Domina (2021) s01e06 Episode Script
Nightshade
"Darling Iunus,
my father's dying."
Gaius, you need to fight.
You can't live here.
Everyone knows he's been
grooming Marcellus to take over.
My legacy. My blood.
Marcellus's friends
are making their move.
As soon as my uncle dies,
they'll kill Agrippa
and close the Senate.
What about Livia?
They're killing Drusus
as well, and Tiberius.
She'll be irrelevant.
Two years,
and I'm still not pregnant.
Do you know
how humiliating that is?
Strip him naked
and give him 20 lashes.
[groans]
What happened to you?
Your uncle has
done terrible things.
There's a price to pay.
Promise me. I trusted you.
Marcellus is young.
He'll outlive Gaius.
Unless he doesn't.
[Birds chirping]
[Insects humming]
I wish my father were here.
He loved these hills.
Just as well he's not.
You, married to the man
who broke the Republic.
And poisoning your own nephew.
Marcellus is no blood of mine.
You'd be sent to your room
with no supper.
Like the time
they caught you snooping
when they were plotting
to kill Caesar.
Here she is.
Nightshade.
What, that's it?
Idiot!
The berries are bad.
The leaves will kill you.
And the roots are worst of all.
-Is it painful?
-No, it's kind like that.
Your heart beats like mad.
You burn,
but you don't sweat,
and you start to see things
that aren't there.
And then your heart
stops beating like mad.
[gasps]
[heavy breathing]
You always dream of death?
You try fighting for your life
on a heap of corpses.
Sort of stays with you.
Don't tell anyone, ever.
About the dreams.
I will never ever betray you.
I need to inseminate my wife.
Let's get it over with.
Don't forget the oil.
[Whispering]
Octavia looks anxious.
Well done, darling.
Remember, your uncle's
expecting us
Lady.
Octavia and Marcellus
are with your husband.
He's asking for you.
[indistinct conversations]
What's up?
I wanted to talk about the boys.
They're not boys anymore,
of course.
Tiberius.
Tiberius is
my best administrator.
Battles are glamorous,
but management
is the bedrock of Rome.
Tiberius, I'm going to waive
the formal age requirement
so you can stand for office five
years earlier than anyone else.
-That's great. Well done.
-Yes. Thank you, Stepfather.
And, Drusus,
I'm going to unite
our two families
by marrying you to my youngest
niece, Little Antonia.
You'll have to wait
till she's of age, of course.
Thank you, Stepfather.
I hope she's feeling better.
Oh, Musa said that she won't
be able to go to the beach
for at least a week.
I'll have to stay here with her.
But Marcellus is going
to take his sisters instead.
Marcellus?
Oh, yes. I told Gaius
that he really does need a rest.
Hasn't quite been himself
recently.
He has looked tired.
I can speak for myself.
What are you smirking at?
I'm going to give the house
a good spring clean
while it's empty.
Scribonia's going to help me.
And finally Marcellus.
Obviously, I nominated Agrippa
as my immediate successor.
But that was
a short-term solution.
So, in the autumn
I'm going to now
adopt Marcellus
as my son and heir.
[Marcellus] Thank you, Uncle.
I mean, thank you, Father.
Clarify his position
to the Senate.
-Publicly.
-I agree.
It's time, yes.
Well, I don't think
that Gaius needs our approval.
Marcellus is the future of Rome.
♪♪
[Antigone] Well,
we'll just have to wait
till he gets back to Rome.
-In the autumn.
-I don't think we can.
The city's full of plague
in the summer,
and Gaius is still sick
from last time.
If anything happens to him,
Agrippa's too far away
to save us.
We have to do it in Baiae.
I can't control
the environment down there.
I don't know the slaves,
the routines.
I don't have access
to the kitchens like I do here.
At least Octavia
won't have to see it.
And we'd have to involve
the Spaniard.
Only a trusted slave
will have access to the kitchen
in the beach house.
Only a trusted slave
can serve Marcellus.
Will he do it? Selling gossip
is one thing. This is another.
And afterwards,
he'd have to disappear.
-For good.
-No.
We'll give him a new name
and a new life.
Freedom. Money.
We can't leave him alive.
He'd know too much.
What?
It's un-Roman?
There are too many things
we can't control.
We should wait till the autumn
and do it here like we planned.
We're going to Baiae.
Get Tycho to prepare
the Spaniard.
What?
Iullus?
Marcellus is coming with us
to Baiae.
What? Since when?
There was a family meeting.
Of course, I wasn't invited.
I can't stand it anymore,
Iullus.
Living in the same house as you
is driving me nuts.
We're never alone.
Octavia's always there, staring.
[Capria] Lady!
He's adopting Marcellus.
Your father.
Who cares?
I have to go.
He's adopting me
in the autumn.
Well, that should certainly
avoid any misunderstandings.
Like last time.
With Agrippa.
-You all right?
-Hmm?
You seem a bit
-What?
-Just
preoccupied.
Lately.
I'm fine.
I'm great.
Marcellus.
Your time is coming.
When it does, your friends
will be right there with you.
Safe journey.
It's a pity
the boy's so unreliable.
Could've kept him
around longer.
Afterwards.
[Crow cawing]
[Tiberius]
Something is going on.
Mother and Antigone.
And Tycho.
-They're going to Baiae.
-Something else.
Something bad.
Let's sneak out.
Get some wine and a whore.
Aren't you even
the faintest bit curious?
You worry too much.
You don't worry enough.
I don't worry at all.
[chattering]
You're late.
The bitch works me harder
than anyone else.
She's in a shit mood.
Still?
They have to fuck every day,
and she never gets pregnant.
And her husband?
Who's he been seeing recently?
When he's not working,
he spends all his time
with that cunt Iullus.
Any of his political friends?
He sees Crassus a lot.
The usual.
They're always very grateful
for your information.
But now they may need you
to do other things.
What other things?
When they need you.
I have to be careful.
A few years ago, I was nothing,
and look at me now.
A house slave
with the first family in Rome.
Trust me,
being free is better.
-I have to be careful.
-You have to be helpful.
Because if you're not,
they'll tell the bitch
you've been taking money.
and then you'll be tortured
until you admit it
and sold off
down the fucking mines.
Along with me.
They fucking own us, Aprio.
Don't you forget it.
Hey, get off me.
Who are they anyway?
Did you ever find out?
Stay down.
Go out the back way.
Go straight home.
[Dog barking]
[Footsteps approaching]
[Iullus] Wait.
[Julia] What is it, Iullus?
-[Iullus] Nothing. Good night.
-[Julia] Good night.
I hear you're off to Baiae.
[Livia]
I hear you're not well.
You can't stand the sea.
You need to take it easy.
You used to tell me
what you were thinking.
We used to discuss things
before you did them.
You used to do what I asked.
Marcellus wasn't ready.
You said so yourself.
I have to be able
to trust you.
-Well, that goes both ways.
-And I need a son.
I tried.
I know.
I love you.
I know.
Will you stay?
Last one in's a slave!
[laughing]
[Iullus] I'm, uh
-I'm gonna go for a walk.
-I'll come with you.
No, come on.
Let's wrestle.
The future of Rome.
So one hears.
I won that easily.
So easily.
[Antigone]
That's our problem.
The food is prepared over there
and carried over here
to be served.
Why can't we just put it
in his wine?
The powder just floats
on the surface.
It needs to be mixed in
with food.
Something with a strong taste
to hide the bitterness.
By someone who can.
[Livia] All right.
We have no choice.
Ask Tycho to meet the Spaniard.
Once the slave knows,
he knows.
There's no turning back.
But what can he say?
Huh? [laughs]
"Listen, Dominus, I've been
spying on you for Tycho,
but now he wants me
to poison you."
If anyone believed him,
he'd be tortured and sold,
and he knows it.
-We should still wait.
-For what?
For Gaius to die?
Or Drusus?
Marcellus has to go first.
He can never take power.
Never.
Drusus.
What?
That's what this is about.
Isn't it?
When Gaius dies,
Drusus is next.
You're going to restore
the Republic.
And Marcellus won't do that,
so, of course, he has to go.
All those whispered
little secrets with Piso.
This isn't about
protecting the boys.
This is about power.
It's about everything.
[scoffs]
And you lecture me
about secrets and lies.
I was protecting you!
I'm not just
your personal poisoner.
Oh, save that bullshit
for my first husband!
I was a citizen!
Fuck this.
You're on your own!
[Julia] Iullus?
I left my slaves at the villa.
If your father ever finds out
He had the guts
to take what he wanted.
What is it?
[Slave] We found it,
when we were cleaning, Domina.
Find out
where my brother is. Now!
Gaius!
I need to speak to you, alone.
It's important.
[Guard]
Dominus needs the room.
Tiberius, stay.
I don't want you wandering off
and disappearing.
My slave found a hole
hidden under a chest
in Marcellus's room.
It was filled
with his possessions.
A comb, a seal,
a ring from his father
that we thought
we'd lost a year ago.
Why would Marcellus
hide his own things?
Well, of course he wouldn't.
That's where his slave
was sleeping. Aprio.
That wretch
that he brought back from Spain.
[Gaius] He's obviously
been stealing. Have him whipped.
Gaius, that is not
why I am concerned.
There were bags of coins.
A large amount of money.
Where would a young slave
get money like that?
And he couldn't have stolen it
because we would've noticed.
Somebody's obviously
been paying him,
but the question is
for what?
Where is the slave?
He's in Baiae.
With Marcellus.
-All right, bring them back.
-No, no, no. I want to go.
Myself, now.
Tiberius
-Tiberius.
-Yes.
Sorry, Stepfather.
-I'll send some men with you.
-Okay.
Get the house searched.
Especially the slave's quarters.
Of course.
What are we looking for?
Anything that doesn't belong.
Go.
She's not your slave.
She's Stepfather's.
So what?
Well, technically
copulation with someone else's
slave is theft.
What do you want, Tiberius?
It's time to get up
and hide your collection
of Greek erotica.
-The house is being searched.
-What for?
Octavia found a spy
in the house.
Now Stepfather's panicking.
A spy. [scoffs]
Who the fuck wants to spy
on Octavia?
I should've thought
the answer was obvious.
No, it isn't.
You know Mother secretly
pays people in all our estates.
To check the accounts
the manager sends in.
But Octavia doesn't
manage one of our estates.
No. No.
She doesn't.
That's quite right, Drusus.
What about your collection
of erotica?
Hide that, too.
-I was protecting you.
-I don't want to be protected.
I want to be included.
You have always been my sister.
And you always will be.
You've changed.
So have you.
We had to.
But I still believe
in the Republic,
and I always will.
Have you told him yet?
Drusus.
He's too young.
What about Tiberius?
What about him?
He has no ambition,
and nobody likes him.
He's the last person
who will ever succeed Gaius.
I won't protect you again.
All right, then.
What?
Come here.
I need you to give me a child.
I want you to make me pregnant.
I can't bear him near me.
You can't imagine how it is
being bulled like a heifer
in the farmyard,
everyone standing around
grinning and
If I can just get pregnant,
he'll leave me alone.
At least for a year.
And so will everyone else.
No one would know it was yours.
And just think.
my father and yours
would be sharing a grandchild.
Yes, they'd both hate that.
Not the traditional form
of revenge, perhaps.
But it is better than nothing.
Same again, tonight?
-Yeah.
-Hey.
Where have you been?
Fucking in the woods,
of course.
I only asked.
Come on.
Dinner's nearly ready.
I'm starving.
How are you?
She wants you to meet
the Spaniard. Tonight.
It's a mistake to involve him.
-He's weak.
-Whatever she thinks,
someone will have
to go down for it.
-We're citizens now.
-And it can't be us.
We're married. Hmm?
And you're pregnant.
Nobody comes for my boys.
Tiberius and Drusus
are not your boys.
-They're hers.
-She freed us both.
She needs us.
I don't like it either.
Make the meeting.
Julia!
Where have you been?
We waited for you
Make sure there's
plenty of food for Livia.
And meet me straight after
you finish serving dinner
where we agreed.
Iullus.
It must seem like you've been
forgotten sometimes.
The other boys
getting pushed ahead.
But your father,
your mother, and your brother
died fighting Gaius.
If it wasn't
for Octavia's kindness,
you'd be dead as well.
So you might have
to be patient.
I'll bear that in mind.
[scoffs]
Honestly, Marcellus,
could you please try to be
polite to your wife for once?
Would my father
ever let me divorce?
No.
But nothing lasts forever.
Easy for you to say.
But my first marriage
was a kind of death.
Did you have to steal my father
for your next one?
No, I didn't.
But it hasn't been easy
for any of us.
We are all children of war.
My brother
was begging for mercy
when they cut him to pieces.
Hey, you.
Wine, please.
-Fuck!
-Sorry, Dominus. I tripped.
-You fucking idiot!
-All right.
Aprio, go.
It was an accident. Okay?
Let's get you changed.
[indistinct conversations]
Not to worry.
Marcellus's wife
gets a bit jealous.
[Aprio] I'm sorry.
[Marcellus] It's fine.
Antigone!
They can't meet!
-Where is he?
-What?
Did you speak
to the Spaniard?
Not yet. He's late. Why?
Well, he's always late.
Let's go.
Are you all right?
He's intimate with Marcellus.
-Wait. What?
-The Spaniard.
That's why he hates Iullus
and Julia.
-Are you sure?
-I saw them.
He's never going to do it.
Look, I'm sorry.
I I didn't know.
-Well, it's too late for that.
-It's all right.
It's a defeat.
But it's not a crisis.
What do we do
about Marcellus now? Huh?
Feels like a crisis to me.
So, Mother
what are we dealing with?
Tycho?
Tycho?
[laughing]
[moaning]
[Branch snaps]
What?
Nothing.
Nothing.
[moaning]
A special messenger from Rome.
From Tiberius.
Lady, I feel really bad
They know.
About Aprio.
Octavia found his money.
-She'll be here tomorrow.
-He'll tell them everything.
All right.
This is a crisis.
[moaning]
Dominus?
There is something
you should know.
About your wife.
And Iullus.
We need to get
the Spaniard away. Now.
Livia.
We were wrong.
It's not a crisis.
It's a chance.
Get the cooks to make
something spicy tonight.
Something Marcellus likes.
What if Octavia
gets here first?
Tiberius says tomorrow.
I know.
But we're too close.
We have to roll the dice.
Bring me the Spaniard.
Hey.
I just went to town.
That idiot Quintus
is here with his sister.
Last night.
Yes?
I understand you fucked my wife
in the woods.
Uh
I'm sorry.
I did.
I didn't think you loved her!
I don't.
There's been a change of plan.
Show your respect.
Domina.
You know who I am, Aprio?
Of course, Domina.
Then listen to me.
I'm going to save your life.
I'm also going to set you free
and make you rich.
Tonight, Tycho will go with you
to a ship near the port.
It will take you
wherever you want to go.
There is gold for you
on the ship.
And a diploma which makes you
a free citizen of Rome.
In return, at dinner tonight,
you will mix the powder
in this flask
into Marcellus's food,
just before you serve him.
What is it?
It doesn't matter what it is.
Because the Lady Octavia
has found the place
where you keep your money.
She'll be here tomorrow
with men to arrest you.
You'll be tortured
until you tell them
who gave you that money
and why.
And then, if you're still alive,
you'll be sold.
Do this for me.
And I will protect you.
I am Livia Drusilla
of the Claudii
and we always keep our word.
I can't do it.
Well, your life here is over.
All you can do now
is choose your future.
Torture and death
or wealth and freedom.
I love him.
I know.
Take it.
Just do what she asks.
Everything will be all right.
You seem so much happier today.
Yes.
It's the sea air.
Yes.
-You're lying to my face.
-[chuckles]
Yes, perhaps.
[Marcellus] Julia!
Julia.
Been to town?
Oh, you remembered
what we told you
and then noticed the shopping.
Wow.
What's the matter with you?
Well, I've just found out what
you've been doing with Iullus.
And the minute
we get back to Rome,
I'm going to tell
my mother and your father.
I can't wait to see
what they'll say.
-I'll deny it.
-You were seen
fucking the son
of Marcus Antonius.
He'll deny it.
He'll drop on his sword
if he gets the chance.
In fact,
why wait till I'm home?
I'll write them a note,
tonight.
[sobbing quietly]
Get this ring off.
My hand's swelling.
What's the matter with you?
Nothing.
I'll eat in here tonight.
I'm sorry.
Get off me!
Get out!
Marcellus.
What's the matter with you?
Dinner is served.
Marcellus will be eating
in his room tonight.
Alone.
Tycho.
Be careful.
I love you.
Where's Iullus?
I haven't seen him anywhere.
I don't know.
Oh, he's right there.
What happened to your face?
He knows.
I know. He's going to tell
my father.
No. No, I'll talk to him.
He won't go through with it.
What if he does?
Then I'll have to take
my own life.
If you were a man,
you'd take his.
[Antonia] Hello, Iullus.
Oh, what happened to your face?
I struck myself repeatedly
with my own fist.
I should've thought
that was obvious.
Put it here.
I'm starving.
I'm sorry.
So am I.
Ugh. Stewed brains and bacon,
in this heat?
Yeah
No, thank you very much.
Oh, never mind.
Marcellus will eat ours for us.
And everyone else's.
It gives me wind for days
when I eat that sort of thing.
No one wants to hear that,
Marcella.
[Conversation
becomes indistinct]
I did it.
You sure?
-I did it.
-You're a good kid.
Come on or we'll miss
the tide.
Antigone!
Oh, quick!
Marcellus is sick.
Everyone's sick.
What?
And Iullus and Julia.
They're really bad.
-You sent for me, Father?
-Indeed, I did, Livia Drusilla.
[Groans]
Another one
of my "serious" talks.
It says here you betrayed your
husband with Sextus Pompeius.
Yes.
Repeatedly.
Including once on a beach.
More than once.
And then you betrayed him,
again,
with Gaius Julius Caesar
in a residence in Rome.
And have you restored power
to the Senate yet?
Oh, I forgot.
I'm doing it next week.
I'm trying, Father.
Are you?
Are you really?
Or have you secretly
fallen in love with your power?
-I feel such a weight.
-[Antigone] Livia!
You have to vomit.
Not now!
Drink of the sea.
It'll make you sick.
[echoing]
Livia!
-Antigone!
-You must vomit.
My brother,
he's really, really bad.
-Please help him. Please!
-I'll be right there!
[coughing, retching]
Oh, he's so hot.
He has to drink.
Make him drink.
Marcellus.
Drink this.
Drink.
Try again.
It's all right.
We're here.
You'll soon feel better.
-What's happening to me?
-Drink this now.
[retching]
Good. Again.
-Where's Iullus?
-Drink.
[chuckles]
I need to give you something.
-What is it?
-Your freedom.
It's so beautiful.
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Hey.
Hey, easy now.
Forgive me.
Marcellus?
-Marcella!
-[Antonia] Mummy!
-He's been poisoned.
-What?
What?
Marcellus.
Marcellus, I'm here.
-Mother.
-I'm here.
Marcellus.
Mar No.
Marcellus.
[sobbing] Marcellus.
No, no, no, no.
No.
No, no, not my son.
[grunting]
[Animal howling]
Livia.
So, the Spaniard
fucked us over, then?
[Woman crying]
Octavia's here.
Right.
He was writing a letter.
"Dearest Mother"
That's as far as he got.
"From Livia Drusilla
to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa"
Whoo!
Whoo!
[laughing]
[Livia] "Marcellus has died
suddenly in Baiae."
Whoo-hoo!
Whoo!
"Poisoned by his own slave."
[laughing]
Yes!
"Gaius has ordered him
to be found and executed.
"Obviously, the family wants
to avoid this becoming public.
"So, history will say
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
"died suddenly in Baiae
of a fever.
"Octavia's destroyed.
Everyone bleeds for her."
We'll find the slave.
We'll send messengers
to every province.
From Gaul to Syria.
We'll never stop looking.
The villa.
Burn it down.
-It's our family's.
-To the ground.
[Livia] "Gaius gave such
a moving oration at the funeral.
"All of Rome is in mourning.
"His ashes have gone in
the new mausoleum on the river.
"Who'd have thought he would be
the first of the family.
"Gaius will summon you
back to Rome.
Be ready."
Julia will marry Agrippa now,
of course.
And Marcella will need
a new husband.
The line forms down the street.
I'm giving you and Tycho
my apartment building
on the Caelian Hill.
And my estate at Nepi.
It's Tiberius you should thank.
The boy's as smart as you.
I know.
Then show it.
♪♪
my father's dying."
Gaius, you need to fight.
You can't live here.
Everyone knows he's been
grooming Marcellus to take over.
My legacy. My blood.
Marcellus's friends
are making their move.
As soon as my uncle dies,
they'll kill Agrippa
and close the Senate.
What about Livia?
They're killing Drusus
as well, and Tiberius.
She'll be irrelevant.
Two years,
and I'm still not pregnant.
Do you know
how humiliating that is?
Strip him naked
and give him 20 lashes.
[groans]
What happened to you?
Your uncle has
done terrible things.
There's a price to pay.
Promise me. I trusted you.
Marcellus is young.
He'll outlive Gaius.
Unless he doesn't.
[Birds chirping]
[Insects humming]
I wish my father were here.
He loved these hills.
Just as well he's not.
You, married to the man
who broke the Republic.
And poisoning your own nephew.
Marcellus is no blood of mine.
You'd be sent to your room
with no supper.
Like the time
they caught you snooping
when they were plotting
to kill Caesar.
Here she is.
Nightshade.
What, that's it?
Idiot!
The berries are bad.
The leaves will kill you.
And the roots are worst of all.
-Is it painful?
-No, it's kind like that.
Your heart beats like mad.
You burn,
but you don't sweat,
and you start to see things
that aren't there.
And then your heart
stops beating like mad.
[gasps]
[heavy breathing]
You always dream of death?
You try fighting for your life
on a heap of corpses.
Sort of stays with you.
Don't tell anyone, ever.
About the dreams.
I will never ever betray you.
I need to inseminate my wife.
Let's get it over with.
Don't forget the oil.
[Whispering]
Octavia looks anxious.
Well done, darling.
Remember, your uncle's
expecting us
Lady.
Octavia and Marcellus
are with your husband.
He's asking for you.
[indistinct conversations]
What's up?
I wanted to talk about the boys.
They're not boys anymore,
of course.
Tiberius.
Tiberius is
my best administrator.
Battles are glamorous,
but management
is the bedrock of Rome.
Tiberius, I'm going to waive
the formal age requirement
so you can stand for office five
years earlier than anyone else.
-That's great. Well done.
-Yes. Thank you, Stepfather.
And, Drusus,
I'm going to unite
our two families
by marrying you to my youngest
niece, Little Antonia.
You'll have to wait
till she's of age, of course.
Thank you, Stepfather.
I hope she's feeling better.
Oh, Musa said that she won't
be able to go to the beach
for at least a week.
I'll have to stay here with her.
But Marcellus is going
to take his sisters instead.
Marcellus?
Oh, yes. I told Gaius
that he really does need a rest.
Hasn't quite been himself
recently.
He has looked tired.
I can speak for myself.
What are you smirking at?
I'm going to give the house
a good spring clean
while it's empty.
Scribonia's going to help me.
And finally Marcellus.
Obviously, I nominated Agrippa
as my immediate successor.
But that was
a short-term solution.
So, in the autumn
I'm going to now
adopt Marcellus
as my son and heir.
[Marcellus] Thank you, Uncle.
I mean, thank you, Father.
Clarify his position
to the Senate.
-Publicly.
-I agree.
It's time, yes.
Well, I don't think
that Gaius needs our approval.
Marcellus is the future of Rome.
♪♪
[Antigone] Well,
we'll just have to wait
till he gets back to Rome.
-In the autumn.
-I don't think we can.
The city's full of plague
in the summer,
and Gaius is still sick
from last time.
If anything happens to him,
Agrippa's too far away
to save us.
We have to do it in Baiae.
I can't control
the environment down there.
I don't know the slaves,
the routines.
I don't have access
to the kitchens like I do here.
At least Octavia
won't have to see it.
And we'd have to involve
the Spaniard.
Only a trusted slave
will have access to the kitchen
in the beach house.
Only a trusted slave
can serve Marcellus.
Will he do it? Selling gossip
is one thing. This is another.
And afterwards,
he'd have to disappear.
-For good.
-No.
We'll give him a new name
and a new life.
Freedom. Money.
We can't leave him alive.
He'd know too much.
What?
It's un-Roman?
There are too many things
we can't control.
We should wait till the autumn
and do it here like we planned.
We're going to Baiae.
Get Tycho to prepare
the Spaniard.
What?
Iullus?
Marcellus is coming with us
to Baiae.
What? Since when?
There was a family meeting.
Of course, I wasn't invited.
I can't stand it anymore,
Iullus.
Living in the same house as you
is driving me nuts.
We're never alone.
Octavia's always there, staring.
[Capria] Lady!
He's adopting Marcellus.
Your father.
Who cares?
I have to go.
He's adopting me
in the autumn.
Well, that should certainly
avoid any misunderstandings.
Like last time.
With Agrippa.
-You all right?
-Hmm?
You seem a bit
-What?
-Just
preoccupied.
Lately.
I'm fine.
I'm great.
Marcellus.
Your time is coming.
When it does, your friends
will be right there with you.
Safe journey.
It's a pity
the boy's so unreliable.
Could've kept him
around longer.
Afterwards.
[Crow cawing]
[Tiberius]
Something is going on.
Mother and Antigone.
And Tycho.
-They're going to Baiae.
-Something else.
Something bad.
Let's sneak out.
Get some wine and a whore.
Aren't you even
the faintest bit curious?
You worry too much.
You don't worry enough.
I don't worry at all.
[chattering]
You're late.
The bitch works me harder
than anyone else.
She's in a shit mood.
Still?
They have to fuck every day,
and she never gets pregnant.
And her husband?
Who's he been seeing recently?
When he's not working,
he spends all his time
with that cunt Iullus.
Any of his political friends?
He sees Crassus a lot.
The usual.
They're always very grateful
for your information.
But now they may need you
to do other things.
What other things?
When they need you.
I have to be careful.
A few years ago, I was nothing,
and look at me now.
A house slave
with the first family in Rome.
Trust me,
being free is better.
-I have to be careful.
-You have to be helpful.
Because if you're not,
they'll tell the bitch
you've been taking money.
and then you'll be tortured
until you admit it
and sold off
down the fucking mines.
Along with me.
They fucking own us, Aprio.
Don't you forget it.
Hey, get off me.
Who are they anyway?
Did you ever find out?
Stay down.
Go out the back way.
Go straight home.
[Dog barking]
[Footsteps approaching]
[Iullus] Wait.
[Julia] What is it, Iullus?
-[Iullus] Nothing. Good night.
-[Julia] Good night.
I hear you're off to Baiae.
[Livia]
I hear you're not well.
You can't stand the sea.
You need to take it easy.
You used to tell me
what you were thinking.
We used to discuss things
before you did them.
You used to do what I asked.
Marcellus wasn't ready.
You said so yourself.
I have to be able
to trust you.
-Well, that goes both ways.
-And I need a son.
I tried.
I know.
I love you.
I know.
Will you stay?
Last one in's a slave!
[laughing]
[Iullus] I'm, uh
-I'm gonna go for a walk.
-I'll come with you.
No, come on.
Let's wrestle.
The future of Rome.
So one hears.
I won that easily.
So easily.
[Antigone]
That's our problem.
The food is prepared over there
and carried over here
to be served.
Why can't we just put it
in his wine?
The powder just floats
on the surface.
It needs to be mixed in
with food.
Something with a strong taste
to hide the bitterness.
By someone who can.
[Livia] All right.
We have no choice.
Ask Tycho to meet the Spaniard.
Once the slave knows,
he knows.
There's no turning back.
But what can he say?
Huh? [laughs]
"Listen, Dominus, I've been
spying on you for Tycho,
but now he wants me
to poison you."
If anyone believed him,
he'd be tortured and sold,
and he knows it.
-We should still wait.
-For what?
For Gaius to die?
Or Drusus?
Marcellus has to go first.
He can never take power.
Never.
Drusus.
What?
That's what this is about.
Isn't it?
When Gaius dies,
Drusus is next.
You're going to restore
the Republic.
And Marcellus won't do that,
so, of course, he has to go.
All those whispered
little secrets with Piso.
This isn't about
protecting the boys.
This is about power.
It's about everything.
[scoffs]
And you lecture me
about secrets and lies.
I was protecting you!
I'm not just
your personal poisoner.
Oh, save that bullshit
for my first husband!
I was a citizen!
Fuck this.
You're on your own!
[Julia] Iullus?
I left my slaves at the villa.
If your father ever finds out
He had the guts
to take what he wanted.
What is it?
[Slave] We found it,
when we were cleaning, Domina.
Find out
where my brother is. Now!
Gaius!
I need to speak to you, alone.
It's important.
[Guard]
Dominus needs the room.
Tiberius, stay.
I don't want you wandering off
and disappearing.
My slave found a hole
hidden under a chest
in Marcellus's room.
It was filled
with his possessions.
A comb, a seal,
a ring from his father
that we thought
we'd lost a year ago.
Why would Marcellus
hide his own things?
Well, of course he wouldn't.
That's where his slave
was sleeping. Aprio.
That wretch
that he brought back from Spain.
[Gaius] He's obviously
been stealing. Have him whipped.
Gaius, that is not
why I am concerned.
There were bags of coins.
A large amount of money.
Where would a young slave
get money like that?
And he couldn't have stolen it
because we would've noticed.
Somebody's obviously
been paying him,
but the question is
for what?
Where is the slave?
He's in Baiae.
With Marcellus.
-All right, bring them back.
-No, no, no. I want to go.
Myself, now.
Tiberius
-Tiberius.
-Yes.
Sorry, Stepfather.
-I'll send some men with you.
-Okay.
Get the house searched.
Especially the slave's quarters.
Of course.
What are we looking for?
Anything that doesn't belong.
Go.
She's not your slave.
She's Stepfather's.
So what?
Well, technically
copulation with someone else's
slave is theft.
What do you want, Tiberius?
It's time to get up
and hide your collection
of Greek erotica.
-The house is being searched.
-What for?
Octavia found a spy
in the house.
Now Stepfather's panicking.
A spy. [scoffs]
Who the fuck wants to spy
on Octavia?
I should've thought
the answer was obvious.
No, it isn't.
You know Mother secretly
pays people in all our estates.
To check the accounts
the manager sends in.
But Octavia doesn't
manage one of our estates.
No. No.
She doesn't.
That's quite right, Drusus.
What about your collection
of erotica?
Hide that, too.
-I was protecting you.
-I don't want to be protected.
I want to be included.
You have always been my sister.
And you always will be.
You've changed.
So have you.
We had to.
But I still believe
in the Republic,
and I always will.
Have you told him yet?
Drusus.
He's too young.
What about Tiberius?
What about him?
He has no ambition,
and nobody likes him.
He's the last person
who will ever succeed Gaius.
I won't protect you again.
All right, then.
What?
Come here.
I need you to give me a child.
I want you to make me pregnant.
I can't bear him near me.
You can't imagine how it is
being bulled like a heifer
in the farmyard,
everyone standing around
grinning and
If I can just get pregnant,
he'll leave me alone.
At least for a year.
And so will everyone else.
No one would know it was yours.
And just think.
my father and yours
would be sharing a grandchild.
Yes, they'd both hate that.
Not the traditional form
of revenge, perhaps.
But it is better than nothing.
Same again, tonight?
-Yeah.
-Hey.
Where have you been?
Fucking in the woods,
of course.
I only asked.
Come on.
Dinner's nearly ready.
I'm starving.
How are you?
She wants you to meet
the Spaniard. Tonight.
It's a mistake to involve him.
-He's weak.
-Whatever she thinks,
someone will have
to go down for it.
-We're citizens now.
-And it can't be us.
We're married. Hmm?
And you're pregnant.
Nobody comes for my boys.
Tiberius and Drusus
are not your boys.
-They're hers.
-She freed us both.
She needs us.
I don't like it either.
Make the meeting.
Julia!
Where have you been?
We waited for you
Make sure there's
plenty of food for Livia.
And meet me straight after
you finish serving dinner
where we agreed.
Iullus.
It must seem like you've been
forgotten sometimes.
The other boys
getting pushed ahead.
But your father,
your mother, and your brother
died fighting Gaius.
If it wasn't
for Octavia's kindness,
you'd be dead as well.
So you might have
to be patient.
I'll bear that in mind.
[scoffs]
Honestly, Marcellus,
could you please try to be
polite to your wife for once?
Would my father
ever let me divorce?
No.
But nothing lasts forever.
Easy for you to say.
But my first marriage
was a kind of death.
Did you have to steal my father
for your next one?
No, I didn't.
But it hasn't been easy
for any of us.
We are all children of war.
My brother
was begging for mercy
when they cut him to pieces.
Hey, you.
Wine, please.
-Fuck!
-Sorry, Dominus. I tripped.
-You fucking idiot!
-All right.
Aprio, go.
It was an accident. Okay?
Let's get you changed.
[indistinct conversations]
Not to worry.
Marcellus's wife
gets a bit jealous.
[Aprio] I'm sorry.
[Marcellus] It's fine.
Antigone!
They can't meet!
-Where is he?
-What?
Did you speak
to the Spaniard?
Not yet. He's late. Why?
Well, he's always late.
Let's go.
Are you all right?
He's intimate with Marcellus.
-Wait. What?
-The Spaniard.
That's why he hates Iullus
and Julia.
-Are you sure?
-I saw them.
He's never going to do it.
Look, I'm sorry.
I I didn't know.
-Well, it's too late for that.
-It's all right.
It's a defeat.
But it's not a crisis.
What do we do
about Marcellus now? Huh?
Feels like a crisis to me.
So, Mother
what are we dealing with?
Tycho?
Tycho?
[laughing]
[moaning]
[Branch snaps]
What?
Nothing.
Nothing.
[moaning]
A special messenger from Rome.
From Tiberius.
Lady, I feel really bad
They know.
About Aprio.
Octavia found his money.
-She'll be here tomorrow.
-He'll tell them everything.
All right.
This is a crisis.
[moaning]
Dominus?
There is something
you should know.
About your wife.
And Iullus.
We need to get
the Spaniard away. Now.
Livia.
We were wrong.
It's not a crisis.
It's a chance.
Get the cooks to make
something spicy tonight.
Something Marcellus likes.
What if Octavia
gets here first?
Tiberius says tomorrow.
I know.
But we're too close.
We have to roll the dice.
Bring me the Spaniard.
Hey.
I just went to town.
That idiot Quintus
is here with his sister.
Last night.
Yes?
I understand you fucked my wife
in the woods.
Uh
I'm sorry.
I did.
I didn't think you loved her!
I don't.
There's been a change of plan.
Show your respect.
Domina.
You know who I am, Aprio?
Of course, Domina.
Then listen to me.
I'm going to save your life.
I'm also going to set you free
and make you rich.
Tonight, Tycho will go with you
to a ship near the port.
It will take you
wherever you want to go.
There is gold for you
on the ship.
And a diploma which makes you
a free citizen of Rome.
In return, at dinner tonight,
you will mix the powder
in this flask
into Marcellus's food,
just before you serve him.
What is it?
It doesn't matter what it is.
Because the Lady Octavia
has found the place
where you keep your money.
She'll be here tomorrow
with men to arrest you.
You'll be tortured
until you tell them
who gave you that money
and why.
And then, if you're still alive,
you'll be sold.
Do this for me.
And I will protect you.
I am Livia Drusilla
of the Claudii
and we always keep our word.
I can't do it.
Well, your life here is over.
All you can do now
is choose your future.
Torture and death
or wealth and freedom.
I love him.
I know.
Take it.
Just do what she asks.
Everything will be all right.
You seem so much happier today.
Yes.
It's the sea air.
Yes.
-You're lying to my face.
-[chuckles]
Yes, perhaps.
[Marcellus] Julia!
Julia.
Been to town?
Oh, you remembered
what we told you
and then noticed the shopping.
Wow.
What's the matter with you?
Well, I've just found out what
you've been doing with Iullus.
And the minute
we get back to Rome,
I'm going to tell
my mother and your father.
I can't wait to see
what they'll say.
-I'll deny it.
-You were seen
fucking the son
of Marcus Antonius.
He'll deny it.
He'll drop on his sword
if he gets the chance.
In fact,
why wait till I'm home?
I'll write them a note,
tonight.
[sobbing quietly]
Get this ring off.
My hand's swelling.
What's the matter with you?
Nothing.
I'll eat in here tonight.
I'm sorry.
Get off me!
Get out!
Marcellus.
What's the matter with you?
Dinner is served.
Marcellus will be eating
in his room tonight.
Alone.
Tycho.
Be careful.
I love you.
Where's Iullus?
I haven't seen him anywhere.
I don't know.
Oh, he's right there.
What happened to your face?
He knows.
I know. He's going to tell
my father.
No. No, I'll talk to him.
He won't go through with it.
What if he does?
Then I'll have to take
my own life.
If you were a man,
you'd take his.
[Antonia] Hello, Iullus.
Oh, what happened to your face?
I struck myself repeatedly
with my own fist.
I should've thought
that was obvious.
Put it here.
I'm starving.
I'm sorry.
So am I.
Ugh. Stewed brains and bacon,
in this heat?
Yeah
No, thank you very much.
Oh, never mind.
Marcellus will eat ours for us.
And everyone else's.
It gives me wind for days
when I eat that sort of thing.
No one wants to hear that,
Marcella.
[Conversation
becomes indistinct]
I did it.
You sure?
-I did it.
-You're a good kid.
Come on or we'll miss
the tide.
Antigone!
Oh, quick!
Marcellus is sick.
Everyone's sick.
What?
And Iullus and Julia.
They're really bad.
-You sent for me, Father?
-Indeed, I did, Livia Drusilla.
[Groans]
Another one
of my "serious" talks.
It says here you betrayed your
husband with Sextus Pompeius.
Yes.
Repeatedly.
Including once on a beach.
More than once.
And then you betrayed him,
again,
with Gaius Julius Caesar
in a residence in Rome.
And have you restored power
to the Senate yet?
Oh, I forgot.
I'm doing it next week.
I'm trying, Father.
Are you?
Are you really?
Or have you secretly
fallen in love with your power?
-I feel such a weight.
-[Antigone] Livia!
You have to vomit.
Not now!
Drink of the sea.
It'll make you sick.
[echoing]
Livia!
-Antigone!
-You must vomit.
My brother,
he's really, really bad.
-Please help him. Please!
-I'll be right there!
[coughing, retching]
Oh, he's so hot.
He has to drink.
Make him drink.
Marcellus.
Drink this.
Drink.
Try again.
It's all right.
We're here.
You'll soon feel better.
-What's happening to me?
-Drink this now.
[retching]
Good. Again.
-Where's Iullus?
-Drink.
[chuckles]
I need to give you something.
-What is it?
-Your freedom.
It's so beautiful.
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Hey.
Hey, easy now.
Forgive me.
Marcellus?
-Marcella!
-[Antonia] Mummy!
-He's been poisoned.
-What?
What?
Marcellus.
Marcellus, I'm here.
-Mother.
-I'm here.
Marcellus.
Mar No.
Marcellus.
[sobbing] Marcellus.
No, no, no, no.
No.
No, no, not my son.
[grunting]
[Animal howling]
Livia.
So, the Spaniard
fucked us over, then?
[Woman crying]
Octavia's here.
Right.
He was writing a letter.
"Dearest Mother"
That's as far as he got.
"From Livia Drusilla
to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa"
Whoo!
Whoo!
[laughing]
[Livia] "Marcellus has died
suddenly in Baiae."
Whoo-hoo!
Whoo!
"Poisoned by his own slave."
[laughing]
Yes!
"Gaius has ordered him
to be found and executed.
"Obviously, the family wants
to avoid this becoming public.
"So, history will say
Marcus Claudius Marcellus
"died suddenly in Baiae
of a fever.
"Octavia's destroyed.
Everyone bleeds for her."
We'll find the slave.
We'll send messengers
to every province.
From Gaul to Syria.
We'll never stop looking.
The villa.
Burn it down.
-It's our family's.
-To the ground.
[Livia] "Gaius gave such
a moving oration at the funeral.
"All of Rome is in mourning.
"His ashes have gone in
the new mausoleum on the river.
"Who'd have thought he would be
the first of the family.
"Gaius will summon you
back to Rome.
Be ready."
Julia will marry Agrippa now,
of course.
And Marcella will need
a new husband.
The line forms down the street.
I'm giving you and Tycho
my apartment building
on the Caelian Hill.
And my estate at Nepi.
It's Tiberius you should thank.
The boy's as smart as you.
I know.
Then show it.
♪♪