[relaxed electronic tones]
[dramatic trumpet music]
[hooves clattering]
[relaxed trumpet music]
- Doesn't look much like a king's castle.
- Well don't tell King
Boltan when we get there.
This mission's important
to King Arthur, come on.
[dramatic trumpet tones]
- We have had a great
tragedy here, Sir Lancelot.
- I've heard stories of a curse.
- Aye, that's the proper word for it.
Our enemy is not mortal.
For generations, women
from among my people
have disappeared without a trace.
Kidnapped by the kilted
ghosts as we call them
and now they have abducted
my daughter, the fair Iolta.
- If the abductors are not
mortal men, what are they?
Spirits, demons?
- You must know that when
the last Roman legion
sailed away from Britain,
they left no one behind.
- Yes, they needed every man
for the defense of Rome itself.
- What you may not know is that the ghosts
of the Roman dead remain to haunt us.
- Ghosts, from hundreds of years ago?
Oh, impossible.
- My daughter was seized from her horse
by Imperial Roman
Legionaries in full armor.
- Ghosts in full armor? [laughs]
- Stretching out to sea
a few miles east of here
is a little point of land.
Across it from shore to
shore runs a high wall.
That is where they've taken
her, behind the Roman wall.
- And you don't have enough warriors
to go and bring her back again?
- My men are brave
warriors against human foes
but no one who has gone beyond that wall
has returned to say what lies behind it.
- It's a little difficult
to imagine spirits building a wall.
- Build it or not, spirits
guard it and they have
done so since anyone in
this area can remember.
- King Boltan, will you give me permission
to try and bring back
your daughter to you?
- You can't fight ghosts.
- I don't intend to, there are none.
King Boltan, I have a pledge
to ask of you in return.
If I succeed in restoring
your daughter to you,
will you swear fealty to King
Arthur as Overlord of Britain?
- That is a bargain I would gladly accept
but I can't throw away your life.
- No, you can't.
Only I can do that.
Brian, we shall need
some special equipment.
- What kind of equipment,
magic spells and charms?
- Forget this matter of ghosts, Brian.
We shall need some real weapons.
If you want to stay with
King Boltan, you can.
- Oh no, I've always wanted to
see a ghost from a distance.
[tense trumpet tones]
[anxious trumpet, flute music]
- That must be the wall.
- Look.
[anxious trumpet music]
There's another, Sir
Lancelot, let's go back.
- I've heard about
things like this before.
It's a mirage.
- Mirage?
- Yes.
We think we see them
but in fact, we don't.
- Then they are ghosts.
- I don't know yet.
Give me the rope.
You stay here, Brian.
[tense trumpet tones]
[anxious flute, trumpet music]
- [Legionnaire] Invaders.
Stop, stop, invaders.
- So you're not a mirage
after all or a ghost.
[tense trumpet music]
- [Legionnaire] Alert the guards!
[tense trumpet music]
Sound the alarm.
[swords clanking]
[tense trumpet music]
- Halt, put up your weapons.
If the strangers are so
anxious to visit us, let them.
- What, let them inside the wall?
- Little enough of Roman glory survives.
Let us not bury our
tradition of hospitality.
Will you be good enough to descend
and make your errand known?
Cloris, remain at your post.
Maxentius, come down here
and help Drago and put away your swords.
Take Drago to the legion barracks.
- But-
- Do as I say.
I don't want you.
Welcome.
If my greeting lacks
warmth, may I point out that
you have an unconventional
way of paying a social visit?
- This is not a social visit.
I am a Knight of the Round Table
and I come here on a mission from-
- You might have
announced all that outside
instead of trying to scale
our wall like a common thief.
However, I've been on this island
too long to be surprised by
the manners of the natives.
- You can't talk-
- Quiet, Brian.
May I know to whom I'm speaking?
- I am Trullus Septimus
Carcasian, Dukes Britanicos.
- Dukes Britanicos?
- m*llitary and Civil Governor
of the Roman Province of Britain.
- Roman Province of Britain?
I wasn't aware that the
Roman Empire still existed.
- This is the last Roman
outpost in Britain.
Authority has been handed
down to me through generations
and so long as we exist,
the Empire still stands.
I came out this morning on
foot, it is only a short walk.
[relaxed trumpet music]
- What's that say?
- "To Rome, 1120 miles."
[relaxed flute music]
[relaxed trumpet, flute music]
[Probus coughs]
- Ah, Probus, good of you to welcome us.
- If only Merlin could have seen this.
- He'd never believe it.
- I don't quite believe it myself.
- Is this the stranger
that tried to force his
way into our domain?
What do you wish done with him?
- Done with him?
Why first of all, have
Gogus show him to a chamber
and afterwards a bath
and a change of clothing.
- I did say I was here
on a mission, you know.
- All in good time.
I should be happy to listen
to what you have to say after dinner.
- You heard what His Excellency said.
- If you'll follow me.
[soft guitar music]
- That must be the
girl, Boltan's daughter.
- Shh.
We must bide our time, Brian.
- Excellency, I'll show you to
the baths when you are ready.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
- Aren't you going to rescue the girl?
That's what we're here for.
- Maybe we can rescue her by diplomacy.
Well, don't look so unhappy.
At least they turned out not to be ghosts.
- I still don't like the place.
- Brian, there is a
saying of Saint Ambrose.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"
and we're practically in Rome.
- We're only 1100 miles away.
- Huh.
- Are you actually going to wear that?
- More wine, Sir Lancelot?
Gogus, fill our guest's goblet.
- It's delicious, I've
never tasted its like.
- Such wines are not
made north of the Alps.
Gogus, place some of this Falernian
in Sir Lancelot's chamber
before he retires.
- I think the time is
overdue for you to explain
about the maiden Iolta,
King Boltan's daughter.
- I think the time is
overdue to put an end
to treating this spy
like an honored guest.
- And I remind you, dear Probus,
that an advisor's function is to speak
when he is called on for advice.
[Probus scoffs]
Your concern about the
maiden is unfounded.
We mean her no harm.
- You seized her and you
are keeping her a prisoner.
Isn't there harm enough in that?
- An unfortunate necessity.
But there is a great
honor in store for her.
She is to be the bride of my grandson
and the mother of a
future Dukes Britanicos.
Our problem was simple.
We had to keep the succession intact
against the day when the
Imperial power is restored
and he could hardly marry
less than a princess.
- I represent King Arthur, the
real authority in Britain now
and I must demand that you yield up
the maiden Iolta to my custody.
- We will take care of your
Arthur when the legions return.
Meanwhile-
- Be silent, Probus.
What you say of King Arthur interests me.
Until now, there has been
no possibility of a single,
central power around whom the
people of Britain could unite.
Probus speaks of the day
when the legions will return
but the truth is we have no way
of knowing if that day will ever come.
Therefore, it is worth considering
whether there might not be more security
in an understanding with your
king than in our isolation.
- Our wall has kept us safe for centuries.
- But it was crossed today
by one man and one boy.
Sir Lancelot, these are grave matters
that deserve the most serious discussion.
But it is late and we
are all in need of rest.
May we you to your bedchamber now
and resume our conversation
in the morning?
- Including the question
of King Boltan's daughter?
- Including that.
Come Probus, Amadeus,
let us be an escort of honor to our guest.
[Probus coughs]
The greatest treasure left
us in a world gone mad
is trust between men of good faith.
[relaxed flute music]
[ominous trumpet music]
[relaxed flute music]
I trust you'll be
comfortable, Sir Lancelot.
Ah Gogus, you remembered my instruction.
Sir Lancelot, may I pour you some wine?
- Thank you, you're a most attentive host.
- The Empire in its greatest days
produced nothing greater than this wine.
May it help you to a deep
and undisturbed rest.
[Probus coughs]
[relaxed flute music]
[anxious trumpet music]
[pot shatters]
- Tripped over that wretched old pot.
- That wretched old pot is
probably a Roman work of art.
I shall have a fine time
explaining this to our
host in the morning.
Come inside.
Now what are you doing
sneaking about in the night?
One of those guards might have
run you through with a spear.
- I had to come to tell
you not to drink any wine.
- What?
- You didn't drink any, did you?
- No.
- It's poisoned.
That's what I think.
I was in the kitchen
when I saw that servant,
the one called Gogus putting
something into the wine.
Something out of a special cupboard.
I'll wager its poison.
- Oh Brian, I'm sure you're wrong.
- No.
- Well if it'll make you
any happier, I'll test it.
- Test it, on who?
- Not you.
One of Master Merlin's enchantments,
a wine tester to be used when
visiting strange castles.
He's a suspicious old man, Merlin.
- Good for him, how does it work?
- Well, these three pieces of parchment
have been specially prepared by Merlin.
I put them in the wine
and if any one of the three turns black,
the wine is poisoned.
Even if it works, which
is highly doubtful,
I don't think there's
any chance of poison.
I had dinner with Trullus tonight
and I'm sure he wants to be friendly.
He has a civilized outlook, Brian.
- Perhaps he talks friendly, Sir Lancelot
but he's the one who told
Gogus to bring you some wine.
And look.
[tense violin tones]
- Your judgment seems
better than mine tonight.
- What are you going to do?
- I'm going to take the
girl we came for and go
and when she's safe, I'll return
and settle with Trullus for his treachery.
[tense trumpet tones]
[anxious flute, trumpet music]
- We'll have to force the gate.
- It's open.
You stay here, Brian.
[relaxed flute music]
- Well?
- Don't cry out, I'm here to help you.
Your father sent me.
- Help me, who are you?
- We must leave immediately.
- Oh, I'm going nowhere.
It's late and I'm ready for bed.
- If I'm to rescue you,
it'll have to be tonight.
There'll be guards to fight at the wall
and the problem of the gate.
- Amadeus, the man they wanted me to marry
told me a knight was here to
rescue me sent by my father.
Are you he?
- Yes, let's go.
- We laughed about it.
You see, I have no wish to be rescued.
- No wish to be rescued?
- This is a far nicer way
to live than in a musty old castle
and I've practically decided
to fall in love with Amadeus.
- What?
- Now that I meet you,
I'm sorry I laughed.
I can see you are most
earnest and handsome.
Exactly the sort of knight I'd like
to be rescued by if I needed
rescuing, but I don't.
- You were abducted by force.
Your father is broken-hearted.
Are you such a featherhead
as to imagine these wrongs can be righted
by a few perfumes and
creams and fine clothes?
- And the baths tonight, don't
forget the deep, hot baths.
[Sir Lancelot sighs]
- Iolta, I am a simple man
and growing simpler as
the night progresses.
You are an abducted princess
and if it takes another abduction
to right that wrong,
then I shall perform it.
- I have spoken to you reasonably,
sir knight and thanked you.
Now leave.
- You're coming with me.
- No I'm not, guards, help!
- What's happening?
- Someone's in here.
[tense trumpet tones]
[soft ominous drumbeat]
[tense trumpet music]
- Surrender, Sir Lancelot or you will die.
Take them away, put them in chains.
Only one detail remains, Gogus.
Get to Lancelot's chamber.
Exchange the poison for clear, sweet wine.
I think perhaps in honor of the occasion,
our best vintage.
[Probus coughs]
Last night, having
accepted your hospitality,
Your Excellency, this man was caught
in an attempt to abduct
the Princess Iolta.
- In other words, in attempting to do
exactly what His Excellency
had already done.
- Sir Lancelot, uppermost in my mind
is not so much the issue
of Iolta as your treachery.
Last night at supper, you
broke bread and drank wine
with me and spoke in terms
of friendship and trust.
- Last night at supper,
the wine was not poisoned.
- [Trullus] Of course it wasn't.
- But the wine at my bedside was.
The wine that you yourself
poured out for me.
It was you, Trullus,
who broke the friendship
and began the treachery.
- I poured you poisoned wine?
- He fears for his life
and seeks to avoid punishment by lies.
- I do not lie.
If that wine is still at my bedside,
have it brought here
and we'll see who lies.
- An excellent suggestion.
Gogus, fetch the wine.
- Just a moment.
Gogus could hardly be described
as a friend of the accused.
How do I know he's gonna bring
back the same jug of wine?
- Release the boy.
- Go, Brian.
- I am here to judge you,
not to defend myself.
Nevertheless, I swear that if that wine
I poured last night was poisoned,
I had no knowledge of it.
- Maybe it was poisoned
without your knowledge.
- We shall see.
- To resume, Your
Excellency, this man admits
that he attempted to
abduct the Princess Iolta.
He has broken your all-powerful law.
- His law isn't all-powerful
to me, I serve King Arthur.
- Behind our wall, His
Excellency's law is all-powerful.
I demand for this man
the penalty of death.
The issue here not yet spoken
but nevertheless the issue
is did I arrange that
Lancelot's wine be poisoned?
A toast to Your Excellency,
Dukes Britanicos.
I demand the penalty of death.
- I grant your demand.
You will fight this
afternoon in the arena.
- His opponent,
Gogus, the Retiarius.
- I don't understand, am I
sentenced to fight or to death?
- They are, as you will
discover, one and the same thing.
[ominous trumpet music]
[relaxed flute music]
- That's all they gave you to fight with,
that kitchen Kn*fe?
- It may be a good enough w*apon
if I can get in close enough.
- What does a Retiarius have as a w*apon?
- He has a net and some kind of a spear.
Very effective and very dangerous.
- You have a chance, don't you?
- I don't know, Brian.
I don't know.
[dramatic trumpet music]
[spectators chattering]
- Come on you, it's your turn now.
- I don't know him.
[spectators chattering]
[dramatic trumpet music]
- The fight will be to the death.
[ominous trumpet music]
[weapons clanking]
[spectators exclaiming]
[tense trumpet music]
[spectators applauding]
- What about that wine?
- Probus, Probus ordered me to do it.
- Get up.
Come on, get up.
Now come on Gogus, tell
Trullus what you told me.
Come on.
- Probus ordered, [pants]
Probus ordered me to poison the wine.
[ominous trumpet tones]
- Guards.
[relaxed flute music]
[spectators chattering]
Sir Lancelot.
Sir Lancelot, a man betrayed
by those he trusts is a helpless man
and helpless men must beg.
I beg you then, let us talk and see
if we cannot renew our
confidence in each other.
- I'm prepared to talk, gladly.
[dramatic trumpet tones]
[gate clacks]
[relaxed flute music]
- Well Sir Lancelot,
I bid you good journey
and when you reach the
castle of King Boltan,
would you see that Amadeus
is not too rudely treated?
- Actually, I don't think
King Boltan will object
to the marriage once it's
been presented to him properly
and once he's got used to the idea
that Amadeus isn't a ghost.
[dramatic trumpet tones]
[relaxed flute music]
- Hurry back, my dear.
Goodbye, my son.
Bring King Boltan back to visit me.
Tell him from now on, the
gate will always be open.
[hooves clattering]
[dramatic trumpet music]
[upbeat flute, trumpet music]
♪ Now listen to my story ♪
♪ Yes, listen while I sing ♪
♪ Of days of old in England
when Arthur was the King ♪
♪ Of Merlin the Magician
and Guinevere the Queen ♪
♪ and Lancelot, the bravest
knight the world has ever seen ♪
♪ In days of old when knights were bold ♪
♪ The story's told of Lancelot ♪
♪ In days of old when knights were bold ♪
♪ The story's told of Lancelot ♪
[dramatic trumpet tones]
[relaxed electronic tones]