Brazen Bull

Brazen Bull

A Screenplay by Morgan
"

Phalaris and Perillos argue over the power of the 'Brazen Bull'

"

FADE IN:


EXT. ANICIENT GREECE �" DAY (AD 92)


Enter a room with a young man sitting on a large velvet chair, he has dark vivacious curls and a black cape draped loose around his broad shoulders. A young and determined looking man is before him, on his knees with his hands clasped in front of his chest, he is pleading.

               DISSOLVE TO:


PHALARIS, a young tyrant with great ambition, steps up from his lavish throne to loom over the young man before him.

                                  
                        PHALARIS
And what would I, young Perillos, do with such a grand beast? What is the purpose of this creation?


PERILLOS, a young and ambitious man with a knack for metal work is on his knees before the great tyrant.

                        PERILLOS
My liege, this is something I have been putting my blood into; I’ve ne’er put my skills to such a great test but I am certain beyond reasonable doubt that this will work. And what a great contraption this will be.


                         PHALARIS
You are confident in your capabilities?


                       PERILLOS
Yes, it is a testament to my absolute and magnificent skills.


PHALARIS walks toward the massive golden structure, tapping once, then twice, on its tinny surface.

                       PHALARIS
                                                    (annoyed and angered)
I’ll ask you again, Perillos, but this time I would prefer a true explanation rather than your arrogant self-insertion.
 
           PERILLOS
                                    (Stammering)
My liege…


           PHALARIS
                                    (voice roaring and powerful)
I am not your King, Perillos; and remove yourself from the ground, you are only making a fool of yourself.


PERILLOS nods his assent, stepping up from the ground and rounding the massive metal bull to stand beside Phalaris.


          

           PERILLOS
I call this creation, the brazen bull, a bull because of its unkempt power and persistence. The bull is made out of solid wrought iron and is large enough to fit three people �" but one person would be favorable.

           PHALARIS
                                    (disappointed)
Yes, yes, but what does it do? How would you go about killing a person in this…? Beast. Simply starving them to death would not be exciting…


           PERILLOS
                                    (abrupt)
No, Phalaris of the Sicilians, they do not starve to death in this; they burn.
           

          
           PHALARIS
                                    (intrigued)
They burn?


                                   
                                                PERILLOS
                                    (Gruesome smile)
Yes, they burn.


PERILLOS opens the door on the side of the bull, hinges creaking obscenely in the quiet Sicilian air. The inside of the brass coated bull is opened to reveal a hollow interior with a small pipe line leading to the mouth of the bull. It was a filtered horn.

                      
           PERILLOS
You see, you stoke a fire underneath the bull; light it as high or as small as you wish, you are given the choice of how fast they roast.




           PHALARIS
That sounds like quite the invention, Perillos, but I believe that I would like to test this out; would you come with me to the dungeon quarters?


PERILLOS and PHALARIS are together in the dungeon quarters with GUARD STEPHANO and GUARD ACACIUS. The crude and makeshift dungeon quarters are dark, and PERILLOS is having a difficult time seeing.


           PERILLOS
                                         (straining)
Tyrant King, I’m afraid I cannot see any further than my own nose, but from what I can see I’m certain that this is quite an extravagant dungeon you have.


                                           PHALARIS
Why, yes, my dear friend; it is dark as we do not wish for our prisoners to escape, and if they so decide to burrow out of their cells, the darkness and small maze leading inward will not enable them to disappear.


          
           PERILLOS
           (a slight tremble to his voice)
There is a maze in here? Quite extraordinary.


           PHALARIS
Yes, it is quite amazing; if I do say so myself.


           GUARD STEPHANO
Sir, which prisoner would you like us to subdue?


           PHALARIS
I need some time to decide, leave us! I will call you back when I’ve chosen.


GUARD STEPHANO and GUARD ACACIUS both leave with one word of quick assent. PERILLOS and PHALARIS are left alone in the dungeons.


             PERILLOS
                                    (trembling, clearly fearful)
How do you navigate such a maze? It is so grand, anyone could get lost in here.


           PHALARIS
It is a maze I designed, it is simple for my most trusted guards and I to navigate these solid cement barriers.


PERILLOS gives a quick nod, eyes reduced to slits as he tries to make himself adjust to the darkness.


           PERILLOS
Well, now that we’re in the dungeons, what prisoner would you like to toss into this great golden creation? Which would you like to see with flesh falling from their bones like a piece of well-cooked goose?


                                                PHALARIS
You certainly do a great job at describing your machine, but even as you explain this to me, how can I be certain that it would work?


           PERILLOS
Tyrant Phalaris, you put the human inside the bull and you stoke a fire underne-



PHALARIS cuts PERILLOS off with a harsh scoff and a curse.



            

           PHALARIS
                (anger and frustration evident in his voice)
I know that, you arrogant fool! The thing I want to know is if the horn works. What does the mechanism do, again?


           PERILLOS
                                    (stammering)
The heat from the inside will eventually become too much to bear for the human’s sensitive lungs, the horn will be used as a way to breath in fresh air.


           PHALARIS
                                    (annoyed and impatient)
That doesn’t make any sense, Perillos, why would the mechanism be shaped like a horn, then?


           PERILLOS
            (becoming over-confident and arrogant)
You are not letting me finish. When the human in question takes in a deep breath of air, at which point they will probably be crying and shouting from their flesh being cooked, the sounds will come out as a braying bull.

          

         PHALARIS
                                    (amused)
That is quite clever, Perillos; but I must ask, why do you refer to them as humans? As if they were beneath you?
           

                                                PERILLOS
                        (confident now in his responses)
Because they are, Phalaris.


PHALARIS laughs heartily, clutching at his sides and throwing his head back at the ceiling.


          
           PHALARIS
Oh, good Perillos, you truly are quite the character…


PHALARIS pauses, scratching the rough stubble on his chin as he contemplates something.


           PHALARIS
                                    (shouting)
Guards! I think I’ve finally chosen my prisoner. Light the lanterns!



As GUARD ACACIUS and GUARD STEPHANO make their way through the maze, a grand hall is slowly lit up to PERILLOS; they were not in a dungeon or anything of the sort. They were in a dining hall, the walls scaled with various herbs and spices and fine china.


PERILLOS begins backing up, clearly scared; trying to find a way out although he already knew that there was no way for him to make an escape, PHALARIS had already made that all too clear to him.
                                              

                       PERILLOS
                                    (trembling and stammering)
O- oh, and what prisoner have you chosen for the brazen bull, might I ask?


                       PHALARIS
                                    (ecstatic)
Why you, of course, the grand and almighty creator of this monstrosity!



PERILLOS shouts when GUARD ACACIUS and GUARD STEPHANO reveal themselves from the darkness and grab him by either arm, dragging him slowly toward the brazen bull. PERILLOS becomes incoherent as they attempt to force him into the massive machine of malice.


                      

                       PHALARIS
           (amused)
If you are so certain that this is the greatest torture device to have ever graced mankind, what better way to test the machine out than by using the creator as example?


PHALARIS laughs as PERILLOS is forced into the left hatch of the beast, dropping onto his knees to fit into the monstrosity. PERILLOS screams echo through the great dining hall but he is only met with laughter from PHALARIS and the guards. When the hatch is closed and locked, PERILLOS screams are nothing but a soft muffle.


PERILLOS, when inside, slams his fist on the side of the bull, as if believing he could make his way out.


                       PHALARIS
Were you not the one to tell me that the brazen bull was impossible to open from the inside?  



Only a muffled sob from PERILLOS can be heard from the inside of the monstrosity, it was barely audible.


                       
           PHALARIS
           (chirruping)
I will give you credit, young Perillos, so far this mechanism is looking to be quite the trick. Now to test out the heat and the horn; how lovely!



           PHALARIS
            (pointing to the heap of wood piled onto the dining table)
Guards, gather the lumber and set it beneath this ‘brazen bull’, then leave, I want to witness this for myself.


GUARD STEPHANO and GUARD ACACIUS nod their assent, gathering the wood and piling it neatly beneath the brazen bull. They leave quickly, and again, PERILLOS and PHALARIS are left alone. PERILLOS’ muffled shouts have ceased, but his desperate crying had not.


                       PHALARIS
                                    (striking stones held firmly in hand)
Do you not think that this is quite the punishment? What a way to go. You get to be the first one murdered by your own machine. What irony.



The only words made out by PERILLOS were words of pleading and begging. Nothing more.


                       PHALARIS
            (striking the stones over the wood, they spark and a small fire starts to form)
Well, thank you for this monstrosity, but now I want you to test it out for yourself. Enjoy.


PHALARIS backs away from the storming fire and watches as it licks against the bottom of the brass bull; growing in size and becoming unbearably hot even from 10 feet away, the brass was becoming yellow-hot. PERILLOS’ screams are muffled and can barely be registered; only when his mouth makes contact with the large horn does the marvel finally begin.


                      
             PHALARIS
           (amused)
Well, that truly is amazing.


The sounds that were coming from the brazen bull were exactly that of a real bull; except far more dramatic and desperate. Steam was rising from the burning hot exterior and the bull’s screams became more desperate. PHALARIS is suddenly struck with an idea.



                      

           PHALARIS
           (yelling)
Guards! Come forth and pull poor Perillos out, I have another idea for him.


GUARD ACACIUS and GUARD STEPHANO appear in the doorway, walking steadily forward. GUARD STEPHANO throws a bucket of water onto the raging fire, and GUARD ACACIUS opens the lock on the left hatch of the bull, revealing a severely burned and pained PERILLOS. His long brown locks were reduced to smoldering and black stacks on his smoking face; his clothes had been burnt down to nothing but thin and charred pieces of leather, and his skin looked like that of an overcooked piece of mutton.


                       PERILLOS
                                    (his voice nothing more than a croak)
Please, release me.



                       PHALARIS
                                    (sarcasm evident in his tone)
Oh, do not worry, young Perillos, I will set you free.


PHALARIS reaches into the scalding interior of the bull and grips PERILLOS tight by both shoulders. He pulls him from the heated brass, and to PERILLOS’ dismay, his skin is so burnt that it pulls away from the flesh; revealing bloody red masses of muscle. Despite this gruesome sight, PERILLOS’ cries of pain only fuel PHALARIS’ passion to have the man killed.



                       PERILLOS
           (sobbing and desperate)
Please, no more, I beg of you!


                       PHALARIS
But I thought you wanted to see someone thrown into this contraption? I wasn’t under the impression that you were objected to going in yourself.


                       PERILLOS
             (short of breath, angry)
You are a monster!


                       PHALARIS
Yes, well, coming from the man who created this twisted torture; that insult falls on deaf ears.


PERILLOS continues on with a string of curses to PHALARIS as he finally pulls him free from the bull. His burnt and blistered flesh sizzles when it hits the cold stone floor, causing a moan of pain to escape PERILLOS’ mouth.


                       PHALARIS
           (shouting)
Guards! Come and take this man out into the front quarters, I want people to watch what I have planned; I want them to see!


PERILLOS fights and thrashes around in PHALARIS grip as he tries to hand him over to the guards. The Guards are persistent, though, and eventually subdue the already weakened PERILLOS. PERILLOS goes limp in their grip, seeming to have finally come to terms with his fate.


                     CUT TO:


EXT. ANCIENT GREECE �" SAME DAY


PHALARIS is sitting on a tall throne, being carried to a cliff edge with his legs crossed. PERILLOS is being dragged forward by a horse, on his severely burnt back, through a large brush of wheat and dirt. His skin is peeling free from his cooked back and dirt is entering and clogging the wound. PERILLOS’ screams, although at the top of his lungs, could barely be heard through the heavy wind outdoors. They finally come to a stop and PHALARIS’ throne is put down on the ground, in which he steps down from to stand in front of the severely pained PERILLOS.


                       PHALARIS
            (voice raised to speak over the wind, powerful and demanding attention)
Do you realize what your crime is, young Perillos of Athens?


PERILLOS can only open his mouth with a pained groan, reaching out to touch PHALARIS’ face with a dirt clad hand. PHALARIS slaps it away with so much force PERILLOS hands creates an obscene cracking sound as it comes into contact with the solid rock ground.


                       PHALARIS
           (disgusted)
Lever him over, I want to watch his fall.


PHALARIS walks to the edge of the cliff and looks over at the raging sea, there were many rocks lining the vicinity. PERILLOS would certainly perish when he fell onto them. GUARD ACACIUS and GUARD STEPHANO pull PERILLOS up from the ground and stand next to PHALARIS, holding PERILLOS out over the edge by the wrists as he pleaded, barely conscious, for his life. A group of Sicilians had come to watch the spectacle; eager for the final drop; eager to see death.


                       PHALARIS
           (observing the crowd)
It looks like we have people to amuse, well then, let me jest.


PHALARIS stands tall to maintain the citizen’s attention, puffing his chest with his elegant dark locks billowing out behind him.

                       

                       PHALARIS
                        (shouting over the wind and roaring waves)
Citizens and friends of Arkagas, join us today as we send an evil and well-deserving being into the fiery bowels of hell.



The group of people all shout their assent without first being told why the man in question was being killed, they followed the tyrants orders like sheep. PHALARIS is pleased and unconsciously nods his head as he looks out at his followers. PERILLOS can be heard whimpering and pleading, low and almost inaudible.


                       PHALARIS
On my command, guards, you are to release Perillos and allow him to meet his fate. On my command you leave him fall!


PHALARIS looks PERILLOS in the eye one last time with a twisted smile before finally nodding his head and shouting for the guards to release PERILLOS. PERILLOS falls with a shrill scream, a barely audible crack and a small splash can be heard when PERILLOS reaches the bottom.


                       PHALARIS
Now die, Perillos of the Brazen Bull.



FADE OUT:

© 2012 Morgan


Author's Note

Morgan
I understand that there are some quirks and that my dialogue, descriptions, and placement of information might be off. This is my first time trying my hand at a screenplay/script. Even though this event was said to have truly occurred I still left it as 'Historical Fiction' because I put my own spin on it.

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Added on July 3, 2012
Last Updated on July 3, 2012
Tags: History Historical Torture

Author

Morgan
Morgan

Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada



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