Hercules and Iolaus are helping their artist friend, Thanis. At the local market Thanis gets into an argument with a shopkeeper. While Iolaus is loading the wagon with Thanis' supplies, he sees Thanis attack the shopkeeper and run off with his money. Iolaus goes to help the shopkeeper as Thanis comes back. Thanis protests his innocence, but the villagers want to kill Thanis to set an example for other thieves. Hercules arrives just as one of the crowd throws a rock at Thanis.