Original subtitles

Aaargh! You saved my life. I'm Jonathan. I'm Flavia.

Don't you jabber at me! Nubian - a princess.

Take this. You're safe now. I'll look after you.

Unhappy man.

So you can hear but you don't speak.

Your name is Lupus. You are coming with us, aren't you?

- I've never been to a farm. - You'll love it.

It's only a tremor.

Judgment is upon us.

The end of the world...

Are you all right?

Bad dream. That's all.

What's this? Uncle Gaius said we could have them.

They're the last of the litter.

For me, really? Lupus, that's so kind. Come here, you.

Fierce little tiger, aren't you?

I'll call you, Tigris, little tiger. They're fiercer than lions.

Nubia, you can name that one. It's yours.

He is Nipur. Nipper! I hope not.

Nipur is name my dog, olden days. Nipur and Tigris.

You have to start obedience training them.

They keep chasing the chickens. What's obedens?

It means doing what you're told. Like slave?

No!

I think you've got it, Nubia.

Where did that come from? It was outside my room.

A sparrow! It's a love token, Miriam.

You know, the poem by Catullus...

He gives his beloved a sparrow.

It hops on her lap, now here, now there.

Sounds great(!) It's very romantic.

He's obedens? Might be tame.

Let's see.

It is! Who sent it to you?

I've no idea. A mystery.

I love a romantic mystery.

Men are always making fools of themselves over her.

Last spring in Rome, there was this fat... Jonathan, please...

Anyway, I'm old enough.

I could marry if I wanted to.

But you don't, though, do you?

Ugh! Miriam! RUMBLING

Not again. It's Vulcan's warning about marriage.

There have been so many tremors, it's a wonder the house still stands...

Plaster dust in my hair most mornings.

Is that how it's so white?!

I grew up on the slopes of Mount Etna, where Vulcan has his forge.

It's terrible when he's angry.

My grandfather was head man of our village.

He started worshipping Mithras, the Sun God.

He wouldn't perform the rites of Vulcan.

My grandmother took the family, went away.

The very next day, Vulcan drowned the village in a river of fire.

Not a soul survived.

That's dreadful.

It's the Vulcanalia tomorrow.

We'll make peace with the god.

I love this time of year.

Promise of a good harvest, feasting on the beach.

Has this always been your home?

Marcus and I were born here, so was my father and grandfather.

I've no reason to leave.

We're always leaving. Uncle Gaius? Mm-hm? Why didn't you ever marry?

Ah, your mother chose another man. You were in love with my mother?!

Myrtilla preferred adventure and Marcus to me and the farm.

You mean, I could... You might...

Your uncle is still quite a young man, Flavia.

All hope is not lost.

I say...

any time you want a trip in my yacht,

it's always ready to sail.

Senator, I think it's time.

Yes.

Tascius Pomponianus owns the big villa on the headland.

He's acting as the priest of Vulcan.

Great Vulcan,

God of fish and flame,

be merciful to us.

Protect us from the danger of wave and flame.

And protect our harvest from fire and damp. That's the invocation.

Now comes the sacrifice.

Merciful Vulcan, accept these lives

for our lives.

Can't Vulcan tell the difference between fish and man?

Grant that we may live a year... Brilliant! Half man, half fish.

..in prosperity.

MUSIC PLAYS

If he drops the fish, it's bad luck.

THE CROWD OOHS

Something isn't right.

What about your dreams?

Sometimes... They're dreams! That's all.

They don't mean anything.

More superstitious nonsense. I don't think so.

You might not believe it, but we are being warned. Sorry.

Nothing seems to be going right at the moment.

SOMEONE CRIES OUT What was that? >

Something ran over my foot. What on earth?

Diodorus!

Rotten eggs.

It feels like I'm suffocating.

This is Diodorus of Sicily where Frustilla comes from.

"In a town called Helice on the Gulf of Corinth,

"there was an earthquake." Corinth is far off.

"Before the earthquake, citizens were puzzled as animals

"such as rats, snakes and weasels left the city in droves."

Just as today.

Then what happened?

Five days later the entire city was swallowed by the sea.

The tremors can be alarming if you're not used to them.

So many strange things have happened.

Yes! The fizzy water. The well drying up.

Dead fish in the sea. Stinky air making Jonathan ill. Vulcan hungry.

So you think there will be an earthquake? I think it's worse.

Pliny says there's a volcano at Modena

that spits out fire and stones at the Feast of Vulcan.

Modena is six days north of here. Yes, but the Feast of Vulcan is now!

All the evidence points to one thing -

a volcanic eruption.

Flavia, there is one flaw in your splendid theory.

There is no volcano! Now, if you're quite finished,

I've got work to get on with. Please, Uncle Gaius, there's more!

THUNDER CRASHES

It is a volcano. It is!

We're in danger! I've had terrible dreams.

It's a sign from the gods.

It is a sign. What about Jonathan's dreams and the man at the harbour?

I believe dreams speak to us.

I dreamt of the fall of Jerusalem and took my family to safety.

There's no armies here. My dreams could mean anything.

There is danger. We should leave.

Miriam, prepare yourself... No, Father.

What's wrong? I don't want to leave. I don't understand.

I'm in love, Father.

I won't go without him. Who is it you love, my daughter?

She loves me, Dr Mordecai.

(Uncle Gaius?!)

And I love her.

So be it.

Come with us. We should all leave.

I have ignored the signs for too long.

I can't just leave.

My vines are ready. My granary is full. What about the slaves?

I can't let this happen again!

Please, come with us before it's too late. Miriam, tell him, please.

I'm staying with Gaius, Father.

It's just a tremor.

Flavia's stories have upset us all. There is a volcano!

Everyone's in danger! I'm going to get help.

Jonathan? You go.

Flavia, come back here! Flavia!

Gaius, listen. What?

Listen.

THUD! What was that?

A dead bird. That smell again. Sulphur fumes.

Sulphur...

There was a sulphur cloud that crossed the bay

the last time there was a big earthquake.

It killed a flock of sheep.

It can kill animals as big as sheep? We should leave.

What a fool I've been. Gaius!

Jonathan, where did Flavia go?

GONG CLANGS

All together. < Flavia!

Oh, no! Flavia, what do you think you're doing? Please, Uncle Gaius.

I know you don't believe me. I do believe you. I do believe you.

But you can't just run off. We have to warn the people along the bay.

Three children? Admiral Pliny has warships.

If I can convince him... You want to sail across the bay?!

You promised your father not to leave the farm.

I promised not to leave without you. Flavia, this is crazy.

Do you have a better idea? I don't know how to sail. Lupus does.

All right. I'll go back to the farm... We have to leave now.

Jonathan knows the plan.

I stay. I help Miriam.

Are you sure? Yes.

I am sure.

All right.

By Castor and Pollux, I hope you're wrong!

'We can finish this, Xanthus.'

You lock up the house and buildings. The other slaves have run away!

The God Vulcan will swallow us up!

Not God. Old stories. Frustilla, we'll need bread,

cheese, ham, olives, a wine skin and olive oil.

Of course. Nubia will help you. Bread. Wine.

Father, Senator Pomponianus spoke of a yacht. We should ask for his help.

POMPONIANUS: Bad news, I'm afraid.

The wind's died and my captain tells me the current would run us aground.

But we have to leave. I'm sorry? >

JONATHAN COUGHS

My son is very ill. Oh. Well, I'm sorry,

but you'll have to wait in the boathouse.

Come, my son.

We trust in God.

Just as well I came.

RUNNING FOOTSTEPS

Assassins! Uncle! Admiral Pliny, there's a volcano!

You must warn people. If we try and tell them, they'll think we're mad!

Slow down, young lady. Take a deep breath.

Please, dear Admiral Pliny, I need to use your library.

Ah-ha!

Strabo. There you are.

So many strange things have been happening.

All the authorities point to one thing - Vesuvius is a volcano. Ah!

No. Impossible. My uncle has listed all the volcanoes in the world,

and Mount Vesuvius is not one of them.

Where is it?

Yes - here. I'm sorry, my Greek isn't very good.

"Above these places lies Mount Vesuvius, dwellings all around,

"beautiful farmland. As for the summit,

"rocks looking as though they've been eaten by fire.

"So one deduces that, in earlier times, the district was on fire

"and had craters of fire."

Is there any sign of fire on Mount Vesuvius now? None at all. Look.

Ah. "..Craters of fire.

"And then, because the fuel gave out,

"the fires were quenched."

As I explained to you, my dear, volcanoes are caused

by strong winds rushing through holes on mountain tops.

There is no hole on Mount Vesuvius.

Strabo, eh? Not bad at all! HE CHUCKLES

Lupus, what is it? What's that? RUMBLING

Ah.

You may be on to something. Prepare to launch my ship immediately!

At this rate, we'll be at Pompeii in no time!

Don't touch it! Don't touch it!

Igneous rock.

It's...

volcanic matter!

Quite right, Flavia Gemina. There's a volcano!

How marvellous!

We'll put in at Herculaneum and continue down the coast to Pompeii.

MEN CRY OUT

MORDECAI: And the Lord went before them in a pillar of cloud

to lead the way.

Is it the end of the world?

It's not the end of the world, but if we don't move quickly... Inside!

THEY COUGH

You, too, Jonathan. Father says we must. The air is thick.

It has a taste of death.

MAN: Rocks ahead! Rocks ahead!

All stop! All stop! We can't stop now!

There are no rocks. I surveyed this harbour myself. Look at the beach!

What...?

The wind of the volcano

must have raised the whole seabed! What power!

If only we could get close. Admiral, we can't stay here. You're right.

Sound the order for the retreat! We head for Misenum!

But we can't leave the citizens! I can't risk the imperial fleet.

We'll send a warning to the lighthouse at Herculaneum

and then my ship, and my ship alone, will go on to Stabia.

FRUSTILLA: This ash will kill us.

I always knew the worst would happen.

Flavia wouldn't leave us here.

What could she do?

Poor little girl! Dead already, I wouldn't be surprised. No!

< A ship!

EXCITED SHOUTS

MIRIAM: Flavia's brought Pliny to rescue us. We're saved!

ALL SHOUT JOYFULLY

GAIUS: Miriam!

POMPONIANUS: My dear fellow, we must leave at one.

The situation... Out of the question. These rowers need food, drink.

We'll stay the night here and embark tomorrow. Is your bathhouse working?

Yes, it is. PLINY COUGHS

It's better here than in Pompeii. Extraordinary phenomenon!

When did you first know something was wrong?

(It started when I dropped the fish.)

THUNDER CRASHES

JONATHAN COUGHS 'Come along, old friend.'

Let's get you under cover.

PLINY COUGHS

You're doing very well. Let's get you under cover in here.

Good man. EXPLOSION

PEOPLE SCREAM

EXPLOSIONS

Everybody out - now!

Quickly!

Pliny! Come along, man! We can't stay here.

EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE

(Can't...breathe...)

POMPONIANUS: Let's get Pliny out, now! Come on, quickly! Quickly!

TERRIFIED HUBBUB

Lupus, take a torch. We must create a shelter for the sickest among us.

There is a cave nearby. Go now, and return.

Like shell.

Good idea, Nubia. POMPONIANUS: Keep moving!

Come along! Keep going. Don't stop!

EXPLOSIONS

VOLCANIC BOMBS WHISTLE DOWN

MAN: We're trapped!

POMPONIANUS: It's coming towards us!

Everybody, in the water! Not the boats! In the water!

POMPONIANUS: Yes, everybody in the water! Run for your lives!

As soon as the fire comes, under water!

Now!

EVERYONE GASPS FOR AIR

We're alive!

THEY LAUGH WITH RELIEF

Admiral Pliny, it's me, Flavia Gemina. Can you hear me?

We're taking you to safety. PLINY GASPS

HIS BREATHING IS LABOURED Don't speak. Just breathe.

For...my nephew.

Tell him...

Tell him? I'll make sure he gets them if you can't find him.

Ashes...

Taste...death.

Water... Water?

So tired.

Sleep.

It is over.

I promise. I'll make sure he gets them.

He is in a coma.

A deep sleep.

Will he wake?

It is in God's hands.

Please, whoever you are - Vulcan, Pluto, Jonathan's God - anyone -

please bring him back to us.

Jonathan, come back to us, please!

Children keep going missing. He has great power. He's like a spider.

Honoured to meet you. We need to find out about the missing children.

I beg you to find my daughter! Have you seen Nubia?

We will escape. Do you ever see pirates? Yes. Seize them!