| EXT. FIR TREE GLADE, KALYPSO'S ISLAND - DAY | |||||||||
| Odysseus, covered with sweat, FELLING yet another FIR, which CRASHES down, joining its neighbors on the ground... | |||||||||
| ON THE CRASH CUT TO: | |||||||||
| FOUR RIDERS ON SADDLESS HORSES | |||||||||
| racing down a stretch of sandy beach in glorious sunshine. | |||||||||
| One of the riders is Telemachus. | |||||||||
| SEVERAL ANGLES OF THE RACE | |||||||||
| WIDEN TO REVEAL | |||||||||
| EXT. BEACH, PYLOS - DAY | |||||||||
| where aged King Nestor and his beautiful grand-daughter, PEISISTRATA, watch the race from beneath a colorful MARQUEE. Before them is a table set with LUNCHEON and DRINK. SERVANTS hover behind them. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| He rides well - the son of Odysseus... | |||||||||
| Peisistrata's eyes are shining as Telemachus wins the race, the THREE other riders bringing up the rear. | |||||||||
| Telemachus rides his lathered mount over to the tent, where he | |||||||||
| slides off, handing the reins to a RETAINER. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| (breathless) | |||||||||
| My thanks. | |||||||||
| The man leads off the horse... | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| (smiles) | |||||||||
| You have beaten my grandsons again. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| It is not hard to win on so magnificent a steed, majesty. | |||||||||
| The three other YOUNG MEN come in, all breathless and hot. SERVANTS offer towels as they sit down to their meal. | |||||||||
| lst YOUNG MAN | |||||||||
| Well, Telemachus, it seems true what they say about the men of Ithaka. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| What do they say of us? | |||||||||
| lst YOUNG MAN | |||||||||
| That the men of Ithaka are to be reckoned with. | |||||||||
| Telemachus smiles, pleased. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| Your father was certainly to be | |||||||||
| reckoned with. | |||||||||
| A sobering reminder. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Do you look like your father? | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| (embarrassed) | |||||||||
| Alas, I cannot say. All I have of him is this horsehair necklace, made from the plume of his helmet, before he sailed for Troy. (to Nestor) You have no news, then, of my father? | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| I wish it were otherwise. All the chiefs sailed from Troy with their own ships and men. Many had adventures, but all who survived the war returned safely to their homes. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Except my father. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| Have you spoken with Menelaus? He may have news where I have none. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| I plan to visit him next. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| I shall lend you my chariot for the journey. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| You are more than kind. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| It is nothing for the son of my old friend. All I have is yours. You may stay in Pylos as long as you wish, an honored guest... | |||||||||
| 2nd MAN | |||||||||
| (laughs) | |||||||||
| Stay. Eat. The day is perfect. Apollo sits in his sun chariot and all's right with the world. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| (rises) | |||||||||
| Excuse me. | |||||||||
| And he goes out of the tent onto the beach where he stares at the horizon. | |||||||||
| One of the MEN makes to get up and join him, but Nestor holds his arm. | |||||||||
| NESTOR | |||||||||
| Not now. | |||||||||
| LATER | |||||||||
| Afternoon. Telemachus is still on the beach. Behind him the tent is being dismantled by the Servants. He is joined by Peisistrata. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Walk with me. | |||||||||
| They walk. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA (cont'd) | |||||||||
| Do you know that you stare at me? | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| I? | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| At lunch. Last night at supper. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Forgive me. You are so lovely. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Are there no lovely girls in Ithaka? (no answer) Do you see that I stare at YOU? | |||||||||
| She stops, looks up. Kisses him. He returns the kiss. | |||||||||
| Long. Ardent. | |||||||||
| LATER | |||||||||
| EXT. PYLOS BEACH - NIGHT | |||||||||
| The MOON is up. Telemachus and Peisistrata sit, their backs to us. She leans against him. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Stay. (off his look) Here. With us. What would happen if you stayed? Your mother would remarry... | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Possibly...one day... | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Life would go on. YOU could go on. My grandfather loves you for your father's sake as well as for your own. My brothers love you; I love you... | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| You... | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| we could make a life together - a NEW life... | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| And my father? | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| He made his choice. You make yours. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| But - | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Telemachus, listen to me. He abandoned you. It's been twenty years. How long must you be loyal to his memory? | |||||||||
| Telemachus kisses her passionately, rolling over on top of her in the | |||||||||
| sand, laughing. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| The world is a fine new place. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Where all things are possible... | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| I never knew what it was to be happy. | |||||||||
| PEISISTRATA | |||||||||
| Be happy, Telemachus... | |||||||||
| They start to make love. Abruptly, he sits up. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| I can't. | |||||||||
| CU TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| racing overland in Nestor's CHARIOT... | |||||||||
| WIDEN TO REVEAL | |||||||||
| The CHARIOT heading for a LARGE CITY with an ACROPOLIS... SPARTA... In contrast to the speedy chariot - | |||||||||
| EXT. KALYPSO'S ISLAND - DAY | |||||||||
| Odysseus, wearing a harness like a beast of burden, drags the last of his timber towards the shore... | |||||||||
| LATER | |||||||||
| ON THE SHORE | |||||||||
| the LOGS are being lashed together; Odysseus works like a man possessed - sitting on the beach unhappily, Kalypso watches him... | |||||||||
| INT. MENELAUS' PALACE - NIGHT | |||||||||
| a FEAST IN PROGRESS. We find Menelaus, older (!) and heavier than when we last saw him, eating. | |||||||||
| His guests, like himself, are grizzled OLDER WARRIORS. | |||||||||
| A SERVANT approaches and whispers in his ear. Menelaus arches his eyebrows in surprise. Says something to the Servant. Claps his hands for silence. | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| A stranger is at our door and begs admittance. | |||||||||
| Reactions of curiosity among the MEN DINERS. Menelaus looks. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS, travel-stained, but obviously a man of quality, stands on the threshold, between two columns. | |||||||||
| Menelaus eyes him narrowly - something familiar. | |||||||||
| MENELAUS (cont'd) | |||||||||
| Friend, you are welcome to my house. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| You do not even know my name. | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| There is no need - unless you care to tell it. On my long voyage home from Troy I was frequently cared for by generous hosts who never demanded my identity as the price for their hospitality. Sit. Eat. | |||||||||
| He nods to SERVANTS, who escort Telemachus to a couch. He's a bit wide-eyed - this is a more sophisticated world than any he has seen before. | |||||||||
| The ritual of FOOT-BATHING proceeds... | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| You are more than kind. I fear I interrupt a celebration... | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| My daughter is to be married to the son of my old friend, Achilles. (smiles) A bachelor supper. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Achilles... | |||||||||
| A WARRIOR | |||||||||
| Twenty years ago this year we set sail for Troy... | |||||||||
| 2nd WARRIOR | |||||||||
| How like yesterday it seems... | |||||||||
| 3rd WARRIOR | |||||||||
| And yet how much has happened. How many have gone to join the army of the dead. | |||||||||
| The feast has turned a bit somber. | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| My own brother among them. King Agamemnon survived ten years at Troy and made it safely home, only to be murdered by his own wife. | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Was his murder unavenged? | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| His son avenged it. | |||||||||
| Telemachus licks his lips, the example of Agamemnon's son clearly before him. An awkward pause, then - | |||||||||
| TELEMACHUS | |||||||||
| Did you know King Odysseus? | |||||||||
| MENELAUS | |||||||||
| Did I KNOW him? | |||||||||
| He is amused - as are his courtiers. | |||||||||
| MENELAUS (cont'd) | |||||||||
| He was my brother in arms. I loved him well. (thinks) And yet - | |||||||||