Introduction (01-02)
UNCHAINED HEART (03-04)
CRADLE OF HOPE (05-06)
THE PATH NOT TAKEN (07-08)
PROMETHEUS (09-11)
THE BLACK WOLF (12-13)
ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS (14)
A FISTFUL OF DINARS (15-16)
WARRIOR...PRINCESS (17-18)
THE ROYAL COUPLE OF THIEVES (19-20)
THE PRODIGAL (21-22)
REMEMBER NOTHING (23-24)
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN (25-26)
TEN LITTLE WARLORDS (27-28)
A SOLSTICE CAROL (29-33)
DESTINY (34-35)
THE QUEST (36-37)
A NECESSARY EVIL (38-39)
BLIND FAITH (40-42)
Summary (43)
Acknowledgments< br> Reference Table
Biography

Money props from the storage vaults of Pacific Renaissance.

Introduction

^[1] What is a dinar between friends? What is a dinar between enemies? What is a dinar? It is an "ancient" currency used in Roman times which has been inappropriately purloined by the creators of Xena: Warrior Princess. Lest ye be too put out, it is okay -- those XWP guys are into anachronisms, and the use of dinars in "ancient Greece" is a bona fide anachronism.

^[2] In the first two seasons [including the Hercules: The Legendary Journeys episode UNCHAINED HEART (H12/112)], 17 episodes mentioned or referred to the word dinar. What follows is a passionless and cold, clinical review of how each episode used the term.

^[3] The character of Xena, the Warrior Princess, was introduced in the HTLJ episode THE WARRIOR PRINCESS (H09/109) [first release 03/13/95]. Subsequent to that episode, two more episodes featured Xena, THE GAUNTLET (H12/112) [first release 05/01/95] and UNCHAINED HEART (H13/113) [first released 05/08/95]. The first mention of dinars in a Xena moment occurred in UNCHAINED HEART.

UNCHAINED HEART

WARRIORS
Tear down that house! Look at this
bracelet. That'll be worth a few dinars.

XENA
(observing the warriors)
Vultures.

WARRIOR
Nothing under here!

[Xena attacks Warriors]

^[4] In this instance, the reference gives a rough clue as to value of the coinage. A warrior makes a passing comment that some loot, a bracelet, would be worth a few dinars. The implication is that the bracelet is neither cheap nor precious; it is just an ordinary bracelet that will be worth a few dinars.

^[5] The next appearance of the elusive dinar is in CRADLE OF HOPE (04/104) [first released 09/25/95].

CRADLE OF HOPE

The first baby-tossing episode.

INN-KEEPER
(to Xena)
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
You'll have to check your weapons.

XENA
We just want some milk and
some port.

INN-KEEPER
Weapons first, then milk.

XENA
(to Pandora and Gabrielle)
Go ahead and sit down.

GABRIELLE
(looking at baby)
He's cute, isn't he?

PANDORA
(agreeing)
Mmm--Hmm.

GABRIELLE
I'd like to say he has my nose.
Huh! What can I say? He does.

INN-KEEPER
(aside to other person in the inn)
Get Nemos.

PANDORA
(to Gabrielle)
Um, can you hold him?

GABRIELLE
Yes.

INN-KEEPER
(to his confidante)
And hurry.

GABRIELLE
(pondering a name for the baby)
Gabriel.

XENA
(to inn-keeper)
We're looking for the mother of
this baby.

INN-KEEPER
I'm an innkeeper, that's all I
know. That'll be six dinars.

PANDORA
Okay. Oh, yes, hello.

XENA
(to the inn-keeper)
Something about our baby bothering
you?

INN-KEEPER
No, no, I got work to do.

NEMOS
(entering inn)
Keep moving.
By the order of King Gregor, that
child is under arrest.

^[6] We find that some milk and port go for 6 dinars at an inn. The question is, how is it divided? Are they 3 for each, or is one more valuable than the other?

^[7] Our next dinar adventure happened a week later!!! The characters even refer to the previous week's episode... amazing! The episode was THE PATH NOT TAKEN (05/105) [first released 10/02/97], and Marcus gets to hear "the word" after ordering a beverage.

THE PATH NOT TAKEN

MARCUS
Give me one.

INN-KEEPER
There you go. Two dinars.

1ST MAN
You heard the latest news on Xena?

MARCUS
No, but I'll bet you're gonna tell
me.

1ST MAN
I talked to a trader who came from
Lerna. He said she was there.

MARCUS
She told me. She ransomed a baby
back to King Gregor, and made a
bundle.

1ST MAN
What? Ransomed to the King? No, no,
Marcus, she rescued the baby. She
didn't kidnap it.

MARCUS
No. You got it wrong.

1ST MAN
Yeah, I'm sure you wanna believe
that.

MARCUS
Is that supposed to mean something?

1ST MAN
She's got you fooled, Marcus. She's
running something right now, and
you're falling for it like a good,
little lovesick puppet. This guy
worked for Nemos, the king's
advisor. She killed Nemos because
he wanted to grab the kid and
blackmail the king. I swear it! I
swear it!
(shakes his head)
Where's the profit? I just don't
get it.

^[8] A drink at a tavern costs two dinars. Either he was not having port or milk is mighty expensive in Ancient "Xena-land" (duh, it's probably because they would have to have a cow or goat nearby, but port and other high-octane beverages carry their own preservatives)!

^[9] The next earthshattering reference to dinars is found in PROMETHEUS (08/108) [first aired 11/06/95], where there are two references (oh joy, oh rapture).

PROMETHEUS

Falafel makes his XENA debut.

FALAFEL
Ah! Headed for Vulcan Mountain, are
we? Come in come in, you'll want a
memento of your visit.

GABRIELLE
Well, we're kind of in a hurry,
but--

FALAFEL
I have just what you're looking
for. This work of art was sculpted
by one of Athens' finest craftsmen,
and we're talking only five dinars.

GABRIELLE
This looks like Mount Olympus.

FALAFEL
It's a remarkable resemblance
between the two peaks.

GABRIELLE
Not really.

FALAFEL
Oh, sure there is. Not from this
angle, of course. You have to
look at it from the other side.
No, this is no good for a smart
girl like you, anyway. How about
a nice box of lava rocks, hmm?

XENA
How far is the cave of Hephaestus?

FALAFEL
You don't want to go there. It's a
dangerous place. I sell you a
replica. Save you the trouble. This
is so lifelike, it gives ME the
chills.

XENA
How far is it?

FALAFEL
You know, I have a very attractive
map of the area, suitable for
framing.

XENA
I'm not going to ask you again.

FALAFEL
Not far at all; it's on the north
side of the mountain; you, you
just bear to the right.

XENA
(to Gabrielle)
Wait here.

FALAFEL
(to Gabrielle after Xena leaves)
Would you be interested in a scroll
signed by the great god Hephaestus,
himself, hmm?

^[10] Five dinars for a Mt. Olympus curio masquerading as Mt. Helikon! But wait... five dinars can get you more!

GABRIELLE
This one actually says 'Mt.
Olympus' on the bottom.

FALAFEL
Oh, you're right. I've obviously
been ripped off. D*mned,
unscrupulous artisans. Look at
this-- a piece of the shell
Aphrodite came ashore on.

IOLAUS
(entering)
Hello.

FALAFEL
Hello. You're the one interested
in the Aphrodite shell, right?
Better snap it up quick before
he gets it-- five dinars.

IOLAUS
I'm afraid you have me confused
with someone else. I wanna know
if you've seen a friend of mine.
He's-- uh-- tall, broad shoulders,
big arms, very handsome--

FALAFEL
Hercules-- I haven't seen him, but
I have the cradle he was nursed in.

GABRIELLE
(to Iolaus)
Why are you looking for Hercules?

^[11] A piece of Aphrodite's shell is five dinars as well. However, Falafel could just be operating an "Everything for Five Dinars" store.

^[12] By the time we get to BLACK WOLF (11/111) [first released 01/08/96], we start getting into the big leagues of "dinar-ology".

BLACK WOLF

Salmoneus extolls the virtues of his 'Wolf Pack'

KOULOS
These rebels are incredibly
disciplined. The usual techniques
don't work.

XERXES
The feast of Zeus is five days from
now. I want the execution of the
Black Wolf to be the main
entertainment. Or I could execute
my minister of security. And that
-- would be you!

KOULOS
I'll find him. A true leader can't
hide his identity forever. Or -- we
could just pick one, and say it's
the Black Wolf. Who'd know?

XENA
(entering)
The Black Wolf would know.

KOULOS
Guards!

XENA
Oh, don't bother the dears. They're
sleeping. If you kill the wrong
man, word will get out -- and the
Black Wolf will have a martyr to
hold up in front of the people.

KOULOS
Then we'll kill them all.

XENA
Good idea-- make martyrs of them
all. No, Xerxes, you're right. It's
the Black Wolf you want. Cut off
the head of the serpent, and the
body withers and dies.

XERXES
Who are you? What is your interest
in all this?

XENA
My name is Xena. I'm a problem-
solver. I can solve your problem
for 10,000 dinars.

KOULOS
This is outrageous. I refuse to
listen to this.

XENA
Stage my arrest in the center of
town-- in front of Black Wolf
sympathizers. Once I'm inside your
prison, I'll expose the Black Wolf,
and hand him over to you.

KOULOS
Why should we believe you could
succeed?

XENA
Ask Mezentius and Trakus about me.

XERXES
Mezentius is dead.

XENA
Yes, he is. 10,000 dinars and a new
pair of boots.

XERXES
But fail, and you will join them on
the block-- that's my offer. Take
it, or leave it.

XENA
I'll take it.

^[13] Although Xerxes, at first, acts put out by the amount, in the end he agrees. Perhaps 10,000 dinars is the usual asking price for a hyper-competent mercenary?

ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS

^[14] In ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS (13/113) [first released 01/22/96], parts of the Aphrodite's shell for 5 dinars scene is memorialized. No new information is provided though, so I have ignored it for purposes of this paper.

^[15] The next dinar reference is from an episode blessed with the word in its title. Yes, we are talking FISTFUL OF DINARS (14/114) [first aired 01/29/96]. Strangely enough, it mentions dinars only once...

FISTFUL OF DINARS

That's a lot of dinars.

THERSITES
Four heads, Marleus. Don't be an
amateur. I'm the one who kills.
I'm the one with the tricks up
his sleeve.

MAN 1
He killed Marleus! Run!

MAN 2
Run!

THERSITES
He's already paid me 5,000 dinars.
So -- I'll just take another five
for a job well done.

PETRACLES
Spoken like a greedy Sumerian.

THERSITES
Yes -- I am Sumerian. The rest is
Sumerian tax. And the next time
you feel the desire -- to yank me
by the short hairs --
(BOINK!)
'Nuff said.

^[16] Perhaps 10,000 is big money for a mercenary. Thersites did his assassin job for 5,000, but he may have felt underpaid since he did help himself to another 5,000, bringing the total up to a decent 10,000.

^[17] WARRIOR...PRINCESS (15/115) [first released 02/05/96] offered the first completely ambiguous dinar reference.

WARRIOR...PRINCESS

DIANA
(brushing Argos' tail)
833, 834, 835, 836.

GABRIELLE
I think that's plenty.

DIANA
Really? It looks so flat and dull.

GABRIELLE
Uh -- Horses' tails are supposed to
be flat and dull.

DIANA
Why are you throwing those rags on
the soil?

GABRIELLE
It's gonna be dark soon; I think we
should get some sleep.

DIANA
I agree, but why are you putting
those ra -- We're sleeping on the
ground?

GABRIELE: That's what Xena does.

DIANA
Boy, I sure am hungry. I could eat
a whole pickled croesus on my own.

GABRIELLE
Couldn't we all? Um, I'm not much
of a hunter -- Not like Xena.
You'll have to make do with this.

DIANA
What is it?

GABRIELLE
Cheese.

DIANA
I've got some dinars. We could go
out to an inn and get some real
food.

GABRIELLE
Just try the cheese. It may not
be as bad as you think.

DIANA
What?

GABRIELLE
You may look like Xena, but you're
nothing alike.

DIANA
Philemon thinks that I'm a delicate
flower --far too frail to eat bread
and cheese and endure a night under
the stars. Did I ever tell you that
I haven't been outside the castle
walls but twice?

GABRIELLE
More times than you've actually
been outside the castle walls.

^[18] It takes "some" dinars to go to an inn to get "real food". Food for thought, no?

^[19] ROYAL COUPLE OF THIEVES (17/117) [first released 02/19/96] offered a slightly less ambiguous dinar reference.

ROYAL COUPLE OF THIEVES

A tablet of great worth, a weapon of terrible power.

XENA
What do you mean, you're out of
here?

AUTOLYCUS
Malthus' ego was important to our
plan. Now he's dead. So is his ego.
So is our plan. Now any good thief
knows when to back off and pick
another pocket.

XENA
I can't give up. This chest is too
important to my friends.

AUTOLYCUS
Some advice from me to you: find
less demanding friends.

XENA
There was a time, when I was young,
I was wounded in battle -- And
those people found me -- They
dressed my wounds and fed me,
though they had nothing to spare.
And then, when the enemy came to
find me, one of them died
protecting me. However, I can't
expect that you would understand
that.

AUTOLYCUS
Understand? What, just because I'm
a thief, no matter how or why?

XENA
Well, I just figured you learned it
from your father.

AUTOLYCUS
My father -- Well, that would be an
interesting subject, except that he
was killed before I was born. My
mother died when I was eight, so,
it was just my older brother to
take care of me -- Like those
people took care of you. And, when
he was killed, you -- do what you
can to survive. If we find out who
killed Malthus, we'll find that
chest.

XENA
Well, let's get on with it then,
shall we?

AUTOLYCUS
Ah, yes, but first, I must get
some sleep, and I get the bed this
time, thank you.

XENA
(looks at the bed)
The chest!
(hears knocking at the door)
Who is it?

SOLDIER
(behind door)
Arkel sent me to search the room.

AUTOLYCUS
Multi-million dinar castle and no
closets.

SOLDIER
Come on, open up!

XENA
One minute!

^[20] Multi-million dollar castles with no closets!!! What a thought!

^[21] In THE PRODIGAL (18/118) [first released 03/04/96], Meleager's bounty is given.

THE PRODIGAL

DAMON
Is it true? Was it Meleager?

SOLDIER 1
Sure as we're standing here.

SOLDIER 2
They say he killed 500 men at
Liguria.

DAMON
I heard it was six-twenty-five. But
that's not the number that
interests me. No, the figure I'm
thinking of is 50,000 -- As in the
50,000 dinars that are being
offered for the capture of
Meleager.

SOLDIER 1
[Whistles]
Who wants him that bad?

DAMON
A warlord named Cassius. Turns out
his sons were at Liguria.

^[22] So! 50,000 is considered a pretty good bounty. Meleager was "the Mighty" after all!

^[23] By the time the second season plows into town, REMEMBER NOTHING (26/202) [first released 10/07/96] gives us another ambiguous dinar reference.

REMEMBER NOTHING

'Don't'

WOMAN 1
Please.

STORE OWNER
Hold on -- What do you think you're
doing?

SOLDIER
We're here to place an order -- two
wagonloads of food and hay to be
delivered by midday tomorrow. That
a problem?

STORE OWNER
No, but I'll need some dinars --
as good faith.

SOLDIER
You wanna see some good faith?
Start praying -- and if I spare
you, that's as good as it gets.

XENA
(causing soldier grief)
Oh, I'm sorry. I -- I was just
checking the price of this rug.
Are you all right? I guess I don't
know my own strength. Can you
ever forgive me?

^[24] Some dinars will get you good faith, aka "insurance".

^[25] In an uncharacteristically l-o-n-g scene, Joxer gets to share some information on what 50 dinars can get you in GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN (28/204) [first released 10/21/96].

More of the Second Season