01x09 - Utica

[bunniefuu]

We should go.

Night is coming.

They sleep standing up, you know.

Elephants.

On account once laid down

they cannot rise again.

Is that so?

I was not aware.

We should go.

Where?

Utica is not far.

Utica.

What's there for us?

Shelter.

Food.

I need neither.

Sleep, then.

Sleep would be pleasant.

So.

Utica then.

Dear me.

Really, Aquinas, is this the best
we can do?

No matter.

No matter.

Bring water for washing.

- And bread.
- And wine.

I think I shall
make myself drunk tonight.

Perhaps just this once
you will join me.

I think not.

Cheer up. We live.

We do. We live.

And where there's life,
there's hope.

I'm afraid if we have done anything,
old friend

we've disproved that proverb.

Aquinas, this bread is stubborn.

Give me your knife.

Scipio.

You have a tolerant spirit.

If you can, you should...

make your peace with Caesar.

I don't know about that.
I shall do whatever you do.

I wouldn't do that.

- Go your own way.
- In any case

let's not discuss it now.

There'll be plenty of time
for such sad talk.

If you'll excuse me.

I need to urinate.

There's a pisspot
through there, I believe.

Help!

Help!

Send them away.

Do it now.

Cut deep, boy.

Goodbye, sir.

We thank you so much.

We hope you have enjoyed
our humble efforts...

on this happy day!

Happy day on which
our glorious father has returned!

Happy day on which
the Julian sun has risen...

and banished Pompeian night forever!

Happy day on which
our brave soldiers...

have come home to their families!

Happy day!

- Salve.
- Welcome back.

- Are you home for good now?
- I am.

I am.

No more soldiering for me.

Bona dea!

It's nice, isn't it?

It is.

Who are these?

I bought them last year.

Four sl*ves we have now?

They were a good price.

On a soldier's wage?

The butcher shop paid for them
with plenty to spare.

The butcher shop?

Me and Lyde have made
a nice business out of it.

Five hundred head a week sometimes.

Pigs mostly, but some sheep
and cows for the religious trade.

Eirene!

It's very good to see you.

It's good to see you too, master.

You speak our words!

If it pleases you.

It does. Of course it does.

Can I get you anything?

A bit of water would be nice.

I brought you something.

Here, let me.

Lovely.

Parentalia begins on the Ides.

Temples will be shut,
and no wedding celebrated.

Public festivals shall be
at the fifth hour in the circus.

Wine to be provided
by the Capitoline fraternity

and cakes by the guild of millers.

The guild of millers uses
only the finest grains.

True Roman bread, for true Romans.

The fat old b*tch herself?

Must be good to be home.

What is it?
Two years you've been gone?

Are you still f*cking my mother?

When she'll have me.

That would explain
your excessive familiarity.

- Excuse me.
- That's all right.

I was merely curious,
and you're correct.

It does feel good to be home.

My darling boy.

So handsome.

- Sister, I hope you're well.
- Let me hug you.

Come inside and wash.

Let's get rid of
the stink of horse off you.

Timon, I'll... see you later.

Please, mother, we will be late.

We must not be late.
That would never do.

I do not want to go to dinner
any more than you do

but Caesar has treated me
extremely well

and we must go if asked.

- Honor demands...
- Honor?

Honor.

Not honor then, common sense.

I cannot ask mercy of Caesar,
accept rank and favor from him

and then refuse his friendship.

What sort of man asks for mercy
in the first place?

I assure you, mother...

I am not proud of myself.

I am not proud at all.

In lieu of a noble suicide

you shall have to be content
with that.

Bring me my shawl.

Please, do not come.

I shall make your excuses to Atia.

Certainly not. I will go.

Not to be there
would be seen as weakness.

Perhaps it will do you good
to see him.

See that he is just a man.

The loss of his affection
is not worth...

this endless raging sorrow.

I feel neither rage nor sorrow.

My objection to Caesar
is purely political

not personal.

The Pontic troops ran so fast
I don't know if they ever stopped.

It is no wonder Pompey
took Pontius so readily.

A child with a stick
might have done so.

What next, sir? Germany, perhaps?

I'm afraid I must put on
a triumph this next month

and they're damnable beasts
to organize.

Still, the people love a good parade
and we must not disappoint them.

How lovely to see you both!

- It's been far too long.
- We are joyful to be here.

Joyful, indeed.

Is this a mourning shawl?

It's very pretty.

Has someone died?

A great many have died.

How true.

But it's all over now,
and we're still alive, neh?

It's not possible.

Octavian?

Gods, you make me feel old.

Come.

It is the height of four men,
with a long neck like a goose

spots like a leopard,
and the speed of a horse.

I don't believe it. A new chimera.

I assure you, it is quite real.

With any luck, you may see one
at my triumph.

I have been trying to bring one over
for months now

but the wretched creatures
keep dying on the way here.

- They do not like the sea.
- It all sounds very tiring.

After this infernal triumph is done,
you must go to the country and relax.

I should like that,
but then my work begins in earnest.

I must set about putting
the Republic to rights.

Splendid notion.

How shall you proceed,
do you suppose?

I have a few ideas,
but I am open to suggestion.

Yesterday, I saw Malchio
the baker in a litter.

A baker! I'd put a stop to
that sort of thing immediately.

I shall have it looked into.

Octavian?

How would you proceed, were you me?

- Proceed with?
- Putting the Republic to rights.

How to proceed?

I would start a large program
of public works

employ citizens and free men

repair the aqueducts,
levee the river. That sort of thing.

I would create at least
a hundred or so new senators

that I could be sure
were my creatures...

rather than my secret enemies.

What is your point, Octavian?

I did not mean you, Brutus,
you're a man of honor.

I believe that
your capitulation is sincere.

How nice of you to say so.

I just had a thought.

Did not your man
Aelius Siculus die recently?

I'm afraid he did.
In Thapsus, in fact.

Just so.

You shall take his seat
at the pontiffs' table.

Pontiff? So young?

I was not so much older
when I entered the college.

- Very true, but...
- I believe I have the authority

- to appoint whom I like.
- Indeed, yes.

This is a great honor.
Kiss your uncle's hand.

I kiss your hand, uncle, but...

truly I would make an ill pontiff.

Don't be ridiculous.
You'll make a lovely pontiff.

You'll see to it, right?

I had rather thought to concentrate
on my poetry for a while.

He'll make a lovely pontiff.

- Poetry can wait.
- It should not wait too long.

Poetry is a young man's calling.

Don't you think?

There's us, with the walls
of Thapsus at our backs

and your father was just here.

Now coming towards us on the plain

with all their legions, cavalry
and nine hundred w*r elephants

Scipio and Juba.

"Hold fast," says General Caesar,
"Let the b*stards come!"

- I'll do it.
- Please, don't, master.

This is my work.
Lady will be angry.

Who's master?

ballistas on the city walls,
and the front line thinks...

they've heard the order to advance,
so before the officers can stop it

the whole f*cking army charges
on Scipio's men double tempo.

Now, the elephants...

Elephants see us
come running and screaming...

and they turn tail
and charge on their own lines...

Boom!

Chaos!

Don't cry, it was just a game.

You must be bored,
sitting around here all day.

- I don't mind it.
- You've been discharged a month.

I know.

I mean, there's no hurry.
We're all right for money

- and everything...
- But I can't be loafing

around here forever.

So you don't want to take up
the butchering trade?

Shopkeeping?

It will give you something to do.

This is fine work for a prefect.

- Smells like old times.
- It does that.

You remember that little siege
at Avaricum?

You'll not learn a trade
sitting on your pugas.

There's plenty more carcasses
to be hung.

Tomorrow!
You'll have your money tomorrow!

- Let's take his nose off.
- No, not me no...

Hey, stop that!

Take your business elsewhere.

- What's it to you, you b*stard?
- It's bad for trade.

And who the f*ck are you,
little man?

- I am Lucius Vorenus,
- I know you.

Soldier boy, isn't it?

Up by the dyeworks, tasty wife.

Do not speak of my wife.

Get gone. That's an order.

No, no, no. Orders? Orders?
No, no, no.

You're not a soldier now.
You're a f*cking shopkeeper's clerk.

You're dead, you are.

Walk away now and

do not let me see you
on this street again.

Both of you.

Dead.

Get back to your business.

You shouldn't have done that.

Those were Erastes Fulmen's people.

He won't take disrespect like that.

You hit him!

It was nothing!

Erastes Fulmen will k*ll you.

He's just a crook.

He used to be!

Since Pompey's gangs left
he's had the run of the hill.

He's a big man now.

He kills whoever he wants!

I'm no prole to be abused!

I was prefect in the evocati!

Caesar himself gave me a horse.

Thank you, sir.

I hope that dinner was not
too painful for you.

I'm used to pain.

I don't mind it.

I wish you didn't care
for him so much.

I wish I didn't care
for you so much.

Stop.

That brother of yours
has become quite the pretty man.

Caesar seems very fond of him.

Very much.

Mother claims Caesar took him
for a lover.

Really?

The cook said she heard them
going at it in a closet.

Octavian insisted it was not so.

He said the noises she heard were...

some terrible affliction
of Caesar's.

Mother wouldn't have it.

- Once she gets an idea...
- Affliction?

What affliction?

- I don't know.
- Did he not say?

He was sworn to secrecy.

But he said terrible?
He said terrible affliction?

You must find out exactly
what this affliction is.

You must find out
which god has cursed him.

How can I do that?

- It's a secret.
- You must find it out.

This is the weapon I seek.

With the gods' help,
I can destroy him.

Please don't talk this way.

Would you rather I lied to you?

I would rather that
you think of something...

other than the destruction
of my uncle.

I have never lied to you.

He still has some terrible hold
over me.

I wish it were not so,
but he will not let go.

Will you ask your brother?

Would that make you happy?

Yes, it would.

What are you reading?

A guide to the interpretation
of prodigies.

Is it good?

It's dull beyond conception.

If I am to be a pontiff

I must be familiar with
their ludicrous jargon.

Mustn't let down uncle.

Mustn't let down uncle.

I'm bored.

I could read to you.

If you like.

"Little sparrow, my lover's love"

"with whom she plays,
permits to lie within her lap"

"to nip her finger,
biting quickly with that bill"

"I should like to
play with you as she...

and soothe my troubled heart."

- Very nice.
- You do not like it?

No, you recite well, but...

I'm tired of poetry.

Tell me a secret.

- A secret?
- Something shocking and dangerous

that nobody knows.

I don't know any secrets like that.

I know.

What about Caesar
and his mysterious affliction?

- What affliction?
- Don't lie.

The one you told mother about.

It was nothing.

I was just making it up.

So you were lovers?

Of course not.

Either you were lovers, or...

some god has cursed Caesar.
Which is it?

Sister, there are no gods.

Don't be horrid.

There is doubtless
a prime mover of some sort

but a community of beings
that look like us...

and meddle in our affairs?

- Highly improbable.
- You don't trust me.

I do trust you.
You are my dearest friend.

- Then tell me!
- Why this in particular?

Why do you care
if Caesar has an affliction?

I don't care the slightest bit.

Only that it would be
a terrible secret...

and something worth hearing.

And I doubt very much that you have

any terrible secrets of your own
worth telling.

- You'd be wrong.
- Please, like what?

I've tortured and k*lled a man.

Liar.

Do you remember Lucius Vorenus?

One of the soldiers
who rescued me in Gaul?

- You k*lled him?
- Of course not.

He has a wife who deceived him.

A child he thinks is
his daughter's son is in fact...

his wife's child
by a low half-Greek butcher.

How sordid!

It was the butcher I k*lled.

Helped k*ll, anyway.

Bravo, I suppose.

You asked for a terrible secret.

Try again.

What?

Get out of the way!

Centurion!

Centurion!

Lucius Vorenus!

Lucius Vorenus!

Niobe!

Looking as lovely as ever.

Phyllis sends her best regards.

Very pretty family you have.

It's good to see you again
after so long.

So... back from the wars.

Civilian life.

Must be hard to adjust.

Different rules.

Different f*cking rules!

My man Urbo here says
you slapped him in the face.

- Did you do that?
- I did.

Perfect example. Different rules.

You see, I'm allowed
to chastise my people.

Regular citizens like you
are not allowed to touch them.

If someone does touch them,
they have to be punished.

Rules.

Get to your point.

This is the second time...

that Lucius Vorenus
has shown me disrespect.

Next market day at noon,
he will find me in the forum.

He will kneel down before me.

He will kiss my feet
and he will apologize to me.

If he does not do this,
I will come here and k*ll him.

But before he dies, he will see
his wife and daughters r*ped.

And then I will burn down
this building.

Hold.

- You've said your piece?
- I have.

Then leave now.

Good day to you.

So the wife of this Lucius Vorenus
is a wh*re. What's that to me?

I'm sorry, that's all he told me.

He swears Caesar has no affliction.

- He's lying.
- Is it not enough then?

If Caesar has an affliction

he has it and suffers,
whether you know it or not.

He suffers, but he is not destroyed.

You must go back to your brother
and get the truth from him.

- How? I tried.
- Try again.

Promise him something.

You do have something he wants.

What do you mean?

A young man will tell
his lover anything.

You can't be serious.

How can you...

You know he wants you.

I would be betraying my brother.

I would be betraying my family.

Your family is a nest of snakes.
You have no obligations to them.

They are my family!
They love me, I...

As I love you.

You call this love?

I can't.

- Where are you going?
- Home.

Don't go.

Your mother k*lled Glabius!

My people caught
one of the men that did it.

One of Timon's men.

Sorry.

- Do as Lyde says.
- Please, mama, come with us.

My place is here with your father.

But what if you're k*lled?

Then you must stay in the country,
don't come back to the city.

You understand?

Don't come back!
You'll be country girls.

Your cousin will find you
good handsome farmers to marry.

Go ask the gods for blessing.

Can't you get Vorenus
to do as Erastes asks?

If you begged him...

To kiss a man's feet?

I'd never ask such a thing,
and he'd never agree to it.

Always remember that you
are children of the Vorenii

an old and respected name.

And always remember
that we love you.

I love you very much.

Now go on.

Go, go.

Goodbye, sister.

Eirene, are you going to leave
this mess on the table?

Please, Niobe, please, go with them.

I will not and stop asking.

Good bread this.

I bought the better kind.

Hang the expense.

Get back.

- Make way there.
- Run and hide.

Here comes the consul
Gaius Julius Caesar

son of Venus, imperator
of the gallic legions.

Salve, Lucius Vorenus.

Coward!

Your wife is very beautiful.

Her name?

Niobe, sir.

Rise, Niobe.

Would you honor us
by drinking our water, sir?

I'm happy to do so.

Please, sit.

I have always held you
in high regard, Vorenus

and I am told...

you are a man of respect
among your people here.

- I hope so.
- That being so, I've come...

to ask you to stand
for magistrate of lower Aventine.

On my slate.

Thank you.

Well?

I am deeply honored
by your presence here, sir

deeply honored.

But...

respectfully, I must decline.

So you still disapprove
of my actions?

Sir, with respect...

your politics are not mine.

I am aware of that.

Were I a magistrate,
I would have to speak.

And you will not speak
in favor of a tyrant?

I will not speak against my beliefs.

Delicious.

You misjudge me.

I am no tyrant.

I have taken
dictator's powers legally.

And I will return those powers
to the people and the Senate...

as soon as I am able.

I will not rest

until Rome is as it was...

in the golden age.

I cannot succeed alone.

Will you join me?

Hail Caesar!

Hail!

Hail Caesar!

Caesar!

Caesar!

Caesar!

A little more, I think.

No, the sleeves are fine,
leave those alone.

You just be careful
what you're doing with that pin.

Yes. Now, if you could
go around the side.

At the hem, at the bottom.

That needs taking up
a little bit there.

There.

No, that's fine.

I don't know.
That just isn't working for me.

Were you looking for anything
in particular?

Not really.

Do you have anything comical?

I don't think so.

You.

Why send him away? It's hot.

I don't like that one.
He looks at me.

Does he? Have Castor beat him.

Maybe I will.

- I'll call for another one.
- Don't!

It's nice to be alone.

Isn't it?

I suppose.

Come lie down with me.

Lie down with you?

Why?

I would like it.

Why?

Why not?

I can think of several reasons.

When you were little, you would
come to my bed every night.

Not every night.

Only when I was scared.

You were scared a great deal.

I'm not scared now.

Pretend.

I have no skill at pretending.

I'm embarrassed now.

I thought you wanted me.

You're a man now, aren't you?

You can take what you want.

Brother, tell me something.

What do you mean, "ah"?

Now comes the price.

- What do you mean?
- You're a virtuous woman

so you must know that
seducing your own brother is wrong.

You and I are above such
petty social convention.

But incest is not merely wrong
by convention.

It's wrong in essence.

It must be, else
why so many idiots and monsters

among the children of incest?

Don't.

Don't worry.

It's unlikely I've seeded you.

Not with the moon in transit.

The point is, you're not the woman
to do such wrong out of mere lust.

Ergo, you must have another purpose.

I suspect you shall
renew your strange interest...

in Caesar's health.

Wha... What have I done?
What have I done?

What have I done? What?

What have you done?

Tell me.

Promise.

Promise you won't tell mother.

Look at you.

You look like laundry.

There.

Does it look well?

- Very well.
- It feels strange.

No, don't, you'll dirty it.

Does it... hang properly at the back?

I think so.

Calm down, mother, really.

Calm down? I have not
even begun to get angry!

Enough!

I am your son but not your child.
You will not strike me anymore.

Will I not?

You f*cked your sister,
you little pervert!

Don't tell me what I will
and will not do!

Be quiet!

You wouldn't dare.

How could you do this to me?

My own child.

You k*lled my husband.

I told you, didn't I? I told you...

- I didn't k*ll him!
- You're a liar!

Servilia caught one of the men
that did it.

- One of Timon's men.
- And where is this man?

Did you speak to him?

Look at me. Look at me!

I swear on the spirits
of my ancestors

on the stone of Jupiter,
I did not k*ll your husband!

You abased yourself
for a stupid lie!

- I don't know.
- Servilia is the liar, you fool!

She lied to turn you against me.

My poor lamb.

Eirene?

Eirene?

Eirene?

Eirene!

Coming, master.

Sit down.

Have a drink with me.

My mother had hair like yours.

Grey eyes though.

Big, grey eyes.

sl*ve on one of those farms
up north.

Smelled of pine trees.

Worked in the woodyards, probably.

That's what I think.
Explains the pine smell.

Don't know who my father was.

Just another sl*ve probably.

Some timid c**t shoveling sh*t
with a collar around his neck...

because he didn't have the courage
to die like a man!

I'd cut my f*cking heart
out of my chest and eat it...

before I knelt down to anybody!

- c**t!
- Quiet!

Keep it down!

Suck my c*ck, the lot of yez!

I'm Titus Pullo, right?

Right?

Right, master.

You're a good girl.

You don't smile much though.

You want me to smile?

I want you to be happy.

That's better.

Have some wine.

Come here.

Closer.

Take off your dress.

What's the hat for?

- Yom Kippur.
- Is that today?

You call yourself a Jew?

What, are you my rabbi now?

Move! Move!

[Latin]

No!

Quick! Grab her!

Strip her!

No!

No!

Somebody help her!

Come to save me.
Keep and protect me!

Keep and protect me!

Come to save me,
keep me, keep me, protect me!

No!

Let's go!