A Tale of Visitation

Ben-Hur

The Roman soldiers are leading a long train of slaves to the galleys, and one of them, a Jew from the princely family of Hur, is near to dying of thirst. When he tries to sip a little water from the dipper held out for the other prisoners, a soldier cries out, “Not for you,” and knocks it from his mouth.

A man has been watching the goings-on. We see his hands; they are young. We see the tools of the carpenter. He sets the tools down. We do not see him directly. The camera shows us what he sees. The music, by the magnificent Miklós Rózsa, tells us who he is. He is not intimidated by the Romans. He goes over to the young prince, who has fallen to his knees. He gives him water, letting him...