(The ruins of a village outside of Rome. Alfredo Centauri meets with Marcus Benignus, one of the Centurions under his command.)

ALFREDO CENTAURI Send the first legion along the south slope, and bring up the archers.

MARCUS BENIGNUS What about the Tuscan mercenaries?

ALFREDO CENTAURI Tell them to wait below. If it is his destiny to die today, it will be with a Roman shaft in his heart.

MARCUS BENIGNUS I fear it may be our destiny to die today.

ALFREDO CENTAURI Marcus Benignus--

MARCUS BENIGNUS We don't know what this is!! We don't know what god we've defiled!!

(Alfredo puts his sword to the Marcus Benignus' throat.)

ALFREDO CENTAURI The only god that is going to be defiled today is the god of cowardly Roman soldiers who babble and whimper like children!

(Marcus Benignus falls silent.)

ALFREDO CENTAURI Do you know the name of this place?

MARCUS BENIGNUS Athanos.

ALFREDO CENTAURI (significantly:) "The place without death." So, you see, nobody is going to die today.

(Pause, and then they both laugh. Alfredo puts his sword away.)

MARCUS BENIGNUS I wish you could always say that with such confidence.

ALFREDO CENTAURI Come, we'll stand watch together.

(They stand watch.)

(Pause.)

ALFREDO CENTAURI Can I ask you something, Marcus Benignus?

MARCUS BENIGNUS Anything, Centurion.

ALFREDO CENTAURI (seductively:) Do you think it's immoral?

MARCUS BENIGNUS What?

ALFREDO CENTAURI The eating of snails.

MARCUS BENIGNUS (warily:) The eating of snails?

ALFREDO CENTAURI Yes.

MARCUS BENIGNUS Do I think it's immoral?

ALFREDO CENTAURI Yes.

(Nervous pause.)

MARCUS BENIGNUS Why? Do you have some snails?

ALFREDO CENTAURI Only a handful.

MARCUS BENIGNUS Where are they?

ALFREDO CENTAURI In my pocket.

(Nervous pause, Marcus Benignus looks to see that no one's coming.)

MARCUS BENIGNUS Let me taste one.

(Alfredo digs in his pocket. Marcus Benignus looks on, fascinated.)

(Harlequin comes over and, leaning in to get a better view, places his hand on Marcus Benignus' shoulder.)

MARCUS BENIGNUS (suddenly alert:) Did you hear something?

ALFREDO CENTAURI No.

MARCUS BENIGNUS Wait a minute, where are we?

ALFREDO CENTAURI Athanos. Outside of Rome.

MARCUS BENIGNUS No, it looks like Athanos outside of Rome, but...

ALFREDO CENTAURI Is something wrong?

MARCUS BENIGNUS What year is it?

ALFREDO CENTAURI What year?

MARCUS BENIGNUS (with mounting hysteria:) The year, man, what's the year!?!

ALFREDO CENTAURI 12 B.C. Why--?

MARCUS BENIGNUS B.C.?!? Do you know what that means?!?

ALFREDO CENTAURI "Before Christ," isn't it?

MARCUS BENIGNUS (shrieking out of control:) WHO THE HELL IS CHRIST?!??!?! Great Jupiter, we're a flashback! We're living in a flashback! None of this is really happening. We're just reliving the past so someone in the future can go on with their story. But what about us? What about me? Don't I have a story? Do I make general? Command a Roman legion? What about my family? My children? Do I have children? Where am I now? Am I famous? Or am I already dead? Rotting in some Tunisian desert or sunk in a galley at the bottom of the Nile? (to the audience:) What happens to me? Somebody please tell me!

(Beat.)

They just sit there. They don't know! They don't know me. Maybe I'm not even a main character. Maybe I'm just the Second Centurion - part of the human backdrop against which the real characters play their hour upon life's stage. After this scene I don't even exist! Is that it? Oh, please, God, don't let me be a flashback. I WANT A LIFE, TOO! I have hopes, dreams, aspirations. I'm complex! I'm fascinating! Oh, God! Oh, God! I'm going into post-traumatic shock!

(He goes into post-traumatic shock. Alfredo is completely baffled.)

HARLEQUIN Last time I do that.

(Lights fade on the Centurions.)