Quintus Arrius

Quintus Arrius is a character from the novel Ben Hur and the movies based upon that novel. He was the Roman Counsel who encountered a captive Judah Ben-Hur on a galley and after the latter saved his life in a battle he became the adoptive father of Hur.

1959 Film
Arrius was tasked by the Emperor to take command of a fleet of Roman warships in order to clear the seas of Macedonian pirates working the area. Upon arriving on his flag ship he decided to inspect the galley slaves condemned to row his ship. It was there that he first met a man known as Forty One. After lashing him with a whip he saw the fire in the young man's eyes.

Forty One was ordered to report to Arrius on his relief. Encountering the napping Arrius he waited for the counsel to awake. Arrius was surprised that Forty One had not taken advantage of the situation and murdered him. Forty One explained that he was not ready to die, that God was keeping him alive. Arrius offered to have Forty One returned to Rome to work as a charioteer for him, however Forty One declined. Arrius informed Forty One that as long as Rome was victorious he would never be free and if not he would die chained to his oar.

Soon the Macedonian fleet was spotted. While the slaves were all chained to their oar Arrius ordered the overseers to unchain Forty One. In the battle that followed Hur was able to run to the top deck and keep a Macedonian from killing Arrius. When Arrius fell overboard Forty One dove in after and managed to retrieve Arrius. Seeing his flagship sink Arrius tried to take his own life, but Forty One prevented him from doing so and knocked him out so Arrius wouldn't kill himself while Forty One rested.

A short time later Arrius awoke and asked, "What is your name, Forty One?". Forty One responded that he was Judah Ben-Hur. Arrius requested that Hur allow him to die, but Hur declined the request. It was then that another Roman ship approached. After being rescued Arrius learned that the victory over the Macedonian fleet had been complete. Arrius informed Hur that God in his quest to save Hur's life ensured the victory of the Roman fleet.

Arrius took Hur back to Rome with him, and had the young man accompany him on the triumph through the streets of Rome. After receiving a baton of victory from the Emperor, the Emperor informed Arrius to appear before the Senate the following day to speak further on Hur. At that session of the Senate the Emperor would not absolve Hur of the sin of attacking his Governor. However he and the Senate gave Hur to Arrius as his slave, to do with him as he pleased. In turn Arrius freed the young man.

Soon Hur became known in Rome for driving Arrius's horses to victory in the Circus Maximus. At a party Arrius declared that Hur stood in the place of his deceased son. He further declared that the formalities of adoption had been completed, that Hur was now his son and heir. He gave his adoptive son a ring that would have gone to his deceased son.

At that party Arrius introduced Hur to his old friend Pontius Pilate. Pilate relayed his disgust at the thought of being the Governor of Judea to Arrius after Hur went off to be by himself.

Arrius realized the pain his adoptive son was in. He counseled his son to wait, that Gratus was going to be replaced as Governor by Pontius Pilate. However Hur feared losing his mother and sister. Realizing that Hur had to see to his family, Arrius let him go with his blessing.

A short time later Arrius was able to have Hur declared a citizen of Rome. After defeating Messala in a chariot race Hur had come to believe that Messala had been a good man corrupted by Rome. Also he had learned that his mother and sister had contracted leprosy during their imprisonment. Unable to cope with the thought of being a tool of the city of Rome, Hur asked Pilate to return the ring to his adoptive father, saying that he honoured the man too much to keep it. For his part Pilate warned Hur it probably wasn't a good idea to remain in Rome any longer.

Novel
In the novel Arrius had known Ben-Hur's father, having dealt with him in the past. It's implied in the novel that Arrius had later died and that Hur inherited his fortune and property, including a villa in southern Italy.

Trivia
There was a real Quintus Arrius, who had served as Praetor of Rome in 72 BC. He supported Lucius Gellius Publicola in the Third Servile War. It was not made unclear if this man was intended to be a relative of the Arrius of the novel and movies based on the novel.