Death of Pope Eugene III
Pope Eugene III lies on his deathbed, surrounded by his closest advisors and attendants. He is weak, his breathing labored, as he prepares to impart his final words and blessings. The room is filled w
Setting
A dimly lit chamber within the Palazzo dei Papi in Tivoli, near Rome. The room is modestly furnished, reflecting the Cistercian simplicity Pope Eugene III favored. The walls are thick stone, with narrow arched windows allowing scant light. A large wooden crucifix hangs on one wall, and the air is still and heavy.
Characters
Pope Eugene III
primary
A frail man in his late 60s with a gaunt face, deep-set eyes shadowed by illness, and thinning white hair. His skin is pale and slightly translucent, showing the strain of his final illness. His hands, resting on the coarse wool blanket, are bony with prominent veins.
Cardinal Boso
primary
A senior cardinal in his late 60s with a thin, gaunt frame that speaks of years of asceticism. His sharp, angular face is framed by close-cropped silver hair and a short, neatly trimmed beard. His deep-set eyes are a piercing blue, and his long fingers bear the ink stains of a scholar.
Cistercian Monk
secondary
A middle-aged man of average height with a gaunt frame, his pale skin marked by years of ascetic living. His shaved crown (tonsure) is prominent, and his hands are calloused from manual labor. Deep-set brown eyes show both weariness and spiritual intensity.
Papal Secretary
secondary
A middle-aged man of slight build with sharp, angular features and a neatly trimmed beard. His hands are stained with ink, and his fingers are long and delicate, accustomed to hours of writing. His eyes are keen and observant, though currently shadowed with fatigue and grief.
Guard Captain
background
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late 30s with a weathered face and deep-set brown eyes. His dark hair is cropped short in military fashion, and a thick beard frames his jaw. His hands, resting on his sword hilt, show the calluses of years of weapon training.
Dialog
Pope Eugene III
Benedicite... This unworthy servant's time... grows short. Let our last testament be the renewal... of Christ's vineyard.
Cardinal Boso
Holiness, the bulls concerning the reform of the Lateran chapter are prepared for your seal. Shall I have the secretary read them?
Pope Eugene III
Non est opus... The vine needs pruning more than parchments now... Trust the Rule to guide you.
Cardinal Boso
Per Christum Dominum nostrum, I swear to uphold your decrees. But Rome's wolves already scent the vacancy...
Papal Secretary
Your Eminence, the annates from France require disposition. His Holiness' earlier instructions were... ambiguous.
Pope Eugene III
Sicut aqua... Like water to thirsty ground... Let it flow to Clairvaux...
Cardinal Boso
Scriptor, mark well: 'All temporalities to be distributed per the customs of our mother house.' Let no man say we neglected the vow of poverty in this passing.