ellauri150.html on line 539: Esther "Bat" Simonides was born in Jerusalem, Judea, the daughter of the Hellenized Jewish slave Simonides. She was raised in the household of Prince Ithamar Ben-Hur, and she loved Judah Ben-Hur as a child. By 26 AD, she had grown into a woman, and, while she still loved Judah, she was betrothed to the freedman and merchant David ben Matthias from Antioch. That same year, Judah and his family were imprisoned after being wrongfully imprisoned for an alleged assassination attempt on Valerius Gratus, and Simonides was arrested and tortured on the orders of the Roman tribune Messala. Simonides was arrested when the Romans were certain that he was not hiding anything, and he and Esther lived in hiding at the Ben-Hur family's derelict and looted estate, where they were joined by Simonides' fellow former prisoner Malluch.
ellauri150.html on line 569: "The Messala. Further, tell thy husband that for the harm I sought to do him I have been punished until even he would pity me."

ellauri150.html on line 582: Ben-Hur, when he was told of the visit, knew certainly what he had long surmised—that on the day of the crucifixion Iras had deserted her father for Messala. Nevertheless, he set out immediately and hunted for him vainly; they never saw him more, or heard of him The blue bay, with all its laughing under the sun, has yet its dark secrets. Had it a tongue, it might tell us of the Messiah.
ellauri150.html on line 600: Plot summary for the 1959 film Ben Hur directed by William Wyler and starring Charlton Heston as Judah Ben-Hur and Stephen Boyd as Messala.
ellauri150.html on line 649: Ben-Hur seeks out Messala in the dark pit of the surgeon's bay. Messala refuses to be carried out to a proper hospital: even if it kills him, he'll see Ben-Hur one last time. The two onetime friends meet. Messala taunts Ben-Hur with the knowledge that Miriam and Tirzah are alive— but as lepers. Having had his last revenge, Messala dies. Ben-Hur goes to seek out his family, even in their horrific state. Esther meets him at the leper's cave. The family reunites as Jesus' crucifixion takes place. At Jesus' death, by a miracle, Miriam and Tirzah are healed of their leprosy. Judah renounces hatred and dedicates himself to his family— which will include Esther as his wife. All live happily ever after, except for Messala.
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