In the autumn, I'm going to now adopt Marcellus
as my son and heir.
After Gaius, power must go to someone
who would carry it back to the Senate.
I'm talking about Drusus.
You're going to restore the Republic.
And Marcellus won't do that, so, of course, he has to go.
When he confirms Marcellus, she'd do it anyway.
We'll never have a better chance.
[grunting]
-[Woman shouts] -What?
Domina.
You won't forget me.
Never.
[breathing heavily]
I've just found out what you've been doing with Iullus.
I'm gonna tell my mom to hunt your father.
-They're all poisoned! -What?
Marcellus. [sobbing]
This isn't about protecting the boys.
This is about power!
-[Glass breaks] -[Woman screams]
-Hey! Get off my fucking cart! -Back off me!
There he is!
Come here!
[Rooster crows]
Tycho?
[Slave] There!
Come back, you! Stupid fucking boy!
You can't get away!
[Tycho] Thank you.
Lovely to meet you all.
Do come again.
Thank you.
[Slave] Come here! Give up!
Let it go. We're not going in there.
[Tycho] Drusus!
Drusus!
Tycho?
Did you get rid of them?
Yes, Lady.
Uh, Tycho, don't tell anyone about this.
Especially not my father or Livia when they get back.
Thank you.
-Where have you been? -I'm so fucked.
[Piso] Livia.
-Your cousin's here. -What?
-Which one? -The charming one.
[gasps] Porcia!
So happy to see you!
What a lovely surprise.
Uh, that will be all. Thank you, Piso.
Oh...
Domina.
When did you get back?
Couple of days ago.
Seasick all the way, as usual.
[laughs] Worth it to leave Macedonia.
Ugh.
So, what brings you here? How are you? How's your husband?
Uh, he's in hiding, outside of Rome.
He's worried Agrippa will have him killed.
What?
-Obviously that's why I'm here. -I'm sorry. What?
Are you telling me you don't know?
Yes, I think that's what I'm telling you, yes.
The day we got back, my husband was charged
with treason against the Senate and people of Rome.
Treason? Primus?
I assumed you knew.
Who's bringing the charge?
Marcus Licinius Crassus.
Crassus.
What did he do exactly?
Primus did exactly what he was ordered to do.
Someone told him to commit treason?
Yes.
Your husband.
Primus is to be tried any day now.
And if they find him guilty, he'll be executed.
All of his property will be confiscated.
You are my only family, Livia.
I don't know who else to turn to.
We're going back to Rome.
♪♪
I've been thinking.
You want to get rid of him now, out here in the woods.
It would solve a lot of problems.
Primus isn't stupid. He won't come alone.
You can leave the details to me.
How would it look?
Better than a massive public trial
with everyone pointing their fingers at us.
It'll all unravel. Everything.
Let's just see how this goes.
Primus! I almost feel offended.
I've asked Marcus Messalla Corvinus to defend me in court.
We've had our political differences, Gaius,
but I know we can put those behind us
and work together on this.
Well, you could start by asking your old friend Crassus
to drop the prosecution.
Crassus cheated me out of two million in gold.
We no longer speak.
The facts are not disputed.
My client was appointed by the Senate
to govern the province of Macedonia.
Before he left, you, as consul, specifically requested
that he use the Legion under his command
to make war on the tribes
which had previously signed
a solemn and binding peace treaty.
With, of course, the Senate.
Your exact words were,
"Forget the treaty and fuck the Senate.
I want victories, gold, and slaves."
Which, in a nutshell, is our defense.
We'll deny it.
Ah.
However...
if your client were to take sole responsibility
for the illegal war in Macedonia...
He'd be executed.
We can get it down to exile.
The State would still take everything he has.
Once he's out of Rome,
I'll give him double what he lost.
My word as a Roman.
What about my word as a Roman?
My name, my honor as a Roman?
So to sum up this deal you're offering:
My client perjures himself on oath
to plead guilty to the charge you should be facing,
and afterwards, you'll quietly pay him off.
Take it or leave it.
No.
See you in court.
They're bluffing.
They'll never let this go to trial.
This can't go to trial.
Stepmother, we weren't expecting you back.
The fuck is that?
It's Marcellus.
A gift to Octavia from the Senate.
She didn't want it in the house.
At least Libo's the presiding magistrate.
Maybe he can delay the trial, buy us more time.
We need to see him straight away.
Seriously, Gaius? Is this Primus screw-up really happening?
Well, that's the small talk out of the way.
Wars abroad keep the peace at home. You know that.
Is there any proof you gave those orders?
Nothing in writing, of course.
Any witnesses who will lie for us?
I was on a ship to Greece.
Marcellus, he was there.
Well, he's dead, Gaius. So that's no use.
Why can't Primus have an accident?
That's what I said!
-He's not to be killed. -What choice have we got?
It's admitting we did it.
Well, one of them's fucking guilty, and it can't be him.
Porcia is family.
Not my family.
Right.
Spoken like a true moneylender.
No one really cares about Primus.
Or Macedonia.
Least of all Crassus.
This is about you.
So, the question is,
does Crassus want to fuck you
or does he want something for not fucking you?
It would be good to find out which.
I'll go to Crassus. Discreetly.
No.
Tiberius will do it.
But thank you, Iullus.
I gave my word to Porcia I'd help her husband.
That was unwise.
Well, my word is still worth something.
You fixed his problem. What about mine?
We don't know you have one yet.
I don't believe this.
Marcellus.
I know.
Did you hear from Antigone?
No, not for over a week.
She should've been back by now.
She'll never stop.
Hey, something must have gone wrong.
Has Gaius asked where she is?
I told him she's on our estate at Nepi.
She'll be fine.
She needed this after losing the baby.
-Get it turned round. -What?
Before Octavia gets back.
Oh, there's other stuff...
you need to know about.
What's the matter?
Where were you last night?
What are you, my husband?
No. I'm not good enough for that.
Get over it, Iullus. Please.
Not good enough to carry a fucking message either.
What?
First it was Marcellus in front of me.
Now it's fucking Tiberius.
What are you talking about?
You'll see. Everyone'll see.
I love you, Iullus.
I always will.
[Footsteps approaching]
[Door opens]
Tycho.
It's not what it looks like.
Right.
She'll see you both.
Now.
It's not what it looks like.
Thank you, Tycho.
Children.
-How long have you known? -What does that matter?
-Does my father know? -Of course not.
Iullus would never see you or Rome again.
What if you got pregnant?
Your father would kill you.
This is a crucial time.
Your father stands to lose everything.
And if he loses everything, we lose everything.
And so, for now, everyone must play their part.
Your part, Julia, is the dutiful Roman matron.
A roll you, of course, pioneered.
You are the daughter of Augustus and the widow of Marcellus!
Two years I was married to that pig!
-You try playing that part! -He's been dead for a year!
Yes, and every day I thank that poisonous little slave,
and I hope they never find him!
Julia.
Well, the party's over, Julia. So is this.
For now...
and forever.
There are rules, children. Even for people like us.
What rules are there for you?
What do we do?
You know what we do.
Refused, refused, refused.
Ah, hmm... granted.
Arrange this.
Crassus is here.
[Gaius] Crassus.
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
[Crassus] Not at all.
I'm assuming this is about Primus.
I'm sorry, Gaius. I'd really like to help,
but I can't back out now. Not honorably.
You know I was governor of Macedonia before Primus.
You also know it was me
who brokered the peace with the tribes
and signed the treaty for the Senate.
And now the tribes have asked me to seek redress.
I'm bound by custom and honor to do it.
Sure you are.
You know Primus is going to say
that I ordered him to break the treaty.
I had no idea.
Naturally, I assumed he was acting alone.
Of course he was.
Well, in that case you've got nothing to worry about.
That's what my wife was saying.
Look...
We both know that shit Corvinus
only got involved to piss me off.
We can't let him make this trial about you. Or me.
It's about Primus. He defied the Senate,
and, you know, I'm sorry, but he'll have to answer for it.
Fair enough.
Anytime.
We'll have you over for dinner soon.
So, now we know.
He just wants to fuck you.
That's a game for two players.
God, it's hot.
Where's a storm when you need one?
They'll be here any moment.
Livia's back. I forgot to tell you.
Doesn't matter.
-Nothing she can do now. -Don't bet on it.
She killed Marcellus.
-What? -Poisoned him. I'm sure of it.
How could she have known?
I found out one of my slaves had told her,
so I sold her to a field gang.
She'll never be found.
[insect buzzing]
Not that anyone's looking.
[retches]
Are you all right, Lady?
I don't know.
[knocking]
[Slave] Dominus.
He's obviously panicking about what Primus is going to say.
And he can deny it all he likes.
The important thing is
to spread the story all over Rome before the trial
so the damage is exacerbated when it comes out.
We've got him.
We just have to keep that idiot Primus alive
long enough to testify.
He's in a hut in the hills.
No one'll find him before the trial.
I have some thrilling gossip about Livia Drusilla.
[indistinct chattering]
You're not going back there, are you?
You must really think I'm stupid.
No, of course not.
Reckless,
-impetuous, impulsive... -All right.
...and willful.
But not stupid.
Take me with you, Drusus.
You don't know where I'm going.
Nor do I care.
Come on, then.
Oh! Maybe you are stupid.
-Gaius and I have spoken. -Hmm.
He has decided we need to find Primus so that, um...
arrangements can be made.
-But you gave your word. -Yes, I did.
And killing him now is worse than letting him speak.
Nevertheless...
I have sent for his wife.
She'll be here at the third hour.
There will be an argument between us,
and then she will leave.
I'll make the arrangements.
Drusus. Wake up. Get out of here.
This time I really fucked up.
Excuse me. I'm sorry.
-Tycho? Give it a try. -That's fine.
-What's that? -[indistinct]
-The friends are ready. -All of them?
Enough.
-Porcia's here. I have to go. -I'll let them know.
Oh.
Dear Livia.
There will be a trial.
We cannot avoid it, so we have to manage it.
Porcia, your husband cannot tell the Senate
who ordered him to go to war.
Why not? Your husband is safe.
He can't be prosecuted for anything. Legally.
You're well informed.
He could just admit to what he did.
Then Primus would go free and that would be the end of it.
The Senate did vote to give Gaius legal immunity, yes.
But if they think he's abused his privilege,
they can just as easily vote to take it away.
And then he could be charged with treason.
So don't even think for a second
Gaius can afford to offend the Senate.
You don't know Primus.
His honor is everything to him.
He will never admit to being at fault.
He'd rather kill himself.
Will he do it before the trial?
He could keep his honor and his property,
and I will find you a new husband.
Any man you want in Rome.
His honor or his life.
What choice is that?
You said you'd help me. You gave me your word!
-Let me talk to him. -No! No, never.
He has the right to decide for himself.
Well... I believed you.
And I knew you were lying.
Let's see if she leads us to Primus.
Runaway slaves.
The plantation is nearby, Lady.
Keep working!
Go! Don't you look at me!
Dogs!
Fucking work!
[Woman shrieks, sobs]
Are you still crying?
-After what I said? -Hey!
Fortunata, is that you?
I heard there were German slaves on this estate.
I need to speak to Drusus. Alone.
You're going to tell him that was a big mistake.
Drusus will tell you that he's in quite enough trouble already.
Relived he'll be keeping his mouth shut...
you go out shopping.
-Right, then. -[Gaius] Libo, there you are.
[Libo] Sorry I'm late, everybody.
[Gaius] Sit down, please. What have you got for us?
The five judges have been selected.
-How many are friends? -Flaccus is sound,
and Vulso I think,
but the other three, they're uncontrollable.
Primus could easily get off if they believe his story.
And I have to tell you,
Corvinus has started leaking it already.
I bumped into three people this morning
who know Primus is going to blame you.
There's always the chance he'll kill himself before the trial.
Does he know that yet?
Lord, Gaius Junius Silanus is in the atrium.
-He says it's important. -Who?
Senator from the North - old name, new money.
Votes for us.
[scoffs]
Shit!
Now you have a problem.
Gaius Junius Silanus tells me that two nights ago
you broke into his house to debauch a slave girl.
Then his slaves chased you all the way back here!
-Is it true? -No.
Where's your judgment?
Your self-control?
You are the son of my wife!
I should have you whipped like a slave.
It was his daughter I was debauching.
You are betrothed to my niece!
You don't go around humping the daughters of Senators!
You did! You had everyone in Rome when you were my age!
Agrippa told me.
Some of them were married, too.
Like Cicero's wife and my mother.
Shut up, Drusus.
And you whored yourself to Sextus in Sicily!
Everyone says so!
Drusus!
I am Nero Claudius Drusus.
And you are not my father.
That's something, of course.
But in this house, I am a god, and you'll learn that.
Tycho, ten lashes in the atrium.
-Gaius... -Gaius, no!
Let me deal with this.
Don't bother.
I don't care.
Come on.
That was very diplomatic.
Well, he's certainly got your family's pride.
-If nothing else. -He's still young.
You're always making excuses for him.
He will apologize.
Drusus can never do anything wrong. Drusus is never to blame.
He will not be beaten like a slave.
He will if I say he will.
He will learn obedience, and he will learn respect.
I betrayed my cousin for you.
Don't ask me to betray my son.
Don't make your father's mistake -
choosing the wrong side.
Drusus, go with Tycho to the stables.
Fetch three horses.
-Where are we going? -Wherever she says.
Somewhere Gaius won't find you, idiot!
He's jealous. Stepfather.
He knows that you love Drusus more than anyone
because Drusus reminds you of your father.
I remind everyone of my father.
That's why nobody likes me.
Except Drusus.
-[shouting] -[clattering]
[Worker] Oh, fuck!
Oops.
Clear it up!
Oh, Marcellus.
What?
Tycho?
There will be a small change of plan.
Sorry, Iullus.
You just can't trust anyone these days.
Hope you've reserved a seat for the trial.
It's gonna be packed in here tomorrow.
It's been good for us to get to know each other
since the death of Marcellus.
They haven't got a plan.
Their only hope is that Primus will kill himself
before the trial.
They don't know where he is though.
No.
Augustus has never appreciated you.
I won't make that mistake.
[Thunder rumbles]
Going to be a storm.
[Slavedriver] Make way! Coming through!
[Horse neighing]
Hey!
Antigone!
Stop them!
I thought you forgot me. All this time.
Never once. Never once.
Time for a bath.
[Horse neighing]
The friends found Primus.
He's in a hunter's shelter in the woods
just at the south of the city.
Bodyguards?
Two, and an older slave.
Last chance.
You sure?
Good luck.
Don't need it.
-[Horse neighing] -Whoa! Let's go!
Mother.
I'm sorry for what I said to you.
About Sextus.
When all of this is over, you will get down on your knees
and ask your stepfather for ten lashes.
I'm not scared of him.
Then you're a bigger fool than I thought.
What you said before outside the house...
It doesn't matter if people like you or not.
They respect you.
And soon, they will fear you.
I don't care about any of those things.
Then you're a fool, too.
Is it true?
About you and Sextus.
-I was in love with him. -[Footsteps approaching]
-[knocking] -[Door opening]
[Thunder rumbling]
[Agrippa] Four men round the back.
Hello, Primus.
Shit!
You won't need that.
The blood in your wife is my father's and mine.
I gave her my word I would help, and I will.
You're being used by Crassus.
Maybe even by Corvinus as well.
They don't care about you.
They just want to destroy Gaius.
If you're here to make sure I don't testify in court tomorrow,
you're wasting your breath.
Mm-mm. I'm here to make sure you do.
-We were too late. -[Horse neighing]
They'd already moved him.
We rode around like cunts all night,
but he must've slipped past our people at the gate.
I'm sorry.
Come on. We're needed in court.
You can borrow my barber.
But we haven't been called as witnesses.
That's what they think.
[indistinct conversations]
-It's just like the theater. -More like the gladiators.
Silence!
Following an application for the Commission of Treason
against Marcus Primus, former governor in Macedonia,
the court will now hear the arguments.
Prosecution.
The court will hear that Marcus Primus,
as governor of Macedonia,
did order military action against the tribes of the Danube
without the permission of the Senate of Rome.
It will hear from the Legate in command of the Fifth Legion,
who led the campaign.
It will hear from a king of the local tribes
which, as a result,
suffered grievous loss of property and life.
And it will hear from the Roman
who signed the peace treaty for the Senate...
who will be myself!
[shouting]
Marcus Primus is guilty of treason.
And I conclude by saying how fitting it is
he should be defended by Marcus Messalla Corvinus,
a rat of a man without morals...
or honor.
Fine words!
From a common swindler and notorious rake
in whose vile company no Roman matron is safe.
Defense.
This court will hear that it is not my client Marcus Primus
who should today be facing a charge of treason -
but Caesar Augustus,
son of the Divine Julius and First Citizen of Rome.
Caesar Augustus!
Here I am!
Nobody called you as a witness.
Seriously, you're telling everyone I did it!
This is a blatant attempt to undermine the trial
and intimidate my client!
I am presiding magistrate, not you,
-and I'll decide what this is. -I protest!
He has not been called as a witness!
Anyone accused in public has a legal right to reply.
What's he doing there? He's not a witness either!
I'm allowing it.
Silence!
Did you then, Augustus, as it is said,
order the governor of Macedonia to undertake military action
in defiance of the Senate of Rome?
I did not!
Well, he would say that, wouldn't he?
But we are about to hear something very different
from the defendant.
We are about to hear the truth.
Marcus Primus.
Three years ago, before you left for Macedonia,
you were summoned to the house of that man -
Caesar Augustus.
I was!
In order to discuss your new posting in the East.
Yes.
And indeed to receive private orders.
As it turned out, yes.
Orders to break the Senate treaty
and make war on the Danube tribes!
Yes.
Directly from that man -
Caesar Augustus.
-No. -[Crowd gasping]
Not from Caesar Augustus.
No. They came directly from his nephew,
Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
Of course. Genius.
Marcellus spoke to me privately after our meeting.
He gave me to understand these orders came from his uncle.
Naturally, given their close relationship, I believed him.
And although I acted in good faith
and always for the good of Rome...
-What just happened? -A big "fuck you" from my wife.
Would be my guess.
...misled by Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
"The yield of wheat in the estate
"is therefore much stronger than we expected,
up to his..."
Sweet of you to leave us fucking sweating all night.
You're welcome.
What did it cost?
I gave my word to Primus you would honor your deal.
Exile and the money you promised.
And that we would try to pardon him quietly
when the dust settles.
I'm sorry for what I said about your father.
You've changed since you got sick.
Even when I awoke, I thought I was dead.
Then I thought, "One day I will be."
Drusus is ready for punishment.
But first he asks to apologize.
Huh!
I have to admit I was impressed.
The kid has the heart of a wolf.
And the brains of an ass.
He'll make a great soldier.
But nothing else.
I have a favor to ask.
Not Drusus.
Beat him to death for all I care.
We need to bring forward some arrangements.
So using the law didn't work.
The traditional solution, then.
He always goes to the baths with Agrippa in the ninth hour.
We'll do it there, inside.
The ninth hour.
The Praetorians are gonna need to hear about this from you,
afterwards.
Leave them to me. You take care of the Senate.
[Antigone] Good evening, Lady.
We still need to watch them.
Even though they don't have much support,
we can't underestimate Crassus.
Oh, Scribonia, there you are at last.
What's up?
I've been meaning to deal with this for a while now.
Julia, you're out of mourning for Marcellus.
So obviously it's time for your next marriage.
We didn't want you getting bored
with nothing to do in the evenings.
And I can think of nobody better than my brother, Marcus Agrippa.
-Neither can I! -[Marcella] What?
My husband?
Why is she getting my husband? What about me?
Thank you, Father.
Does my mother know about this?
Well, she'll have something to say once she gets back.
Marcella, you'll marry Iullus.
Me?
[Gaius] Iullus, I'm giving you my eldest niece
as a token of my respect and affection.
Your father and I were enemies in the end,
but Marcella will bind our two families together
and heal the wounds.
[Iullus] Of course.
I'm very grateful. Thank you.
[Gaius] Good.
-[Agrippa] And so am I! -Antigone's back.
-Family! -Family!
-Family. -Family.
Excuse me, everyone.
Gaius, may I see you in private?
Of course.
So, Gaius...
You're going to die at the baths tomorrow.
In the ninth hour.
We were so worried.
Where's the German?
On our estate at Nepi. She'll be safe there.
Doesn't she want to go home?
Her village was burned. Her parents were killed.
That's where we come from, Livia.
I... I'd like to find her a good husband,
and give her a dowry.
Make it so.
Oh, and we'll pay Scribonia back in good time.
There will be no independent reprisals.
Hmm?
I'm pregnant again.
-What? -Pregnant.
You are?
Are you all right?
Scared. A bit.
Obviously.
Yeah, well, we won't lose this one.
I know.
Porcia.
You're late.
What happened?
Livia got to him, somehow.
It was a mistake to involve her.
I could hardly say no.
Primus begged me.
In any case, it would've been expected.
That was the part, and I had to play it.
Well, you fooled Livia,
so you must be a brilliant actress.
And, of course, no one would blame you for divorcing him.
[moans]
I can't wait to see their faces when this gets out.
Don't gloat. It's the best I could do.
I shall gloat as much as I like, thank you very much.
Marcellus.
They're rowing into Rome now.
They'll tell us when it's done.
What's going on?
Nothing.
[shouting]
Get the fuck up!
[indistinct shouting]
Get the fuck up!
Porcia?
Please, let me do it.
[laughing]
What?
I'm tired. Good night.
That was the stupidest joke ever.
[Gaius] Sleep well.
When you go back East, take Drusus with you.
On the front line.
A request like that, brother,
is something you say out loud to my face.
The boy just wants a shot at glory in battle.
Just make sure he gets it. That's all.
[sobbing]
♪♪