The Royal Hunt of the Sun

Atahualpa:
I am Atahualpa Capac. Son of the Sun. Son of the Moon. Lord of the Four Quarters. Why you not kneel?

Francisco Pizarro:
Save you all. My name is Francisco Pizarro. I'm a bastard, and a soldier of Spain. Once, the world could have had me for a petty farm, two rocky fields, and a se?or to my name. But the world said no. Said no and said no. Well, now the world is going to remember me!

Hernando de Soto:
[the men have just completed a treacherous bridge crossing and now look triumphantly at the land below them] Give the order, General!

Estete:
I know his orders. 'Adelante!'

Francisco Pizarro:
You came for gold, Veedor. I promised you this kingdom. Here it is. I didn't promise you life or everlasting happiness. So... adelante!

King Carlos:
Your capacity for survival is not in question. But you are a dreamer. If you would accomplish something, my loyal subject, you must be something.

Francisco Pizarro:
Your Majesty, your court is filled with cold, precise, perfect men. They're all something. But they dare not dream for fear of making a mistake, so they do nothing! What I ask you, Your Majesty, is how long can Spain endure doing nothing?

Valverde:
Tell me, how can the Sun have a child?

Manco:
How could your god have a child, since you say he has no body?

Valverde:
He is a spirit inside us.

Villac Umu:
Your god is inside you? How can this be?

Atahualpa:
They eat him. First he become a biscuit, and then they eat him.

Villac Umu:
We have seen this! At praying, you say, this is the body of our god.

Atahualpa:
And then they drink his blood! Is very bad. Here in my empire, we not eat men.

Valverde:
You are being deliberately stupid!

De Nizza:
Look around you! Happiness has no feel for men here, since they are forbidden unhappiness. They have everything in common, so they have nothing to give each other. They're part of the seasons, no more. As indistinguishable as mules, as predictable as trees.

[louder, to Atahualpa]

De Nizza:
All men are born unequal, and want is their birthright! Atahualpa, I will not rest until I have brought you to the true God.

Atahualpa:
NO!

[stands]

Atahualpa:
Is not true! Where is he?

[He goes to the window and looks up at the sky]

Atahualpa:
There is my Father. Sun. You see now only by his wish. Look into him; he will darken your eyes forever. Do not speak to me again of your god. He is nowhere.

[De Nizza leaves, infuriated]

Francisco Pizarro:
M'lord, you shouldn't anger our holy men. You promised me you wouldn't.

Atahualpa:
They are fools.

Francisco Pizarro:
No, they're not fools.

Atahualpa:
You believe them?

[Pizarro averts his gaze]

Atahualpa:
Look into me.

[Pizarro looks up]

Atahualpa:
You do not believe them.

Francisco Pizarro:
You shouldn't say that to me...

Atahualpa:
You do not believe them. Their god is not in your face.

Hernando de Soto:
I think this man performs what he swears. Pray God we don't pay bitterly for it.

Estete:
May the Crown be allowed a word?

Francisco Pizarro:
I know your word... death.

Francisco Pizarro:
You'll have to furnish me with better argument before I give up Atahualpa!

Estete:
Perverse man, what is Atahualpa to you?

Francisco Pizarro:
Someone I promised life.

Estete:
Promised life. How quaint. The sort of chivalrous idea that you pretend to despise. If you want to be an absolute king, my man, you have to learn how to act out of self-will! Break your word, just because you made it! 'Til then, you're nothing but a... a pig-man trying to copy his betters.

Valverde:
My son, listen to me. No promise to a Pagan need bind a Christian. Simply think what's at stake. The lives of one hundred and sixty-seven of the faithful. Are you willing to sacrifice them for one savage?

Francisco Pizarro:
You know lives have no weight. Ten cannot be added up to outbalance one.

Valverde:
Ten good can against one evil, and this man is evil. His people kiss his hands as the source of life!

Francisco Pizarro:
As we do yours. All day you play at being God. You only hate my Inca because he does it better! I despise you! 'Kill who I bid you kill, and I will pardon it'? You with your milky fingers, forcing in the blade? How dare you priests bless a man going into battle? 'Rip!' you scream. 'Tear, blind, in the name of Christ!' Tell me, soft Father - if Christ were here, would He kill the Inca?

Francisco Pizarro:
Father, I do not know love. But if I have none for Atahualpa, what can I ever know of it?

Atahualpa:
They cannot kill me.

Francisco Pizarro:
Cannot?

Atahualpa:
Only my Father can take me from here. And he not accept me killed by men like you. Men with no word. You may be King in this land. But never God. And if you kill me tonight, I will rise at dawn, when my Father first touch my body with light.

Francisco Pizarro:
That's not possible.

Atahualpa:
All my people know it. Is why they let me stay with you.

Francisco Pizarro:
Your people let you stay with me because they knew I could not kill you?

Atahualpa:
So.

Atahualpa:
Pizarro. You will die soon, and you not believe in your God. Is why you tremble and keep no word. Believe in me. For you, I will do a great thing. I will swallow death and spit it out of me.

Atahualpa:
INTI! INTI! INTI!