"Rome, 44 B.C." "Julius Caesar has conquered the known world." "Murdered by the senate," "Caesar names his young nephew, Octavius, heir to the empire." "Protect Octavius." "Teach him how to fight, my friend." "Teach him how to rule." "A dozen men in Rome desperate to rule, and Caesar names him ?" "No one expects you... to win a war single-handedly." "Just tell this Magonius your plan and let fate determine the rest." "What plan ?" "Cassius wants the fourth legion... like you do." "I need your support." "This is combat prison." "Don't do anything that makes you stand out." "Does it hurt ?" "Good." "Maybe pain will give you some sense." "Fight me." "I'll see your heart turned on a spit." "You won't do it." "I'm a murderer." "You did what was necessary." "Fight !" "Fight !" "I should kill you for what you did to my uncle." "Do that and see how far you get." "One step at a time." "You'll never be Caesar !" "No more running, prince." "The omens have returned." "They warn off blood, and there is new word of foreign killers arriving to roman shores, master assassins believed purchased by Cassius with Caesar's gold, here for one purpose... to hunt you, my lord Octavius." "Whatever happens these coming days," "Tyrannus must not leave your side." "You're bleeding again." "I'm fine." "We should stick to our plan... head north to claim Magonius' legion." "Antony was like a brother to my uncle." "We can't refuse his help." "His "help" takes us out of our way." "We're nearly there." "I thought I'd ride on ahead." "We'll ride with you, if that's all right." "You're sure ?" "Where are my boys ?" "Marios." "Sula, Sula !" "How have they been, Davus ?" "Eager for your return, master." "What's happened to his leg ?" "He was attacked by an animal here on the property." "Is that what happened, my little legionnaire ?" "Is it ?" "Your true loves." "Now that you've been so happily reunited, perhaps you can return them to their pen." "My wife and commanding officer, Fulvia." "I'm honored to be here." "The honor is ours." "Gladiator." "Your wound..." "It's poisonous." "It would bring on a fever." "I'm fine, ma'am." "Nonsense." "I will not have a guest die of injury here." "Fetch some help for his wound." " That won't be..." " This is one fight you will lose, Tyrannus." "I'll be fine." "Your rooms are ready." "Filled with eager maidens ?" "With food and drink." "Your bath is heated as you like." "Good." "The journey was..." "Caesar." "This was first your uncle's house." "I didn't know." "He gave it to me for our victory at Massilia." "Come." "My uncle..." "He trusted you like a brother." "And I him." "It must have been a blow that he named me his heir." "A blow ?" "A knife in the gut." "I had shed such blood for him in battle, and he had barely mentioned you." "He kept me at a distance." "I hardly knew him." "Well, I did know him, better than anyone." "And he knew me." "He knew I'm a fighter." "He valued that." "He also knew its limits." "Cut down the path, yes, but it always fell to Caesar to build the road." "And with him gone, that now falls to you." "Marcus Caelus, Publius Claudius, Aleus Crito..." "You know these names ?" "Friends of my uncle." "His most loyal and powerful friends... and yours, too, if you can convince them." "What do you mean ?" "I invited them here along with others, all devoted to your uncle." "They'll be here soon." "Why didn't you tell me ?" "I'm telling you now, away from Tyrannus." "I saw his look." "He's a gladiator." "He doesn't trust anyone." "This is not the arena where everyone is an enemy." "This is not his world, Octavius." "You must win these people over, woo them, like your uncle did." "Caesar's ring gets you an audience, but it's no guarantee." "What ?" "Caesar's ring..." "I hid it when we were captured at Magonius' villa." "Then we'll send a slave to retrieve it, by all means." "Do you hear me, though ?" "It's not enough for our guests to hate the senate." "You must do what Caesar did... make them love you." "I won't hurt you." "You're Tyrannus, the gladiator." "I was." "You knelt by the great Caesar when he died, heard his last words." "Afraid, gladiator ?" "No." "You are... afraid of the future." "It's the present that worries me." "You're haunted by blood, by those you abandoned." "What kind of nursing is this ?" "Your duty is here, but your heart is elsewhere, with your wife and your son." "What do you know about them ?" " Your family..." " Tell me." "...In danger." "Please tell me." "The guests will be arriving soon." "I'll take you to your quarters." "Publius Claudius -- dumb as a dog dish." "He certainly bought this commission." "And I win him how ?" "Caesar used to nod." "He said that with each nod of his head, he would count a legion he was gaining." "He'd nod... about everything ?" "There is only one thing with Publius." "With him, it is always that." "Foreigners..." "That's who really rules Rome, crowding our streets, soiling our walkways, gibbering their gibber." "Hear, hear." "Look... even here." "Will the daughters of Rome soon be flapping their bottoms like this, laying down their scents for every passing hound ?" "Is that Roman virtue ?" "What are you going to do ?" "You're the gladiator Tyrannus ?" " Yes." " What would you cost ?" "Are you listening to me ?" "If I wanted to buy you, what would that cost ?" "Excuse me." "Your uncle agreed with me." "I know." "Was he wrong ?" "Of course not." "Caesar knew that Rome must be protected." "Yes." "He did." "But he also knew Rome is a conquering nation." "He devoted his life to expanding her borders." "So now we're overrun." "That's right, with foreigners brought to Rome as a booty of war, feeling only resentment towards their new home." "Perhaps we should not bring the conquered to Rome, but instead bring Rome to the conquered, make our enemies Roman." "You mean an empire ?" "Of filthy foreigners ?" "I mean a universal roman nation." "Our armies can barely control Italy." "It'll be the death of us." "Would it ?" "I have three legions." "Publius, you have four." "Imagine taking our language, our laws, our arts to every corner of the earth." "To be conquered by Rome will be to be liberated." "Oh, the optimism of youth !" "And why not ?" "I'm sure his uncle would approve." "Master, come quickly !" "Master, a wolf attacked Davus." "Can you help him ?" "Bad sign." "We should head north." "I had them, Tyrannus." "Did you see ?" "I saw you talk." "We need Magonius' legion." "Win these people, and you win 10 legions, 20, plus the money to rebuild Rome." "Magonius died and not for this." "I need to be here." "At least someone is ready." "I'm sure this hunting party's more than a match for one wolf." "Tyrannus, why don't you stay behind and look after that injury ?" "No need." "I'm feeling quite fit." "Well, then, show me your moves." "I don't fight for amusement." "Humor me." "So, Octavius, do you really believe we should freely give to the world all that is Roman ?" "Well ?" "I did not say freely." "It will not be that easy." "So, we force them at sword point ?" "Yes, if required." "Your uncle had a saying." "Do you know it ?" ""You can do anything with swords except sit on them."" "What do you think, Tyrannus ?" "Give us the benefit of your wisdom." "I'm a fighter, not a politician." "Excellent." "An answer Caesar himself would appreciate." "Just as well this was practice, eh ?" "Or I'd be greeting my dogs in Elysium." "It's time." "To the hunt." "There !" "The wolf !" "For my dogs, I'll be wearing this wolf by supper." "There !" "Octavius !" "Why don't we wait for them inside ?" "Yes, my lady." "Here they are now." "You dare show your faces ?" "I'll kill you where you stand." "Husband, we've invited them here as representatives of the senate." "You invited them." "And what was your plan, hmm ?" "Did you think you'd arriveto find Octavius dead ?" "Dead ?" "What are you talking about ?" "This arrow, intended for Octavius." "We know nothing about it." "We don't." "I swear." "We are all friends of Caesar here." "We came in peace." "With an offer from the senate to ease our differences." "They honestly seem not to know." "And you believe them ?" "I wonder why they're here at all." "It's true... ugh !" "I invited them." "Brutus can't accept all that's happened..." "Caesar murdered, your mother in prison, the Vestal temple now under attack." "All his own doing." "Apparently he preferred it when the senate just talked." "He suggested they'd make an offer to ease the tension, and I said," ""Why not ?" "We'd hear it."" "From his mouth, I thought, but instead he sends two eunuchs and his quivering mother." " And an assassin ?" " He's a bestiarii, a gladiator who trains animals to kill." "I've fought against them before in the arena." "The risk is too great here." "We'll be leaving." "I understand you're eager to leave." "I know you're concerned about your family." "What about them ?" "She told us you're worried." "Get ready now." "We're leaving." "Stop." "You order me to leave ?" "My family..." "My family is no one's concern but mine." "He's offering to help." "Is that what you think ?" "He wants to send a messenger to check on them." "Your rudeness... jeopardizes everything." "That man saved my life." "I saw." "I need his help." "I need his legions." "What does Antony need, hmm ?" "Caesar would never trust such an unequal partnership." "It's not unequal." "So, what do you bring to Antony ?" "What do I bring ?" "I am Caesar." "There." "To our host !" "To his quick reflexes." "And for his vision in bringing us all together here." "To Julius Caesar, our real host tonight, and to his namesake, my friend, and what we are all of us poised to accomplish together." "No foreigners." "Thank you." "We will win Rome together." "Is that what I think ?" "A good man, my messenger..." "Rode hard all day." "I see it fits." "Inspiring, this gathering, in the true spirit of Caesar." "Yes, absolutely, a new Rome." "A republic in full partnership with the senate." "Now is not the time, consul." "I think the offer will please you." "Now is not the time." "You have admirers of your own." "I wouldn't presume." "Come now." "You must be used to it." "They say you were with Caesar when he died." "It's true." "Crito's absence worries me." "Is he lost to us, then ?" "It's in his nature to know first if a thing will succeed and only then join in." "He'll be here soon." "I can see it." "Can you ?" "And what else do you see ?" "I see a sun." "Son of a father or a sun in the sky ?" "A sun dipped in blood." "It's odd." "Men think of blood as death." "Women think of it as life." "Well, which is it, life or death ?" "Don't the two go hand in hand ?" "I-I see now why she's never wrong..." "Life, death, black, white." "Take your pick." "It's all the same." "You never trust an Egyptian woman." "What were his last words ?" "Tell us what he said." "Yes, gladiator... tell us what he said." "Tell us what he said." "Tell us what he said." "Tell us !" "Tell us !" "Tell us !" "Tyrannus was supposed to protect him." "Go if you need to." "I'll stay." "And your wound ?" "How is it now ?" "Well ?" "Why..." "Why are you leaving ?" "I always leave before the orgy." "Can I offer you a ride ?" "Driver." "Stop !" "Assassin !" "No !" "He tried to kill me." "This is general Crito, our guest." " General, my apologies." " Apologies ?" "He's no assassin." "He's Tyrannus of Rome." "Well, his head will hook good upon a stick." "That won't be necessary." "And who are you ?" "Gaius Octavius." "Tyrannus was trying to protect me." "If you can't control your slave..." " I'm not his slave." " Silence !" "We've had enough of your insolence !" "This was a misunderstanding, general, borne of duty and illness." "Please accept Tyrannus' most abject apology." " Apologize at once, Tyrannus." " We should not be here." "Have I come here to be insulted by a slave ?" "Tyrannus." "Is this how you treat your allies ?" "General, wait !" "Are you satisfied ?" "Your stupidity has cost us four legions." "Get back here !" "The only reason he is leaving this room alive... is as a courtesy to you." "Halt." "Halt !" "I command it !" "You command nothing !" "I give you one last chance, in light of your wound and your concern for your family." "Don't." "Don't speak of them." "Sick or not, you cannot talk to me this way !" "I'll talk as I wish !" "I am a free man !" "And I am Caesar !" "Caesar would never crawl to others, begging them to fight his battles." "He'd have taken back half of Rome by now." "Shut up !" "Shut up !" "You disparage me, call me less than Caesar ?" "And how would you know ?" "Your only knowledge of Caesar was as his bodyguard, and where is he now ?" "Everyone in that room believes I should kill you." "Nothing would gain their support faster than taking you back and beheading you right now." "But I will not do that." "You have gotten me safely here." "For that, I am grateful." "Go." "Go to your family." "Your service is done." "Go before I change my mind !" "Sir ?" "Sir, are you all right ?" "Yes." "Everything's fine." "Marcus Agrippa of the second legion." "If you need anything, we're here for you." "Go back to your post." "Hail Caesar." "You will meet him on the battlefield." "I'm sick of your prophesies... and sick of Antony." "I'm not speaking of Antony." "It's Octavius you'll meet." "Is everything taken care of ?" "Yes, quite." "Good." "Um..." "I have been looking over the senate's proposal." "And ?" "We think it's quite strong." "Especially after Crito's unfortunate departure." "The governorship of Gaul." "A most important and powerful post." "500 miles from Rome." "As was Caesar when he was your age." "And the senate ?" "Let the senate deal with the mess in Rome." "In a few years, you'll return, the conquering hero." "General." "Caesar." "I'll take the governorship of Gaul." "And I'll also take the governorship of Germania and Spain and Macedonia... and of Rome herself, most certainly." "Tell the senate what I tell everyone here tonigh..." "I am Caesar and no one else." "Do you hear me ?" "Well ?" "Did you hear him ?" "Yes, I think you did." "We need another skin of wine." "Yes, more." "Tell me about Massilia." "Just an old war story." "What a victory that must have been, that Caesar gave you this estate." "What a battle." "Victory, yes." "Battle..." "Tell me." "I was..." "I was backed up in the canyon there at Massilia." "General Quintilius Maximus Metallus Idiotus had cavalry there..." "Hastati here." "35,000 men... 35,000." "I was here with 500 men..." "A scouting party." "General Quintilius Maximus Maximus Maximus knew he had me." "I knew he had me." "He rode up himself with his honor guard to my tent to let me know he knew." "A good republican soldier." "I was doomed." "What did you do ?" "Do ?" "I gutted him right there in my tent." "Not entirely honorable, I know." "There he was, and there I was." "What else could I do ?" "Caesar needed a victory." "That's what I need..." "A general like you." "What ?" "You took an arrow for me today." "Yes." "At the time, I didn't know why, but... now I do." "Octavius," "I see in you a great leader, greater even than Caesar." "I will always take an arrow for you." "What are you doing ?" "A declaration." "If anything should happen to me, my troops, all that I command must fall to you." "Nothing will happen." "But if anything should." "The windbag toga brigade must never have Rome again." "And should anything happen to me, my legacy from Caesar falls to you, as he would want." "I assign to you this sacred duty... to preserve Rome." "Brothers together." "A pact ?" "What happened to your gladiator ?" "He's not my gladiator." "But where is he ?" "He's gone." "Let us guard you then." "That sounds like a good idea." "Are you twins, then ?" "Gods !" "A bestiarii is an assassin you never see." "He is a patient hunter." "Like a spider, he traps his prey, poisons them, and then cuts." "Witnesses to the massacre said he came through unguarded gates and watched in shadow as the guests sated every appetite and fell into deep sleep." "Dozens of asps were laid in their beds." "Those who woke had their throats slit." "40 Romans in all..." "In one brilliant, savage stroke, every Caesar loyalist gone." "I see you're up." "You..." "You know, I tried to tell you." "After my victory in Massilia, did I deserve more than this house ?" "Certainly." "But I accepted it gladly because it was from Caesar." "I was happy to be his second." "It was an honor." "Second to you ?" "An empty, vain boy who expects the world handed to him ?" "Saying you are Caesar does not make it so." "Not entirely honor, how this worked out, I know." "But there you were, and there I was." "What else could I do ?" "Hail, Caesar."