YEAR 1191. BAUDOLINO PILGRIMAGE TO THE UNIVERSAL HARMONY REALM
SCREENPLAY BASED ON UMBERTO ECO'S NOVEL "BAUDOLINO"
WRITTEN BY VLAD VASILESCU
LOGLINE
Grateful to his adoptive father, Frederick Barbarossa,
Baudolino attempts to foster an alliance with the mighty
king of an elusive, harmonious Realm. At its border,
he turns the grim reality into a world of his own making.
SYNOPSIS
Religion and mysticism prevail in the 12th century. Wars
are carried out in the name of the first, and imagination
is inflamed by the second. It is hard to tell reality from
fiction in the stories of those times. Finding the realm
of the Universal Harmony is alluring to the adventurous
minds of regular people and to monarchs eager to expand
their empires. In the absence of knowledge, Bardolino
believes more in his fantasies than reality.
As a kid, Baudolino mixes visions with memories and lies. To
his natural father, he is a "good-for-nothing son." Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa, lost in the forest during the siege of
Terdona, is impressed by the child's intelligence and amused
by his innocent lies; however, those lies could save lives.
The emperor proposes to adopt him. Five golden coins convince
his natural father to let him go.
Baudolino grows up studying history and languages with Bishop
Otto von Freising and participating in Frederick's council's
debates. On his deathbed, Bishop Otto asks Baudolino to
convince the emperor that an alliance with a powerful king of
a faraway Realm will stop the wars with the Italian cities.
The emperor is in doubt; his enemies so close, the Realm so
far away, if it exists.
To overcome those doubts, while studying in Paris, Baudolino
concocts a letter as if coming from the king of that
prosperous and harmonious Realm, proposing an alliance with
the emperor. But the emperor doesn't have time for it; he is
busy fighting the Italians and the Pope. Only after the
defeat at Legnano, where Baudolino saves his life, and the
humiliation of kissing the shoe of Pope Alexander in Venice,
does the emperor agree that Baudolino must travel to the
Realm. However, the Bishops are reluctant to help, and he
has to wait. Baudolino's tenacity wins against the adverse
odds, and at the start of the Third Crusade he starts the
pigrimage, together with a group of religious scholars and
vagrants, each with an agenda of their own.
Frederick drowns in the Saleph River, but Baudolino finds
motivation to continue the pilgrimage: he imagines a mythical
lion with Frederick's head morphing to that of Otto, then a
cow with the head of his father; the first tells him to keep
going, the second winks, and the third whacks him with the
tail in the head.
The pilgrimage through the Middle East, following the Silk
Road route, all the way to the Great Wall of China, tracing
Alexander the Great's supposed conquests, and farther through
Tibet and lands beyond the Ganges, exposes him and his
companions to people of various monotheistic and polytheistic
faiths.
The pilgrims arrive at the border with the Realm in a village
populated by dejected people, controlled by a corrupt elite
of Eunuchs, and defended by lame Nubians against an apparent
threat from apocalyptic Magogs. They blend in, waiting for
the approval to cross the border to the Realm.
Baudolino's mind shifts again from the perception of reality
to imagination and convinces his friends to "see" the
dejected people as benevolent, mythical creatures.
In a state of delusion, Baudolino falls in love with a fairy
who berates religion but preaches the Hypatia of Alexandria's
Theory of One.
The approval for crossing the border does not materialize,
but the Magogs' attack does. The pilgrims develop a defensive
strategy and train the mythical creatures. But that's not
enough; the fierce Magogs win over, and the pilgrims must
flee. Some decide to stay or continue the pilgrimage.
The remaining pilgrims return by sea, and Baudolino ends up
in Constantinople, set aflame during the Fourth Crusade.
Embellished with ample fragments of his own imagination, the
Chronicle of the events he writes ends with the paraphrased
paradigm "Esse est fides!"
EXT. TERDONA FOREST - NIGHT
SUPER: "MARCH 1155, TERDONA FOREST"
The rain just stopped. Drops drip from leaves, mist rises
from the ground. The moon rays project the tree trunks'
shadows on mist clusters. The forest is silent.
A huge human shape moves through a thicket, disturbing the
stillness and silence.
Riding a HORSE, the imposing, armored EMPEROR (33), small red
mustache and trimmed beard, bends down searching for the
trail, but there isn't one.
SWOOSH! He looks up -- a branch of a tree jiggles.
The small hand and the eye of a KID inch from behind the
tree, the eye opens wide and blinks in surprise. BAUDOLINO
(14), ruffled red hair boy, steps aside, unafraid. The forest
is his playground, nothing scares him, and many things
trigger his imagination.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian: subtitled)
Miracle! You must be Spiritus
Baodolinus.
MAN
(in German; subtitled)
Spiritus Baodolinus?... No, I am
just the Roman Emperor Frederick
Ist.
BAUDOLINO
(mixed German with
Italian)
Oh! Si... Imperatore Aleman?
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled)
Yes. I'm looking for the trail back
to Terdona.
BAUDOLINO
(mixed German with
Italian, body language
for sword attacks, trail)
Aaaah! Terdona, Alemani soldati, di
spura, capisco!
He caresses the horse's head, gently grabs its harness, and
pulls it through a thicket.
BAUDOLINO
(with body language for
the trail, opposite
directions, thieves)
Di spura... guarda -- fortezza
di Terdona -- mia casa -- niente
ladri!
The Emperor glances in both directions, amused by the kid's
ability to communicate.
BAUDOLINO
(body language for hungry)
Hai fame?
Baudolino doesn't wait for an answer and pulls the horse's
harness toward his house.
- LATER
The Emperor holds Baudolino in front of him in the saddle.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian; subtitled)
The unicorn came first, then
Spiritus Baodolinus....He was sad
about the fight and... Alemani
victory.
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled)
"Alemani vinceranno"! Of course!
And I will level Terdona's walls.
Baudolino understands but doesn't like what he hears. He
turns his head to berate the Emperor.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian; subtitled)
"Nievellieren?" You should not do
that! My friends are there.
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled; joking)
"Amici?" Hmm. You come with me and
tell them to give up.
EXT. MEADOW SCHACK - CONTINUOUS
They exit the forest. The moon lights a shack, a pen, and a
COW. Baudolino's father, GALIAUDO (40), poor, prematurely
aged, forks up a hay load next to the cow.
The Emperor's horse neighs. Surprised, Galiaudo freezes, and
the hay load falls on his head. The cow MOOOs.
The Emperor gets Baudolino off the saddle. Galiaudo clears up
the hay and walks upset, limping toward the Emperor and
Baudolino.
BAUDOLINO
Padre --
Furious, Galiaudo attempts to slap Baudolino, who ducks.
GALIAUDO
(in Italian; subtitled)
-- Good for nothing son! Why did
you bring the taxman here?
He looks up scrutinizing the Emperor.
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled)
Your son is smart and kind. Said
that I could rest for the night.
Confused Galiaudo turns his head threateningly to Baudolino,
waiting for translation.
The Emperor gets something from his belt and bends down to
give it to Galiaudo. Startled, the latter extends his hands
to defend himself, but then gets what is offered.
Galiaudo is transfixed by -- the silver coin in his palm,
shining in the moonlight.
EXT. MEADOW SCHACK - DAY
Clumps of mist hang low in the meadow. The sun is about to
rise. Galiaudo milks the cow. Baudolino and the Emperor sit
on logs.
The Emperor empties a bowl of milk, stands up, and pats
Baudolino on the shoulder.
BAUDOLINO
(pleading)
... Bitte --
The Emperor shakes his head, looks toward the sunrise, then
the dark forest, and -- closes his fist on the sword.
BAUDOLINO
(mixed Italian with
German; subtitled)
Take me with you! I will tell your
Alemans about my dream... that
Spiritus Baodolinus told Terdonans
to give up.
The Emperor lightens up a bit.
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled)
Your lies may save lives --
"Spiritus Baodolinus"!... Maybe I
should call you Baudolino.
BAUDOLINO
(smiling, pointing at
himself)
Baudolino! Si, mi place!
The Emperor ruffles Baudolino's hair paternally, and
Baudolino looks up, grateful.
EMPEROR
(in German; subtitled;)
Would you like to grow up as my
adoptive son, learning at my court,
in Regensburg? Education will be
good for you.
BAUDOLINO
(nodding vigorously)
"Regensburg", Ratisbona? Learnen --
Certo!
The Emperor smiles appreciatively, points in sequence at
himself, Baudolino and Galiaudo.
EMPEROR
(pointing in turn)
Frederick, Baudolino und...?
BAUDOLINO
(pointing at his father)
Mio padre, Galiaudo.
By the pen, the old man milks the cow. The Emperor walks to
him. Galiaudo stops milking, upset by the interruption. The
Emperor talks with him, touches his heart, mimics reading.
Galiaudo frowns, turns to Baudolino, who walks over.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian; subtitled)
The Emperor wants to adopt me as
his son and learn at his court.
Galiaudo stands up dumbstruck, scratches his head, grabs the
cow's neck, and scratches her head, lovingly. The emperor
gets something from his belt and extends his hand to give it
to Galiaudo, who now confidently gets what is given.
Galiaudo and Baudolino look mesmerized at -- the five golden
coins shining in the sun, then at the Emperor and Baudolino.
GALIAUDO (V.O.)
(in Italian; subtitled)
Good for nothing son... dreamer --
(lovingly at the cow)
-- one more mouth to feed --
(mellowing, looking at the
shack, then Baudolino)
-- Why keeping him -- here?
INT. MORIMOND ABBEY - SCRIPTORIUM - NIGHT
SUPER: "MAY 1156. MORIMOND ABBEY"
At candlelight, Baudolino practices writing on a parchment,
trying to imitate the -- calligraphic text from the book next
to him. He's happy when he gets it right, unhappy when wrong
and has to cross out.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering; mixed Latin
with Italian)
Iniziando cronaca -- no!
(crossing out) )
-- meus annales similis Gesta
Barbarossa -- aagh!
(crossing out)
-- Frederici.
He looks at what he wrote -- "Initiando meus annales similis
Gesta Frederici" and the crossed out "cronaca" and
"Barbarossa". (Subtitled: "Starting my own chronicle like
Gesta Frederici").
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: THE WHITE UNICORN
He falls into one of his frequent fits of imagination while
looking at "...Frederici". The letters MORPH into the leaves
carried away by a gust of wind in an eerie forest. The moon
rays project the tree trunks' and thickets' shadows on mist
clusters. A small, white Unicorn comes out, snorts, playfully
shakes its mane, then turns back and disappears.
Baudolino runs to follow but is arrested by the statuesque,
equestrian, armored Emperor who -- slowly raises his sword.
SQUEEAAK!
BACK TO SCENE
A door closes, SQUEEAAK! Baudolino jolts, hurriedly hides the
parchment under the desk, grabs an open book, and reads
whispering -- finger following the text lines.
From the darkness of the scriptorium with racks of books and
parchments, desks with open manuscripts and writing utensils,
BISHOP OTTO Ist VON FREISING (60), white hair, fatherly
figure, nighttime attire, approaches Baudolino's desk and
affectionately pinches his ear.
OTTO 1ST
Time to sleep puer dilectissime.
Tomorrow we move to Regensburg. The
Emperor wants you to listen in the
council's debates.
INT. REGENSBURG FORTRESS - COUNCIL ROOM - DAY
SUPER: "JUNE 1156. REGENSBURG"
NOBLEMEN and CLERGY argue in the noisy assembly. The Emperor
presides. Otto and Baudolino sit in a pew close to him.
A BARON (35) waves his hand to stop the brouhaha.
BARON
(to Emperor)
Why did Pope Hadrian coronate you
on Saturday... instead of the Holy
Sunday? Why on the side altar...
instead of the main one?
The Emperor smiles.
BARON
Why did he use the baptism oil, and
not the one with sweetened balsam?
Was it to warn you against the
devil's temptations? What was the
message here?
The Emperor keeps smiling, then chuckles. Councilors' chatter
grows louder. Baudolino stands up.
BAUDOLINO
(to Emperor)
The "message" I see is that he was
not carrying the word of God. He
was just recording, like a notary,
your Augustus title crowned by the
word of God. -- I see you
chuckling... sly as a weasel!
Sudden silence, puzzled councilors. The Emperor stands up,
roaring with laughter.
EMPEROR
That is the right way to think
about it. Take a good example!
Councilmen relax, some laugh, some nod. Otto coughs
violently. Baudolino helps him to stand up, and both leave.
EMPEROR
Let's talk about the preparations
for my wedding now.
EXT. WURZBURG CASTLE - DAY
PRINCES BEATRICE (13), surrounded by an ENTOURAGE on HORSES,
rides a WHITE HORSE through the castle portal. A happy CROWD
of people wave hands and flags, and hails noisily. SOLDIERS
hold lances and poles with banners.
The Emperor gallantly helps Beatrice dismount and accompanies
her to the COURT PEOPLE -- her stride gracious, confident.
Warm greetings from people. The Emperor introduces her to
them, then Baudolino.
Childishly, Beatrice touches Baudolino's cheek. Struck by
emotion, he kneels.
White pigeons flap their wings above the heads of the group.
INT. WURZBURG CHURCH - DAY
Movement of poles with banners, religious crosses and
cherubs. Rejoicing NOBLEMAN AND WOMEN stand close to the
stairs leading to the throne of BISHOP OF WURZBURG (56),
white beard.
The Emperor and Beatrice stand two steps down from the
throne, Baudolino and Bishop Otto a few steps further down.
The Bishop makes the sign of the cross, then raises his hand.
Silence.
Swept by emotions, Baudolino looks at Beatrice's profile, then up
at the dome of the cathedral.
The birds flying outside project their shadows on the
transept stained-glass windows. And his imagination takes off
again.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: PIGEONS CARRY HIS HEART TO BEATRICE
The birds' shadows MORPH into white pigeons flying through
the windows and down, circling Baudolino. He surrenders his
glowing heart to them. They carry it to Beatrice, who takes
it and -- smiles at him. Soft CHIME of bells.
BACK TO SCENE
Blaring harmonious music. Baudolino blinks and shakes his
head to brush aside the reverie.
Bishop of Wurzburg touches the hands of the Emperor and
Beatrice. The Emperor and Beatrice warmly smile at each
other. Harmonious music continues.
INT. REGENSBURG PALACE - BISHOP OFFICE - NIGHT
Vaulted room, ogive window, shelves with books, two desks
with open and closed books, candles, and writing utensils.
CANON RAHEWIN (55), bony figure, dry manners, writes.
Baudolino reads, whispering in Latin. Someone is coughing.
They look at each other. Baudolino walks out of the office.
BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
He enters the bedroom, Rahewin stops at the door.
Otto lies in the small bed, a white nightcap and nightgown
open to the chest. By the bed, a night table with flasks,
medicines, and a small metal tray. A fire smolders in the
fireplace.
Otto coughs -- red spots on his chest.
BAUDOLINO
I'll call the doctor --
OTTO IST
-- Why? To feed leeches with more
of my blood? There isn't much left,
anyhow -- Rahewin!
Baudolino offers a glass of water to Otto, who refuses.
Rahewin steps forward.
OTTO IST
You'll have to continue my Gesta
Frederici....Glorious times, except
for the struggle with the Italians.
They will not submit... will not
pay taxes... Frederick will keep
fighting them.
(to Baudolino)
-- Puer dilectissime... go find the
Realm of the Universal Religion...
its King and Priest Johannes.
Frederick must build an alliance
with him...
(weaker, whispering)
To strengthen his standing in
Europe and Byzantium.
Exhausted, he closes his eyes and lies immobile. Saddened,
Rahewin nods at Baudolino.
But Otto has a surge of energy.
OTTO IST
Go find the Realm! -- You rascal
had invented many stories the
Emperor liked....So, if you don't
have all the specifics... invent
some!
Rahewin woould never do or teach such a thing, he frowns.
Otto and Baudolino exchange affectionate smiles, the latter
touches Otto's hand. Otto exhales and stops breathing.
INT. REGENSBURG FORTRESS - EMPEROR SUITE - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1159. REGENSBURG FORTRESS"
The Emperor sits on a chair, and a YOUNG PAGE (20) holding a
long, ornamented box, stands next to him. The Emperor opens
the box, takes out a sword, stands up, and sweeps its blade
with his hand.
EMPEROR
We are at war with the Italians...
for them to recognize my authority.
He hands the sword over to Baudolino. Baudolino gets it and
looks at the blade engraved with -- a lion head and "Credimus
& Pugnare". (Subtitled: Believe and fight.)
EMPEROR (SUBTITLE
For your 18th birthday anniversary!
-- Believe in your destiny. "Esse
est fides!" (Subtitled: "To be is
to believe.")
EXT. CREMA KNOLL - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1159. CREMA SIEGE"
On BLACK HORSES, the Emperor and HENRY THE LION (30), duke of
Saxony and Bavaria, watch the progression of the Crema. FEW
KNIGHTS and CLERGY surround them. Behind them, the imperial
tent.
Two knights animatedly discuss and point down at the fortress
and infantry positions in the valley. They ride down.
EXT. CREMA FORTRESS - LATER
Arrows fly between the ATTACKERS in the three siege towers
and the DEFENDERS on the fortress crenels.
The heavy stones catapulted by the Defenders break some
trusses at the base of a wobbling siege tower.
EXT. CREMA HILL - LATER
Galloping from the valley, Baudolino reaches the knoll.
BAUDOLINO
(to Emperor)
One of the towers is about to
topple... Stones had weakened the
trusses. Advise to pull it back!
Angry, the Emperor looks at Henry the Lion, who nods.
EMPEROR
Tie up the prisoners to the other
towers!... They won't dare to throw
stones at their own.
Taken aback, Baudolino looks reproachful at the Emperor, who
-- fiercely raises his head, commanding. Hesitating,
Baudolino obeys and rides down into the valley.
INT. CREMA HILL - IMPERIAL TENT - LATER
The Emperor, Beatrice, and Henry sit on chairs around a big
log afire. Baudolino enters in a hurry, agitated.
BAUDOLINO
The prisoners shout at their own to
keep stoning the siege towers!
EMPEROR
(looking at the fire)
Burn alive the reminder of the
prisoners... in front of the gates!
In disbelief, Baudolino looks at Beatrice, for help. She
stands up, touches the Emperor's shoulder, and is about to
say something but doesn't.
BAUDOLINO
(flabberghasted)
Father! They have our people as
prisoners. They'll kill ours in
turn!
EMPEROR
So be it. We are at war!
INT. REGENSBURG FORTRESS - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
SUPER: "JANUARY 1163. REGENSBURG FORTRESS"
At the dining table, Beatrice lovingly feeds Bea, her ONE
YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER. The Emperor and Baudolino just finished
dinner. Frederick throws his napkin on the table, stands up,
and paces up and down, lamenting.
EMPEROR
I had to destroy them, for them to
understand my power -- Crema. Then
Milan, again!
BAUDOLINO
The Italians' trade interests
continuously change. Cities forge,
then break alliances. So, even the
ones that submit to you today, may
turn against you --
The Emperor dismisses Baudolino's argument.
EMPEROR
-- Then I'll start a new campaign.
The Third... and keep their Pope
Alexander at bay. Thank God, he was
excommunicated.
Looking at Beatrice and the baby girl, his mood changes, and
smiles. Beatrice nods at him lovingly.
BEATRICE
Baby Bea, do you see your father's
big red beard? That's why his
"beloved" Italians call him Barba
Rossa.
She hands the baby over to a NURSE, who leaves the room.
EMPEROR
Warriors and priests -- Little
chance for me to govern in peace.
I should have learned law,
philosophy instead --
(upbeat)
-- So, you shall continue your
studies in Paris.
BAUDOLINO
Paris? I thought I would go find
the Realm, foster your alliance
with its King....That's what Otto
wanted... for you.
EMPEROR
Knowledge first, diplomacy later.
A PRIEST enters the room.
PRIEST
Your highness, a message from Pope
Victor, about Pope Alexander.
The Emperor rolls his eyes, annoyed. Beatrice stands up and
graciously nods to Frederick.
BEATRICE
I'll let you hear what our Anti
Pope is up to. Allow Baudolino to
accompany me.
She gets Baudolino's offered arm, and they leave.
BEATRICE'S QUARTERS
BEATRICE
(to Baudolino)
Paris... So far away and for a long
time.
They stop at the door of her chamber.
BEATRICE
(softly)
Write to me about your studies,
frequently.
Baudolino's eyes betray emotions he'd rather hide. He kneels
on one knee.
BAUDOLINO
I promise.
A bit confused, she smiles and touches his chin to make him
stand up. He does, and she slowly turns to enter the room. By
happenstance, their profiles are about to touch -- shocked,
they retreat.
Beatrice rushes into her bedroom and closes the door. Frozen,
Baudolino looks at the -- door handle, slowly, moving up.
INT. PARIS - SAINT GERMAIN-DES-PRES - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1163. PARIS"
In the church vaulted, cold basement with small windows, a
bearded PRIEST-MASTER (60) walks among YOUNG STUDENTS and
steers the conversation.
Steam coming out of their breath, the students debate a
religious topic with strong voices and body language. They
sit crouched on straw bunches, books and papers on their lap
or wood blocks.
Baudolino listens, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. To
his left, ABDUL (16), pleasant Arabic complexion, oftentimes
inspired by poetic dreams -- writes down verses. Behind them,
THE POET (17), bulky built, short-dark hair, rough manners,
intelligence not his forte, watches enviously at Abdul's
poem.
The Priest-Master dismisses the class, the students bag their
papers and continue to argue on the way out. Baudolino and
The Poet stand up, the latter kicks Abdul in the butt.
EXT. PARIS - ROAD TO LES CROIX DE FER TAVERN - NIGHT
They slip and playfully bump into each other on the thin
layer of cobblestones snow.
Two big heavy iron crosses adorn the entrance of Les Croix de
Fer. A faint sound of music and chatter. They get in.
INT. PARIS - LES CROIX DE FER TAVERN - CONTINUOUS
MEN and FEW WOMEN talk loudly, laugh, drink, or eat, some
mouthful. Two bosomy WAITRESSES serve food and drinks. An
inebriated FIDDLER plays his violin to a dog.
The GYPSY WAITRESS, (30), low neckline blouse, bends over to
set jugs with drinks on Baudolino's table -- more exposure of
breasts.
The students delight in the view.
BAUDOLINO
(French Sinte; subtitled;
to the waittress)
Your soul looks great today.
She charms him with a mocking, frivolous glance.
WAITRESS
I love you gadžo!
She leaves. The Poet follows her transfixed. Abdul doesn't
care much.
ABDUL
I write love songs for the woman I
long for.
He sighs profusely, takes a hearty gulp of wine, and slowly
puts the mug on the table. The Poet takes a gulp and knocks
the mug on the table -- wine splashes.
THE POET
I wanted to be a poet! But my
father, no! Wanted a military
carrier for me....Chess! He even
taught me chess, for strategy's
sake!
BAUDOLINO
(struck by emotion)
My beloved lady?....I had to go
away from her,
(recovering)
-- actually, it's... something more
important. The Realm!
He calls for their attention to listen to his story.
INT. PARIS - MANSARD - NIGHT
Wrapped in a blanket, Baudolino, sitting at a table by the
open window toward the roofs of Paris, is about to start
writing to Beatrice.
Three narrow beds, chairs, a bench, and a wood-burning stove
in the middle. Reclined on a bedpost, daydreaming, Abdul
strikes cittern harmonies. Sitting on the bed, The Poet picks
his nose.
Baudolino watches the full moon over the city roofs. A flock
of bats flies across the moon. He starts writing what is
expected from him -- and keeping the reality to himself.
Abdul strikes various harmonies, some disharmonies.
MONTAGE: BAUDOLINO WRITES TO BEATRICE
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
Your Highness Beatrice, the
classroom...
Active writing: "...classroom "
-- Smoky tavern, boisterous PATRONS, one trying to keep up
dancing on the FIDDLER'S tune.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... is cold, and we are there for
long hours.
-- Baudolino and his friends drink. He pinches the butt of a
20-YEAR-OLD WAITRESS, long, black braided hair. She whacks
him friendly, leaves wiggling her buttocks.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
But the rhetoric debates are quite
useful. Some topics are worthy of
emphasis.
-- The Poet laughs dumbly and follows the waitress's sexy
moves. Abdul smirks demeaning at him.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... I study with my new friends,
The Poet, son of a Norman knight,
and Abdul, born in Syria.
-- Baudolino draws his friends' attention to the fresh scar
on his cheek, and calls for them to listen to his story.
-- In the bed, under blankets, Baudolino makes love with a 40
YEAR-OLD WOMAN.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
-- Sometimes... I study on my own.
-- In the flowery decorated boudoir, suddenly, a noise at the
door -- they turn their heads scared.
-- A 60-YEAR-OLD, FAT BUTCHER, blood-stained apron, storms
in, and lunges toward the bed with a hook in his hand.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
Quite often, I realize how ancient
histories repeat themselves in our
present lives.
-- Baudolino grabs his clothing from the chair, runs to and
escalates the open window's frame. The butcher swings the
hook -- and slashes Baudolino's cheek before he jumps.
BACK TO SCENE
Cittern harmonious sound. Baudolino stops writing and looks
at Abdul, who sings.
ABDUL
O, my love, I call on you,
My mind turns insane,
My yearning clouds the sun,
The desert freezes --
THE POET
(snickers)
Frozen dunes!?
BAUDOLINO
-- You didn't tell us where your
lover is.
The glow of the flame in the stove play on Abdul's face. He
daydreams the frequently imagined answer.
ABDUL IMAGINATION: LONGING LOVE
The flames MORPH into the blaring sun over the desert heat
waves. A caravan meanders through the dunes, a shugduf on one
of the CAMELS.
The shugduf sways on the camel's trot, its colorful fabric
adornments fluttering. The black drapery is pulled over.
Hand with a big red ring holding a black veil over half of
her face, a YOUNG ARAB WOMAN (20) stares longingly at Abdul,
as the caravan passes.
Somnambulant, Abdul walks after the caravan. The desert dunes
warp in the blaring sun.
BACK TO SCENE
Dying flames in the stove, sad harmony from the cittern.
Abdul pulls a glass jar from under the bed, opens and dips a
stick in it, then licks the greenish honey.
THE POET
And now he wants to see her
undulating buttocks directly. Why
don't you go there instead?
BAUDOLINO
The dunes....Maybe that's the
direction to go... together....But
who knows where the Realm is?
ABDUL
(whispering, intoxicated)
-- St. Victor Abbey -- Rabbi lost
tribes -- books....
INT. PARIS - ST. VICTOR ABBEY - LIBRARY - NIGHT
Through bookshelves and rows of tables, an OLD PRIEST guides
Baudolino and The Poet to a table in a dark corner. RABBI
SOLOMON (35), long beard, snoozes over an open manuscript.
Baudolino bends over to draw his attention but stops. He
nudges The Poet to look at the manuscript -- illustrations of
mythical creatures, a one-legged Skiapod, elephantine-ears
Panotian, and headless, eyes and mouth on the chest,
Blemmyae.
Rabbi senses them, wakes up, and hurriedly closes the
manuscript.
RABBI
This is not for everybody to see --
Who are you?
BAUDOLINO
Students. Eager to learn about the
Ten Lost Tribes of Israel...
hmmm... how far East they went.
RABBI
Away, off the harms way. A sacred
land where life is forever in
harmony....Its King and Priest
Johannes, one of the Three Magi's
descendants.
THE POET
A Priest could be a --
RABBI
-- Yes, a powerful King! Emperors
went to him with letters and gifts
of gold... precious stones, to
settle alliances.
THE POET
(interested)
He must be rich -- Who else knows
about this?
RABBI
Boron but --
BAUDOLINO
-- When can we talk to him?
Rabbi stands up to finish the conversation.
RABBI
Maybe tomorrow -- I have to go now.
I'm hungry.
THE POET AND BAUDOLINO
Wait, wait!
They gently grab his arms and turn him around.
BAUDOLINO
Allow us to show gratitude for your
superior knowledge. We offer a
better meal than the refectory.
They rather drag the Rabbi out of the library.
EXT. PARIS ROAD TO TAVERN - LATER
The threesome approaches the Croix De Fer tavern. The Rabbi
stops looking concerned at the big iron crosses.
RABBI
Do they have kosher schnapps?
The students look at each other and nod unconvincingly at
Rabbi who suddenly changes his mind.
RABBI
Not today....Today is Sabbath!
EXT. PARIS - ST. GENEVIEVE ABBEY - DAY
Led by Rabbi, Baudolino, The Poet, and Abdul walk through the
portal of the abbey.
RABBI
He is a vagrant religious scholar.
Today he's here, who knows where
tomorrow?
INT. PARIS - ST. GENEVIEVE ABBEY - LATER
Dark cell. The visitors stand by the bed of BORON (35), an
ascetic figure. He sleeps with a beatific smile on his face --
more of a rictus caused by a birth defect. Rabbi touches his
shoulder.
BORON
Genevieve, my...
He wakes up upset by the interruption.
THE POET
Is she good-looking?
BORON
(bad look at The Poet)
She was a saint! Her relics turned
into flesh and blood of the great
woman fighting the apocalyptic
nomads -- That's how you look,
apocalyptic!
RABBI
(soothing)
Forgive their ignorance...
students, you know. They'd like to
learn more about Priest Johannes.
BORON
I'm not interested in teaching
anybody. I'd rather go back to
sleep -- or rather eat.
THE POET AND BAUDOLINO
Eat it is! Let's go eat.
ABBEY REFECTORY - LATER
THREE MONKS of various ages eat at one end of a long table. A
loud argument goes on at the other end. Two of them turn
their heads annoyed by the loud argument. The third one,
ZOSIMOS (25), Greek profile, stubble beard, and long curly
hair, is actually interested, and intently listens. He is a
vagrant student and pathological liar.
At the other end of the table, Rabbi and Boron argue. The
others follow the argument while eating.
RABBI
... then, Priest Johannes went to
reconcile the Muslims, Jews, and
Latins... to the Holy Land of
Jerusalem --
BORON
-- Not the Holy Land, the Holy
Seat, in Rome, to meet Pope
Calixtus... and stopped first in
Byzantium, Constantinople.
Hearing "Constantinople", Zosimos takes his plate, joins the
noisy group, and nudges The Poet to make room.
KYOT (20), foxy face, enters the refectory. He is the type
that wouldn't miss an occasion to make fun of a situation or
person. He exchanges greeting nods with Boron, who waves him
over.
BAUDOLINO
(to Boron)
Could he still be alive?
Zosimos stands up to say something, but The Poet pulls him
down by the sleeve. Boron turns to Kyot.
BORON
(to Kyot)
What do you know about him?
KYOT
He came along the Silk Road but
stopped at Tigris... went back
loaded with the traders' gold and
reliquaries -- possibly the Holy
Grail.
Silent astonishment in the group.
THE POET
Let's go to him then as
ambassadors... with a letter from
Frederick Barb --
BAUDOLINO
(struck by an idea)
-- No! No....Priest Johannes writes
the letter to Frederick Barbarossa.
Surprise and confusion.
KYOT
(mocking)
Will you tell him to write it?
Laughter in the group. Baudolino shakes his head and calls
everyone to get their heads closer.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering)
We write it! As if from Priest
Johannes to Fredrick, inviting him
to an alliance....
All faces turn from laughing to dumbstruck -- Kyot laughs
harder. Zosimos smirks, thoughtful.
BAUDOLINO
And we go to him as Frederick's
emissaries, with the response
letter glorifying the alliance!
INT. PARIS - MANSARD - NIGHT
Rabbi, The Poet, and Baudolino sit at the table, the latter
holding a quill. Abdul and Boron lie on beds, Kyot reclines
on a bedpost.
RABBI
The Realm is close to the Garden of
Eden. Those people speak the
language of Adam.
BAUDOLINO
Forget about the language of Adam!
I'll rewrite the draft in Latin.
For now, let me hear your ideas.
Abdul, help us a bit.
Abdul gets the jar from under the bed, opens it, dips a stick
in it, and licks it.
ABDUL
We must see those magic lands
directly.
The Poet goes next. The others are intrigued but follow suit
by licking and humming. Their faces from tense to blissful.
Rabbi abstains.
RABBI
I know better methods. I can roll
on my tongue the letters of the
secret name of the Lord until my
thoughts start spinning.
- LATER
Baudolino hands over the quill to Abdul. Boron, Kyot, and The
Poet roam around, bumping into each other, voicing visions
with ample body language, garbling, and asking Abdul to write
down. Baudolino filters their ideas and directs Abdul.
KYOT
-- like the Templar Temple in
Jerusalem... great hall illuminated
by torches --
RABBI
-- The Temple of Ezekiel... built
with nails and glue --
THE POET
(to Rabbi)
-- Sacrilege! Nails and glue? The
richness of his palace must be
beyond those of any sovereign.
ABDUL
-- The palace with jasper stone
foundations... in the Garden of
Eden --
BORON
-- Temple Mount in Jerusalem ...
deep well of Jewish, Christian, and
Muslim souls.
- LATER
Everybody has or is about to fall asleep. Kyot is hit by one
more vision.
KYOT
-- Holy Grail on the pedestal --
BAUDOLINO
-- enough, I'll start the draft
now.
He reads Abdul's notes, gets a parchment, and starts writing.
MONTAGE: BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION. PRIEST JOHANNES'S FAKE LETTER
-- Active, calligraphic writing: "I King and ...
PRIEST JOHANNES (V.O.)
(powerful voice, echo)
Priest Johannes...
-- The top of the Babylon look-alike tower shines in a sky
surrounded by translucent, white wing-like clouds.
PRIEST JOHANNES (V.O.)
...by the power and grace of God
and of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King
of a land...
-- Around the tower, beautiful meadows with flowers emanate
scent plumes by meandering rivers of milk and honey.
PRIEST JOHANNES (V.O.)
... where colored rivers of milk
and honey sweeten the minds of
people living in the harmony of
with respect of everything that
God created....
-- Inside the tower, in the round nave of the church, MEN,
WOMEN, and MYTHICAL PANOTIAN and BLEMMYAE creatures, draped
in colorful robes, sit on richly decorated pews.
PRIEST JOHANNES (V.O.)
....And I, Master of the Temple...
-- PRIEST JOHANNES (150), white beard and mustache, tiara
resembling a king's crown, patriarchal clothing, sits on a
throne reading the letter.
PRIEST JOHANNES
...of the Universal Religion...
-- The sun shining through the open dome bathes in light the
Holy Grail, Menorah, Bowl of Prophet Muhammad, and Kanishka
Casket with Buddha statue atop, set on four high pedestals
behind the throne. Precious stones encrusted in the walls
sparkle.
PRIEST JOHANNES
... Temple with the gems of the
world to brighten the most precious
relics of Christianity, Judaism,
Islam, and Buddhism.
-- Priest Johannes stops reading and nods at the people in
the auditorium -- people nod obediently.
PRIEST JOHANNES
I write to you, Frederick Ist, The
Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire,
wishing you good health and
perpetual enjoyment of the divine
benediction from God, and inviting
you to an alliance with our
powers...
-- People and creatures nod in approval.
-- Priest Johannes stands up.
PRIEST JOHANNES
... where the riches of the land
could be measured only by the
number of stars in the sky and
grains of sand in the sea.
-- The people and creatures cheer and applaud in adulation.
BACK TO SCENE
Active, calligraphic writing: "...sand in the sea."
Baudolino raises the parchment in glorious admiration, then
mimics sealing it. Abdul sleeps with his head on the table,
the others wherever the green honey struck them numb, on the
beds or floor.
Door slamming distracts Baudolino. The Poet wakes up, looks
annoyed at Zosimos, then goes back to sleep.
ZOSIMOS
I'm late, but I know things that
you must write about.
BAUDOLINO
Too late, we finished it.
He shows it to Zosimos from a safe distance.
ZOSIMOS
Ahh! Be careful! It must be written
on papyrus, not parchment. Here!
He takes a small papyrus scroll from his bag, then squints at
the letter.
BAUDOLINO
(yawning)
Why do we need it?
ZOSIMOS
To look real. It's Greek papyrus,
used in Orient.
(squinting at the letter)
Wait! Why is it not addressed to
both emperors, Fredrick and Manuel
of Byzantium?
BAUDOLINO
Because I want Europe and Byzantium
to pay the respect deserved to my
father, the Western Holy Roman
Emperor.
Baudolino takes the scroll, wraps the letter, and, tired,
lays his head on the table and closes his eyes.
Zosimos waits, thoughtful.
Baudolino's hand twitches and releases the hold of the
letter. Zosimos looks around -- everybody sleeps -- pulls out
a small booklet from his bag, cautiously gets the letter, and
starts copying it.
When finished, he leaves a note and tiptoes out.
INT. PARIS - MANSARD - MORNING
People wake up one by one, sleepy, with hangovers. Baudolino
reads Zosimos' note and nudges Abdul.
BAUDOLINO
Zosimos went to Constantinople to
prepare for the pilgrimage... says
he's got a map to the Realm. Hmm...
stupid! I have to make the letter
believable, officially... talk with
Fredrick --
THE POET
-- How quickly can you do it?
INT. REGENSBURG FORTRESS - PARLOUR ROOM - DAY
SUPER: "AUGUST 1167. BACK TO REGENSBURG"
The Emperor slouches in a chair by the massive table on the
side of the room. He looks at a map laid out on the table.
Rahewin stands by him, pointing on the map.
Behind them, the room opens toward the antechamber and a long
corridor. TWO GUARDS stand guard at the far end of it.
The guards at the far end of the corridor let somebody pass.
Baudolino advances to the antechamber and stops at the
entrance to the parlor.
In the middle of the room, Beatrice plays with Bea, now FIVE
YEARS-OLD, and the blond, ONE-YEAR-OLD SON. The TWO-YEARS-OLD
SON, red hair, plays with a horse toy.
RAHEWIN
... It is worthy of the chronicle
to describe how you defeated the
guards of St. Peter church, Pope
Alexander fleeing in a poor man's
cloth --
EMPEROR
(distressed)
-- Worthy of what? Of my army being
decimated by the black plague? Then
--
Rahewin senses Baudolino's presence and turns. The Emperor
turns as well, brightens up, stands up, and extends his arms
to greet Baudolino.
EMPEROR
-- Welcome back!
Baudolino does not respond, stands still.
BAUDOLINO
(stone-faced)
The plague was the wrath of God for
your desecrating St. Peter's church
with the bloodshed on its high
altar!
EMPEROR
(defensive at Beatrice,
then the map)
I had to oust Pope Alexander! He
was getting the Italians allied
against me, in this... Lombard
League! And seeking an alliance
with Byzantium!
(recovering, angry)
-- How dare you to question my
actions?
BAUDOLINO
Father! You have to stop the
skirmishes with the Italians. Ally
yourself with Priest Johannes... to
govern both Europe and Byzantium
from a position of prestige and
power.
EMPEROR
(upset)
Uggh! Your Priest Johannes, another
priest! Where on earth?
BAUDOLINO
A Realm beyond the Ganges...
(looking at Rahewin)
we have --
Rahewin frowns with a short, sharp head shake. Baudolino
leaves the sentence unfinished and embraces the Emperor.
The Emperor responds in kind and whispers to Baudolino's ear
-- scar on cheek.
EMPEROR
(in good humor)
You're a weasel too! The only one
allowed to talk to me like that!
They walk to the kids, who yell. Beatrice stands up and
greets Baudolino. He stares at her, and she touches his scar.
Rahewin discreetly tilts his head at Baudolino.
BISHOP OFFICE - LATER
"Gesta Friderici Imperatoris" book, papers, writing utensils
on Otto's old desk, now Rahewin's. He opens the drawer, takes
out a leather tube, the rolled papyrus from it, and looks
appreciatively at the texture of the papyrus and the seal.
RAHEWIN
(quizzical))
Otto was right then....But how did
it make it to you... through the
official channels?
Baudolino wants to explain, but Rahewin raises his hand.
RAHEWIN
I know that whatever you say, you
want everybody to believe it is
true! The Emperor must find out
about it from the chancery first.
BAUDOLINO
You must be careful. This is a
highly important, strategic matter.
Time is of the essence! Start
talking with Ottone Morena. In the
meanwhile, I'll write a proposal
for Frederick's response.
RAHEWIN
It's not the right time now!
Frederick is distressed by the
plague in Rome decimating his army.
BAUDOLINO
It is the best time. This alliance
will stop shedding blood and
punishment from God.
In doubt, Rahewin puts the letter in the leather tube, the
tube in the drawer, and closes -- the drawer.
EXT. LEGNANO BATTLEFIELD - DAY
SUPER: "MAY 1176. LEGNANO BATTLE FIELD"
An ax about to strike a sword.
PEASANT (V.O.)
(in Italian; subtitled)
Son of a bitch!!
Baudolino (36), short beard, fends and throws off the ax of
the poor man, 50-YEAR-OLD PEASANT, who falls on his four and
attempts to pick up the ax.
With the flat of the sword Baudolino hits the ass of the
running peasant who's pants fall halfway.
The peasant runs in the distance. Heavy clouds in the sky,
windy. GERMAN and ITALIAN SOLDIERS' corpses on the ground.
GERMAN SOLDIERS run in disarray toward a small knoll, some
wounded, some chased by HORSE-RIDING ITALIAN Lombards.
A galloping LOMBARD FIGHTER (30), stops close to Baudolino.
At the same time, a GERMAN SOLDIER (25), blood-stained
uniform, runs by Baudolino and points back at the forest.
GERMAN SOLDIER
(in German; subtitled;
desperate)
The Emperor is dead... we lost the
Emperor!
Baudolino looks toward the forest, then takes a fighting
stance toward the Lombard Fighter.
LOMBARD FIGHTER
(in Italian; subtitled)
You fool! Can't you see that we
screwed your Emperor! Go home!
Baudolino gives up fighting and runs into the forest.
LEGNANO FOREST - LATER
Baudolino scrambles through trees' trunks, thickets, and dead
bodies, some armored. HORSES trot around.
At a melee of corpses, he uncovers Frederick -- mud and
blood on his face.
- LATER
On the back of the horse's saddle, Baudolino supports the
wounded Emperor -- a resemblance to the Emperor holding the
kid Baudolino in Terdona forest.
EMPEROR
(feeble)
... and this letter... Where is it?
BAUDOLINO
(to Emperor's ear, softly)
Bishop of Harthausen got it from
Rahewin. They were -- we were
waiting for the best moment to
discuss it with you... then notify
the European chancelleries.
EMPEROR
(falling asleep)
A far away Realm....My enemies so
close... peace with them...
humiliation from Pope Alexander.
INT. VENICE - SAN MARCO BASILICA - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1177. PEACE OF VENICE"
POPE ALEXANDER III (72) sits on the throne set on a two
stepped platform in front of the choir. The Pope looks behind
him to stop the scuffle of TWO ITALIAN ARCHBISHOPS fighting
for the honorable position to his right.
At the faraway entrance, the small silhouette of the Emperor
projected on the San Marco square with cheering crowds. He
proceeds through the porch. Silence.
The Emperor (55), long beard, steps mournfully in the
darkness of the nave. The silence is broken by the NOBLEMEN
and WOMEN standing up from the pews.
He crosses the transept bathed in the sunrays coming through
the windows. Arrived at the platform, he kneels on the first
step. On the second, Pope's red shoes.
The Pope looks down at the Emperor, paternally.
The Emperor bends and -- his lips touch the Pope's red shoe,
the kiss of the humiliated. The organ blasts TE DEUM
LAUDAMUS. The audience cheers.
The Pope stands and helps the Emperor up. The audience
falls quiet, the organ plays pianissimo.
POPE ALEXANDER III
(in Latin; subtitled)
Son of the Church, be welcome!
EXT. VENICE - SAN MARCO SQUARE - LATER
Head down, the Emperor leads the Pope's horse through the
cheering crowd.
INT. VENICE - DOGE PALACE ROOM - LATER
Distressed, The Emperor walks in followed by the DOGE OF
VENICE(65) BISHOP ALBERT OF FREISING (30), Baudolino, The
Poet (32), and Abdul (30). Paintings and tapestries on the
walls, chandeliers, windows open toward the Canaletto
channel.
DOGE
(to the Emperor, angry)
...and the Byzantine pirates keep
attacking our ships....
DOGE
They even stole our Winged Lion of
the St. Mark statue!
Still distressed, the Emperor pays only marginal attention.
The Doge waves at the SPY MAN (30), rough appearance,
standing by the door.
DOGE
And now this!
The Spy Man approaches, bows and hands over an unsealed
letter to the Emperor, who takes it hesitantly.
SPY MAN
I found it at the house of a Greek
vagrant. He confessed to being
about to deliver it to the offices
of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel
Ist.
Confused, the Emperor unwraps it.
EMPEROR
(handing it to Baudolino)
A Greek letter.
SPY MAN
He said that it was from a Priest
... ughh... Johannes.
Baudolino is aghast, reads the letter. The Poet and Abdul
lean over, furtively looking at each other, miffed.
BAUDOLINO
It's fake! Somebody intercepted the
Latin original, translated it into
Greek, and changed the addressee.
Rahewin had the real letter and a
proposal of a response to it from
you. He kept keeping them locked in
a drawer.
(looking at Albert)
And now...
The Emperor looks questioningly at Albert, who swallows his
words.
BAUDOLINO
(thinking fast, searching
for the right words)
Father!... Otto was right about
Priest Johannes. Rahewin though
was... hesitant on its urgency. But
the more we wait, the more we
expose ourselves to... dangerous
diplomatic situations.
Nodding in the group confirms the argument.
BAUDOLINO
(to Albert)
Don't hesitate, hurry up!
Present the letters to the Emperor.
(to Emperor, then his
pals)
And Father... please let us be your
emissaries to the King's Realm.
EMPEROR
(to Albert)
Do what the weasel says, make sure
he has the money all along.
INT. REGENSBURG FORTRESS - BISHOP OFFICE - DAY
SUPER: "NOVEMBER 1187. REGENSBURG FORTRESS"
Same old desks, different books on shelves, new Bishops
paintings on walls. Standing, Baudolino (46) listens to
BISHOP OTTO VON BERG (35), who sits at the big desk.
OTTO VON BERG
(calm)
... diplomatic priorities --
BAUDOLINO
(furious)
-- Diplomatic priorities! Again? Do
you know what a "diplomatic
disasters" is? Bishop Albert
witnessed one about to happen in
Venice!
OTTO VON BERG
(dismissive)
There are worse disasters than
diplomatic... everywhere, right
now.
He opens the drawer of the big desk. Inside, side by side,
"Gesta Frederici I Imperatoris" manuscript and two leather
tubes, one red. He dusts off the red one with a kerchief and
takes out the -- Emperor-sealed parchment letter.
OTTO VON BERG
It looks like this letter is more
important to you than to the
Emperor.
BAUDOLINO
(angry; pointing at one
portrait)
This alliance was Bishop Otto von
Freising vision --
OTTO VON BERG
(ironical)
-- Your Otto was a dreamer excited
by his own achievements...
(pulling Gesta Frederici
manuscript out )
... He glorified Frederick as the
"Prince of Peace" anointed by God.
(smirk)
He was better off just as a Son of
the Church.
BAUDOLINO
(persuasive)
"My Otto" fought in the Second
Crusade. I fought along the
Emperor's wars, and we all
understood the hardship of
achieving... peace. But after
Rahewin, Bishop after Bishop,
didn't know better and passed on
the opportunity.
(soothing)
Aren't you supposed to promote this
alliance with another powerful "Son
of the Church"?
OTTO VON BERG
(standing up)
Now? We have quite worrisome
situations in Jerusalem and
Byzantium. Not a good time! We'll
have to wait.
He returns the parchment letter in the red tube, the tube
into the drawer, and closes it looking at Baudolino.
EXT. MAINZ - RHINE RIVER BANK - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1188. DIET OF MAINZ"
Sunny, cold day. Riding HORSES, the Emperor, his natural son
FREDERICK VI DUKE OF SWABIA (21), and Baudolino lead a suite
of NOBLEMEN and armed GUARDS. In the background, the Rhine
river flows by the city of Mainz and its St. Martin
Cathedral.
From afar, a MESSENGER gallops his HORSE to catch up with the
suite. He talks to a FLAG BEARER soldier, who points toward
the head of the suite.
EMPEROR
Survival of Christianity is at
stake. -- England and France just
ended their silly betrothal and
guardianship wars... They'll take
the cross!
The Messenger (60), a poorly dressed man, talks with a
NOBLEMAN, who points at Baudolino.
BAUDOLINO
(to Emperor)
The Italians will join us --
EMPEROR
(deriding)
-- My beloved Italians! Afraid of
losing their trade interests with
Constantinople... if it falls next.
The Messenger rides alongside Baudolino, who turns his head.
MESSENGER
(sad)
Sire Baudolino, your father.
BAUDOLINO
My father?
The Emperor nods to Baudolino to ride aside. The Duke Of
Swabia joins them, waving at the noblemen to march on.
MESSENGER
He's ill... very ill, Sire.
Baudolino lowers his head, then looks at the Emperor, who
nods.
EMPEROR
(to Baudolino)
Go. Show your father how I've kept
my promise.
He removes the golden chain from his neck and gives it to
Baudolino. The Duke Of Swabia is mystified -- because he
dislikes Baudolino.
Baudolino bows in gratitude, nods at Duke Of Swabia -- blank
stare -- and rides away followed by the Messenger.
The Emperor watches the riders disappearing in the distance.
He turns the horse around and rides toward Mainz.
EXT. TERDONA - GALIAUDO SCHACK- DAY
Rain and wind. Baudolino dismounts and rushes to the shack.
The pen stakes are fallen, and there is no haystack on
ground. The cow Rosina stands by the shack door.
INT. MAINZ - ST. MARTIN CATHEDRAL - SAME TIME
The Emperor, his son Duke of Swabia, DUKE LEOPOLD V OF
AUSTRIA (34), and LOUIS III OF THURINGIA (36) sit on the
front choirstalls. The CLERGY in the middle stalls and the
NOBLEMEN in the back argue sitting or standing.
POPE PAOLO CLEMENT III (60) sits on the throne, and the
ARCHBISHOPS OF TYRE JOSCIUS(58) and COLOGNE (58) stand next
to him.
Gathering brouhaha. Sunrays shine through the stained glass
windows at the top of the apse walls.
INT. TERDONA - GALIAUDO SHACK - SAME TIME
Small, dirty windows, dark, untidy interior. The sickly
Galiaudo (73), unshaved, white, thin hair rumpled, reclines
in bed against a pillow, covered by blankets. On a chair by
the bed, a candle -- wax melted down and flame dying off -- a
piece of bread, and a wooden bowl. Baudolino sits on a stool.
GALIAUDO
(in Italian; subtitled; more to
himself)
....I forgot where I've left the
fork. Rosina... how am I going to
feed her? -- Time for me to go --
Baudolino touches his father's hand.
BAUDOLINO
(in Italian; subtitled)
-- Don't give up father, wait for
my return.
(showing the chain from
the Emperor)
-- Look, the Emperor sends me
to the Realm of the Universal
Religion. I'll bring you the cup of
Jesus, all studded with precious
stones... the Holy Grail!
INT. MAINZ - ST. MARTIN CATHEDRAL - SAME TIME
Brouhaha continues. The Pope stands up. Silence.
POPE CLEMENT III
On the Court Day of Jesus Christ, a
time of resurrection and
forgiveness, I call for the
suppression of the insane struggle
for dominance within Europe,
between the church and empire,
between the empire and the cities,
and between the cities
themselves....We had debilitated
ourselves to the point of losing
Jerusalem, the cradle of our faith.
We have to take it back, restore
the church of Constantine and
protect the stones of the holy tomb
from which Jesus Christ had
resurrected!
The Emperor and the Dukes join their swords in sermon.
EMPEROR
I, Frederick The First, Holy Roman
Emperor, crowned by the grace of
God...
The Pope frowns, annoyed.
EMPEROR
... take the cross and raise my
sword to call for His Grace to
bless the Holy Cross of the Army
and the Army of the Holy Cross.
INT. TERDONA - GALIAUDO SHACK - SAME TIME
Galiaudo laughs sickly.
GALIAUDO
(in Italian, subtitled,
mocking)
Lies, fantasies of... precious
stones....Jesus, a poor man
drinking from such a cup?
He picks up the wooden bowl and shows it to Baudolino with a
trembling hand.
GALIAUDO
(in Italian; subtitled)
His cup must've been just like this
bowl.
Tired, he looks into the bowl. A golden glow from it
illuminates his face. He smiles at the blissful vision.
GALIAUDO
(tender whisper)
Rosina....
He drops the bowl and dies. Baudolino kneels, gently closes
his father's eyes, and crosses himself.
He picks up the cup from the floor, looks inside. A golden
glow illuminates his face. He raises the bowl and -- in the
MIND OF HIS EYE -- a blast of light opens the shack ceiling
toward a heavenly night sky.
INT. MAINZ - ST. MARTIN CATHEDRAL - SAME TIME
The Emperor holds high his sword by the blade -- symbol of
the Christian cross, a precious stone of the handle gleaming
in the sun rays.
AUDIENCE (O.S.)
Burst of cheers.
EXT. MEDITERRANEAN SEA - GALLEYS - DAY
The cross symbol of the Third Crusade on the tight sails of
the French and English galleys.
EXT. AEGEAN SEA - TRADING COG - DAY
The cog slowly sails through dense fog.
At the tiller, the burly CAPTAIN (50) squints to see through.
On the forecastle, the pilgrims roam from port to starboard
dressed in oriental clothing: The Poet (44), a Turkish
merchant with a blue caftan, Abdul (42), a high-ranking
Eunuch, shaved head, Kyot (45), an affluent Lebanese
traveler, Boron (60), an Orthodox priest, Rabbi Solomon (60),
an Ethiopian priest, white cloak and turban.
INT. LOWER DECK - PASSENGER CABIN
The thick fog drifts down the ladder from the upper deck.
Bunkbeds and few small barrels, the leather and the red tubes
on one of them, the bundle of parchments and a travel bag on
another one. Baudolino takes the papyrus letter from the
leather tube, wraps it over the sealed parchment letter, and
inserts them into the red tube. He straps the red tube tight
between his shoulder blades and puts on a Persian dignitary
coat.
He climbs up through the ladder fog to the upper deck...
EXT. UPPER DECK - CONTINUOUS
and joins his pals.
CAPTAIN
(laughing at Baudolino)
That's better for blending in the
Byzantine crowd.
Constantinople minarets, white castles, and houses gradually
appear through the dissipating fog. St. Sofia's golden dome
shines in sunrise.
CAPTAIN
(to crew)
Dip the Genoan, raise Arnoan.
The crew switches flags.
The chain between the Towers of Galata and Eugenius is
lowered, and the ship sails on the Golden Horn waters.
The cog approaches the Boukoleon Palace dock, the lion
attacking a bull statue atop two tall columns.
EXT. CONSTANTINOPLE - BOUKOLEON PALACE DOCK - DAY
Two YOUNG VARANGIAN MERCENARIES lead Baudolino, The Poet, and
Abdul through the CROWD of TRADERS, CLERICS, and NOBLEMEN
walking on the dock.
INT. BOUKOLEON PALACE ROOM - DAY
The Armenian baron ARDZROUNI (40), imposing stature, dark
skin, thick lips, black trimmed beard, Baudolino, Abdul, and
The Poet sit on ottomans.
A Young Varangian stands guard by the door. Small room,
draperies, divans, pillows, and tables on the mosaic floor.
BAUDOLINO
The Emperor will cross Thracia in
the fall...
His finger traces a map route from Hungary through Thracia,
Galipoli, Iconium, and Jerusalem.
BAUDOLINO
... Dardanelles to Byzantium then
Seljuks Sultanate, Jerusalem in the
summer of next year. -- The German
envoy sent last year was to
negotiate the safe passage and
access to supplies.
Doubtful about what he heard, Ardzrouni pulls up one of his
maps.
ARDZROUNI
Safe passage?....Isaak imprisoned
the envoys on arrival, and now he
set an ambush in Thracia...
(finger on the map)
at Philippopolis. Supplies? He
plans to use poisoned bushels of
grains and jars of wine to...
"welcome" the Emperor.
BAUDOLINO
(suggestive)
What do we need to know about
Isaak?
Ardzrouni calls over the Young Varangian.
YOUNG VARANGIAN
(foxy)
His brother, Alexius Angelus, plans
to overthrow him... you know, gouge
his eyes, as the routine goes.
BAUDOLINO
Will he?
YOUNG VARANGIAN
(chuckling)
He's cautious and very
superstitious. He'll have a secret
meeting in the Zoodochos catacombs
with a Greek monk, Zosimos.
Baudolino is pleasantly surprised by hearing that name, and
The Poet and Abdul exchange meaningful looks.
BAUDOLINO
(to Ardzrouni)
I am riding back to Thracia to
advise the Emperor on the ambush --
(to The Poet and Abdul)
You get Zosimos's map, then put him
in chains.
INT. ZOODOCHOS PEGE CATACOMB - NIGHT
Barely visible in the darkness, The Poet and Abdul climb down
cautiously the narrow marble steps. Water lapping sound. They
go by a clear water channel and a candle on an altar, then
disappear through an opening in a wall.
They tiptoe on a narrow corridor toward a faintly lighted,
large room. Sound of steps and voices, they stop.
ALEXIUS (59), burly, richly dressed, and TWO GUARDS advance
into the round room of the catacomb.
Zosimos waits in front of two large bowls with burning fires.
Six feet behind the bowls, a round marble basin with water
and many small, lit candles on its lip. A wrought iron
chandelier hangs on a pulley above the basin.
Zosimos bows with deference to Alexius.
ALEXIUS
You know what I want....To undo his
wrongs!
ZOSIMOS
The spirit of Hammurabi the Wise
will bring the spell of all the
right things... to undo the wrongs.
Alexius takes a -- gold ring from his finger -- and hands it
over to Zosimos, who walks to the basin.
He attaches the ring to a string hanging from the
chandelier, pulls down on the pulley, and stops -- the ring
just above the water. He calls Alexius over and lowers the
ring -- ripples on the water surface.
Zosimos raises his hands, intoning in a trance for a while.
ZOSIMOS
(sepulchral)
Eye for eye is right!
ALEXIOS
Who's eye? Must be his! Right?
Still in a trance, Zosimos rotates his head -- as if taking
the question -- starts a new intonation.
The candles suddenly go off, and the white plumes form letter
like patterns. Zosimos seems to be reading the letters.
ZOSIMOS
(sepulchral)
Hammurabi does not understand the
question.
Furious, Alexius squashes a couple of the basin candles,
yanks his ring from the strings, and leaves followed by the
guards.
ZOSIMOS
(running after him)
Don't take the ring! It belongs to
Hammurabi's world.
Loud bumping from the basin pedestal. A section of it bursts
open, and a DWARF stumbles out through thick fumes.
The Poet and Abdul rush into the room. Scared, Zosimos falls
back on one of the bowl fires, his cloak catches fire, and
the Dwarf runs away.
The Poet hits Zosimos's cloak flames forcefully with the flat
of his sword.
THE POET
We came just in time to save you
from burning alive.
EXT. DARDANELLES STRAIT - GALLIPOLI - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1190. DARDANELLES STRAIT"
Sunny day. Crusader contingents wait to embark on the Western
shore, others cross the strait on triremes and galleys. One
contingent marches on the Eastern shore.
The Emperor, Duke Of Swabia, and Baudolino ride at the avant-
garde of TEMPLARS and KNIGHTS -- mighty, healthy, and with
shining armors. The Third Crusade banners and flags flutter.
Ardzrouni rides away from the pilgrims' group to greet them.
BAUDOLINO
Father....May I introduce Baron
Ardzrouni of the Cilician
Principate.
ARDZROUNI
(to the Emperor)
The Lord Leon of Cilicia welcomes
your arrival in Byzantium. We vouch
for your safety along the shore and
through Cilicia.
EMPEROR
Thank you! Your Christian land
deserves to become a Kingdom and
your Prince a King -- The route
along the shore is too long.
We'll get through Seljuk Sultanate,
supplies from Iconium, then rest...
before taking Jerusalem back.
ARDZROUNI
We'll pray for that! Lord Leon's
army and supplies will then wait
for you at my castle, in Mut.
BAUDOLINO
(to The Poet)
Did you get his map?
Baudolino rides away to greet his friends waiting on HORSES.
On a MULE, Zosimos -- with hands chained.
THE POET
No, he lied a couple of times about
its place. There is no map!
ZOSIMOS
(to Baudolino)
But I have it in my mind. I know
how to get there. Please release --
BAUDOLINO
-- Stupid liar. And thief! You
stole the letter!
(to all)
Ardzrouni shouldn't know about the
letter and our mission, for now.
He returns to the Emperor's suite, and meets Ardzrouni mid
way.
BAUDOLINO
We'll see you three months from
now.
ARDZROUNI
God willing!
EXT. SALEPH RIVER - MUT CASTLE - DAY
SUPER: "JUNE 9, 1190. SALEPH RIVER"
Knights and Templars ride tired -- faces sweating under the
scorching heat -- armors damaged and dirty. Wounded and with
torn uniforms, the infantry soldiers march exhausted.
Disheveled, Baudolino adjusts the strap of the wounded hand.
The Duke of Swabia draws air into his lungs -- a bruised jaw
and broken tooth.
Ardzrouni, cleanly dressed, and THREE ARMENIAN YOUNG GUARDS
lightly armed, lead the Emperor's group up toward a plateau.
At the top, the group scans the valley landscape, Mut Castle,
and the meandering Saleph river.
EMPEROR
(to Duke Of Swabia)
You'll camp on that higher ground,
upstream of the river turn.
DUKE OF SWABIA
(suspicious)
Father, I'd rather stay with you...
for protection.
Baudolino feels the Duke's distrust and remains silent.
EMPEROR
(to Duke Of Swabia)
You need to camp with the troops.
Baudolino and Ardzrouni guards are
sufficient protection. We are on
Christian land now. Relax!
He scans the river -- some rough flowing spots.
EXT. MUT CASTLE - STEPPED PATH - DAY
The Armenian guards, followed by Ardzrouni, The Emperor, and
Baudolino, climb up the narrow, spiraling, stepped path
carved into the mountain rock.
At the top, The Poet and Abdul bow as the Emperor walks
through the thick wooden gates.
COURTYARD - CONTINUOUS
The Emperor looks around and up at the crenels. Baudolino
embraces Kyot, Rabbi, and Boron.
EMPEROR
(to Ardzrouni)
I don't see your soldiers on the
ramparts.
ARDZROUNI
Your Highness, the castle has
natural defenses. It needs only a
few people to complement them.
The Poet and Baudolino exchange concerned looks.
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
The group walks by portraits of noblemen and women, and
lighted torches on walls. Two of the Armenian Guards position
themselves behind the Emperor and Ardzrouni. The Poet and
Baudolino elbow them aside to take that position.
Ardzrouni stops in front of an ornamented, large double gate,
a pedestal with a bowl on its side, woven branches inside,
and a small metal pot hinged to it.
He theatrically flips the pot -- liquid flows into the bowl --
lights the liquid with a torch, raises his arms above the
fire, then turns toward the door.
SUBLIMINAL flame flows down through tubes, mechanisms clutch,
valve opens, CLINKS and CLANKS, water boils and GURGLES,
steam HISSES rising on thicker tubes.
ARDZROUNI
Fotiá, fotiá, fotiá, me ti dýnami
ton trión, dóse mou ti dýnami tis
fotiás.
He opens his arms wide, and the door slowly opens toward the
armory with a faint HISS.
EMPEROR
What trick might this one be?
The pilgrims wonder, Kyot smirks. Ardzrouni smiles and waves
at the Emperor to follow him.
ARMORY - CONTINUOUS
Armors and benches on the floor, hunting trophies and swords
on the walls. FOUR OLD GUARDS stand at attention. At the far
end, another door. On the right, stairs going down, on the
left, stairs going up, Zosimos chained at the bottom.
The Emperor makes the sign of throat slashing -- Zosimos
balks. Ardzrouni invites to be followed downstairs.
UNDERGROUND CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER
Ardzrouni opens a door. Cams and gears engaged in moving,
steam HISSING. A vertical rod spins, then stops with a THUD.
ARDZROUNI
The power of the fire and water on
earth opened the gate... and heats
the floors in the winter. May I
show you my vacuum installations?
EMPEROR
There is a big vacuum in my stomach
now, and we are all tired.
DINING ROOM - LATER
TWO SERVANTS carve roast pig and serve it to the chatting
guests. TWO OTHER SERVANTS pour wine in goblets.
The Emperor at one end of the table, Baudolino and the Poet
next to him on the sides, Ardzrouni at the other end. The
Emperor is about to start eating.
BAUDOLINO
Please wait!
He takes a piece of meat from the Emperor's plate, and
The Poet a sample of wine from the goblet. The Emperor shakes
his head, no need to.
BAUDOLINO
Father, we have to do it.
Chatter stops, suspense. The others look into their plates,
concerned about themselves, then watch Baudolino and The
Poet. Boron gives a small vial to The Poet.
BORON
Strong antidote.
ARDZROUNI
(offended)
Your Highness, I put my life as
warrant to my Armenian Prince Leo,
against your harm! My young
servants are the sons of parents I
had saved the life of. They would
give their life to protect you.
Relaxed, the guests are ready to eat, but...
EMPEROR
(agreeable)
Let's pray.
Prayer.
Elated by prayers, but dominated by hunger, everybody is
ready to eat. But Ardzrouni wants to toast.
ARDZROUNI
In the name of Prince Leo, who will
join us tomorrow, and my close
friend Queen Tamar of Georgia who
excuses herself for not being able
to join us. To the victory of the
Third Crusade's... and in honor of
these brave fellows!
A new attempt to start eating is arrested by Baudolino who,
red tube in hand, wants to toast as well.
BAUDOLINO
And to our pilgrimage to the
Universal Religion Realm. For the
alliance between its powerful King,
Priest Johannes and our Emperor!
Ardzrouni just found out about it and nods impressed.
Finally, everybody starts eating.
- LATER
The Emperor is sated, sleepy. He stands up, the other follow.
EMPEROR
(to Ardzrouni)
Wonderful dinner. The vacuum had
been filled. I need to sleep now.
ARMORY - LATER
The group walks through the armory. The guards stand up.
ARDZROUNI
(to Emperor)
The guards will safeguard your
bedroom.
BAUDOLINO
(to Abdul, Kyot, Boron,
and Rabbi)
Take turns to watch the guards.
At the bottom of the stairs to the bedroom, Zosimos raises
his chained hands, pleading for release. The Emperor,
Baudolino, and The Poet climb up, ignoring him.
BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Baudolino and The Poet scout the room: religious tapestries,
paintings carved wood columns, a bed in an alcove by the
door, a sculpted stone fireplace mantel, bookshelves on one
side, a wood cubicle on the other.
The Emperor looks intrigued at the fireplace mantel -- a big
sculpted ornamental human head with an open mouth.
ARDZROUNI
The Dionysus Ear, Your Highness.
My secret way of listening to the
gossip of the guards. A hole in the
armory ceiling and a duct up to the
open mouth and... errr, to my ear.
The Poet opens a tall stained-glass window. Outside, a big
concave mirror. The Emperor sees it and turns to Ardzrouni.
ARDZROUNI
This is an Archimedes mirror, my
other line of defense. It will burn
an enemy coming up on the narrow
stairs to the castle... more
reasons for fewer guards.
Baudolino looks behind the tapestries hanging on the walls.
The Poet inspects the bookshelf, pulls a book out, a
camouflaged door opens, he walks through and disappears.
Ardzrouni walks the Emperor toward the cubicle.
ARDZROUNI
Talking about your most personal
needs, Your Highness, this cubicle
will ease the works of your bowels.
Sleepy, The Emperor nods and turns his attention to toward
the alcove bed.
Ardzrouni sees the camouflaged door open, pushes the book
back, the door closes.
BAUDOLINO
Father, I and The Poet will sleep
outside, by the door. I'll wait to
hear your locking it.
He searches around for The Poet. Muffled knocking from the
camouflaged door. Annoyed, Ardzrouni goes to the bookshelf
and pushes the book out, the door opens, and The Poet comes
out sheepishly.
Baudolino and The Poet take pillows from a stack and,
together with Ardzrouni, leave the room.
BEDROOM LANDING - CONTINUOUS
Ardzrouni farewells and leaves. Baudolino listens to the
door, the latch locks, CLANK. Pillows under their heads,
Baudolino and The Poet lie down by the door and fall asleep.
BAUDOLINO'S DREAM: DIONYSUS AND MEDUSA
Frederick sleeps, his strong snores gradually overcome by
rhythmic machinery pounding.
SUBLIMINAL rods coupling and cranking, valves opening,
liquids boiling in alembics, fumes coming out through glass
tubes, a plate flips open.
Pinkish smoke comes out from Dionysus' mouth and fills the
bedroom. The bedroom walls and furniture warp and slowly
melt. Sleeping, The Emperor turns in the bed.
In the armory room, the guards' -- happy faces, laughing --
turn to ugly as they point up at the bedroom above.
The laughter waves rise to the ceiling, propagate through
tubes, and come out through Dionysus' mouth, mixed with the
pink smoke.
Dionysus's head morphs into a scary Medusa head with snakes.
Medusa's head grows bigger, her mouth opens, and the snakes
wiggle threateningly.
Fredrick wakes up scared by the head of the Medusa and pink smoke,
rushes to the door, opens the latch, runs out, stumbles, and falls
on sleeping Baudolino.
BEDROOM LANDING - MORNING
Scared eyes, Baudolino wakes up, and looks at the bedroom
door -- it's closed.
He stands up, knocks on it, and listens, no answer. He knocks
and listens again, then hammers on it.
BAUDOLINO
Father! Are you awake, you all
right? Father!?
The Poet wakes up and stands up, confused. Agitated, he hurls
himself against the door a couple of times. Baudolino
forcefully shakes the door by the handle, which unexpectedly
opens, and the Poet stumbles into the bedroom.
BAUDOLINO
Not locked!?
BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
The Poet pulls open the bed draperies. Empty!
BEDROOM LANDING AND STAIRS - MOMENTS LATER
They run out and down the stairs. Guards jolt awake from a
standing sleep, Kyot and Rabbi from the bench.
BAUDOLINO
(hopeful)
He may be swimming!
THE POET (O.S.)
Zosimos!
Zosimos's chains hang loose. Baudolino keeps running.
EXT. COURTYARD - MOMENTS LATER
They run through the courtyard.
EXT. SALEPH RIVER BANK - MOMENTS LATER
Running along the river bank, they scan the rushing waters.
THE POET
Good swimmer?
BAUDOLINO
When young... but now... dangerous
river.
They arrive at a group of SOLDIERS. Baudolino elbows his way
through and kneels by the Emperor lying on ground -- ugly
bruise and blood on his face.
SOLDIERS
Bloody river....The Emperor....
Dead --
BAUDOLINO
-- I've heard this before!
Baudolino turns the Emperor face down, raises his midriff,
and shakes him. Some water comes out from the Emperor's
mouth. He turns him face up and pounds rhythmically on his
chest.
Duke of Swabia arrives, kneels, and waits for a sign of
revival. None comes. He gets up and looks down at Baudolino.
DUKE OF SWABIA
(furious, about to cry)
I've never trusted you!
Baudolino looks up in grief, accepting the blame.
DUKE OF SWABIA
Nor do I believe in your Priest
Johannes!
Baudolino stands up and, after a short hesitation, embraces
the Duke. The Duke -- tears in his eyes -- pushes Baudolino
away.
DUKE OF SWABIA
Don't you ever come back!
EXT. SALEPH RIVER - ARMY CAMP - DAY
Swirls of dust through the supplies left on ground. In
disarray, distressed infantry SOLDIERS and KNIGHTS walk or
ride back West.
Duke Of Swabia rides East in front of orderly TROOPS.
Crusader banners and flags flutter.
Baudolino, Abdul, and Rabbi on HORSES, The Poet, Kyot, and
Boron standing by theirs. Two MULES are loaded with
provisions.
Baudolino carries the sword gift from the Emperor, Abdul has
his cittern. Kyot flips a coin repetitively, alternating
hands.
KYOT
(looking Westward)
No matter how I do it, it keeps
telling to go that way.
The Poet looks envious at the orderly troops' marching
Eastward -- perhaps a promising military carrier?
BORON
(to Baudolino)
Not sure about the Realm... and
still ashamed by that letter -- And
without a map or Zosimos --
RABBI
(looking Eastward)
-- No matter. I'm going East after
my brothers. We'll catch up with
Zosimos if he went that way.
He rides ahead, followed by Abdul. Kyot helps Boron up on the
horse's saddle, then mounts on his. They both turn Eastward.
Long farewell looks back at the others -- words are of no
use. The Poet doesn't know which way to go.
Overwhelmed by distress, Baudolino keeps staring at the
tumultuous water stream.
A rider gallops toward and reaches the group. It's Ardzrouni,
well armed with an Armenian yatagan, short sword, and
archery.
ARDZROUNI
(to Baudolino)
I must disappear for a while.
Prince Leo will kill me... for
Frederick's death. Could I join
you?
Baudolino doesn't care much.
ARDZROUNI
I know the mountain passes. Some
are dangerous... we may need to
defend ourselves.
THE POET
(energized)
Could I use your archery?
Ardzrouni looks at The Poet, then Baudolino, ignoring the
first, waiting for the latter to respond. Baudolino just
turns his horse and slowly rides Eastward.
EXT. TAURUS MOUNTAIN TRAIL - DAY
Ardzrouni and the Poet, the latter with Ardzrouni's bow on
his back, lead the group on a narrow mountain trail.
Ardzrouni stops, scrutinizes the valley, and sees two riders
following them. He signals to the others to stop and be
silent, then dismounts and signals to The Poet to do the
same. The latter loads the bow.
The riders are Boron and Kyot. They sheepishly join the
group. Baudolino gives Kyot a reproachful look, who responds
with a defiant one.
Walking beyond a big boulder, Rabbi gets frightened by the
skeleton of a bighorn and rushes to catch up with the others.
Baudolino stops by the skeleton.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION - FATHERS AND TEACHERS
The bighorn comes alive and MORPHS into a majestic lion with
bighorn antlers. The lion rises upon its paws as its head
MORPHS into that of the Emperor, imperial crown between the
antlers.
EMPEROR BIGHORN
Go find the Realm! "To be is to
believe!"
The Emperor's head MORPHS into his teacher's, Otto Ist, who
winks, his head covered by a white nightcap.
OTTO I BIGHORN
If it's written, it becomes the
truth.
The bighorn-lion with Otto's head MORPHS into the cow Rosina,
with Galiaudo's unshaved face, white, thin hair rumpled head,
and scorn on his face. Rosina's tail whacks Baudolino in the
head.
GALIAUDO ROSINA COW
Good for nothing, son!
BACK TO SCENE
Baudolino jerks his head and blinks as if hit by the whack.
EXT. EUPHRATES RIVER - HALFETI WESTERN SHORE - DAY
Bright day, Rumkale Fortress across the river. Ropes between
shores secure the raft.
The pilgrims leave the horses for safekeeping to a LOCAL MAN.
They get on the raft with the mules, helped by TWO RAFT MEN.
EXT. EUPHRATES RIVER - HALFETI WESTERN SHORE - DAY
Bright day, Rumkale Fortress across the river. A raft secured
with ropes between the shores.
The pilgrims leave the horses for safekeeping to a LOCAL MAN.
They get on the raft with the mules, helped by TWO RAFT MEN.
EXT. EUPHRATES RIVER - BARGE- LATER
The Raft Men push on long poles. Rabbi and Boron look back at
the shore they left and wave at the Local Man who holds their
horses. The Local Man waves back.
EXT. EUPHRATES RIVER - HALFETI ESTERN SHORE - LATER
The pilgrims disembark and look back at the opposite shore --
there's no Local Man nor horses in sight.
Yelling over at the other shore, arguing between them, the
pilgrims come gradually to terms with their misfortune.
EXT. KARACADAG DWELLINGS - DAY
Pilgrims' feet walking with difficulty on sand, avoiding
volcanic rocks.
Baudolino and Ardzrouni lead the group. Ardzrouni searches
the ground, then the sky, hand tracing the sun from sunset to
sunrise. A small village with huts in the distance.
ARDZROUNI
... No camel footprints -- But
that's the right direction.
At the dwelling outskirts, a KARACADAG MAN (60), wrinkled
face, slowly smokes a pipe. He sees the group.
Baudolino waves a greeting and nods at Abdul.
ABDUL
(in Turkic; subtitled)
Did a priest Zosimos with a long,
curly beard come by?
KARACADAG MAN
Ashem uj manghaer.
Abdul shakes his head at Baudolino, who looks in turn at
Ardzrouni, who doesn't understand it either.
Baudolino takes over with body language, points back to the
road, simulates walking, touches Boron's long dress and
beard, mimics wonder.
The Karacadag Man mimics a beard, nods then points at the hut
across. A dirty KID (2) plays in the dirt. A GYPSY WOMAN
(20), black hair, vividly colored floral dress, comes out of
the hut and leans against the wall, hand on hip.
Charmed, Kyot walks to the Gypsy Woman.
The Karacadag Man shakes a finger at her, then mimics a
pregnant woman's belly at Baudolino, and rubs his thumb with
the index finger.
KARACADAG MAN
(to Baudolino)
Ushmalekh kijiiab har drajeb.
Kyot flirts with the Gypsy Woman.
Baudolino shakes his head at the Karacadag Man. It's an
annoying mix-up. He touches Boron's long beard and dress,
points at the child, flashes three fingers and nods, flashes
again ten fingers with both hands two times, and shakes his
head.
BAUDOLINO
(annoied)
Three months ago, not two years.
The Karacadag Man thinks, rubs his thumb against the index
again, and bargains by flashing ten fingers three times.
KARACADAG MAN
(body language for closing
the deal)
Ojikshiman aburat, kwash!
Looking at Kyot's enjoying the flirt Baudolino sees a group
of menacing VILLAGERS approaching.
BAUDOLINO
(to his pals)
Watch out! Run!
He runs to Kyot, grabs his hand to pull him away, the woman
resists by pulling from the other.
Abdul and Rabbi run away kicking the mules. The villagers
close in. The Poet and Ardzrouni take a defensive stance,
arrow loaded on bow and yatagan at the ready. The villagers
stop.
EXT. TIGRIS RIVER - HASANKEYF - DAY
Wind and rain. The pilgrims look across the Tigris, at the
dwellings dug into the mountain. But no river crossing in
sight.
Ardzrouni unrolls and checks the map, then traces the
Northeast and Southeast sky with his hand.
ARDZROUNI
We were supposed to see the ruins
of Hatra, not this....I think we
went too far North.
KYOT
The sun must've been wrong.
ARDZROUNI
No, I was, made the wrong
correction between the summer and
winter.
KYOT
(points up, looks down)
Clear as in the clouds, clean as
mud!
Muddy feet wrapped in torn fabrics.
BAUDOLINO
South to Hatra, then. We need food
and furs for the winter.
With distress overcome by resignation, the pilgrims turn to
South.
EXT. ANCIENT HATRA - NIGHT
Under the full moon, the pilgrims walk through collapsed
columns and statues.
They sit around a fire in a small sanctuary. The statue of
Ebū, still erect, stood the test of time.
The pilgrims sleep. The fire flames light plays on Ebu's
ample body and ceremonial adornments, heavy headpiece, and
necklaces. Looking at the statue, Abdul falls asleep.
ABDUL DREAM: EBU FONDLES ABDUL
Ebū comes to life, graciously removes her adornments,
unbuttons her shirt, and kneels to gently embrace him. He
stiffens in defense.
ABDUL
No! You are not my dream lover!
BACK TO SCENE
Abdul wakes up relieved that just the shadow of the statue
covered his body.
EXT. BEHISTUN CARAVANSERAI - DAY
SUPER: "APRIL 1191, BEHISTUN CARAVANSERAI"
Baudolino and The Poet haul TWO HORSES. Abdul and Kyot shop
for a CAMEL. Abdul asks a CAMEL TRADER to make a BACTRIAN
CAMEL kneel, then stand up. The camel does but is unsteady.
Abdul shakes his head and walks away.
Another BACTRIAN CAMEL passes Abdul's test. He nods, and
bargaining restarts. Kyot caresses the camel's head.
EXT. BEHISTUN MOUNTAIN TRAIL - DAY
The pilgrims advance in the valley with the Bactrian Camel
and the two horses. They stop to look up at the Behistun Rock
bas-relief showing the Zoroastrian King Darius punishing the
satraps.
Kyot hauls the Bactrian Camel at the front of the group and
lovingly looks into the -- camel's eye.
KYOT
I baptize her Bathsheba.
Behind the camel, The Poet grimaces -- at her buttocks'
stinking odors.
THE POET
Really! Stinking of dung and piss?
FRAAP! The camel farts, and the Poet rushes ahead of her,
annoyed.
EXT. QUAZVIN DESERT - NIGHT
Desert storm. The blowing sand covers the moonlight.
The pilgrims lie against the MULES and camels to stay warm.
The Poet looks around. The only spot available is on
Bathsheba, next to Kyot. He leans against the camel, pouting,
while Kyot inhales contently.
KYOT
Her smell made my migraine go away.
THE POET
(grumbling, fantasizing)
Your Bathsheba needs a bath -- And
I need to dream about the real one
bathing....I, King David, watching!
He scratches his chest and crotch.
THE POET DREAM: CAMEL BATHSHEBA FLIRTS
The sandstorm subsides, and the night sky brightens to a
surreal day. In the blazing sun, a camel approaches him,
undulating her hips.
She shows off her big white teeth and red lipstick, and sends
a flirtish kiss.
THE CAMEL
I am Bathsheba naked, full of fur
That some complain of foul "odeur".
There is no way to clean my dirt,
In spite of which I love to flirt.
So, check my humps seen from the
side,
How firm and not in need of bra to
hide.
EXT. ZADRACARTA GREEK SETTLEMENT - DAY
SUPER: "JUNE 1191. ZADRAKARTA GREEK SETTLEMENT"
Gardens, orchards, and rental pens for travelers' animals at
the entrance of the city's bazaar. The pilgrims leave
Bathsheba and the two horses in an ARAB RENTER' pen for
safekeeping.
In the crowded bazaar, they stop to look, bargain and buy
things.
A FAT MERCHANT demonstrates to Boron how to open the hidden
compartment of a wooden box with Arabesque inlays.
Kyot admires a censer studded with colorful stones resembling
the Holy Grail. The TRADER adds a handful of -- amber-ish
frankincense. Kyot sniffs a plume rising from a frankincense
piece burning on the stand. A painful migraine suddenly
strikes him.
Rabbi nods at an OLD MERCHANT who explains with extensive
gestures the oily content in a colorful vial.
RABBI
Did you say Balm of Gilead?
OLD MERCHANT
(convincingly nodding)
Gili! Gili!
A GREEK MAN (60), TONEOS, fat, well dressed, accompanied by a
MAN SERVANT hauling a small cart loaded with kegs, stops
Baudolino. An invitation follows introductions and greetings.
Baudolino waves the pilgrims over. Kyot has a migraine and
protests.
EXT/INT. ZADRAKARTA HOUSE - ATRIUM - DAY
They walk through the open atrium garden with columns and a
small fountain. Toneos opens a tall door.
RECEPTION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Small wine drops splash on Toneos' face. He blinks.
Disappointed exclamations and laughter.
A copper plate slightly wobbles on the head of a bronze
statuette, and wine drops drip from it.
The bronze statuette atop a small column is in the middle of
the room. Sofas by walls with Greek gods frescoes. A Kottabos
wine-drinking contest and Toga costume party is in progress.
Greetings between the hosts' guests and pilgrims. TWO
SERVANTS bring chairs, kylikes, sweetmeats, and fruits.
The guests, FOUR GREEK MEN, wearing laurels or satyr's ear
adornments, chat, drink, nibble, and compete from sofas: a
SKINNY MAN (30), an ATHLETIC MAN (30), a WHITE BEARD (70),
historian lookalike, and a SWEATY FAT (60), bold man.
Excited by the prospect of winning the hetairas' graces, the
guests take turns at toppling the copper plate by flinging
the wine dregs from the empty kylixes. Noisy exclamations.
Baudolino watches TWO HETAIRAS (30-ish), dark hair, costumed as
the Muse of Music and Dancing playing an aulos, and the Goddess of
Fertility and Sensuality filling the guests' kylixes with wine.
The latter wears an Egyptian headdress with thin elongated horns
with a sun disk and a small snake between them, and an Eye of Ra
tattoo on her arm.
Migraine-prone, Kyot declines but doesn't fail to notice --
her partially exposed breasts.
The Poet marvels at the -- erotic scene on his kylix -- as
the hetaira pours wine. He glances at her back as she bends
to pour wine into Baudolino's kylix.
Baudolino eyes the -- Eye of Ra tattooed on the hetaira's
upper arm, then, charmed by her exotic grace, lets his
admiration be noticed.
TONEOS
(to Baudolino; in Greek;
subtitled)
Many gods suit us well. They
inspire to play tricks, cheat and
drink wine... like I do!
BAUDOLINO
(more to hetaira; in
Greek; subtitled)
I like to drink, but believing in
One God makes my life worthier.
HETAIRA
One God for all? Why not many gods?
Gods for arts, beauty... and
pleasure.
Baudolino follows Guests' conversations continue as the
hetaira serves wine.
ATHLETIC
(in Greek; subtitled;
flexing his pectorals in
a mirror)
... keeping in shape. That's how
Alexander the Great got here and
farther!
WHITE BEARD
(to Athletic Man;
inebriated)
Mind muscles, more important...
learning, debating on philosophical
issues. -- And science...
rationality... set us free from
spirituality.
Toneos attempts a wine throw and fails. Smiling, the hetaira
comes back to fill up his kylix. Baudolino drinks his wine.
BAUDOLINO
(to hetaira; in Greek;
subtitled)
A goddess who speaks our language?
HATHOR
(pointing at the tattoo)
I'm Hathor, the nymph... goddess of
fertility ... and sensuality.
He looks at her head to toe, her split toga revealing hairy
leggings and hoof-like painted sandals. Smiling, Baudolino
flings the wine dregs at the Kottabos plate -- which topples
from the bronze head's statuette.
PARTY (O.S.)
(admiration, envy; in
Greek; subtitled)
He got the prize! Ahh! Wow!
Hathor acknowledges his win and puts her hand on his
shoulder. Their exchange of warm smiles fades away the
surrounding noise.
EXT. KARAKUM DESERT - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1191. KARAKUM DESERT"
Riding Bathsheba and the horses, the pilgrims advance on dry
land Sand dunes around. A cloud of dust gets closer fast from
the left.
A band of FIVE TURKMENS of various ages, mustachios, and big,
round fur hats, armed with yatagans and longbows, ride on
HORSES around the pilgrims.
Ardzrouni, Baudolino, and The Poet brandish their weapons.
The attackers stop circling and three of them aim the arrows.
TURKMAN ATTACKER
(in Turkish; subtitled)
You fight, you're dead! Drop the
swords!
Ardzrouni, understanding the language, hesitates, drops his,
and nods at The Poet and Baudolino to follow suit. Two
attackers dismount and collect the weapons.
TURKMAN ATTACKER
(in Turkish; subtitled)
Dismount and kneel.
Ardzrouni dismounts first and the others follow.
One attacker jerks Abdul to check the cittern, touches the
fingerboard and the pegs, and utters a -- broad, ugly smile.
- LATER
On horses, two attackers yank the tied-up pilgrims to walk
faster. The other three flank the pilgrims' horses and
Bathsheba.
Another plume of dust advances fast from the right. An
attacker sees it and warns the others.
A group of SEVEN SARACENS, dark complexions, turbans, and
face coverings, attack the Turkmens.
Turks' arrows fly, one hits a Saracen's horse -- the horse
stumbles -- the Saracen falls, rolls, recovers, and slashes a
Turkmen from behind, then another one. Saracen swords and
axes clash with the Turkish yatagans in close combat. The
Turkmen fall one by one.
The Saracens round up the Turkmans' horses and collect their
weapons. The SARACEN LEADER (30), dark face, mustache, and
beard, removes his face cover and looks at the pilgrims.
SARACEN LEADER
(in Farsi; subtitled; to
one of his men)
Untie and let them ride.
The Saracen unties the pilgrims -- some are relieved, some
concerned.
The Saracens and pilgrims ride toward a distant oasis.
EXT. KARAKUM MUSLIM OASIS - DAY
On the right of the trail, large colorful tents, MERCHANTS
and CAMELS, smaller tents with dried fish hanging on strings,
SHEPHERDS, SHEEP, and MULES in pens behind them.
On the left, a cluster of date palms and citrus trees, a
large water well with an extraction mechanism run by MULES.
Through narrow channels, the water flows in opposite
directions, one toward a group of three tents.
On higher ground, a windmill with vertical wooden plates,
clay storage below, and stacks of grain bags.
The Saracens and pilgrims dismount in the courtyard of the
tents, the middle one richly decorated, the others just
black. FIVE YOUNG BOYS (10 to 14), wearing fez or turbans,
stop reading their books to look at the group.
INT. MUSLIM OASIS - SHEIKH'S TENT - LATER
AL ZAIM (50), dark complexion, bearded man, is bent over a
table filled with sheets of paper, reed pens, quills, and
small containers with colored inks.
SARACEN LEADER (O.S.)
(in Farsi; subtitled)
Peace to you Sheikh Al Zaim
Zeeshan.
Al Zaim keeps drawing -- a schematic of water extraction
mechanisms with cranks, shafts, and distribution channels.
Al Zaim looks up surprised by the pilgrims' presence. Around,
shelves with books and pegged drawings, a chess board,
teapots, and cups on a small table.
AL ZAIM
Ahh, The People of the Book.
SARACEN LEADER
(in Farsi; subtitled)
We got horses and swords from the
Turkmen and --
AL ZAIM
(in Farsi; subtitled)
-- And those bags?
SARACEN LEADER
(in Farsi; subtitled; to
pilgrims)
Empty your bags on the floor.
Ardzrouni empties his bag, and signals to the others to
follow. The Poet turns his upside-down in contempt.
The pile grows with bags, skin water bags, personal effects,
dried food, prayer books, Christian crosses, rosaries,
Baudolino's bundle of parchments, Rabbi's balm bottle,
Boron's wooden box, Kyot's censer cup.
Al Zaim walks to and looks at the pile with disdain. He
pushes Boron's box aside with his foot, picks up the cup and
tosses it back, picks up the bundle of parchments --
Baudolino stiffens -- and flips through, reading.
AL ZAIM
The Christian People of the Book
must learn more about the Muslims'
Book of Knowledge.
ARDZROUNI
Sheikh Al Zaim, we admired the
qanat. Do you have knowledge of the
Greeks' water systems?
AL ZAIM
Greeks and Romans lacked ingenuity
because they had lots of water.
Just built tunnels and aqueducts to
carry it. We do not have much of
it, but Allah gave us the knowledge
to find it....The hadith says, "He
who pursues the road of knowledge,
Allah will direct to the road of
Paradise".
The pilgrims nod, relieved that -- the Sheikh smiles.
AL ZAIM
But you must first learn about
Allah, The Most Glorified, the Most
High. It depends on you how long
it'll take.
INT. MUSLIM OASIS - MADRASA TENT - NIGHT
Beards grown and dressed in thobes, the pilgrims sit crouched
on pillows, booklets on their laps. A MUSLIM CLERIC (50)
ascetic, long beard, wearing a thobe, ghutra, and egal,
walks, keeping the rhythm of the pilgrims' reciting.
PILGRIMS
(broken unison)
Al-Wahhab, Ar-Razzaq, Al-Fattah, Al
Alim, Al-Qabid, Al-Basit.
MUSLIM CLERIC
You infidel dogs! Arab language
sounds like music... not how you
bark it. You need to learn all 99
names of Allah! Memorize the
meaning of each name... repeat
until you feel how true it is!
The pilgrims protest with subdued body language. They obey,
though, and bend their heads down to the booklets.
INT. MUSLIM OASIS - SHEIKH'S TENT - DAY
SUPER: "AUGUST 1192, SHEIKH's TENT"
The pilgrims sit on pillows in front of Al Zaim.
AL ZAIM
... self-secluded in this remote
place to teach people, even
transients like you -- Lousy
learners, there's nothing of value
that I could learn from you, like
the science of mechanisms, magic of
the numbers or... how to look at
the stars.
The Muslim Teacher nods in ample agreement. Ardzrouni is
about to say something, but Baudolino nudges him not to. The
Poet frowns, Rabbi and Boron are resigned.
AL ZAIM
And you cost me more than the value
of your horses and swords.
EXT. KARAKUM DESERT - DAY
Black thobes blown by the wind, the pilgrims walk away from
the oasis.
Boron looks back, cautious, then opens the secret box
compartment -- few gold coins inside. He shows them off to
Baudolino and Ardzrouni.
ARDZROUNI
Money! The universal language
everybody understands.
EXT. AMU DARIA RIVER - DAY
The pilgrims cross the river on a barge. A CAMEL caravan
crosses Amu Daria at a wider but shallower area.
On the barge, Ardzrouni studies his map, Boron and Kyot elbow
each other to see it. The Poet and Rabbi look at the river.
BORON
After crossing this river,
Alexander the Great kept going
East.
KYOT
No, he went South from --
BORON
-- Listen! The books say he built a
great wall farther East to stop the
Magogs.
ARDZROUNI
Other books say that the Chinese
built it.
BORON
(pointing on map)
It depends on which books. Maybe
the Chinese continued what
Alexander started right behind
these mountains.
Baudolino pays attention, The Poet looks at the map.
THE POET
How far is the wall?
Kyot waits for Boron to answer, Boron looks at Ardzrouni, who
doesn't know. Baudolino looks afar, doesn't mind how far.
EXT. AMU DARIA RIVER - EASTERN SHORE - DAY
A CAMEL caravan, coming from the North, turns East. Six
CAMELS and three ARAB TRADERS: a YOUNG TRADER pulls two
camels, the first with a double saddle, one occupied by an
OLD TRADER, the second with a shugduf, and a MIDDLE AGE
TRADER who pulls four camels.
Abdul runs to catch up with the Young Trader, slows down to
look at the shugduf, reaches the Young Trader, walks along,
and negotiates with him. The Young Trader signals for the
caravan to stop. The negotiations continue until Abdul waves
at the pilgrims.
He walks back and stops to look again at the shugduf -- black
draperies.
ABDUL FLASHBACK IMAGINATION: LONGING LOVE
The fabric of the shugduf is pulled over. A beautiful YOUNG
ARAB woman, half of her face covered. The drapery is slowly
pulled back.
BACK TO SCENE
The drapery is suddenly pulled over by an OLD, UGLY ARAB
WOMAN who yells at the Young Trader.
ARAB WOMAN
(in Arabic; subtitled)
I told you to not stop until
Samarkand!
She makes a face at Abdul and yanks the drapery closed.
EXT. SAMARKAND MARKET - DAY
SUPER: "OCTOBER 1192, SAMARKAND"
In winter clothing, the pilgrims walk through merchandise
stands, pens with MULES and CAMELS, TRADERS, PERFORMERS, MEN,
and VEILED WOMEN, a mixture of Asian ethnicities. Ardzrouni,
Kyot, and Boron look like high priests or Kings in their
brocade cloaks, cape, and fur hats. Rabbi got a colorful
tallit, The Poet a huntsman leather coat and a bow, Baudolino
an Italian tight vest, thick leggings, and cape, Abdul a
turban and Arabic clothing. Each carries loaded backpacks
made of skin held by light wooden frames.
In a pen with CAMELS, Ardzrouni and Abdul talk with an ARAB
TRADER. Boron stands by Baudolino, who instructs TWO MAGOG
HELPERS, fierce-looking Attila's profiles, Mongoloid eyes,
and hairstyle with two small braided strands looking like
horns, on loading the camels, one of the camels double
saddled.
Baudolino walks across the pen, where Kyot and Rabbi watch a
juggling act. He grabs Kyot's sleeve, who pulls Rabbi's.
Boron gives coins from the box to Abdul, who gives them to
the Arab Trader. Baudolino checks what the Magogs did.
Rabbi throws a fearful glance at the Magogs.
RABBI
(to Baudolino)
Do you trust these apocalyptic...
figures?
BAUDOLINO
They are just hardworking people,
not apocalyptic. Think of them as
our equals... in their own way. --
Let's go, we spent too much time in
Samarkand.
Rabbi nods resigned but --
RABBI
-- Wait! Today is Sabbath! I will
not walk anywhere farther than 70
cubits.
Baudolino is annoyed, talks with Abdul and the Arab Trader.
KYOT
(to Rabbi)
You'll be riding the camel, not
walking.
RABBI
One hundred Rabbis did not give
allowance for riding on Sabbath.
Baudolino comes back.
BAUDOLINO
(to Rabbi)
The trader says that today is
Friday, not Saturday.
RABBI
(bitter to himself)
Shishi? Hmmm... I've sinned by not
keeping the count of the days.
EXT. AKSU RIVER - DAY
In the distance, the frozen Aksu River. Rabbi and The Poet
ride the camel with the double saddle, followed by Kyot and
Boron on the other two camels. Abdul, Ardzrouni, and
Baudolino walk along, wrapped in furs or blankets.
RABBI
(to himself)
Not Sambatyon, but when --
(to all)
-- Wait! We need to track the
week's days!
THE POET
Why do I care ?
KYOT
Could be fun. We each get a name
day... Rabbi gets Sabbath!
He looks around at the others.
KYOT
Ardzrouni should be Sunday, sun
burned skin. The lunatic
Baudolino... Monday, what else? --
The Poet would be Tuesday, our god
of war!....I'll take Wednesday, the
wise messenger of Mercurius --
BAUDOLINO
-- And the god of thieves!
KYOT
Boron gets Thursday, mocking the
day of Jupiter with his frailty,
and Abdul, Friday... for his
Aphrodisiac tendencies and...
looove of women's beauty.
EXT. ZOROASTRIAN ESCHARTE OUTSKIRTS - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1192. ZOROASTRIAN ESCHARTE"
Ardzrouni and Rabbi on the front camel's double saddle.
Behind them, Kyot raises the cup high and admires its shine
and colorful glass beads in the orange light from the sunset.
Dark clouds blown by wind are about to cover the sun.
KYOT
The Immortal Holy Grail!
Boron looks at his box -- not sure about its immortality.
Arrived on higher ground, Rabbi raises his hand and points at
the orange lights ahead.
RABBI
Fires! A village!
EXT. ESCHARTE VILLAGE - LATER
Fires at the top of tall columns surround the village.
ZOROASTRIAN MEN AND WOMEN walk toward the village's square,
where five more fires burn in clay pots. MEN and WOMEN sit on
grass. The sky gets covered by dark, heavy clouds.
An OLD VILLAGER notices the pilgrims and, dumbstruck, runs
yelling toward the square.
OLD VILLAGER
The Magi, the Magi are back!
The walking men and women, carrying plates with food
offerings, turn, see the pilgrims and some kneel.
ZOROASTRIAN PEOPLE
The Magi... The Magi?
The pilgrims stop, puzzled. Ardzrouni looks back at -- Kyot,
who holds the cup, then at -- Boron, who has the box. Rabbi
hands over the vial with balm to Ardzrouni, who -- smartens
up -- takes the vial and greets the Zoroastrians.
A CHILD (10) pulls the harness of Ardzrouni's camel toward
the village square.
In the middle of it, the Zoroastrian Priest FARHAD (40), long
beard and hair, white robe, intones toward the dark clouds.
Thunders and lightning afar.
Farhad prompts FIVE KIDS in white dresses to add branches to
the pots fires. The praying MEN get up and start jumping over
the revived fires.
The Old Villager arrive at the podium, excitedly pulls on
Fahrad's cape and points at the approaching pilgrims.
Fahrad sees the pilgrims on camels and raises his hands
toward the sky in ecstasy. Light rain starts.
FARHAD
Blessed be the miraculous return of
the Magi, Kings Melchior, Caspar,
and Balthasar.
He steps down from the podium to greet them. Ardzrouni,
Boron, and Kyot dismount and hug him. The light rain turns
heavier.
ABDUL
Our masters are grateful to the
People of the Good Religion.
Lightning strikes close, and the heavy rain turns to hail.
People run for cover or raise their hands, blessing the rain.
The priest rushes the pilgrims toward a house.
INT. ESCHARTE HOUSE - NIGHT
The pilgrims and the hosts sit crouched on a rug around
plates with traditional Zoroastrian food. Farhad, the host
BIJAN (60), white beard, and THREE YOUNGER ZOROASTRIANS,
black beards, wear white robes, head scarves, or kufis.
Chat, nibbling, and fingers wiping on towels. The Poet licks
his fingers.
ARDZROUNI
... But why five?
ZOROASTRIAN PRIEST
The fires represent the Holy
Immortals... each the symbol of the
(showing five fingers)
five principles to follow in life.
The Poet kills a yawn and glances at -- the Zoroastrian
symbol on the wall, a candle on the altar under it.
BORON
How about Evil? Since God created
everything, didn't he create Evil
as well?
Rabbi nods. The Zoroastrians laugh condescendingly.
Abdul glances over at the objects on a side table, five lit
candles, apples, and -- a mirror. Winter gale sound from
outside. Candles flames flicker.
FARHAD
No! He did not. Evil dwells in
Hell, God abides in Heaven. He
opened the gates of Heaven for us.
-- When humans will walk on the
path to it, in universal harmony,
Evil will burn in Hell.
Rabbi is happy, Boron hopeful.
BAUDOLINO
We know of a Universal Religion
Realm where a Priest Johannes holds
the secret of harmony between
religion and state.
BIJAN
We've heard about an envoy going to
him... with a letter from Pope
Eugenius. Didn't hear about the
envoy returning, though.
BAUDOLINO
We are then ... a new envoy from
the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick
Ist.
BIJAN
... There were rumors about a
letter sent to the Byzantine
BIJAN
Emperor Manuel Komnenos and --
The Poet and Abdul are alert.
BAUDOLINO
-- we've heard about that, but it
was just a rumor. The truth is that
we got the letter from Priest
Johannes inviting Frederick Ist to
an alliance.
Boron and Rabbi lower their heads, hiding embarrassment. They
jolt at -- a window suddenly opening, snow blasting in
through draperies.
Fahrad stands up and locks the window closed.
FARHAD
(toasting)
Honors to your Emperor and yourself
then. To religious harmony! -- May
that better serve the spirit of
Abraham, the Father of All
Religions.
EXT ESCHARTE HOUSE - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1193. LEAVING ESCHARTE"
Sunshine. The Zoroastrian hosts and a FEW MEN and WOMEN bid
farewell to the pilgrims.
FARHAD
(pointing at the sun)
Thank you for the light brought to
our people. Thinking of you as Magi
is a good omen.
Zoroastrian Women offer food, and the pilgrims load them on
camels. DOGS roam around, the pilgrims pat them.
Bijan gives Baudolino a book in leather binding. Baudolino
checks the texture of blank pages.
BIJAN
Chinese make them from leaves --
Make your writings a worthy
chronicle!
Zana hands a mirror to Abdul.
ZANA
Use it when you need to see your
lover's soul. Don't use it in vain!
BIJAN
(to Abdul)
It's a wedding tradition. The groom
sees in the mirror the true soul of
his bride, blessed in the future of
their marriage.
Ervin hands a small pouch to Boron.
ERVIN
Please present our most reverential
greetings to Priest Johannes.
EXT. JIAOHE GHOST TOWN - NIGHT
SUPER: "AUGUST 1193. JIAHOE GHOST TOWN"
The full moon lights the ruins and the tall, flute-like rock
structures. The wind blows dust and makes howling noises
through them. Dark clouds gather at the edge of the moon.
The Poet and Abdul walk side by side, the cittern and bow
arch on their backs. The pilgrims reach the dead end of a
narrow gorge. The moon gets covered and the gorge gets pitch
dark. Shapes barely visible, they try to rear the camels,
bump into each other, and argue.
ARDZROUNI (V.O.)
I'll go first around this --
ABDUL (V.O.)
-- get out of here!
BORON (V.O.)
No! It's windy out there --
THE POET (V.O.)
-- rest for the night --
ABDUL (V.O.)
-- Silence all! I hear a humming.
Silence. GHYAA-YA-YA-GHAEE nuzzle the camels.
GHOSTS
(Meditation)
Ooooooomm...
Frightened, the Pilgrims' and camels' contours move quickly.
BORON (V.O.)
Bad omen! It's dark like in the
Abcasian forest.
ARDZROUNI (V.O.)
(Frightful)
Takes years to get out of --
GHOSTS (V.O.)
(louder)
-- Ooooooommm... Oooooommm....
Cittern string harmony. Abdul starts singing a love song.
ABDUL
Oh, my love from the distant land,
You're healing my aching heart...
GHOSTS (V.O.)
(harmonious)
-- Ooooooommm... Oooooommm....
THE POET
Music! The Universal language that
anybody understands.
He pinches the bowstring and starts singing.
THE POET
(Irish accent)
I ask me wife to kindly answer,
Who owns them boots beneath the
bed,
Was it someone who just fled?
GHOSTS (V.O.)
(throaty)
Uhheeem... Uhheeem...
EXT. JIAOHE GHOST TOWN - MORNING
Sunny, breezy morning. The Poet and Abdul wake up, bow and
cittern next to them. The others munch and drink.
The pilgrims leave the ghost town. The wind faintly howls
OOOOHMM through the flute-like, tall rocks.
EXT. DUNHUANG - CHINESE WALL - NIGHT
SUPER: "OCTOBER 1193. CHINESE WALL"
Tired, turning around a big boulder, the pilgrims set camp at
the base of it.
EXT. DUNHUANG - CHINESE WALL - MORNING
One by one, the pilgrims wake up by the boulder. Agape, they
look at the tall stone wall extending over hills and
mountains as far as they can see.
EXT. CHINESE WALL - LATER
Baudolino and Ardzrouni walk along the wall. The others
follow on camels or on foot, tired, head bobbing.
Baudolino stops and looks at -- a small opening and a wooden
door in the wall. He bangs on it with his fist. More banging,
listening, and waiting for a response.
The door suddenly opens, and the head of an OLD CHINESE MAN
sticks out -- impassible look at Baudolino.
With brawl and exclamations, the others push Baudolino away
from the door. He elbows his way back.
BAUDOLINO
(with body language)
Ganges! Big water! Flow!
Keeping his impassible stare, the Chinese Man extends his
hand through the opening, pointing Westward. The pilgrims
turn their heads and protest in anguish.
The Chinese Man is about to shut the door, but Baudolino
pushes against it and calls for Rabbi to explain.
Rabbi picks up a few stones, tumbles them in his hands, and
imitates the flow of rumbling water.
RABBI
Grrrrr... Sambatyon! River of
stones!
The Chinese Man nods, extends his hand through the opening,
and points Eastward.
The pilgrims look at the long, long wall. Desperation
prevails hope.
The Chinese Man disappears from the opening and SLAMS the
door. Burst of pilgrims' incriminations. The door opens,
burst of pilgrims' relief. A hand holding a -- chained
canister -- comes out through the opening.
The pilgrims' thirst-quenching comes with exclamations of
gratitude.
The bowl is yanked back, the wooden door shuts closed and
locked, CLAK.
The pilgrims' vain protests turn into resignation. Baudolino
yanks a camel's rope and walks away briskly.
BAUDOLINO
That's right! We must arrive at the
same point where Alexander the
Great stopped, at the Ganges.
KYOT
(laughs in scorn)
As I said before, Alexander stopped
at Indus, not Ganges --
RABBI
(forceful)
-- Never mind Alexander... we must
follow my brothers, cross
Sambatyon... that way!
He follows Baudolino. Ardzrouni hesitates, then looks at his
map.
ARDZROUNI
There must be a passage through the
wall, South.
He follows Rabbi.
Left behind, The Poet and Kyot watch the pilgrims walking
away along the wall.
THE POET
(furious)
South? Lies in all cardinal points,
maps... and in their heads. I'm
going back to Zadracarta!
KYOT
(shouting)
I'm going back to my Gypsy girl!
EXT. YUSHU VALLEY - DAY
Exhausted by heat and barely moving, the pilgrims reach the
top of a ridge. In the distance of the scorched land, a lake.
Hungry and thirsty, they search for bushes and withering
plants. The Poet spots some plants down the ridge in a shaded
area. Ardzrouni and Kyot get closer to look.
ARDZROUNI
(checking the leaves)
Could be ginseng, that's good...
but Mandrake is poisonous....It's
ginseng! It'll give us the energy
to get to the lake.
The Poet pulls the plant out, strange veiling. The threesome
bolt at the shape resembling a woman's body. The Poet drops
it. The others look up. A hawk flies.
Kyot picks up the root, cleans the dirt and ants, and
caresses its shape smiling sheepishly. He takes a healthy
bite and winches.
KYOT
Phooah! Such a bitter... woman.
Abdul pulls a root out, cleans it, takes a hearty bite,
chews, swallows, then searches for another one.
The other pilgrims pluck other roots, clean them up,
cautiously eat the ants, and take small bites.
Energized, they briskly walk toward the lake.
EXT. YUSHU VALLEY - WULANWULA LAKE - NIGHT
Abdul flaps his arms fully energized, jumps, and runs on the
shore toward the lake.
ABDUL
I feel like flying, flying!
He squashes some bugs, kicks few scorpions away, launches in and
drinks the water.
Sated, the pilgrims lie down and fall asleep. More bugs and
scorpions crawl toward the water. Abdul's restlessness
subsides, and he falls asleep.
ABDUL DREAM: THE BRIDE AND MANTICORE
Abdul slowly flies up in the sky, where streams of violet and
yellow lights play like an aurora borealis.
From the ledge of a rock, a winged Baudolino invites a
celestial fairy to join Abdul. Dressed in a shiny violet
wedding gown with a long flapping train, face covered by a
black veil, the fairy graciously flies over, holding a
cittern adorned with flowers.
Abdul is delighted to see his bride strumming harmonies. They
fly a celestial dance, she lovingly guiding him into a
circling descent to the ground.
The cittern neck TURNS into a stick, the broom end visible
under the flapping dress train. Close to the ground, she
MORPHS into a witch and drops Abdul down.
She laughs and strikes the stick of the broom as if a chord.
The dissonant harmony becomes a grunt as she MORPHS into a
manticore. The manticore stings Abdul's shoulder with its
tail stinger.
EXT. YUSHU VALLEY - WULANWULA LAKE - MORNING
Abdul grunts wake everybody up. They're all dizzy, sick
looking. Scorpions run away. Abdul holds his shoulder in
pain.
ABDUL
(mumbling)
My bride, she, she --
Baudolino crawls toward him.
ABDUL
(gasping)
-- the witch... she's not my -- the
manticore!
The others crawl closer.
BAUDOLINO
Don't worry about the manticore. I
dreamt about it too... but fought
and killed it.
Abdul has convulsions, his eyes open wide and roll.
ABDUL
(whisper chanting)
Longing turns my mind insane...
Baudolino searches in Abdul's backpack, pulls out the
Zoroastrian mirror, and holds it close to Abdul's face. His
breath mists the mirror surface.
BAUDOLINO
(whisper to Abdul's ear)
Your bride is here, don't lose your
faith, she's waiting for you. Look!
Abdul grabs it, looks at the misty face, brightens up, and
stops shaking.
ABDUL
Aching heart no more in pain,
Joy forever will now reign.
Baudolino recites as if the bride responds.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering)
I'm your bride in mind and heart,
Close forever, not apart.
Abdul kisses the mirror. A deep, contented sigh. The mirror
drops on his chest.
A sand whirlwind envelopes the pilgrims, funnels over Abdul's
chest, and takes his soul up in the sky.
EXT. TIBET - BUDDHIST RETREAT - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1194. TIBET BUDDHIST RETREAT"
Calm winter afternoon. A slow-moving cloud uncovers the side
of the steep mountain face. On a small plateau, a cave, two
stupas, and a wood cabin.
TWO YOUNG MONKS shovel the snow around the stupas. A big
WHITE LION paces among them.
An ASCETIC HINDU (60), summarily dressed, sits in padmasana
and explains with an impassionate voice -- no steam coming
out from his breath.
ASCETIC HINDU
(in Hindi; subtitled)
There is no spirit higher than that
in my own soul... no higher power
than that of karma, my desires.
Facing him, Baudolino (53), The Poet (49), Kyot (55), Rabbi
Solomon (65), Ardzrouni (45), and Boron (66) -- heavy steam
coming out from their breaths -- sit on ground wrapped in
thick furs and rags.
Baudolino makes an effort to understand, and raises his hand.
BAUDOLINO
(with body language)
Karma!... Karma?
Ascetic Hindu gathers a small ball of snow and throws it at
Baudolino's head, who wipes it out, wondering.
The Ascetic Hindu smiles. The lion comes and sits by him.
ASCETIC
(in Hindi; subtitled; with
ample body language)
My action, driven by desire...
could hurt you... and me, by its
consequences.
Baudolino tries hard to understand. Open-mouthed, and sleepy,
The Poet can barely keep his eyes open. The others are in
incipient stages of falling asleep.
The Ascetic continues the Buddhism lesson.
ASCETIC
(in Hindi; subtitled)
The four principles of life are...
(showing four fingers)
suffering, desire for action,
liberation from desire and
salvation....But one must practice
the eight rules...
(showing eight fingers)
to attain enlightenment.
Baudolino pretends to understand and nods respectfully.
The Ascetic scrutinizes -- Baudolino's eyes -- then slowly
nods.
ASCETIC
(in Hindi; subtitled)
You want too much... bad karma.
BAUDOLINO
(faking enlightenment)
Aww, Karma!
He gathers his hands in a thankful bow, stands up, and
leaves. The others wake up from their torpor and follow.
INT. BUDDHIST RETREAT - STUPA - NIGHT
Huddled against each other, the pilgrims sleep on the floor.
At a corner table lit by a candle, a monk finishes mixing the
ink stone and hands a bamboo quill to Baudolino.
Baudolino writes on a page of the leather binding. The candle
flame flickers. Baudolino's eyelids twitch, then close.
BAUDOLINO FLASH MEMORY
Jiahoe gorge pitch dark, pilgrims and camels bumping into
each other. Boron and Ardzrouni echo voices: "...dark like in
the Abcasian forest... years to get out..."
BACK TO SCENE
He opens his eyes, then writes down in the leather binding
book.
BAUDOLINO
(whispering)
... years to get out of the
darkness of the Abcasian forest.
Active writing: "... Abcasian forest." He raises his head.
The winter wind blows outside.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
Winters and years. How many?
EXT. BUXA SANCTUARY - FOREST - DAY
SUPER: "MARCH 1195. BUXA ANIMIST SANCTUARY"
The wind rustles the branches of the birch tree. ANIM, a
naked MAN (25), bows down in worship at the trunk of a tree.
BIRCH TREE
(leaves rustling)
Why pray for a son? One of your
daughters may want to be boyish.
Ask your woman to let you raise her
the way you want, if she does.
The pilgrims walk by, avoiding to disturb him.
Further away, Baudolino and Kyot look back. Anim runs to
catch up with them. He does, and the pilgrims wonder at his
eight-foot tall, athletic, handsomely built man.
ANIM
(Germanic accent)
I am Anim! It's so rare to see
people alike. Please, let me
introduce you to our community.
They walk by a big boulder. A deep sound of rocks clanking.
Anim stops and bows.
ANIM (V.O.)
These people don't look too
healthy. They need help and rest.
Light clanking from the boulder. Anim listens, bows, then
walks on. The pilgrims wonder.
BORON
(to Baudolino)
Weird, isn't it?
KYOT
Weird is fun! And the farther we
go, the weirder it gets. I wonder
what's next.
EXT. BUXA VILLAGE - DAY
The treetops of a big forest, a clearing with a small water
flow, a village with dwellings, roofs made of straw, a small
fire and a thin plume of smoke rising.
Anim and the pilgrims walk along the dwellings built on high
stilts. Canoes and rafts made of woven vine and skins hang
under along with dried food.
FEW ATHLETIC MEN and WOMEN, almost naked, climb up or down on
ropes or ladders to or from the high dwellings.
Other ATHLETIC MEN and WOMEN of various ethnic groups and
ages chat or go about the daily chores, repairing canoes,
weaving ropes, carrying loads, or chopping wood. KIDS play or
help the grown-ups.
The Poet and Kyot beam smiles at the almost naked women.
Boron and Rabbi Solomon turn their head to avoid seeing them.
Anim leads the pilgrims to a group of THREE MEN and FIVE
WOMEN, ONE PREGNANT, chatting and laughing, sitting on ground
in a circle. Behind them, TWO HUGE TIBETAN MASTIFFS nudge a
small HERD of TAKIN GOATS.
Anim introduces the pilgrims to the group of animists.
ANIM
(polite smile)
They deserve praise for how far
they got, coming to come from afar
and... weak as they look.
Warm greetings from the hosts.
BAUDOLINO
(jokingly)
We may look weak in body, but our
minds and hearts are strong.
Kyot taps his head and mimics idiots.
ANIM
(to the pregnant woman)
Mother Tree said you could let me
take Kylea hunting, if she wants
to.
The woman turns around to look at a GIRL (12), running after
a DOG. She nods agreeably.
BAUDOLINO
Mother Tree seems wise.
PREGNANT WOMAN
She's been there for such a long
time, seen the winds, the waters,
the mountains, the creatures living
in the forest. They all have a
soul... and share it with us for
comfort and advice when needed.
A HUNTER (20), black man, approaches the group and offloads a
DEER from his muscular shoulders.
HUNTER
(reverently)
I asked if it could accept
sacrifice from the herd, and it
did.
The animists lower their heads in gratitude prayer. The
pilgrims give up curiosity for sensitivity.
EXT. BUXA VILLAGE - DAY
Kyot and The Poet lazily stretch on the porches of two
adjacent high cabins, nodding happily at each other. Two
TALL, SPORTY-BRAZILIAN-looking WOMEN (30-ish) come out from
the cabins and hand them big, heavy water buckets.
Kyot and The Poet look at each other vexed, then worried at
the rope ladder hanging down.
Down in the clearing, loaded with the buckets, they walk by
the animists cutting wood, making ropes, or feeding the
cattle.
ANIM (O.S.)
... is not too far.
The Poet and Kyot walk by Anim and Baudolino and exchange
greetings.
ANIM
But the river is wide. You'll need
axes to cut trees and ropes to
build a raft.
Kyot and The Poet just heard a new reason for concern.
Huffing and puffing, they return loaded with the heavy, water
filled buckets.
THE POET
I'm not rafting anywhere!
KYOT
I'd rather rafting than carrying
buckets of water.
EXT. GADADHAR RIVER - MORNING
SUPER: "JUNE 1195. CROSSING SAMBATYON"
Rumbling noise. Rabbi wakes up dizzy, expression gradually
changing to joy.
RABBI
Must be Sambatyon... Sambatyon!
He runs toward the source of the growing louder noise.
He stops on the bank of a flood of mud, tree trunks, and
boulders.
Loaded with their backpacks, the pilgrims walk along the bank
to find a crossing point, but there isn't one.
But the flood slows down, and at a narrow stretch, the
boulders and trunks pile up, form a bridge, and stop.
Baudolino rushes over a boulder, encourages, and helps the
others. Frightfully, they follow one by one, except for
Rabbi. Ardzrouni, behind him, exchanges exasperated signs
with Baudolino.
RABBI
I kept the count of the days. It's
Sabbath! I am not crossing.
ARDZROUNI
Your brothers crossed it on
Sabbath! That's the only day it
stops.
Baudolino mimics a whack on the head.
RABBI
No! It stops on all other days.
Unwillingly, Ardzrouni knocks Rabbi in the head, Rabbi
faints. Ardzrouni gets him on his shoulders and crosses over.
Behind them, the huge flash flood restarts, washes away the
passage, and overflows on the shore. The pilgrims run up to
higher ground. Rabbi wakes up on Ardzrouni's shoulder, sees
the mud flood, and faints again.
EXT. BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER - NORTHERN SHORE - DAY/NIGHT
The pilgrims look in wonder, hopeless, at the immense expanse
of the river meandering through large banks of sand.
- LATER
Heartless, and annoyed, The Poet and Kyot chop tree branches.
Baudolino and Ardzrouni rope up trunks and secure provisions
on them.
- LATER
Rabbi Solomon fishes with a spear, bekitcha tied above his
knees. A big ripple wets his dress and extinguishes the fire
cooking the fish. White smoke rises toward the dark,
threatening clouds.
EXT. BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER - DAY/NIGHT
It rains, and it's windy. The raft floats on muddy waters
close to the shore, through sandbanks, and gets stuck on some
until the rising waters free it.
Ardzrouni, The Poet, and Baudolino paddle forcefully toward
the faster middle stream.
- LATER
It's getting darker. In the middle stream, an undercurrent
swell inundates the raft. Panicked, the pilgrims manage to
balance it.
Rough stretch. The knots of the ropes come loose. Baudolino
and The Poet struggle to tie them up.
- LATER
Pitch dark. In the middle of the rapid stream, the raft hits
a sandbank and tilts. Boron and Rabbi fall into the water,
Ardzrouni lunges to save them and manages to -- hold and pull
Rabbi back.
The others scan the torrent for Boron, but they can't see
him.
EXT. BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER - SOUTHERN SHORE - DAY
SUPER: "JULY 1195. THE REALM BORDER"
Calm day. Tree trunks slowly float in the small bay. The
water level had receded. On the left, a PROMONTORY with a
WALL OF REED, on the right, a DENSE THICKET.
The Poet sleeps hugging a tree trunk. Baudolino stands up
from the mud and looks around. Rabbi, Kyot, and Ardzrouni
slowly move on the damaged raft washed ashore. Ardzrouni
stands up and scrutinizes the shore and river.
Baudolino wipes the mud from his shirt and checks the leather
binding book and the bundle of parchments from his backpack --
they are wet. He removes his shirt and unstraps the red tube
from between his blade shoulders.
Ardzrouni sees Baudolino checking the content of the tube --
the papyrus and sealed parchment letters are dry.
ARDZROUNI
Two?
BAUDOLINO
One from Prester Johannes, the
diplomatic opening... and the
Emperor's response.
Ardzrouni is impressed again. He didn't know about the first
letter, and nods.
ARDZROUNI
I'm going to check... if Boron --
He sloshes away toward the promontory.
- LATER
Rabbi checks his backpack, takes out the vial. Kyot takes out
the censer cup from his backpack, then checks Boron's and
takes out the box.
Distressed, they look at the box and keep a moment of
remembrance.
The Poet walks into the thicket.
MONTAGE: SURPRISE APPEARANCE
-- Beyond the PROMONTORY, Ardzrouni scrutinizes the shore and
riverbanks.
-- Beyond the DENSE THICKET, The Poet gets out on higher
ground, and looks at the large area with tall grass slowly
swaying in the wind, and the hills afar.
-- Beyond the WALL OF REED, Ardzrouni gets out on lower
ground, and finds himself in front of a wall of grass taller
than him.
-- Beyond the DENSE THICKET, The Poet gets alert. Something
cuts quickly through the tall grass. He loads an arrow aiming
at it.
THE POET
(shouting)
Watch-out!
-- Beyond the WALL OF REED, Ardzrouni is alerted by The
Poet's shout and rustling in front of him. A crutch parts the
tall grass. Ardzrouni is startled by -- GAVAGAI (30), a
handicapped man with a Skiapod tattoo on his bare chest.
ARDZROUNI
Over here!
END OF MONTAGE
The other pilgrims appear through the wall of reed.
GAVAGAI
Aleichem sabi!
THE POET
Sounds like Greek to me.
The man cocks his head and smiles.
BAUDOLINO
Aleichem! What land is this?
GAVAGAI
Whaaa! You speaks tong Priest
Johannes. I Gavagai.
Enthusiastic about what they just heard, the pilgrims
surround and guide Gavagai out of the reeds onto the shore.
Gavagai looks at the broken raft, wet backpacks, and locks it
on the cup, vial and box.
GAVAGAI
You Maaagee! Here border Kingdom
Priest Johannes.
He talks with ample body language using the crutches while
keeping his balance surprisingly well. He is a friendly,
happy man, in spite of his handicap.
Ecstatic about the proximity to the Realm, the pilgrims hug.
Gavagai smiles and waives a crutch for them to follow him.
EXT. INLAND MEADOW - LATER
The group walks through a small meadow with Baobab and Banyan
trees at the base of a small hill.
An ABORIGINAL MAN, short, big, purposely deformed earlobes by
rings, a Panotian tattoo -- face with elephantine size ears --
on his chest, stacks bundles of Banyan tree lianas on a
barrier wall. He raises his hand.
ABORIGINAL MAN
(in African dialect;
subtitled)
No more foreigners!
GAVAGAI
(crutch pointing at the
pilgrims, then beyond the
hill)
You stupid! Them good foreigners...
Maagi! Run city welcome
preparation.
ABORIGINAL MAN
(shaking his head)
You run welcome preparation!
Gavagai threatens the Aboriginal Man with his crutch. The man
feigns a duck and decides that it's better to run.
Gavagai limps backward, explaining.
GAVAGAI
He Panotian family. Zink wrong --
heretics!
KYOT
(mocking)
Heretics because they look
different than you?
GAVAGAI
They no different, only zink wronk.
THE POET
So, if they zing wronk and you zing
right, that's a difference.
GAVAGAI
(stubborn)
No! I zink they zink wronk, they
zink I zink wronk, we equal, no
differenz.
The Poet and Kyot are puzzled. Baudolino laughs.
BAUDOLINO
Let's agree with Gavagai on this
harmony concept.
Gavagai leads the group through a Pomegranate and Dragon tree
orchard.
TWO SUMO-LOOKING MEN move lazily from one tree to another,
picking and eating the fruits.
They have a mythic Messalian tattoo on their backs -- a
creature with a big belly, long neck, and beaked head. One of
them slowly turns toward the group and bites on a pomegranate
-- juices flow slowly on his narrow chest and big belly. No
greetings.
GAVAGAI
Them Messalian, veak family, lazy.
Vorse, eat all day fruit vorked by
others.
THE POET
Why the others don't punish them?
GAVAGAI
Vhat mean punish?
THE POET
Well, beat them up, drive them
away! Don't you hate them?
GAVAGAI
Vhat mean hate? Messalian family
only zink wronk, vhay hate.
The Poet raises his hands exasperated. Gavagai registers it
as a threat, falls on his back, and raises his leg in defense
-- big, callused foot.
Baudolino pulls The Poet away and helps Gavagai up.
BAUDOLINO
Don't vhory about him, he only zink
wronk.
The group walks toward the distant village. The tops of
conical bamboo huts stick above the abundant vegetation.
Perched on the side of a mountain, a massive rundown seashell
wooden structure resembling the Babylon Tower.
EXT. PNADPETZIM VILLAGE - DAY
Houses on stilts or dug into the mountain sandstone.
Pnadpetzim people, MEN and WOMEN of various ethnicities,
short, tall, skinny, fat, or athletic, crowd around the
pilgrims. Although mostly unkept, some afflicted by disease
or handicapped, they proudly display mythical tattoos on
chests or backs, the signs of the group they belong to.
A NUBIAN WARRIOR (20), very short, skinny, toy face, a short
bow and long spear tied to his back, prostrates in front of
Ardzrouni, who ducks to avoid the spear hit.
NUBIAN WARRIOR
Magi! I want sacrify for you.
Ardzrouni looks at Gavagai, who pushes the Nubian Warrior
away with the crutch.
GAVAGAI
He want sacrify for glory, when
peace, not vhar. He zink wronk!
Pnadpetzim People surround the pilgrims.
PNADPETZIM PEOPLE
Maagi! Magiii!
Baudolino pulls the box out from his backpack and looks at
Ardzrouni, who nudges Rabbi, who gets out the vial with balm.
Kyot follows through with his studded censer cup. The three
of them take a ceremonious stance. Gavagai draws their
attention to the Tower.
Climbing down the large Tower stairs, a procession of TWO
PYGMIES, short, aboriginal look, carrying pillows, followed
by a TALL EUNUCH, dark skin, dressed in colorful, clean
clothes holding a scepter, next to him a short, FAT NUBIAN in
military, worn-out gear adorned with decorations, FOUR
NUBIANS heavily armed, two on each side of him, and FOUR
EUNUCHS, dark skin, wrapped in colorful, worn-out dresses.
The procession stops by the pilgrims. The pygmies extend the
pillows with cakes and candies.
Baudolino, Rabbi Solomon, and Kyot keep their relics visible.
The Tall Eunuch, PRAXEAS (40), an infatuated deceiver
gripping on his privileges, greets them.
PRAXEAS
(emphatic)
I, Praxeas, Chief of the Deacon
Guards, and all in Pnadpetzim,
welcome you....It fills me with joy
to see that the clement nature has
smoothed your path to Pnadpetzim,
in which I wish you a happy
sojourn.
Praxeas glance is locked on Kyot's studded cup while
distractedly touching Rabbi's vial and nonchalantly
attempting to open Baudolino's box. Baudolino slams the lid
closed. Praxeas twitches.
PRAXEAS
You will certainly enjoy this
wondrous city...
(more to the people)
the most flourishing you have ever
seen in your arduous journey.
He nods at the Pnadpetzim People. They nod obediently.
BAUDOLINO
Coming from afar and guided by the
Star, we bring these most precious
Christian relics to the King and
Priest Johannes, together with an
alliance proposal from my father,
the Emperor of the Holy Roman
Empire.
PRAXEAS
(pointing at the Tower)
I will be honored to introduce you
and your grand mission to our
beloved Deacon Michael, the son of
Priest Johannes.
EXT/INT. TOWER BASE/ATRIUM/CHURCH/CORRIDOR - DAY
(Large stairs lead to the torus at the base of the Tower.
The torus has a church, community, and habitation rooms for
Eunuchs and Nubians. A round, interior base corridor provides
access to the rooms. In the middle of the torus, an atrium
with a landscaped map of the Realm. Above the torus, a
taller, seashell-looking structure. An extension of the base
corridor leads up on a round, slanted path to two higher
levels and, at the top, Deacon's private quarters, a round
atrium. The windows are to the exterior of the Tower. The
whole structure shows visible signs of deterioration.)
Praxeas leads the pilgrims up to the stairs landing.
ATRIUM
He emphatically points down at the landscaped map
representing the Realm with golden church spires, orderly
dwellings, and roadways. The Realm is surrounded by large
rugged terrain and, at some distance, a dot for Pnadpetzim.
PRAXEAS
We are fortunate to be protected by
natural borders but unfortunate to
be so far away from the Realm. Our
souls, though, are blessed by the
presence of Deacon Michael.
The pilgrims nod in happy acknowledgment.
CHURCH
Praxeas leads the group into the nave. At the far end, a
WHITE HAIR PRIEST (70) at the lectern, under a big painting,
leads the prayers of the Pnadpetzim People sitting on
benches.
PNADPETZIM PEOPLE
(in Latin; subtitled;
prayer in unison;)
... living a life of unselfish
goodness.
PRAXEAS
(emphatic)
Missionaries and handicapped people
attracted by the Priest Johannes's
fame and miracles --
The pilgrims look around. On one wall, symbols of religions
and icons, on the opposite one, subjects of miracles,
crutches, wooden legs and arms, and heads of exorcised
devils.
PRAXEAS (O.S)
-- but also runaways and sinners
come here, try to reach the Realm,
perish or come back to stay....
Armed Nubians walk watchfully. Bored Eunuchs stand along the
walls.
PRAXEAS
They congregate into families who
assert their superiority over the
others. The Deacon gives them
comfort, and... we have to control
them!
Arrived at the far end, Praxeas points at the big painting of
the majestic, very old Priest Johannes (150) and his young
son (10), on the wall behind the White Hair Priest.
PRAXEAS
Priest Johannes, and The Deacon
when he was young.
The Deacon is very compassionate
and teaches these unfortunate
people the value of... harmony and
equality... the quality of life
brought by love.
WHITE HAIR PRIEST
(in Latin; subtitled;
leading the prayer;
background)
For goodness forever instead of
hatred.
The group exits the church as the prayer continues.
PNADPETZIM PEOPLE (O.S)
(in Latin; subtitled;
prayer in unison)
... goodness forever instead of
hatred.
CORRIDOR
Walking on the curved corridor, the group arrives at two
adjacent doors.
PRAXEAS
Make the best of your stay with us.
I'll let you know when the Deacon
can see you.
EXT. MARKET - DAY
A barter market on a windy, cloudy day. HEALTHY-LOOKING
TRADERS, trade with the Pnadpetzim People. Under makeshift
stalls or pens, DWARF ELEPHANTS, HAIRY DONKEYS hair waved and
tied with colorful ribbons, and cages with EXOTIC-looking
ROOSTERS and TURKEYS.
On the side of the Tower torus, waiting in line, Healthy
Traders flip or count coins. At the head of the line, two
Eunuchs sit at a table and exchange gems and golden nuggets
for coins.
The wind intensifies, storm lightning strikes afar.
Led by Gavagai, the pilgrims walk through the market.
Kyot eyes two ABORIGINAL WOMEN (25,30), with enlarged
earlobes with rings, a Panotian-Family tattoo on their backs.
While washing the big ears of a dwarf elephant and its baby,
they giggle shyly at Kyot, who nudges The Poet.
Next to the Women, a Panotian-Family tattooed MAN (30)
tattoos with a sharp bone the family -- tattoo on the back of
a KID (12).
KYOT
(to Gavagai)
Are there any rivers of milk and
honey around?
THE POET
Diamonds to dig for, anywhere?
GAVAGAI
Eunuchs zay, maybe Realm.
THE POET
So, how come nobody rushes to get
there?
GAVAGAI
Many tried. Long way, danger.
(showing his crutches)
-- I tried.
Gavagai looks around, afraid. The wind intensifies, and the
thunder strikes closer.
GAVAGAI
Eunuch zecret map. Start from
tunnel.
THE POET
We can ask the Deacon for it.
Agitated by the approaching storm, the exotic birds CROAK.
GAVAGAI
(shaking head, nodding)
Deacon prays, Praxeas orderz!
Thunders struck, heavy rain starts, and everybody runs for
cover.
INT. TOWER - PILGRIMS' ROOM - NIGHT
Praxeas enters, rain dripping from his mantle.
Abdul and The Poet, playing jackstones on the floor,
Ardzrouni and Baudolino, sitting at a table, turn their
heads.
PRAXEAS
We have the worst monsoon in years.
The tunnel... the head trail to the
Realm had collapsed.
BAUDOLINO
When can we see the Deacon?
Praxeas is annoyed by Baudolino's disregard for the dire
situation and is about to leave the room.
PRAXEAS
(head turning)
Not now! He is thoroughly
distressed by the extent and damage
caused by the floods.
Praxeas leaves.
ARDZROUNI
(puzzled)
Why do we need to see the Deacon?
Why didn't you show him Priest
Johannes' letter?
BAUDOLINO
I don't trust him. This letter will
be shown only --
(meaningful glance around)
-- at the right moment.
EXT. HOPES HILL PLATEAU - DAY
On hairy donkeys, Baudolino and Ardzrouni look around. To the
left, a small lake overflows into a fall. To the right, the
mouth of a tunnel under a massive arc. Down in the valley,
tall grass, ferns, and a few round, stone hovels in ruin.
Beyond the valley, as far as one can see, a rugged,
unwelcoming no man's land landscape bordered by faraway
mountains.
Baudolino daydreams.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: DEACON GLORIOUS TOWER
The no man's land landscape MORPHS into one with rivers of
milk and honey meandering through beautiful meadows with
flowers. ZOOMING into Pnadpetzim red dot, the damaged
Deacon's tower MORPHS to a glorious Babylon look-alike tower
shining in a sky surrounded by translucent, white wing-like
clouds.
BACK TO SCENE
They dismount at the mouth of the tunnel, look up at the
large cracks on its walls, and decide to proceed. Long, dark
tunnel.
The tunnel exit is almost completely obstructed by collapsed
boulders. Two Nubians jump from behind them, shouting.
NUBIANS
(shouting)
The Magogs! Magogs fires.
Ardzrouni and Baudolino make it through the collapsed area.
The sun's rays break through the Monsoon clouds. Ivy hangs
down along the strong stream of the fall. Ahead, a large
flooded area with tree trunks covered by water.
The Nubians point at the faraway thin plumes of smoke,
embrace and start a joyful dance. Ardzrouni looks afar and
shakes his head.
ARDZROUNI
(dismissive)
Not smoke... just clouds!
He then points above at the puffy, white clouds brilliantly
lit by the sun.
ARDZROUNI
Heavenly sky! Only the cherubs are
missing.
BAUDOLINO
Hope they show up with good, not
devilish omens.
EXT. AMPHITHEATER - DAY
Another day with heavenly sky. The afternoon sun rays bathe
the white clouds fringes in orange tones.
Wind flaps the flags around the 100 feet amphitheater built
with three wood enclosures. In the arena, Nubians practice
sword fighting in three groups of three and four.
The Fat Nubian, lame commander NUBEESMAK (50) and Praxeas sit
in the second enclosure. Baudolino, The Poet, and Ardzrouni
sit on the third. Four Eunuchs fan them from the sides with
big Raffia Palm leaves.
Aggressive shouting and lame fighting stop in one of the
groups. Nubian One looks at the wood splinters of his broken
sword. The drill stops in all groups. Nubian One goes to a
pile of swords and picks a new one up.
NUBEESMAK
(stands up, shouts)
Don-don't s-ss-top! F-ff-ight!
Exhausted by stuttering, he sits down. Baudolino, The Poet,
and Ardzrouni muffle laughters. Praxeas rolls his eyes. The
Poet bends over to Nubeesmak.
THE POET
Why are the swords breaking so
often?
NUBEESMAK
Woo-woo-'d --
PRAXEAS
-- We know about swords and spears
made of something much stronger.
ARDZROUNI
That's iron. It's in the ground.
PRAXEAS
(hands raising to sky)
God did not show us the way to it,
whether in the ground or heavens.
Nubian One is about to hit his partner when a stone falls
from the sky right in front of him and splatters sand in his
face. He spits the sand and looks at the -- smoldering dark
stone mixed with shiny crystals. Trembling, he points up at
the traces of falling meteorites.
NUBEESMAK
(freaking out)
Ma-maa... gog attack! Ruuun!
Big and small meteorites hit the arena splashing sand,
breaking the enclosures, and smoldering. Everybody runs in
panic.
ARDZROUNI
God may have just given us iron!
EXT. FOREST - DAY
Echo of hammering from and smoke above the forest.
Ardzrouni shapes a hot bar into a sword, using a hammer made
from a meteorite -- tied up with a rope to a wooden handle.
Next to him, a rudimentary glowing furnace made of stones,
and a pile of charcoal. Two Nubians pump a forge bellow.
Ardzrouni keeps hammering. The frayed rope breaks and the
meteorite bounces up. Ardzrouni dodges, The Nubians laugh.
ARDZROUNI
Keep pumping if you want swords!
Technology is the miracle of making
tools... to make weapons!
INT. DEACON TOWER - CORRIDOR - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1196. MEETING THE DEACON"
Praxeas leads Baudolino, Rabbi Solomon, and Ardzrouni on the
curved, upwards-slanted corridor. On the balustrade, burned
out candles on holders.
PRAXEAS
The frail Deacon was badly shaken
by the stone fires from the sky
(rolling his eyes)
...he calls them tears, St.
Laurence tears.
At the entrance to the atrium, two Eunuchs uncross their
spears.
INT. DEACON ATRIUM - DAY
DEACON MICHAEL, head and shoulders covered by a white cloth,
sits on a big chair carved from a tree trunk. A ten-foot
radius line surrounds the throne, a large baptism basin
outside. A pattern of damaged wood planks on the floor and
wood trusses on the ceiling dome.
Praxeas gets a tin censer from a pedestal, lights the white
frankincense, walks to and kneels at the line. The pilgrims
follow. Praxeas pushes the fuming censer toward the Deacon.
The Deacon raises his head -- eyes scrutinizing the visitors
through the small, rectangular mesh in the cloth.
DEACON
(faint voice)
I welcome emissaries so closely
resembling the Magi, a good omen
after the terrifying tears of St.
Lawrence -- What were they
foreboding? The Magogs threatening
my father's Realm?
ARDZROUNI
Deacon Michael, the celestial
stones were a gift from God. I
taught your people to turn them
into tools to work the land and
swords to protect the Realm.
DEACON
(official tone)
It must be protected! A land of
religious harmony -- People got
here with hardened souls, some
marred by hate.
Praxeas nods in ample agreement.
DEACON
But we heal their souls to make
them worthy of living in the Realm.
The Deacon waves away the frankincense fumes.
Ardzrouni gets the censer cup from his coat, adds amber-ish
frankincense, is about to give it to Praxeas but changes his
mind and pushes it toward the Deacon. Praxeas doesn't like
that.
ARDZROUNI
Deacon Michael, this frankincense
honors your and your father's
divinity.
BAUDOLINO
We are happy to contribute to the
worthy cause of healing the soul
and minds of Pnadpetzim people. But
our mission is to present to your
(producing the red tube)
father this important message
from the Emperor of the Holy Roman
Empire, my father. Please grant us
the passage to --
PRAXEAS
-- Priest Johannes must be notified
first!
DEACON
-- Notify my father....Yes, a long
journey --
PRAXEAS
-- and wait for his consent.
Behind the mesh, the Deacon's eyes close, probably stirred by
sad thoughts. He lowers his head.
Praxeas stands up and signals that the audience is over.
Disillusioned, the pilgrims bow and leave, rather pushed by
Praxeas.
The Deacon raises his head and hand as if he would want them
to stay.
INT. BAUDOLINO ROOM - NIGHT
Streaks of rain on the window. The flame of the candle on the
table flickers under a pale of draught.
The Poet and Ardzrouni play an improvised chess game with
wood-carved pieces on squares drawn on the floor.
Bent over the leather binding book, Baudolino draws the last
lines of a nymph sketch resembling Hathor with her Eye of Ra
tattoo. He likes the sketch and enjoys the memory of her. And
he also remembers Rabbi bestiary manuscript.
BAUDOLINO FLASH MEMORY: RABBI BESTIARY
Rabbi snoozes over the manuscript with illustrations of
mythical creatures, one-legged Skiapod, elephantine-ears
Panotian, and headless, eyes and mouth on the chest,
Blemmyae.
BACK TO SCENE
Imagination inflamed, he starts drawing one by one mythical
creatures resembling the people's tattoos: a PANOTIAN FEMALE
with small breasts and elephantine ears, a SKYAPOD with one
big foot, and a COCKATRICE resembling a weird rooster.
Ardzrouni wins the game, stands up, stretches, and peeks
amused at Baudolino's sketches. Upset by his loss, The Poet
sweeps away the chess figures. Rabbi and Kyot enter the room.
The latter joins Ardzrouni in glancing at Baudolino's
sketches.
ARDZROUNI
And what could those be?
KYOT
(slip of tongue)
Whatever he imagined when we wrote
the Priest's letter!
ARDZROUNI
(confused)
What "imagined the letter" means?
Strong gale of wind. The others look at each other mum.
ARDZROUNI
(angry, at Baudolino)
You crazy liars! You wrote that
letter?
BAUDOLINO
(fending off)
It's not crazy to have imagination.
And it's not a shame to lie for a
good deed -- You came with us to
save your life... imagined good
things for yourself, didn't you?
So, if you want yours to come true,
you must believe. Like we do!
He nods, prodding the others to agree. Hesitantly they do. He
points at the sketches on the open book.
BAUDOLINO
(proudish)
And this is how it's going down in
history, in my chronicle. Because
if it is written, it becomes the
truth. -- That's what Otto taught
me!
Wonderment from Rabbi and The Poet, smirk from Kyot.
ARDZROUNI
That's delusional! How could I lie
to my friend Queen Tamar?
KYOT
Easy! You're noble enough for that.
It'll be wise to marry her first,
though.
The Poet and Kyot laugh with gusto. Ardzrouni gets out
slamming the door. Silence. Rabbi is embarrassed.
RABBI
We sinned by lying. Even in
imagination, a lie weighs heavy on
God's scale. Could we help these
unfortunate people... to redeem
ourselves?
BAUDOLINO
Well? Remember Gavagai harmony
concept. Instead of thinking of
them as different, we can see them
(pointing at sketches)
...like this, friendly... hmmm,
equal to us. And we redeem
ourselves by helping them.
THE POET
That's ridiculous!
(looking at Baudolino's
sketches)
Helping these... what? Are we
planning to stay here forever?
KYOT
That's weird. Mythical? Could be
fun!
EXT. PNADPETZIM VILLAGE - DAY
Kyot and The Poet follow the two Aboriginal Women who MORPH
into PANOTIAN FEMALES, short and pretty despite their
elephantine ears. They glance back, giggle, and chastely
cover their small breasts with their ears, as they climb the
stairs of the Tower.
EXT. PNADPETZIM FOREST - DAY
Rabbi Solomon walks through the brush, looks, and picks-up
weeds. Holding two similar weeds, he explains to a Pigmy.
RABBI
This spiky, poison. This medicine.
The Pygmy nods and puts them in separate bags.
PYGMY
You beard like Rabbi.
RABBI
How do you know about Rabbi?
PYGMY
Old Pnadpetzim talk many long beard
once travel here.
RABBI
(dreamy)
My brothers! I'm falling in their
footsteps... and soon will be
joining them!
EXT. PNADPETZIM MARKET - DAY
Sunny day. A tune of a rhythmic flute. Colorful clubs juggle
in the air.
Kyot focuses on them flying up and down and smiles, furtively
glancing at the two Panotian Females dancing to the Pigmy's
tune. The Poet claps his hands prompting the crowd of
BLEMMYAES, MESSALIANS, SKIAPODS and CYCLOPS to enjoy the
show.
EXT. TOWER BASE - CORRIDOR - NIGHT
A faint sound of music. Praxeas and Baudolino, followed by
the other pilgrims, walk on the curved torus corridor.
BAUDOLINO
(upset)
-- We had enough of making "the
best of our times". Was the
Deacon's letter sent?
PRAXEAS
The health of Deacon Michael was an
obstacle. It took time for him to
write it. Yes, I've sent it with a
messenger. Trust me!
BAUDOLINO
(distrustful)
We may not need to wait for Priest
Johannes' approval. Please arrange
for a new audience with the Deacon!
PRAXEAS
Every year on Monsoon time, he
retreats in prayers and meditation.
I will try but....
Praxeas stops at a door and opens it. Loud music.
COMMUNITY ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The group enters a room with three raised alcoves, one big in
the center and two smaller on the sides. Pillows, small
tables, hunting trophies, and African masks on the walls.
Praxeas invites the group to sit in the central alcove. On
the other two, White Hair Priest, TWO OLD CLERICS, Nubeesmak
and two high ranking Nubians.
At the tables below, the Nubians drink and eat. Two Pygmies
play a balafon and a flute.
The Poet looks intrigued at the Nubians who dip their tongues
in tinny cups and laugh with high pitches.
Two Pygmies bring big fuming plates with pangolin shells and
tinny cups with drinks in Praxeas's alcove. The Pygmies
unwrap the shells -- a burst of fumes.
The pilgrims gag at the foul smell. On the plates, clusters
of fried rolled snakes, giant iguanas and tarantulas, exotic
cockatrice chicks with spiky whiskers, pitaya, and persimmon
fruits. The Poet looks with aversion at the Tarantulas.
THE POET
(pointing)
These are poisonous!
KYOT
Funny babies!
PRAXEAS
(smiling at both)
The more dangerous... and funnier,
the tastier.
The Poet turns his head, hiding disgust, picks up a tinny cup
and gulps down the drink. His eyes bulge and roll. He tries
to speak but cannot. Kyot hits him on the back.
PRAXEAS
(laughing)
Burq is only to dip your tongue in,
too strong to swallow.
EXT. FERN VALLEY - DAY
SUPER: "APRIL 1199. MAGOGS BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS"
The upper body of the riders, two tall Eunuchs, the heads of
TWO WHITE DWARF ELEPHANTS and THREE HAIRY DONKEYS cut through
the tall grass and fern vegetation.
The Eunuchs open the way with long spears. Behind them,
Baudolino (58) and Praxeas swing slowly in the double saddle
atop an elephant. SKIAPOD GAVAGAI hops along.
The Poet (54) and Nubeesmak share the other elephant's
saddle. The Nubians struggle to keep up with them through the
tall grass.
Ardzrouni (50) and Rabbi (70) ride each on hairy donkeys.
Kyot (60) and a Panotian Female share another donkey. She
holds her ears wrapped around Kyot's chest -- his arms
tattooed with a Panotian female figure.
BAUDOLINO
-- Wasn't the messenger supposed to
be back from the Realm?
PRAXEAS
The route is challenging, even
though he has the map, and long.
And --
BAUDOLINO
-- But the Realm cannot be this
far?
PRAXEAS
(a grimace in place of an
answer)
And also dangerous... and now the
Magogs. You never know where they
are and when they'll attack.
Distrustful, Baudolino shakes his head. But then he nods in
the sway of the elephant or in confirmation of a doubt.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
The Realm....Moving farther and
farther away.
EXT. HOPES HILL - DAY
The caravan reaches the plateau. Nubians practice fighting
with steel spears and swords. They see the caravan, stop and
stand at attention.
The riders dismount. Nubeesmak walks to the ridge and points
at the plumes of smoke above the near side of the faraway
mountains.
NUBEESMAK
Ddzzz-ere!
He pulls a small flask from his belt and sticks his tongue to
lick a drop of burq. He hands the flask over to The Poet, who
-- warrior tattoo on his arm and a longbow across his chest --
takes a hearty gulp, exhales satisfied, and burps.
Praxeas pulls Baudolino and Ardzrouni -- both armed with the
rudimentary swords forged by Ardzrouni -- away from the
group. The Poet follows them.
PRAXEAS
They were spotted many times in the
past, but they did not attack. If
they do, we cannot fight them.
THE POET
We can! We have to fight!
The Poet takes another gulp of burq.
PRAXEAS
(demeaning)
Who's we? Eunuchs are not trained
to fight! The Nubians? They'll
throw themselves under the Magog
horses' hoofs... for the joy of
sacrifice.
BAUDOLINO
(pointing at the tunnel)
Why do we need to fight? Let's just
retreat to the Realm and engage the
powers of Priest Johannes!
PRAXEAS
Not what we need. There is...
aagh... too much equality in the
Realm, and we'd lose our positions.
However, if you defend Pnadpetzim,
we'll be all rewarded for the glory
of defending the Realm.
BAUDOLINO
We did not get this far to fight
the Magogs.
The Poet pulls Baudolino aside and whispers, a bit tipsy.
THE POET
We want to fight from here. Praa-x
eas offers us a big chance. They
are rich and pow-pow-aw'ful!
Drunkenness advancing, he pulls Baudolino back to the group.
THE POET
Listen! We'll teach everybb-oddy
what a good sport -- I mean ff
fight is -- Le' me tell you hh-how…
Unsteady, thrilled by the prospect of military glory, he
points at the Fern Valley and distant mountains.
THE POET IMAGINATION: STRATEGY AGAINST MAGOGS
The landscape MORPHS into an irregular chessboard with
patches of tall grass, bushes, and hills.
Behind the mountain line, the Magog, black chess-like Knight horse
figures pop up and down threateningly. At the far end of the Fern Valley, the two Messalians' long necks stick above the ruined hovels, white chess-like Rooks towers. THE POET (V.O.) On the front la-la-ine, the Mess-aa lians signal the atta-haack of Magogs' mooo-ovements. The Messalians lazily signal by burning green grass for white smoke and oil-soaked rags for black. THE POET (V.O.) Next, the Blah-blah-mmyaes hee-he dden in the ferns and Cyclops be-h hind in the ta-taall grass... The Magogs' black Knight horses advance hopping and stop when the headless Blemmyaes, white straight cylinder Pawn chess figures, pop up from the ferns. THE POET (V.O.) -- The Blah-blah-mmyaes jump from the ughh... ff-f-ern to conf-uuse the Magogs. At the sight of the headless Blemmyaes, the Magogs' black Knight horses bray of laughter, rear and topple off their riders. The one-eyed Cyclops attack them with bats. THE POET (V.O.) Next la-la-ine of defense, the Pee pygmies and Ski -aaapods. A volley of poisoned darts thrown by the pygmies hit the Magogs' Knight horses. The Knight horses rear, wobble sleepy, then suddenly rear high, throw the Magogs off the saddle, and run away erratically. The one-legged Skiapods stomp on the fallen Magog-Pawns. THE POET (V.O.) Any Magogs ess-ka-caping, the Panotians over-whel-whel-mmm them by la-landing on their heads. From the Pnadpetzim strait versant across the Hopes Hill, Panotians with ears spread out like wings kamikaze-dive on Magogs Knight figures. BACK TO SCENE SKIAPOD GAVAGAI Long live the most holy Magi! Long live Pnadpetzim! Puzzlement turning into grief, Baudolino covers his face with his hands. He walks away toward the tunnel, followed by the donkey. Praxeas embraces The Poet. They all get in formation and leave. ARDZROUNI (to Praxeas) However, we don't have time to train Pnadpetzim -- PRAXEAS -- Yes, we do! The monsoon is about to start. The Magogs will not attack during the monsoon. From the mouth of the tunnel, Baudolino looks back. Skiapod Gavagai argues his intention by shaking his head. Baudolino frowns dismissively and enters the tunnel. EXT. TUNNEL TO WATERFALL LAKE - DAY He walks in the dark tunnel. MONTAGE: BAUDOLINO FLASH MEMORIES -- Crema prisoners tied up on the siege tower being shot at with arrows by their compatriots... Violence... (V.O.) -- Mud and blood on Frederick's face at Legnano, blinking... War... (V.O.) -- Frederick kissing the Pope's red shoe... Humiliation... (V.O.) -- Happenstance of his and Beatrice's profiles almost touching... Innocence... (V.O.) -- Hathor looking at him languorously, promising... Passion... (V.O.) Light at the far end of the tunnel. BAUDOLINO (V.O) Soul strong enough to keep believing? EXT. WATERFALL LAKE - CONTINUOUS In April, the floods had receded. Fog hangs low over the lake. He walks on the shore of the small lake toward the dense forest, then stops and looks back. The hanging ivy and flowers sprang back to luxuriant blossom. Birds fly and chirp. The waterfall just trickles. He turns toward the forest. BAUDOLINO (V.O.) ... into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul. Blinded by the sunrays aura, he blinks. The waterfall and chirping sound are gradually replaced by rustling from the forest. He turns. A branch swaying under a gust of wind triggers an BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION FLASHBACK In Terdona forest, the white Unicorn trots, inviting him to play. -- And that flashback extends into aN BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION FLASH-FORWARD The branches' sway stops. A white Unicorn comes out from the forest, snorts, and playfully shakes its mane. The Unicorn turns its head toward the forest. HATHOR (30), with long, whitish hair, and a long white dress, comes out to get the Unicorn back. But she sees Baudolino. With a smooth gait, she approaches him, followed by the Unicorn. Aulos tune.
Baudolino is happy. The donkey whines a smile.
She scrutinizes him, touches the scar on his cheek, then
looks at -- the sword.
HATHOR
A real man. Lover of war and
violence!
(mocking)
-- Grace and pleasure?
She gently embraces the Unicorn's neck and walks back into
the forest.
BAUDOLINO
Wait! Come back!
HATHOR (V.O)
Tomorrow.
EXT. PNADPETZIM - LATER
Baudolino is met by Skiapod Gavagai, who keeps hopping along.
Baudolino doesn't pay much attention to him.
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI
Dangeroez alone try cross.
Baudolino keeps walking, ignoring him.
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI
I tried!
Baudolino stops and looks at Gavagai leaning on his crutch.
The latter looks down.
GAVAGAI
Had two, vhaz wiz otherz. Very
long, no water, poizon lakes,
strange dremz, animal attack.
Otherz die. No remember how came
back.
Baudolino just turns and walks away.
EXT. WATERFALL LAKE - DAY/NIGHT
A flute at his belt, instead of the sword on his back,
Baudolino scouts the forest's tree line. The donkey grazes.
At dawn, he lies down on the grass, rests his head on a
boulder, and plays an aulos tune with the flute. He stops and
closes his eyes, lips calling for Hathor.
BAUDOLINO DREAM
Hathor comes out from the forest, her hair glowing under the
full moon rays. She sits on the grass next to him, and looks
at his body from toe to head, her hand following without
touching. Hand close to his head, she sees that he was
watching her.
She retreats her hand. He gently takes hers.
BAUDOLINO
(smiling)
I have to hold your hand... so that
you stay.
HATHOR
Not for too long. We're busy with
preparations for... the honey
offering.
BAUDOLINO
(funny)
Green honey?
HATHOR
(ignoring him)
... Dionysus honey... offered for
my sisters' sacrifice.
BAUDOLINO
Sacrifice? Sisters --
HATHOR
-- Sisterhood. Hesper Sisterhood --
Every year, some of us have to
sacrifice to the fecundators.
BAUDOLINO
(aghast)
Fecundators!-- Any brothers in your
sisterhood?
HATHOR
They take the boys, we keep the
girls. That's how we maintained the
tradition... of tending to the
Trees of Knowledge... the orchard
with the Golden Apples.
BAUDOLINO
Ahh! The Tree of Knowledge...
(upset)
the Serpent and the Sin --
She also gets upset and stands up...
HATHOR
(brisk)
-- In your Bible! In our teachings,
the Serpent enlightened Adam and
Eve. They were to grow thousands of
kids to foster the earth's revival
through love for knowledge and
fertility.
... and walks away without a farewell.
He leans on an elbow, watching her.
HATHOR (O.S)
Be back at full moon!
INT. PILGRIM ROOM - DAY
A hand moves colored pebbles on a Fern Valley strategic map
made from small piles of grass patches resembling The Poet's
imaginary battlefield chessboard.
Crouched on the floor, Ardzrouni and The Poet nod in
agreement. Cross-legged on the floor, Kyot juggles with gem
meteorite stones.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
The blue moon! When is the moon
blue?
Ardzrouni and The Poet turn their heads. Kyot keeps juggling.
Sleepy, Baudolino gets off the bed.
THE POET
Blue moon is once in a blue moon!
ARDZROUNI
Never blue. Called blue if it's
full twice in the same month.
BAUDOLINO
(still sleepy)
Which month? How do I know?
ARDZROUNI
By the trees' blossoms....I think
we are in the month of Maia, the
Goddess of Spring. Watch the skies
about thirty days from now.
THE POET
What's going --
BAUDOLINO
(waking up wondering)
-- she comes back from her sisters'
celebration.
THE POET
(humorous, interested)
Ohh, yeees? Innocent dreamer,
experienced liar! -- Who's she?
Sisters? Tell her to bring them
over.
Annoyed, Ardzrouni swipes away the pebbles from the map. Kyot
jolts, the juggling pebbles fall.
KYOT
(laughing his head off)
Delusional!
ARDZROUNI
(upset)
I am glad to see your interest in
defending Pnadpetzim!... The Deacon
just invited us to explain our
strategy.
EXT. DEACON TOWER - CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Consumed candles on the balustrade, some flicker, some go
off. Holding on to the balustrade, Baudolino walks ahead of
Praxeas on the slanted-up corridor.
In the EYE OF HIS MIND, the consumed candles RISE to new with
strong flames. The broken wood structures MORPH into golden
decorated panels studded with precious stones sparkling in
the light of the candles.
PRAXEAS (O.S.)
(to The Poet)
The Deacon was invigorated to hear
about your strategy to defend
Pnadpetzim. I mean the Realm, of
course.
DEACON ATRIUM - CONTINUOUS
Baudolino advances in the atrium. Enjoying his delusion, he
looks around at the tall windows in recessed arcades and
precious stones studded in columns softly glimmering in the
lights of the candles.
DEACON (O.S)
Welcome my friends!
Draped in a shiny silver cloth, the Deacon stands up from the
ivory-carved, silver-inlaid throne.
Praxeas, fuming censer in hand, The Poet, Ardzrouni, and
Baudolino kneel by the circle. Arabesque designs extend from
it all over the marble floor. Praxeas pushes the fuming
censer inside the circle.
DEACON
What do Magogs want from us? We
have nothing except our faith!
BAUDOLINO
Jerusalem always had "nothing
except" faith... its Dome of the
Rock a place of worship loaded with
history... and legends about
Abraham, Moses... Jesus and
Muhammad.
DEACON
So, Jerusalem must now be united in
religious tolerance. "E pluribus
unum!"
(subtitled)
"Unity in Diversity!"
BAUDOLINO
Is this how your father achieved
harmony? See...
Jerusalem was and is still swept by
distrust between the faithful of
different dogmas. Then, there are
differences in beliefs and
interests between Jerusalem and the
empires around. Intolerance
prevails!
DEACON
My father is different, looks for
inclusion. Yes, the Magogs' beliefs
are different than ours. Shouldn't
we then accept them?
Horrified, Praxeas shakes his head.
THE POET
Infidels! They are different... in
a wrong way, and we have to fight
them!
(unrolling the map)
And here is the strategy. We will
train your people to fight and win!
Baudolino disagrees, shakes his head.
BAUDOLINO
Deacon Michael. It will be better
for us to travel to the Realm and
bring your powerful father's might
into the fight.
PRAXEAS
There is no time! And the glory of
our victory will be the best
recommendation for your worthy
mission.
The Deacon takes HIS time to react, then slowly nods at The
Poet.
The Poet and Ardzrouni start explaining the strategy. Their
voices fade as Baudolino turns his head toward the arcade
window. Silence. The full moon slowly rises. The voices
become suddenly audible, and Baudolino, waking up from his
reverie, stands up.
BAUDOLINO
Esteemed Deacon. I have an
essential promise to keep. Please
allow me to retire.
The Deacon nods. The others refrain with difficulty their
disapproval.
EXT. TOWER - NIGHT
Skiapod Gavagai hops along Baudolino, who descends the stairs
of the tower.
GAVAGAI
Howz meeting?
BAUDOLINO
The Deacon wants us to fight.
Skiapod Gavagai stops hopping. Baudolino keeps walking.
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI (O.S.)
You go lake? Zink wrong!
Irritated, Baudolino stops and turns to look at -- Gavagai
with crutches.
GAVAGAI
You respect Magi, must help
Pnadpetzim defense, like otherz --
BAUDOLINO
(dismissively)
-- I am not otherz. I'm different.
EXT. WATERFALL LAKE - NIGHT
Under the full moon, Baudolino walks in the forest, the
trees' shadows and moon light alternating on him.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... met people believing in either
many gods, just one God, a God with
ninety-nine names, a God and an
Evil, some believing that the
nature's trees, rivers, and rocks
have a soul, others searching for
enlightenment from themselves.
And he surrenders to the world of his imagination.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: HATHOR BLASPHEMIES
Aulos tune. Hathor MATERIALIZES and, embracing his midriff,
guides him toward a clearing.
BAUDOLINO
And now, Priest Johannes. One God
for all... a universal religion?
Hathor stiffens and stops. Wind starts, clouds covers the
moon.
HATHOR
(bemused)
Priest Johannes. Religion
universal!? Who's universal?
A gust of wind. Strands of hair whip her face.
HATHOR
(angry)
One God for all? Why not many gods?
Gods for arts, granted, for war,
but pleasure and beauty as well.
Worshiping diversity makes people
more tolerant toward others.
BAUDOLINO
Faith must be for all in One God!
The rising wind brings heavier clouds, and thunders strike
far away. Hathor stiffens and stops. Then she laughs with
gusto. Thunder noise amplifies.
HATHOR
You think that's possible simply
because YOU believe in it?
(louder to cover thunder
noises)
Your God then needs redemption! He
has to stop preaching the
Apocalypse against the "sinful" to
instill fear of sickness, hunger,
and --
BAUDOLINO
-- Blasphemy! WE need redemption
because we failed to believe in the
goodness of the Holy Spirit. He
created us to carry that Spirit in
our souls.
HATHOR
God did not create us....You
created Him!
Thunders strike all over, a tree catches fire. The wind blows
stronger, the rainstorm starts.
HATHOR
(forceful)
Ironically, we made Him define good
and evil, and He, in turn, forces
us to be good for the promise of
heaven or fear of hell.
BAUDOLINO
(flabbergasted)
How could you believe that!
She calmly raises her head in defiance of the raging storm.
HATHOR
I had eaten the fruit of the Tree
of Knowledge. I want to decide by
myself what is good and bad...
learn from the permanence of Heaven
and Hell, Order and Chaos. We
transcend through the cycles of
Life and Death, Pleasure and Pain
toward the light of shared
knowledge and collective
consciousness.
Thunders and lighting at the apogee. She farewells and
disappears into the forest.
Standing still, Baudolino is blasted by the storm and
drenched by the pouring rain.
EXT. FERN VALLEY - DAY
Two Cyclops shape up stones with rudimentary meteorite
hammers. Another one kneads clay and gravel in a big bucket.
Baudolino directs two others to rebuild the ruined hovels.
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI (O.S.)
(yelling)
Deacon invite! Deacon want
Baudolino.
He hops closer, waving a small roll of fabric. The Cyclops
and Baudolino turn.
Baudolino reads the message, then friendly taps Skiapod
Gavagai on the shoulder. The Cyclops look at them with
disdain.
CYCLOP
(loudly)
How could Magi like heretic
Skiapods?
Skiapod Gavagai throws him a look charged with disdain.
INT. DEACON ATRIUM - DAY
Baudolino walks into the atrium with the red tube in hand --
arm tattooed with the blended heads of a nymph and unicorn.
Praxeas rushes in front of him, gets the censer with burning
coal from the pedestal, and adds the white frankincense.
The Deacon stands up from the edge of the basin to greet
them. Fuming censer in hand, Praxeas walks to a window and
invites the Deacon to the one next to it. He puts down the
censer and pushes it toward the Deacon.
PRAXEAS
Deacon Michael, please look at the
brave Pnadpetzim people learning to
defend our village and the Realm.
The Deacon walks to the window looking at the censer.
DEACON
Is that Ardzrouni's frankincense?
-- I need a private conversation
with Sire Baudolino.
Vexed, Praxeas walks out, followed by the Deacon's glance.
The Deacon turns his attention to Baudolino. A piece of
Praxeas's bottom mantle remains visible -- he just hid
outside the entrance to listen.
DEACON
You spoke about other people's
wars, faiths, intolerance, but...
what about you... what moves your
soul?
BAUDOLINO
Gratefulness to my adoptive father,
the Emperor, fighting along in his
wars... the memory of my poor
father dyeing blissfully thinking
of... Rosina. Then my emotions of
young love... fantasies about the
unknown and... the desire to prove
them real.
DEACON
But no doubts about them being
real? I have no fantasies, just
doubts...
(toward hidden Praxeas)
about what I'm being told.
Praxeas's visible piece of the mantle is withdrawn.
Tormented, the Deacon walks agitated between the window and
the basin.
BAUDOLINO
Doubts? Yes... but believing must
prevail....
But looking at the red tube, he is overcome by doubt and
shame.
BAUDOLINO (V.O)
-- in my own lies? -- And lying to
--
The atrium glitz FADES AWAY, returning to its poor
appearance, and the Deacon's veil changes from shining, back
to the ordinary cloth.
BAUDOLINO
(feeling justified)
-- I owed it to my fathers!
DEACON
(overwhelmed)
Fathers....I don't know mine!
Neither natural nor -- I was
chosen, from here, to be Priest
Johannes's son,
(looking at the
(frankincense plume)
one in a long series of others, as
the tradition goes.
(angry; towards the
entrance)
What is the truth? What do I owe to
Priest Johannes?
Baudolino takes the fake letter out from the red tube and
hands it to the Deacon. The atrium glitz and Deacon's shining
veil gradually RESTORE while the Deacon reads it.
BAUDOLINO
Do not doubt the greatness of your
father.
Your father lives on to fulfill
the vision of religious harmony
beyond the Realm.
Hesitating, the Deacon returns the letter without comment.
DEACON
(whispering, sad)
The Realm....You traveled the world
to find it. A man of war...
experienced love and passion....But
me? A warrior?....A lover!?
(loudly, distressed)
Who do you think could love me?
He suddenly throws the veil off his face and hands -- all
eaten by horrific leprosy.
DEACON
(angry)
God?
Baudolino is shocked by the Deacon's grief and revelations.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: SHOCKING VISION AND HELL
The tempest wind blows Hathor's hair. Her devilish laughter
confounds with the sound of thunders.
HATHOR
Your God needs redemption!
BAUDOLINO
Blasphemy! We need redemption
because we failed to believe --
HATHOR
-- In imagined heavenly places? You
failed the reality!
Thunders alight the rugged landscape and the faraway
mountains with hellish smoke and fires behind them.
EXT. HOPES HILL/FERN VALLEY/STRAIGHT/PNADPETZIM - DAY
On the HOPES HILL, sword tied to his back, Baudolino looks at
the hellish fires and smoke beyond the faraway mountains
gradually DIMINISHING to the reality of the small fires in
the Magogs' camp.
He yanks the mule down in the Fern Valley.
In the FERN VALLEY, the backs of the running cyclops cut
through the tall fern and grass.
THE POET
(yelling)
Lower, lower! They should not see
you!
The Cyclops see Baudolino and, instead of bending more, stand
up and stretch -- muck on their hands and faces.
CYCLOP
Uhuu! Pain back. Ferns small, we
tall.
THE POET
Down, down! Sending the donkey now!
He signals to someone, and the Cyclops go down annoyed.
As the DONKEYS run by, the Cyclops struggle to topple them.
The skirmish moves away with shouting and braying.
Farther away, Pygmies blow darts from fistulas into
Cockatrices running erratically with darts flopping.
PYGMY
I great fighter!
Further away, Nubians chase the running cockatrices with
swords and spears.
Closer to the village, Ardzrouni places fake horse heads,
with horns and bat wings, onto the Blemmyaes' shoulders.
ARDZROUNI
Tighten the straps! Look!
He demonstrates. On the side, other Blemmyaes assemble more
heads from a pile of straws, feathers, and willow branches.
ARDZROUNI
(encouraging Blemmyaes)
They'll pop up from the grass,
horses will buck, Magogs will waste
the arrows on the fake heads,
courageous Blemmyaes stab the
horses, pull down the Magogs!
At the Pnadpetzim STRAIT, a big shadow crosses Baudolino's
face. He ducks at the sight of a Panotian flying toward him.
Too late. Ears fully extended and flapping, the Panotian
crashes on him.
In PNADPETZIM, he walks by the open door of a hut and stops.
Inside, in a makeshift laboratory, Kyot feeds mushrooms into
a huge grinder -- liquid drips from it into a small
container. A Panotian Woman stacks rolls of cloth on shelves.
FOUR FAT and SLIM COCKATRICES with whiskers, beaks, tails of
various sizes and colors roam around.
Bent over a table loaded with big and small jars, Rabbi
decants liquid and hands a jar over to Kyot.
RABBI
Try this one.
Kyot gets a dart and dips it in the jar.
The biggest fat cockatrice sticks its head above the table
and looks blinking at Kyot.
Kyot holds the cockatrice's stare and slowly bends under the
table.
The cockatrice jolts, widely opens both eyes, lids and
whiskers flutter, and eyes close. The bird disappears under
the table with a THUD, rising a cloud of dust.
The other three cockatrices bend their necks to look down at
the -- still bird.
RABBI
This one worked! It'll kill Magogs'
horses!
The cockatrices look reproachful at Rabbi. Suddenly, the
still bird wakes up and starts flying erratically, bouncing
on walls.
Rabbi covers his head, retreats in a corner, Kyot stays safe
under the table.
The bird ends up on the table, goose-step marching and
knocking off the jars.
Baudolino laughs his head off.
BAUDOLINO
That's what I call a good kill!
By the Deacon Tower, the Eunuchs stack boxes and bags.
PRAXEAS
(waving at Baudolino)
Getting ready for the fight!
EXT. HOPES HILL - OBSERVATION POST - DAY
The Magogs' plumes of smoke, fires, and tents are closer to
the Fern Valley. Baudolino, Rabbi, Praxeas and Nubeesmak
oversee the intense military drills. Two Skiapods lie on
ground, large feet up to shade their heads from the sun.
Messalians practice signaling with white and black smoke from
the reconstructed hovels.
Closer, set along the valley in a sequence of defensive
lines, Cyclops, Blemmyaes, Skiapods and Nubians practice
deployment and fighting.
Hopping up the hill, Skiapod Gavagai joins the commanding
group. He doesn't like the leg-up Skiapods lying on the
ground.
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI
Get up, practiz running!
The Skiapods don't move.
SKIAPOD
Sun givz power, foot givz shade.
Hot feet, cool head.
EXT. PNADPETZIM STRAIT - NIGHT
The commanding group returns from Hope Hill through the
straight. Two Panotian Females and Kyot yell, trying to
control a herd of bucks with torches on their long horns.
THE POET
(yelling at Kyot)
What's that!?
KYOT
(proudish)
Night defense! The torches will
look like lots of defenders.
THE POET
No way, they'll set the field
afire!
BAUDOLINO
Well done Kyot! They'll be our last
line of defense, night or day.
Excited, running down from Hopes Hill, a Nubian catches up
with the group.
NUBIAN
Zey here, attack now!
EXT. OBSERVATION POST - DAWN
The first sunrays shine behind the faraway mountains. No
plumes of smoke from the Magogs' camp.
Sleepy on duty watch, hands on a tall boulder to steady
himself, The Poet squints toward the camp.
Nubeesmack sleeps. Insects buzz around his flask with burq.
Ardzrouni and Baudolino sleep on ground. Baudolino's -- hand
reaches Ardzrouni's.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: SHARING LOVING FEELINGS
At the Waterfall Lake, birds and butterflies fly by the
blossoming ivy and small waterfall streaks.
Baudolino's squeezes Hathor's hand.
His parted hair looks like small satyr horns. Looking into
each other's eyes, they lower their heads and, fronts
touching, share their thoughts.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... so beautiful... so terrible
things you said... but...
HATHOR (V.O.)
... a man of war... still... I
shall teach you pleasures and
beauty...
Hathor gently pulls him to the waterfall. She caresses the
ivy flowers and their buds. A colibri picks nectar from a
flower. Hathor touches the flower's buds and dances along
with the flying butterflies.
HATHOR (V.O.)
The beauty of fertility...
(touching a withered
flower)
... born from death.... harmony and
chaos... nature in permanent
transformation....We have to
connect with the origins of the
earthly nature... rivers and
forests, mountains and birds. Look
up to the Sun and Moon, the
stars... and enjoy the Knowledge
born from the Unknown.
At night, they walk floating over the grass into the forest.
Her long, white hair sways in the night's breeze reflecting
the moonlight. The donkey and unicorn follow them.
Crickets' and birds' chirps fill the night with harmonious
sounds. They arrive at a clearing. The moon projects the
shadows of the trees on grass. The trees' trunks are covered
by glazing moss, and fireflies twinkle above colorful,
phosphorescent mushrooms.
The hairy donkey playfully muzzles and pokes the unicorn with
its tongue. Baudolino looks at them and scratches his head.
Hathor follows his gaze, smiles, and steps closer to touch
his front with hers.
BAUDOLINO
So, how about the origin of our
feelings, my dear teacher?
HATHOR
It's when you follow your soul and
lose your mind.
The moon rays highlight the contour of her small breasts
through the thin fabric of her blouse.
BAUDOLINO
It's how I feel right now.
She looks again at the -- donkey and unicorn muzzling -- then
gently kisses his lips.
Baudolino shudders. She pulls up his shirt. Baudolino pulls
up her blouse over her small breasts. Then, he unties her
skirt, which drops.
He steps back to look at her breasts, then midriff, then down
at her -- short, reddish fur legs ending in delicate hoofs.
He looks into her eyes, she frowns, concerned. He embraces
her lovingly, squeezing her hand.
BACK TO SCENE
Ardzrouni pulls his hand from Baudolino's squeeze, wakes and
stands up. The Poet sleeps standing, embracing a bolder.
Ardzrouni nudges him and glances over the Magogs' camp.
It seems quiet, no smoke signals from the rebuilt hovels.
Baudolino, still under the fumes of his dream, joins
Ardzrouni and waves a greeting at Skiapod Gavagai.
The Poet lies down next to Nubeesmak and closes his eyes. But
he opens them, alerted by the ground tremor. He presses his
ear to the ground.
THE POET
(whispering... yelling)
They're coming... they're coming!
Ardzrouni feels the ground tremor and squints over the
valley. The vegetation comes alive disturbed by the wave of
Magogs' horses cutting through. The wave passes the hovels,
but no smoke signals.
ARDZROUNI
No signals!!
SKIAPOD GAVAGAI
Brave Skiapods! Alert! Check the
Messalians!
The Skiapods hop up and run into the valley.
EXT. FERN VALLEY - MESSALIANS HOVELS - SAME TIME
Sleepy, long necks sticking above the hovels, the Messalians
look down at the galloping Magogs. Arrows fly by their long
necks. They fumble to light up the torches.
The MAGOGS, fur hats and helmets with horns, ride in the Fern
Valley armed with spears and longbows.
EXT. FIRST DEFENSE LINE - CYCLOPS AND SKIAPODS - LATER
Knelt under the ferns, the Cyclops see the Skiapods' feet
raised above the tall grass, against the sun. They feel the
trepidation, look at the hovels, no smoke.
Two of them hurriedly crawl toward the Skiapods' lineup.
CYCLOP
(whispering forcefully)
You meat-mouth pagans, get up!
SKIAPOD
(offended)
You call us pagans, you cheese
mouth heretics?
CYCLOP
(angry, offended)
Heretics?!
The Cyclops stand up and hit the Skiapods' legs with the
bats. Some Skiapods fight back the Cyclops, hop up and hammer
them in the chest with their big foot. A Skiapod Messenger
arrives and looks startled at the skirmish.
SKIAPOD MESSENGER
(yelling)
Magogs attacks!
The Cyclops and Skiapods brawl stops as the Magogs show up.
The Cyclops grab the Skiapods by their legs and, using them
as bats, hit the Magogs off their horses. Other Skiapods
strap on their big shields -- ferocious figures painted on
them -- and hop vigorously, scaring the Magog's horses.
EXT. OBSERVATION POST - SAME TIME
The Poet scrutinizes the faraway brawl in the fern valley.
Wind starts.
THE POET
(victorious)
We stopped the Magogs!
ARDZROUNI
Not sure, some fall but not many.
The Skiapod Messenger arrives from the first line of defense.
SKIAPOD MESSENGER
(to Gavagai))
Cheese-mouthers Cyclops kill the
good-loyal Skiapods!
THE POET
(wailing at Gavagai)
Killing? -- Not different! Not
different, arghhh!
SECOND DEFENSE LINE - BLEMMYAES AND PYGMIES - LATER
The Magogs regroup and charge through the ferns. The
Blemmyaes' fake heads pop up.
Magogs' horses rear, but Magogs skillfully keep shooting
arrows. The fake heads fall off, revealing the headless
Blemmyaes. The Magogs pause, startled.
The strong volley of pygmies' blowpipes darts from the ferns
thicket hit the Magogs' horses.
The horses wobble for a moment -- blink sleepily -- then
suddenly jump up high, throw the Magogs off the saddle, and
run away. The Blemmyaes attack the Magogs with swords.
THIRD DEFENSE LINE - FLYING PANOTIANS - LATER
The Magogs gallop toward the straight bordering the city.
From the strait heights, the Panotians kamikaze glide down,
land on Magogs' heads, and fall together to the ground.
A smaller number of Magogs advance cautiously through the
strait, archery at the ready.
EXT. OBSERVATION POST - SAME TIME
The wind picks up. Baudolino sees that the small group of
Magogs is joined by many more from the previous defensive
line fights.
BAUDOLINO
They are in large numbers, we
cannot stop them. Pnadpetzim will
fall.
THE POET
No! Look!
A large number of Pnadpetzim fighters regroup from the
previous lines of defense.
THE POET
(to Skiapod Gavagai)
Run to Kyot, get him to deploy the
goats.
FOURTH DEFENSE LINE - NUBIANS - LATER
The brave Nubians just throw themselves at the horses' feet.
The horses rear.
NUBIANS
(various voices)
Kill for glory...Kill for noble
sacrifice...Me, me first!
The Magogs sack them and advance into the straight.
FIFTH DEFENCE LINE - KYOT GOATS - LATER
Torches shake on the running goats' horns. The herd runs out
of the dry brush of the strait.
Two Panotian Females herd them over a larger front. The brush
gets afire, and the wind blows the smoke toward the Magogs.
EXT. OBSERVATION POST - SAME TIME
Ardzrouni points at the valley. The Magogs get covered by the
thick smoke. The Pnadpetzim fighters from the earlier defense
lines attack them from behind.
ARDZROUNI
(exited))
Attack! Attack!
Kyot runs up to the post. Ardzrouni and The Poet exult.
KYOT
(laughing)
He, he! I told you, my idea works!
Baudolino keeps scrutinizing the battlefield.
Pnadpetzim fighters run into the smoke. The Magogs get out
laterally and, riding in a circle, shoot arrows into the
smoke.
The Poet draws Baudolino's attention to the lower trail from
the village. Praxeas and a group of Eunuchs briskly ride on
hairy DONKEY and DWARF ELEPHANTS loaded with boxes and bags.
PRAXEAS
The Deacon had died. We're leaving.
THE POET
(dumb)
The map! Give us the map.
Ironically smiling, Praxeas keeps the pace without answering.
Baudolino and Ardzrouni exchange looks -- they know by now
the meaning of that smile.
ARDZROUNI
(to The Poet)
Let's grab the stones before it's
too late.
In the valley, the fire just smolders, and the smoke
dissipates. The Magogs keep circling and shooting arrows at
the Pnadpetzim fighters.
Baudolino stares for a while at the real, desolate village
and degraded state of Deacon's Tower. Then, one last look
toward the tunnel and a new one in the opposite direction of
the distant Brahmaputra.
RABBI
(to Baudolino)
The map doesn't matter to me. My
brothers made it... and so will I.
Baudolino embraces Rabbi, the only true believer.
EXT. BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER - DAY
SUPER: "FEBRUARY 1201. BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER"
Baudolino, Ardzrouni and The Poet yell and wave at a FISHING
BOAT floating on a distant stream. But the strong wind blows
toward them, and the fishermen couldn't hear.
THE POET
(pointing into the wind)
That way, damn it!
- LATER
In the evening, the pilgrims swim forcefully toward a FISHING
RAFT floating on a closer stream. The FISHERMEN steers the
raft.
EXT. ANDAMAN SEA - CHINESE JUNK BOAT - DAY
SUPER: "JULY 1201. ANDAMAN SEA"
The CHINESE JUNK BOAT sails and banners hang still.
Two CHINESE MERCHANTS fan the sweat off from under their
hats. The Poet moves from the sun to the shade of the sails.
THE POET
Why did we have to sail South when
home is somewhere in the North?
BAUDOLINO
(opening one eye)
Captain said best trade route and
monsoon safe.
ARDZROUNI
And our precious stones to his
coffers.
EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - ARABIAN COG SHIP - DAY
SUPER: "DECEMBER 1201. INDIAN OCEAN BY SRI LANKA"
The ARABIAN COG SHIP yaws and pitches.
The tempest waves flood the stern and drench the ARAB
CAPTAIN. He grips the rudder and yells orders to the crew.
Baudolino and Ardzrouni crawl toward the quarterdeck ladder.
EXT. ARABIAN SEA - GREEK SHIP - DAY
SUPER: "AUGUST 1202. ARABIAN SEA BY BARBARIKON"
Burly GREEK CAPTAIN (50) at the tiller. On the deck of the
GREEK TRADING SHIP, Ardzrouni and The Poet bargain with a
MUSLIM and a VENETIAN traders. Neither seems impressed by
their -- gem-studded meteorite stones.
Baudolino turns his head away, annoyed, and contemplates the
flying fish motif on a flapping banner.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: THE FLYING FISH
The motif MORPHS into a flying fish getting bigger as it
circles the ship closer and closer.
Baudolino grabs one of the fish's wings and jumps on his
back.
The fish flies days and nights over the desert dunes. Under
the day's scorching sun, its scales start falling off, and
the fish dives toward the ground.
BACK TO SCENE
He wakes up, yelling. The merchants look at him, startled.
GREEK CAPTAIN
Barbarikon on starboard! Lower the
headsail!
The ship enters the harbor. Inland dwellings are clustered
around the city's stone walls and spread along the river
bank.
EXT. BARBARIKON MARKET - DAY
Sand storm. Baudolino, Ardzrouni, and The Poet elbow their
way through the market CROWD, stopping at times at stands,
some where WHITE and BLACK WOMEN and MEN SLAVES are bargained
for.
One MERCHANT grabs Baudolino's sleeve, showing off -- an old
coin.
BARBARICON MERCHANT
Alexandros Macedon! Punjab victory,
Indus fleet victory!
THE POET
(quizzical, to Baudolino)
You said that Alexander the Great
got to the Ganges!
The Merchant keeps pulling on Baudolino's sleeve.
BAUDOLINO
(defensive)
Boron said that Ptolemy wrote that.
THE POET
... Inflamed minds! -- May Boron's
soul rest in peace.
He grabs the Merchant's coin and hands him a -- small gem
studded meteorite. Blinded by the blowing sand, the Merchant
tries to figure out what it is.
INT. BARBARIKON - HOUSE - LATER
The pilgrims dust themselves off. Ardzrouni waves them over
to look at a map -- finger points at Barbarikon.
ARDZROUNI
By land, it's --
THE POET
-- No more land! Sailing is better.
ARDZROUNI
Then we sail on the Red Sea, trek
on land to Cairo, then home on the
Mediterranean Sea.
BAUDOLINO
(sad)
Home... I forgot what it means....
I need to see Jerusalem, in
Frederick's memory, then... maybe
Constantinople?
THE POET
Constantinople it is! Richer than
any city in Europe.
EXT. NILE VALLEY - AFTERNOON
The CAMEL caravan joined by the pilgrims advances through the
flooded Nile Valley. The sun setting between the pyramids is
reflected on the surface of a still water area.
Afar, in the soft haze of the sunset, the walls of Cairo
citadel with its tall mosque turrets. The colors of the sky
blend in hues from blue to red, the sparse, gray clouds'
fringes highlighted in orange and white. PEOPLE and CAMEL
caravans come from and go to the city.
EXT. CAIRO MARKET - DAY
SUPER: "SEPTEMBER 1203. CAIRO MARKET"
In a large courtyard, fabrics, copper pottery, and various
artifacts hang inside the richly decorated stalls and tents.
PEOPLE and MERCHANTS bargain.
Under a tent, sitting on a rug, Ardzrouni and The Poet trade
their meteorite stones for jewelry and coins with TWO ARAB
TRADERS, both old, with long beards. Baudolino glances over
at a papyrus with Egyptian hieroglyphs.
TWO YOUNG WOMEN, faces covered by niqabs, replenish cups with
tea. The Poet eyes them intently -- shy reactions from them.
BAUDOLINO
Then, how safe is travel to
Jerusalem?
ARAB TRADER
It is a time of peace, good times
for trade -- after years of bad
luck... a big earthquake, no
floods! No water - not good... now,
all good, very good!
A VEILED WOMAN stops to look at the -- jewelry and stones on
the rug -- then at the Poet, who catches on. The woman walks
away, disappearing in the crowd.
The bargain continues. Baudolino lies down on the carpet,
uninterested. He looks up at the oriental decoration on the
tent cover -- two griffins drinking from a flaming cup.
The Veiled Woman comes by again, giving a lingering stare to
The Poet. He discreetly nods, she leaves, he stands up and
follows her through the crowd.
Baudolino dozes off while looking at -- a griffin.
BAUDOLINO DREAM: JERUSALEM AND ARCHANGEL HATHOR
The griffin flies off the tent fabric, circles the courtyard,
and lands by Baudolino. He gets on its back.
They fly over the Nile, desert land, the shore of the
Mediterranean Sea, then inland. Baudolino rejoices at the
sight of a fortress with tall towers and minarets.
BAUDOLINO
Down! Down to Jerusalem!
As the griffin descends, the big, golden statue of the
defending Angel of the City MORPHS into an armored Archangel
holding a giant sword. Her face resembles Hathor's. She flies
up, graciously flapping enormous wings.
ARCHANGEL HATHOR
Why believing in your imagined
heavenly places? Don't ignore the
reality on Earth!
(pointing with the sword)
Go to Constantinople, to learn!
The griffin flies over Constantinople. Plumes of smoke rise
from the city aflame. Fierce fighting under its walls and
between the ships on the sea. Baudolino looks down,
horrified.
INT. CONSTANTINOPLE ROOM - DAY
SUPER: "APRIL 1204. CONSTANTINOPLE"
Baudolino writes at a desk in front of an open window. On the
desk, the weathered red sealed tube and spread out pages from
the bundle of parchments. He writes in the leather binding
book.
Active writing: "...April 1204..."
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
Jerusalem, a land of religious
tolerance, was spared by luck on
the Third Crusade...
He looks out at the burned-down houses, plumes of smoke, the
broken tower of a minaret, and the dome of the Saint Sophia
church, gray under the heavy clouds.
He resumes writing.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
... Constantinople was sacked on
the Fourth by religious
intolerance... and greed in trade
interests.
He stops writing and, thinking, looks up.
BAUDOLINO (V.O.)
I believed in heavenly places,
wanted them to be real....The
Archangel wanted me to learn the
reality? But what do I ultimately
want... know, or believe?
Through the window, he contemplates the destruction of the
city and the plumes of smoke reaching the dark clouds. A
slight golden light illuminates his face.
BAUDOLINO IMAGINATION: HATHOR AND THE TODDLER
Sunrays gradually break through the clouds, smoke plumes
retreat, the burned-down houses restore to white, flowers
blossom on them, the broken minaret tower rises toward the
clear sky, and the dome of Saint Sophia turns to shining
gold.
On the road, a WOMAN in a white dress blown by the wind, and
a toddler walk toward his house.
They are Hathor and her FOUR-YEAR-OLD SON who jumps around
on the cobblestones -- barefoot --.
BACK TO SCENE
He resumes writing.
Active writing: "...Esse est fides!" (Subtitled: "To be is to
believe.")
END
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