"You brokered the sale of a woman from the house of Batiatus, the mark of the domina on the back of her shoulder." "Where is she?" "We will find her, brother, and see everyone that has kept her from your arms to the afterlife." "We will see the Romans bleed for taking us as dogs." "Spartacus is enemy to us both." "The man takes habit of slipping through your fingers." "What moves you to certainty of victory?" "Because the gods themselves will it." "May the gods bless you." "There is but one place for an animal without honor." "You." "I come bearing a gift... that shall set you upon path to the fall of Spartacus." "Quiet your fucking bleating!" "Still yourself." "This how you came for the mine, by not heeding fucking command?" "See yourselves free." "You favor clever strategy." "Fuck the man from behind." "A good start to the day." "I would see it built upon." "I seek a woman named Naevia." "She was cast out from the House of Batiatus before its fall." "Batiatus?" "You are Spartacus?" "I am Crixus." "Spartacus stands the fool beside me." "The woman he seeks is of rare beauty, the mark of her domina upon her back." "She was carried from..." "Spartacus tells a sword becomes lighter in time." "It is a heavy thing to rob a man of life." "Less so that of a Roman shit." "Stay close by." "I will help shoulder weight until we can" "The girl, Naevia... her fate, known to me." "Speak it then." "Spare a horse and my life." "Speak." "They add to our number, yet not my cause." "We will find her." "Words you have spoken many times, still ignored by the gods." "The man, he spoke of your woman." "What did he say?" "Find fucking voice." "Dead." "Naevia is dead." "I cannot believe she is gone." "The gods again turn from those most worthy of blessing." " l hold no love for the man." "Yet it tears heart to see him so." "How did she meet her end?" "Naevia was put to cart for Lucania, having served purpose for Batiatus' ambition." "She perished in the mines?" "She gave life in passage, from injuries borne of mistreatment." "Death a kindness then, to be spared such a fate." "Kindness only to the one taken." "The man yet stands mute." "This is what you would offer me to gain favor?" "A statue that bleeds?" "Oenomaus believes himself a man of honor." "Pain alone will not move him to betray his brothers." "And I know the man well." "Given over to my hands" "Oh, do not think I've forgotten what your hands are capable of, slave." "Or how they aided Batiatus in tethering me to this house." "I but did as my dominus commanded, absent thought of refusal, as I would faithfully serve you now in seeing Spartacus brought to his end." "You speak of loyalties, yet the mark of Batiatus brings allegiance to question." "A blight upon flesh forever mocking more noble intentions." "Prove them... and live to see if you are of further use." "Your will, my hands." "You must be patient." "The gods would not deliver Oenomaus, only to mock us with his silence." "The sum of my doubts does not lie with the gods alone." "It's equally shared with their messenger." "Ah." "Here is our man." "Courteous to finally acknowledge our presence." "Apologies." "I was unaware of your arrival." "The fault is mine, between happy reunion with father and plying Varinius for news of Rome." "is this the lanista's wife, the one they whisper of in the streets?" "Lucretia." "To find you alive is a blessing from Olympus." "I am but its humble instrument." "You're overly modest." "To have survived such horrors," "Jupiter himself must have taken note of your worth." "Varinius comes to present games." " Games?" " Two weeks of blood and sport to move this city from heavy thought of Spartacus yet untamed." "It shall be glorious spectacle, made more so by your men presented in opening celebration." "The sight of them coupled with Lucretia in the pulvinus shall help calm the citizenry." "An honor that I would happily oblige, were they not otherwise occupied in the south." "Do they draw any closer to their goal?" "Or does Spartacus yet elude them, as I heard he did in the market?" "Perhaps Seppius' men could march in your games." "It's well known you hold considerable sway with them." "Seppius' men do not carry the seal of Rome as your men do." "Show good Varinius to wine and enticing view of the city below." "I would voice no argument." "Come then. I shall see you properly attended." "Varinius is admired within the Senate, a thing to be carefully considered before words fly from errant fucking tongue." " Do I not stand his equal?" " ln title only." "They think you an incompetent child, unable to wipe clean his own shit." "So a show of respect towards a fellow praetor would be wise step towards quietening doubt, hmm?" "Not only among the Senate." "Capua to the north." "Our current position, here." "To the east, Vesuvius." "Strong position to make camp." "Within striking distance of Pompeii to the south." "Or Neapolis to the northwest." "Prison ships often empty at its ports, vomiting men to be sold into slavery, as my brother and I were a lifetime ago." "I was carried across the Adriatic to the eastern seaboard." "I know little of Neapolis." "There are fighting men brought to its shores?" "Captured in foreign wars." "Already enemies of Rome easily recruited to our cause." "A reasonable course." "Well thought." "I shall break words with Crixus." "Towards what end?" "He stands for the Gauls." " Then he is waist-deep in shit." " They are half our number and much needed in any attempt on Neapolis." "The man himself is in need of distraction from wounded soul." "How did you survive... after your woman was taken from you forever?" "The man that I was did not." "I am but bones and flesh, void of beating heart." "We will see empty chest filled with the blood of Romans." "An ocean of it would not wash away what I have done." "What you have done?" "I pursued Naevia's affections, regardless of concern toward discovery, of what Lucretia would do if... betrayal were known." "Naevia is gone from this world... because of my selfish desires." "We do not choose love." "It claims each man as it will." "And it grips until there is nothing left." "An empty hand can yet become a fist." "How many more remain shackled in servitude as Naevia was?" "Without hope of love or gentle touch?" "Together we can strike chain from neck" "On this subject, I have heard your thoughts." "Leave me to my own." "She was a radiant spirit." "Yet she died a slave." "A fate shared by my wife." "I would not see more like them fall because men who could make difference stood idle." "A sword in his chest would be a blow less felt." "We have all made sacrifices." " Crixus now makes his." " l would speak with him." "Your words would only cause greater suffering." "If he knew the truth... I would not have you and countless others fall in vain attempt." "Come." "There is much planning yet needed towards Neapolis." "Ah, that vacant gaze." "I've witnessed it before, when you were upon your knees in the Pits, awaiting death." "Or were you longing for it?" "is that why you sought out a place void of precious honor?" "A thought drags the mighty Oenomaus into the depth of the underworld?" "Your betrayal of the house that saved you from such torment there?" "A brotherhood turning your instruction as Doctore to treachery or murder?" "Or that Ashur escaped your attempt to rob him of life?" "A thing of low importance." "Let us set past behind us and turn eye towards less quarrelsome future." "Ah." "No, no." "You must ask for it." "You must break silence and speak." "You thirst for water?" "For the release of death?" "Free your tongue, and see desires quenched." "Tell me where Spartacus and his shits are to be found." "They have spat on everything you've held true." "You owe them nothing." "Speak, you fucking cunt." "Very well." "Remain silent." "Remain living and in pain day after day with only Ashur to comfort you... as you once comforted me upon these very sands." "You should have warned me of their arrival." "I was swept by the moment." "They stood but a short length waiting." "Long enough for your father to slip noose about my neck." "All will be forgotten when you present your men." "Oh, to honor a jest of a man." "Go." "To honor your child... with a father that will rise within the Senate." "I did not care for Varinius' hand upon you." "Nor I." "His touch will never know wetter climes." "Pressing concerns pull mind from task." "Task?" "You know my meaning." "Must confer with Marcus towards the recall of my troops from the south." "We must not fall to quarrel!" " You fucking" " Get off him." "Vesuvius will serve purpose well." "Agron speaks of fighting men to be liberated from Neapolis not far from its banks." "Agron can suck the piss from my cock." "Too small a drink for a man." "Fuck you!" " Vesuvius offers advantage." " Fucking coward." "From its shadow, we can strike at the ports of Neapolis, ships heavy with warriors captured by the Romans, as many of us once were." "Let us hear from Crixus!" " Yeah." " Yeah." "And what would he say?" "What words would make difference?" "The ones I have told myself?" "Ones of hope... and promise of better days?" "Throat can no longer make such empty noise." "It is choked with loss." "An agony familiar to many of us." "Spartacus lost his wife." "Yet his fire still burns." "Agron, a brother." "Yet his fire still burns." "We have all lost." "We have all seen those held as friend... as family... as lover... fall to the Romans." "Yet our fire still burns." "And together, we shall ignite an inferno." "I move to Vesuvius with Spartacus." "You will speak." "In your final moments, when you beg for life's end, you will tell me where Spartacus and" "You fucking cunt." "I shall tear the words from your fucking mouth." "Ashur!" "Oenomaus must not die before prophecy is fulfilled." "Then entreat the fucking heavens to pry his lips." "Oh, you would do well to seal your own, lest tongue escape you." "I should never have returned to this house." "Fortunes darken as consequence." "Look to the gods for illumination." "The gods?" "Was it Jupiter that found you near death?" "Or Venus who stitched your mangled womb?" "Did Mars see you fed and clothed?" "Did Apollo deliver Oenomaus into your hands?" "No!" "It was Ashur, lowest of fucking mortals." "You but service the will of the gods." " l was serving you." " And I them." "Then I fear that we are both forsaken." "The man will not speak." "Absent his words, your prophecy will fall to ruin, the pious quickly to follow." "Even the dead may give voice to passion." "The man stands empty of such worldly vice." "Then see him filled with memories of the past." "There is a secret buried within these walls." "And you will see it exhumed and the corpse set to purpose." "Double or nothing." "The hour grows late, and our bed cold." "Fall to it." "I'll be with you presently." "A maddening thing, to forever be waiting for you, far from your side." "It's not always the safest place, as many have learned." "I am not the past." "I stand with you now and would hold more value than gentle touch and satisfying your needs." "I would stand beside you, blade gripped in hand slick with Roman blood." "I will not be helpless as Naevia was... her life slow march towards death." "We all move toward such end." "Only the length of the journey differs." "Then let us greet it together... and show not all go quietly." "No, no. I've got it." " You got it?" " Yes." "You intend to spirit away the entire villa in that trunk?" "We do not know what Vesuvius holds, Chadara." "Agron would have us well supplied." "Agron, yes." "He is of a form, is he not?" "I suppose." "Oh, you suppose?" "Do not think I have not noticed your eyes upon him, nor the way of late you have been huddled together in intimate conversation." "You mistake subject of discussion." "Yet not the blush upon your cheek when he is near." "You would do yourself well to pursue desire." "I would myself, if I believed he favored me." "I thought you were taken with Rhaskos." "Rhaskos is a base animal, yet one with sharp claws, offering protection and position." "Spartacus holds Agron in much high esteem." "I envy you his attentions." "We can reach Vesuvius by nightfall if we put the slaver wagon to use." "It would commit us to the roads." "The forest would hide our numbers." "And slow progress." "A fair trade, to see us all to the mountain alive." "Crixus." "I was not in favor of your training." "Do you know the reason?" "I made attempt on Spartacus." "As have I, on more than one occasion." "I did not trust you, because you are Syrian." "I have had unfortunate acquaintance with one of your people, as did my woman-- Naevia." "Apologies." "He caused her much pain." "Yet despite this, she would not have held you for his actions." "Such was her heart, one I shall try to honor in thought and deed." "There is something I must tell you." "Rome considers us nagging fly." "After Neapolis, they shall know the sting" "Agron!" "Take your man!" " Fucking shit!" " l'll fucking kill you!" "Have you lost mind?" "Regained heart." "Naevia lives." "How do you come by this?" "The boy Nasir." "The slaver told not of her death, but of her suffering in the mines." "An equal fate." "Why would you bear false tongue when a life holds in the balance?" "What of our lives?" "Crixus has no thought towards any but Naevia and would have us all meet our end in foolish attempt on the mines." "I did what needed to be done, Spartacus." "You must see this." "A lie for the greater good." "One that would never have passed lips, had it been your brother Duro in her place." "If a single life holds no value... then none are of worth!" "I stand with Crixus and will see Naevia from bondage." "I will not fucking die for this." "I move for Vesuvius." "Those that would live..." "Fuck." "He returns to us." "I have sat vigil throughout chill embrace of night, concerned that in eruption, I had... released you to the afterlife." "Gates, hup." "It swells heart to find you yet bound to this world." "Still not a word?" "Very well." "Save voice." "I would enjoy the sweet caress of my own." "So very much to speak of, long years of secrets within this house, seeping in the very bones that support it." "Place ear to any beam, and marvel at the whispers of the past." "It was there that I first discovered Crixus embrace an ill-fated love with the young Naevia." "There, dominus blessed me with elevation upon heel of ending Magistrate Calavius and cursing Solonius with the deed." "Further inside, where Gannicus first took your wife as entertainment for noble Varis." "Lie." "Stone at last cracks in defense of a fucking whore." "Were you really so blind?" "The lingering gazes they shared?" "The subtle change in your brother?" "You know nothing of brotherhood." "Nor did Gannicus." "Have you never asked yourself how your wife came to sip a tainted wine that was meant for Batiatus?" "Hmm?" "And she was not in the habit of thieving, was she, or partaking of drink alone." "Do you recall that night?" "Gannicus to be sold the next morning." "You conveniently removed to town." "Your wife slipping away into Gannicus' cell." "One last drink." "One last fuck." "You're all the same." "Spartacus, Crixus, the noble Oenomaus." "Fallen to ruin for a woman plowed by other men's cock." "Search heart and feel the sting of truth." "It was a gift for Titus." "How did it come to pass her lips?" "She was no thief." "Your wife betrayed you, your brother-- everyone you believed to love you." "What does a serpent know of love?" "Oh." "That its bite is often fatal." "Your wife fell to its venom, as did the traitor Spartacus' bitch." "Even the mighty Gaul saw his heart withered when ripe Naevia was plucked forever from his grasp." "They will find her and, one day... your fucking throat." "Find her?" "That is why they have moved south." "Spartacus is not the one that spurs their intent." "Crixus?" "The Gaul who lost mind before you and Batiatus and attacked me, his purpose then as now, love for domina's body slave Naevia." "You pledged to discover Spartacus' location." "Instead you return with tales of fluttering hearts." "She was taken from this house." "I know Crixus." "He will not rest until" "See him to proper reward!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "You would turn from the gods and their guidance?" "Even if this crude vessel disgorged truth, such knowledge provides little more than feather upon breeze." "Yet I know of calming winds and where a dark little feather came to rest at tempest's end." "Do not die, you simple fuck." "Will you mourn me if I do?" "Until I find better to fill me." " Bitch." "Are we to attack naked, with our cocks as weapons?" "You would fare just as well." "Remove yourself from fucking sight." "Go." "Seek us out at Vesuvius if you live." "Pray I do not." "I accompanied my dominus to the mines once." "I may be of some aid." "Well received." "Fucking Syrians." "The wagon is readied." "Spartacus." "Save words for Naevia, when we have returned her to your arms." "I would have it so or perish in the attempt." "Move along, you fucking dogs!" "Do not expose brand." "We will lose advantage of being thought as common slaves." "A crack to Liscus' skull will add to the deception." "That's the wagon for Ferox." "Lower voice." "Keep moving, cunt." "Do I give coin to sit upon ass?" "See them from the fucking wagon!" "Out." "Hurry up." "is this the stock from Ferox?" "Two days past expected delivery." " Two fucking days!" " Apologies. l-- l do not know you." "Where is Ferox?" "Dead." "We were set upon by Spartacus and his shits, the reason for our delay and Ferox's permanent absence." "I have wished the man to grass for many years." "Yet he fucks me from the afterlife." "Schedule now teeters upon brink, with little hope of regaining balance." "Yes, again, apologies. l" "Am I to present myself now?" "Yes." "Yes!" "A special offering, to compensate your troubles." "Wait here." "Rotten cunt serves no trade." "What misdeed sees such beauty condemned to the mines?" "Form words, or find my cock reason you cannot." "I fell in love." "Well, no danger of that here." "I would have you form words now, or find your cock upon the floor." "There was a woman brought here from the House of Batiatus, beautiful and young, one a fat shit like you would have taken notice of." "Speak." "I know of no such woman." "Search fucking memory." "She is dark of skin with the mark of Batiatus' wife upon the back of her shoulder." "I do recall one as you just described." "Does she yet draw breath?" "I believe it so." " Where is she?" "Assigned to dig the eastern vein." "There is a map." "Show me." "Slowly." "Mira has been gone too long." "You there." "From where do you hail?" "Sicilia." "In the tunnel where it branches off, here" "I have seen you before... somewhere." "The arena." "Keys quickly." "Come." "Mira." "It is Roman blood." "Did he know of her?" "Does Naevia live?" "She does." "Mannus, Plenus, assume their mantle." "Make it known if any become aware of our presence." "into the mines." "Quickly." "Come, brother." "Let us see heart restored." "Go." "Move." "Go!" "Mmm, you really must try this." "It is divine." "I fear stomach turned at the moment." "I do not envy you." "Sickness with every sunrise." "Swelling beyond reason." "Though the breasts are a benefit, I suppose." "To feel a child grow within you." "There is no greater blessing." "What of being thought of other than matron?" "Enticing men until they fawn over your every word, aching to receive the slightest touch?" "The bonds of marriage desired result." "I suppose it would not be too horrid if he were handsome and rich and thought of nothing but his hands upon me." "Lust, as all things, fades with the passing of years." "Sun draws high." "Let us fall to our seats and see day begin." "Varinius tells that your men are to be presented." "Yes." "The request would have fallen to yours if they were proper soldiers." "I look forward to witnessing proper Roman formation." "It should be a pleasant distraction for the people while my men bring Spartacus to justice." "Yes." "Are your soldiers to purpose?" "They are." "The crowd is yours, Varinius." "Good citizens of Capua!" "I present these games to honor the beloved sister of Rome!" "And to send message that her spirit shall never be quelled by those who seek to cause her injury." "Your cheers in the coming days shall serve as balm to wounded heart, a wound shared by many in this great city so inflicted by the treachery of Spartacus and his murderous horde." "Yeah!" "I call now upon the sons of Rome to march, the thunder of their every step a declaration that loss and grief shall give way to triumph and joy!" "What's happening?" "Come on." "No one's coming!" "Where are they?" "What the fuck is going on?" "Where are your fucking men?" "Set to purpose, as promised." "Hey, forward!" "Find the fucking passage." "Seal the road." "You!" "We come on order of Praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber." "Has attempt been made to breach the mines?" "None. lt stands secure." "Dispatch word to Capua." "I would turn from fool's errand and recommit to sweep the countryside." "Seize him!" "I know these men." "Mannus and Plenus, gladiators bearing the mark of Batiatus." "Spartacus is here." "Which way do we go?" "They both should lead us to it." "This one the shorter path." "I would double odds toward goal." "Take the longer path." "Move quietly." "People of Capua!" "Noble Varinius!" "I offer apologies!" "I do not seek to lower spirits with absence of display, but instead to raise them up with knowledge that my soldiers have been set to higher purpose by the gods themselves!" "At this very moment, they close on Spartacus!" "And by day's end, he shall once more kneel before the glory of Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "Rome!" "We must see them freed." "There are too many of them." "We would be discovered." "Live, and know I will return." "Naevia!" "Naevia." "Naevia?" "Naevia!" "This is where he said she would be?" "If he spoke truth." "Crixus!" "There is one here with mark of her domina upon back!" "Naevia." "Naevia?" "No." "You are safe." "You are safe now." "I'm here." "Crixus?" "Forgive me." "Forgive me for what I have done." "Spartacus, someone comes." "Go!" "Go!" "They're down here!" "Ashur." "Ashur!" "Move!" "Move!" "Go!" "Come on!" "Here!" "Wait!" "There's a runoff." "It empties out on the other side of the mine." "Which path do we take?" " Quickly!" " This way." "She leads us to our fucking death." "Take breath, and gain your bearing." "A turn missed." "It will take us to the water." "Here." "Move!" "Stay together." "Wait!" "Come on!" "Go!" " Weapon." " Come on." "Back there, by the gate." "I will give them pause... so you may slip from grasp." " You two, down there." " Right." "See Naevia to safety." "Crixus!" "See it done, brother." "Go!" "Go!" "Spartacus!" "Go!" " Yeah!" " Ooh!" "Fuck you!" "Fuck you, bastard!" "You Roman dog!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "No!" "Crixus!" "Crixus!" "Crixus!" "Crixus." "Crixus!"