La chimera

Arthur, a former British archaeologist, returns to Italy after being released from prison, where he was arrested for stealing artifacts from tombs to sell to an arts dealer named Spartaco. He goes to visit his ex-girlfriend Beniamina's mother, Flora, at her family home, where he also meets her live-in maid and student, Italia. Beniamina has been missing for an undisclosed amount of time, but her mother is convinced she will one day return. Beniamina's sisters are sick of Arthur seemingly freeloading from their mother, and try to find him a job, which he refuses. Arthur, lacking a decent coat and proper heating in his hut, catches a cold.