INT. A LARGE VILLA IN BRUNDISIUM, ITALY - NIGHT
SUPER: BRUNDISIUM (BRINDISI), SEPTEMBER 19 BCE
PUBLIUS VERGILIUS MARO, a.k.a. VIRGIL (50s), thin, modest,
wearing a simple linen tunic belted at the waist, his short
hair neatly combed, lies propped up on a bed. The sweat on
his brow and pallor of his skin show he is in the grip of a
fever.
Nearby is a fire in a brasier which casts shadows on the wall
opposite. Virgil clutches rolls of papyrus.
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS (44), stands nearby. He is slender, average
height, fair skin and bright eyes. He is wearing a
traditional Roman toga.
NOTE: ALL DIALOGUE IN THIS SCENE IS IN LATIN WITH ENGLISH
SUBTITLES
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS
(in Latin; subtitled)
Deos gratias ago quod ad tempus
adveni. Rumores audivi te Aeneida
comburere velle. Vergili.
Imperator, tibi interdico. Carmen
est quod Homero aequari
potest—fortasse etiam superari.
Maximum carmen omnium, et a Romano
scriptum.
(Thank the Gods I got here on time.
I heard rumors you were planning to
burn your Aeneid. Virgil, as your
Emperor, I forbid it. It is a work
to rival, if not better, Homer. The
greatest poem ever written - and by
a Roman.)
VIRGIL
Morior… Numquam perficiam.
(I am dying. I will never finish
it.)
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS
In perpetuum vivet; et tu in eo
perpetuo vives. Trade mihi.
(It will live for ever and you will
live for ever in it. Give it to
me.)
Augustus takes the papyrus and exits the room.
Virgil stares at the shadows on the wall.
From somewhere, faint at first, comes the sound of music. It
is the one-two-three beat of a waltz.
The shadows on the wall form into a couple dancing to this
strange, unheard rhythm. They glide in time — turning,
drawing close, then apart, then close again. The man leads.
The woman follows. Their movement is graceful, intimate, as
if they've danced this way forever.
Virgil rubs his eyes as if he can’t believe what he is seeing
and falls back on the pillow. The room goes dark.
VIRGIL
Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem
mortalia tangunt.
(There are tears for things, and
mortal sorrows break the heart.)
Genres:
["Historical","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Echoes of the Past
INT. LONDON, ENGLAND, IN A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION - DAY
SUPER: LONDON, ENGLAND 1965
It's pitch black.
The rhythmic sounds of marching feet can be heard, faint at
first and then getting louder. Voices speaking in Latin.
NOTE: THE DIALOGUE OF THE LEGIONNAIRES IS IN LATIN WITH
ENGLISH SUBTITLES
LEGIONNAIRE ONE
Pedes mihi dolent ex istis damnatis
ambulationibus. Non possum
exspectare ut ad castra redeam.
(My feet hurt from all this damn
walking. I can't wait to get back
to camp.)
LEGIONNAIRE TWO
Spero Octavium iterum nobis legere
ex carminibus illius poetae. Ista
mihi maxime placent.
(Let's hope Octavius will read us
more from that poet's work. I'm
really enjoying it.)
LEGIONNAIRE ONE
Iucundissimum est audire de illis
diis divitibus in Tartaro — ubi
merito sunt.
(It's most pleasing to hear about
(MORE)
LEGIONNAIRE ONE (CONT’D)
those filthy rich bastards in
Tartarus - right where they deserve
to be.)
The marching and voices get louder.
Then, there is a loud CRASH of tumbling masonry. Light
appears through a large gap in the wall.
The spectral shades of the marching legionnaires are now
visible, but they show no awareness and keep marching. They
wear green tunics and carry large, red, curved rectangular
shields emblazoned with gold and yellow thunderbolts and
stylized eagles. Spears rest on their shoulders, and short
swords dangle from their belts.
The troop is only visible from the knees up, as if walking on
a road long since buried beneath the modern floor level.
Two workmen stick their heads through the hole and can see
and hear the troupe of legionnaires as they vanish into the
dark. SYBIL (20), a tall, blonde university student, and
ARTHUR (20), tall and thin, are also there. All watch in
stunned silence.
The legionnaires march off into the darkness.
WORKMAN ONE
Did you see that?
WORKMAN TWO
They look like bloody Roman
soldiers. 'ave we just seen ghosts?
Arthur turns to Sybil.
ARTHUR
What was that?
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Secrets in the Smoke
INT. LONDON, THE GOLDEN FLEECE PUB - DAY
A narrow, smoky London pub packed with character. Wood-
paneled walls, stained-glass mirrors behind a well-worn bar,
and brass beer taps gleaming under yellowed pendant lights.
Red velvet banquettes line the edges, the floor is scuffed
linoleum, and the smell of cigarette smoke, spilt bitter, and
pickled eggs lingers in the air.
A dartboard hangs crookedly beneath a fading photo of the
Queen. Two older men in flat caps sip pints at the bar.
A chalkboard near the entrance reads: "PIE & MASH — 1/6d."
A small black and white TV sits on the bar. Arthur is at the
bar ordering drinks. While waiting, he watches the BBC News.
NEWSCASTER (V.O.)
In Vietnam, the United States
continues its extensive bombing
campaign under Operation Rolling
Thunder — one of the largest since
the Second World War. Refugees are
streaming into Laos and Cambodia.
Student protests have erupted on
university campuses across America
in response.
Arthur returns with the drinks to where Sybil sits in a
booth.
He puts Sybil's drink on the table and straightens his arm.
It trembles noticeably, beer sloshing over the rim of the
pint glass.
ARTHUR
Look, I'm still shaking. I wouldn't
normally spill my beer.
SYBIL
Me too. Did we really see what we
thought we saw? Legionnaires
marching?
ARTHUR
Well, if I was... tripping... it
was really weird.
SYBIL
I think we should keep this to
ourselves. Everybody will think we
were stoned.
ARTHUR
I agree. And let's keep this to
ourselves, too. Those workmen
aren't gonna say anything.
Arthur cautiously looks around before reaching into his bag
and pulling out a glistening bronze torc - a heavy, twisted
bronze neck ring once worn by Celtic warriors and queens -
which he quickly shows Sybil before stuffing it back in his
bag.
SYBIL
(shocked, but whispering)
Arthur, did you get that... don't
(MORE)
SYBIL (CONT’D)
tell me.You could get into really
serious trouble.
Arthur, eyes twinkling, smiles mischievously and puts a
finger to his lips.
Genres:
["Historical Fiction","Mystery","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Morning Routine at Bournemouth Beach
EXT. BOURNEMOUTH - THE BEACH - MORNING
SUPER: BOURNEMOUTH, UK. PRESENT DAY
EVANDER "EV" DRYDEN (50) swims parallel to the shore where
the sand glistens in the late spring morning sun. His firm,
powerful strokes and rhythmic kicking propel him through the
calm, gently swelling water - a bright green tow bag trailing
behind.
Near Bournemouth Pier, he turns toward the beach and walks up
onto the sand sparkling in the light. He is six feet tall,
with short, greying hair and a slim but strong physique. He
pulls a towel out of the tow bag, dries off and slips on
shorts and a T-shirt.
At the promenade, already awake with runners, cyclists, and
dog-walkers, he sits briefly to pull on his shoes. He then
unlocks a mountain bike from a stand. He puts on the cycle
helmet locked to the handlebars and cycles off.
EXT. DRYDEN HOUSE - MORNING
A large Victorian house is set off the road in well-tended
gardens surrounded by large trees. A Volkswagen Passat Estate
is parked in the driveway.
Ev unlocks the cover to a large green cycle storage shed at
the side of the house and swings the doors open. He puts his
bike and gear in it, locks it again, and enters the house.
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
The modern kitchen, with an island in the middle, looks out
onto a back garden through large windows. Rhododendron bushes
at the rear of the garden are in full bloom in a riot of
whites, pink, blues and purples.
Ev gets a glass from the cupboard and goes to the fridge.
Stuck to the door by a cruise ship fridge magnet is a
brochure advertising:
THE AENEID WAY: FOLLOWING THE ROUTE OF AENEAS - TROY TO
LAVINIA JULY 2023
Guest lecturers: Emeritus Professor Sybil Dryden and
Professor Arthur Dryden
Ev looks at it for a moment, shakes his head wistfully, and
opens the fridge.
An IRON sits in the middle of the shelf next to the orange
juice. He sighs, reaches for the juice and pours himself a
glass. He takes a couple of gulps.
BEATRICE "BEE" DRYDEN (21), Ev's daughter, enters. Her blonde
hair is tied in a ponytail. Over her jeans, she wears a white
sweatshirt emblazoned: BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY CLASSICS
DEPARTMENT, CLASS OF 2025.
EV
I thought you were going to keep an
eye on Mum?
BEE
I did.
EV
Well, the other eye must have been
sleeping. How'd the iron get in the
fridge again, then?
BEE
Ah, no. Oh, poor Granny. Don't say
anything - she'll just be upset.
EV
I know she'll be upset but imagine
if she'd put the iron in with the
towels? At least she's still got
the sense to put it somewhere to
cool down. I just hope she keeps
remembering... if that's the
word... to keep putting it in the
fridge.
SYBIL DRYDEN (80), a diminutive, white-haired woman, with a
kindly but confused expression, enters. She is smartly
dressed in a light tweed skirt and white blouse.
SYBIL
Did you have a good swim, dear? It
must have have lovely down at the
beach. Sun shining, pretty girls
walking about... Did you talk to
anyone?
EV
Yes, Mum. It was lovely. And, no,
Mum, I didn't find anyone to talk
to.
SYBIL
That's a pity. I ironed your shirts
for work while you were out.
EV
Thanks, Mum. I really appreciate
it. But the iron ended up in the
fridge again.
SYBIL
(crestfallen)
Oh, no. How did it get there? I was
sure I put it back... It didn't,
did I?... What a mad old woman I am
becoming.
Sybil's shoulders slump and, head fallen, she walks slowly
out of the kitchen. Bee shakes her head angrily.
BEE
I just don't get it, Dad. What was
the point of that? She was happy a
moment ago. She wants to feel
useful.
EV
I get that, Bee. But how useful is
she going to feel if she burns the
bloody house down?
Ev exhales. Bee's lips tighten.
EV (CONT’D)
This is really tough on us all.
I've never been here before, I
don't know if I'm doing the right
thing or not. Let's try not to fall
out.
Bee puts her arms around him.
BEE
I know, Dad. Since Grandad died...
it just feels impossible.
EV
I know. She acts like he's gone for
a long walk - or she's trying to
win him back from another woman.
BEE
I'll bet he never even looked at
another woman.
EV
Maybe...
(laughs)
I don't think he was an old goat
but then... he wouldn't have told
me, would he?
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Echoes of Memory
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - STUDY - LATER
A roomy, book-lined study with large windows opening onto the
back garden. On another wall, in a big space among the
bookshelves, is a large framed family lineage written on
aging parchment:
THE LINEAGE OF THE DRYDEN FAMILY
Below a reproduction of Sir Godfrey Kneller's 1693 portrait
of John Dryden.
JOHN DRYDEN (1631–1700)
Poet Laureate. Translator of
Virgil's Aeneid.
Names descend:
THOMAS DRYDEN (1665–1735) - schoolmaster
ALFRED DRYDEN (1700–1768) - clergyman and amateur
antiquarian.
FREDERICK DRYDEN (1740–1810) - school inspector, contributor
to The Classical Review.
HENRY JOHN DRYDEN (1780–1852) - Latin teacher.
EDMUND DRYDEN (1820–1890) — Classics tutor, collector of
Roman coins
LAURENCE DRYDEN (1870–1950) — Fellow of King's College,
military historian
Then, in clear, recent ink:
ARTHUR VESEY DRYDEN (1945–2023) — Professor of History and
Archaeology of Roman Britain m. SYBIL REEVE-DRYDEN (b. 1945)
— Professor of Classics
(After Sybil's name, a small caret was inserted above
"Professor" in a different hand, and the word "Emeritus" was
squeezed between the lines.)
And near the bottom:
EVANDER DRYDEN (b. 1975 ) m. CLARA SINCLAIR (1976-2004)
ANTHEA MARY DRYDEN (b. 1979-1979)
"I Sang for The Shortest of Beautiful Days"
BEE DRYDEN (b. 2004 )
On a small plaque affixed to the bottom of the frame is
written:
NO DAY SHALL ERASE YOU FROM THE MEMORY OF TIME
-Virgil, Aeneid
The bookshelves are stuffed with books and papers. As well as
numerous books on archaeology and works by Homer, Ovid, and
the Greek tragedians, there is a selection of meaty titles:
"THE CELTS BEFORE THE ROMAN INVASION" BY ARTHUR DRYDEN
"CELTIC RELIGION: MOURNING AND MYTH" BY ARTHUR DRYDEN"
“FEMINIST APPROACHES TO THE CLASSICAL WOMAN" BY SYBIL DRYDEN
"VIRGIL'S DIDO IN THE AENEID AND LATER TRANSFORMATIONS IN
LITERATURE" BY SYBIL DRYDEN.
A slim volume of poetry stands next to them: "WHEN TIME
ECLIPSES THE SUN-POEMS BY EVANDER DRYDEN."
Two large desks face each other across the room. On one wall,
among the bookshelves, is a copy of the SEBASTEION FRIEZE
FROM APHRODESIAS, depicting the Emperor Claudius straddling a
semi-naked woman, Britannia, with a raised hand.
Sitting in aging, comfortable, high-backed armchairs are Ev,
wearing a smart corduroy sports jacket, and Bee, wearing her
white Uni sweatshirt.
They face DR. GEORGE CASTRO (60), tall, white-haired, and
patrician-looking. The lanyard around his neck identifies him
as a Consultant in Forensic and Geriatric Psychiatry. He
holds notes on his lap but doesn't look at them.
CASTRO
Where's Sybil?
EV
I asked. She didn't want to be
here. Said it was too depressing.
CASTRO
I shouldn't be having this
conversation, but Bob's gone off
sick, and we don't know when he's
going to be back. Slightly
irregular, but nothing for it, and
I owe you and your Mum this. And,
as soon as we can, we'll sort out
somebody else to take over.
(take a deep breath)
Ev, there is no magic pill here, no
silver lining in this cloud. We now
know Sybil was suffering from
undiagnosed mild cognitive
impairment. Arthur's sudden and
unexpected death has triggered a
full-blown dementia - probably
Alzheimer's. The cardiac arrest
gave her no time to brace for the
loss.
EV
(sharp intake of breath)
None of us had any time but shit,
Alzheimers. That was the word I
didn't want to hear. Poor Mum.
Death by a thousand cuts... of
memory. God, I hope she doesn't
live too long - she'll hate this.
BEE
Dad, what a horrible thing to say!
EV
Is it? You want to see your Granny
watching herself fade? Us watching
her watch herself - die piece by
piece until there's nothing left...
but a body? What terrible fucking
irony is this? She won't accept
he's dead. Her mind is destroying
itself...and eventually it will
erase herself, him, and us.
Bee cries.
BEE
No, I don't. Oh, God. How I wish I
could stop time.
EV
George, what's your take on this
Dido business?
CASTRO
Not sure, it's confused, but for
what it's worth. As her mind - her
memory - is fragmenting, she is
trying to hold onto something
solid, a narrative to help her
understand what is happening to
her. Put in another way, she’s
fleeing the disintegration of her
mind, seeking refuge in the myth
and poetry she studied and wrote
about all her life.. Dido lost
Aeneas and went to pieces... She
lost Arthur and went to pieces. She
still has moments of lucidity, but
in the confusion, she thinks she is
Dido, who lost Aeneas... just as
she lost Arthur. She is Dido
looking for Aeneas, Sybil looking
for Arthur. In a weird way, if she
can find him, persuade him to come
back to her, she can heal her
mind... her life.
EV
How long?
CASTRO
Don't know. Alzheimer's is the
leading cause of death here.
Ultimately, she's got the same
prognosis as the rest of us. Nobody
lives a long life.
EV
I didn't mean just that. I meant
how long before she's gone as
Sybil.
CASTRO
Variable progression - stress
speeds everything up.
BEE
(weeping softly)
This is so awful... poor Granny. To
see her die little by little each
day... and she had such a brilliant
mind. Sometimes she knows us, and
sometimes she doesn't. Life is so
cruel. It's a wonder we don't all
die of broken hearts.
Ev stands and walks over to Bee, gently touching her
shoulder.
CASTRO
Some of us do... And some of us
just lose our minds... She may be
unconsciously trying to protect
herself from Takotsubo
Cardiomyopathy.
EV
What's that?
CASTRO
"Broken heart syndrome." It's real -
and can be fatal. As the illness
progresses and she forgets herself,
she will remember... know... who
you are less and less. It's
tragically sad... And she’s got a
pacemaker and afib.
EV
Is there nothing we can do to help?
Castro sits silently in thought for a moment and then leans
forward.
CASTRO
It's something we've seen time and
again. I don't know if it will help
or not but... Music. It's processed
across multiple regions of the
brain — even ones that dementia
doesn't hit as hard early on.
(pause)
The memory for names, dates, even
faces - that fades. But music? How
to sing, the feelings tied to it...
those often last the longest.
BEE
Granny loves Baroque music - and
especially Purcell - and Strauss
waltzes.
(smiling)
She and grandad were always
dancing. One-two-three-one-two-
three-one.
CASTRO
Play it whenever you get the
chance. Let her listen to its
magic. Music can carry her back.
Bee looks at Ev.
BEE
We'll do anything to help Granny.
Castro reaches into his briefcase and pulls out a book:
MURDER IN THE FAMILY: THE ECHOES OF CLASSICAL TRAGEDY
He hands it to Ev.
CASTRO
Sybil was a consultant on the book.
Stopped me putting my foot in it
several times. My publisher is
celebrating the launch with a
garden party tomorrow night. He
thinks it'll make the Times
Bestseller list... like the others.
Come along with Sybil. It might
help her reconnect for a while with
who she was... is.
EV
Thanks, George... I'll see how she
is tomorrow. I'll walk you to your
car.
They leave.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Reflections in the Sun
EXT. THE FAMILY HOME OF SYBIL AND ARTHUR - CONTINUOUS
Ev and Castro stand by Castro's Audi. It glistens in the sun,
reflecting light, the brightness makes Ev blink.
EV
Nice car, George. Looks new.
CASTRO
Yeah... I'm embarrassed, but...
perk of being a best-selling
author... I'm sorry you're going to
have to go through this...
Alzheimer's is brutal - on its
(searching for the word)
victims and on carers, too... if
you want recommendations of good
care homes that'll try to help
preserve her memory, let me know.
EV
Thanks, George. Bee and I will try
to manage as long as we can.
(MORE)
EV (CONT’D)
But it's tough. I've got work.
Bee's got Uni. We can't just live
on benefits. Life's been such a
bitch since Dad died... It's like
we've been juggling glass bottles
in the air and sooner or later:
crash, crash. Pieces everywhere...
Us. The glass.
(pause)
I'm glad Mum was able to help you
with your book.
CASTRO
When the time comes — when you're
serious about a home — ask yourself
one question: 'What would Mum want
if she was in her right mind?' And
the bigger question: what are the
risks? To herself? To others? Is
she going to wander out of the
house at 3 a.m. looking for Aeneas
in the neighbor's garden?... Or
take a stroll into town. Lot of
dodgy people around...
EV
It's starting to keep me awake at
night.
CASTRO
As for the book? Might be the last
one I write.
EV
How come?
CASTRO
I'm sure you've seen this. He pulls
out his smartphone.
ON SCREEN
WELCOME TO AVERNUS, GEORGE
WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY?
BACK TO SCENE
CASTRO (CONT’D)
In a couple of years, I'll dictate
the case histories, suggest a
theme, and AI'll write the book.
(MORE)
CASTRO (CONT’D)
It'll weave in more references from
history, mythology, and medicine
than I'll ever know. Expert
consultants? Redundant. You, too.
EV
Maybe... But I doubt it. People are
always gonna want to talk to
people. Bee uses it with her Uni
work. Says it's invaluable. Can
even read Homeric Greek. But
there's a big caveat... she says it
gets things wrong, hallucinates and
has even lied to her.
CASTRO
Hallucinate? I understand. Lie? Not
so sure. But I can see it now.
Title: MURDER INSPIRED BY MACHINE,
author AVERNUSGPT with minor
assistance from Dr. George Castro.
Bloody hell, what's the world
coming to?
Castro drives off. Ev looks up at the sun, shielding his
eyes. He turns to go in and pulls out his phone.
ON SCREEN
WELCOME TO AVERNUS, EV
WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY?
BACK TO SCENE
Ev types:
ON SCREEN
DEMENTIA: DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
BACK TO SCENE
He doesn't wait but stuffs the phone in his pocket. Looks up
at the clear blue sky again and wipes away the tears
glistening in the sun as they roll down his cheeks.
Birds sing a chorus. He listens for a moment, turns, and
enters the house.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Echoes of the Past
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE- STUDY - CONTINUOUS
Ev walks into the study. Bee sits reading "When Time Eclipses
the Sun."
BEE
Dad, this isn't too bad. In fact,
it's even pretty good. But you've
not written anything in over twenty
years. How come?
EV
After your mum died, I just
couldn't. Everything...life...
dried up. I felt like a desert.
Looking after you with Mum was all
I could do.
BEE
I always thought it was my fault.
EV
What?
BEE
Mum's death.
EV
That's silly, why?
BEE
If I hadn't been born, she wouldn't
have died.
EV
(dryly)
Highly logical. And if you hadn't
made your mother and me have the
act of intercourse which created
you, then she wouldn't have been
pregnant with you... So it's
clearly your fault. And I always
thought it was the wine... but it
was you after all. I blamed nature,
God, the universe, time, eternity,
and everything else, but the
criminal was right under my nose
all the time.
(shakes his head in mock
ruefulness)
I was blind not to see it.
BEE
You're... awful - sometimes. Why
didn’t you remarry.
EV
Well, there have been
women...plenty of them..
BEE
(grimacing)
Dad, I don’t want to hear about
that. I know you weren’t a monk.
EV
I don’t know. Never felt I clicked
with anyone the way I clicked with
your mum. Everyone else felt like
... dancing with a shadow.
Sybil enters but doesn't say anything. She walks over to the
framed FAMILY LINEAGE. Her fingertips brush against the
plaque at the bottom of the frame.
She pushes a button on a stereo.
A few bars of baroque trumpet music begin to softly drift in
— an instrumental passage from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, of
the aria "When I Am Laid in Earth."
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music continues beneath.)
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Threads of Memory
EXT. BOURNEMOUTH CEMETERY - DAY
The late spring sun filters through a canopy of rhododendron
blossoms, casting dappled pink light on Arthur Dryden's
headstone. The buzz of bees among the rhododendron blossoms
fills the air.
A breeze swirls petals over the ground in hues of pink and
blue.
With Bee holding one arm and Ev the other as if propping her
up, Sybil looks at the grave. Tears stream down her cheeks.
ARTHUR VESEY DRYDEN
1945–2023
Beloved Husband and Father
“He was exhaled; his great Creator drew
His spirit, as the sun the morning dew.”
—John Dryden
There is a smaller headstone next to his.
ANTHEA MARY DRYDEN
1978-1978
“I sang for the shortest
of beautiful days.”
EV
Come, Mum. Let's go. It's a lovely
place, and Dad is at rest here with
Anthea.
SYBIL
I don't think he is there. He's
wandering somewhere.
BEE
Come, Granny. Let's go home and
I'll make us a cup of tea.
Music fades slightly as the scene returns to the study.
END FLASHBACK
Ev waves a hand at her; Bee blows her a kiss. Sybil is
singing softly. Bee and Ev listen silently.
SYBIL
"Ah! Belinda, I am press'd With
torment not to be confess'd.
Peace and I are strangers grown,
I languish till my grief is known,
Yet would not have it guess'd."
EV
Is that Purcell again? You know how
it upsets you.
SYBIL
It's lovely music. It helps me
remember. It comforts me.
(pause)
I didn't mean to interrupt. I know
how you two love to argue.
EV
(to Bee)
Well, I hope you got the point.
Yours is the logic of the Red Queen
in Alice in Wonderland.
BEE
(interrupting)
Slight correction, Dad. Don't want
to be pedantic, but the Red Queen
is in Through the Looking-Glass.
It's the Queen of Hearts in
Wonderland.
EV
Whatever... They were both crazy in
their own ways...
(pauses)
I've nearly lost the thread of what
I was saying...
SYBIL
(interrupting)
What thread have you lost, Ev? Can
I help you find it? The thread of
time? The thread Ariadne left so
Theseus could find his way out of
the maze?
Ev sighs. He looks closely at her with a questioning look.
EV
No, Mum. Just the thread of what I
was saying. Oh, yeah,.. The
classical Fates don't control our
lives. They bow to the god of the
great random factor. Sometimes it's
great, other times so cruel...
unless your heart is granite... it
threatens to bleed you out.
BEE
Fortuna - governed luck, chance,
fate, and the randomness of life —
good or bad. The Romans built
temples to her and offered
sacrifices.
EV
They thought she was a goddess that
could be swayed... still didn't get
it.
Sybil goes to Arthur's desk and pulls out a torc.
She holds it up to Bee and gestures. Bee comes over, and
Sybil helps her twist it around her neck.
EV (CONT’D)
What'cha doing, Mum? Where'd you
get that torc?
SYBIL
Silly. Can't you see I'm trying to
help fit it on Bee? It was in your
father's drawer.
(MORE)
SYBIL (CONT’D)
That conversation that the two of
you were having about the queens
made me remember something.
EV
Where'd Dad get it? Not seen it
before.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(The trumpet theme resumes faintly — this time, a more
tentative variation.)
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Echoes of the Past
EXT. POOLE HOSPITAL - DAY
ARTHUR, tall, thin, and white-haired, and Sybil (both early
sixties) get out of their car and hurry past the sign:
POOLE MATERNITY HOSPITAL
In through the double-doors.
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - DAY
Past the reception desk, down the corridor, they see EV (29)
is holding BABY BEE. Sybil and Arthur are walking towards Ev.
SYBIL
What's Ev doing out here? He should
be in with Clara. Hope everything
is alright.
ARTHUR
I'm sure everything will be
alright. It's 2004. Just be a
hiccup.
SYBIL
She's such a perfect baby.
ARTHUR
She is. And I've got just the
perfect present she can have...
later.
SYBIL
Tell me it's not the torc.
ARTHUR
(smiling, mock-innocent)
What torc?
SYBIL
You're impossible.
ARTHUR
I prefer... mythic. Put it away
until she's older. You know what Ev
is like.
As they get closer, they can see from the look on Ev's face
that all is not well.
SYBIL
What's the matter?
EV
(almost crying)
Don't know. They gave me the baby
and pushed me out into the
corridor.
The trumpet theme fades.
END FLASHBACK
Sybil wipes away a tear.
SYBIL
(softly, as if worried
about being overheard)
Arthur was a bit of a
(hesitates, searching for
the right word)
scallywag. He told me it belonged
to Boudica, but never told anyone
else 'cause he didn't want it to
end up in a museum.
EV
C'mon, Mum. You didn't believe
that? It would've been highly
illegal and career suicide if that
were true. Probably just another
one of Dad's tall tales.
Ev looks at Bee with the torc around her neck.
SYBIL
Doesn't it look gorgeous on her?
EV
Just like Boudica.
Bee mimes holding a chariot's reins in one hand and raising a
sword with the other.
BEE
I'm off to burn Londinium...
Anyway, I'd better take this off.
I've got a class now at Uni and
need to get going. Wouldn't do to
show up...
(looking pointedly at Ev)
looking like some kind of mad...
(pauses)
Red Queen. Off with their heads!
She untwists the torc and removes it. She pricks herself
slightly on it and sucks her finger.
BEE (CONT'D)
Ow! That really hurt. I'm bleeding.
Even her torc was bloodthirsty.
She returns the torc to Sybil, who replaces it in Arthur's
desk drawer.
BEE (CONT'D)
Not Boudica any longer, back to
Bee. Londinium is safe for now.
EV
I'll give you a ride to Uni. Mum,
come along for the ride.
Sybil pauses before straightening up as if deep in thought.
EV (CONT’D)
Mum, you alright?
SYBIL
Fine, dear. Just remembering when I
met your father...
She goes over to the bookcase and picks out Arthur's book
CELTIC RELIGION: MOURNING AND MYTH.
FLASH IMAGE IN SYBIL’S MIND - THE GHOST LEGIONNAIRES
The spectral images of the Roman Legionnaires marching just
as in the scene with Arthur and Sybil in the 1965 dig.
BACK TO SCENE
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I'll take this with me on the ride,
if that's okay...
(MORE)
SYBIL (CONT’D)
on our summer jobs. Something
neither of us ever forgot.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Driving Tensions
INT. EV'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Sybil is settled comfortably into the backseat of the car.
She gazes out the window, eyes misted over.
EV
You alright back there, Mum?
SYBIL
Fine, dear. You just keep your eyes
on the road. Don't worry about me.
Ev brakes sharply, gesturing in frustration at a learner car
just in front, hesitating at a roundabout ahead.
EV
Shouldn't be learning on roads like
this. Bloody menace.
BEE
(interrupting)
Shhh, Dad. You'll stress Granny
out.
(giggling softly)
Practice some mindfulness.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
A Torc and a Waltz
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - STUDY - DUSK
Sybil, Ev, and Bee are all in the study. Sybil is wearing a
smart dress and a shawl. Ev wears a neat sports jacket over
an open-neck shirt. Bee wears jeans and her Uni Classics
sweatshirt.
BEE
This okay to wear to a book launch
party? What about that torc?
EV
Better not. Someone might recognize
it for what it is - awkward
questions and all that.
SYBIL
Don't be silly. It hasn't been worn
to a party for two thousand years.
And if it's really hers, Boudica
won't complain.
She goes to the desk, lifts out the torc and hands it to Bee,
who twists it and puts it on. Then Bee twirls around. The
bronze gleams against the white of her Uni sweatshirt:
BOURNEMOUTH UNI CLASSICS.
She takes Sybil by the hands and the two waltz to imaginary
music for a few moments. When they stop, Bee bows to Sybil.
BEE
Thank you, Granny. I'm the only
girl in England wearing a two-
thousand-year-old necklace tonight.
SYBIL
Your Grandad was so proud of you,
and what a fine young woman you've
become.
BEE
Oh, that's lovely to hear. I wish I
could thank him for the torc.
SYBIL
When I find Aeneas, I will.
Bee notices Sybil's eyes misting over. She shoots a worried
glance at Ev. Sybil stands silently, a vacant look on her
face.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music is Purcell's Trumpet Tune and Air playing softly.)
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
A Visit to Bournemouth Comprehensive
EXT. BOURNEMOUTH COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL - MORNING
A large school in a middle-class district of Bournemouth.
Children and teenagers ranging from age eleven upwards are
pouring in through the school gates. Sybil and Arthur (70ish)
walk in through the main entrance.
INT. BOURNEMOUTH COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL - CONTINUOUS
They go up to the reception counter, and the receptionist
indicates they should sit in some chairs. The place is
bustling.
After a few moments, a nearby door opens and MR FULBRIGHT
(50) beckons them into his office. The bronze plaque on his
door reads:
MR FULBRIGHT
HEAD TEACHER
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Defending Boudica
INT. FULBRIGHT'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
The large office is tastefully furnished. A picture of King
Charles II is on the wall behind his desk. Windows look out
onto a busy playground. Fulbright is a large, well-built man.
They all shake hands, and he gestures to some seats.
FULBRIGHT
Thank you for coming in, Mr and Mrs
Dryden. I hope you're both well. I
wanted to discuss the recent
incident with Bee. I understand her
father is abroad on a business trip
at the moment.
SYBIL
Yes, he's at a conference in
Montreal.
FULBRIGHT
It was a very serious incident. She
launched an unprovoked attack on
George Smith and punched him in the
nose. Fortunately, it wasn't
broken.
SYBIL
Unprovoked? I understand he brushed
against her breast and pulled her
bra-strap.
FULBRIGHT
That sort of horseplay is common
among young teenagers. Bee has got
to learn to expect it.
SYBIL
(outraged)
Learn to expect it?
Fulbright looks at Arthur as if expecting an ally. Arthur
shrugs.
FULBRIGHT
Please calm down, Mrs Dryden. Let's
have a sensible discussion about
this. I don't want to have to take
it any further.
SYBIL
It's Dr Dryden, Mr. Fulbright. And
I will not calm down.
FULBRIGHT
George's parents want to press
assault charges. If they do, I will
have to suspend Bee.
SYBIL
Now you listen to me carefully. If
they press assault charges, I will
have their son charged with sexual
assault and harassment. I haven't
done it so far because I know when
males reach puberty, their brains
migrate south, and I want the boy
to have another chance. But I am
bringing my granddaughter up to be
a proud and independent young woman
who's not going to take any shit
from any misogynistic male
(looking pointedly at
Fulbright)
of any age. It's very difficult to
be a young woman in our culture.
One minute you're a girl, playing
with boys as friends, and the next
minute you're the object of male
sexual desire. And my granddaughter
is no object. So you want some bad
publicity for your school, you just
encourage those parents to press
charges.
FULBRIGHT
I can see you feel very strongly
about this, Dr Dryden. What about
your views, Mr Dryden?
ARTHUR
Wrong again. It's Dr., too. I've
always told my granddaughter from
an early age that she's got to have
the spirit of Boudica. And I taught
her how to throw a punch. I'm
pleased she learned the lesson
well.
Music ends.
END FLASHBACK
Ev takes her hand.
EV
(teasing)
That's enough, Boudica.
BEE
Let me go, Dad. I'm on a mission.
EV
Sack Londinium another time. We
need to get going.
Sybil then hands Bee a shawl that was on the desk.
SYBIL
Wear this on top to keep your Dad
quiet and stop him fretting.
BEE
Feels heavy but warm.
SYBIL
I need the toilet before we go.
She leaves.
BEE
Granny's not too bad tonight.
EV
No, she seems pretty good. Let's
hope it holds...
(pause)
I don't really want to have to put
her in a home. Maybe this is
lifting her spirits.
BEE
I hope so. That'd be awful for
her... and us... a home for lost
souls crying in the dark... it'd be
straight out of Virgil's
underworld.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Reflections in the Garden
EXT. ALBA ORNAMENTAL GARDEN TERRACES - NIGHT
The book launch is hosted in an extensive ornamental garden
covering several acres. At the entrance, signs point to
JAPANESE GARDEN
WOODLAND AND LAKES GARDEN
CLASSICAL GARDEN (CASTRO BOOK LAUNCH)
An old lady sits by the entrance to the Classical Garden,
which is through a colonnade. She hands each guest a Greek
chorus mask as they enter. Castro takes one and wears it.
Once through the colonnade, the eye is caught by a terrace,
and below it, connected by a series of steps, is a large,
cross-shaped pond stretching about 100 yards. Waterlilies dot
the pond, and large koi occasionally break the surface. A
rising breeze ripples the water.
A round, tiered fountain is in the middle of the intersection
of the pond's horizontal and diagonal lengths. In the middle
of the fountain, water pouring out of the mouths of the
snakes slithering over her body, is a statue of the Fury
Allecto.
Strung along behind the terrace is a banner:
CONGRATS, DR CASTRO, ON THE PUBLICATION OF YOUR NEW BOOK
Beneath the banner is a table with piles of books on.
Smartly dressed waiters and waitresses carrying trays of
Prosecco and canapés walk among the guests, some in formal
attire, some in jeans. All of the waiters wear masks. Some
guests wear masks; others let them dangle on their chests.
Ev, Bee and Sybil have masks but are not wearing them.
BEE
Wow, is this ever fancy. Must've
cost a fortune.
EV
Castro's books always make The
Times bestsellers list.
Bee's eyes are drawn to Allecto. She shifts uncomfortably and
touches the torc. Ev holds Sybil's arm.
SYBIL
Look, Ev. Isn't that a beautiful
statue of Allecto? What a lovely
party.
EV
If a statue of a woman with snakes
extending from her can be described
as beautiful, I suppose it is.
With Ev and Bee, she wanders over to the table of books and
picks up Castro's latest. She opens it and reads from the
preface:
SYBIL
"With thanks to Sybil Dryden, whose
unparalleled knowledge of classical
literature saved me from many
errors."....
(wistfully)
...and look at me now... needing to
be looked after twenty-four-seven.
"Amissio, amissio — ferenda vix
est."
Ev glances at Bee, her eyes clouded with tears.
BEE
"The loss, the loss — scarcely can
it be borne." Oh, Granny. I love
you so much. I am so sorry.
She puts her arms around Sybil and hugs her. Ev brushes tears
from his cheek.
BEE (CONT’D)
(to Ev)
Granny and I will have a little
wander round these beautiful
gardens. You go and talk to
someone. Don't drink too much, get
too flirty and embarrass yourself.
Ev feigns a look of surprise on his face as if to say, "Who?
Me?"
Bee takes Sybil by the arm. Sybil glances up at the banner
congratulating Castro.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(The Overture from Dido and Aeneas plays - bright,
ceremonial.)
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Echoes of Achievement and Loss
INT. STAFF COMMON ROOM - DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS - SOUTHAMPTON
UNIVERSITY - DAY (1975)
Academic clutter everywhere. Wood-paneled walls, dusty
windows, threadbare curtains. A battered leather sofa sags
beneath a heap of papers.
SYBIL (30), sharply dressed in a patterned blouse and flared
trousers, pours tea into a chipped cup. She's cradling a baby
in one arm. Her laugh cuts through the murmur of scholarly
voices. Several male and female academics are gathered
around.
Across from her, PROFESSOR HEMSWORTH (60s, tweed, paternal),
glances over a galley proof of Sybil's book: VIRGIL'S DIDO IN
THE AENEID AND LATER TRANSFORMATIONS IN LITERATURE.
HEMSWORTH
It's been a productive year for
you, Sybil. First, a baby, and now
a book.
SYBIL
Well, I got the book done before I
had the baby. I didn't think I'd
have much time after Evander
arrived.
Everyone laughs.
HEMSWORTH
Well, thank you for taking leave
from your busy household duties to
come in and see us on the occasion
of your book being published. I
gather it's already creating quite
a stir - the first feminist take on
the role of Dido. We look forward
to your returning to work when
Evander is older.
Applause all round.
(The music fades.)
END FLASHBACK
Bee and Sybil wander off.
Castro approaches Ev, who lifts another glass from a masked
passing waitress. Castro removes his mask.
EV
My daughter just told me not to
drink too much and get all
flirty... like she's the parent.
Castro laughs.
CASTRO
How's Sybil? She seems to be
enjoying herself.
EV
She is, but the problem is,
whenever she is lucid, she realizes
how much she is losing, and the
pain of that flips her over again.
CASTRO
That's tough. Tough for her, tough
for you. Bee's really good with
her.
EV
She sees something of what she was
in Bee - a budding classicist.
Sometimes, they speak Latin which I
don't get.
CASTRO
I'm surprised. With Sybil Dryden as
a mother, I would've thought you
learned it in utero.
Ev laughs.
EV
She tried to teach me but... she'd
translate The Cat in the Hat into
Latin as a bedtime story.
Castro looks at him, squinting.
EV (CONT’D)
Just a joke. She was so delighted
when Bee took to it.
A waiter walks over to Ev, who puts his empty glass on the
tray and takes another.
EV (CONT’D)
Thanks.
The waiter hovers for a moment.
EV (CONT’D)
I'd better go find Bee and Mum -
just in case Mum has...
CASTRO
Not to worry. I'll go. You stay
here and have another drink. Find
someone to flirt with. It'll give
me a chance to thank Sybil in
person.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Whispers of Memory and Connection
EXT. GARDEN PATH - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Castro walks through the lush gardens. Birds call to each
other somewhere in the dark.
EXT. GARDEN ALCOVE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
A secluded alcove beneath blossoming cherry trees. Petals
carpet the ground. A small waterfall gurgles softly nearby.
Solar lanterns cast a warm, flickering glow.
The rising breeze sends flurries of blossoms swirling like
large flakes of snow.
Bee and Sybil are in conversation with ANA STOJANOVIĆ (40), a
blonde waitress. Ana wears her Greek chorus mask slung on her
chest. Her English is fluent, and her smile is kind.
ANA
I hope you didn't mind my saying
hello. I saw your sweatshirt. I'm
Ana. I studied English and Classics
at Pristina University...
SYBIL
Not at all. Anna is my sister's
name.
Sybil turns to bend and smell some flowers. Bee pulls Ana
slightly to the side and whispers to her.
BEE
This is my Granny. Sybil Dryden.
ANA
The feminist classicist? Sybil
Dryden? She's famous... at least
in the Classics department. Her
books are on the syllabus.
Sybil stands and can now hear the conversation.
BEE
Granny isn't well. Sometimes, she
thinks she is Dido.
SYBIL
I am Dido, Queen of Carthage...
(pauses)
And sometimes I am... I am...
Sybil... and I know... I have
dementia... and Sybil is slipping
(MORE)
SYBIL (CONT’D)
away - like water through my
fingers.
BEE
Granny stopped teaching a few years
ago, and after her husband died...
well...
ANA
(softly to Bee)
Oh... I'm so sorry to hear.
(to both )
I miss my studies. Your books are
brilliant... I had to flee because
of the war.
SYBIL
A refugee? Like Aeneas?
ANA
Yes, to Calais and across the
Channel in a small boat. Granted
asylum. It was easier then.
SYBIL
Did you ever meet Aeneas?
ANA
(confused)
No,... Ah, I understand... but I
know of Aeneas, of course. Bee, I'd
love to hear some more about your
uni course, but I have to get back
to work. I live in London...if
you're ever up, perhaps we could
have coffee?
BEE
Yes, that'd be nice.
Ana scribbles something on a slip of paper and hands it to
Bee.
ANA
My address and phone number. Must
get back to work.
As Ana is leaving, she turns and calls over her shoulder.
ANA (CONT’D)
Please get in touch. Amo cum
sodalibus classicis colloqui.
(I love talking with fellow
classicists.)
SYBIL
Promittimus nos facturos esse.
(We promise we will.)
BEE
That'll be lots of fun.
Castro is walking on a garden path amidst the flowers,
statues, and trees, all lit by solar lights on the ground.
The breeze continues to rise, almost causing a snowstorm of
cherry blossoms.
CASTRO
(calling out but not too
loudly)
Sybil! Bee! Are you alright?
He sees Sybil and Bee in the alcove.
SYBIL
We're fine, George. Been having a
nice chat with Ana. She's a
classics student from Pristina. She
knows of Aeneas. We're going to
visit her in London.
The breeze causes more petals to fall from the trees and rise
from the ground. In Sybil's mind, the petals blur into
mortarboards:
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music from Purcell's "Come Ye Sons of Art" plays softly.)
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Literary"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
A Moment to Remember
INT. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON - LOGAN HALL
Black mortarboards drift through the air. Arthur and Sybil,
in formal graduation gowns, stand holding hands amidst the
rest of the graduating classes.
(Music fades.)
END FLASHBACK
Petals fall onto Bee and Sybil's hair and shawls, bringing
smiles to Sybil's face.
SYBIL
Isn't this a lovely memory?
BEE
Yes, it'll be a lovely memory.
(to herself)
I'll remember it for both of us.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
A Portrait of Memories
INT. DRYDEN HOME – BEE'S BEDROOM – DAY
A large bed. A bookcase lined with books. A big desk with a
chair. A separate small vanity table. Bee unwraps a flat
package. Inside: a framed photograph of Frida Kahlo. She
takes a small hammer, taps a picture hook into the wall and
then hangs the frame.
On another wall hangs a framed poster: a richly colored
reimagining of the ancient Great Eleusinian Relief.
Bee sits at the desk, texting.
TEXT ON SCREEN:
Hi, Ana. Bee here. Nice to meet you.
TEXT ON SCREEN:
Nice to meet you, too. How is your Granny?
TEXT ON SCREEN:
She's okay. We're planning on coming up to London in a couple
of days. You free? If you like Frida Kahlo there's a pop-up
poster tribute to her in a lovely cafe-gallery. Would you
like to meet us?
TEXT ON SCREEN:
That would be lovely.
TEXT ON SCREEN:
Just got a new photo of Frida Kahlo on my wall.
Bee takes a photo with her smartphone and sends it.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Here it is.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Lovely. She was such an inspirational woman.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Mirabile! See you soon.
TEXT ON SCREEN
Mirabile! looking forward to it.
There's a knock on her door.
BEE
Hello?
SYBIL (O.S.)
Can I come in?
BEE
Always, Granny.
Sybil enters, sits on Bee's bed and looks at the Kahlo
portrait.
SYBIL
That's new. Frida Kahlo. What a
woman.
BEE
Yes, brave, inspirational. She
reminds me of you.
SYBIL
Don't be silly. I'm not brave. At
the moment, I feel frightened all
the time.
BEE
What are you frightened of?
SYBIL
What if I put the iron in the
fridge, unplugged, and it boils
Ev's orange juice?
BEE
(laughs)
Oh, Granny, that's exactly what I
mean!
SYBIL
I'm not brave... and you won't want
to hear this... but I wish I could
die all at once... Instead, it
feels like I am dying piece by
piece, and I don't know what part
of me will be left tomorrow.
(MORE)
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Homer called it "grim old age." And
it is. I hate it. I don't want you
remembering me as a mad old woman.
I want you to remember me as Sybil,
the feminist, the fighter.
BEE
Oh, Granny. I will.
Sybil pulls out her phone.
SYBIL
I've been trying to use this.
BEE
A phone? You've been using one for
years.
SYBIL
No, silly.
Sybil types:
ON SCREEN
WELCOME TO AVERNUS, SYBIL
WHERE ARE YOU GOING TODAY?
BACK TO SCENE
She presses the phone against the top of her head and then
shows it to Bee.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I thought, crazily, if I dictated
my memories into this, it would
hold me in place, and then I could
retrieve myself. It would be... a
home... for my memory, for me. But
it doesn't work. It's memory for me
is worse than mine. Each time it
says it's a new chat and can't
access what we talked about before.
Like I'm writing myself in water. I
don't want you to remember me as
your mad old Granny.... Did I say
that already?
Bee puts her arms around Sybil.
BEE
I love you, Granny. I'll remember
you as Sybil Dryden, Emeritus
Professor... Scholar. Fighter.
(MORE)
BEE (CONT’D)
Feminist. I promise...
(pause)
I’ve been texting Ana and asked her
if she would like to meet us at the
Frida Kahlo and she said she would.
SYBIL
Oh yes,...
(remembering)
... Ana.
That would be good... And
she might know where Aeneas is...
Perhaps I could help her get back
into classics. That would be a good
thing while... but your father
will never let us go. And I don't
want to cause too much trouble... I
don't want him to say I have to go
into a home.
BEE
He wouldn't dare. Because I'll tell
him I'm going with you.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
A Desperate Plea
INT. DRYDEN HOME - STUDY - DAY
EV
There is absolutely no bloody way
the two of you are going to London
to meet this Ana.
SYBIL
Ev, she said she knows Aeneas. You
know I must find him. There’s
something I must say to him. Bee,
dear, please go online and find out
what times the trains leave.
EV
Absolutely not.
BEE
I can hardly believe you're saying
this. She's not your property. I'm
not your property. What do you say,
Granny?
SYBIL
Look at me, Ev.
Sybil stands, looking up at Ev and into his eyes.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I have this terrible affliction
devouring my memory. I don't know
how much longer I'll still be me...
I need to do this one last thing...
One last trip to London where
Arthur and I were so happy... And
somehow, I feel I might find Aeneas
there. I am desperate to find
Aeneas and tell him. Please come
with us.
Ev and Bee are silent. A clock ticks. Then...
There's the sound of water - DRIP, DRIP, DRIP.
Ev looks. There is a puddle beneath Sybil. Sybil stares
straight ahead.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I've wet myself. This is... this
is... unbearable.
EV
(compassionate)
Jesus. Oh, Mum, my poor, lovely,
brilliant Mum. What god-forsaken
Fury is doing this?
For a moment, in Ev's mind:
FLASH IMAGE - THE STATUE OF ALLECTO
The statue of ALLECTO from the garden party - with snakes
writhing all about her, water streaming from their mouths.
BACK TO SCENE
BEE
Come, Granny. I'll help you get
cleaned up.
Sybil's eyes glisten. Bee takes her hand, and they leave the
room. Ev stifles a sob.
EV
Dear God, I’m losing her again.
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bee is in the bathroom with Sybil and hands her a towel. Then
touches her neck.
BEE
There you go, Granny. Don't worry.
Sybil takes the towel. She slowly drapes it over her head
like a bridal veil.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(The music here is Purcell's 'Thou Knowest Lord, the secrets
of our heart'.)
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
A Wedding Remembered
INT. LONDON - THE CHURCH OF ST BARTHOLOMEW THE GREAT - DAY
Light slants through narrow clerestory windows, catching in
the incense haze. Stone arches rise into shadow, ancient and
solemn, worn by centuries of footsteps. A lone candle
flickers beside a carved pillar.
Sybil and Arthur stand before the Norman altar. Sybil wears a
white wedding dress, head covered with a bridal veil. Arthur
wears a charcoal wool suit with a narrow tie. Her hand
trembles slightly in his.
Behind them, the dark wood pews are half full of friends,
family, and a few colleagues in academic robes.
A shaft of sunlight falls on them just as they exchange vows.
ARTHUR
I, Arthur, take thee, Sybil, to be
my wedded wife, to have and to hold
from this day forward, for better,
for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love
and to cherish, till death us do
part, according to God's holy law;
and thereto I give thee my troth.
SYBIL
I, Sybil, take thee, Arthur, to be
my wedded husband, to have and to
hold from this day forward, for
better, for worse, for richer, for
poorer, in sickness and in health,
to love, cherish, and... well, I'm
going to have to leave out the
'obey' Arthur, I wouldn't want to
lie to you on our wedding day.
Arthur LAUGHS out loud.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
till death us do part, according to
God's holy law; and thereto I give
thee my troth.
Arthur pulls back Sybil's veil, and they kiss.
(Music ends.)
END FLASHBACK
Sybil removes the towel from her head and hands it to Bee.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I'd love to be at your wedding,
Bee, but I'm pretty sure the Fates
aren’t going to allow that.
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Avernus at Midnight
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - SYBIL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
A large, comfortable room with windows looking onto the
garden. A vanity dresser, bookcases, and a couple of
comfortable armchairs. A large bed.
Sybil sits in bed talking to VIRGIL (50s), thin, modest,
wearing a plain white toga over a simple tunic, his short
hair neatly combed. He sits watching Sybil.
NOTE: ALL DIALOGUE IN THIS SCENE IS IN LATIN WITH ENGLISH
SUBTITLES
VIRGIL
Senex es ad hoc. Quid cogitas?
(You're too old for this. What are
you thinking of?)
SYBIL
Aenean quaerere debeo. Volo Annam
adiuvare ut ad studia classica
redeat.
(I must find Aeneas. I want to help
Ana get back into her classics
studies.)
VIRGIL
Ne ad latrinam quidem te ipsa
tempestive adiuvare potes.
(You can't even help yourself to
the bathroom on time.)
SYBIL
Crudele est hoc dicere.
(That's a cruel thing to say.)
VIRGIL
Non crudelius quam tu quietem meam
turbare. Nescis quam satietate
affectus sim. Fuit ille rusticus,
Dante, Chaucer, atque tot alii...
Utinam carmen istud igni
tradidissem cum potui!
(No crueler than you disturbing my
rest. You have no idea how fed up I
am. There was that peasant, Dante,
Chaucer, and so many others... I
wish I had burned that damn poem
when I had the chance.)
SYBIL
Opus pulcherrimum perdidisses.
(You would have destroyed a most
beautiful work.)
VIRGIL
Nunc discedendum est. Memento — si
potes, dum dea Mnemosyne tibi canit
— sortes Vergilianae.
(I must leave now. Remember, if you
can, while the Goddess Mnemosyne
still sings for you — the sortes
Virgilianae.)
SYBIL
Dum dea Memoria adhuc canit.
(While the Goddess of Memory still
sings.)
Sybil pulls out her phone and types.
ON SCREEN
WELCOME TO AVERNUS, SYBIL
WHERE SHALL YOU GO TONIGHT?
BACK TO SCENE
VIRGIL
Iocus hic vere facetus est.
(That's a funny joke.)
SYBIL
Me praeterit.
(It passes me by.)
VIRGIL
(sighing)
Anus mente lapsa... ad Avernum
tendit, ad lacum ante portas Orci.
(MORE)
VIRGIL (CONT’D)
(An old woman, her mind slipping...
makes her way to Avernus, to the
lake before the gates of Orcus.)
SYBIL
Crudelis. Interdum te ex corde odi.
(Cruel. At times I hate you from
the heart.)
VIRGIL
Sed quid mirum? Instrumentum ad
limen Averni adhibetur — quasi
obliti sint.
(But what's strange in that? An
instrument is used at the threshold
of Avernus — as if they have
forgotten.)
(pauses)
Facilis descensus Averno; sed
revocare gradum superasque evadere
ad auras, hoc opus, hic labor est.
(Easy is the descent to Avernus;
but to recall your steps and escape
to the upper air, this is the work,
this is the struggle.)
SYBIL
Abi. Te satis audivi.
(Go. I've heard enough from you.)
Virgil vanishes without a sound. Sybil, her face contorted in
confusion, stares at the empty chair. A wall clock ticks. She
looks up at the clock.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Time passes. I'm descending.
There's no way back.
Genres:
["Drama","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Dreams and Decisions
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING
Ev, Bee and Sybil are sitting down with cups of coffee. There
is a folded newspaper beside Ev. The headlines blare:
YESTERDAY: 600 ASYLUM SEEKERS CROSSED THE CHANNEL
SYBIL
I had the strangest dream last
night. Virgil came and stood by my
bed, and he said, "Sortes
Vergilianae. Sortes Vergilianae."
Then he vanished.
EV
(wearily shakes his head)
Explain, Mum.
Sybil picks up the newspaper, glances at the headlines and
puts it down, shaking her head in disbelief.
BEE
Let me do it, Granny. Sortes
Vergilianae. Since Virgil wrote the
Aeneid, people have used it as an
oracle. You'd open the book
randomly, point to a passage in the
Aeneid and think it was a clue
about what to do, or what was
coming. When he was in prison,
Charles I tried. He got: cadat ante
diem mediaque inhumatus harena.
EV
Interpreter, please?
SYBIL
Cadat: "May he fall." Ante diem:
"before his day". Mediaque
inhumatus harena: "and unburied in
the middle of the sand." His head
was chopped off soon after.
EV
You two are more cheerful by the
minute. What's it got to do with
your dream?
SYBIL
He lost his head. It was clean.
(pause)
I’m being sliced and diced.
Bee winces. Sybil stands and goes to the bookshelf, pulling
out a large volume. She flicks through the pages.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
But Arthur's great-great-great-
great-great-great-grandfather said
it thus:
(reading aloud)
"Nor, when he falls, be honor'd
with a grave,
But lie unburied on
the barren shore!"
And he was your...
EV
(interrupting)
I get the picture, Mum. You've told
me many times John Dryden was a
great to the 6th power grandfather.
She stuffs the book back into the bookshelf.
SYBIL
My dream? It was a message. Virgil
will help us find Aeneas when we go
to visit Ana.
BEE
Brilliant!
EV
Bee! Don't encourage her!
BEE
It's worth a try!
SYBIL
(wistful)
And if I can find my sister, I
might find Aeneas.
EV
Bee, what does she mean?
Bee just shakes her head at him.
SYBIL
We'll start at The Golden Fleece.
EV
Why there?
SYBIL
Arthur and I used to go for drinks
there when we first met.
EV
Well, if we don't find Aeneas, at
least I'll get a pint.
BEE
Your sense of humor...
Bee retrieves the torc from Arthur's desk and skillfully
twists it on her neck.
BEE (CONT’D)
There's somewhere we must go first.
Grandad is coming with us.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Boudica's Legacy
EXT. LONDON, CORNER OF VICTORIA EMBANKMENT AND BRIDGE STREET,
WESTMINSTER - BOUDICA AND HER DAUGHTERS - DUSK
Ev, Bee and Sybil stand looking up at the statue of Boudica
with her two daughters in her chariot - her spear raised into
the evening sky. Bee reaches into her bag and twists the torc
on.
EV
She was a formidable woman.
Wouldn't want to run into her and
that chariot in a dark alley.
BEE
I don't know if we could consider
her to be a feminist icon or not.
What do you think, Granny?
SYBIL
She was a powerful woman in a man's
world. I think we can claim her.
Virgil appears from among the throng of pedestrians. No one
notices him. He stands beside Sybil. Only she can hear him.
VIRGIL
(in Latin; subtitled)
Barbara regina ferox, virtute
animosa placet mihi; arma tamen
contra Romuleum temerata recuso.
(The fierce barbarian queen,
spirited in valor, pleases me; yet
I reject the arms recklessly raised
against Romulus' realm.)
SYBIL
Scio hoc forsitan parum
feministicum sonare, sed interdum
tam acerbe loqueris ut plane procax
videaris.
(I know this may sound a little
unfeminist, but sometimes you speak
so harshly that you seem downright
bitchy.)
BEE
Who you talking to, Granny?
SYBIL
Virgil. He dresses it up in style
but, honestly, he can be quite the
bitch.
EV
If I said something like that, you
two would take me to task for
misogyny.
Ev quickly hails a black London taxi.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Echoes of History
INT. BLACK CAB - CONTINUOUS
TAXI DRIVER
Where to, Guv?
EV
The Golden Fleece.
Ev looks back at the statue.
EV (CONT’D)
It doesn't show the horror of those
times.
TAXI DRIVER
That's right, Guv. The Iceni burnt
London to the ground. Tacitus said
the British took no prisoners but
killed everyone. Maybe thirty
thousand. Men, women, kids.
Refugees in the thousands.
The taxi drives past a newspaper kiosk. Outside is a poster
board with the headlines:
HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS DROWN OFF ITALY
Sybil glances at it.
SYBIL
(snorts)
The horrors of those times. Hmm.
Wonder what Tacitus would write
today?
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music plays "Sound the Trumpet" – from Purcell's Come Ye
Sons of Art)
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
A Call for Rescue
EXT. MV PALINURUS - DAY
SUPER: SUMMER 2015 - THE AEGEAN, ON THE ROUTE OF AENEAS
The deck is full of passengers sitting in deckchairs, having
coffee, or early drinks. The ship's siren suddenly SCREAMS.
Passengers startle with looks of fear on their faces.
CAPTAIN (V.O.)
Ladies and gentlemen, sorry but
there will be a change to our
itinerary today. We have been
called to aid in maritime rescue
operations.
Flares illuminate the sky on the horizon. The passengers rush
to the guardrails.
A motorized dinghy is launched.
Soon it returns, people clinging to its sides, towing a
larger rubber dinghy stuffed with people.
Sybil and Arthur rush to help as men, women, and children
wretchedly wet, are hauled up onto the deck of the ship.
Two bodies are covered in blankets.
(Music fades.)
END FLASHBACK
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Tension at the Golden Fleece
EXT. LONDON - OUTSIDE THE GOLDEN FLEECE PUB - DUSK
The elegant pub stands on a corner within a historic
building. Tall arched windows dominate the ground floor,
topped with black wrought-iron balconies and framed by light
stone columns. The golden stone façade hosts classical
detailing — arched motifs, pilasters, and decorative reliefs.
"Golden Fleece" gleams in tasteful gold lettering against a
sleek black background beneath a large stylized golden fleece
emblem over the entrance. Warm light spills from inside,
hinting at a cozy, inviting atmosphere.
Ev, Bee, and Sybil stand outside.
EV
Not quite what I was expecting. Ok,
what does Virgil want us to do?
SYBIL
Don't make fun. If you're going to
make fun, go home.
Ev rolls his eyes. Looks daggers at Bee behind Sybil's back.
EV
Sorry, Mum.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Guided by Ghosts
INT. THE GOLDEN FLEECE - CONTINUOUS
Warm amber light glows from a chandelier overhead, casting
soft shadows across dark wood tables and polished floors.
Exposed brick walls and black paneling give the room a
hushed, almost ceremonial feel. Leather banquettes curve like
alcoves along the edges, half-hidden in flickering
candlelight. Framed portraits gaze down from the walls —
faces half-obscured, timeworn.
They sit at a table. Ev goes to the bar and comes back with
some drinks.
EV
Now what?
SYBIL
Virgil will guide us.
She pulls out a copy of the Aeneid from her bag and places it
on the table in front of them.
Sybil opens the Aeneid. Closes her eyes, flicks a page, and
points to a passage.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
(reading aloud)
"Each ghost with sorrow in his
aspect stands,
And looks amaz'd on the devoted
bands;
Some with long groans the gath'ring
throng deplore,
Some curse the stars that rul'd
their natal hour,
Their dire condition with loud
cries demand,
And point to th'passage to the
farther strand."
EV
What on earth or wherever does that
mean?
Sybil stares at the passage.
SYBIL
We have to go to The Strand. Virgil
will meet us there.
Virgil stands behind a man at the old-fashioned jukebox. The
man puts a few coins in, and music blares out - a popular
British music hall song of the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. Virgil glances over at Sybil and smiles. She lifts
her hand in a subtle wave.
EV
Who you waving at, Mum?
SYBIL
Virgil. He's over there by the
jukebox. I can't believe he's going
to put a song on. Let's see what he
chooses.
SONG (V.O.)
Let's all go down the Strand
Let's all go down the Strand
I'll be the leader, you can march
behind
Come with me and see what we can
find
Let's all go down the Strand
Oh! What a happy land
That's the place fer fun and noise
All among the girls and boys
So let's all go down to the Strand.
Ev tilts his head to listen to the lyrics. He shakes his head
in disbelief. They get up and leave. Virgil follows.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Aeneas Awaits
EXT. LONDON - THE STRAND - EVENING
Ev, Bee and Sybil stand looking at the STATUE OF SAMUEL
JOHNSON, behind St Clement Dane's Church on The Strand.
EV
Why are we here?
SYBIL
Samuel Johnson. He wrote about your
great, etc, grandfather, John
Dryden, in his Lives of the Poets.
This must be what Virgil wanted us
to see.
EV
Why? What's here? Nice old church
done by Christopher Wren, but how
does this help us find Aeneas?
BEE
Dad, just wait. You're too
impatient.
Ev bites his lip.
Sybil pulls out her copy of the Aeneid, flips through it and
touches it. She then reads aloud.
SYBIL
Son of the God of Winds; none so
renown'd, The Warrior Trumpet in
the Field to sound: (VI, 243-246)
Hurry, we must go.
She heads for the road.
EV
(to Bee)
I'm starting to get worried she's
going to dart in front of a taxi or
something. This is getting more
ridiculous by the minute.
BEE
I'll keep an eye on her. Let's
humor her. Please, Dad. There's no
harm to it.
EXT./INT A BLACK CAB - CONTINUOUS
DRIVER
Where to, Guv?
Ev looks at Sybil.
SYBIL
Christchurch Gardens.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
A Night at Christchurch Gardens
EXT. LONDON - CHRISTCHURCH GARDENS - NIGHT
Ev, Bee and Sybil approach the statue THE FLOWERING OF THE
ENGLISH BAROQUE - a bust of the composer Henry Purcell. There
aren't many people about. Some of Purcell's trumpet music
plays softly from speakers in the trees.
SYBIL
See, trumpets! I knew there was
sense to this. Henry Purcell - he
was friends with Dryden and they co-
operated on some pieces together.
EV
(struggling to contain his
annoyance)
I'm sorry, Mum.
This is silly. I
don't want to hurt your feelings,
but you have probably seen these
statues before. You are dredging
them up out of your memory. There
is no 'sortes Virgilianae.'-
just forgotten memory. There is no
clue to Aeneas here. It's late.
Let's go to the hotel and home in
the morning.
He pulls a startled Sybil to him and, with Bee, head off to
the street and hail a passing taxi.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Guided by Waves of Time
EXT./INT A BLACK CAB - CONTINUOUS
Panting, they all settle into the taxi.
EV
(to the driver)
Hazlitt's, please.
(to Bee and Sybil)
Both alright?
They nod.
SYBIL
See? Virgil is guiding us... We are
getting closer all the time...
singing in the waves of the sea of
time.
Ev shakes his head from side to side. Bee affectionately
squeezes Sybil's arm.
BEE
You've got a poet in there, Granny.
SYBIL
Virgil is the poet.
Sybil looks out the window.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(A gentle mandolin melody begins — Vivaldi's Concerto in C
Major (Largo) — evoking the Mediterranean light and the quiet
joy of two young lovers on a honeymoon.)
Genres:
["Drama","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Arrival at Parco Vergiliano
EXT. NAPLES, PARCO VERGILIANO A PIEDIGROTTA - DAY
SUPER: NAPLES, PARCO VERGILIANO a PIEDIGROTTA
Arthur and Sybil (early 20s) exit the Neapolitan taxi. Arthur
hands the driver several notes.
ARTHUR
Grazie mille, è stato un piacere.
(Many thanks, it was a pleasure.)
TAXI DRIVER
Bravo! Parla bene l'italiano! Buona
giornata, signò!
(Well done! You speak Italian well!
Have a good evening, sir!)
Sybil and Arthur look at the sign stuck to the gate:
PARCO VERGILIANO A PIEDGROTTA
TOMBA DI VIRGILIO
70-19 a.c
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
A Honeymoon Memory at Virgil's Tomb
EXT. NAPLES, ITALY – VIRGIL'S TOMB - DAY
The tomb is carved into a crumbling tufa cliff. A rough stone
arch leads into shadow. Wildflowers crowd the worn path.
Sunlight pierces a small window; dust motes dance in the
beam.
Wildflowers and grasses press close, reclaiming the path. The
stone is warm and brittle under the sun, its cracks filled
with earth and time.
Arthur and Sybil stand looking up at Virgil's tomb. Sybil
squeezes Arthur's hand and kisses him on the cheek.
SYBIL
Fantastic. This is the best
honeymoon.
ARTHUR
It is pretty impressive. Is Virgil
really buried in there?
Sybil mimes holding a tannoy as if she is a tour guide.
SYBIL
Be careful how you go, ladies and
gentlemen. This is the tomb of
Publius Vergilius Maro - known as
Virgil. He loved this spot, and
before he died - at Brindisi - he
asked the Emperor to bury him here.
It's been a place of pilgrimage for
centuries. But, for the skeptic
there, his bones got lost during
the Middle Ages. Thank you.
She holds out her hand as if asking for a tip. Arthur hands
her some money.
ARTHUR
You can buy dinner. I fancy pizza.
SYBIL
After dinner?
ARTHUR
We pack as tomorrow - Roma.
SYBIL
Can we pack after, after, dinner?
ARTHUR
We're on honeymoon. I don't see why
not.
The music ends.
END FLASHBACK
Tears welling, Sybil presses her face against the window of
the taxi.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music softly plays. Purcell's Chacony in G Minor.)
Genres:
["Drama","Romance","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Whispers of Eternity
EXT. ROME - THE NON-CATHOLIC CEMETERY IN ROME - DAY
Sybil and Arthur walk on paths among tombs and gravestones.
Flowers riot everywhere beneath the shadows of tall cypress
trees.
ARTHUR
Wow! All the names. Keats, Shelley,
Gramsci,... so many famous people
buried here.
They pause in front of the grave of John Keats. Surrounding
the grave are vibrant purple irises and green foliage,
suggesting a well-maintained and peaceful setting. Arthur
reads the inscription aloud.
ARTHUR (CONT’D)
"This grave contains all that was
mortal, of a young English poet,
who on his death bed, in the
bitterness of his heart, at the
malicious power of his enemies,
desired these words to be engraven
on his tombstone: Here lies one
whose name was writ in water."
SYBIL
Wow. That's powerful. He thought
nothing of him would survive. Now
he is one of the most famous
English poets, and his tombstone a
place of pilgrimage.
They keep walking and come across Shelley's grave. They stop
in front of the tombstone and Sybil reads:
SYBIL (CONT’D)
"Nothing of him that doth fade, But
doth suffer a sea-change Into
something rich and strange."
ARTHUR
They were so young. Keats twenty-
five, Shelley not much older.
You're the literary scholar. What's
it mean?
SYBIL
Don't know, when we die, it's not
the end, we're transformed
....maybe.
(smiling)
Perhaps we come back as flowers.
I'd like to be a dozen roses.
ARTHUR
Well, they're dead, died young, and
it's sad. But we're still alive. I
feel like going back to the hotel
and doing some more honeymoon
transformation. Roses it is.
SYBIL
Your poetry intrigues me.
The music fades.
END FLASHBACK
Sybil's face still presses against the taxi window.
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Reflections in a Black Cab
INT. BLACK CAB - CONTINUOUS
Sybil wipes away a tear, turning from the window. Ev notices,
concerned.
EV
You alright?
SYBIL
Just remembering. Arthur and I in
Italy on honeymoon. The flowers...
the graves... Everything beautiful
is so fleeting... rising and
fading... and rising... I suppose
it is the universe's music...but I
wish someone could offer a
convincing explanation of why it
has to be so sad.
BEE
(gently)
Tell us about Arthur, Granny. About
Italy.
SYBIL
(smiling through tears)
He always preferred archaeology to
poetry. But he knew what mattered
to me. We both liked roses.
EXT. SOHO STREETS - CONTINUOUS
The black cab navigates narrow streets lined with historic
buildings and slows as it approaches Hazlitt's.
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
A Toast to the Gods
INT. HAZLITT'S HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - NIGHT
The suite is full of 18th-century character: heavy silk
drapes, polished wood paneling, and creaking floorboards. An
antique writing desk, piled with postcards and a brass lamp,
stands by the window. A four-poster bed, draped in crimson
velvet, dominates the room. The walls are lined with
bookshelves, some titles centuries old.
A fireplace flickers in the corner, throwing shadows on a
gilt-framed mirror above the mantel. A worn but elegant
chaise longue rests beneath a portrait of William Hazlitt.
The bathroom door stands slightly ajar, revealing a
freestanding clawfoot tub and a vintage pull-chain toilet.
Bee and Sybil sit in comfortable, high-backed chairs.
Ev stands by the writing desk on which a bottle of red wine
rests. He pours three glasses, two full ones and one with
about a quarter. He hands a full glass to Bee and the quarter-
full one to Sybil.
BEE
Wow, Dad. How are we affording
this? This is pretty lush.
EV
I'm going halves with Mum. She
insisted.
Sybil looks at her glass. Holds it up to the light, which
reflects off its ruby redness.
SYBIL
Is this pure wine without water?
EV
(puzzled)
Yes, it's Cesanese del Piglio. From
the hills where Aeneas's son,
Ascanius, founded Alba Longa.
BEE
I'm impressed, Dad.
EV
By the wine or by my knowing
Aeneas' son was called Ascanius.
BEE
Both.
EV
I'm the son of an eminent
classicist. I have absorbed a
little.
Sybil takes her glass and carefully pours some of it onto the
opulent carpet.
EV (CONT’D)
Mum, what on earth are you doing?
SYBIL
It's a libation to the gods. Romans
never drank pure wine without
offering some to the gods.
EV
Bet they didn't pour it directly
onto Persian rugs costing
thousands.
Ev picks up the phone from the desk and dials.
EV (CONT’D)
Hello, Housekeeping. Yes, ever so
sorry but my mother has
accidentally spilt some wine on one
of your carpets... Thank you.
He hangs up and turns to Sybil and Bee.
EV (CONT’D)
They didn't blink. Bet it happens
all the time.
Sybil is looking at her glass, holding it to the light. Ev
quickly goes and retrieves it from her.
EV (CONT’D)
Please, no more, Mum.
SYBIL
Oh, okay,... I promise, but I hope
the Gods will understand.
EV
I'm sure the God of Persian Carpets
will be grateful.
SYBIL
I need the loo.
She leaves.
EV
I really think we should go back
home tomorrow.
BEE
Oh, Dad! Relax a bit. Can't you see
Granny is really enjoying herself?
She thinks we're helping her look
for Aeneas. I think it has really
lifted her.
(MORE)
BEE (CONT’D)
What is happening to her is
catastrophic. Let her enjoy herself
for a while.
EV
(thoughtful)
She does seem a little lighter.
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Reflections of Doubt
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
A narrow but opulent bathroom lit by warm sconces. A
freestanding clawfoot tub sits beneath a tall, sash window,
its brass taps gleaming. A vintage pull-chain toilet stands
beside a porcelain pedestal sink with old-fashioned crosshead
taps. Framed etchings of 18th-century bathers hang on the
paneled walls. The black-and-white tiled floor creaks faintly
underfoot.
Sybil looks at herself in the mirror. Virgil stands behind
her, his reflection in the glass.
NOTE: ALL LATIN DIALOGUE IS SUBTITLED
SYBIL
Ev paululum mihi fastidit.
(Ev is growing weary of me.)
VIRGIL
Stultum fuit, vinum in tapetem
Persicum tam carum effundere.
(It was foolish, pouring wine onto
such a costly Persian carpet.)
SYBIL
Nolui deōs mihi irāscī.
(I didn't want the Gods to be angry
with me.)
VIRGIL
Filium tuum quidem irritāre
potuistī, sed bene dissimulāvit.
Patientiam sanctī habēre vidētur.
(You certainly managed to irritate
your son, but he concealed it well.
He seems to have the patience of a
saint.)
SYBIL
Pro figmentō anīmae mulieris senis
dēmentis, quam impolītus es!
(For a figment of a mad old woman's
mind, you're very rude!)
VIRGIL
Certus es mē tantum figmentum esse?
(Are you sure I am merely a
figment?)
END OF SUBTITLES
Sybil turns around. Virgil still stands there.
SYBIL
I thought you would vanish when I
turned around.
VIRGIL
That would be too predictable a
trope.
SYBIL
You speak English?
VIRGIL
(wearily shrugs his
shoulders)
When in Rome...
Genres:
["Drama","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
A Toast to Tension
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - NIGHT
Sybil walks to the desk, pours herself a glass of wine and
sits.
SYBIL
Don't worry, Ev. No more libations.
BEE
Who were you talking to in there,
Granny?
SYBIL
That darn Virgil. He can be so rude
sometimes.
Ev stands and walks over to Sybil, reaching for her glass.
She pulls it out of reach.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I promise. No libations.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(The Overture from Dido and Aeneas plays — bright,
ceremonial.)
Genres:
["Drama","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Nostalgia in the Hospital Room
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
Pale light filters through a large window with functional,
slightly faded patterned curtains. The walls are painted a
calming but institutional pale green above a dado rail,
scuffed near the floor.
The floor itself is polished linoleum, reflecting the light.
A sturdy, metal-framed hospital bed sits centrally, dressed
in crisp white sheets and a cellular blanket.
Beside it is a simple metal bedside cabinet holds a water
carafe and glass. A utilitarian visitor's chair with vinyl
upholstery stands opposite.
A young Sybil sits propped up on a hospital bed, wearing a
functional hospital gown. She cradles a baby. Arthur sits on
the edge of the bed. A bottle of red wine and two glasses sit
on the bedside cabinet. He fills a glass and pours some of it
onto the floor.
ARTHUR
A libation to the Gods.
SYBIL
Matron will be angry.
ARTHUR
Matron hasn't just had her first
child... I agree, Evander is a
wonderful name.
He and Sybil clink glasses. Arthur knocks his back. Sybil
takes a gentle sip. Arthur puts his glass down and gently
picks up the baby.
ARTHUR (CONT’D)
(cooing)
Evander, Evander, Ev, Ev, our
little Ev.
The music fades.
END FLASHBACK
Sybil smiles warmly at them. Bee looks at her.
BEE
Granny, are you all right?
SYBIL
Yes, dear. Just remembering the
time when Ev was a newborn baby and
Arthur poured a libation onto the
hospital floor... and then Matron
came and, in Arthur's words, gave
him a good bollocking.
Bee GIGGLES. Ev rolls his eyes.
BEE
I've heard from Ana. I told her
we'll meet for coffee tomorrow at
The Gallery of the Heart.
EV
An evocative name.
BEE
More an art gallery. They're doing
a pop-up exhibition of Frida Kahlo
posters and prints. Granny loves
Kahlo.
SYBIL
What a lovely idea. I do love
Kahlo. We might even see Aeneas
there.
EV
I've got a question for you two.
The Trojan War was around 1200 BCE.
Carthage wasn't founded until the
9th century BCE. Was Aeneas
wandering the Med for hundreds of
years?
BEE
No, Dad. Virgil knew that. It's not
a history textbook — it's a mythic
origin story, meant to give Rome a
glorious past, all the way up to
Augustus. After all, the Garden of
Eden wasn't a real place and Adam
and Eve not real people.
EV
(yawning)
Well, time to turn in. Where will
Sortes Virgilianae take us
tomorrow, Mum?
SYBIL
Have to wait and see. Curb your
impatience. You always found it
difficult to wait when you were a
child.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Echoes of the Heart
EXT. THE GALLERY OF THE HEART - DAY
Ev, Bee, and Sybil peer through the plate glass — artwork on
the walls, tables full of café-goers inside.
EV
Looks safe to go in. Perhaps Ana is
inside.
(to himself)
No trace of bloody Virgil.
He holds open the door, and Sybil and Bee enter.
INT. THE GALLERY OF THE HEART - DAY
An L-shaped modern art gallery cum minimalist restaurant.
Shining chrome reflecting everywhere.
Visible on the walls are framed posters of Frida Kahlo's
work: ROOTS, THE BROKEN COLUMN, CREATION, and various,
different self-portraits.
A standing posterboard advertises:
INFERNAL GARDENS: A DIALOGUE OF PAIN AND BEAUTY
The Gallery speakers softly play Josquin de Prez's "Mille
regretz."
Ev, Sybil, and Bee look at the posters, Bee occasionally
glancing towards the entrance.
Sybil tilts her head toward the speakers and listens
intently.
SYBIL
It's Josquin de Prez's "Mille
regretz."
(pauses, thinking)
I think Aeneas arranged for it to
be played. He's so sorry he left.
Mille regretz de vous abandonner.
BEE
Here she comes now.
Through the plate glass windows, they can see Ana walking on
the pavement. She opens the door and walks towards them. Her
blonde hair is tied back. She is wearing jeans and a blue
sweatshirt. She smiles broadly. Sybil and Bee give her a warm
hug. She proffers a hand to Ev, and they shake.
BEE (CONT’D)
This is my Dad, Evander, but
everyone calls him Ev. Dad, this is
Ana.
ANA
And everyone calls me Ana. Pleased
to meet you. This is so kind.
EV
Mum was impressed that you were a
classics student at the University
of Pristina.
ANA
Yes, I loved classics, but had to
flee because of the war.
(turning to Bee and Sybil)
What do you think of this? Isn't it
fantastic?
BEE
Yes, what an inspiration she was.
SYBIL
All that pain and suffering, and
yet she created so much beauty.
Bee, perhaps you could take me
around. Ev could go with Ana. Then
we have coffee.
Bee and Sybil wander off. Ev looks around, shuffles a bit,
unsure what to do.
EV
That was a bit abrupt. Apologies
for my mum.
ANA
No worries. You're stuck with me.
EV
Don't feel stuck. Just feel a bit
out of place. We don't know each
other. C'mon, let's look around and
then coffee.
They stop in front of THE BROKEN COLUMN.
EV (CONT’D)
Don't know what to make of this.
It's very surreal. She's got a
classical column for a spine... I'm
not sure I like this. The hairs are
standing up on the back of my neck.
ANA
She suffered a lot of physical pain
because of an accident she was in
when young.
EV
Not what I meant. Mum is unwell,
any reference to anything classical
sets her off. I don't want her
having an argument with Virgil in
here. I've had enough of that.
She'll make a libation with her
coffee on the floor.
ANA
Oh, dear. Let's hope not.
They move on and pause in front of ROOTS.
EV
Some sort of Mother Earth motif, I
presume.
ANA
Maybe.
They turn the corner into the other wing of the gallery. Ev
takes a deep breath.
EV
Oh, no. This is really going to set
Mum off.
On the wall is Kahlo's SELF-PORTRAIT IN A VELVET DRESS. Next
to it is a print of Botticelli's VENUS. Then, there is a
portrait of Kahlo as THE WOUNDED DEER next to a portrait of
SAINT SEBASTIAN shot full of arrows by Mantegna.
ANA
Why?
EV
Look at Botticelli and what's next
to it.
Next to Botticelli's portrait of Venus are a series of
colorful prints of his drawings referring to Dante's Inferno.
A large poster of Botticelli's MAP OF HELL hangs on the wall
— devils flay the damned as Dante and Virgil descend the
rocky terraces.
EV (CONT’D)
It's bloody Virgil. He's
everywhere. Who would've thought
you would encounter him in an
exhibition of Frida Kahlo's?
Ana pulls on Ev's arm. There, several feet away, are Bee and
Sybil. Sybil seems to be animatedly arguing with someone.
Other patrons watch, some bemused, some frightened.
EV (CONT’D)
(CONT'D)
Oh, God. What is going on?
Sybil shakes her finger at an
imaginary person.
SYBIL
Quid de hoc censes?
(What do you think of this?)
VIRGIL
Insolitum. Initio displicuit.
Corpus dolens, perturbatio,
confusio naturae et culturae... sed
veritatem loquitur — etiamsi
veritatem quam nolo.
(Unusual. I didn't like it at
first. The body in pain, the
disorder, the blurring of nature
and culture... but it speaks a
truth... even if it is a truth I
don't like.)
A woman, Frida Kahlo, comes to join them. No one but Sybil
can see her.
FRIDA KAHLO
Imperium. Ordo. Quomodo tu
intellegere posses?
(Empire. Order. How would you
understand?)
VIRGIL
Perturbatio barbarorum.
(Barbarian disorder.)
FRIDA KAHLO
Tua ordo vitam occidit, casum eius
suffocat, eam purgat ab omnibus
quae vitam efficiunt.
(MORE)
FRIDA KAHLO (CONT’D)
Da mihi dolorem meum.
(Your order kills life, stifles its
randomness, purifies it of all that
makes it life. Give me my pain.)
Sybil looks confused. She gesticulates at the empty air.
BEE
Granny, what's going on?
Sybil reacts as if jolted with electricity.
SYBIL
I don't know. I lost where I was.
I'm back now... Sorry.
Ana and Ev approach.
ANA
I don't know, but I fear the pain,
the disintegration of these bodies
in paintings may have triggered
Sybil's anxieties about her
disintegrating mind.
EV
I'm sorry, Ana. I think we will
have to take her back to the hotel
for the rest of the day. If she has
recovered enough, perhaps dinner
tomorrow night?
ANA
That would be lovely.
All leave. Sybil glancing back over her shoulder at Virgil
and Kahlo animatedly arguing in front of Botticelli's
rendition of Dante's THE DESCENT INTO HELL.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
A Moment of Comfort
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - EVENING
Sybil sits beside Bee, who has her arm protectively over her.
Ev faces them.
SYBIL
I feel better after that long nap.
I'm so sorry, I'm so embarrassed. I
made a fool of myself in public.
Imagine talking to Virgil and Frida
Kahlo... I'm really sorry, Ev.
Maybe I do need, maybe it is time,
for me to go into a home.
BEE
Granny, don't say that. It wasn't
your fault. It was mine. The
environment was overwhelming. I
should have known that seeing those
disturbing paintings by Kahlo would
unsettle you.
EV
And who would've thought that
bloody Virgil would be in a
painting on the wall. Rest up, Mum.
I told Ana we would take her out
for a meal tomorrow night if you
were well enough. You can talk
about how she can get back into
classics then.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Morning Reflections in the Breakfast Room
INT. HAZLITT'S HOTEL - RESTAURANT - MORNING
The breakfast room is intimate and richly appointed, more
drawing room than dining hall. Mahogany tables are set with
crisp white cloths, silver teapots, and cut glass jam jars.
Oil portraits of 18th-century gentlemen line the paneled
walls. The air carries the scent of fresh croissants, coffee,
and polish.
A fireplace crackles quietly beneath a gilt-framed mirror.
Sunlight filters through long sash windows draped with heavy
curtains, casting warm pools of light on the parquet floor. A
grandfather clock ticks faintly in the corner. A soft murmur
of conversation and the rustle of newspapers complete the
genteel hush.
Sybil, Bee, and Ev are just finishing their breakfast. Sybil
brings out her copy of Dryden's translation of The Aeneid,
flicks through it and stops.
SYBIL
(reading)
Before the Gates, the Cries of
Babes new born,
Whom Fate had from their tender
Mothers torn,
Assault his Ears:
Aeneas is in
the Underworld.
EV
Where does this take us to?
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
A Moment of Transition
EXT. ST GILES-WITHOUT-CRIPPLEGATE - MORNING
Nestled within the stark modernity of the Barbican estate,
the medieval Church of St Giles-without-Cripplegate stands as
a striking relic of history. Its weathered stone façade is
softened by the reddish hue of its brick tower, topped with a
small copper cupola. Tall Gothic windows line its sides,
their tracery catching shadows from the surrounding Brutalist
towers.
BEE
It's a beautiful old church. Why
are we here, Granny?
SYBIL
Let's go in. Aeneas might be here.
Bee gently takes Sybil's arm and steers her towards the
church.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Reflections in St Giles-Without-Cripplegate
INT. ST GILES-WITHOUT-CRIPPLEGATE - CONTINUOUS
Narrow Gothic arches rise to a wooden hammerbeam ceiling,
darkened with age. Light filters softly through tall stained-
glass windows, casting fractured colors on the flagstone
floor. Simple wooden pews line the nave, worn smooth by
centuries of worship. Brass plaques and stone memorials adorn
the walls, many dedicated to literary and historical figures.
At the front, the high altar stands beneath a modest chancel
arch, flanked by candles and faded banners.
They stop before a bust of John Milton. On a plaque below is
engraved:
THREE POETS, IN THREE DISTANT AGES BORN,
GREECE, ITALY, AND ENGLAND DID ADORN.
THE FIRST IN LOFTINESS OF THOUGHT SURPASSED;
THE NEXT IN MAJESTY; IN BOTH THE LAST.
THE FORCE OF NATURE COULD NO FURTHER GO:
TO MAKE A THIRD, SHE JOINED THE FORMER TWO.
- JOHN DRYDEN, 1631-1700 ENGLAND'S FIRST POET LAUREATE
Ev looks at it. Scratches his head.
EV
I don't get it.
BEE
Oh, Dad. How can you be so... Not
see it?
EV
I see it is a poem by John Dryden
praising Milton.
BEE
Yes, referencing Homer, Virgil and
Milton. Saying Milton is as good as
Virgil and Homer combined.
Virgil has appeared behind the three. He whispers into
Sybil's ear.
VIRGIL
(in Latin; subtitled)
Num huc me duxisti ut me derideres?
Ut dicas me tantum dimidiam partem
Miltoni aequare?
(Did you bring me here to mock me?
To say I am only half as good as
Milton?)
SYBIL
Nimis delicatus es.
(You're far too sensitive.)
Bee and Ev ignore what Sybil is saying but keep a watchful
eye on her.
VIRGIL
Poēta sum; me delicātum esse decet.
(I am a poet; it is fitting that I
be sensitive.)
EV
No, what I don't get is what this
has to do with the Sortes
Virgilianae which led us here: "the
Cries of Babes new born" and so on.
SYBIL
Four of Milton's five children died
in infancy or early childhood. I
thought Arthur might be here
because of Anthea.
Sybil starts sobbing, her eyes glaze over with tears. Bee
puts her arms around her. Ev looks upwards to the time-
darkened oak hammerbeams where filtered light from the
stained glass windows dances like angels across the grain of
the wood.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Literary"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
A Night of Tender Care
INT. THE FAMILY HOME OF SYBIL AND ARTHUR - NURSERY - NIGHT
Sybil is walking back and forth with ANTHEA, one month old,
who is crying loudly. Arthur watches from a chair.
ARTHUR
Do you think we should call the
doctor?
SYBIL
The doctor already said it was just
colic. Her poor little tummy's
upset. You go to bed. You've got
that lecture at the conference
tomorrow. You need to be fresh.
ARTHUR
You’re exhausted, too. You were up
most of last night.
SYBIL
I had a nap during the day. I’ll be
alright. You got to bed.
Arthur gets up, comes over to Sybil and Anthea, gives Sybil a
kiss on the cheek and one to Anthea on the top of the head.
ARTHUR
Call me if you need me.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
A Mother's Guilt
INT. THE FAMILY HOME OF SYBIL AND ARTHUR - BEDROOM - MORNING
Arthur is woken by the hysterical SCREAMS of Sybil, who
rushes into the bedroom carrying Anthea.
SYBIL
Call the ambulance. She's not
breathing.
END FLASHBACK
Sybil, sobbing, with Ev and Bee on either side, walks
sorrowfully out of the church. Sybil then walks on ahead.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
It was all my fault, I fell asleep.
I lost both my children.
BEE
(to Ev)
What does she mean?
EV’S FLASHBACK
Genres:
["Drama","Tragedy"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Echoes of Isolation
INT. DRYDEN HOUSE - SYBIL'S BEDROOM - DAY
A YOUNG EV knocks on the door. No answer.
YOUNG EV
Mummy, mummy, where are you?
He opens the door and peer into the dark. He can see Sybil
hunched up on the bed.
YOUNG EV (CONT’D)
Mummy, where’s Anthea? What’s
happened? Why is Daddy crying? Does
nobody love me anymore?
END FLASHBACK
BEE
(insistent)
Dad, what does she mean?
EV
We’ll talk about it later.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Navigating Grief
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - DAY
Ev and Bee sit in comfortable chairs, each with a glass of
wine.
EV
Mum's having a nap. It was a tiring
morning for her... No libations,
please.
Bee touches the torc on her neck.
BEE
It was hard... reminded her of the
loss of the baby.
EV
Yes. And she was really, really
depressed. I didn’t know if I would
ever get my mother back. And I
don't see how this is doing her any
good. First, at the Gallery of the
Heart and now this morning at the
church. This 'Sortes
Virgilianae'... She knows the poem
inside out.
(MORE)
EV (CONT’D)
Somehow her memory is dragging out
passages that have a personal
significance to her and connect
with the history of our family...
If she wasn't my mother, as a
professional psychologist I'd find
it interesting - might even write a
paper. As a son, I ... just wish it
wasn't happening...
(soft, sad)
I would really like her to have...
a clean death... This could go on
for years. Who wants to remember
their mother like this?
Bee rises and kneels beside Ev's chair, putting her arm
around him.
BEE
I understand what you mean, Dad.
But let's just stick with it for a
little while. We're meeting Ana for
dinner, and if that really upsets
Granny, then I agree we'll go home
tomorrow.
EV
We were going to eat at The
Lavinia, but I've had all I can
take of myths and classic themes at
the moment. I just want a plain,
simple restaurant that isn't going
to stir her up. Tell Ana we'll let
her know later.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Dusk at Flor y Canto
EXT. LONDON - MARYLEBONE - FLOR Y CANTO - DUSK
Ev, Bee and Sybil stand outside the Mexican restaurant.
SYBIL
I thought we were going to
Lavinia's?
EV
I thought a change of pace might
pick you up. You were pretty upset
after the church.
SYBIL
What does the name mean?
EV
Not sure. Let's go in and ask.
Sybil looks up at the sign.
SYBIL
C'mon, Ev. Flor... Flowers...
Canto... Song. Even I can still
work that out.
EV
(anxious)
Let's just go in.
SYBIL
You go in. I'll wait outside for
Ana.
EV
We'll all wait.
Ana turns the corner and walks towards them. Her blonde hair
is tied back. She is wearing a smart blue suit.
She smiles broadly. Sybil gives her a warm hug, as does Bee.
She proffers a hand to Ev and they shake.
ANA
Pleased to see you again. This is
so kind of you.
EV
Well, let's go in. Bee picked the
restaurant and if we don't like it
we know who to blame.
BEE
I'm getting the blame for
everything these days. Ain't that
right, Dad?
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Psychological"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
A Toast to Life's Complexity
INT. FLOR Y CANTO - CONTINUOUS
Their eyes are met by a vaulted interior of warm stone and
polished wood, lit by amber lanterns carved with floral
glyphs. Obsidian eagles soar across the ceiling inlaid with
gold, their wings spread over blooming marigolds and curling
verses etched into the walls in Nahuatl script. Tables of
dark mesquite wood sit beneath niches holding stylized
statues of Quetzalcoatl and Huitzilopochtli — the eagle god
of war — rendered in minimalist bronze.
A hush of water trickles from a central fountain shaped like
an eagle's head cradling a flower.
The MAÎTRE D', late 40s, impeccably dressed in a dark linen
suit with gold embroidery at the cuffs — subtle motifs of
eagle feathers, greets them.
His voice is low and melodic, with each movement deliberate,
as if orchestrating a ceremony rather than seating a table.
MAÎTRE D'
(warmly, with a slight
bow)
Welcome to Flor y Canto. You are
most welcome in the house of flower
and song. May your evening unfold
like poetry. Reservation in the
name of?
BEE
Dryden.
MAITRE D'
A famous name in poetry.
EV
A great, great,... relative.
MAITRE D'
We are honored. This restaurant is
named Flor Y Canto, Flower and
Song. The Nahuatl name for poetry.
Not many know that the Aztecs were
great poets. Let me show you to
your table.
The party follow him to the rectangular table. Sybil sits,
Bee sits opposite her, leaving Ev and Ana sitting facing each
other.
The table is set with hand-glazed ceramic plates, obsidian-
handled cutlery, and linen napkins folded like flower petals.
The placemats are parchment-textured leather, each one etched
with different lines of Nahuatl poetry. At the top of each
placemat:
NEZAHUALCÓYOTL (1402-1472) PHILOSOPHER-KING OF TEXCOCO, THE
GREATEST POET OF THE AZTEC ERA
The Maitre D' points to the placemats.
MAITRE D' (CONT’D)
A selection of Nahuatl poetry. It
is traditional here for guests to
read the poetry over a glass of
wine before ordering dinner.
A waiter appears with a wine list. Ev looks quickly, then
selects. The waiter returns in moments and fills the glasses.
Sybil runs her finger over Nezahualcoyotl´s name.
SYBIL
This is so much fun. Aztec poetry?
This is like Christmas crackers.
Mine says: Is it true we live on
earth? Not forever on earth, Only a
little while here. What does yours
say, Ev?
EV
Only a little while here probably
means they want us to eat in a
hurry and leave - to make room for
the next diners.
BEE
Oh, Dad. I've got to apologize for
my father, Ana. His sense of humor
lacks sophistication.
Ana smiles but is silent.
EV
Mine says: Though it be jade, it
will be broken.
Though it be gold, it will be
crushed.
Though it be quetzal feather, it
will be torn apart.
Not forever on earth,
Only a little while here.
ANA
That's really amazing. It sounds
like something Virgil would write
about the transience of everything.
"Stat sua cuique dies, breve et
irreparabile tempus omnibus est
vitae."
BEE
Each man has his day; life's brief
and unrecoverable span is given to
all.
Ev looks at Bee.
BEE (CONT’D)
Dad. If Virgil resonates
everywhere, I can't help it, can I?
Virgil appears behind Sybil's seat. He peers over her
shoulder at the poem. He speaks but can only Sybil can see
and hear him.
VIRGIL
(Latin: English subtitles)
Ille poeta Aztecus non tam inflatus
videtur quam Dantes, sed haud tam
disertus quam ego.
(The Aztec poet doesn't sound as
pompous as Dante but not as
eloquent as me.)
Sybil starts at the sound of his voice and twists around as
if speaking to someone behind her.
SYBIL
Tam contentiosa eras cum viva
esses?
(Were you this competitive when you
were alive?)
Ana looks confused. Ev shakes his head in dismay.
BEE
Who are you talking to, Granny?
SYBIL
Virgil, of course. He's very
competitive. He thinks the last
lines would have been better like
this. We walk the earth briefly —
then vanish, like song.
EV
Well, I'm going to play this game,
too.
(to Ana)
Better: We vanish like waves that
sing as they crest on the sea...
I'm sorry, Ana. This is confusing
for you. You know Mum is not well.
ANA
But I think I understand... my
Gjyshja (Note: pronounced JYOO-
shyah) was the same.
(pauses, sips her wine)
(MORE)
ANA (CONT’D)
When the... militia... came for
us......my granny thought they
were Roman soldiers... when they
found out she was demented... they
shot her... they had no use for a
mad old lady... We younger ones
were not so lucky.
Bee gives a sharp intake of breath.
BEE
Oh, my God. Oh, Ana, I'm so sorry.
ANA
I'm sorry to mention.
EV
That's okay... I don't know what to
say.
Ana starts to rise.
ANA
I'm so sorry. Perhaps I should go.
I didn't mean to spoil the evening.
Bee puts a hand on her and is about to say something.
EV
No, if you don't want to spoil the
evening, you must stay... I
think... the wine is here...
(searching for the words)
a toast to life... in all its
brief, bitter-sweet complexity.
What else can we do?
VIRGIL
(in Latin; subtitled)
Non datur egenti laudare amarissima
vitae, ambage errantis nisi mens
vacat arte laborum.
(It is not granted to the destitute
to praise life's bitterest parts,
unless the mind is freed by the art
of escaping toil.)
SYBIL
Virgil says that even to be able to
say that means that you are living
above the mere level of fighting to
stay alive.
BEE
That's quite profound, Granny.
They raise and CLINK their glasses.
VIRGIL
(in Latin; subtitled)
Forsitan filius tuus, postremo,
animam poetae gerat.
(Perhaps your son has the soul of a
poet, after all.)
SYBIL
Virgil says you speak like a Roman
poet.
ANA
Bee tells me that you had a book of
poetry published but have written
nothing since.
EV
Yes, after my wife died... it all
dried up.
ANA
Sorry to hear... Grief is like
that... But is that what she
would've wanted? For something
wonderful in you to die when she
did? For it to vanish... like waves
that crest on the sea?
EV
But the only poetry my stomach is
interested in at the moment is
food. I'm starving, let's order.
Ev signals the waiter who takes their orders.
LATER - THE TABLE
Waiters come and clear the table and bring coffee.
EV (CONT’D)
Well, it turned out to be an
alright evening after all.
SYBIL
There are some more things I want
to see tomorrow. Perhaps Ana could
come too?
BEE
Yes, Dad, pity we're going home
tomorrow.
EV
Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to stay
another day as long as you promise
no more Oriental rug libations,
Mum?
SYBIL
I promise. Ana?
ANA
I've had a wonderful evening.
Tomorrow is my day off. I will be
delighted to join you.
They all rise to leave. Ana and Ev glance at each other and
make eye contact for a moment. Neither wants to look away.
Bee and Sybil notice but don't comment.
SYBIL
(whispering to Bee)
It might be working.
BEE
Fingers crossed, Granny.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Fantasy"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Reflections in the Hazlitt Suite
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - MORNING
Ev sits at the desk with a cup of coffee. He writes on a
piece of paper, sometimes stopping to cross out words, sip
from his coffee and stare out the window or the vase of
flowers on the desk. Bee enters.
BEE
Morning, Dad. What'cha doing?
EV
Nothing. Just jotting down some
ideas.
BEE
Oh. What do you think of Ana?
EV
She seems pretty nice.
BEE
You two seem to get on well.
EV
You wouldn't have wanted me to be
unsociable with your and Mum's new
friend, would you? I made an
effort.
Ev stands and goes to look out the window. Bee goes to the
table and picks up the pad Ev has been writing on.
BEE
Ode to Anthea
I cannot but sing of time
though my time be cut short
I am a sad song that echoes through
an infinite of days
I found terror in a flower
Riding waves of light into a sunset
cresting blue and gold.
Adrift on an infinite sea I cling,
I cling
To the echo of beauty and the sting
of its shadow.
(pauses)
I've got an idea. Mind if I see
what Avernus thinks?
Without waiting for an answer, Bee types into her phone.
ON SCREEN
WELCOME TO AVERNUS, BEE
WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY?
BACK TO SCENE
Bee furiously types. She then reads aloud:
BEE (CONT’D)
"Your poem Ode to Anthea is
haunting and lyrical, evoking both
fragility and persistence. The
imagery is vivid and layered with
emotional resonance." Don't know if
Avernus can be relied upon as a
critic. These AI assistants are
heavy on the sycophancy. But I'm
glad you let the Muse find you
again...Do you think about your
sister often?
EV
From time to time. I can scarcely
remember her. I was only four.
EV'S FLASHBACK
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Embracing New Beginnings
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
A functional hospital room. Everything looks huge as it would
to a four-year-old. Sybil is propped up in a hospital bed
holding Anthea. Ev and Arthur sit on the bed. The floor looks
impossibly far down to Ev.
END FLASHBACK
BEE
Ana's not much younger than you.
EV
Okay... I'm beginning to get the
picture. Bit slow for an old
man... Are you and Mum trying to
set me up with Ana?
BEE
Oh, for goodness's sake, Dad. Of
course.... We are. Trying to help
you find your...
(searching for the word)
...your own Aeneas.
EV
She might be married.
BEE
Did you see a ring on her finger?
EV
No. She might have a partner.
BEE
She doesn't.
EV
How do you know?
BEE
We've been texting.
EV
Nothing is permanent. Loss and
grief are woven into the fabric of
the universe. I hate it. I've hated
it since Clara died. What stays the
same? Nothing. One day, even the
sun will burn out. In one to one
and a half billion years, its
(MORE)
EV (CONT’D)
luminosity will rise enough to boil
Earth's oceans. Then it'll become a
red giant, swallow Mercury, Venus,
Earth... Then a planetary nebula. A
white dwarf. And after hundreds of
billions of years... a black dwarf.
BEE
You're not seriously worrying about
what'll happen to the sun in
hundreds of millions or billions of
years?... I hope. Remember, if a
tree falls in a forest and there is
no one to hear, does it make a
sound? There have been somewhere
between one hundred and ten to one
hundred and twenty billion people
since homo sapiens first...
appeared. Does that make our own
lives unimportant?
EV
According to physics, it does. But
if there is no physicist, is there
any physics? What then?
BEE
(laughing)
I think this boils down to: if Ev
falls in love, and there is no Ana
to catch his love, does it keep
going for infinity and does Ev fall
down.
EV
Oh, shut up. What a smart ass
daughter.
BEE
I must get it from my Mum and
Granny. I’ve already started on my
first book.
EV
That’s great. Following in your
grandmother’s footsteps. What’s it
about?
BEE
Time, memory and love in Roman epic
poetry. Anyway,...let’s get Granny
and go. Ana texted me. She’s in the
lobby.
Ev quickly gets up. Stuffing his notepad into his jacket
which he hurriedly puts on.
EV
(laughing)
Hurry up. I don't want her to
vanish like the crest of a wave
'cause we kept her waiting too
long.
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
A Warm Welcome and a Quest Ahead
INT. HAZLITT'S HOTEL - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
A faded elegance clings to the air. Polished wood floors,
Persian rugs, gilt-framed oil portraits. Mismatched antique
chairs huddle around a fireplace that hasn't been lit.
Shelves of old books line the walls. A cat sleeps on a velvet
armchair as if it owns the place. The scent of beeswax, dust,
and cut flowers lingers.
Ana is sitting in a high-backed chair when Ev, Bee, and Sybil
emerge from the lift. She rises, hugs Bee and Sybil and gives
Ev a rather stiff handshake. Ev looks down at his hand.
EV
Ouch. You broke four fingers.
ANA
Oh, dear. I'm terribly sorry.
Ana looks confused.
BEE
Don't mind Dad. We call them Dad
jokes.
She pulls Ev off to one side.
BEE (CONT’D)
For God's sake, Dad. Try not to let
your non-existent sense of humor
screw this up.
(pause)
Where are we off to, Granny?
SYBIL
Poet's corner. Westminster Abbey.
Aeneas might be there.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Clues and Comfort in Poet's Corner
INT. WESTMINSTER ABBEY - POET'S CORNER - DAY
A vaulted alcove lined with old stone. Memorials and busts
crowd the walls—names carved into marble: CHAUCER, MILTON,
DICKENS. Faded flags hang above. Light spills through stained-
glass windows, catching dust in the air. The floor is worn by
centuries of footsteps. They stand in front of the memorial
to Chaucer. Sybil looks up at it, puzzled.
SYBIL
Of course, I get it now. Silly old
woman. Chaucer refers to an eagle
in his House of Fame which comes
and swoops him up. There are eagles
in the Iliad, and an eagle in
Virgil - this must be a clue to
where Aeneas is.
She opens her copy of Dryden's translation of the Aeneid. Bee
has noticed Ana, who suddenly looks very pale.
BEE
Don't worry, Ana. Granny is getting
like this more and more.
ANA
I'm alright. She just reminds me of
my grandmother.
SYBIL
(pointing her finger to
the open Dryden, and
reading aloud)
Thus on some silver Swan, or
tim'rous Hare,
Jove's Bird comes sowsing down,
from upper Air (9: 761-762
Sybil looks confused, and then enlightenment dawns.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I know. Virgil is so clever. It is
The Swan and Hare. Arthur and I
used to go there for drinks. It's
not far from here. C'mon, let's go.
Aeneas might be having a pint right
now.
EV
(looking at his watch)
I hope not, Mum. It's only ten
o'clock in the morning.
Sybil sets off for the exit.
BEE
(hissing at him)
Dad, shut up for God's sake.
What does that achieve? We can have
a coffee.
EV
You might. The way this day's
shaping up, I'll join Aeneas in a
pint.
Bee rolls her eyes and pulls on Ev's arm. Ana stays behind
for a moment, looking up at Chaucer. Ev notices and goes up
to her. She wipes tears from her eyes.
EV (CONT’D)
Ana, you alright?
ANA
So much beauty,.. so much evil. I
can't... fathom it. When the
paramilitaries came, they wore
eagle insignia. I can never see an
eagle without thinking of those
butchers and rapists.
Ev puts an arm around her shoulders.
EV
I am so sorry.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Nostalgia and Tension at The Swan and Hare
EXT. THE SWAN AND HARE - DAY
A typical London gastropub. Exposed brick, low lighting, and
polished wood. Chalkboards list craft ales and seasonal
specials: rabbit pie, Jerusalem artichoke soup.
A few customers are having breakfast. An espresso machine
hisses behind the taps. A fire glows in the grate.
They sit, and Ev goes to the bar. He comes back with a pint.
Bee glares at him. He shrugs his shoulders.
EV
You can have a beer, too, if you
want. They'll bring the coffee over
when it's ready. What now, Mum?
SYBIL
It's different from when I was here
with Arthur. Not sure if I like it.
Reminds me of a pub we went to
before we went on that cruise.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music is celebratory passage from Purcell's "To the Hills
and the Vales".)
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Echoes of Dido: A Journey Through Memory
INT. MV PALINURUS – LECTURE HALL – DAY
A bright, open room on board the ship. About fifty PASSENGERS
sit in rows of folding chairs. Most have notebooks or tablets
open on their laps. A large screen displays:
THE AENEID WAY: FOLLOWING THE ROUTE OF AENEAS - TROY TO
LAVINIA JULY 2023
With SYBIL DRYDEN – PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF CLASSICS –
BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY
AND
ARTHUR DRYDEN – PROFESSOR OF HISTORY – DESCENDANT OF JOHN
DRYDEN
Tables to the side are piled with books: copies of The
Aeneid, historical texts, and pamphlets.
Sybil(78), sharp, elegant, and animated, stands at the front,
with a LASER POINTER. She gestures to a slide showing a map
of the Mediterranean — a red line from TUNIS to CARTHAGE.
Arthur (78), genial, sun-browned, stands nearby, hands in his
pockets, quietly observing.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Hello, everyone. We're nearing the
high point of the tour. We're
nearly at Carthage, where we'll
disembark for a walking tour of the
ruins. And for fun, we'll try to
figure out where Dido's palace
might have been.
Some passengers smile. A few murmur with interest. One older
WOMAN raises her hand.
WOMAN
Is there really any evidence that
Dido existed? And that bit about
the bull's hide... really?
SYBIL
Good question. The bull's hide
story is more than legend — it's
geometry, politics... and a little
showmanship.
She smiles toward Arthur.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Fortunately, I brought an expert.
Meet Arthur Dryden — archaeologist,
troublemaker, and my husband. He's
done a little experiment of his
own.
Two CREWMEN enter, wheeling in a long TROLLEY. On it: a
tangled heap of THINLY CUT, TWISTED STRIPS OF BULL'S HIDE.
Laughter ripples through the audience.
ARTHUR
The story of the bull's hide is not
necessarily bull-shit. We took one
standard bull hide - like you can
buy at your local Tesco's...
Audience laughs.
ARTHUR (CONT’D)
and cut it into continuous strips —
very fine. Just like the legend.
Let's see what kind of territory it
buys us.
He begins looping the hide around the perimeter of the room.
He walks slowly, ceremonially, grinning. The strips stretch
on and on.
SYBIL
According to Virgil, Dido
negotiated with the locals: she
could have as much land as she
could enclose with a bull's hide.
So she — or someone very clever —
sliced it thin and claimed enough
space for an entire citadel.
Gasps and laughter as Arthur continues to encircle the room.
The audience leans back to let the hide pass by. Someone
applauds.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Of course, Carthage didn't last.
Rome saw to that. But the myth —
like the city — was engineered to
endure.
Arthur finishes his circuit. He bows. The audience claps
warmly.
ARTHUR
We calculate it could enclose up to
twenty acres — depending on the
hide and your ambition.
SYBIL
Which, in Dido's case, were
considerable.
The passengers laugh again, charmed.
The atmosphere is bright, learned, and joyful.
Sybil switches slides to an image of CARTHAGE IN RUINS —
sunlit stones beneath a blue sky.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
We'll be going ashore soon. Don't
forget water, hats, sunscreen and a
copy of The Aeneid.
Music fades.
END FLASHBACK
A waitress brings them coffee.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
I'm feeling confused. I don't see
Aeneas or Arthur. I don't know what
I'm doing here.
ANA
That's alright, Sybil. Don't worry.
Maybe if we talk about something
else for a little while, they will
show up. How could I get back into
studying classics? I miss it so
much.
SYBIL
Oh, yes. I said I would try to help
you.
She pulls a piece of paper out of her bag, writes on it and
gives it to Ana.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Here. Give it to John Fullerton.
He's the Head of Classics at UCL.
He owes me a few favors, and he
might be able to pull some strings
for you.
ANA
Oh, thank you so much.
On the wall, a framed picture of the ACROPOLIS catches
Sybil's eye. She stares at it, transfixed.
BEE
Are you all right, Granny?
Sybil doesn't answer.
SYBIL'S FLASHBACK
(Music is an instrumental version of Dido's lament played on
cello.)
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
A Day at Carthage
EXT. TUNIS - THE RUINS OF CARTHAGE - DAY
The ruins of Carthage lie scattered across sun-drenched hills
overlooking the blue shimmer of the Gulf of Tunis.
Sybil and Arthur lead a party of tourists among low stone
walls, baths, and cisterns, remnants of Roman grandeur
imposed over a Punic past. The columns of the Antonine Baths
soar against the sky.
Archways frame the sea beyond like time-worn postcards. Fig
trees and wild grasses have crept between the stones,
softening the edges of conquest.
Sybil has a megaphone.
SYBIL
This was once the greatest city in
the world. Founded by Phoenician
traders nearly nine hundred years
before the birth of Christ. Fought
over, destroyed, rising from the
ashes and rebuilt. Dido, Hannibal,
Terence, Augustine of Hippo - all
called Carthage home. Famously,
Cato the Elder ended every speech
saying, "Carthago delenda est!"
Anyone tell me what that means?
WOMAN
Carthage must be destroyed. It was
in a 1950s film about Hannibal with
Victor Mature... I think.
Everyone laughs.
SYBIL
Wander round. You're walking
through history. Carthage lived for
over 1500 years. Let this sink in -
that's from now until 500 C.E.
Enjoy. Don't get lost. We meet here
to go back to the ship in an hour.
The crowd disperses.
ARTHUR
Let's walk.
They hold hands and walk through the ruins.
SYBIL
I never tire of seeing this. What a
beautiful city it must have been...
Arthur... are you alright?
ARTHUR
I'm fine, just a bit of
indigestion. You go ahead. Let me
belch a bit and I'll be alright.
Sybil walks ahead about a hundred yards. She turns around and
sees that Arthur has collapsed.
(Music ends.)
END FLASHBACK
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
Final Search for Aeneas
INT. HAZLITT HOTEL SUITE - LOUNGE - EVENING
They are all in the suite. Virgil stands behind Sybil.
EV
I've only got one more place left
in me, Mum. Been trailing all over
London. My feet are sore. And I
want to help you, but I don't think
we're going to find Aeneas.
Sybil holds up her phone.
SYBIL
I'm disappointed in Virgil. His
Sortes have not led us to Aeneas.
Virgil snorts.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
But I have been speaking with
Avernus, and it has come up with a
suggestion - a place of renewal.
Phoenicians founded Carthage. This
one last place, if Aeneas is not
there, we'll go out for a big
dinner, on me. And then tomorrow,
we'll go home.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
Dancing with Memories
EXT. BARKING, LONDON, - PHOENIX SCRAPYARD - EVENING
There are cars, and pieces of cars, piled all over the place
amidst the rest of the detritus of modern life, fridges,
cookers, and metal tables. A sign over the entrance reads:
PHOENIX SCRAPYARD
OPEN 9 A.M - 9 P.M. MON-SAT
The evening sun glints off metal and glass, creating a
jeweled symphony of red and yellow light. A high-rise flat
overlooks. Loud GRIME music and raucous LAUGHTER blast from
one of the balconies. At the other end are a range of
blossoming cherry trees interspersed with rhododendrons in
various hues. Rhododendron and cherry blossoms carpet the
ground, and a breeze swirls them through the yard.
At the mesh gate entrance, an ATTENDANT (60s) greets them.
ATTENDANT
Can I help you?
EV
We're looking for a part for my
mother's car.
ATTENDANT
What car? What part?
Sybil, Ana and Bee walk ahead.
ATTENDANT (CONT’D)
Hold on a minute, please.
Ev pulls the attendant to one side.
EV
My mother's not well.
Ev gestures to his head. The attendant nods in understanding.
EV (CONT’D)
She thinks her car is broken, and
we can get a replacement part here.
She liked the name. Here's a tenner
for your troubles.
Ev hands the attendant a note.
EV (CONT’D)
Let us have a look around, and
we'll be out of here in no time.
It'll make my mum happy.
ATTENDANT
I've got the same problem with my
mum. It does your head in. Go
ahead.
They walk further into the yard - Bee watchful, Sybil
confused, and Ev tired.
Sybil stops when she sees Virgil sitting on the bonnet of a
ruined car, toga pulled tight - a disdainful look on his
face.
EV
Why has Virgil brought us here?
SYBIL
I thought Aeneas would be here. But
I don't see him.
Sybil approaches the car where Virgil is sitting.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Virgili, estne Aeneas hic?
(Virgil, is Aeneas here?)
Ev rolls his eyes.
EV
Mum. We're in a scrapyard - look at
all the junk. You're talking to
thin air?
SYBIL
Maybe it's where I feel my breaking
mind belongs.
Bee goes and stands beside Sybil who is weeping.
BEE
Dad, she's really upset.
EV
I can see that.
ANA
Is there anything I can do?
EV
I think we have to get her back to
the hotel.
The grime music stops. A FLAT-DWELLER, poised on one of the
overlooking balconies, shouts.
FLAT-DWELLER
Hey, wrinklies, maybe this kind of
music suits your blood.
Suddenly, from above, the one-two-three beat of a waltz
carries into the night air. Sybil stops weeping and begins to
sway in time. She holds out her hands to Bee who takes them.
They begin to dance.
BEE
I don’t really know how to waltz,
Granny. It’s not something young
people normally do when they go
clubbing.
SYBIL
I know that, my darling
granddaughter.
BEE
I’ll never forget you, Granny.
She touches the torc around Bee’s neck.
SYBIL
I know darling. We’ll live in you.
Write your books. Carry the fight
forward.
BEE
It’s my promise to you. Thank you
for everything. I never got a
chance to thank Grandad.
SYBIL
He knew.
They dance over to where a bemused Ev is standing. Sybil
releases Bee and holds out her hands to Ev.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
Oh, Ev, come have one last dance
with your mother. While I can
remember I am your mother.
She grabs Ev's hand. He pulls back. Bee kicks him.
BEE
Dad, for God's sake, dance with
your mother.
Ev takes Sybil's arms, and they dance a waltz through the
scrapyard in the setting sun, jewels of fire light flying
through the air.
SYBIL
I’m sorry, Ev.
EV
What for, Mum?
SYBIL
For not being there for you, after
Anthea. I know you hated me for it.
EV
No...I...
SYBIL
(interrupting)
Hush. It’s alright. I know. But you
were a child and children are
supposed to hate people who abandon
them. Because they love them and it
hurts so much. And I know you’ve
always loved me. And I’ve always
loved you.
Sybil and Ev dance up to Virgil. Virgil reaches for Sybil,
who dances away with Ev to Ana. Sybil lets go.
EV
What's up?
SYBIL
Virgil wants to cut in. You dance
with Ana.
Ev holds out his arms to Ana who readily accepts them. They
waltz.
Sybil grabs the arms of Virgil, pulling him off the car
bonnet. She dances a waltz with Virgil - no one else can see
him.
FLAT-DWELLER
(shouting)
She ain't dancing with anyone now.
She's dancing with a ghost.
Then Sybil stops. She rubs her eyes. She sees ARTHUR sitting
on a car bonnet. She dances with Virgil over to Bee.
SYBIL
(excitedly,)
Aeneas is here. You dance with
Virgil.
Bee holds out her arms. Her face is transformed into
amazement as she feels herself pulled into a waltz.
The wind picks up. Blossoms of cherry and rhododendron swirl
in ghostly dances.
SYBIL (CONT'D)
(shouting)
Oh, Virgil. He's here. I have found
Arthur. I have found my Aeneas.
She approaches Arthur.
SYBIL (CONT’D)
May I have this dance?
Sybil and Arthur waltz slowly through the scrapyard —
blossoms rising and spinning around them. As they dance, the
petals transform.
— The blossoms swirl upward and become mortarboards tossed
into the air,
— which dissolve into a spectral Roman legion marching
through the yard,
— then shift into Sybil and Arthur marrying in a dreamlike
chapel filled with petals,
— then the grave of Anthea, a single blossom falling on the
stone,
— then celebrations of their first books, glasses clinking
mid-spin,
— Lectures on a cruise ship, with Arthur watching her speak,
— Dancing in a ballroom at sea, identical steps to now,
— Ev's wedding, the photo moment before the kiss,
-
-then Clara's funeral, veiled and distant,
— Sybil holding baby Bee, spinning in a circle,
— Pushing Bee on swings in a blossom-filled park,
— Her retirement reception, applause frozen in air,
— Arthur's grave, petals falling again,
- Walking hand in hand through the ruins of Carthage, a ghost
sun setting behind them.
They keep dancing — blossoms shifting, becoming, dissolving,
reforming.
And Sybil can see Bee has stopped dancing. She can see Virgil
and he is now waltzing with Frida Kahlo.
SYBIL (CONT'D)
(to Arthur)
You left so quickly. You abandoned
me in Carthage. I didn't have time
to say goodbye. I'm so glad I found
you. I knew I could persuade you to
come back to me. I so wanted to
thank you for the lovely dance we
had. And to tell you I’m so sorry
for falling asleep with the baby.
ARTHUR
I'm sorry I died before I had a
chance to thank you for the dance.
You never had to tell me, I always
knew. I worry I've stepped on your
toes... maybe it wasn't the best
dance it could've been.
SYBIL
In all its painful imperfection
it's been perfect. I wouldn't have
wanted to dance with anyone else.
ARTHUR
But I'm glad you found me. I've
always loved you. Thank you for the
dance.
They kiss.
The waltz continues.
Sybil clutches her chest and crumples.
The breeze billows a storm of petals up against her body that
gracefully form into shapes like the vines coming out of the
woman in Kahlo's ROOTS.
Ev, Bee and Ana rush to her.
Virgil and Kahlo turn and walk away.
The music plays on.
The END
MUSIC:
"Dido's Lament" from Purcell's "Dido and Aeneas"
LYRICS ON SCREEN
Thy hand, Belinda, darkness shades me,
On thy bosom let me rest,
More I would, but Death invades me;
Death is now a welcome guest.
Aria
When I am laid, am laid in earth,
May my wrongs create
No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;
Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.
Remember me, but ah! forget my fate.