroud us

with your protection, both in Heaven and on Earth.

I don't know what's happening in the market, but...

These amazing things I want to show you...

I see. Lady...

Orestes.

If you'll just let me speak for one moment. Please.

I know you feel something, as well.

I see. I've seen you...

Tell the master we're leaving.

Can you believe he was courting me as if I was one of his conquests?

This Orestes is as foolish as his father.

In fact, I already suggested that he devote his heart to another muse,

one more beautiful than .

-Who? -Music.

Music?

He didn't find it amusing.

But how could 227 ever become 16?

Look, it's 14.

They behave like humans! They eat, drink and fornicate!

If my gods eat and drink and fornicate, good for them!

Know this! Know this,

you who console yourselves with pagan images.

Men, women, birds, reptiles!

Serapis!

Serapis! Who could trust a god with a flowerpot for a crown?

Oh, you Christians!

How arrogant you've become now that the Empire allows you to exist.

My father's father saw them

slaughtered in the circus and fed to the lions!

Enough! Enough! Watch. Watch.

I shall now walk across the fire.

If my god...

If my god is the true God, I shall suffer no harm.

If, however, your gods exist, they will roast me like a pig.

You're mad!

You'll get burnt!

You'll get what you deserve!

Now let's see if you can walk across the fire.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Stop, stop, stop, you can't do that. Let the man go!

Be quiet, pagan, or we'll throw you in, as well.

Whose is this?

Whose is this?

How many times must I repeat myself?

Today, the Christians burned a man,

right in the middle of the agora.

I will not have this in my house. Not in the house of Theon!

Give it to me.

Give it to me!

-Master, I beg mercy for your slave girl. -Davus.

Get up. You have nothing to do with this. I, too, am a Christian.

What did you say?

I, too, am a Christian. Punish me for the both of us.

So, now they presume to teach us mercy?

Get a whip. Father.

Please wait until you're calm before you...

Father, I beg of you. I beg of you.

Wrapped in a blazing brightness. It was the flames, stupid.

Then why didn't he burn like the pagan? Tell me.

Leave us.

Come here.

And kneel.

Tell me, is it true that you're a Christian?

I don't know what to say, mistress. Why not?

If I said yes, that would be a lie.

If I said no, it'd mean I lied to my master, and I don't know which one's worse.

Then you should say nothing at all.

There.

Thank you.

I want you to know that the master is upset with himself about this.

What is that?

Something I made, mistress.

But it looks like a...

What is it?

It's Ptolemy's system. It is.

Did you make this?

Earth is the center of the cosmos.

And revolving around it, the sun

and the five wanderers, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn,

obstinately disobeying the law of the circle.

Nevertheless, Ptolemy shows us that they do obey it.

The fact that we see them move in a loop is due to the joint effect of two circles.

One that travels around the Earth,

and another lesser circle proper to each wanderer.

Look, the epicycles. So, you see, it's not Heaven that errs,

but our eyes that deceive us.

Well said, Davus. I'd like you to know that your exposition

shows me that you've been paying closer attention

than one or two others here.

I tell you, the gods should have consulted me before they created anything.

And why do you say that, Orestes?

It all seems so whimsical. Why the joint effect of two circles?

Wouldn't it be more perfect if the wanderers didn't wander

and a single circle gave sense to everything?

Orestes, by what authority do you judge the work of God?

What is wrong with you Christians?

Can a man no longer open his mouth in this city?

If you criticize creation, you criticize our Lord and you offend us.

You should move out to the desert.

You won't hear anything to offend you out there.

You know nothing of what you speak. None of you.

Synesius, what is Euclid's first rule?

Why the question? Just answer me.

If two things are equal to a third thing,

then they are all equal to each other. Good.

Now, are you both not similar to me?

Yes. And you, Orestes?

Yes.

Now, I am actually saying this to everybody here in this room.

More things unite us than divide us.

Now, whatever may be going on in the streets, we are brothers.

We are brothers.

I want you to remember that brawls are for slaves and for riffraff.

Now, I think we should all honor Davus with some very well-earned applause, so...

...to judge us all, alive and dead! And then it will be too late,

because only those who believed in Jesus will be saved.

What are you waiting for? What are you waiting for?

The kingdom of God is upon us.

Do you understand what I am telling you?

Yes. Yes.

Yeah, but do you understand like men do, or do you nod your head like sheep?

What are you looking at?

Yes, you. What are you looking at?

Are you Ammonius, the man who performed the miracle?

Do you want to see a miracle?

Are you the one? l am.

Come with me.

Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues,

preaching the good news of the kingdom

and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

News about him spread all over Syria,

and people wrote to him from all over the world.

That is Theophilus, the bishop.

"...for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for righteousness,

"for they will be filled." The word of God.

"Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

The Lord be with you. With you, too, Parabalano.

So, how were you able to escape the flames?

The Lord be with you. And with you.

What do you think I did? I prayed.

You probably do not even know how, huh?

What do you have in that sack? Do you have any food in it?

It's for my master. It's for my master.

What's wrong with you? have to pay for that with my own money.

What do you need money for? Look at their faces.

Here. I want you to try it yourself,

and afterwards I will teach you how to pray.

Go on.

The Lord be with you. Bless you.

See? That is the miracle.

Go on, keep doing it.

-The Lord be with you. -Please. Please.

Thank you. Thank you.

Bless you, Parabalano. God bless you.

God bless you.

Hey, slave. What is your name?

Davus.

Davus the slavus.

Now you look like a true Parabalano. A true soldier of Christ.

What are they saying this time? Telling them to dance.

The men are now heavy with wine.

All aboard! All aboard!

Oh, what an unfortunate wretch! Save your servants!

End of Act Two!

Thank you, dear audience, thank you.

Now, excuse the delay while we move things around and change our costumes.

Forgive me. Forgive my boldness.

I am Orestes, son of Orestes.

I 'am here to...

I am here to declare my love for Hypatia the philosopher,

whom you all no doubt know.

For some time now, following her counsel, I have devoted myself to music

in the hopes of seeking solace in the harmony of its sounds.

But for me,

such harmony resides only in my lady.

So, my purpose here is merely to offer my melody

in the hopes of...

Stop talking.

That man will go far, I tell you.

If my preferred fruit were the banana and not the fig,

I would have already fallen at his feet.

Wouldn't it be best to please him? Me?

How? Granting him your daughter's hand.

Or don't you have a plan to marry her off?

Hypatia, subject to a man, with no freedom to teach,

or even to speak her mind?

The most brilliant philosopher I know, having to give up her science?

No, that would be death to her.

That's true. Her work is admirable. And she is prudent and virtuous.

But, Theon, don't forget her sad condition.

Being a woman, I mean.

Our father, who art in Heaven, revered be...

Don't let anyone else have her.

Please, don't let anyone else have her. Don't let anyone else have her.

Don't let anyone else have her. Don't let anyone else have her.

Don't let anyone else have her. Don't let anyone else have her.

Don't let anyone else have her.

Amen.

Good day, lady. Good day, lady.

Good day, lady. Good day, lady.

Good day, lady. Good day, lady.

Good day, lady.

Yesterday, many of you will have seen

one of your colleagues present me with an aulos.

I accepted the gift,

and today I wish to make him a gift of my own in return.

This is for you.

It is the blood of my cycle.

Orestes, you say that you have found harmony in me.

Well, I am suggesting that you look elsewhere,

because I think that there is little harmony or beauty in that.

Don't you agree?

Yesterday, we were discussing the Apollonian cone.

We discussed the circle, the ellipse, the parabola.

Today we will discuss the hyperbola. Lady!

Forgive me, lady. Olympius requires your presence urgently in the Serapeum.

You, as well.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

Are we to endure them force-feeding us the faith and customs

of people who, until recently, were common outlaws?

What's happening? It's despicable. A sacrilege.

The Christians have gathered in the agora. They are mocking the gods.

We must put an end to these insults.

They may not fear him, but they will fear our swords.

Wait! Wait!

Now, what is it you are going to do? Are you going to attack them?

Are you going to stain your hands with blood for an insult?

To the gods! An insult to the gods!

Well, if you think it is so outrageous,

then go and denounce their acts before the Prefect.

One might think that you're protecting them.

I am trying to protect our disciples. You are inciting them to be vile murderers.

Theon, as director, you have the last word.

The insult must be answered.

Those Jews amongst you, do as you please, this is not your battle.

As for you Christians, you would do well to join those of your own faith.

You will not cast my disciples out of this house.

Glory be to Serapis!

And to all the gods! And to all the gods!

Wait for my command!

No one must suspect us until we have them surrounded.

The clubs are for the slaves!

Slaves, come forward and arm yourselves!

The slaves are also summoned!

Davus, go back. No. Go back. Go back.

Get the Christians!

Glory be to Serapis! Glory be to Serapis!

Let's listen to her now!

Do you hear any complaint?

No! No!

This one has lost her voice, too!

Their mouths do not speak, their eyes do not see,

their noses do not smell.

Yet still the pagans come here and kneel before them!

What madness is this?

Glory be to Serapis!

For the gods!

Medorus! Take care of your master! Protect him!

Death to the pagans!

You! What are you looking at? Get in there and fight!

Go and fight!

Are you deaf? I said fight!

I'm a Christian!

I am a Christian!

I am a Christian!

What is Christ?

Christ is one! Christ is one!

Death to the pagans!

God is one! God is one!

No! No!

To the entrance! We must defend the entrance!

What's happening? What's happening?

Our men are being sent back by the Christians!

Father! It's okay. It's all right, it's all right.

What happened? It was his slave.

Davus, get me some cloths, some water, quickly.

Father.

Synesius, we must get out of here.

Hold him still.

The Parabalani are coming!

God is with us!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Close the gates! No, no, our men are still out there!

May the gods protect them. Close the gates, I say!

Don't kill him! We'll keep him as a hostage, like the others.

Did you hear that, everyone? Any Christian you catch is now a hostage.

Now, take our wounded to the temple and the Christians down into the cellars.

And anyone with a good eye and a good aim, up on the walls.

Olympius, this one is a Christian. Yes, and those three, as well.

If they are Christians, they will go down to the cellars.

Olympius, if you are going to imprison my brothers,

then you are going to have to imprison me with them.

If it is necessary, I will do that.

If anyone,

anyone,

dare lay a finger on one of my brothers,

I swear I'll run him through.

Look! Look at this!

Orestes.

Thank you.

Since when were there so many Christians?

We shall have to negotiate.

What are we waiting for? What can we expect from a Christian emperor,

except to be put to the sword?

I'll settle for still being alive when his verdict arrives.

Here will do.

No one should leave the group. Please.

Are they going to pray all night?

Davus. Davus, stay here. It's safer here.

Just here would be best.

Synesius, what are you doing?

Lady, sister and mother, may God bless you and protect you.

Move back! Slaves, get to the back!

We'll end up eating each other! Slaves, get to the back!

The three won't come out. It's a disaster.

Father, why don't you leave the dice?

Have you been seen today?

No?

Let's have a look.

Promise me, my child, that when I'm gone you won't remember this foolish old man.

Promise.

Remember me as I was before.

Before, when I could still think,

and I worked with you

and I listened to you.

How could I have been so wrong? ...

Seeing you here, locked up because of me...

Father, please.

I wanted you to be free.

I am free.

Hey, Christians! Christians!

What's that carpenter god of yours doing now?

Building coffins for you, scum!

So, tell me, where are the gods now?

Where are they?

Might as well look for others. Others?

Which one? The god of the Christians, perhaps?

Such boldness.

What do you think, lady? Am I so bold?

Put the fire out.

You are indeed bold. Very bold.

I've been thinking about something you said to me.

Me? That day that you

criticized the heavenly mechanism and you called it

whimsical.

Yes, although, actually, I was criticizing Ptolemy

for complicating everything with his epicycles.

But, I don't know, perhaps I'm just simple-minded.

No.

No, the heavens should be simple.

So, am I right, or...

What if...

What if there were a simpler explanation for the wanderers?

There is.

But it is so absurd, so old, that no one gives it any credit.

What theory is that? Do you speak of Aristarchus?

Aristarchus maintained that the Earth moves.

The strange behavior of the wanderers

was nothing more than an optical illusion caused by our movement

in combination with theirs around the sun.

A heliocentric model. That's right.

The sun would be in the center, as befits its dignity as king of the stars.

Which would make Earth just...

His work was lost... ...another wanderer.

...in the fire that destroyed the Mother Library.

This is why we have to take great care of this place.

Our library is all that remains of the wisdom of man.

But every time you drop an object...

Who speaks?

Forgive me, mistress.

I was listening. Speak up, Davus.

If the Earth is moving,

every time you drop an object, it would fall further behind.

And the wind would always blow against us.

And the birds would lose their way in flight.

I told you, Aristarchus' hypothesis makes no sense at all.

I feel that what you just said can be refuted.

But right now, I don't know how.

Make way for the Prefect! Make way!

Make way for the Prefect! Make way!

Listen, one and all!

Prepare to hear and obey the verdict of our emperor!

"I, Flavius Theodosius Augustus,

"emperor and supreme head of the provinces of the Orient,

"having been informed of the events which

recently took place in the city of Alexandria,

"do hereby declare and command

"that the insurgents shall be pardoned and freed...

"In exchange for my generosity,

"the insurgents will abandon the Serapeum and the Library immediately,

"allowing the Christians to enter and dispose of the premises

"as they see fit."

Keep tight!

What are we to expect? They'll destroy everything!

-The pagans will leave by the stables. -The books.

From there, you will be escorted to your homes.

Obey this instant!

Keep together! Tortoise!

Send half the regiment to the other side.

We'll send the rest later. Yes, sir.

Prefect, we won't be able to contain this mob for long.

-Leave the lesser works! -Which are the lesser works?

Just take the important ones! The important ones!

The soldiers are withdrawing!

Slave! Have you seen my mistress?

Just get over here and help!

We cannot carry so many! We need more help.

Please go and get my father out of here. Get him out of here now!

Slave! Pick up as much as you can! Come on. Go, go, go!

Come on, quickly!

Hypatia and her students are still in the atrium.

Are they out of their minds? If that's what they want, let them burn.

Come on! Quickly!

Lady.

Where have you been? Pick up that sack.

Lady, we have to go. Pick up the sack!

Why are slaves never around when they're needed?

I was... Move! Move! Move your feet! Move!

Idiot!

Run!

Come on! There's no time! There's no time!

Lady!

Lady, we have to leave. We must leave them.

God is one!

Hurry!

Move! Move!

They're coming!

Run!

The Christians are coming!

Davus! Davus, where are you going?

We have to go! Davus, where are you going?

If he wants to die for our gods, let him.

Davus, no. Please don't do this.

Come on! Davus!

Davus, no! Come on!

God is one! God is one!

Look out! Move back!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Slave!

Davus!

Davus!

Davus the slavus!

Help me with this!

Help me!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Pagan filth!

The master's wound is festering.

I know.

I know.

Davus.

Davus!

You're free.

Go.

Go.

Henceforth in Alexandria, only Christian and Jewish worship shall be permitted.

Pagan sacrifices, worshipping pagan symbols

and visiting pagan temples shall no longer be allowed.

Should anyone commit such an act or dare raise his eyes to the statues

of his former gods, he shall be punished without clemency.

Damned Jews!

Damned Jews!

They're just a bunch of good-for-nothing thugs, pack animals!

Joran, my dear friend, calm down.

Let Bishop Cyril speak in his own defense.

Prefect, our blessed Parabalani,

whom he has just called beasts of burden,

devote themselves, true enough, to carrying burdens.

The crippled, the sick, the lepers... And stones! Prefect, they carry stones.

And now they burst into the theater and they stone us,

knowing we will do nothing to defend ourselves because it is the Sabbath!

On the Sabbath, you should honor God in your synagogues

instead of stuffing yourselves with sweets at the theater.

That is why the stones fell upon you.

Prefect, do you hear that? Now he's threatening us.

This is too much! Friends.

There are more things that unite us than divide us.

We are brothers. We're all brothers!

Where would you Christians be without the Jews? Jesus was a Jew!

Jesus was a Jew! Jesus was a Jew!

There is something I find disturbing in what you've told me.

What? Well,

why does Cyril speak of cleaning up the city?

Is he not satisfied with what he already has?

1 think he's just trying to frighten the Jews.

But why say it in front of you?

What if really he was addressing you and not them?

Me? Why? I'm as much a Christian as he is.

Yes, but you forget that many of us from your circle are not.

Under full sail, Prefect.

Let's go.

Aspasius, are you ready? Yes, mistress.

I would like you to take the sack and climb to the top of the mast.

And now, lady, will you finally tell me what the point of all this is?

When Aspasius drops the sack, the boat will be moving forwards.

Therefore, the sack won't fall at the foot of the mast,

but will fall further back. I would say about...

About here. And what is so special about that?

Yes! Yes! But you were wrong!

Yes, but this is the definitive proof. It's definitive. The sack...

The sack behaved as if the boat were stationary.

What does that mean?

I don't know.

But the same principle could be applied to the Earth.

It could be moving around the sun without us realizing.

-Aristarchus. -Exactly.

Why do you torment yourself with that, lady?

Ptolemy is not perfect, but it works.

Orestes, but you were the one who...

Well, a few years ago you weren't so pragmatic, Prefect.

Well, a few years ago, I talked first and thought later.

I have Cepheus third.

Thirty-seven, 48.

Venus and Mars share a house in Aquarius.

My father would have celebrated such a conjunction with a good wine.

The stars will not fall. Oh, really?

No, because they are fixed to the lid of the chest.

The lid will open in two halves and then Jesus will appear.

What chest are you talking about?

Don't you know that the universe is a gigantic chest?

Heaven is the lid on top and the Earth the ground below.

They haven't told this fool that the Earth is round.

The Earth is flat. Your head is flat!

Read the Scriptures. If the Earth is round,

why don't the people at the bottom fall off?

And what about the ones on the sides?

Why don't they slide off?

Think about that.

Davus knows.

Hey, brother. What do you say? Is the Earth flat or round?

Only God knows those things.

Leave them on the ground. Leave them on the ground!

That's where they belong. Lady, you must not lose heart.

Today, on the boat, you made great progress.

Why? Why do the wanderers vary their brightness so unexpectedly?

And what is worse, why does the sun?

Why does it change size from summer to winter?

Perhaps because sometimes it is nearer and other times it is further away.

But, Aspasius... Watch.

According to Aristarchus, the sun must be at the center of everything,

with us, the Earth, traveling in a circle around it.

Therefore, and this is the key,

always at exactly the same

distance.

Now, if, as you just said, we accept the changes in distance,

then we are forced to add

an epicycle to the Earth's orbit.

So, it is going to be nearer and then it's going to be further away.

But now we fall into the same trap as Ptolemy.

Circles upon circles. Exactly.

So, I just do not know how to resolve this conflict.

I mean, the only thing we could do is

displace the sun from the center, and, well,

not to have a center breaks my heart, Aspasius.

So, tell me, what do I do?

Rest, lady.

Parabalani!

Parabalani! What is happening?

Parabalani, quick! Help!

Saint Alexander is on fire!

-It's a fire. -Parabalani!

Come on! Parabalani!

Get water! Get the bucket!

Quick! Over there! Take this!

Quick! Quick! Go! Go!

Hurry up! Come on! Quick!

Hurry up! Move! Move! Come on!

Quick!

Parabalani! Parabalani!

Parabalani! Parabalani, quick!

Find the fire.

Over there! Over there!

Not over there! There!

Come on! Where?

Where is the fire?

Jews. It's a trap. It's a trap!

Damn you!

Damn you!

Christians all. Last night was a night to deplore.

Now I say to you,

grieve no longer for our dead brothers.

Weep not.

Shed your tears for the others,

for their executioners.

Yes!

Yes, weep for them, for those who have done this

know not of God, nor of love, nor of piety.

They know not. Because it is they

who repeat the words of the Scriptures with no understanding at all.

It is they who saw only a man

when the son of God was standing in front of them.

And it is they who, in their blindness, mocked him and crucified him.

Yes! Weep! Weep!

Weep for the Jews, those evil butchers of our Lord!

Because God...

Because God, God, God has already condemned them.

It is God's will that they live as slaves,

cursed and exiled until the end of time.

Cursed and exiled!

Cursed and exiled!

Cursed and exiled! Cursed and exiled!

Die, Jew!

Lady, do not stop. Lady. Sinners! Die, you sinners!

Get out, scum! Move! Move, Jews!

Keep moving!

Now all the Jews will want to retaliate!

I'm afraid you don't understand what's really happening.

When this is all over, there will be no more Jews in Alexandria.

I'm sorry for bursting in like this.

Lady, you should not have risked coming here.

Where are the troops?

Why are there no more soldiers on the streets?

No army could contain that mob. The entire city is in a frenzy.

He is calling for the annihilation of women and children.

A bishop. A Christian! Then lock him up.

Prefect, you should have him arrested.

It's not so easy.

Lady, Cyril knows that they both share the same faith.

That places our Prefect in a very awkward position.

If he defends the Jews, half the city will rise up against this government.

I see.

If you choose to do nothing, though,

I believe Cyril will continue to do the same thing

over and over again until...

Until there is no one left in this city, no people for this government to govern.

How naive of me.

How naive of me to think we had finally changed.

Jews out!

First they kill them, then they bury them.

The bishop of Cyrene.

What is he doing here? I'll find out.

It's my little Library of Alexandria.

That's where I teach the children.

An Apollonian cone.

Yes, I built it to teach them about the four curves.

The circle,

and the ellipse...

Orestes should really be here by now. ...parabola and the hyperbola.

It's truly beautiful.

You know, I often look at it and I always wonder,

why does the circle co-exist with such impure shapes?

What I'd give to sit here and listen to you again.

I'd bore you.

It's been a long time since I've done anything

but beat my head against a stone.

Anyhow, there are more important matters at hand.

Forgive me.

Two Christians in the hands of a heathen. It's an outrage.

It's an outrage.

How many left? I don't know,

but the smell is going to be terrible.

Ammonius. Does God speak with you?

All the time.

"Ammonius, this, Ammonius, that. Ammonius, Ammonius, Ammonius."

Today, he spoke to me so quickly, I had to ask him to slow down.

Tell me something.

Do you ever think we're mistaken?

Why?

I was forgiven,

but now I can't forgive.

Forgive? Who?

The Jews?

Well, Jesus pardoned them on the cross.

Jesus was God, and only he can show such clemency.

How dare you compare yourself to God?

Brother.

We are still alive. Why?

Because it was his will to save us from the stones.

God wants us here, doing what we do.

Don't you believe in that anymore?

Beloved.

Cyril is a very proud man.

He'll agree to meet, but he won't discuss the Jews.

He'll only discuss peace.

Peace? My suggestion,

as your humble advisor in this affair,

is for you to accept.

Let peace be foremost.

Lady, what do you think? Well, I...

I don't think it's very encouraging.

Why would he want to come and see Orestes without any concrete proposals?

There is something else.

He won't come to you.

He demands you meet him in the Library during the Sunday service.

In the Library? Why?

Only Christians have been permitted to enter the Library since it was stormed.

It is a provocation! Yes!

Allow me to suggest.

If you consider your presence so essential,

why not let yourself be baptized?

The majority of us here, beginning with our Prefect,

have accepted Christ. Why not the rest of you?

It's only a matter of time, and you know it.

Really?

Is it just a matter of time? Well, excuse me, honored member,

but as far as I am aware, your God has not yet proved himself

to be more just or more merciful than his predecessors.

Lady... Is it really just a question of time

before I accept your faith?

Why, then, should this assembly accept the counsel

of someone who admittedly believes in absolutely nothing?

I believe in philosophy.

Philosophy. Just what we need in times like these.

Enough!

All these years, I've been studying

with absolutely no life of my own.

And I wonder,

what was the point?

Forget about what was said today.

Is this all life holds for me?

Well, what else?

I doubt anyone could see you as a devoted wife and mother.

I think...

I think everyone in the city knows the story of the handkerchief.

So...

My father loved a woman. Even he.

Who have I ever loved?

Except you, Lybanus.

If I could just...

Just unravel this, just a little bit more,

and just get a little closer to the answer, then...

Then I would...

Then I would go to my grave a happy woman.

Why? Why does that mean so much to you?

Right now, this very second, the whole Earth could be moving

and no one realizes it except you and me.

Believe me, lady, it's best no one does.

Do you really not think it important?

I don't understand why you insist on moving the ground we walk on.

Well, you saw for yourself what happened on the boat.

Yes, I did. But that does not necessarily mean the Earth moves.

But what if it does? Hypatia, look around you.

Death, horror, destruction.

If the stars move in a circle,

why would they share their perfection with us?

So we don't move. In a circle.

We don't move

in a circle.

We do not move in a circle.

Ever since Plato,

all of them, Aristarchus, Hipparchus, Ptolemy,

they have all, all, all tried to reconcile their observations

with circular orbits, but what if another shape

is hiding in the heavens? Another...

Lady, there is no shape purer than the circle. You taught us that.

I know, I know, but suppose, just suppose

the purity of the circle has blinded us from seeing anything beyond it,

in the same way that the glare of the sun blinds us from actually seeing the stars.

I must begin all over with new eyes. I must...

I must rethink everything. I have to rethink everything. Everything.

Everything.

Reading from the first letter of Paul to Timothy.

"I desire therefore that everywhere

"men should lift up holy hands in prayer,

"without anger or disputing.

"In like manner,

"I desire women

"to dress modestly,

"with decency and propriety, not with braided hair

"or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,

"but with good deeds." Why is he reading this passage?

I don't know, Prefect. I assure you, it is not the one we agreed upon.

"Let a woman learn in quietness and in full submission.

"I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man,

"but to be in silence.”

This is the word of God.

Amen. Amen.

Amen.

Jesus himself knew this

when he entrusted his holy legacy to 12 men.

Men.

Not a woman among them.

And yet, I know of some in Alexandria

who admire and even trust in the word of a woman.

The philosopher Hypatia.

A woman who declared in public her ungodliness.

A witch!

Dignitaries, it is time for you all to reconcile yourselves with Christ.

This is the word of God.

Kneel before it and embrace its truths.

Kneel.

Is he not going to kneel?

Is he not going to kneel?

Kneel! Kneel!

Kneel! Kneel!

Kneel! Kneel! Kneel! Kneel! Kneel! Kneel!

Sinner! Sinner!

I am a Christian!

I am a Christian! You're not a Christian!

I am as Christian as you are! Sinner!

Make way! Make way for the Prefect! Make way!

Move them back.

Protect the Prefect!

Shields!

I am a baptized Christian!

I am a baptized Christian!

I'll kill you!

I am as Christian as you!

I am as Christian as you are!

I mean, how could such a thing be possible?

The culprit has been executed.

I would like you to take me to the Prefect immediately.

Lady, he himself gave the order

for you to be confined to the house until further notice.

At the moment, your presence on the street is not advisable.

For what reason?

Cyril has made some serious accusations against you.

And what does he accuse me of?

Ungodliness. And witchcraft.

I see.

Is something bothering you, lady? No.

Why don't you tell me what's worrying you?

Prefect, why don't you bite on it? No.

Speak.

Sir, the bishop of Cyrene wishes to see you.

Leave, all of you.

Prefect, the wound is not yet closed. Get out. Get out!

All of you! Out! Out!

Well, that went well.

You think I had a part in this?

Would I show my face here if I wanted to betray you? Are you blind?

I was, yes, I was. I was blind. I was blind

when it's my head he's wanted all along. It's me that snake is after.

This government. This city!

Now, listen.

War is brewing. I know.

I know.

Then swear your loyalty to me.

To the Empire. Do it.

Condemn him or get out.

1 will do it.

On my knees, if necessary.

And not only that.

In a few days, I can gather other bishops from the province,

and the monks from the desert, all against Cyril.

First, I must ask you a question.

Orestes, do you believe in Jesus?

Do I what? Do you believe in Jesus?

Do I what? Are you a true Christian,

or did you, like so many others, only convert

to prosper in politics? Synesius.

Why didn't you kneel? What choice did I have?

Why didn't you kneel? What choice did I have?

Betray Hypatia? Condemn her?

Would you have done that? I would never offend God.

No, it's him. He's offending God. He's offending him.

He's twisting his words. He's using the Scriptures...

He read what is written.

How many women do you obey?

How many?

How many do you admire and listen to?

Only one.

Only one. No, no, look...

The Scripture. The Scripture is correct.

And it was in his hands.

Brother, don't you see? Don't you see the insult to God

in front of everyone?

I don't know.

I don't know what I believe. You have to tell him.

Tell him now, Orestes. Tell him you believe in what is written.

I believe... Don't tell me, tell him.

Tell God. Kneel.

Kneel!

Many are those who remember today

the miracles our beloved brother performed in life.

Like the time he commended himself to the father

and threw himself into the fire and was not even singed.

Ammonius, dead for bravely defending your faith in Christ,

I proclaim you a martyr.

A saint.

From now on, you shall be known as Saint Taumasius.

We want justice! Yes, justice!

Justice! Justice!

May God show us the way, my dear Parabalani.

Little else can I say to you.

What about the monks of Nitria?

Count on at least 500 of them, plus 500 of our own men.

And you think that's enough?

He's the Prefect. He has a whole army to protect him.

Listen. Why don't we do something much more simple and effective?

What are you talking about? We can hurt him where it hurts most.

How? That whore.

Who?

What if we dared to look at the world just as it is?

Let us shed for a moment every preconceived idea.

What shape would it show us? What shape?

You once said that the problem lies in the inconsistency of the sun.

Yes. Yes, I did. Good, good. Put it into words.

The sun must be at the center since we revolve around it,

and at the same time in another position...

Another position.

...since our distance from it varies. Yes, exactly.

How? How could it occupy

two positions at once?

How could it occupy two positions at once?

How could it occupy two positions at once?

How could it occupy two positions at once?

Aspasius.

Yes, yes. There. And then the other one here, keeping the same proportion.

Good, very good. Now, tie this end to that torch.

Aspasius, I want you to imagine that this is the Earth

and that each of these flames represent the two extreme positions of the sun

in relation to it, in winter and in summer.

What would happen if both these positions were the two centers

of one and the same circle?

But it isn't possible, mistress.

Wait, what do we know about a circle? We know that the center of a circle

is always the same distance from any point along its perimeter.

Exactly. Yes, so,

what if I divide the center into two

but what I keep constant is the sum of their two distances to the perimeter?

All right, look, I'll show you. Watch. As I move this rod along the cord,

as one segment increases,

the other segment decreases. And vice versa.

Therefore, the sum of the two is always going to be constant. Do you see that?

Now, what if we apply this

to the movement of the Earth?

What

figure will we obtain?

An ellipse!

With the sun at one of its foci.

Because what is a circle except a very special ellipse

whose foci have drawn so close together that they appear to be one?

Or perhaps I'm completely raving, Aspasius.

I mean, really, why should this be so? Maybe I'm just... Maybe I'm...

What do you think?

It could well be so, mistress.

All right, well, we'll continue with this tomorrow.

Get some sleep.

-Good night, mistress. -Good night.

Thank you.

Davus!

Davus!

What are you doing?

Lady.

Let me see.

Why don't you sit down?

Where is everybody? Please, sit down.

I have news for you, too.

All dignitaries who have yet to embrace the Christian faith are to be baptized

in public.

The aim is very clear. It's to add to our cause

all the Christians in the city,

decent folk prepared to fight for me.

You speak of peddling faith.

Very well.

Very well.

But since everything seems to have been decided already,

I don't understand why you required my presence here.

I am not a member of government. No, you are more than that.

You are the person I trust most, and everyone knows it.

You cannot be saying what you are saying.

Lady.

Lady, years ago...

Years ago, you taught us something.

If two are equal to a third,

they are all equal to each other. Do you remember?

-Yes. -The three of us, we are all good people.

And you, you are as Christian as we are.

Synesius, you don't question what you believe.

You cannot.

I must.

Well...

Well, that's a pity, lady. A great pity.

Our revered teacher taken away from what she herself taught us.

Or do you think I'm not aware of the insane things you're involved in?

Synesius. The Earth moving around the sun.

What next, lady? What next? I beg of you, you must let me go.

Let me in! Let me in! I must speak to her! Why would she want to see a Parabalani?

Lady! Lady! Go away before we arrest you! Leave!

Aspasius! It's me, Davus! It's Davus! Get off me.

Tell them who I am! Do you know this man?

Yes. What do you want?

I need to speak to her. I need to speak with your mistress. Where is she?

My mistress is not here. It's urgent! Where is she?

She's at the Prefect's palace.

Where? The Prefect's palace.

The Prefect's palace. Thank you! Get out of here!

Who was that? He was a slave once.

Wait. Please, wait. I beg you.

If you don't agree, I won't be able to protect you any longer.

I won't be able to have dealings with you,

or even greet you.

Hypatia.

Don't you see? I can't go on without you.

I can't.

Without you, I can't defeat Cyril.

Oh, Orestes.

Cyril has already won.

Thank you. But I don't need you.

Davus!

Brother! Where are you going? We've found her!

Come on! Come on!

Move. Sinner!

Faster!

Come on, move! Whore!

Sinner! Witch!

Witch!

Pagan filth!

Move! Move!

Come on! Move! Move!

Move on! Move!

Witch!

Strip her naked.

Get up.

That's it, so that God can behold you in all your filth, whore.

Were you not the Prefect's whore?

Heathen. Whore.

Look, she's not reacting.

She'll scream, all right, when we skin her alive.

How many of you have knives? No!

Don't stain your hands with impure blood.

Let's stone her! Let's stone this witch!

Get some stones. Quickly!

The ones we threw at Orestes, they are still here.

I'll stay with her.

She fainted.

The mutilated body of Hypatia

was dragged through the streets and burned on a pyre.

Orestes disappeared forever. Cyril took power in Alexandria.

Much later, Cyril was proclaimed saint and doctor by the Church.

Although no work of Hypatia survived,

it is known that she was an extraordinary astronomer

and is known for her studies on conic sections.

1200 years later, in the 17th century,

Johannes Kepler discovered that one of these curves, the ellipse,

governed the movement of the planets.