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Plate 5 Ben-Hur. Boyhood friends Messala (Stephen Boyd) and Judah (Charlton Heston)
are reunited at the garrison in Judaea. Courtesy of MGM/The Kobal Collection.
as a wedding gift. Later that evening, Judah comes upon Esther alone in a
shuttered room, where she bids farewell to the house. They are drawn to
each other by a powerful attraction. Judah takes her slave ring and puts it
on his finger, promising to wear it until he meets the woman he will
marry. He takes her in his arms and kisses her goodbye as she weeps.
When the new governor, Gratus, arrives in Jerusalem, he is greeted by
the tribune Messala and a large contingent of Roman soldiers. Gratus
inquires about a delegation from the city, and Messala replies there is
none: “Jerusalem’s welcome will not be a warm one, but I pledge my lord
it will be a quiet one.” As the Roman administrators parade through the
streets towards the garrison, they are met by the stony faces of the Judaean
people. Judah and Tirzah watch from the roof of their villa. As Tirzah
leans forward to get a better view, she accidentally pushes a loose roof tile
into the path of the new governor: his spooked horse rears back and
throws Gratus to the street, leaving a huge gash in his neck. Soldiers burst
into the house of Hur, and Drusus orders them to seize everyone. When
Messala enters, Judah pleads with him to no avail: “It was an accident!”
BEN-HUR (1959) 61