"Come on!" "This way!" "Come on, quickly!" "Move!" "Move!" "No!" "Out of the way!" "Move!" "Evil inside." "Evil..." "Vai!" " Give us a kiss, then." " You shave, I kiss." "You talk to him?" "I said I would, and I will." "We cannot stay here forever." "It's not right." " This place is a house of death." " I know." "What if we make a baby here?" "Gods forbid." "It would be a monster." "I said I'd talk to him." "How are you, brother?" "Good day out?" "Good day for a walk in the country maybe?" "No." "Spring's here, blossom on the trees, lambs in the meadows." "Brother, the full moon has come and gone." "Maybe it's time to cut off these mourning beards?" "Life must continue." "You're right." " You should go." " And leave you here like this?" " Good friend I'd be." " I'm past need of friends." "Now what's that mean?" "What are you going to do?" "You can't sit here the rest of your life." "I've caused the death of my wife." "I've caused the death of my children." "I have caused the death of Caesar." "What would you have me do now?" "What?" "Run a butcher's shop?" "Fine, fine." "Sorry I spoke." "Eat your damn porridge." "What sort of woman is she?" " Who?" " The Egyptian girl." "Oh, her." "I barely met her." "Skinny thing." "Talks too much." "Well, she must have something to lure a cold fish like Caesar." "She's a queen." "Caesar would've fucked Medusa if she'd worn a crown." "You jealous, flower?" "Of course." "I don't mind your whores, but I don't want you making love to her sort." "Meaning younger women of higher rank than... you?" "That's a good general rule." "I shall remember it." "I love you." "Antony?" "A word, if I may." "What is it, dear boy?" "About my money, Caesar's money." "You assured me I'd have it by now." "I'm so sorry." "It slipped my mind." "I will see to it." "Good, only that is what you've said several times now." "Well, these things take time." "We are talking vast sums of money." "There's a great deal of paperwork and lawyering to be done and..." "So when can I expect transfer to my control?" "What's the rush?" "Some wicked woman giving you the squeeze?" "Don't worry." "I'll see to it." "Tolerable voyage?" " It was." " Myself..." "I cannot abide ships and boats." "Too much like cages, ne?" "With the added risk of drowning." "You've changed since we last met." "Have I seen you before?" "Yes." "In Alexandria, with Caesar." "It's those uniforms you wear." "You all look alike." "When I saw you then, you seemed... happier." "Is something wrong?" "A strange question." "Caesar is dead." "He was as a husband to me." "I was as a wife to him." " I amuse you." " Forgive me." "It's an odd thought." "A Roman consul with a 'Gyptian wife." " Wouldn't do, you know?" " I fail to see why." "I believe we may begin negotiations." "Here is the text of our proposal." "We would read it into the Senate record." ""I Mark Antony, Consul of Rome," ""guarantee that our armies will continue" ""to protect and preserve the throne of Cleopatra," ""child of Ptolemy, Queen of Egypt," ""mistress of sedge and bee, et cetera."" " What is your price?" " Her majesty will guarantee 10 grain shipments a month at the standard rate, from which revenues the Consul will accept as a personal gift" "48,000 denarii a month." " 35." " 45." "42." "42, delivered on the kalends." "Are we done, then?" "One more thing." "My son by Caesar is near four years old." "He has begun to ask questions about his father." "How touching." "He's too young to understand now, but soon I must tell him that his father's people do not accept him." "Not as a true legal son." "It will never happen." "The people wouldn't like it." "We have no political design, merely the happiness of my boy." "A simple public declaration of paternity will suffice." "And what would I profit by that?" "You would have my eternal gratitude." "Promise me..." "That's possible." "Declare my boy a lawful son of Caesar, then we shall be friends." " You don't trust me?" " Not so much." "You have a changeable look about you." "You're mistaken." "Steady as a priest of Saturn, me." "Come now." "It is not permitted to touch." "Nice manners... for a whore." "If I must prostitute myself for the good of my country and my family," "I will." "But the customer pays first, does he not?" "Your son will eat shit and die before I make him legal." "You see?" "Very changeable." "Sorry we couldn't agree." "Perhaps you'll change your mind." "We'll see you at dinner tomorrow, I believe." "He wasn't Apollo, by no means, but when Erastes Fulmen was alive there was peace on the Aventine." "Now every gang in the city's fighting for control of the hill." "Every day there's violence, every day there's... hoo-ha." " It's killing commerce." " I will see to it." "And is not commerce the root of civic virtue?" "Can Rome long survive if commerce is..." "You may go." "Something..." "Something must be done on the Aventine." "Yes, yes, I know." "I hear of nothing else." "The gangs will not stop fighting of their own accord." "It is too rich a prize." "Whoever controls the Aventine controls the docks and the grain supply..." " I am aware!" " The violence will spread." "If it is not stopped, the whole city will swift descend into chaos and famine and you will be blamed, I'm afraid." "Though it'd be none of your fault, of course." "Still..." "I will handle it." "Now... what can I do for you?" " You sent for me." " Oh, yes, that." "Show him." "It appears to be a list of every dishonest rascal in the city." "Very droll." "It is a list of candidates for next year's elections drawn up by our beloved Caesar just before he was taken from us." "Posca found it amongst his papers." "Another lucky find?" "You are prodigious, Posca." "I want your endorsement of the names." "For the sake of unity and amity, et cetera, et cetera." "Isn't that being just a little too brazen?" "Who would believe that Caesar chose such wretches?" "Surely you don't think those men paid me to put their names on the list?" "Not at all." "I expect they have paid Posca." " So, what's the problem?" " My endorsement will be worthless." "People will merely assume I've been intimidated by you." " Are you not intimidated?" " Not especially." "At present, you cannot afford to kill me." "You need me to run the Senate." "Today, I need you." " Tomorrow..." " Then tomorrow I will worry." "Today, I suggest you let me strike the worst scoundrels off this list." "Then I will endorse it." "Fine, fine." "Do as you like." "A pleasure as always." "Next there is a delegation..." "No, enough." "Enough of this." "Call my guard." "Immediately." "Before you go, if I might raise the matter of my recompense and commission?" "No!" "No, you might not, you wretched Greek thief!" "Money, money, money." "I'm surrounded by money-grubbers." "Mark Antony, sir!" "It's me, sir!" "Titus Pullo of the 13th!" "Legionary Pullo?" "Hold it." "Let him through." "Sir!" "What are you doing here?" "Requiring advice and counsel regarding Lucius Vorenus, sir." "Go on." "He has gone awry, sir." "I don't know what's to be done with him." "Vorenus!" "Officers afoot!" "Centurion Vorenus." " As was." " Sir?" "Look at the fucking state of you." " It's mourning dress, sir..." " Mourning?" "You may well mourn." "Caesar is dead, and it was you as good as held the knife." "Stand to fucking attention when I'm talking to you!" "You know that your name is disgraced forever?" "I do, sir." ""I do, sir."" "Why, then, are you still alive?" "Why have you not done your damn duty and opened your stomach?" "I would like that above all things, sir." "But Dis is my master, and he will take me when he chooses." "At present, he wishes me to suffer here on this earth." "You are wrong, Centurion." "Dis is not your master." "I am your master." "By sacred oath under the standards of the 13th." "Sir." "And this, I take it, was Erastes Fulmen." "I told him to get rid, but it calms him to look at the thing." "Not content to let our great father die, you start a damn war on the Aventine that threatens to engulf the whole fucking city." "Now... would you like a chance to redeem yourself, Centurion?" "There's no redemption." "No man is beyond redemption, Lucius." "Not even you." "And so?" "And so?" "The Egyptian girl." "Tell all." "Well, she was naked before the priests had left the room." "I had to call my people to pull her off me." "Seriously." "She was in mourning." "She was very gray and formal." "She was quite the little mouse." "On Jupiter's stone?" "On Juno's cunt." "Nothing at all interesting happened." "Oh, she did ask me to formally recognize her bastard as Caesar's son." "Blasted impudence!" "You refused, of course." "Octavian is the only..." "Yes, yes, of course I refused." "Which set off a great flood of royal whining." "No, it's been a pig of a day all around." "Running this damn city isn't nearly as amusing as I thought it would be." "Poor lamb." "More tedium to follow at this damn dinner tomorrow, no doubt." "Is Servilia coming, by any chance?" "Yes." "Good." "Have you ever been bitten by a moray eel?" "I should think not." "Where's your mother?" " Something wrong?" " Possibly." "Juno's mercy." "What's she doing here?" "I suppose Antony wants a show of unity for the Egyptians." "Servilia, my love, it's good of you to come." "I am here under protest." "Mark Antony's insistence." "He's a terrible bully, isn't he?" "You must be very scared." "Not in the slightest." "Well, you need have no fear of me." "I wish you no harm, truly." "It's enough for me to know that I have won and you've been humbled." "We've both suffered enough." "You are mocking me, I believe." "Not at all." "I'm offering you friendship and reconciliation." "What do you say?" "Two friends together?" "I cannot honorably refuse." "I'm so happy." "Kiss me, my dear." "Enjoy the party." "Did you see the look on her face?" "Priceless." "Mother, I saw Timon and some of his men in the yard." "Knife-and-hatchet men." " So?" " I was wondering what they're doing here." "Security, what else?" "Their obvious purpose would be the abduction and killing of Servilia" " as she leaves this evening." " That's absurd." "There's a truce ratified by priests." " You can't harm her." " A truce?" "Priests?" "You think that bitch cares?" "Mother, there is more at stake here than your desire for vengeance." "The political situation is extremely delicate." "Her death would throw the Republic into uproar." " I don't care." " You're being childish." "Does Antony know of this?" "Of course he does." "All right, he doesn't, obviously." "And don't you dare tell him." "I'm sorry, mother." "You little bastard." "I won't be needing you." "You can go now." "Where is your damned Egyptian?" "It's time to serve dinner." "I have a good mind to cancel the whole damn thing." "Don't sulk, you know you're in the wrong." "Just as you described her." "Quite the little mouse." "Cleopatra Philopator, mistress of sedge and bee, queen of both upper and lower kingdoms." "Please..." "We shall be informal." "We shall act as if we were all equals." "It's much more fun that way, don't you think?" "Now, who are all these lovely people?" "Our hostess," "Atia of the Julii." "Atia." "Your Highness." "Nice... just as you said." "Come here, boy." "This is my darling Caesarion." "Does he not look exactly like his noble father?" "Uncanny." "Looks nothing like him." "Shall we eat?" "You're back." "I thought you'd be late." " Here I am." " You'll never guess..." " Tevye!" " Levi?" "Release me now, children." "Let me hug your father." "Why are you here?" "So happy to see your brother." "You gave me a start, that's all." "I'm very happy to see you." "You could've written." "Forgive me." "I caught a ship on the tide's turn." "Here I am." "Look at you!" "How long's it been?" "Eight years?" "Nine." "What brings you here?" "My partners and I are setting up a new business." "I'm to run the office here." " You'll be staying a while, then?" " If you'll have me." "Of course." "Our house is your house." "Why haven't you made him dinner?" "No, that's all right." "I'm not hungry." "We're not kosher." "Already we're not good enough?" " Well, have some wine at least." " Now you're talking." "So, you're still in spices?" "Spices, cloth, oil." "Thank you." " Goes well, I hope?" " Oh, up, down, up, down." "It goes." "And you?" "Deborah tells me you're doing very well." "Oh, up, down." "Horses?" "Horses." "Consul, farewell." "Your vassal queen shall weep till she sees you again." "I shall see you soon, then, I hope." "Atia," "I have made a friend for life." "I feel it." "Indeed." "Kiss me." "Die screaming, you pig-spawn trollop." "Safe journey, Your Highness." "Well, I'm glad that's..." "Party's over!" "Everybody can go home now!" "So tell me the truth now." "Why are you here?" "I told you, I'm just setting up a new business." "You hate Rome." "You hate Romans." "How many times did you tell me what scum they are?" "Vile oppressors, Babylonian whores." "And now you've come to live amongst them." "I don't think so." "Business is business." "This is where the money is." "Things were getting a little hot for me in Jerusalem." "Better I leave for a while." " Things?" "What things?" " Politics." "Nothing serious." "Maybe I spoke a little too freely." " Oh, brother." " How is a man to stay silent?" "Our so-called leaders lick the boots of Roman soldiers." " The Pharisees are..." " You listen to me." "You're in Rome now." "In my house." "I've a wife and children to think of." "You keep that cack to yourself." "Do you hear me?" "I hear you." "All right, then." "Hold him down." "Take him out." "He's dead." "Would you do me a small favor?" "Go back and tell my friend that I have given up trying to reason with him." "Everything on the Aventine above Persephone's Oak is my territory now." "If he touches any man of mine again, there's a grave danger that I will become irate, and if I do..." "Captains and men of the collegia." "Under the auspices of Mother Concord, a sanctified truce is declared." "Violence shall cease until the waxing of the moon." "At the sixth hour all captains are summoned to attend a parley at the Aventine collegium." "What the fuck's all this, then?" " I don't know." " Who called a parley?" " Nobody knows." " The priest must know." " You can't talk to a priest of Concord." " Why not?" "Because you can't, you fucking savage." "Foreigners." "What's going on?" "My name is Lucius Vorenus." "I speak to you under the authorization of Mark Antony, Consul of Rome." "Captains, follow me." "You'll hear something to your benefit." "Come on, then." "Consul Mark Antony declares your contest for control of the Aventine is finished." " All violence will cease." " He can declare what he likes." "It doesn't make it so." "As killer of Erastes Fulmen," "I claim his captaincy of the Aventine collegium as my rightful spoils." "The Aventine is now mine." " You can't do that." " Yet here I am." "You can have this old rat's nest if you like, but you've got no men." "They're all dead or run away." "I'll find men." "Rome has no shortage of criminal scum." "Maybe I'll take some of yours." "Brothers, remember the lady." "We all know of you, Lucius Vorenus." "We know you're a man of gravity and we're duly respectful." "You would do well to return that respect." "I can't do that, but I can give you coin instead." "Once order is restored, all collegia will receive a monthly stipend of 5,000 denarii directly from Consul Mark Antony under my supervision." "In return, he expects you will limit yourself to your traditional liberties and malpractices." "Nothing that will disrupt trade or politics." "Anything else?" "Naturally, should there be civil violence, you and your people will be called upon to defend the rights of the Consul." "I require your acknowledgement and acceptance of these terms." "5,000 denarii... that's not bad." "In cash or grain?" " As you like." " Are you women?" "One bark from this red dog and you bend your neck." "What's your name?" "Gaius Ignus Acerbo," "Captain of the Oppian Colleges." "Tell us, why would sane and respectable men like ourselves do business with a poor, cursed, hounded beast like you?" "Gaius Ignus Acerbo, you ask a fair question." "Those of you who will not do business with me are my enemy." "And so?" "They will die much sooner than they expect." "Steady on." "Remember blessed Concord." "No menaces." "Concord." "I am a son of Hades!" "I fuck Concord in her arse!" " The truce is raised!" " Brother!" "Acerbo, will you do business with me?" " Yes, it's funny, isn't it?" " I warn you, woman, another word about that damn girl and I will..." "You will what?" "What will you do?" "Fighting again?" "How tiresome." "I never touched that woman!" "So you keep saying." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Antony, about my money..." "Oh, gods beneath us." "I..." " Not now, Octavian." " Has the matter moved forward at all?" "Tell me, boy, if I did give you the money, what on Gaia's great arse would you do with it?" "That's a complex question, but I'd certainly start by giving the plebs the money that Caesar promised them." "Then you're a fool." "Basic politics, lad." "Once they have the money and spend it, then they will want more money." "And what are you gonna do then?" "I was afraid you'd take this attitude, so I've engaged a lawyer." "A lawyer." "He can help Posca expedite the delay in transferring the money to me." "What were you thinking?" "Antony's family." "He's not, actually." "All right, boy, you can tell your lawyer to shove a taper up his arse and set himself alight." "You'll not get one brass obol of that money." "Nothing." "Come on, my love." "Brother, will you pass the fruit salad?" "See what you've done?" "I'm sorry if I've disturbed your love affair." " I merely..." " Oh, shut up, you fool." "Love affair be damned." "You will apologize and promise to stop all this talk about money." "Tell him that you're perfectly happy for him to administer Caesar's estate." " But I'm not happy." " Do you think I am?" "What choice do we have?" "Don't you see we're dependent on Antony now?" "Who will protect us if you drive him away from me?" "Who?" " I'm perfectly capable." " Please don't." "Mark Antony buggers boys like you for a morning snack." "You will apologize, and there's an end on it." "There's not enough figs in this salad." "That's enough!" "Vai." "Vai!" "Off with you!" "Vai!" "Thank you, sir." "Please, sir, I need work." "I'll do anything." "I'll suck your cock." "Why are you making all this fuss over the money?" "It was obvious he'd never give it to you." "All you're doing is making Mother anxious." "Sister, you must promise me never to speak of what I tell you now." "Oh, gods." "I promise." "The Republic is on the brink of an abyss." "Antony..." "Antony's a destructive brute." "The Senate is weak and cowardly, and the plebs are roiling in want and anger." "Rome is in need of new leadership." "I can provide that leadership." "Now, I already have several initiatives un..." "It'll come to no good, this Hades business." "Worked though, didn't it?" "The bastards fell into line." "You scared the fuck out of them right enough, but that's not the point." "You're no son of Hades." "You're a mortal man." "The gods don't like this sort of shit from mortal men." "I'm following the orders of a consul of Rome, my master by oath, for the sake of peace and public order, for the good of the Republic." "Are you with me or not?" "I'm with you." "By grace of Jupiter, Gaius Octavian Caesar, lawful son of Gaius Julius Caesar, makes this his pledge that he personally will fulfill the terms of his beloved father's bequest to the people." "In the fields of Mars next nine days, all eligible citizens and soldiers will receive 300 sestertii from the hands of Octavian Caesar himself!" "Let it be known that Caesar's son has sold away all his own property to honor his father's wishes." "May such piety bring blessings upon him." " What have you done?" " Wake up!" "Wake up at once!" "What is the meaning of this?" " What?" " The money!" "You're giving the plebs their money!" "Is it so late already?" "I've overslept." "I don't care." "What about the money?" "I've promised it." "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before now." "But I knew you'd object." "I've decided to enter public life." "This seemed the best way to introduce myself to the people." "That will be seen as a direct challenge to me." "Yes, but that isn't my intention at all." "I suggest we make a public display of unity to quash such notions." "A public display of unity!" "It makes sense." "Our interests are conjoined." "While you are consul, my name will lend weight to yours." "And when your consulship is over, and you retire from politics as you have promised," "I will step in as leader of the Caesarian party." "I see." "You will need protection from your enemies in the Senate, and I can provide that." "Just who the fuck do you think you are?" " I'm Caesar's rightful heir." " Now just stay calm." "He doesn't have the money, so he can't give it away, can he?" "This is all just childish talk." "The money is legally mine." "I was able to borrow against it." " Borrow?" " Borrow?" "How much did you borrow?" "It's not so much in the great scheme of things." "How much?" "Three million sestertii." "Juno's cunt!" "You stupid, stupid boy!" "You..." "You stupid little shit!" "Fucking whore!" "Apologize!" "Apologize." "That's it, now." "Just leave it now." " Apologize!" " No!" "No, enough." "Little fuck." "Antony!" "Stop it!" "Antony, leave him!" "Leave him." "Leave him." "Leave him." "Look at me!" "Look at me!" "Look at me!" "Stop it!" "Stop it." "Juno's mercy!" "What's the matter with you?" "You're lucky you're breathing!" " Do you hear me, boy?" " Come on." " You're lucky you're breathing!" " Animal!" "You're not fit to lead Rome!" "Who are you, then?" "Slave of the college brothel over by three bells." "Sorry, love, we've plenty of whores." "No, I'm no whore." "You gonna make me guess?" "Supervisor." "I handle the girls, keep the customers in line." "Name?" "Romans call me Gaia." "What do your own people call you?" " Not your business." " Fair enough." "I get my own room, I eat what I want." "Every 500 coins that comes through the brothel, I get one." " Saving up to buy your freedom, are you?" " No." "A fur coat." "Sign her up." "Thanks, boss." "Brother Mascius." "Pullo, you black dog." "You're still alive?" "You've come to join up, then?" "I heard you were hiring." "Oh, I thought you were well set, farm and all." "Oh, crooked dice done for that." " Shame." " What can you do?" "Didn't like farming much anyway." "Be sure about this, brother." "It's a dark road we're on." "No one knows where it will lead." "All roads lead to the same place, don't they?" "That they do." "Glad to have you with us." "Come through the back and say hello to Vorenus," " cheer up the old bastard." " Is it true what they say?" " About the wife and children?" " True enough." "Not a fucking word." " Brother Vorenus." " Mascius, how are you?" "I'm fair." "Fair." "Come to join our merry band." "You tried to warn him off, did you?" "I did." "This isn't the army, brother." "We here, we're pimps, knifemen, thieves." "Are you sure you've sunk so low?" "I walked here from Capua." "I slept in ditches." "When I get here, I hear people talking." "They say a black-hearted villain has taken over the Aventine college." "He's in league with the gods below, they say." "And his name is Lucius Vorenus." "Well, I thought to myself, "Mascius, old boy," ""your luck has changed."" "See, Pullo, I told you I know what I'm about." "It's not right." "The gods don't like it." "Yeah." "What more can the gods do to me?" "How can they punish me now?" "Don't know." "Don't wanna find out." "Have you heard the good news?" "I have." "This is the beginning of the end for them." "From your lips to the ears of the gods." "A fool like Antony was sure to blunder." "They'll fight among themselves and destroy each other." "I doubt the boy will be more than a nuisance to Antony." "He cannot hope to rival him." "Caesar did not choose the boy on a whim." " He'll surprise you, I think." " We can hope." "The Senate should ask my son to return." "The time is ripe." "Brutus return?" "No." "Not yet." "Not quite yet, I think." "When?" "We must wait and see how things develop." "Wait and see?" "A noble strategy." "Not noble, perhaps, but sensible." "In any case, tell your son that I..." "No, not I..." "His friends in Rome look forward to seeing him again at some point in the near future." "I will tell him." ""My dear mother," ""I write to bid you farewell." ""I'm very sorry you chose to act as you did." ""I hope in time you will understand the gravity of your mistake." ""Be assured, I'm as determined as ever" ""to pursue a political career." ""Do not be concerned for my safety." ""I'm on the road south to Campania" ""where I'll stay with my friend Agrippa, who is well established there." ""I remain your respectful son, Octavian.""