"Where are the grain provisioning figures?" "This can't be right." "I've been talking with the men." "They had no idea Greece was so large." "And they're sick of the endless marching you put us through." "We were plotting our revenge." "We must find good ground." "They're quite an amiable lot, really, when you get to know them." "Ravening potbellied whore scum." "Let's hope they fight as well as they eat." "If you will bury your nose in quartermaster's accounts, you must expect to be gloomy." "Look up, Cassius." "Look around." "Is it not wonderful?" "I see only 100,000 mouths to feed." "You have no poetry in you, Cassius." "We ride with these men to save the Republic." "Yeah, well, sorry to be prosaic, before we do any saving of republics, we have Octavian to defeat." "Indeed." "If we play this right, we can take Brutus and Cassius by surprise." "They will be expecting to face only you and your troops." "So when both our armies arrive in Greece they will be trapped." "And there will be no time for them to flee." "Do you understand what I'm saying, or shall I speak more slowly?" "No, making use of strategic surprise is obvious." "To that end, there is a list of the most prominent friends and supporters of Brutus and Cassius left in Rome." "We should kill them before they learn what we're about." "You are a ferocious little cunt... with a pen." "These are among the finest men in Rome, some of them my good friends." "Their money will be useful as well." "General Antony, tell them." "Cicero is the cleverest bastard of them all and he has the largest network of spies." "He must die first." "There are one or two names I'd like to add myself." "I shall start back to Rome." "I'll muster my troops and let it be known I intend to go east to confront Brutus and Cassius alone." "Lepidus, you will remain behind with a small force." "Keep the peace in Rome after we've left." "I'm pledged to agree with you." "But I must say, these killings..." "Send the list ahead to Lucius Vorenus at the Aventine Collegium." "Add instructions telling him to divide the names among the gangs." "I have a name while you're at it." "Not Servilia." "We cannot kill women." "Not Servilia." " Rufus Tranquillus." " Who?" "Isn't he father to Octavia's friend Jocasta?" "Why do you want him dead?" "I don't like the girl." "She's a bad influence." "This is not a game, Mother." "Her father is immensely rich." "True." "Stone quarries." "Woe unto Rufus Tranquillus, then." "Make sure Vorenus knows that he and Titus Pullo should deal with Cicero personally." "All right." "Tell them... to cut off his hands and nail them to the Senate door." "I told the old fool I'd do it if he ever crossed me again." "Nobody can possibly say that I don't keep my word." "Goodbye, my love." "I shall miss you." "We're forever saying goodbye." "It's becoming tiresome." "One little campaign in Greece and we shall never be parted again." " Do you mean that?" " Of course." "That would make me very happy." "When you return you must bring me Brutus' head as a wedding present." "Yes, a wedding." "Yes, we must think about that when I return." "Now, don't keep your darling boy waiting." "It's a long way back to Rome." "And you be careful with Octavian." "Of course." "I know how to handle him." "That's what I'm afraid of." "There, see?" "Brings out your eyes." "What are you doing?" "Wash that off at once." "Yes, Father." "What's the problem?" "A little blush." "Paint yourself as you wish." "You stay away from my daughter." "Mascius, tell the collegia captains we meet here today." "Tell them it'll be in their interest to attend." " Will do." " Thanks." "Standing up for me like that." "Shut up." "He's captain." "She's his daughter." "He says don't paint her." "Don't fucking paint her." "Spoken like a true third man." "I like you." "You know I do." "But be careful, slave." "I have my limits." "Each of you's been given a list." "On it are ten of the richest men in Rome." "You've been given license to kill them and are to take of theirs what you and your men can carry." "Licensed by who, you?" "By order of Octavian Caesar." "What gives you the right to decide who gets what?" "The list has been equally divided." "You all get your fair share." "I've only got two senators." " Try to keep him out of the mud." " I will, Father." " Cotta here's got six." " Right!" "You got more equestrians." "It balances out." "It's the principle!" "Principle?" "What principle?" "Lucius, Lucius, stop right now." "Lucius, get out of the mud." "Lucius!" "Lucius, stop right now." "I swear I'll smack you so hard." "Lucius, stop!" "Stop it!" "That's the one." "I hope he dies roaring with his knees in a knot." "Excuse me, lady." "Is this the way to the temple of..." "You don't talk." "There's more than enough here for everyone." "Close on 80 of the richest, noblest patricians for you to murder and then rob." "Which of you has ever seen so much money for the taking?" "What shall we do with all this wealth?" "I'm serious." "How shall we spend this blood money?" "Slaves?" "Wine?" "Whores for the boys?" "We can assume you have a better idea." "The Feast of Pomona is coming soon." "It used to be that each collegium would distribute fish and bread to the people." "Why?" "As an offering to Pomona and as a gesture of goodwill to the people." "Yes, but why?" "The people eat fish." "Then what?" "Then the people will begin to see the collegia as more than purveyors of violence and fear." "But that is what we are." "It used to be different." "It used to be, people would come to the collegia for help, for justice, for money, for a marriage or a funeral when they needed it, extra grain when the dole was short." "What, we're gonna be priests of Ceres now?" "Thank you for the history lesson, but that was the old days." "And nothing but war and turmoil since then." " Things change, brother." " They do, brother." "They are changing now." "Whoever wins in Greece wins Rome." " Some kind of peace will follow." " Suppose it does." "Peace is no friend to men like us, men that thrive on blood and anarchy." "The collegia must change or they'll die." "Suppose we don't want to change." "Suppose we don't want to waste good money on fish for beggars." "I cannot force any of you to be generous." "However, the Aventine will be honoring Pomona with fish and bread." "You spend your money as you wish." "Oh, I see." "I see!" "Play the big man and make us look bad." "For that, you need no help from me." "Vorenus, you're right." "You're right." "It's a splendid idea." "We shall be charitable." "We shall be large." "Let us feed the people." "By all means, goodwill." "So... speak, brother." "Why'd you back him?" "He's a man of vision, Cotta, a man of vision." "It's our duty as Romans to back him." " And?" " It's done." "I don't trust that Memmio." " Too smooth by half." " He bears watching." "You'll take care of Cicero?" "He's at his villa in Tusculum." "They want it done quick." " I'll get my kit and be off, then." " No looting on this one." "We'll show some respect." "Right." "Off out, are you?" " Sharp." " Don't touch that." " Where are you going?" " Not your business." " Just trying to be friendly." " Look, love, I know your game." "I don't want any part of it." "Too bad." "It's a good game." "Go find yourself some other fool to play with." "If you ever change your mind..." "Don't flatter yourself." "We're done." "What did she want?" "Nothing." " You know her." " Yes, I know her." "Where are you going?" "Bit of work." "Only for the day." "Why don't you come along?" "It's lovely country where I'm going." "Vorenus, why don't we all go?" "Don't go." "I'll be back before you know it." "Save me some of that chicken, girls, or I'm eating Lucius when I get back." " Good luck." " It's my middle name." "Dominus." "Speak, man, what news?" "I've just spoken to someone in Antony's camp." "And?" "I think your secrets will be safe with Hector." "Out with it." ""My dear Brutus, I write in haste with urgent news." ""Octavian and Antony are reconciled." ""Their two armies are united." ""They plan to descend on Greece and take you by surprise" ""with an overwhelming force."" "Dominus, armed men are at the door!" ""You must retreat to Asia before the trap is sprung."" " You must run." " No." "Too late for that." "On your life, you must get this letter to Brutus." "Understand?" " On your life." " Yes, sir." "Master, you must save yourself." "Show him the back way." "Be quick!" "So are you Cicero, then?" "What is your name, young man?" "Titus Pullo, sir." "Late of the 13th." "The famous Titus Pullo." "I am honored." "Likewise, honored." "Talk about famous." "Everyone's heard of Cicero." "Yes." "I daresay your work today will earn you immortality." " How's that?" " I will be in all the history books." "My killer's name, no doubt, will live on also." "My name." "Thought you meant me." "Good peaches." "Yes, just getting ripe." "There's no way..." "I can dissuade you from your task, I suppose?" "I have a great deal of money." "No, sorry." "Normally, I'd be tempted, but you're far too important." "Imagine the fuss." "I get back and I haven't done my job." "Go away!" " Leave him alone." " Give over." " Put your weapon down." " Never." "Don't mess about." "I haven't got all day." "Do as he says, Tyro." "But, Dominus." "Really, old friend, if you could see how absurd you look, you would not protest." "Do as he says." "Thank you." "No, not yet." "Please... give me a few moments." "Whenever you're ready." "Mind if I pick some peaches?" "What?" "Oh, yes... take what you want." "Thank you." "Nice present for the wife." "All right." "Now." "Stop this at once!" "Resume your hideous wailing when I'm gone." "Everything will be all right." "You've been freed in my will." "Take..." "Take care of my people." "Yes, master." "Goodbye." "Easiest if you kneel." "You might not want to watch this." " Such a beautiful girl." " She is." "I mean no disrespect, but it seems a shame she'll never have a family of her own." "It is." "It is a shame." "But she could... marry, if you would let her." "I know Niobe would want it so." "Niobe would only want her married to a decent man." "And no decent man would have her." "We might try and find her one." "What kind of man would marry a prostitute?" "No man that she deserves." " Lucius, stop!" " If she can't have a good man..." "Take better care of your brats, peasant." "I could have killed him!" "You stupid bastard, you were riding too fast." "Fuck you and your fucking mongrels." "Get out of my way." "Vorenus, no!" "The children." "Go." "Go, get out of my sight." "Get back to your game." "And, you, stay out of this road." "Anyone want some peaches?" " Good day, was it?" " Very nice." "Yours?" "No problem." "He's not a bad fellow, that Cicero." "Not stuck up, like you might think." "Give one to your sister." "More names from Mark Antony." " More?" " Antony has many enemies." "It takes time to remember them all." "Surely we have killed enough." "Close on a thousand men." "The troops need paying." "We have to get the money from somewhere." "Agrippa has a point." "We should proceed more slowly." "We do not want to... appear butchers." "Certainly not." "Excuse me." "I need some air." " Long day?" " Very long." "It's tiring work, I imagine, killing people, even defenseless ones." "Most of them we shall let escape into exile." "They will only lose money and land." "Just ruined?" "That's all right, then." "It's not pleasant work, but it's necessary." "For the good of the Republic." "Exactly." " If you'd excuse me." " No, wait." "You've been avoiding me." " I thought it best." " Why?" "To avoid any awkwardness." "Awkwardness?" "I see." "I was right, then." "How so?" "I think if you did actually love me as you said, you wouldn't mind any amount of awkwardness." "No, I'm glad to know the truth." "Please, do not toy with me." "You cannot have mistaken my sincerity." "But to avoid awkwardness?" "I didn't speak to you because I know my feelings for you are hopeless." "But that's for me to say, isn't it?" "No." "No, it's not." "My father was a nobody." "His father was a slave." "I have not a drop of good blood in me." "So you have risen purely by merit." "Surely that is commendable, in its way." "You are sister to Gaius Octavian Caesar." "You'll not be married to the commendable son of a nobody." " I'll marry who I like!" " No." "No, you won't." "You'll marry some useful nobleman of your brother's choosing." " Octavia..." " Just leave me alone." "I'm sorry." "I've been torturing myself these last months." "I cannot..." "I cannot bear to..." "Don't." " Hello, Octavia." " Maecenas, I came to see my brother." "I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you." "Agrippa, we can't find the wretched blasted figures for the blasted tax projections." "Yes." "Lovely to see you again." "It is no small sum we are asked to give." "What guarantee is there that our money buys the influence we seek?" "It is Herod's own agent who makes this request of us." "If our money can ensure that Rome recognizes him as King of Judea," "Herod will be in our debt." "He acknowledges this himself." "But who exactly does he intend to bribe?" "Who knows who will be master of Rome next month, leave alone next year?" "We will not disburse the money until the conflict is settled." "How has it come to this?" "In this holy place you conspire in bribery, so that idolaters can rule over your own people." " Who do you think you are?" " Sit down, Moses." "Would you have the Seleucids rule Judea?" "Or the Ptolemys?" "Better one we know, one we can work with." "Why let any of them rule?" "This is our land!" "You are traitors to your own kind." "May Ha-Shem have mercy on all of you." "Name yourselves." "We are the sons of Arod, from the families of Manasseh." "We are the wrath of Israel." "Oh, Tevye." "What joy it is to have your strength at my side." "I don't get it." "Roughing up the elders, no problem." " But where's the point in that?" " Zion is the point." "We're redeeming the Kingdom of Zion." "Remember, friends." "Remember who we are." "We are the chosen people." "Not slaves, not animals." "The chosen people." "Make way." "Make way there!" "Thank you." " Everybody eats today." " Bless you, Vorenus." "See?" "Orderly as you like." "Yes, very nice." "Octavian leaving today?" " Winner takes all, you reckon?" " I reckon." "Shame not to be there." "Those days are behind us, brother." "We've other concerns here." "There'll be peace soon, one way or another." "A good thing, I suppose." "But?" "You know how it goes with me in peacetime." "Violence is the only trade I know." "Peace comes, and the collegia change, as you say they must," "I'll be on my arse again, won't I?" "Jobless, telling war stories to the rest of the drunkards." "No, it's different now." "You and me, we can do big things here." "You will." "You'll do big things." "It's good to see you so happy and full of purpose again." "It is." "But me, I don't know." "You're second man in the Aventine." "Second man." "I can see it on my tombstone now." ""Second man on the Aventine." "He handed out many fish."" " Nothing wrong with handing out fish." " No, no, no." "Canny business, no doubt." "But it's not soldier's work, is it?" "I'm a soldier!" "Least I used to be." "Second hour." "Second hour." "We should go." "Third hour." "Gods!" "That can't be right." " They're always right." " Third hour." "Blind, bawdy house slave." "Always." "Familiar with the species, are you?" "I'm an unchaste and sinful woman." " I thought you liked that about me." " I'm sorry." " I have no right to be possessive." " No." "I like that about you." " Are you sure you're all right?" " I'll be fine." "Once you're gone, I'm sure I shall be fine." "I really should go." "I'm very late." "Then go." " I don't want to leave you like this." " Go!" "Everyone together!" "Together, I say!" "Octavian, please." "If only for my sake, be good to Antony." "I am pledged to it, mother." "He's an arrogant shit, but he's a good and honest man." "You need him." " You need each other." " I'm aware, Mother." " Listen..." " Troops are assembling on the Field of Mars." "We must be away soon." " Where is Agrippa?" " I don't know." "Saying goodbye to some woman, I expect." "He attends to several whores." "Or one lover." " I don't know which." " Be a friend to Antony." "Don't be cold and superior, it will only provoke him." "It provokes everybody." "We all know how clever you are." "No one needs reminding." "Yes, Mother." "I'm so sorry." "Hot from a brothel bed on such a day?" "Shame on you, Agrippa." "I assure you, nothing of the sort." "I'm teasing you." "It's fine." "We should go." "Goodbye, Mother." "Juno bless you." "Thank the gods you haven't gone already." "I'm sorry I'm late." "Women's troubles." "Had to go to the temple, the place was a madhouse." " I'm so glad I didn't miss you." " Give me a kiss, sister." "The men are waiting." "Forward!" "So now you can tell me all about Agrippa." "Well, what about him?" "How long have you two been lovers?" "It's not true." "Please, don't lie to your mother, you know it's futile." "How did you know?" "I didn't until now." "You mustn't..." "You mustn't tell Octavian." "Please!" "It's harmless enough, I suppose." "Both you and Agrippa have good reason to be discreet." "You may as well enjoy yourself." "Thank you." "Just as long as you keep your wits about you." "Don't think you'll marry him someday because it won't happen." "I know." "But I love him, Mother." "I love him." "Soft as cheese." "What am I gonna do with you?" "Help me!" "Gods, help me!" "Gods, help me!" "Please help me!" "I beg you to help me." "Jocasta, what's wrong?" "What's happened to you?" "Men came in the night." "All my family are dead." "They killed them and took me away." " They have dishonored me." " You're safe now." "Isn't she, Mother?" "We'll keep her safe." "Of course." "We'll protect you." "Whole place stinks of fish, doesn't it?" "I don't mind." "Reminds me of home." "Like fish, did they?" "Your lot?" "I didn't know that." "We had a big lake." "Deep." "A lot of fish." "What is the helmet for?" "Nothing." " Just thinking of old days, that's all." " Old days?" "Not today." " Soldiers leaving." " You mean me?" "Leaving with them?" "No." "No." "Well, it had crossed my mind, obviously." "I'm in with the chiefs, aren't I?" "I mean, if I was to go back in now," "I'd probably be first spear at least." "Legate even." "Think about that, wife of a legate!" "Talk about respect." "And money." "Probably buy a lake." "It'd be a short campaign." "Everyone says so." "Sons of Dis, I was only talking!" "No call for blubbery." "I'm "preglant"." "What?" "I'm "preglant"!" " "Preglant"!" " Pregnant?" "Whatever you call it!" "What is that you've got there?" "You've been mooning over it the last hour." "This is my father's signet ring." "I received it from my mother." "I remember it on his hand when I was a boy." "It's a good fit." "Sir, word from the scouts." "The enemy is sighted." " At last!" " It's not just Octavian, sir." " Mark Antony is with him." " That's impossible!" "The Heron standard was seen." " How many legions?" " 19, it seems." "To our 14." "The worm turns." " How far away are they?" " A day's march." "Muster the men." "We must break camp and begin the retreat immediately." "No, wait." "Stop." "Do nothing." "We will not retreat." " Old friend, this isn't..." " No." "No more running." "We will meet them here tomorrow." "If we win, all the more glory for us." "And if we are to die, this is as good a place as any." "'Tis in the hands of the gods now." "We have the upper ground." "As he says." "Heavens, I entirely forgot!" " Today is your birthday, isn't it?" " Is it?" "I believe you're right." "Happy birthday." "Sorry there's no cake." "Next year." "You can bake me an extra big one." "I shan't forget." "No cinnamon." "Makes me sneeze." "If you need to urinate, now would be the time." "I'm fine, thank you." "You sure?" "Let us begin, then." "Watch closely, boy." "This is how history is made." "Now... let's have some fun." "Advance!" "Sorry, rude of me." "Would you like the honor?" "No, no, you do it by all means." "Thank you." "Advance!" "What is happening?" "Do you know?" "No idea." "On my command, follow me!" "Where are you going?" "When in doubt, attack!" "Standard on Antony!" "Go." "Thank you." "You two, on me." " Sir!" " Yes, sir!" "Sir, Antony's forces have broken the line." "Our right flank is gone." "Halt!" "Our right flank is gone." "Send in the reserve cohort!" "Testudo!" "Forward!" "Down." "Cassius?" "Cassius?" "What happened?" "Not sure, to be honest." "Hell of a birthday." "Don't despair." " The day's not done yet." " Sir, our center is routed." "We must fall back." "We must fall back immediately." "I see." "All right." "Come, old friend, we have to move." "Sir, we must go." "Cassius?" "We must go." "Sir." "It has been an honor and a pleasure leading you." "I am sorry we could not do better." "But you must look to yourselves now." " Save your skins." " Sir..." "Give my best to my mother." "Tell her..." "Tell her something suitable." "Cohort, halt!" "Keep searching!" "Put the dead on the pyre." "Breathe deep, boy." "The smell of victory." "Smoke, shit and rotting flesh." " Beautiful, isn't it?" " What report, Agrippa?" "The body of Cassius has been found." "We're still searching for Brutus." "Excellent." "Have the head packed in salt for transportation back to Rome." "People appreciate... the little touches, I find."