"How did you get beyond the gates?" "They are a weak thing, against such strong purpose..." "You risk discovery." "I would risk everything." "For you." "We cannot do this." "No." "We cannot..." "You fucking whore." "Apologies." "Domina summons you." "Apologies." "I did not hear you calling." "Gather Gaia's belongings." "Titus would have them removed." "I know how close you held her." "It was an unfortunate accident." "She was taken from us too soon." "Yet blessed to count you as friend, while she was among us." "She was more than friend." "She was family." "Titus has ordered Gaia's slave removed, and commanded that salt and spelt be scattered." "Decision and ritual, to cleanse all trace of Gaia from beneath his roof." "I asked Quintus to speak to his father." "To not let Gaia be so easily swept from memory." "But a wife's desires do not always mirror those of her husband." "Then she must keep them hidden." "We will tell them ritual was performed, even in absence of the deed." "Naevia and Diona to attest, if questioned." "Gratitude." "I am assaulted on all fronts!" "Tullius spills blood in our own house, yet my father condemns innocent son!" "The blame is mine." "If only I had stayed a while longer..." "You might have joined Gaia in untimely end." "No." "The fault rests with Tullius alone." "Listen to them." "Cheering the final games of the old arena." "Yet here we stand." "As removed from them as Gaia from this world." "Courtesy again of fucking Tullius." "It appears I will be making appearance after all." "You gain invitation to the games?" "At request of the Magistrate." "A minor position, the effort far exceeding the reward." "It stirs heart, to know you unscathed from association with me." "Petronius seemed quite pleased with your offerings." "Perhaps there is still opportunity for you to gain placement in the opening games of the new arena." "Fuck the new arena." "Fuck Tullius, fuck the fucking gods!" "None of it matters now." "My father gives ultimatum." "Lucretia must no longer hold title of wife." "Titus dissolves your marriage?" "That would be a kindness." "He demands that I dissolve it." "Or find myself put to street with her." "Perhaps it best... if she were to find another husband." "I would sever cock from fucking body, than see her from my arms." "I would hold the same at first, in your position." "Yet it would crumble to simple reason:" "If you still intend to run the ludus, what other choice remains?" "Your friend, he seems of a mood." "As would you, if trusted brother presented your ass to a Roman for rough pleasure." "You speak of piss." "And your fortunes shrivel, absent Dagan." "Much like his cock." "Friend." "What do you make of Dagan?" "Size and skill an advantage." "If dull wit can be honed, he will prove asset." "Gannicus." "Work the palus, if you are able." "Schemes plotted while back is turned." "And there stand the results." "Apologies, Dominus." "You but did as commanded." "The burden lies with errant son, cast adrift upon churning sea of impropriety." "I would navigate this house towards calmer waters, your hands to aid me." "Speak, and see them set to task." "A good count of these men were acquired in my absence." "Arrange competition, so that I may determine true worth of all beneath my roof." "Our champion should be absent such contest, until recovery." "I hold no man champion, until proven so to my eyes." "Those who stand victorious at ranking's end will find honored position within these walls." "Those who do not will be sold to the mines." "Harsh reward, for men already bearing own mark." "I remain unconvinced all here are deserving of it." "You are clear to your purpose?" "Yes, Dominus." "Gladiators!" "Attend!" "Diona.." "Where is Lucretia?" "I will fetch her, Dominus." "No, leave her where she is." "You may answer question." "Has salt and spelt been scattered?" "Yes, Dominus." "We have swept it from the villa." "A step towards proper path." "Should have let the bitch tell her own lies." "Diona." "Lower voice." "So now you command me?" "Will you decide who fucks me as well?" "I did not mean..." "Do not think you stand above me." "Cossutius could easily have chosen you, had your cunt not been so loose." "Why would you say such things?" "We have been as one since we were children." "I count you dearest friend." "Friendship is a privilege." "One not deserving of a whore." "Gnaeus!" "Pollux!" "Take position!" "What is this?" "Contest, to rank the men." "My decision yet to be given voice, and you proceed as if I am already absent." "This house must be turned to order, regardless of whether you happen upon your senses." "Lucretia is my wife." "A word that should lift a man, filling his life with ease and children." "She gives you neither." "You seek to tear heart from chest, and expect gratitude it no longer beats." "I seek only to call you son, absent shame in the title." "And I only ever wished to make you proud, father." "The rankings will be decided at contest's end, two days hence." "I will grant you equal time to prove that you have moved beyond past transgressions." "Dissolve your marriage... or call me father no more." "I bow and scrape, eating his shit and thanking him for the pleasure." "And this is reward?" "To be turned from my home?" "My husband?" "You must make greater show." "Ply him with dutiful words, see his cup always filled with wine.." "To what end?" "He's already made his decision." "No." "He places it in my hands." "To prove that I am worthy of being called his fucking son." "And what response have you given?" "I have managed to delay the presenting of it, until the men have been ranked in contest." "I would have thought your answer immediate." "Well, we need time to convince him of your worth." "Is he the one that needs convincing, Quintus?" "I will not have that fucking tone." "I defend you at every turn." "And I have made every sacrifice," "I have borne every duty asked and yet here I stand on the brink." "What more can I do?" "I've given you everything." "Except a child." "I speak without thinking." "No, you speak your heart." "Lucretia.." "Fuck.." "The gods call you from our bed?" "I seek their guidance." "Return to sleep." "I would only dream of you." "My own are filled with troubling image." "The walls alive with secrets, condemning those privy to them." "We have borne witness to unfortunate events, removed from our hands." "Yet this is an honorable house." "one of deep history." "The gods must surely remember this." "You truly love this place." "My life held no meaning before I was brought here." "This house is the foundation upon which I was built." "I feel nothing but the weight of its beams." "The burdens placed upon us often overwhelm." "But it remains our duty to bear them." "Come." "Let us pray, and together see weight lifted." "Fuck him up." "Perhaps I should throw the fucking tadpole back." "Gnaeus continues to gain in skill as Retiarius." "Soon he will ignite the crowd, as I promised." "Apologies for the hour of my rising." "Sleep came with difficulty last night." "Your absence was not noticed." "Yet the apology stands." "A noble gesture, well appreciated." "The mulsum more so." "Let me fill your cup." "Duratius!" "Crixus!" "Take position!" "Begin!" "Crixus appears of a form, does he not?" "He has proven a wise addition." "One Gaia favored from first sight." "Apologies." "Tullius arrives." "Tullius?" "See him to my office." "Dominus." "What is that man doing in our house?" "My house." "And he comes in response to invitation." "Tullius should be hurled from fucking cliffs." "Instead my father takes knee to swallow cock." "And you do nothing to stop him." "Save lay blame where none should rest." "I am a fool in such regard." "Allowing frustration to strip sense from tongue." "And spilling truth as consequence." "I would not hurt you." "Oh everything spins from fucking control." "You desire a son of your own." "To carry your name and make you proud." "I would do anything to give you such a treasure." "I must give him my answer tomorrow." "It is too late for such dreams." "It is never too late, when will is set to purpose." "What would you have me do?" "Whatever we must to rid ourselves of this problem." "I recalled your fondness for mulsum." "Varus assures the vintage to be his finest." "I am plied with honeyed wine at every turn this day." "A simple gesture." "To smooth edge from jagged events." "Jagged?" "A woman is dead, Tullius." "A Roman woman, in my house." "You go too far." "I have come to make amends." "With a gift." "You offer wine to wash away blood?" "I offer position." "In the opening games of the new arena." "Why would you do this?" "In honor of history." "Capua has marveled over many champions from the House of Batiatus over the years." "Hadrianus" "Magnetius" "Acerbitas and countless others forged by steady and sensible hand." "You flatter." "On many occasion, but not this one." "The storied victories of your men were part of the old arena as much as its wood and its sand." "Yet its final day passed absent the House of Batiatus." "An unforgivable tragedy, caused by the actions of a foolish son." "He knows my mind towards this regard." "Yet his actions do not stand alone in deserving condemnation." "The past cannot be changed." "Let us turn eye towards horizon of glories untold." "Ones to be shared in together." "And what is it you seek in return for such generosity?" "The only thing I have ever sought." "Gannicus." "My son believes the man a champion." "Above all others." "You are a reasonable man, Titus." "You always have been." "All I ask is that you consider what is best for your house." "Enjoy the wine." "Domina calls for food and wine." "Diona?" "Pause a moment, if you need." "I will say I could not find you." "Naevia...?" "My words." "I did not mean them." "I know." "Your friendship... your love..." "It is constant reminder of what I have lost." "I pray to the gods every night." "That the next man I am forced to lie with takes my life..." "Gannicus!" "You are the victor." "I nearly had you." "Nearly." "Ashur." "Dagan." "Take position." "Begin!" "Good Tullius has taken his leave?" "He has." "And what has he carried from our house this time?" "Ashur, fucking victor!" "Rest, and tend wounds." "Tomorrow brings end of contest." "And appropriate reckoning." "I would have words." "As would I." "Accompany me to town, and let us break them." "Melitta." "Once they have departed, there is something I would ask of you." "I have felt your eyes lingering." "Yet they always turn away when I meet them." "As should yours." "Then I must tear them out." "If they are to obey such a command." "You must stop this." "I have vowed to, a thousand times a day." "To return to drink and whores, forcing you from my mind." "Then I catch glimpse of you." "And my world ends." "I have never felt greater love... than when I hold my husband in my arms." "Gannicus." "What seizes you?" "You drop guard, allowing Barca advantage." "The man almost had you." "I was lost in a moment." "Caught by a dream." "Then wake from it." "Leave us." "You are a Gaul, are you not?" "Yes, Domina." "Many believe the seed of a Gaul to rival that of Jupiter himself." "Tell me." "How many sons sprang from your father's cock?" "Five, Domina." "And from his father before him?" "The same." "Your subligaria." "Remove it." "You are never to speak of this." "Do you understand, slave?" "Yes, Domina." "Well, I would not look upon you." "The sight turns stomach." "Enter me." "And do not cease until you have spilled seed." "My very first memories were formed within this arena." "Attending the games as a child, upon my father's knee." "Too young to yet form words." "Yet even then I knew." "That I would give my life to this place." "A noble calling." "One I had dreamed you would share in." "Was I not raised here as well?" "Upon your knee?" "You were." "I fear it is the one thing we hold common now." "And you stand me at fault." "As you always have." "I stand you accountable for your actions." "You have caused much heartache." "Never heeding my words." "Fighting me at every turn, your ambition the bolt hurled against my wishes." "And here is where it has led." "Two men at constant odds." "Mired in the ruins of what might have been." "Ruins I aided in creation." "I wanted you to join me here, to see them buried." "You are my son, Quintus." "And I will always love you." "No matter the path you take." "What moves such downpour, after eternal drought?" "Tullius makes offer." "Position in the opening games." "At what price?" "Gannicus." "And your response?" "Without meaning, if you are not by my side upon the day's arrival." "You give me until tomorrow, and yet now press for answer?" "A day, a year..." "A man either knows his heart or he does not." "Stand with me." "And we shall rise together, huh?" "I will not turn from my wife." "You really did not want this life, did you?" "Well, whatever one you find in this world," "I pray it brings you peace." "Father." "A memento." "Of days past." "I could not do it." "Sit beside me." "I had instrument in hand." "His back was turned." "One simple motion, and our troubles removed forever." "But when the moment came..." "He spoke to me with affection." "Giving voice to sentiment..." "I was wrong to push you to such thoughts against him." "Some actions carry too steep a price." "Even in refraining, the ground beneath us pitches." "Tomorrow we must prepare to leave this house." "You've given your answer?" "The only one my tongue could ever speak." "You honor me." "I attempt to gain the sun, only to plunge into the depths." "While Tullius rides with Apollo, bribing his way with an amphora of mulsum and promises to the air." "It does not matter." "We must leave this house." "With nothing but our clothes, a few possessions." "Not even a slave to attend us." "We have lost everything." "Not everything." "The men have fought with passion and honor-- a testament to your work as doctore." "I but carry torch lit by more deserving predecessor." "He would have been proud." "This house has seen many champions, Oenomaus, yet you stand tallest among them." "I have not the words, Dominus." "Those who do, tend to weave them to undeserved advantage, hmm?" "Where do we stand upon the rankings?" "Eight men have yet to hold victory." "And one suffers grievous injury." "It pains to lose Dagan." "The Syrian had shown much promise." "More so than Ashur." "Yet Dagan is now blind to attack from the right." "a disadvantage in the arena." "Well, let us shift from the unfortunate to the blessed." "Who holds the pinnacle?" "Two men own equal victory." "Crixus and Gannicus." "They are to face each other in the final contest." "Oh, Gannicus is removed from contention." "I have sent word to Tullius agreeing to terms of sale." "Sale to Tullius?" "Well, he makes offer." "I had thoughts towards refusal, but they have dimmed." "I would speak towards reigniting them." "Oh, strong words Oenomaus." "Quintus has plied me with many upon the subject." "He inflates Gannicus' worth, at great cost to this house." "Apologies, but in this your son and I are in agreement." "None stand more worthy to hold the title of champion." "You allow personal relation to cloud judgment." "True, Gannicus is trusted friend." "Yet I speak from position of Doctore." "One but a moment ago you sought to praise." "If I pull acceptance to Tullius, we will be excluded from future games." "We would be forced to beg for matches in the lesser venues of Nola or Neapolis." "A heavy price." "As is often that of the honorable choice." "Let the gods show us the way then." "If Gannicus proves himself against Crixus, he shall remain." "Yet if he falls, he shall leave this house." "Following the others that have failed to honor it." "Dominus." "I am to be sold to fucking Tullius?" "Only if you fall." "Clear mind." "Prove yourself the man I know you to be." "Doctore." "Let us begin." "And know who truly stands champion of this house." "Crixus." "Gannicus." "Take position." "A second chance to prove myself against you." "The gods have heard my prayers." "And they curse you in the answering." "Begin!" "Father." "We're near ready to leave." "Pause a moment." "And see contest ended." "Finish preparations." "Domina." "Crixus again shows form." "As does Gannicus." "Both men you have often praised." "Perhaps you have learned something after all these years." "Perhaps." "You have lost sense." "All attention is upon the match." "No one will notice your absence for many hours." "They will brand me fugitivus!" "They will not find you." "Buy passage far from Capua." "And the things that have been done to you." "Where did you get this?" "Spirited from Gaia's things." "They will not be missed." "You fade with each day." "Do not make me bear witness to your passing." "Come with me." "I attend Domina." "My absence would be noticed." "Go." "Before contest is ended." "I will see you again, one day." "I swear to you." "Go." "A match for the ages." "I shall miss this." "Water." "Crixus, victor." "Why did you drop guard?" "You are champion now." "That is all that matters." "I would not thought it possible." "To be said of many things this day." "Quintus, it's not too late .." "Father?" "Fetch the Medicus!" "Your father burns high fever." "A worrisome condition, for a man of his years." "Well, is there nothing to be done?" "I have not the herbs." "And the hour is late for us to procure them." "Go." "I'll watch over him." "I'll pound on every door in Capua until we have what is needed." "And I would aid in the effort." "And be welcomed for it." "Come." "Keep him still until we return." "A little wine, if seized by fit." "Drink." "Move Tullius' wine from sight." "Apologies, Domina." "I would have permission to see Gannicus." "You ask this now?" "I know he is to be sold tomorrow." "I would have final words, before he departs." "I would share drink." "With an old friend." "Is that all that I am?" "A friend?" "Gannicus..." "I do not care for honey in my wine." "It serves only to mask bitter taste." "A blessing, in such moments." "You are to be sold to Tullius." "Oenomaus warned of it, should I fall to Crixus." "You let Crixus win." "Why would you do such a thing?" "Because I cannot stay within these walls." "To gaze upon you every day... and be denied your touch..." "I have never turned from challenge." "Yet I am without strength to face this one." "Then it is for the best." "Because despite my words..." "I stand as weak..." "I want no wine." "Medicus gave order." "Drink." "Should help you rest." "My son... gives up everything for you." "As I for him." "You truly love him?" "With all my heart." "He is never happier, than when he is by your side." "Tell me I have been mistaken about you." "Tell me you are not the serpent I have thought you to be." "I am not." "I'm far worse." "I never cared what you thought of me." "My lack of breeding." "The absence of family or a name of worth." "These things I cannot deny." "But how low you considered your son... a man I love more than life itself..." "That could not be tolerated." "So I began poisoning your beloved honey wine." "My intent not to rob you of life." "Only to mimic illness." "A cough, increasing in its discomfort, easily blamed on Capua's dust and heat." "It brought much joy when you departed for the wet shores of Sicilia." "And Quintus, how he flourished when removed from overbearing shadow." "And then you returned." "To torture him, as you did all those years." "So I began bringing you your honeyed wine again." "To force you back to Sicilia." "Yet it was not enough." "You were not moved, despite ailing health." "No." "A more permanent solution was required between us." "One that I added to Tullius' gift." "Quintus will not forgive Tullius this." "He will strike in your name." "And Gaia's death will be avenged." "Breath." "Breath." "Breath." "You curse this house." "No, father." "I elevate it." "Breath." "Melitta." "Melitta." "Breath." "Melitta." "BREATH!" "Noooo!" "Domina." "Melitta.." "The wine... it was the wine..." "Take her." "Oenomaus must not know she came to your cell." "She was never with you." "Return to the ludus." "Go!"