01x01 - All Baths Lead to Rome

[bunniefuu]

What could be better than thermae?

Forward!

John, get back over here now.

Yes, sir, right away.

Take that wall.

Huh?

Where you running off to, Lucius?

Is there a skinny wimp meeting
at the forum today?

No, I was just bringing lunch over
to my grandfather.

Oh, well, in that case, here you go.

Thank you...

Hey, what are you doing?
That's my grandfather's. Give it back!

You hear that? Stupidus Maximus here
thinks I'll hand it over if he ask nicely.

Give it! Come on, Titus, I mean it,
give it back!

You really want it back that badly?

Then come get it!

Wait! Get back here!

Hurry up, slowpoke,
your food's getting cold!

Please just stop!

Whoa.

Ah! Watch it, kids!

- Give it back.
- First you gotta beg me.

Please, Titus.

I really need to deliver that food
to my grandfather.

Fine, you could have it.
I'm bored of you anyway.

Really? Thank you.

Never mind.

Oh, oh...

- I didn't do anything!
- Me neither!

Huh?

- What's wrong?
- Grandfather.

There, there. Take a breath
and tell me what happened.

I'm so sorry. Your lunch,
it got thrown into the river.

Oh my.

Is that all?
Why are you so upset, my child?

I just...

Did you think I would be angry
over a thing like that?

I'm much hardier than I look, you know.
Skipping a meal or two won't k*ll me.

I know, but...

Such disgraceful blubbering.

A true Roman man faces his mistakes.

He does not say "but"
or make excuses for his actions.

Huh?

Apollodorus.

You need to stop spoiling the boy,
Cassius.

And you, dry those tears,
are you a man or not?

Is that a yes?

Don't you look away from me,
I'm speaking to you.

Calm yourself, Apollodorus.
He's only a child.

Hmm. So you say,

but as I've told you again and again,
your coddling will lead him to ruin.

Lucius, wait!

Running away from the enemy, are we?
How pathetic.

Come now, don't say that.

I was far too harsh on his father.

It's only natural that I want to be kinder
to my grandson, right?

- Hey, Lucius!
- Marcus.

What's wrong?
You're looking pretty glum there, friend.

Oh, I get it.
You're just cranky 'cause you're hungry.

Want a bite?

Come on.

Hey, you see that column there?

It's a tribute to Emperor Trajan's victory
in the Dacian wars

and I helped build it.

Really?

I know, crazy, right?

I mean, I was just there
to help out my dad,

but it made me feel
pretty proud to be a Roman.

So you want to be
a stonemason like him, then?

Of course!

I'm gonna build so many amazing things
all over the empire.

The whole world will know my name.

Marcus, there you are!

Hey, Dad!

You know what Ponos the god of toil says,

slack and get whacked!

Back to work, let's go.

I don't think Ponos ever said that.

- Shut up.
- Dad, now cut it out.

See you later, Lucius.

Looks like Marcus
knows exactly what he wants out of life.

I wish I were like that.

The bathhouse.

- Listen, Lucius.
- Yes?

What is it, Father?

I want you to know that thermae
like this are more than just baths.

They are celebrations of our way of life.

Under Trajan, during times of w*r,

our nation built baths
before anything else.

All the emperors before him
ordered the same.

They understood that in w*r and in life,

if you cannot rest your body

and rejuvenate your strength, giving
any endeavor your best is impossible.

- So baths are important?
- They are.

And designing them gives me great pride.

Oh?

But it comes at a cost.

We bear the burden of
strengthening the empire through thermae.

Your grandfather and I have a duty
to build the very future of Rome.

You and Grandfather must be incredible!

Thank you, Lucius.

You're going to be a great man someday.

Of course I will.

My lady! It's your husband.

There was an accident.

- What has happened?
- The scaffolding, it collapsed.

Oh, Father.

I'm home.

- Hello.
- Welcome back.

I'll go and take a bath before dinner.

Would you like to accompany me?

No thanks.

Don't be rude.

You are going to the bathhouse
with your grandfather and that's final.

Chin up, my boy.

You must not let bullies like Titus
trouble you.

- There you are. Thank you much.
- Thank you, sir.

This place takes me back.
I designed it all myself

and it was your father
that worked on the renovations.

Amazing.

First we soak in the hot caldarium
to warm ourselves.

Then to the frigidarium...

where it's so cold.

Oh, I'm so sorry, Lucius,

I forgot you can't stand the cold water.

You'll be fine, trust me.

Mm.

Almost, just a little more.
Now sit down, you can do it.

Very good, my boy.

There, doesn't that feel outstanding?

Let's head back to the caldarium.

Would anyone care for a body scrub?
Body scrubs!

Go on, son.
You get in and warm yourself up.

I'll get a body scrub.

Ahh...

Well, well, well, if it isn't Luciu-wuss.

We saw you in the cold bath earlier.

Just go away, Titus.

Oh? It's quiet up there.

Did they actually leave?

What's going on?

Huh?

Huh? Where am I?

Hey, little guy, you're doing okay?

What was that place? What did I just see?

Oh my.

So this entire time, you were
under the water? Such strong lungs.

Was what I saw a dream?

Lucius, look.

Do you see how content everyone is here?

Well, I... yeah, they do seem to be.

Wonderful, isn't it? The way thermae romae
make our people so happy to be alive.

What an irreplaceable part
of our culture they've become.

Sharing moments together in the hot water

is a basic principle of peace.

They really do look happy,
don't they, Grandfather?

Your father and I,

we dedicated our lives
to building bathhouses

because everyone deserves
to have health and peace

and we wanted all of Rome
to be able to find it here.

Your grandfather and I have
a duty to build the very future of Rome.

You are building Rome's future.

Hm? I'm guessing you heard that
from your father.

Yes.

Then you should know how hard he worked

to bring joy to others, until the end.

All this steam
has made this old man dizzy.

I'm finished for now.

If you don't mind, I still want to take in
what you and Father built.

Could I stay here awhile?

Of course.

Just don't soak too long
or you'll prune up like me.

Hmm.

Wow...

Aw, did we spoil your moment
with the bathhouse?

You would love a rundown old dump
like this.

Ah, looks like we made him mad.

Take it back.

What? You gotta be more specific.

You're gonna apologize
for disrespecting thermae.

Huh?

Hey, everybody, hear that?

This kid thinks these dirty bathhouses
have feelings. What a freak, right?

Take it back...

What'd you just say?

- I said take it back.
- Speak up already.

Take it back! You take it back!

Hey, stop!
Do you have a death wish, you idiot?

Take it back!

Take it back!

This bathhouse that you're in right now,

my father and grandfather
spent their lives building it.

- You didn't build it, so why do you care?
- Take it back!

- ...dork, just get off me!
- Huh? What's all the commotion?

I love thermae and I want to design them.

It's my dream to build bathhouses
that make everyone smile.

Just like my grandfather
and my father before me,

I'm going to become a thermae architect!

Shut your damn mouth!

Who do you think you are
acting so high and mighty?

You little...

No fighting in the bath.

Stop that, get off of him!

This kid's way too strong.

I said calm down!

Thank you for your business, sir.

Here.

Did you really mean it

when you said you wanted
to become a thermae architect?

Huh?

If you were being sincere,

then from now on, you must use your work
to heal people.

So, you heard, huh?

You have my most
heartfelt blessing, Lucius.

Make baths that wash all anger away.

I will.

Welcome home, Lucius.

It's good to see you, Mother.

- And you as well, Grandmother.
- Oh, Lucius...

Hello Father, hello Grandfather.

You must be weary after your journey.

Why don't you rest awhile?

I must say I've been
looking forward to your cooking for days.

Then I'll make you a feast, my darling.

I think I'd like to take a bath first.

This bathhouse is truly the most relaxing
of all the thermae in Rome.

It certainly is.

My family has come here
for three generations.

Lucius?

Is that really you?

Why it's Titus.

Look at you.

You've grown up to be a strong man
since I last saw you.

Well, the scrawny little boy you once knew
has been gone a long time.

What are you up to these days?

I became a thermae architect,
just as I said I would.

Oh!

I've been studying architecture in Athens
for quite some time.

Now I'll be designing thermae
here in Rome.

Well, good.

What is it that you do, Titus?

I followed in my dad's footsteps
and took over his butcher shop.

Buddy, I thought we talked about
being quiet in the bath.

Hey, Daddy, who's this guy?

Uh, this is Lucius, the thermae architect.

Oh.

Hey, come back!

So, you got married?

Yeah, certainly did,
our second kid is due soon.

I see. Glad to hear it.

Thank you, Lucius.

Well, I had best be on my way.

- Hey, Lucius.
- Hmm?

- It's just that...
- What is it?

Well, I... I used to mock this place,
so I'm sorry.

You should look me in the eye
when you apologize.

Right. I'll start over.

I apologize.

But I love these baths now.

With all my heart.

Thank you.

Oh, by the way...

the next time I stop by your butcher shop,
could I have the architect's discount?

I don't see why not.

Thermae Romae.
The Hot Spring Tour.

In search for new inspirations,
author Ms. Mari Yamazaki

embarked on a journey to rediscover
Japan's bathing culture.

The theme for the first episode
is "yumomi."

Hello. I'm Mari Yamazaki,
the author of Thermae Romae.

Right now, I'm at a place called
Kusatsu Onsen.

I'll be visiting various places

in order to introduce
Japan's hot spring culture to everyone.

Hot spring for washing hands.

It's so warm.

It's wonderful.

If only this would
come out of the faucet in my house.

It's hot.

It's really hot.

This is pretty hot.

Ah, it's hot.

This needs to be cooled down a bit.

Yes, the spring water here is so hot

that it must be cooled down first.

That's how the Kusatsu specialty was born.

The "yumomi."

This must have been the most
innovative way to cool off the water.

They couldn't add water,
because that would dilute the potency.

But they wanted to go in right away.

So this was the most effective way.

But this requires so much
physical strength.

Lower it down to your feet.

Raise it up on the count of two
and repeat.

- This is a workout.
- Yes, it is.

- It's squats.
- Yes.

- I'm out of shape.
- Let's do our best.

- This is difficult.
- One, two.

One, two.

My back hurts.

Observing this is one thing,
but doing it is another.

Ha! This is hard.

Thermae memory.

Ms. Yamazaki sketched
a memorable moment from this trip.

How did this trip appear
in Ms. Yamazaki's eyes?

A brand new page was brought to life.

Lucius's reaction describes
how overwhelmed I felt.

I didn't know that "yumomi"
was that dynamic.

I realized how much effort it takes
to cool off the hot water.

I've stopped writing this story

ever since the series ended.

But I actually want to continue
writing it,

because I have more material.
When I come to places like this,

it makes me want to write even more.

With all that in mind,

I hope I can have fun
while gathering more material.

Thermae Romae. The Hot Spring Tour.

Ms. Yamazaki's journey will continue

as she searches for more hot springs.