Funny / Masada

• Roman legions are welcomed by the people of Masada with catapulted manure bags on the first day of siege.
• The Zealots infiltrate the Roman camp by night and stuff the Romans' sacrificial goats with maggots. As a result, the Romans' High Priest reads a bad omen in the goats' bowels the following day and warns General Flavius Silva about the necessity of expiating this bad omen. When asked what must be done, the priest says the commanding general must strip nude and make several laps around the camp bearing a torch.
  • Of course, the general might be spared the need of doing the ritual himself if he were to have the aid of a surrogate... in exchange for a suitable monetary "offering", of course. In the next scene, the priest accomplishes the expiation, much to the hilarity of the Zealots watching him from atop their ramparts.

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