Those About to Die (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

- [grunting, panting]
- [metallic swish]
No. Please have mercy.
[Dacia] It's too late for mercy now.
[bettor] I will reward you, I promise.
If you just spare my life. Please.
First you say you're ruined, and now
you're trying to buy your way out?
- [door opens, creaks]
- [ominous music playing]
[breathing fitfully]
[Tenax] You filthy liar.
[bettor breathing nervously]
[ominous music continues]
You disgust me.
[panicked breathing] No.
Tenax, I'll get you your money.
Finish him. Take his gold.
- No, no, no [chokes]
- [blood spurts]
[ominous music continues]
[Tenax] Rome
once the beacon of civilization
is now a cesspool of corruption and decay.
its citizens only interested
in two things:
- bread and games.
- [upbeat music playing]
They call me Tenax
but that's not my real name.
[indistinct chatter]
Life is of little value in Rome,
living in the muck,
in the shadow of the rich and powerful.
I grew up in the underbelly
of the Circus Maximus,
always hungry, fighting for food.
But ambition and hard work
made me the owner
of the biggest and most profitable
betting tavern in all of Rome.
How did we do?
Just over eight thousand
denarii and this lot.
Jewelry to the Spaniard, bag the rest.
[upbeat music builds]
[Tenax] If you want
to place a bet in my tavern,
there are four horse racing teams
you can put your money on:
the Green,
White, Red
and Blue factions.
[Scorpus yells]
Their shares have all be owned
for hundreds of years
by the nobility and senators of Rome
which gives them unimaginable wealth.
[dramatic music playing]
- [timber crashing]
- [horse neighing]
But soon
- [upbeat music builds and fades]
- all of this is about to change!
[tense pulsating music playing]
[men effort grunts]
[slave 1] Hey, this one's still alive!
[slave 2] Past saving.
[Tenax] Don't.
End this! [rasping]
I beg you.
[slave 2] Mercy?
Live ones are worth more than dead.
[charioteer gasping]
No value in mercy.
When my time allows
I teach the kids what they need to know.
Carpo,
good load today.
Things that I had to learn the hard way.
Thirty sesterces for the horses,
ten for the men.
- [Tenax] This one's still alive.
- Twenty
Thirty.
- Twenty-five.
- Done.
[charioteer gasping desperately]
Hey, listen, man dead or alive,
still worth less than horse meat.
After Rome's Emperor, Nero,
took his own pathetic life,
a bloody civil war followed.
This was called
"the year of the Four Emperors".
Four generals wanted to become ruler
of the mighty Roman Empire.
[somber, dramatic music playing]
The last one standing was
General Flavius Vespasianus.
After his army had made him emperor,
he re-built the city
and began at its centre
to erect a new giant sports arena
to appease the mob:
the Flavian Amphitheater.
[dramatic music builds]
- [dramatic music fades]
- [Azariah] Moving around here
[Tenax] Emperor Vespasian had come
from a lowly family of mule breeders
and had two sons.
Titus, the eldest,
had become a famous general
and Domitian became
the young politician in the family.
They were known as the Flavian dynasty.
[Vespasian] Behold,
Rome's latest glory,
born of my son Titus' conquest of Judea.
I share the glory
with the soldiers of Rome.
Built for the citizens of Rome
on the same land that Nero stole from them
- to build his Golden House.
- [intriguing music playing]
[Marsus] It's
smaller than I expected.
[Vespasian scoffs]
Are you Master of the Games,
Consul Marsus?
Are you Aedile Ludi?
Credit me for knowing
what the crowd wants.
Circus Maximus is fine for chariot racing.
The crowd wants to see blood
and to be close enough to see it.
I've ordered thousands of animals and
gladiators from every corner of the Empire
from our northern outpost all the way
down to our provinces in Numidia.
Yes, while we still await the offering
of shares in this enterprise.
Ah Well, I've reconsidered that.
- There will be no shares.
- [intriguing music continues]
[indistinct muttering]
Circus Maximus belongs to you,
the shareholders of the four factions,
but this arena will, instead,
belong to all
the citizens of Rome.
[bell rings]
[Leto] Emperor Vesapian!
Titus! Domitian! All of the Flavians,
they're nothing.
- A family of muleteers!
- [Marsus] These Flavians,
they threaten our very existence.
Asserting that this new arena belongs to
the citizens of Rome
is nothing but a ploy
to satisfy their own boundless greed.
It'll sap the wealth we derive
from the Circus Maximus
and perhaps worse,
what's left of our authority and gravitas.
Consul, out with it, just say it.
- One step at a time.
- [Antonia] No.
Not one step at a time.
It is about more than stopping
the Flavian Amphitheater,
it is about stopping the Flavians.
Careful woman!
The mere thought could lead to execution.
Wouldn't you rather take that risk
than be buried in oblivion?
Perhaps my wife's right
if a change in the Emperor
means he shares with all of us.
- Vespasian is not long for this world.
- [low, ominous droning]
Titus, the elder son, has a sense of duty.
But what of Domitian,
the venal one.
Imagine him on the curule chair.
Were he to become emperor,
that would be the end of all of us.
[African song playing]
[marching footsteps]
[indistinct chatter in background]
Listen up!
We need some water, now.
[centurion] Good.
[in Numidian]
Two hundred for 15 bags.
Finest grade Levant pink salt.
[indistinct chatter in background]
[sniffs]
[sighs]
[gentle flute music playing]
[Aura snorts]
[laughing, in Numidian]
Jula, stop it.
Aura, can't you just tell Mother?
What do you want me to tell her? Hmm?
That I'm bored
and want to get out of here?
Sooner or later, you'll have to.
[indistinct chatter outside]
[ominous music playing]
Keep going.
Come on, girl.
I like it.
[tense music playing]
Dance.
- [Polonius] You heard me!
- Sir, please, please don't.
- [Polonius grunts, laughs]
- [Aura gasps]
[Polonius inhales, sighs]
[breathing heavily]
- [Polonius grunts]
- [Aura breathing heavily]
- [Aura breathing heavily, cries out]
- [Polonius grunts]
No, no!
- [Aura muffled cries]
- [tense music continues]
I'll kill you both for that.
But first
- [Aura breathing heavily]
- let's have some fun with you.
- [Aura breathing heavily]
- [Polonius laughs, sighs]
[tense music builds]
- [Polonius cries out]
- [Aura grunts]
[coughs]
[Polonius grunts, rasps]
[Polonius gasping]
[both girls breathing fitfully]
- [Polonius gasping]
- [both girls breathing fitfully]
[inhales deeply]
- [centurion] What's this?
- [Aura stutters] She
[panicked] She's my sister.
Silence!
[centurion] You killed a legionary.
- He was drunk
- He was a Roman citizen.
- [tense music]
- These two are now the property of Rome.
- Bring them!
- [Jula] No, no, no.
Shhh [inhales] Jula
- Jula!
- [whimpering] I'm sorry
- Don't struggle, come on!
- Jula!
- [Jula] Aura! Mother!
- [Centurion] Come on.
[Jula] Mother!
[tense music builds]
[music fades]
[indistinct chatter in background]
[in Numidian]
Finish up.
My daughters are cooking
for me for a change.
[gentle, melodic music playing]
[suspenseful music playing]
- [tense music builds]
- [Cala screams]
[Cala's blood curdling scream resounds]
[Cala sobbing]
[Cala exhales, sobbing]
[tense music and wind blowing build]
[wind blows]
[Cala] Jula!
- [Cala] Jula!
- [both girls gasp]
[breathing fitfully]
[in English] Mother!
- [sighs deeply, inhales]
- [Jula] Mother!
[mysterious, gloomy music playing]
[panting]
[gentle music playing]
[panting]
[in Numidian]
Cala, where are you going?
I'm going after my daughters.
What about your son, Kwame?
He's on a hunt.
- I cannot wait for him.
- [dramatic music builds]
[music fades]
[owl hoots]
- [night insects chirping]
- [dogs barking in distance]
[suspenseful music playing]
[birds calling]
[suspenseful music continues]
[lion growling]
The Gods smile on us.
The Romans will pay triple for that one.
He is of the God Apedemak.
- [lion growls softly]
- Demons will protect him.
The Lion god of my father's people.
We cannot take him.
The Romans can deal
with the gods and demons.
Take him
or you get nothing, Kwame.
- [lion growls]
- [tense music playing]
- [tense music builds]
- [lion roars]
[suspenseful, rhythmic music playing]
[lions growling]
[roaring]
[men shouting in Numidian]
[rhythmic music continues]
[lions growling]
[African song playing]
[lion growls]
[Kwame yells]
- [roaring]
- [man yells]
- [gasps]
- [man screaming]
- [men yelling]
- [roaring]
[flesh tearing]
[Kwame cries out]
- [African song playing]
- [lion roars]
[men muttering over pulsating music]
[lion growls]
[men muttering]
[suspenseful music playing]
[lion roars]
[Kwame screams]
[lion roaring]
[Kwame yelling] Now!
[subdued roaring]
[lion growling]
[lion growling]
[fast-paced music playing]
[in Numidian] Please forgive me.
[gentle growl]
[seagulls mewing]
[seagulls mewing]
- [wood creaking]
- [horse whining]
[in English] Stop! You fools!
I have told you!
I can get them down the gangplank!
Steady Elia. You're not in Baetica now.
They are useless. They will hurt them.
I can do it better.
[harbour master] Put it down.
I don't need some upstart Spaniard
telling me how to do my job.
I've unloaded more horses
than you have days.
Not one more of our horses
goes in that damn sling.
I'd listen
to our little brother if I were you.
He knows horses.
I've unloaded rhinos.
You could have unloaded elephants.
I don't care.
Fuck 'em. Let them do it themselves.
I have six boats waiting to be unloaded.
Any word of the grain ships
from Egypt? It's been three weeks.
And without food the people
are growing more and more restless.
[sighs] They might arrive today,
maybe tomorrow.
Storms to the south.
Send word when they're sighted.
Steady, steady. That's it.
- That's it. Good boy.
- [gentle intriguing music playing]
Easy.
That's it, that's it.
- Shhh, shhh
- [gentle music continues]
Romans.
[ominous music playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
- [suspenseful music playing]
[gate creaking]
[indistinct chatter]
[suspenseful music playing]
Ships from Egypt are delayed.
- There's no grain.
- [centurion 2] Come back tomorrow.
- [man 1] That was the word yesterday.
- Three weeks without grain.
You heard what I said.
People are starving,
what are we supposed to eat?
Rome cannot give what it does not have!
I don't see any Senators starving
and they are the biggest leeches
of them all.
[mob shouting]
[mob shouting]
[centurion choking]
[grunting]
Perhaps we'll take our complaints
straight to Vespasian and his pups.
To the Palatine!
[mob] To the Palatine!
To the Palatine!
[indistinct cries]
[suspenseful music playing]
Hey,
there's another riot!
What is it this time?
Who cares?
Let's go!
[man 1] Come on guys. To the Palatine!
- [mob roaring]
- [tense music playing]
[Lucius] To the Palatine!
[mob] To the Palatine!
To the Palatine! All together! Let's go!
[mob shouting outside]
- [mob shouting outside]
- [low, tense droning]
To the Palatine! To the Palatine!
To the Palatine!
Move to the Palatine! Go!
Move! Move!
[mob shouting in background]
[upbeat, suspenseful music playing]
[upbeat, suspenseful music continues]
[music fades]
[gentle mysterious music playing]
[mob shouting outside]
[ominous music playing]
[mob shouting outside builds]
[mob] Bread or your blood!
[dramatic onminous music playing]
[mob] Bread or your blood!
Bread or your blood!
[ominous music continues]
[mob] Bread or your blood!
[Roman guard] Quick! Come inside!
Close the gates! Hey!
[mob] Bread or your blood!
- [guards grunting]
- [mob shouting outside]
Come. [laughing]
You laugh at their call for your blood?
Under the divine Emperor Nero
there was daily rioting.
[door opens]
[mob shouting outside]
[Vespasian] Where is your brother?
Off fucking his Judean queen, I imagine.
He should be here.
That mob is out for our blood.
Good reason, they're hungry.
With only the Palace Guard and one
century of our Praetorians,
not sure how long we can hold.
When you were besieged at Elisia,
you used a diversion to draw your
attackers away. Did you not?
[hooves thundering]
- [men shouting]
- [horses whining]
[solemn, dramatic music playing]
[Titus and Berenice panting]
[Berenice gasping]
[loud knocking on door]
[Titus exhales sharply]
What is it?
Another food riot, my Lord.
And the Emperor plans a race
to draw the rioters away.
[mob] Bread for your blood!
Bread for your blood!
[mob] Bread for your blood!
[horses whining]
[indistinct chatter]
[mob chanting]
So much for Pax Romana.
You think it's like this all the time?
Let's hope not.
[mob chanting]
[indistinct chatter]
There's a race today!
[Tarlo] There's not a race today.
Are you blind or just an idiot?
Look at that, let's see that.
[indistinct chatter]
[rhythmic drum beat]
Drums!
I'm not deaf.
Scorpus is nowhere to be found,
Fimbria has looked everywhere.
I can guess, I'll go get him.
You two get set up for the betting.
[Fimbria] Slowly, slowly.
Be careful.
Fimbria!
We were not supposed to race
for another two days. We're not ready.
When the Emperor says we race,
we race.
[indistinct chatter]
[prostitute giggles]
[bell rings]
[man and woman panting]
Scorpus?
[woman panting loudly]
- [prostitute] Hi.
- [gentle flute music playing]
Scorpus!
Scorpus!
Get up!
[gentle flute music continues]
Why?
[Tenax] Stop that noise!
[rhythmic drum beat outside]
We're not supposed to race,
until the day after tomorrow.
The drums might suggest that's changed.
There's barely any betting
unless you're driving. Get up!
Antonia Servilius
you honor such a place with your presence.
Look at me in judgment,
I'll have your eyes gouged out.
[scoffs]
You lower yourself
by friendship with this
'thing'.
[prostitute laughs loudly]
- The wife of Consul Marsus?
- [Scorpus sighs]
Your boss?
The owner of the Blue faction.
[sighs] She loves me.
But why?
Same as why I always win.
Because I can.
- Even hungover.
- Even drunk.
[Scorpus grunts]
Maybe that'll sober you up.
[mysterious music playing]
[low, mysterious droning]
[ominous music playing]
[door opens]
- [mysterious music continues]
- [door opens]
[Otho] Mother, where is father going?
- [Tenax] Come on!
- [woman 1] It's Scorpus!
[woman 2] It's Scorpus! You're right.
[giggles]
Hurry and cover yourself.
[woman 3] It's Scorpus! It's him!
[indistinct chatter]
Oh my God! It's Scorpus!
- Go! Kirko go. Rig it quickly.
- Go faster.
You're Fimbria!
I have a letter of introduction
from Hispania Baetica.
We have ten Spanish stallions
of the highest quality.
Does it look like I'm buying horses
from slaves?
[stammering] Your Emperor made the
Spanish Roman citizens, as it happens.
Look, unless you are the emperor,
you can fuck off.
[mob shouting]
Scorpus
[mob shouting]
[mob] Scorpus!
[mob clamouring]
Bacchus has arrived!
Oh, finally!
Thank you, Tenax.
Betting's light when
'The Great Scorpus' isn't racing.
That's Scorpus!
Where are my bays?
Just in from pasture, being harnessed now.
It's bad for horses
not to be properly prepared.
- Complain to the Emperor.
- I intend to.
Go away,
there's nothing to see here. Away!
[grunts]
He doesn't look so special to me.
[Fonsoa] He has eighty-six
four horse wins.
It's the horses that run.
You take his horses.
I'll take his winnings.
And I'll take his woman.
- [Scorpus] Come on, come on!
- [gentle lyre music playing]
[Scorpus] Gavros,
how is he?
He'd be much better,
if he'd had a light run this morning.
Come on, let's move!
[Elia] Are you crazy?
- [Andria] Come on! Go!
- [Elia sighs]
Incitatus!
How are you today, huh? [loud kiss]
My beautiful boy.
[gentle lyre music continues]
You tasted it?
[food taster] Of course. I'm still alive.
- So?
- Firm,
well formed
with a slight scent of vinegar.
It's perfect, he will run like the wind.
Excellent. Let's go,
let's go, Incitatus! Come on!
[Incitatus blows]
First trumpets are any minute!
These are my newest rigs. Amazing.
What? No, no, no. What, what is this?
We talked about this.
A new rig for Scorpus?
No, no, I don't remember that.
You were probably drunk.
These are lighter, better on the turns.
We've spent a fortune on them!
How many times has Fortuna
favoured me in my old rig?
Go, get it!
You heard him. Get the old one.
Go!
- To victory.
- To victory.
You again? What are you?
Spies for the touts?
We just want to sell our Andalusians.
I told you, I am not gonna deal
with you and your old nags.
Huh?
Andalusians?
[sighing] Yes.
Let's see them.
[gasps] Come, this way.
All over thirteen hands, two-leg turns,
very tight, no whip.
And white as snow.
Are you selling or leasing?
[stuttering] Er, selling.
You're a long way from Spain.
These horses are too good for Spain.
And too expensive.
We're looking to make enough to set up
a breeding farm back home.
- [horse blows]
- Two leg turns?
Yes.
[horse blows]
I'll speak to Fimbria after the race.
[brothers giggle, laugh loudly]
[indistinct chatter]
[bell ringing]
Scorpus is racing.
Blue faction!
Nine to three odds,
driver
Scorpus!
[bettors clamouring]
[coins jingling]
All of these on White to win.
Spread the bets.
Is that wise? You already owe so much.
I keep you around
for your mouth and your arse.
Not for your advice.
[quiet, mysterious music playing]
You look magnificent, father.
Yeah?
Well
I feel like horse dung.
I hope you're right about this.
Have you sent for Titus?
Yes.
The other day, during our tour of the
Flavian arena, you revealed too much,
that you were aroused by your own idea.
Forgive me.
- Control of our emotions is paramount.
- Yes, father.
A lesson that could
also benefit my brother.
- Yes
- Though [scoffs]perhaps,
we should be happy
he is off with his Judean queen.
Were he here, Rome's streets
would be a river of blood.
Mmh.
Father
Some colour, perhaps?
- Colour?
- On the upper cheeks
- No!
- [Domitian scoffs]
- The crowd wants to see a healthy Emperor.
- [sighs]
Colour!
I hope this doesn't reek of desperation.
[Filo] Make way for Consul Marsus!
Make way!
- [upbeat melodic music playing]
- [indistinct chatter]
Consul.
- [melodic music continues]
- [indistinct chatter]
[indistinct lively banter]
Rufus!
Ready for the Blues to get their
arses kicked today?
[all men laughing]
Scorpus and Incitatus beat the Whites
three times in a row.
Our money's on Xenon.
Xenon!
- Xenon!
- Scorpus can beat Xenon anytime!
- [Rufus] Any day!
- We'll see about that.
[low, ominous droning]
- [gentle mysterious music playing]
- [bird cawing]
- Do you have it?
- Yeah.
[water bubbling]
[Rufus] From the mane of Incitatus.
[gentle mysterious music continues]
[loud whisper] With such as this,
I will see everything.
- You wish to know the victor?
- No,
the round in which he takes the lead.
Impossible for any other
but for me with this,
Fortuna
will show me all.
- [water bubbling]
- [gentle music playing]
Fortuna smiles.
This horse will win.
Taking the lead on the second
to last round.
Are you certain?
Do not insult me,
or I'll curse you!
[gentle, mysterious music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
[coins jangling]
[sniffs]
[man] Move! Next!
Who's next?
- One points five, you see?
- Yes.
- [man 1] Fifty sesterces on Blue.
- [man 2] Come on,
we haven't got all day.
All on white.
[indistinct chatter, men placing bets]
[man 2] Next please!
[bettor] Blue! Twenty-five on blue.
Here, all on white.
[man 2] Next!
[Dacia] Move! Next!
Piss off, Rufus.
Come back when you have
the money you owe me.
- I want to place a bet.
- No more credit.
Consider yourself lucky
I haven't slit your throat
yet.
I have something of great value to wager.
Five hundred shares of the Blue Faction.
[men gasp, fall silent]
Your wife's shares?
They're not hers.
She's my wife, which makes them mine.
A very big bet.
It could break me.
Scorpus and the Blues to win?
- Four-to-one?
- Bigger.
Much bigger.
Scorpus to pull to the front
on the second to last round
and win the race.
You want to make a round bet.
Do you know something I don't?
Will you take the bet?
If not I'll go elsewhere.
Eight to one.
Eight thousand sesterces per share.
Done.
[men placing bets in background]
Scorpus is to take the lead in the final
round. Do you understand? Go!
[bettor 2] Twenty-five on White.
[loud, indistinct chatter]
I'm tight Two sesterces.
One sesterce and I'm tighter than her.
Three sesterces and I'm tighter than both.
Hi!
[gentle music playing]
[Elia sighs]
[ominous music playing]
[horse whines]
Tenax says takes the lead
in the final round.
[tense music playing]
Domitian's fuck toy is betting an
enormous amount on you to win.
- [horse whining]
- [sighs]
[horse whining]
[tense music playing]
Stop playing.
Eat.
[tense, suspenseful music continues]
[crowd clamouring]
[indistinct chatter]
[Rufus sighs]
[upbeat suspenseful music playing]
[exhales deeply]
This was somewhat unexpected.
I barely had time to dress.
So I'm told.
Perhaps a little more discretion,
lest it diminishes my dignitas?
May I remind you, my love,
that a good measure of your dignitas
is derived from my family name.
- Let us not forget that.
- Difficult, given your frequent reminders.
Consul. Antonia.
May the gods favour us again.
Oh, I expect they will.
Antonia, how would you judge
Scorpus' driving skills of late?
He knows how to treat a thoroughbred.
[intriguing music playing]
[Marsus scoffs]
[emotional music playing]
[Antonia sighs]
- [crowd clamouring builds]
- [music builds]
[gentle music continues]
[crowd chanting in background]
[Domitian exhales]
Oh wait, Father
[crowd clamouring]
[emotional music continues]
[crowd chanting]
[crowd chanting builds]
Now!
[emotional, dramatic music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd cheering loudly]
[emotional music continues]
[crowd cheering]
[indistinct chatter]
[Fonsoa sighs]
[brothers giggle, sigh]
Listen to them.
So soon after calling for our blood.
[gentle music playing]
Consul Marsus has a viper's smile.
Yeah
Friends close,
enemies closer.
Pretenders closer still.
[chuckles]
[trumpet call]
[Passus] Citizens
- of Rome!
- [crowd reacts]
- [gate opening]
- I present to you:
the contestants!
- [crowd cheering]
- [dramatic, solemn music playing]
Four Factions,
eight chariots and eight drivers!
Try or die!
For
victory!
The Greens, seeking a win
- after loss, after loss
- [crowd laughing]
after loss.
Their laughter diminishes us.
But their sesterces elevate us.
And the Reds is it painted red
or is it blood from
the last seen shipwreck?
- [Vito giggling] No! That was wine.
- [all laugh]
And the White Faction,
- with Xenon, their lead driver.
- [ominous music playing]
- Come on Xenon!
- Xenon!
The Adonis of the Esquiline!
[women cheering]
And wiping up the rear! The Blues,
with Kirko
and the Great
Scorpus!
[crowd yelling]
Let's go!
With his lead horse,
alighting here from Olympus:
- the Great Incitatus!
- [horses whining, blowing]
[Passus] Try or die!
[trumpet call]
For Victory!
[drum roll]
[music fades]
- [horses whining]
- [muffled trumpet call outside]
- [Scorpus] Whoa
- [horse whines]
At least you can say
you raced against the Great Scorpus.
[Xenon chuckles]
[scoffs silently]
[drum roll]
[horses blowing and whining]
[drum roll]
Chariots
ready!
- [metal clanging]
- The race is on,
betting's closed.
[bettors clamouring]
[suspenseful drum beat]
[fade to ominous muffled silence]
[tissue whooshing]
[gates crashing]
- [men yelling]
- [hooves thundering]
[solemn, dramatic music playing]
[crowd roaring]
[dramatic music continues]
[grunts]
- Come on!
- Come on, Xenon!
[Tarlo] Come on!
[yells]
- [yells]
- [horses whining]
[dramatic music playing]
- [ominous music playing]
- [bells chiming]
[exhales]
- [Scorpus yells]
- [horses whining]
[hooves thundering]
[suspenseful drum beat]
[grunts]
- Did you see that?
- Come on, disqualify the wanker!
It will take more than that!
Come on!
[hooves thundering]
[horses whining]
[grunts]
Come on!
- Go on, Xenon!
- Go on, Xenon!
[dramatic music playing]
[chuckles]
[crowd cheering]
[dramatic music continues]
[bell chimes]
Here he comes.
[grunts, laughs]
[yells]
- [horse whines]
- [Xenon yells]
[metallic grating]
[wheels rattling]
- [grunts, exhales]
- [crowd roaring]
[Kirko yelling]
- [crashing]
- [dramatic music playing]
[crowd reacts]
[dramatic music continues]
Whoa.
Ship-wreck!
[crowd chanting] Ship-wreck!
What did I miss?
- Not much.
- [bell chimes]
[wheels rattling]
[slave] Quick! Set the pulleys!
[grunting]
Grab the bays first!
[grunting, exhaling]
[dramatic music playing]
[sighs]
[music fades]
- [Salena] One ticket please.
- [horse whines]
[low ominous music playing]
[horse whines]
General Titus!
[crowd chanting outside]
[bell chimes]
[low, suspenseful music playing]
[slave] Go, go,
- go!
- [ominous music playing]
Off the track!
Go, go, go!
Kirko, what are you doing?
- [hooves thundering]
- [exhales sharply]
[Kirko grunting]
[sighs]
[exhales nervously]
[bells chime]
Scorpus!
Now!
Second to last round.
[crowd chanting in distance]
Father
They were at our gate
calling for our blood.
- Let me explain.
- Not now.
Pleased to see you, brother,
you missed the fun this morning.
Well I would have taken care of the mob.
Can't solve every issue with your sword,
they needed food for their guts,
not gutting.
It's arriving
- Today or tomorrow.
- So you keep telling us.
Better I entertain them,
than your legionnaires kill them.
Be quiet
now!
Scorpus, now! Now!
Easy easy.
- Now!
- [crowd booing]
Look at those two centre horses,
they're barely pulling!
[suspenseful, emotional music playing]
[Vesapian] Scorpus is last again
primed for his come-from-behind victories.
Maybe not this time.
[hooves thundering]
[bells chime]
[yells] Incitatus.
[horse whines loudly]
Now, Incitatus, now!
- [horses whine]
- [dramatic music]
Yes! [grunts]
[dramatic music continues]
Whoa. [grunts]
- Do you never tire of the artifice?
- That's what makes it entertaining.
And profitable.
Well, I prefer the clarity
of the battlefield.
- You think Rome isn't a battlefield?
- It may be, but one without clarity.
- Which makes it far more interesting.
- Enough.
- [hooves thundering]
- [chuckles]
[wheels rattling]
Go, Scorpus! Go!
Incitatus.
More! More!
More! [grunts]
[dramatic music playing]
[crowd roaring]
[cackles, whoops]
[grunting]
[solemn, dramatic music playing]
[grunting]
[Scorpus grunts]
[chuckling]
[horse blowing]
Go on!
Come on!
Show that son of a bitch
what you are made of, Xenon.
[Tarlo] Come on, beat the bastard!
Come on, faster!
[lips smacking]
[yells]
[yells]
[dramatic music builds]
- Yes! Yes!
- [crowd cheering]
Yes!
[disappointed grunt]
[crowd cheering]
Yes!
Fucking Scorpus.
- God!
- Fucking Scorpus.
[chuckling, mocking laugh]
Our boy! Never fails to disappoint,
- hey?
- Never.
[solemn trumpet call]
[indistinct chatter]
Father
- No.
- Father, let me explain.
Later.
Remember
praise in public,
discipline in private.
[low, emotional music playing]
[crowd chanting Scorpus in background]
- [gates creaking]
- [crowd cheering]
[emotional music playing]
[crowd chanting Scorpus]
You lost today.
Only money.
Quite a lot in fact.
But I won something far more important:
I weakened my brother in my father's eyes.
[sad, emotional music playing]
[emotional music continues]
[Salena's footsteps running away]
[indistinct chatter in background]
[Fonsoa] Hello.
[prostitute] Hi.
- Are you free?
- Of course.
[crowd chanting Scorpus]
[warm music playing]
[Tenax]
Give me Rufus' shares in the Blue faction.
[dramatic music builds and fades]
[suspenseful music playing]
[coins jingle]
Our patience has paid off.
[laughs]
[exhales]
[gentle, intriguing music playing]
- [Scorpus] Give me a moment.
- [slaves] Yes, Scorpus.
[sad music continues]
[inhales, exhales shakily]
[exhales shakily]
Rest
in the arms of Elegabal, my friend.
- [sighs]
- [emotional music continues]
[indistinct chatter]
You just got lucky.
Luck is part of the game!
[man laughing in background]
Kirko is dead
and another victory for me.
Shall I laugh or cry? Get my wine.
[boy] Yes, Scorpus.
[Tenax] Let's leave the mourning
to others.
We should celebrate.
What is that?
Wealth, position, power
and respect!
All in that?
Five hundred shares of the Blue Faction.
Ah, here we go again.
A new faction,
owned by a lowly, plebeian,
slumlord criminal, no offense.
- None taken.
- And a gifted
[smacks lips]drunken driver
who has wealth
and respect and doesn't give a shit
about power or position.
No offense.
None taken.
Don't you see what this means?
I sell these to the highest bidder and
we have enough to start our own faction.
The four factions have existed for
hundreds of years. Patricians own them,
- not the likes of you and me.
- In these days, anything can happen.
Men rise.
Our Emperor's from a family
of mule breeders.
One day,
even plebeians like us
might rule this city.
No, of course and
I will become a God.
[Tenax sighs]
Now Scorpus needs a drink.
[tense music playing]
[ominous music playing]
Your brother did well today. You did not.
To make sure our citizens
do not starve to death
or rise up and cut our throats,
your responsibility
is to ensure our grain supply.
Storms or no storms.
I can't control the winds or the tides.
Then you should make allowances for them,
should you not.
Yes?
[tense music playing]
You neglect your duty
for that Judean
queen who sleeps in your bed.
I told you to send her away,
but she still sleeps
in your bed.
I wonder why?
[ominous music builds]
[horse whines, blows]
[indistinct chatter]
My queen,
it was reckless.
Coming here.
[ominous music playing]
[Vespasian] Our enemies
think she has too much influence on you
and I think the same.
I defeated the Judeans,
brought her and eighty-thousand
of her people
to Rome to build our arena.
Having her in my bed is not a mark
of her influence, it is a mark
of their defeat and submission.
Do they still over-work the children?
It is better since you interceded.
And the food allotment?
Still insufficient.
The Romans themselves don't have enough.
We get what's left of very little.
You would justify our deprivation?
No. I only seek to explain it.
And what does
your Roman general think
of our deprivation?
[Vespasian] And either case,
you disobeyed me.
Well, when I'm Emperor,
I will have to make my own decisions.
Not when, if.
[tense music playing]
If!
Soon I shall cross the River Styx
- to the Kingdom of darkness.
- [tense music continues]
And before I do,
I have a decision to make.
Julius Caesar
had such a choice and he chose Octavian,
the young politician
over Mark Antony, the soldier,
and the result was this:
our Empire.
Now I would rather choose the soldier
but I will choose
whoever I believe will be best
for Rome.
Do you understand me?
[tense music continues]
Good.
Send the Judean woman away.
I will consider it.
[gentle mysterious music playing]
He is on his way back.
My queen! Quickly, we must leave!
Titus is on his way!
- [indistinct muttering]
- [suspenseful music playing]
[ominous music playing]
[wheels rattling]
- [man] Come on! Come on!
- [animal moaning]
Hurry! Hurry!
[gentle music playing]
- [indistinct animal noises]
- This is it.
Yallah!
[roars]
[roars loudly]
[lion roars]
- [ominous music playing]
- [lion growling]
[Aura] It's fine, it's fine
It's going to be
It's going to be fine.
[Kwame] My sisters?
- [in Numidian] Kwame!
- What are you doing here?
- It's my fault.
- No, it's mine.
- [Aura] I killed a Roman legionary.
- She was protecting me.
Quickly, this way.
- No!
- [soldier] You there!
- [soldier] Quick, catch him!
- Hey, soldier.
[Kwame grunting]
- [centurions grunting]
- [Jula] Stop him!
- [centurion] What's going on?
- It's a mistake Sir, they are my sisters.
She was protecting the little one.
This is most unjust.
[inhales] I hunt for you.
I serve you Romans.
Bring him as well.
- [girls] No, no.
- Bring them all!
[girls] No, stop!
[Aura screams]
[hooves thundering]
[handmaiden] Forgive me please.
The queen is indisposed.
- [shouts] Indisposed?
- Yes.
[knocks loudly]
[doors crashing]
[Berenice sighs]
Is there something?
I wanted to look my best for you.
Leave us.
[door closes]
I'm too long a commander. [exhales]
I bristled orders even from an Emperor.
And what orders did he have for you?
He told me to send you away.
He says you diminish
my dignitas and that of the family.
He'd do better to grant his son an heir
the right to make his own decisions.
Myself
or Domitian?
He threatened to choose Domitian?
Not in so many words, but
Then you must send me away.
[sighs]
Your father sits astride the world
and your brother whispers in his ear.
If they seek to cut off your balls,
I will not be the one
to hand them the knife.
[emotional music playing]
Send me away. [inhales]
[gentle, emotional music continues]
[African song playing]
[emotional music playing]
[emotional music continues]
- [fast paced drumming playing]
- [Farid] To the mines.
[Farid] Those for the tin mines.
[animals screeching in background]
Those two for the arena.
[slave] Quick, this way!
[Farid] I need more of those:
fighters, gladiators. Strong men.
This new arena they built in Rome,
a river of blood for them,
an ocean of money for us.
- [Cala gasps]
- [Farid] Yallah, to the mines!
[ominous droning]
- [Jula gasping, inhales]
- [Cala] Jula
[Farid] To the tin mines!
- [Cala] Son.
- [ominous music playing]
- Tell me this is a terrible mistake.
- I am sorry, Mother.
How did this happen?
Don't they know you work for them?
I tried to free my sisters.
[breathing heavily]
You foolish, foolish boy.
To the mines!
Maybe there is one way.
That man is sorting out who will be
taken to Rome as gladiators
and who will be sent
to the tin mines of Crete.
What is the tin mines?
A death sentence.
Show them you can fight.
- And pray to Aapademak.
- [suspenseful drum roll]
Those men are giants.
I've seen what you can do.
- Let a lion's heart roar in your chest.
- [suspenseful music playing]
Show them or die trying!
[suspenseful music continues]
What of Jula and Aura?
Your sisters as well.
- You must all go to Rome.
- How?
- Woman, out!
- Fight!
- You are stronger than you know!
- o the mines!
[suspenseful music continues]
Too short, and too small.
To the mines!
[ominous music builds]
[centurion grunts]
[Kwame yells]
[indistinct shouting, grunting]
Let him fight.
[men grunting]
[drum roll]
[men grunting]
[Kwame yelling]
[man grunts]
[Kwame grunts]
[drum beat continues]
- [Kwame grunts]
- [slaves grunt]
[Kwame grunts]
[women gasping in background]
- [Kwame yells]
- Stop!
[men gasping]
I've seen enough.
[Kwame exhales]
You seek the arena, do you?
- [Kwame exhales]
- Bring him!
Only if my sisters come as well.
[Farid chuckles loudly]
A slave who makes demands.
[men laughing]
Just bring him.
Then I'll slit my own throat,
the moment I am given a weapon.
[exhales fitfully]
- [Farid] Show me your sisters.
- [Kwame breathing fitfully]
Ah
They will fetch a good price
from some old lecher in Rome.
Bring them as well.
Come!
[emotional music playing]
[in Numidian]
Go home. Tend my business.
What are you going to do?
Slaves can be bought.
And they can be bought back.
[emotional music continues]
[gentle African song playing]
[indistinct loud chatter]
[indistinct loud chatter continues]
[metallic clang]
[hooves thundering]
[ominous music builds]
[music fades]