[screaming in pain]
Antigone thinks that if Livia gets pregnant again,
it shall kill 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. -[Slave] 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 slave? -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 kill 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 whore, 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 whore 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 war.
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 war.
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 fucking 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 fucking 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 slave will kill 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.
Fuck! Fuck!
-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.
Bitch.
[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 kill Agrippa and close the Senate.
-What about Livia? -We can't kill a woman.
Besides, she's far too popular in Rome.
Everyone loves her except you.
-That's a mistake. -Why?
They're killing 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 kill her.
Along with that bitch Antigone.
-Domina. -Get my cloak.
Oh, where the fuck 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 fucking 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 fuck 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 fucking 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 fucking late!
I've given stupid dinners
to every drooling old Senator in Rome
to push your political career,
and you won't even fuck me!
Too busy with your slave boy.
I should've married Tiberius.
I bet he knows how to fuck. A woman anyway.
Marcellus.
Marcellus!
No!
[screams]
You can pretend it's Tiberius.
No! You animal.
-What are you whining about? -Fucking animal!
-I can't do anything right! -Cocksucker!
-Fuck off! -Rent boy!
You wanted a baby.
There it fucking 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.
-Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! -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.
Fuck!
Shit!
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.
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.
-Fuck, 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 raped me like a slave.
Face down on the couch.
Your husband can't rape you.
And yet, somehow...
Mostly, though, he prefers his slave 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 kill 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 kill 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 killed him in my own house at my own table!
What the fuck 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.
[Slave] Oysters, Domina?
[Marcella] The slaves 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.
Fuck 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.
♪♪