01x05 - Plague

[bunniefuu]

[screaming in pain]

Antigone thinks that if Livia

gets pregnant again,

it shall k*ll her.

I can never give him a son,

which changes everything.

We always secretly hoped

that when the time came,

you would unite our families

by giving Julia in marriage

to my son Marcellus.

I always wanted Marcellus

to have her too.

I put you where you are.

And Livia can't do that!

-She's divorcing him?

-Walks out this morning!

After Gaius,

power must go to someone

who would give it back

to the Senate.

And I still have

my beautiful daughter.

With Marcellus,

she'll give me my son.

You are now a Roman citizen,

Antigone.

Congratulations.

He beat me unconscious

in the forest.

When I came around,

you'd gone!

[Nero] Livia.

-[Livia] Hello, Nero.

-[Nero laughing]

Gaius sends his apologies.

He's been delayed.

Nero's here.

You'd better hurry.

He'll hold them back

until the end,

when nobody's hungry anymore.

Timing is vital.

It's everything.

[Livia]

How are the boys doing?

[Nero]

Oh, Drusus is brilliant.

-He's a proper little Roman.

-And Tiberius?

There is something wrong

with that boy.

If this goes bad, even Livia

won't be able to save you.

[Tycho] Service.

-Oysters now.

-[sl*ve] Right away, Tycho.

-[Nero] Ooh. Oysters!

-Yes, where have they been?

I'm sorry, Lady.

You know how I hate

wasting food.

9I know, Lady.

It's all right. It's all right.

I'll have one to be polite.

-Oyster?

-Ugh, I can't stand oysters.

Oyster?

They're actually really good.

Yes, they are.

Lady, you shouldn't have

come back.

The Tiber floods every year.

It's not the floods.

[distant coughing]

Vinnius.

[Tycho] Lady.

Prima. Prima!

[Tycho] She died an hour ago.

I'm so sorry.

The plague.

The rash is distinctive.

[Tycho] There's something else.

[indistinct conversation]

-[Agrippa] Livia.

-[Livia] Agrippa.

[Octavia] It's all right.

My physician Musa is here.

Oh, don't wake him.

He's asleep, at last.

No, don't touch him.

What are you doing, Antigone?

Musa said not to touch him.

-Musa's an idiot.

-[Musa] Lady?

Musa's the best physician

in Rome.

-[Musa] Who is this sl*ve?

-What are you do?

No, Musa said that we've got

to keep everything closed.

-[Antigone] Bullshit.

-That he's got to be kept warm.

You'll k*ll him.

He's burning alive.

-She'll take it from here.

-No, she won't.

-This is my house.

-He's my brother.

Stop it!

Get out.

[Gaius] I told you

to stay in the country.

Yes.

That's why I came back.

I should've told you to come.

-Then you'd have stayed.

-[Livia] Yes.

Not necessarily.

[Musa] Lord?

[Scribonia] There, you see.

Musa knows what he's doing.

Get some rest, Father.

Where are my grandchildren?

[coughing]

Leave the dead in here.

Get everyone else out into

the garden under the portico.

Burn all the mattresses

and get them clean ones.

Get the best water

from the new aqueduct,

straight from the spout,

not the basin.

-And keep the front door shut.

-[coughing continues]

[Thunder rumbling]

Oh, cheer up, Marcellus.

This is just what you've been

waiting for.

For once she's right.

This is your time.

Will he live?

Gaius.

Shut up in there

with Musa and his potions

not for long.

♪♪

[Scribonia]

Proud and beautiful Proserpina,

queen of the dead

and wife of Pluto,

lord of the Underworld,

it's me again, Scribonia,

daughter of

Lucius Scribonius Libo.

Today, I ask you

to take the life

of my former husband,

Gaius Julius Caesar

in return

for cruelly divorcing me

to marry the ambitious wh*re,

Livia Drusilla.

I ask you now to take the life

of Gaius Julius Caesar.

[Tycho] Word's got out, then.

Get them moved back.

In return for forcing me

to give up my daughter Julia

to the ambitious

wh*re Livia Drusilla,

let Gaius Julius Caesar

die of the plague.

Do this for me,

good Proserpina.

In return for the life

of Gaius Julius Caesar,

I will offer you two newborn

lambs from my estate at Sora.

This one's gone.

-Take him up.

-Understood.

Make them drink.

They must drink.

You should get out of Rome now.

Take the boys with you.

Piso's here.

[Livia] Thank you, Drusus.

Put the signal out.

Get all our friends

to keep their ears open.

Above all, the German,

the Spaniard and the Syrian.

For the next week we're paying

double for any news.

He can't die.

He just can't.

I'm not ready.

Not yet.

You need to get rid of Octavia

and her doctor.

[sighs]

I don't see how I can.

Well, he's worse.

We need to be ready.

Ready for what? He's a dictator

in a cheerful cloak.

I know what he is.

When he dies,

he'll leave a big empty space,

and human nature will fill it.

There'll be a w*r.

You're right. He needs

to designate a successor.

Well, how?

He's not a king.

He can't pass on a crown when

he dies. Not legally anyway.

We'll worry

about legalities later.

If he nominates someone

the Senate can accept,

we'll avoid another w*r.

But everyone knows he's been

grooming Marcellus to take over.

Yes, even Marcellus knows that.

One of the few things

Marcellus does know.

Marcellus is immature,

selfish, and weak.

They are poor qualities

in a dictator.

-It must be Agrippa.

-Hmm.

He might hold it all together.

For a while at least.

Agrippa's not ambitious

like that. He hates politics.

Agrippa will do

what Gaius wants.

[Piso] Will Gaius do

what you want?

He thought he'd live forever.

He'll know Marcellus

isn't ready yet.

Marcellus has made lots of new

friends in the last few years.

They'll think he's ready.

You should get to work.

Are you sure about Agrippa?

He hates the Republic

as much as Gaius does.

But not as much as Marcellus.

And Agrippa loves Rome.

And me.

And he's much older.

Marcellus could rule

for decades,

and we'd never

get the Republic back.

Does Drusus know yet

what you expect of him?

It's too soon for that.

I need to tell Gaius

he's dying.

-What about river boat?

-No, it's inaccessible.

Ah! Good of you

to drop by, lads.

[Tiberius] Sorry, Agrippa.

The water level's

dropping fast,

and we need to get grain into

the city and bodies out of it.

And where's f*cking Marcellus?

When you finally need him.

-How is he?

-Bad. Really bad.

Then we should get ready.

It would be best

if we had something official.

His ring. His will.

Well, he promised me.

It'd make things much easier.

We'll take care

of everything else.

-Marcellus.

-We're with you, Marcellus.

[Julia] "Darling Iullus,

my father's dying.

"I wish you were here,

"and Marcellus was

where you are.

"Why don't you write to me?

Let me know you're alive."

What are you doing?

You should be with your father.

Come on. Everyone's waiting.

You.

Where's my husband?

Who knows? Out.

Strip him naked

and give him 20 lashes

when you have a moment.

Thank you.

[Tycho] Antigone.

-What are you doing?

-What I have to.

If we don't get Octavia

out of there, he'll die.

He might die anyway.

You don't know you can save him.

No, I don't.

This will feel like the plague

for long enough anyway.

Fever, headache, muscle pains.

Take them food and wine.

Now.

-Did Livia tell you to do this?

-Of course not.

-We can't control the dose.

-I know that.

They might not get sick at all.

Or they might die screaming.

-Yes, that's the risk.

-It's f*cking Octavia.

I know who it is!

[breathing heavily]

-He's talking to the dead.

-I need to speak to him.

-Do you have to bother him now?

-Alone. Now.

Octavia, please.

Can't you just

leave him in peace?

You should go home

and get some sleep.

Musa and I

will be right outside.

[Gaius] Are they here?

[Octavia] They should get these

sick people out of the house.

[Musa] That sl*ve

will k*ll them all.

[Tycho] Lady.

I'm not hungry.

[Tycho]

You have to eat, Lady.

Nobody can keep going

on an empty stomach.

At least a little wine.

Just leave it there.

Thank you.

Of course.

[Antigone]

She pushed the wine away.

[Tycho] What do you want me

to do about it?

I just saw my mother.

Your mother?

How was she?

Oh, you know.

-Dead.

-[chuckles]

Not bad, considering.

They're keeping

something from me.

Octavia and Musa.

It's the plague.

All over Rome.

Agrippa and Piso

are taking care of everything.

I had so much I wanted to do.

Gaius, you need to fight.

You can't leave me here.

Not now.

Let Antigone help you.

Get my will.

From the temple.

The state ledgers and accounts.

Get them ready.

Thelus has everything.

What should he do with them?

Marcellus My ring.

Gaius, he's not ready.

Not yet.

Let Agrippa take care of things.

Just until Marcellus is older.

My legacy.

My blood.

Bring Marcellus.

And Julia.

Agrippa won't like it.

Help Marcellus.

Promise me.

I love you.

He's asleep now.

Can we see him?

[Livia] There's nothing

you can do.

You should all go

and make a sacrifice for him.

All of you.

I'll send for you all

when he wakes up.

Well, at least

we poisoned Marcella.

There you are.

f*ck! f*ck!

-Did he say anything?

-He said he saw your mother.

[Agrippa] Deliver these

and then straight back here.

Thelus. Go yourself

to the temple of Vesta.

Get his will.

Take it to my room. Tell nobody.

Then prepare the accounts

and ledgers of state

and bring them to me, too.

He's fine.

He's fighting it.

See? I told you.

He's not going to die.

All a fuss about nothing.

The plan has changed.

He wants Marcellus.

His mind is made up.

So, that's it, then.

A monarchy.

Not yet.

I'm the only one who knows.

He sent for Marcellus,

but Marcellus doesn't know that.

If we can just keep Gaius

isolated until

I can dictate what happens.

Livia Drusilla.

This is a very dangerous game.

Oh, I know that.

What do you need from me?

As consul in charge

of the flood relief,

I expect you to guide

our manpower efficiently.

By sending Marcellus to Greece

if you have to.

b*tch.

[groans]

[groans]

[panting]

This is the house.

There are three entrances.

One at the front,

two at the side.

What are you doing here?

You should be with your uncle.

Marcellus?

[exhales sharply]

-Marcellus?

-I'm just, um

[clears throat]

It's nothing.

I'm fine. I just

I just got a bit out of breath.

That's all.

Don't tell my mother.

It's all arranged.

As soon as my uncle dies,

they'll k*ll Agrippa

and close the Senate.

-What about Livia?

-We can't k*ll a woman.

Besides, she's

far too popular in Rome.

Everyone loves her except you.

-That's a mistake.

-Why?

They're k*lling Drusus as well.

And Tiberius.

She'll be irrelevant.

Why Tiberius?

He's hardly a threat.

I need to see my uncle.

I'll come with you.

But if it makes you happy,

I will exile Livia to some nasty

little island off the coast.

It would be kinder

to k*ll her.

Along with that b*tch Antigone.

-Domina.

-Get my cloak.

Oh, where the f*ck

have you been all day?

Marcellus, we need you

out at the port.

I need to see my uncle.

It's urgent.

They need you down at Ostia.

Go yourself.

Get out of my way.

Piso's a consul and you'll

show some f*cking respect.

Get your arse out to Ostia.

-[Musa, groaning] Mistress

-[Scribonia] Musa.

[Antonia] Octavia Octavia!

-[Coughing]

-Aunt Octavia!

-Antigone, help!

-Tycho.

-Tycho, quickly!

-[Antonia] Antigone!

What the f*ck have we done?

Shut up and get

some air in here!

Tycho, ice.

Ice from the kitchen.

Get it all! Now!

[Tycho shouting

indistinctly]

Octavia?

What's wrong with her?

[shouting continues]

Quickly, pick her up.

-[wheezing]

-Lord

Lord

-Here's the ice.

-Too late. Too late!

It's all right, Marcellus.

You go with your mother

and your wife.

-We'll take care of everything.

-It's all right, Marcellus. Go.

[Antigone] Hold the blanket up.

-Tip it on him.

-[Fortunata] Antigone.

[Antigone] More!

All of it on him. Quickly.

[Fortunata] Antigone.

[Scribonia] Fortunata.

Fortunata!

Is he dead?

He's in the Great Sleep.

If he ever wakes up again

he'll live.

You should get ready

for the worst.

[Scribonia] Octavia.

She's so warm.

More water.

Get her some more water.

Octavia?

What happened to you?

-How is she?

-Well, she's sick.

How do you think she is?

At least you've still got

your appetite.

Two years.

Two f*cking years,

and I'm still not pregnant.

Do you know

how humiliating that is?

You heard my father.

Where are his grandchildren?

Now he's going to die,

and it's too f*cking late!

I've given stupid dinners

to every drooling

old Senator in Rome

to push your political career,

and you won't even f*ck me!

Too busy with your sl*ve boy.

I should've married Tiberius.

I bet he knows how to f*ck.

A woman anyway.

Marcellus.

Marcellus!

No!

[screams]

You can pretend it's Tiberius.

No!

You animal.

-What are you whining about?

-f*cking animal!

-I can't do anything right!

-c*cksucker!

-f*ck off!

-Rent boy!

You wanted a baby.

There it f*cking is.

-Stop it!

-[Marcellus moaning]

[moaning stops]

The second he's dead,

I can divorce you.

Clear it up.

[Corvinus] We were worried

about your uncle.

[Marcellus] Yes.

[Crassus] Just to see

if there was any news.

[Marcellus] I haven't heard

anything.

I was dealing with my mother.

[continues indistinctly]

[Crassus]

They'll tell you straight away

-if anything happens.

-[Marcellus] Of course.

I did go by earlier, but

Agrippa was there and everyone.

[Corvinus]

Did you speak to him?

He was too ill.

And my mother got sick, so

Tomorrow, then.

First thing.

He's coming.

[Crassus] If he's dead,

we'll make our move.

[Whispering] This is it.

Our moment.

Potentially everything.

Agrippa first.

Livia's boys after.

[Rooster crows]

Is he all right?

His heart is weak.

The fever's down.

The same thing happened

to Vinnius.

He died in the night.

[Livia] He saved

my father's life.

His ashes will go with Prima's

in the family place.

Livia,

Marcus Licinius Crassus

came to see Marcellus

last night.

Something's supposed

to be happening today. Now.

[Drusus] Mother, you better

come now. It's men out here.

They think he's dead

and we're not telling.

I want guards

blocking this passage. Now.

[indistinct conversations]

Livia,

we need to see Gaius now.

-What's going on?

-Forgive us, Livia,

but there are rumors all over

Rome that Gaius is dead.

Well, the rumors are wrong!

My husband might be sick,

but he's certainly not dead.

Even a woman

can tell the difference.

[laughter]

Thank you for calling.

Livia, people are saying

he has the plague.

-What people?

-[Corvinus] May we see him?

Are you calling me a liar,

Marcus Messalla Corvinus?

To give him our good wishes.

Just for a moment.

I will not have gangs of people

crowding round his bed

because you heard a rumor

in the Forum.

[Julia] It's true.

My father's alive.

Well, there you are.

He needs to name a successor now

for the security of the State!

[Piso] A successor

to what exactly?

The powers voted to him by the

Senate are personal and fixed.

Not forever,

not for anyone else.

He can't simply hand them

to anyone he chooses.

If anyone has earned that right

for his services to the State,

it's him.

Now, now that goes

against custom and law.

At least let him indicate

a preference.

And then the Senate

can vote on it!

The last thing we need now

is division and conflict

among ourselves.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Exactly.

Let him settle this now.

That's all we ask.

Yes! Yes!

That's enough! You need

to take your men and leave now.

[Hubbub of agitated

conversations]

All right!

I will take the consul

to my husband.

Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso

will convey your concerns.

-And I'll come, too.

-For what?

In case I twist his words?

Make it all up?

Is a consul of Rome

no longer to be trusted?

Your views are very well known.

Piso!

That's enough!

Agrippa, you should go.

-Not without me.

-What's that supposed to mean?

My husband is sick!

In this house,

you will show some respect.

I know nothing about politics,

and I care even less.

Since you cannot agree, I will

ask my husband what he wants.

And then I will tell you

what that is.

Please send him our best wishes.

You stay here with me.

You can trust Livia.

Can you wake him up?

He's near the end

one way or the other.

-f*ck! f*ck! f*ck!

-What?

They want him

to name a successor.

-He can't.

-He has! He wants Marcellus.

Then why have you got that look

on your face?

Because I can name

someone else.

You can't. You have to do

what he wants, don't you?

I know. You're right. That is

what I have to do. I know.

f*ck!

sh*t!

Tycho!

If you go against him

and he comes through

You know he's spoken

about Marcellus.

Whatever he wants.

When he confirms Marcellus,

we should do it anyway.

While he's still alive?

We'll never have

a better chance.

Marcellus and his friends

are making their move.

-How do you know?

-How do you not?

[indistinct conversations]

[Livia] So, I woke Gaius up.

He wasn't happy,

but he gets your concerns,

and he thanks you

for your good wishes.

So, if anything should happen,

he gives the Senate

these accounts of State,

in the care of consul Piso.

Otherwise, well, if the gods

should choose to end his life,

he humbly begs the Senate

will consider his recommendation

for his successor

as First Citizen,

his friend and brother

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.

[Senators] What?

He promised me.

And he gives his ring

of office to Agrippa.

Here.

It is his ring.

-Well, but he wants it back.

-[laughter]

Get out of my way.

Look at Marcellus's face.

It is a picture.

[Antigone] Oh, you didn't.

What will you say

if he wakes up?

Marcellus.

Come quickly.

Come on.

-We were all so worried.

-[laughing]

Marcellus!

-Ah!

-Come and sit here with me.

Now, darling, don't worry.

I'm all right.

There's nothing to worry about.

He appointed Agrippa

to succeed him, my uncle.

Agrippa?

But he promised you.

I tried really hard.

I did everything

that he wanted me to.

Of course you did.

I know you did.

Marcellus, listen to me.

Listen to me!

Your uncle

has done terrible things.

He's done terrible things

that he didn't have to do.

His hands,

they are soaked in blood.

There's a price to pay.

It's not for everyone.

Be grateful, my love.

[Tycho] Lady

Octavia's much better,

but Marcella's still sick.

I thought you'd want to know.

And the Spaniard and the German

just left their signals.

Go on. I'll stay with him.

Thank you, Julia.

Pleasure.

They've started

to burn the dead.

The Spaniard is always late.

Smile and pay.

Smile and pay.

If he dies,

I'll divorce Marcellus.

What will you do?

You'll be free then, too.

No husband, no guardian.

I'll open a whorehouse.

-A whorehouse?

-Mm.

In Pompeii.

A steady, respectable business

by the seaside.

Something I can leave

to the boys.

[laughing]

[Gaius] You'd be good at that.

Gaius.

I could keep the books.

Gaius, you woke up.

You did it.

-f*ck, I'm thirsty.

-Quick.

Julia.

What day is it?

I hardly know where to start.

You're late.

I'm always late.

[Coins clink]

He's alive.

He's better.

So, why the long face?

Marcellus r*ped me

like a sl*ve.

Face down on the couch.

Your husband can't r*pe you.

And yet, somehow

Mostly, though,

he prefers his sl*ve boy.

Lots of men do.

It's perfectly normal.

So one hears.

You need to get pregnant.

A child is your security.

Not with Marcellus.

He defiles me.

Grow up.

You take it all for granted.

You think it's your birthright.

It can be stolen from you

in a moment.

As it was from me!

Wake up.

Agrippa's been in with him.

He wants to see you.

Agrippa brought my ring back.

There's more to power

than family.

It was my decision.

Marcellus isn't ready.

And you know it.

You promised me.

I trusted you.

You trusted me

to make you a god.

And trust me, nothing

will ever stop me doing that.

And if I ever, ever have

to save you from yourself,

then trust me to do that, too.

Did you get away with it?

I don't know yet.

So, the German

overheard a conversation

between Marcellus

and Scribonia.

If Gaius died

and appointed Marcellus,

there was a plan

to k*ll Agrippa and the boys.

Tiberius and Drusus.

You were to be exiled.

And me.

Nice to be remembered.

She's sure?

She heard it clearly.

And Scribonia knew that?

Well, that's bad.

-Marcellus is young.

-Very bad.

He'll outlive Gaius.

And Agrippa.

Unless he doesn't.

It would be prudent

to k*ll him.

Poison him.

Don't you think?

Marcellus.

I

I don't see

what choice we have.

That's ridiculous.

I poisoned Nero.

Your husband.

I painted his oysters with

hemlock when he came to dinner.

I've waited years for this.

But revenge is a dish

which tastes much better cold.

[groaning]

Like oysters.

You k*lled him in my own house

at my own table!

What the f*ck

were you thinking?

Who would ever suspect you

of doing something so stupid?

You had no right!

He had no right!

He left me to die

in the mountains.

Your father set me free.

I was a citizen.

Is there anything else

I don't know?

I poisoned Balbina,

the madam

from the whorehouse.

And Octavia and Musa, too.

But only a little bit.

To get them out of the way.

I'm sorry about Marcella.

She wasn't supposed to be there.

I think that's everyone.

I was a citizen.

Antigone,

he wants to see you.

Me?

I haven't forgotten about you.

Or my promise.

You're family.

We are family.

But I want grandchildren.

It's time you held

your own Games.

My gift.

I'm very grateful.

So

I owe you my life.

I won't forget.

Marcellus.

I was just going

to see your mother.

[Octavia] Marcellus is here.

-Livia.

-Livia!

[Agrippa] Livia.

-Thank you.

-[Agrippa] You look great.

-Forgive the intrusion.

-Livia.

I just wanted to see

how you were.

I am much better.

Thank you.

And I'm not dead either.

I can wait.

[laughing]

Come and eat with us.

Well

He won't live forever.

[Antonia] Marcellus is getting

his own Games. Did you hear?

[Agrippa] That'll set you back.

My last lot cost half a million.

[Antonia] Mm-mm.

They're a gift from Uncle Gaius.

[Marcella] How's Musa doing,

by the way?

[Antonia] Some doctor.

He can't even cure himself.

[sl*ve] Oysters, Domina?

[Marcella] The sl*ves will have

to wash the curtains tomorrow.

[Julia] Yes, they're all

covered in ash from the corpses.

Oh, I've never been able to get

him to even try an oyster.

My first husband loved them.

[Octavia] Julia, darling,

why don't you eat something?

[conversations continue

indistinctly]

Tiberius.

Drusus.

You're going to live

with Mummy now.

f*ck it.

What?

Maybe he wasn't ready.

Marcellus.

[Footsteps approaching]

Apart from my father,

you are the only person

I have ever completely trusted.

There will be no more secrets

and no more surprises.

Marcellus hates oysters.

♪♪