"Year 52 BC." "For six years, Gaius Julius Caesar, governor of Gaul, has been struggling to subdue the provinces of transalpine Gaul to the power of Rome." "The ferocious resistance of the Gauls required incredible acts of valor by the legions who were ready to die for Caesar." "THE GIANTS OF ROME" "Julius Caesar has been defeated in Gregovia." "Now he asked the Senate for additional legions." "Caesar is a fortunate man to have a friend such as you, Pompey." "One day Caesar's luck will run out, Cicero." "For six years he's been campaining through Gaul, solely for his own glory." "Victory or defeat it's the same for him." "What he really wants are the hearts of the soldiers." "The legions show much greater loyalty to him than to Rome." "Absolute power is his goal." "Before long he'll march on Rome." "That means disaster." "We've got to stop him!" "Can I therefore count on your support, Cicero?" "The whole Senate has a high regard of your opinion." "They value not what I say but the way I say it." "Tomorrow we'll convince the senat that Caesar must be recalled." "We'll create the illusion that it's really a triumph." "But only until we'll get him far away from his troops..." "The message from the Senate to the Consul Julius Caesar!" "Halt!" "Where are you going?" "To the Consul Julius Caesar with the message from the Roman Senate." "Pass!" "With his victory at Gregovia, Vercingetorix has been able to convince all the Gallic tribes to ally themselves with him." "The country is in revolt." "Recruits are flocking to him and he's building an army in Alesia ten times bigger than ours." "I've already asked the Senate for three additional legions." "But Pompey is in Rome, Caesar." "I must have these legions." "I must make a surprise attack through the northern pass." "Vercingetorix will not expect me to attack him from the mountains." "You forget the druids who made that pass impregnable?" "Our spies report they have the terrible weapon that absolutely obstruct the entrace to the pass." "Perhaps they're exaggerating, but there must be some truth in it." "The druids are extremely cunning at the art of war." "I have not forgotten, Flabinus." "Ave Caesar!" "A message from the Senate." "The Senate expects a reply." "Here it is:" "I'll lay all the Gaul at your feet." "Flabinus, choose four from your men." "The bravest and the strongest." "Immediately, Caesar." "Come here!" "Let's go, Claudius!" "Death to the vanquished?" "Anybody wanna challenge me?" "Show him, Germanicus!" "You're maybe strong, but what's that to my daggers?" "Varo, why not try me?" "If I'll die, Valerius will avenge me!" " You missed, Varo." " Your bad aim is my good fortune." "Only Jove is faster than he is." "Anyway, it takes a lot of courage to be a target for Varo." "You've never been safer!" "I never doubted that." " Catch!" " Watch this." " Boy's pretty good, Varo." " I want Claudius Marcellus." "Claudius, and also you two!" " And you." " Me?" "No, Varo." "Caesar wants to see you." "Follow me." "If you want my advice, Varo, better sharpen your daggers." "Where are you going?" "Come along with me." "There's a mountain of shoes that must be polished." "Guess it wasn't such a bright idea to run from home to the legions of Caesar." "In Rome my father has a hundred slaves to clean shoes." "Let go of me!" "If Caesar needs Claudius Marcellus there has to be something very important going on!" "Come on!" "Vercingetorix has contructed a new and terrible weapon." "It's up to you to find it and to destroy it." "We don't know it's exact position but it's blocking the only path to the Alesian mountains." "It must be destroyed within the next three days." "If that's what you want, then we will do it." "The daybreak of fourth day I shall arrive with my legions." "I want no surprises." "I must be certain it has been been destroyed before I enter the pass." "We will destroy it, Caesar, whatever the cost." "Go then." "The destiny of the legions is in your hands." "Ave Caesar!" "Good luck, soldiers." "You're going to need it." "Just beyond this bushes are the outposts of the Gauls." "I've been ordered to escort you only this far." "Let's have a look!" "Those patrols are really tough soldiers." "We'll have to cross one hundred yards of open space." "If you and your troopers fake an attack in that direction we'll be able to cross here." "For Caesar and Rome, huh?" "Charge!" "Don't do him any harm!" "Let's stop here for a minute." "We must never forget that five Romans have already died for this mission." "Thanks, Castor." "Your plan worked." "They are our best friends." "As long as we hear them around, we don't need to worry about falling into an ambush." "But we must be cautious." "I have a feeling we are being followed." "Valerius!" "Claudius, listen to me." "I know I shouldn't follow you here, but I was sick being a servant." "I wanna fight like a man." "Please take me with you." "This is no place for boys!" "From now on you are a man and your life belongs to Rome!" "You won't be sorry, I promise!" "Now there are five of us." "If that bush hadn't deflected my dagger there would be still four of us." "I hope that you're not really sorry that you've missed, Varo!" "Varo never misses!" "You're just one lucky boy." "Take it, Valerius." "We must get going." "Caesar not only demands the impossible, but he wants it done fast." "We're losing time moving to the woods." "We're going to have to risk out there in the open." "Don't try to resist!" "You're surrounded." "Put down your weapons!" "I promise you won't come to any harm." "And who offers us immunity?" "Syngerix, the Grand Druid." "They've destroyed the bridge." "Hurry, before they get away." "I've rather die than have another step." "We've lost them." "The sun's already high." "We're losing too much time." "There's no point in hiding anymore." "Now they know we've been here." "Let's head directly for the mountains of Alesia." "Come on!" " What's happening over there?" " Let's go see!" "Easy!" "Easy!" "Finally we have some horses!" "And weapons!" "This can be of use!" "Stop!" "You wanna warn the army?" "These are provisions!" "There's even wine!" "Wine?" "Marvellous!" "It's only water!" "I'm thirsty!" "Leave something for me!" "Germanikus, did you get drunk on this water?" "Look out!" "It's an ambush!" "They've got us surrounded." "I want to take them alive!" "All this for just one soldier?" "Maybe you think I'm Caesar?" "Take them under the strong guard to the caverns." "March!" "Get moving!" " We took these arms from the Romans." " The Grand Druid is expecting them." "From now on they're our responsibility." " Who's in command here?" " I am." "Follow me." "Claudius, do something!" "If they put us in chains, we're done for!" "Be quiet." "If only I had my daggers!" "Romans!" "Then Caesar is not far away." "Are you Roman too?" "When Caesar was first named Consul, who was the most famous gladiator in Rome?" "Sprintes." "There's a tavern on the road to Ostia." "What is it's speciality?" "Tripe." "As you can see, we are true Romans." " Are you convinced?" " Yes." "My name is Livilla." "My father is Fluvuis Lucisanus." "We were going back to Rome, but they've captured me when Caesar withdrew." "Unfortunately only two of us survived." "This is Drusus, a Roman soldier." "Did they tortured you?" "No, not me." "Only Drusus." "Three times they came and took him away." "During the night I heard him shrieking." "Then they put him in chains again." "He couldn't stand the agony." "Was there any reason why they didn't torture you?" "Hey you!" "Come along!" "Don't go!" "They'll kill you." "After they went for so much trouble to take us alive?" "Go there!" "You may sit down, Roman." "I'm not one of your guests." "You could be, if you wanted to." "But I don't wish to." "If you'll answer my questions, you and your friends will go free." "And rich." "Tell me, why did Caesar send four legionares alone to enemy's territory?" "What is your objective?" "Where is Caesar going to strike?" "These are not questions which should be put to a Roman soldier." "We, the druids, are the masters in the art of torture." "We're well aquainted with human body and know where to apply a hot iron to produce maximum amount of pain." "Eventually one of you will speak freely." "Wouldn't be wiser to spare me this effort?" "You Romans think you're the masters of the world!" "You are arrogant but ignorant!" "Ignorant and pig-headed!" "Who wouldn't accept twenty bags of gold in exchange for a couple of words?" "No one will ever know..." "What is your objective?" "If you want to burn my flesh, do it!" "But don't bore me with your stupid questions!" "You will pay dearly for these words, Roman!" "Take him away!" "What did they do to you?" "Castor, did you figure out something?" "We've got to get out of here." "I've been thinking about..." "It's worth a try!" " When?" " Immediately!" "Drusus!" "Drusus, do you hear me?" "We're not longer alone." "These are Roman soldiers!" "Caesar's soldiers!" "I was captured at Gergovia." "They put me to torture." "They kept asking me what Caesar intended." "I'm just an ordinary soldier, so how could I know?" "But they kept hurting me." "I would have told them anything they wanted to know." "Caesar and Rome are only words when the burning iron touches your flesh." "Germanicus..." "He'll never manage to bent these bars." "Drusus, be strong!" "It's up to us!" "What's the matter with them?" "Open up!" "Hurry and be quiet!" "Our weapons!" "Castor." "Germanicus." "Valerius." "And me!" "I'm a fighting man too!" " Here they are!" " Here they come!" "How many guards are out there, huh?" "Hundred." "Grand Druid!" " Prisoners escaped!" "When?" "Just now." "Capture them, dead or alive!" "Seize them!" "Don't let them get away!" "Hurry, Germanicus!" "Come on!" "Help!" "Let's go!" "Hurry!" "This way!" "Here!" "Capture them!" "Don't let them escape!" "We'll hide in the caverns!" "Hurry!" "Thank you, Valerius!" "A dead druid is better than alive one." "One of us is going to make a break for it." "The rest will wait here." "It's important they won't catch all of us yet." "Someone has to continue the mission." "Mission?" "What mission?" "We'll do enough if we manage to save our own skin!" "Shut up." "Alright." "I'm getting out of here and minding my own business." "You take one step without my permission and I'll break your back!" "I don't like traitors!" "Claudius!" "There's another way out!" "None of us can get through that hole." "We're too big for that." "I can get through." "Let me try." "This is no job for children." "You can't get through, so why don't let me try?" "I'm a Roman soldier too!" "Alright, Valerius." "Try to find the opening to the cave and see if the druids had gone away." "It's the only way we can get out." "And when I'll find it?" "We will know from your shouts, boy." "You can depend on me." "Good luck!" "We'll be waiting for you!" "Here's one of them!" "They've captured him!" "Let's save him!" "But they're going to kill him!" "We cannot risk the outcome of the mission for one life." "You can't let him die!" "He's just a boy!" "And you - you can stay here in safety while these barbarians are killing Valerius?" "Valerius will talk." "They'll manage to make him talk." "He'll tell them where we are and they'll capture all of us." "Shut up!" "Drusus is afraid because his nerves are shattered." "But you, you're but a dirty coward!" "Caesar doesn't need dead heroes!" "A just excuse for a worm like you!" "You make me sick!" "Don't just stand there!" "Do something to save him!" "You coward!" "Coward!" "Coward!" "Get back there!" "If anyone goes out of here, I'll kill him with my own hands!" "Poor Valerius." "He knows how to die." "Like a Roman soldier." "Let's go!" "There's no one outside!" "Valerius!" "Head north!" "The road seems clear." "I'll catch up with you later." "I didn't talk..." "I didn't tell them anything." "No, leave me here." "There's no more pain for me." "It's finished." "Take the medallion." "Give it to my mother in Rome." "Tell her I died as a Roman soldier." "For the glory of Rome." "And for Caesar." "Caesar is only a Caesar." "You are a hero." "Careful!" "Bravo." "Some shot!" "Shall we eat?" "Not now." "We must put the distance between us and the druids as much as possible." "These looks like a ruins of an ancient druid temple." "We'll stop here." "As soon as it gets dark, we'll move on again." "Oh, it's you." "There's an air of tragedy in this place." "Yes." "This temple was destroyed be Caesar." "The druids fought well." "It was a massacre." "Before arriving in Gaul, I've never seen a man killed." "I would die ten times to save Valerius." "I'm not trying to excuse myself, what I did I would do again..." "You won't understand it!" "Yes, Claudius." "I understood when I saw you standing before the cross." "Valerius gave it to me, to deliver to his mother." "You take it to her!" "Try to rest!" "We've got a long way to go tomorrow!" "Come on!" "Some people are coming down the river." "There's a woman with them." "These daggers will take you to the bottom." "I don't feel safe without them." "We're being attacked!" "Defend yourselves!" "There's another one over there!" "Kill him!" "Let me go, Roman!" "Edua!" "Are you wounded?" " No, it's nothing." "You are our prisoners." "Murders!" "Who are you and that woman?" "I'm Vernius." "That's my sister." "I want to know where's the stronghold constructed by the druids to defend Alesia." "You value your life, you'll tell me." "What can four of you do against Sabrianus' men?" "So Sabrianus commands the stronghold." "I want you to lead us there." "You agree or you die." "All right, Roman, I'll lead you there." "But that means a certain death for you all." "Wait a minute." "How far away is it?" "It's a whole day's march." "Let's stop here." "We can rest until nightfall." "Why you hate us so?" "You're here in our own mountains, Roman." "Is that a reason for trying to kill me?" "I'm not your enemy, Edua." "Back there on the river you killed a man to save me." "It was horrible." "Now you know what it means to choose between two lives." "The mountain that Caesar wants to conquer must be well defended." "I've no intention to get myself killed for those fanatics." "You can trust me." "Let's escape together." "At night." "We'll save both our lives." "And your friends won't give me no problems." "Hey, Vernius!" "Sit down!" "Castor!" "Varo!" "Vernius!" "No!" "You must understand!" "No harm would come to him if he won't try to get away!" "Bastards!" "Murders!" "Edua!" "Your brother died for this land." "Let's get out of here." "If Vernius tried to escape, we're much nearer the stronghold than he made us believe." "Which way do we go?" " He showed us the way." "There." "I think the stronghold is there, on this mountain over the road to Alesia." "The weapon of the druids must be there." "That's what we were looking for." " And all we have to do is destroy it." "That's right, Varo." "That's all we have to do." "First I want to know who we're up against." "We'll stay here for now." "We'll observe them." "When they change guard, we can see how many men they've got." "Then we can make our plan." "Tie her up!" "Is it really necessary?" "Take a rest." "I'm taking the first guard." "Then Germanicus, you and Castor, in that order." "Don't hurt her." "I didn't ask for your help, Roman." "Claudius!" "Go get some rest." "Yes?" "You've been avoiding me." "Tell me why?" "When I speak, it seems to irritate you." "Why?" "Livilla." "Tomorrow night you'll live with Edua and Drusus towards the plane." "Caesar will be there with the legions." "They will protect you." "Is that all you have to tell me?" "What should I offer you?" "One day of love?" "Yes!" "If one day must stand for a lifetime." "Tomorrow we must part without tears." "To hope for a future is absurd." "No!" "You'll succeed." "I know you're come back!" "You've got to!" "My life for yours." "I'll let you warn your people, but you must promise that they spare me." "Don't worry, I'll keep my word." "But I need this." "What is it?" "Where it's coming from?" "Over there!" "From these tree on the ridge." "One of the people is signalling!" "You killed my brother." "Now it's your turn!" "No, Edua." "It is you who must die!" "I saw the flashing light signals to the Gauls!" "Yes, in a few minutes Sabrianus' men will arrive and kill you!" "Oh, Claudius, she doesn't deserve to be killed for something like that." "I am not afraid to die." "But if I must, don't let this coward to do it." "Let's run away." "The element of surprise has been lost." "Our mission is over." "It's suicide to stay!" "Yes." "Unfortunately, Drusus is right." "We must warn Caesar we failed." "How can you say that, Claudius Marcellus?" "We swore before Caesar we would carry on his mission." "I will answer before Caesar!" "See if we've been spotted." "I should kill you, but it wouldn't serve any purpose." "Go to your people!" "You mean I'm free?" "Yes, your death would be useless to Rome." "It's safer this way." "She would have told how many we were." "None of us would succed in getting through to Caesar!" "Isn't that what you wanted, Claudius?" "You said that someone should get to Caesar to warn him that the mission failed!" "So I had to do it." "I.." "I had.." "Look there!" "Divide into three groups!" "The first one in the woods, the other toward the fields, the rest come with me!" "In a few minutes, they'll surround us!" "We must reach Caesar at all costs!" "We'll have better chances if we go separate ways!" "Drusus and Germanikus will go down the plane!" "The rest will follow me to the mountain road." "Go down the planes, where their cavalery can catch up with us?" "But you're condamning us to death!" "Why - it's suicide!" "You think I'm going to.." "I'm taking care of this one!" "Livilla, come along with me!" "Who knows?" "Maybe Edua's signals and Drusus' cowardness will be more helpfull than we think." "Castor!" "Come on!" "Hurry!" "I did what you told me to, Claudius!" "Very good." "Be careful!" "They can't be far away!" "Wait a minute!" "We saw them." "They're heading toward the plane!" "Follow them!" "They're moving off." "Claudius is sacrificing us to save his own skin." "That coward!" "Save yourself!" "Run!" "Stop!" "Don't kill me!" "Caesar is coming!" "Don't kill me." "I'll tell you everything!" "Speak!" "They wanted to penetrate the stronghold and destroy the great weapon of the druids before the dawn, when Caesar attacks Alesia." "But they were discovered." "And now they try to get away to warn Caesar!" "But Caesar won't be warned." "After we let his cavalry fill the plain we'll destroy them all in the sea of fire!" "As for you, dirty coward, run away or I'll squash you like a worm!" "Run!" "Mercy!" "You must go, Livilla." "How can I leave you?" "You couldn't help us here." "Go and tell Caesar that we will leave no stone unturned." "Claudius, whatever happens" "I will always love you!" "Goodbye, my love." "Let's go." "There's a cave!" "The druids' weapon, whatever it is, must be up there." "Castor and I will try to climb." "You'll wait here until dawn, then call the Gauls attention to yourself." "Resist as long as you can." "And good luck!" "Now!" "So that's it!" "I've never seen anything like it!" "It's a real monster!" "If we won't be able to destroy it, it will be the end of Caesar." "I've got an idea." "If we'll break one link, the chain will break." "It's hopeless." "Let's try it together." "Don't do it!" "We'll make him talk!" "Good luck, my friends." "Search the whole area." "Make sure he came alone." "Redouble the guards!" "I don't want more surprises." "Hide underneath the machine." "Let's face them together!" "No." "Neither of us will get out of here alive, but one of us make sure that the chain is broken and the catapult is destroyed." "Then it's your duty to stay, Claudius!" "I'm here!" "Come and get me!" "Leave him to me!" "It's a pleasure to encounter a man who knows how to fight." "Take mine!" "Kill him!" "Sabrianus!" "The Roman legions are coming!" "To the catapult!" "We'll wait until they form their line of battle and then we'll strike them from above." "None must escape!" "Roll it up!" "Light the pitch!" "Reload!" "For Caesar this is the end of the road!" "Up with it!" "Light the fire!" "Stop it!" "Forwards!" "After me!" "Caesar, I send you a message by the girl named Livilla." "Did you get it?" "Where is she?" "There." "Waiting for you." "Now we lay siege to Alesia." "You will travel to Rome with the message to the Senate." "Claudius!" "You and your beloved will marry in the temple of Venus." "The End" "English subtitles by Vallaor"