01x08 - Happiness

[bunniefuu]

I'm going to save your life.

In return, at dinner tonight,

you will mix the powder

in this flask

into Marcellus's food.

Marcellus. No. No. No.

-I'm pregnant again.

-Oh! [laughing]

The day we got back, my husband

was charged with treason

against the Senate

and people of Rome.

Treason? Primus?

I've asked Marcus Messalla

Corvinus to defend me in court.

Your exact words were,

"Forget the treaty

and the Senate."

One of them's guilty,

and it can't be him!

I gave my word to Primus. Exile

and the money you promised.

We would try

to pardon him quietly,

when the dust settles.

He always goes to the baths

with Agrippa.

We'll do it there.

So, Gaius, you are going

to die at the baths tomorrow,

in the ninth hour.

Let me do it.

[groans]

[wind whistling]

[Octavia]

Great and beautiful Nemesis,

proud goddess of Vengeance,

this is Octavia,

daughter of Atia Balba Caesonia.

Why don't you hear my prayers?

My son has been dead a year.

How much longer must I wait?

My heart is cold and broken.

Give me my son's m*rder*r,

the vile sl*ve Aprio.

I will sacrifice

my entire herd of cattle

in my estate at Milonia.

I beg you.

Give me vengeance.

I beg you.

Give me vengeance.

I am Caesar Augustus!

And I will give anyone,

citizen or sl*ve,

100,000 in gold

for the head of the traitor,

Marcus Messalla Corvinus.

[Woman screaming]

We're looking for your master.

-Dominus.

-Ugh uh!

One of you must know something.

Where your master went.

Where he's hoping to go.

Anything?

Anything at all?

Thank you.

[Livia] Listen, Piso,

Gaius and I are leaving Rome.

Sicily, Greece, Asia, Syria.

-We'll be gone for years.

-[Piso] Well, that explains

the elimination

of all dissent here first.

[Livia] To do what has to be

done, we need Gaius alive.

He has to survive.

[Piso] And so do you,

of course.

The end justifies it all.

I've betrayed

all my principles,

one after the other,

because I believe your plan

to restore the Republic

is the only chance we have left.

But it relies

on a lot of things.

Most important is Drusus.

A young man of 16 who has

no idea what you expect of him.

There's a hitch.

What hitch?

Oh, huh.

Drusus isn't up to it.

He lacks judgment.

Intellect politically.

Oh, what? So, that's it?

It's all off?

No. It

It just needs someone else.

It needs Tiberius.

[Piso laughing]

Ti

Tiberius?

Seriously?

Have you met him?

He loathes Rome,

hates its politics.

All he wants out of life

is a library in the hills.

It does not matter

what he wants.

He'll be persuaded.

You can't be persuaded

to do something like this.

You have to want it.

You have to die for it.

No, no, no, you have to face it,

Livia. It's over.

Nothing is over! They're young.

There's still time.

No, there isn't. This is what

I've been trying to tell you.

You'll be gone for years.

You might never come back.

And if you do,

I might not be here.

We need to know.

They need to know.

They're not ready.

Not yet.

I need to know.

When you get to my age,

you never know

what's round the corner.

Oh!

It's him.

♪♪

[Horse neighing]

Where are you two going?

We weren't expecting you

back yet, Mother.

I hate it

when you call me "Mother."

What would you like us

to call you, Mother?

I'm going to the mausoleum

tomorrow with Piso.

At the third hour,

I need you to come.

Sorry.

As fun as that sounds,

we're on the hunt

for Corvinus again, first thing.

Not anymore.

I suppose we're in

for one of our serious talks.

Probably.

I won't be going.

-Yes, you will.

-No, I won't.

I'm not going on my own.

Yes, you are.

No, I'm most certainly not.

Domini, forgive me.

The house of Octavia?

Straight down there.

You're not

-What?

-Ready.

You've barely spoken to me

since I said I wanted to leave.

We have a huge estate

outside Rome.

I just want a chance to work it.

Our own land.

Our own thing.

-For our child.

-I said I'd go, didn't I?

They're going away for years.

We wouldn't have gone

with them anyway, would we?

Anyway, you've been free

since you were 15.

but it doesn't mean anything.

To you or Livia.

You still follow her

everywhere.

Even when she's k*lling people.

She's your whole life.

Because you're too scared

to have one of your own.

I meant no disrespect.

I was going to tell you.

May I ask

one more thing of you?

I'm going to the mausoleum

tomorrow.

-Of course.

-With the boys.

[laughing,

indistinct chattering]

[Agrippa] He wouldn't be

the first either.

[Gaius] He certainly

won't be the last!

[Scribonia]

It's driving me nuts!

[laughing]

So the elephant says

to the naked man,

"How do you breathe

through that?"

[laughing]

-See, Gaius?

-Livia!

We were about to send out

a search party.

Um, here, take this one.

Nope? Oh. [laughs]

Did you find Corvinus yet?

[Agrippa]

It's only a matter of time.

Are all these executions

really necessary, Gaius?

They all had

fair trials, Mother.

How many of them were there?

You should get married again.

-What?

-Set an example.

-You set one!

-You're out of mourning.

When I'm out of mourning, Gaius,

I'll let you know.

Telling me what to do

while you let this man Primus

blame my poor dead son

for his treachery.

You should be avenging

the family's honor,

not letting him crawl off

into exile.

The one man

that you should be k*lling.

Shame on you, Gaius Julius.

I hope his ship

goes down in a storm.

[sl*ve] Excuse me, Domina.

What?

Where is Primus?

Down at the port.

Waiting for a payoff

and a ship to Athens.

Everything all right, Mother?

We also promised him a pardon.

That was more an aspiration

than a promise.

I hope I wasn't interrupting

your cozy dinner with Scribonia.

-She came with Octavia.

-What?

Lying next to you like

you're married or something.

-She saved our lives.

-She betrayed her lover.

-I call that loyalty.

-Oh, f*ck your loyalty!

You're cutting Primus loose.

His wife was sleeping

with Crassus.

So, he's a fool,

not a traitor.

Equally dangerous.

He lied for us in court.

He blamed Marcellus.

Who else could he blame?

Well, it's k*lling my sister!

Look

Primus is getting away

with his honor,

his life and a lot of my money.

So, the pardon

The pardon can wait a bit.

All right.

We can do it now.

Hmm.

Abraxas?

Lady.

[gasping]

[sobbing quietly]

[heavy breathing]

[moans]

-[Livia chuckling]

-You were jealous.

Of what exactly?

Antigone's leaving us.

She'll never leave you.

They found him.

Aprio.

Somebody buried his body

in the woods.

At Baiae.

Near the villa and the port.

-Are you sure?

-Yes.

He had the ring

I gave Marcellus.

Buried?

All this time I've been looking

all around the world,

and there he was all along.

Right here.

How was he buried?

Somebody k*lled him.

First, clearly.

Yes.

They found this with the body.

It's a diploma of freedom,

in his name,

from his master,

Titus Marcius Memor.

It's a forgery, of course -

perfectly ex*cuted -

as Marcellus was his owner.

So, we know

that after he k*lled my son,

he was silenced.

Which begs the question

by whom?

I wish to be alone.

Octavia. Octavia, there's

something I kept from you.

I kept it from everyone

about Marcellus.

When everyone thought

Gaius would die that time

Yes.

Marcellus expected

to be nominated his successor.

He had friends

who expected that, too.

Powerful friends.

If Gaius died,

Marcellus was going to execute

both of Livia's sons.

She and Antigone

were to be exiled

for the rest of their lives.

-No, that's not possible.

-He told me himself.

-It's a lie!

-It is not!

It was all planned.

He had his reasons,

and so did his friends.

Livia.

Livia told me

She told me

that I don't know him.

You're missing the point.

If I knew

who else did?

What if Livia knew?

What would any mother do

to protect her children?

And Antigone is an expert

in medicines.

Scribonia?

What do I do?

What do I do?

The Port at Ostia.

We'll catch the wagons

up on the way.

Yes, Lord.

You sure about this?

Gave him my word.

I'm sorry you found out

like that.

Well, in the end

you are free.

Am I?

We all live in a messy tangle

of feelings and obligation

and the history, you know,

you have with people.

I'm not sure

I know what freedom is.

Here.

They're all waiting inside.

You're against this?

I'm scared.

Me too.

You're scared they won't do it.

I'm scared they will.

Father

we give you this wine

from Antigone's estate at Nepi.

Twenty years ago,

after the battle of Philippi

I brought your grandfather's

body back from Greece.

Your mother swore

a sacred oath to his spirit

to restore the Republic

he died for.

She married her enemy

and turned him from a gangster

into a tyrant.

So that Drusus could inherit.

Inherit what?

Stepfather's power.

And give it back to the Senate.

What?

You knew about this?

No.

Once you understand the premise,

it's a simple deduction.

Does Stepfather know

why you married him?

That's not how it was.

At first it was survival.

Then came love.

But after that,

I began to see

the possibilities.

-Yes. Yes, I bet you did.

-Tiberius.

With their blood

and their sacrifice,

your ancestors

built the Republic of Rome.

Then your father

betrayed it all.

For the honor of our family,

it falls to you to make amends.

You know, most of my friends

gave their lives for this!

Show some f*cking respect!

What would we have to do?

Exactly.

You just go on

as you would do anyway,

in the army and the Senate,

loyally serving Rome

and your stepfather,

but when the time comes,

be ready.

The rest you can leave to me.

You make it sounds so simple.

Your brother can't do it alone.

He needs your cunning,

your brilliance.

Without that, without you,

he will never succeed.

He will never survive.

I'll do it. I will.

I won't!

This will get him k*lled.

Just like everyone else who

ever crossed Caesar Augustus,

son of the divine Julius.

I won't do it.

Not for you

and never

for some political idea.

Then do it for Drusus.

He's a fool.

The Republic is dead.

So is your father.

And so, to me

are you.

Wait.

Where are you going?

-She didn't mean it.

-Yes, she did.

No, she didn't.

Stop.

Tiberius.

Forget it!

Let him run.

I know where he's going.

I want Tiberius gone today.

It was your vow.

Not his.

Please ask Tycho

to make the arrangements.

So

What's going on?

The four of you were in Baiae

when Marcellus died.

Why are you

dragging this up now?

New information

has come to light.

We now know that the sl*ve Aprio

was m*rder*d in Baiae.

They found his body buried

in the forest near the villa.

We're now forced to consider

whether Livia

may in fact be responsible.

[Antonia] Livia?

[laughs] That's

the maddest thing I ever heard.

Why on earth

would Livia be responsible?

It pains me deeply

to have to say this

but Marcellus was

Marcellus was planning

on k*lling Tiberius and Drusus

when he succeeded my brother.

But Aprio poisoned Livia

as well.

And me and Julia.

Yes, but you didn't die though,

did you?

-Only Marcellus died.

-This is stupid. It was Aprio!

Yes. Marcellus attacked him.

I saw it. Just before dinner.

Aprio was furious.

That explanation

no longer answers.

The sl*ve did not work alone.

He was paid a lot of money.

Clearly by Livia.

I mean, what was Livia doing

there in the first place? Hmm?

She hates the seaside.

And where did the sl*ve

get the poison anyway?

Antigone gave Marcellus

something to drink

before he died.

She gave us all

something to drink.

It was seawater

so we'd throw up.

Yes, but Marcellus

didn't throw up. He just died.

And Antigone hated Marcellus.

Everyone knows that.

And she knows

about poisons and things.

Everyone knows that, too.

She couldn't have k*lled Aprio,

and neither could Livia.

No.

No, then that had

to have been Tycho.

He left the villa

just before the dinner.

Where did he go?

Hmm?

Did anyone see him again

that night?

N What What's the point

of all this?

We have to destroy her

as she's destroyed my son.

-Gaius needs to know.

-Mother, please!

Livia mustn't know anything

about this.

No warning.

She mustn't be given any time

to prepare her lies.

Is that completely understood?

Do you understand?

We will go and see my brother

immediately.

Well, that's the end of our

sister's betrothal to Drusus.

I just don't believe it.

And Tiberius,

he won't get anyone.

So, what do you think?

Is it possible

she k*lled Marcellus?

If she did,

she saved my life.

I'm glad he's dead.

Always was

and always will be.

And his uppity f*cking sl*ve.

We should do something.

What?

I miss you.

Even though I see you every day,

I miss you so much.

Sometimes you have to fight

for what you want, Iullus.

Sometimes you have to take it.

Maybe it's time to pick a side.

I hate gulls.

They eat everything.

So do you.

Primus!

Welcome to Ostia.

We brought you a present.

This is an unexpected honor.

We had to come down anyway.

We're thinking

of extending the port.

-It needs more whorehouses.

-He means warehouses.

I'm very grateful.

We don't forget our friends.

Otherwise our friends

will forget us.

I've found a ship for Athens,

sailing tomorrow.

Well, if you have to do

a bit of exile,

you could do a lot worse.

The wine's not bad

and living with Greeks -

-the women are grateful.

-[laughing]

It feels good to be

on the same side again.

We were always on the same side.

[chuckling]

Um, you know I knew nothing

about any of that.

-Corvinus and Crassus, I

-Of course.

Obviously,

I'm divorcing Porcia.

Well, you should get Livia

to find you a new one

while you're away.

She enjoys that sort of thing.

Yeah, I'll write to her.

Thank you.

Good.

[groans]

Well, you took your time.

I promised Octavia.

You promised Livia, too.

Put him on a ship

to Athens anyway.

They can lose him at sea.

Get this cart back to Rome.

Oh, Varica's.

-He'll be there.

-I'll leave you to it.

Varica!

Nero Drusus.

An honor to have you here again.

Wine for our guest.

-I'm looking for my brother.

-He's through here.

We have some brand-new Germans

by the way.

I can always send them in later

if you if you wish.

We should talk about this.

I mean, do you think

it can be done?

In theory?

Tiberius.

I mean, it'd be incredible,

you know?

To make history like that -

the two of us.

Restore the family honor.

Avenge Grandfather,

the Republic.

I'm not scared.

She's right about one thing,

though.

I can't do it without you.

She k*lled Marcellus.

Mother.

-That much is obvious now.

-What?

And that means

she k*lled Father, too.

We don't know that.

I've always known that.

Because that's what happens

when people get involved

with Mother.

They die.

She's a monster.

So is Gaius.

That's how it works.

That's how they work.

Through him she has power.

And when he dies,

it will be through us.

It never ends.

I'm not scared of dying,

Tiberius.

I'm scared of not living.

But then

I'm just a fool.

Aunt Livia, forgive me.

Tycho told me

that you were here.

It's important.

I have something to trade.

Some news.

But I do want something

in return.

A marriage to Julia

would be very good for me.

Politically.

She's marrying Agrippa.

Of course.

But he won't live forever.

And when she does

become available,

I want you to fix it.

For me.

And not, for example,

Tiberius or anyone else.

And don't tell me you can't.

I won't.

Anything else?

Yes.

I want preferment,

like Tiberius and Drusus.

I'm the son of Marcus Antonius,

and I am sick

of being pushed aside.

You should be happy

you are not dead.

Do we have a deal,

Aunt Livia?

You want a lot.

I bring a lot.

[indistinct shouting]

Easy, there!

Slow down! Slow down!

Whoa!

[indistinct whispering]

They found Corvinus.

He's in the Tullianum.

May I join you?

What's your name?

Valeria.

We are trapped.

You and I.

Both of us.

In a room

where no light ever comes.

Feeling for a doorway

out of the dark.

There is no doorway.

Just walls and darkness.

And all we're looking for -

any of us -

is a little

happiness.

Mother.

Anyone you want.

Corvinus.

Gaius sends his regards.

He couldn't be bothered

to come.

I'm a Roman citizen

and a senator,

and I have the right

to a public trial.

That's more

than we were going to get.

You're a pair of tyrants.

What did you expect?

I still have the right

to a trial.

I know,

and you'll get one.

But you don't need to be there.

Wait!

I'll tell you

who k*lled Marcellus.

[laughs]

I know who k*lled Marcellus.

Everyone knows

who k*lled f*cking Marcellus!

I don't want the body found

or recognized.

[groans]

[gasping for air]

You wanted to see us?

[Livia] So, Tycho,

what happened to Aprio

again?

Aprio?

The Spaniard.

I told Tycho to k*ll him.

And I did.

I gave him my word!

Your word would have got us

all k*lled.

That was not your decision

to make.

We couldn't leave

the Spaniard alive,

and deep down, you know it.

He had to be silenced.

But he wasn't silenced.

-I buried him in the forest.

-Well, not deep enough.

They found him.

They know.

They know everything.

What we did,

how we did it, and why.

I'm sorry.

Octavia's at the house

with her daughters,

waiting for Gaius.

And so now,

we fight for our lives.

All of us.

We can run.

Now. You and me.

We'd be at the coast by the

Kalends. We could disappear.

Forever.

You'd be admitting your guilt.

They would never stop looking.

-We'd lose everything.

-Except our lives.

And our child's.

If we stay,

we could lose that, too.

Would you come with us?

No.

I am the daughter

of Marcus Livius Drusus.

I don't break my word,

and I don't run.

But you must choose

for yourselves.

Because that is what it means.

Freedom.

I thank you for your service

and for your friendship.

I will never forget you.

[sobbing]

Where would we go?

Egypt?

I must still have family there.

It

It's some kind of home.

Not for me.

I was born in Rome.

My mother was born in Rome

and hers before her.

I am a citizen.

This is my home.

And she is my sister.

I choose to stay.

[sighs]

Let's go.

Are you sure?

We are.

It's a terrible thing

that Livia did to Marcellus.

That Marcellus did to her.

And that I am doing now.

Husbands and wives.

Mothers and

children.

Poison and blood.

There's no end to it.

There's no end to it ever.

Marcellus deserves vengeance.

So do we.

They're here.

Gaius, I have something terrible

to tell you.

It's about Livia and Marcellus.

And Antigone and Tycho.

They k*lled my son.

Piso's here.

I'm sorry

for what I said earlier.

You know, I'll never

let anything happen to you.

f*ck!

Tiberius.

She's dead.

Tiberius. The girl!

[Piso] I don't know

why you come here.

-What did you do?

-[Piso] What happened?

What did you do, Tiberius?

I was just talking to Mother.

Varica's a piece of work.

You two should leave!

Come.

Get him home, now.

I'll deal with Varica.

Go on.

If there's a plan,

now's the time.

f*ck her!

Oh, everyone's here.

I hope you left me something,

I'm starving.

[fingers snap]

We were all wondering

if you poisoned Marcellus.

-I'm sorry. What?

-My son.

Did you k*ll him?

Your son?

Why would I do that?

Did you know

Marcellus was planning

to k*ll Drusus and Tiberius?

-What?

-Did you know?

I did not!

And I don't believe it.

He told me himself.

-Well, he didn't tell me.

-You knew.

You knew.

You were paying the German sl*ve

in Scribonia's house

just as you were

paying Aprio in mine.

The sl*ve has admitted

to everything.

She overheard Marcellus, and

then she reported to Antigone.

-It's a lie.

-You be quiet, freedwoman!

You have no right

to speak here!

What is this?

The sl*ve, Aprio,

was found dead in Baiae.

His body was buried.

Hidden.

Do you think I k*lled him?

Of course not.

You had Tycho do it.

And Antigone

gave Marcellus the poison.

We don't know what it was.

Right, maybe I paid the sl*ve

to poison me, too.

And everyone else.

Means, motive,

and opportunity, Livia.

You had all three.

If you think I did it,

stand up and say so!

[Marcella] Somebody has to

stand up for him! He's dead!

My brother's dead!

They should be tortured.

We are not sl*ves.

Well, they were sl*ves.

What's the difference?

The difference is

they're not f*cking sl*ves!

And nobody's torturing them.

Gaius, I need to know.

-[Marcella] Well, she has to

-t*rture me!

[overlapping speech]

[screams] Stop!

Stop.

Stop it. All of you.

Your German sl*ve,

your witness.

Bring her here.

Let her settle this.

Let her speak.

I sold her.

Can she be found?

Yes, of course

she can be found.

Then do it.

Agrippa, make sure

the sl*ve is found.

Bring her back.

-Gaius.

-Marcellus is avenged.

The sl*ve is dead.

Let me take you home.

-Sister, let me take you

-Who k*lled the sl*ve?

-Come.

-I can go on my own!

[coughs]

This is far from over,

Octavia.

Anything but.

What do you think?

I think we've picked a side.

Now she owes us.

[door opens]

So?

He knows.

But he's keeping it

to himself.

Why?

Agrippa told us.

Did you do it?

Marcellus?

He was going to k*ll you both,

Little Bears.

And Father?

No.

My love.

That was me.

Your mother

knew nothing about it.

It was years before I told her.

Why?

Because he deserved it.

-I'll do it.

-[gasps]

I'll help him.

Drusus.

I'll do it

Mother.

[Gaius]

I want you to make sure

that Scribonia

never finds that sl*ve.

Not that Livia would leave

another loose end.

It was Marcellus

who drew the sword first.

He wasn't ready.

Not for Livia.

Not even close.

There's no proof.

What will you do?

I don't know.

I won't speak of this again

to anyone else, ever.

Neither will you.

You can go.

Thank you.

[Gaius] I love you,

Livia Drusilla.

I love you, too.

♪♪