"All right, boys." "Let's eat." "Be there soon." "I've been thinking." "If you don't want to, you don't need to go back to the collegium." "Antony's orders don't stand now, do they?" "The orders haven't been rescinded." "There's naught there but thieves and cutthroats." "It's no life for children." "Then where?" "Where can they find respect and dignity now?" "Where can they live without contempt?" "Take 'em anyplace but there." "Go far away." "Who's to know?" "Lie, you mean?" "Live dishonestly?" "Well, there's lies and there's lies, innit?" "This way." "That's it, come on." "What's this, then?" "Put it right here." "By whose authority do you block the road?" "By authority of Gaius Octavian Caesar." "Go hold your horse." "We'll get to you." "Sister!" "Not yet." "We can't run off without any money." "Octavian has brought his army to Rome?" "Put up camp yesterday on the field of Mars - 15,000 men." "Your boy's a bit aggressive, isn't he?" "My boy gave your man a whipping." "Expect he knows what he's doing." "My dear boy." "You are a hero of the Republic." "Caesar himself could not have conjured a finer victory." "I am Caesar himself... technically speaking." "Indeed." "On behalf of the Senate, we are deeply thankful." "Not quite thankful enough to give me the triumph I asked for?" "Now there, I'm doing you a favor." "Mutina was a lovely victory, it's true." "But it was a victory over other Romans, and with all respect," "Hirtius and Pansa..." "Hirtius and Pansa are dead." "May the gods feed them honey." "They are dead." "But it is well known that actual command of the battle was in their hands." "The purpose of a battle is to remain alive." "They did not." "I did." "Indeed." "Even so, the victory is not quite complete." "Mark Antony still lives." "He still has men." "We have had to send Marcus Lepidus and two legions north." "Lepidus?" "Sending your very best, then?" "I have every confidence that Lepidus will succeed." "Then he may have a triumph too if he wants one." "The people would not look kindly on a triumph." "Not with your army at the walls of the city." "A little unsavory, perhaps." "Now there, there he has a point." "How good of you to say so." "I bend to your wise counsel, then." " No triumph." " We shall find some fitting way to celebrate your glory." "Perhaps a temple to Caesar victorious." " That sounds rather fine, doesn't it?" " If I cannot have a triumph," "I was rather thinking of taking the Consul's chair." "You wish to be consul?" "It's a vanity, I know." "But I think I deserve it, and it would please my men." "You're 19." "You're too young to be a senator, leave alone consul." "My dear boy, you've been listening to bad advice." "You have no experience." "You have no connections." "He has an army." "Well..." "I'll speak with the other senators." "We'll see if it's possible." "Though if you were to be consul... you must promise to be guided by my counsel." "It is an office of high complexity." "And I am well aware of my inexperience." "I will not utter a word without your advice, your... consent." "Well... perhaps something can be done." "Bumptious young fool." "The consul's chair indeed." "Yes, but you will give it to him?" "Why not soothe his vanity?" "He can do no harm." "He will wear the purple as he wears armor, like a child playing at grownups." "Come, Tyro." "I'm leaving now." "Are you sure you won't come with me?" "Busy." "Mother." "He will come to me." "Make the first gesture and you will have the moral high ground." "I gave birth to the ingrate." "He will come to me." " You're delusional." "He's not coming." " Thank you, daughter." "I really appreciate these little chats we have in between your drug binges." "I'll be going, then." "Should I give him your love?" "What should I tell him?" "Tell him that he's still got all our money and we want it back." "All right, the blue." "Does it come in linen?" "Blow on it for luck." "These are my daughters redeemed from slavery." "The eldest has been prostituted, the boy is my wife's child by another man." "You will treat them with respect and kindness." "Or I will know the reason why." "Gets a good breeze from the river." "We'll have it swept... and painted." "You like it?" "Yes, Father." "We're all of us starting again together." "There will be... awkwardness at first, no doubt." "But we're a family and we'll be together." "As it should be." "We will not speak of the past." "Yes, Father." "Still eating like a horse, I see." "I don't know how you stay so skinny." "How dare you?" "I'm not skinny." "I'm slender maybe." "You're skinny." " I wonder how you don't blow away." " My armor holds me down." "Mother sends her love." " Does she?" " She does." "She would have come with me, only... she has this silly idea that you should come to her." " She'll grow old alone, then." " I know how you feel, but really and truly, what would it hurt to let her have her way?" "She is your mother." "Octavia, you were there." "You know what kind of a mother she is." "The gods know I have reason to hate as much as you do." "More maybe." "But where does that lead you?" "Who can you love if not your own mother?" "She put her lover to beating me." "You credit her with too much power." "Antony has a hold on her." "She's scared and lonely without him." "She made a mistake." "I should have thought you at least would be on my side." "Brother, please!" "Don't be like that." "There are no sides." "I love you." "She loves you." "You can't turn your back on family." "She put her lover to beating me." "Her sweat was on him." "So they had made love." "So?" "They are lovers." "Don't be so damn pious." "You'd just thrown the family into ruinous debt." "For this!" "So you can play at soldiers." "I might've beat you myself!" "Clearly there's no point in further discussion, then." "Please, don't be angry." "Come home." "Come home." "I don't intend to enter the city until the Senate has ratified me as Consul." "I shall then live at Caesar's villa." "If Mother wishes to visit me there, no one will stop her." "Consul?" "Why would you invite such trouble?" "I don't expect you to concern yourself with such matters." "But in public you will speak of me only with the utmost respect." "Is that clear?" "I would never say anything against you." "You're my brother." "Thank you for visiting, sister." "We'll see each other again soon... when I'm less busy." "What a stupid arse you've become!" "We've been hard-pressed since you left." "Shields up, leathers braced." "We've done well to hold our ground." "I hope I've done right by you." "You've done well, I have no doubt." " Thank you." " We go on as before." "Pullo's second, you're third." "Third?" "Whatever you say, chief." "But I was thinking I'd be second." "Not now, woman!" "Can't you see we're talking business?" "Anything else you'd like?" "See if the children want anything." "Will do, boss." "Being captain all these long months, it's only justice, isn't it?" "If it's justice you're after, brother, you're in the wrong place." "Pullo is second." "You are third." "I die, Pullo dies, you move up." "That's how it works." "I'll bet you 50 golden drachmae it's not me that goes first." "Lucius Vorenus." "Raise your head, Lyde." "I'm harmless enough." "You're in a temple now?" "The altar of blessed Orbona." "Good." " And you're well?" " I am." "The children... are they all right?" "They're well enough." "Listen." "Don't think you can take them away." "They're staying with me." "Lyde!" "My loves!" "My loves!" "My loves!" "My loves!" "Praise the great goddess, you are returned." "Blessed Orbona, I will fulfill my vow." "Praise her goodness." "Praise her goodness." "Praise her goodness." "Come to bed, love." "What's wrong, princess?" "Why are you crying?" "Tell me." "It's something I've done, I expect." "Why do you leave me with these bad people?" "They treated you all right, didn't they?" "Name the one that didn't treat you right" " and I'll see to it." " It's not the point." "Why do you leave me here for Vorenus?" "He needed my help." "I couldn't let it lie." "The children." "Vorenus... him you love." "Me, no." "No." "You, yes." "He more." "No." "No question." "If both of you were drowning in the river," "I'd save you first." "No question." "Swear?" "I swear." "You're half his weight." "Half?" "Half his weight." "Not so heavy." "Easier to save." "Never mind." "Mother." "It's so good to see you." "I..." "My son. forgive me." "Forgive me." "I've been wicked and cruel." "Beat me, kill me." "Do what you want, but just please..." " please forgive me." " Mother, please..." "I spit on that pig Antony for leading me astray." "I've been a terrible mother, but I can change." "And I will change if you just give me a chance." "My darling only son." "Gods be my witness..." "I am so sorry." "I'm so sorry." "I forgive you." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Look who's here, daughter." "Our beloved Octavian has blessed us with his forgiveness." "Welcome home, brother." "Father Janus," "I ask you to cleanse these children of the dark spirits that have fouled them." "I thank you for bringing my family back to me." "I swear to you that from this day" "I renounce darkness and I will walk in the path of light." "Right, left, right!" "Lepidus..." "My old friend." "How are you?" "I've seen better days." "Off you go, boys." "I don't think General Lepidus has any... ill designs on me." "Do you?" "Not under present circumstances." "Come on." "My men deserted to your side with amazing alacrity." "Not a single blow struck, yet my camp is empty." "Amazing." "Yes, I really must write to Cicero and the Senate." "It was remarkably generous of them to give me so many fresh troops." "I confess I had no idea how popular you are with the rank and file." "Soldiers like a little spit and dirt in their leaders." "You were too noble for them, perhaps." "Too aristocratic." "That may be so." "So... what to do now?" "Strictly speaking, of course," "I should kill you." "I really don't wish to be punitive." "But on the other hand, I can't really let you go either." "So... what to do?" "What to do?" "Would you be willing to act as my second in command?" "Dear me." "That's very generous of you." "I..." "Yes or no?" "Well, I..." "I can't really say no, can I?" "No, you can't." "I swear to you, four nipples." "How is married life, Pullo?" "Well enough." "Women, eh?" "It's a strange, awkward arrangement to be thrust up and... bound against another so." "But it seems to be the natural state of man and woman." " It must be right and good." " No doubt." "Listen to me, a lamb lecturing a lion." "Any plans to wed, then?" "I'm thinking about it." "So Vorenus and his family are back in Rome?" "Yes." "My friend asks you to understand that he remains under loyal oath to the man up north." "But he will do what's best for the city." "He acknowledges that you're legal custodian of the Republic and will keep the peace the same as before." "Tell your friend I'm grateful, but I hear there is a deal of violence again between the collegia." "No trouble." "We may need to bang a few heads together." " Maybe." " Whatever needs to be done." "A period of calm is essential." "We understand, but my friend won't answer for the future." "If him up north were to come back with full armor on..." "We shall hope for the best." "Well done, by the way... all this." "Thank you, Pullo." "What an auspicious day." "Many gave their lives that we might stand here once again united in the government of a lawful republic." "And how fitting that we welcome this new beginning by swearing in the youngest consul in the history of Rome." "Gaius Octavian..." "Caesar." "Esteemed senators..." "I take this first moment before you not to glorify myself, but to honor my father." "In his honor I declare that my term as Consul shall usher in a new era." "An era of moral virtue, of dignity." "The debauchery and chaos we have had to endure will now end." "Rome shall be again as she once was - a proud republic of virtuous women and honest men." "I speak to you now not as a soldier or citizen, but as a grieving son." "As my first act in this reborn republic, and in honor of my father, I propose a motion... to declare Brutus and Cassius murderers and enemies of the state." "Outrageous!" "My dear boy, this is not what we agreed." "It is not." "Nevertheless, here we are." "Brutus and Cassius still have many friends." "You will split the chamber, the unity of the Republic!" "Step away from my chair." "My father died on this floor." "Right there." "Stabbed 27 times." "Butchered... by men he called his friends." "Who will tell me that is not murder?" "Who will tell my legions, who love Caesar as I do, that that is not murder?" "Who will speak against the motion?" "Some willow tea, perhaps?" "Henbane, more like." "I've been outmaneuvered by a child." "To the country, then." "Some fresh air and sleep will do you good." "Take a letter." ""To Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus..."" "Dominus, if Octavian hears that you're in communication with Brutus..." "Don't talk." "Write." ""Heroes of the Republic," ""greetings..."" "Children." "Father." "Are you all well?" "We are." "Broken, is it?" "No problem." "No trouble." "I'll fix it." "Yeah, easy mend." "I've been very busy since we've been back, we've not spent enough time together..." "I thought maybe sometime soon we could... spend the day together." "In the country." "Would you like that?" "If you like." "Good." "Good." "We'll do that." "We'll do that." "Want anything from the kitchen before I lock up?" "No." "It's good to have you back." "Ever seen a real one?" " What's that?" " An elephant." "Yes." "A few." "Are they as big as they say?" "They're big." "No wheels, though?" "No." "No wheels." "You can have me, if you like." "Or I can go." "Stay." "You can go now." "Go?" "There's some coin on the table." "Take half." "Fuck you." "You haven't seen how much is there yet." "I'm not a whore." "No?" "Then why are you here?" "I thought you liked me." "And you like me too, I suppose?" "Something like that." "What a happy couple we'd make." "Take the money." "Fuck you." "I told you." "I'm not a whore." "Take the money." "Maecenas, I'm going." " What?" " I'm going." "Already?" "I'm tired." "No, no, no, no." "Stay." "It gets so much better." "We are seconds to the Consul now." "We should not be in such places." "Don't be so fucking pious." "What's the point of being seconds to the Consul if you can't have some fun?" "What?" "Never mind." "Go if you like." "I can't hear you." "Go if you like." "I'm going." "I say... are the walls melting?" "I don't think so." "They are, you know." "They are melting." "We should all die." "Octavia?" "Have her washed and put to bed as quietly as possible." "Wait." "Good evening, madam." "You'll excuse me if I hurry away." "Exactly what are you doing with my daughter in the middle of the night?" "He abducted me." "I was at a perfectly nice party with Jocasta, and this impud..." "impudent brute abducted me." "And brought you home to Mother." "That's a strange abduction." "Where was she?" "Octavia, you had best tell her the truth." "Where were you?" "I was at an orgy, Mother." "It was an orgy." "Early stages." "Early stages of an orgy." "The Bacchic rituals had not yet begun." " You stupid drunken slut." " Really, there's no need for..." "It's that bitch Jocasta's fault." "She's the one that's led you astray." "So I was at an orgy." "Who cares?" "What do you think your brother will do if he finds out?" "I pull a hair for what my brother will do." "Oh, really?" "Whilst he's at the Forum preaching piety and virtue to the plebs, you're sucking slave cock at an orgy." "How do you think that looks?" " He'll banish you, at the very least." " No, he won't." "And I sucked no slave cock." "It hadn't got to that part." "Banished." "Gone." "And me with you, to some filthy Greek island." "Don't you dare say a word to anyone about this." "Never." "Of course." "What do you mean, "Of course"?" "Why wouldn't you run and tell your lord and master?" "Because..." "I wouldn't." "Why not?" "Tell me." "Because..." "Because I love her." "You only say that because you don't know me." "No." "No, I know you very well." "You are kind and full-hearted and beautiful." "And I would tear down the sky for you if you asked me to." "Well..." "If you ever speak to her again like that in my presence," "I shall..." "I shall be very angry." " Brother, what's afoot?" " Letter from Cicero." "The boy Octavian has forced the Senate to declare us murderers and enemies of the Republic." "Well, that's an outrage." "That's a crime." "No, it's a terrible blunder." "Look, Octavian was set fair to unite both Senate and people behind him." "Now the Senate fears they have created another tyrant." "Cicero begs us to return as soon as we can and begs us to save the Republic." "Scribe!" "So Octavian has only the four legions, no?" "Antony, seven." "That's the beauty of it." "Look, Antony and Octavian hate each other far more than they hate us." "Soon enough they must fight for supremacy." "We need only wait, mop up the survivors." "Scribe!" "Now this, this is what we've been waiting for." "There you are." "Take a letter." ""To Cicero..."" "Bacchus." "So, you're back." "Find your children?" " I did." " They were slaves, I hear." "They were." "I'm happy for you." "Nothing more important than family." "That's true." "That's why I've come to see you." "I don't want my children to live in fear." "I want us to make peace." "Peace?" "The new Consul demands it." " Spoke to him, did you?" " He and Pullo are old friends." "What do you mean, "bah"?" "It's all right, brother." "Cotta here means no offense, do you, Cotta?" "This bloodshed, it's bad for business, it's bad for the city." "Bloodshed started by you." "I won't deny it, I was... angry, but now I'm calm." "I can see clear, I can see that we've all suffered enough." " You, Memmio, how many men you lost?" " A few." "You, Cotta, how many?" "Not as many as you." "All good men, wives and children gone, and for what?" "All we've given is strength to our enemies." "With peace amongst us three," "Acerbo and the lower collegia will have to kiss our feet as they once did." "What terms do you suggest?" "Your two collegia will have the Argosy docks." "You can divide them between you as you wish." " We keep the Ostians." " The Ostians want to come with us." "Nevertheless, they stay with the Aventine." "But you can have a taste." "Let's say... five percent." "Each." "If that'll make you happy." "Peace, then." " They'll think we've gone soft." " Let them." "We need time to regain our strength." "While they're fighting over the spoils of the Argosy, we'll be recruiting men and restoring order." "He's gone soft." "Maybe, maybe not." "We'll see." "About the Argosy, then." "We'll split half and half." "Bollocks we will." "Careful!" "Come on, you can do it." "The children!" " What are you doing here?" " We've run away." "Run away?" "Why?" "We can't stay with that evil man." " Children, come along." " He is your father." "He killed Mama." " He cursed us to slavery and disgrace." " I understand it's a hard thing to bear," " but it is as it must be." " I hate him." "And for hatred you lead your brother and sister unprotected into the street?" "I will take care of them." "We've got enough money." "The first thief that crosses your path will have that, and then what?" "You're alone in the world." "How will you live?" "By stealing?" "By whoring?" "If I have to." "And your sister?" "When she turns woman, shall she be a whore also?" "Your brother a catamite?" "Where will you run that Vorenus will not find you?" "You're all he has left." "He'll not rest until he has you back." "You must stay with your father." "And while you live under his roof you may carry your hatred like a stone inside you, but you mustn't ever let him see it." "Ever." "You must be an obedient daughter." "Kneel to him." "Tell him you love him." " Never." " Your mother wants you to live." "Believe me, this is your only chance." "Their only chance." "It's what your mother would have wanted." " He will know I'm lying." " No." "Your love and forgiveness is all he wants." "He will thank the gods for redeeming him." "Would you care for a glass of wine?" "Thank you, no." "This is not a social call." "I will not prevaricate." "As leader of the Senate, I must ask..." "Rather, I must formally demand that you surrender command of your legions." "You are speaking to a consul of Rome." "Give up my army?" "And why would I do that?" "The Senate feels that you have used your legions in a coercive manner against them." "They're inclined to resent it." "I'm sorry they feel so." "But with all respect, their resentment has no teeth." "What will happen if I do not do as they say?" "Perhaps they will throw their sandals at you." "Word comes from the east " "Brutus and Cassius are returning to us." "They bring with them... 20 legions." "How many legions do you have?" "Four, is it?" "I have no notion of their intentions, of course, but I suspect they're displeased to be named murderers and enemies of the state." "They were named so because they are so." "Be that as it may, if you were to disarm yourself," "I might persuade Brutus to treat you leniently, on account of your youth and inexperience." "Let us not contemplate the alternative." "A war between you and Brutus would be short... and bloody... and not to your advantage." "20 legions?" "He exaggerates the number, I expect." "Half that number would be enough to crush the men we have." "It will be some months before they arrive." "We could raise more legions in the meantime." "Fresh men, untrained." "They'd only be so many mouths to feed." "So, what's to be done, then?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "Hello, boys." "Why so glum?" "Has someone died?" ""Brutus, my dear son." ""I hear today that you're returning to us." ""I give thanks to the gods and pray for your success." ""I enclose your father's ring" ""that his father gave him." ""He always used to say" ""it was made of gold from the crown of the last king." ""Your father liked a good story, so I don't know if that's true." ""But it is nice to think so."" ""I hand it on to you" ""with all love and respect."" "We wait until the roads are dry and then march south through Arretium and on to Rome." "That is clearly the best plan of action." "You object, Lepidus?" "Not at all." "Sounds eminently feasible." "A touch aggressive, perhaps." "General Antony, sir." "I'm not sure about the beard." "How on earth did you manage to get here all alone?" "I'm not alone." "A cow can't have three balls." "I hear." "It's not funny." "It smells delicious." "Thank you, Father." "I hope you like it." "Family." "Family."