Domina (2021) s01e08 Episode Script
Happiness
I'm going to save your life.
In return, at dinner tonight,
you will mix the powder
in this flask
into Marcellus's food.
Marcellus. No. No. No.
-I'm pregnant again.
-Oh! [laughing]
The day we got back, my husband
was charged with treason
against the Senate
and people of Rome.
Treason? Primus?
I've asked Marcus Messalla
Corvinus to defend me in court.
Your exact words were,
"Forget the treaty
and the Senate."
One of them's guilty,
and it can't be him!
I gave my word to Primus. Exile
and the money you promised.
We would try
to pardon him quietly,
when the dust settles.
He always goes to the baths
with Agrippa.
We'll do it there.
So, Gaius, you are going
to die at the baths tomorrow,
in the ninth hour.
Let me do it.
[groans]
[wind whistling]
[Octavia]
Great and beautiful Nemesis,
proud goddess of Vengeance,
this is Octavia,
daughter of Atia Balba Caesonia.
Why don't you hear my prayers?
My son has been dead a year.
How much longer must I wait?
My heart is cold and broken.
Give me my son's murderer,
the vile slave Aprio.
I will sacrifice
my entire herd of cattle
in my estate at Milonia.
I beg you.
Give me vengeance.
I beg you.
Give me vengeance.
I am Caesar Augustus!
And I will give anyone,
citizen or slave,
100,000 in gold
for the head of the traitor,
Marcus Messalla Corvinus.
[Woman screaming]
We're looking for your master.
-Dominus.
-Ugh uh!
One of you must know something.
Where your master went.
Where he's hoping to go.
Anything?
Anything at all?
Thank you.
[Livia] Listen, Piso,
Gaius and I are leaving Rome.
Sicily, Greece, Asia, Syria.
-We'll be gone for years.
-[Piso] Well, that explains
the elimination
of all dissent here first.
[Livia] To do what has to be
done, we need Gaius alive.
He has to survive.
[Piso] And so do you,
of course.
The end justifies it all.
I've betrayed
all my principles,
one after the other,
because I believe your plan
to restore the Republic
is the only chance we have left.
But it relies
on a lot of things.
Most important is Drusus.
A young man of 16 who has
no idea what you expect of him.
There's a hitch.
What hitch?
Oh, huh.
Drusus isn't up to it.
He lacks judgment.
Intellect politically.
Oh, what? So, that's it?
It's all off?
No. It
It just needs someone else.
It needs Tiberius.
[Piso laughing]
Ti
Tiberius?
Seriously?
Have you met him?
He loathes Rome,
hates its politics.
All he wants out of life
is a library in the hills.
It does not matter
what he wants.
He'll be persuaded.
You can't be persuaded
to do something like this.
You have to want it.
You have to die for it.
No, no, no, you have to face it,
Livia. It's over.
Nothing is over! They're young.
There's still time.
No, there isn't. This is what
I've been trying to tell you.
You'll be gone for years.
You might never come back.
And if you do,
I might not be here.
We need to know.
They need to know.
They're not ready.
Not yet.
I need to know.
When you get to my age,
you never know
what's round the corner.
Oh!
It's him.
♪♪
[Horse neighing]
Where are you two going?
We weren't expecting you
back yet, Mother.
I hate it
when you call me "Mother."
What would you like us
to call you, Mother?
I'm going to the mausoleum
tomorrow with Piso.
At the third hour,
I need you to come.
Sorry.
As fun as that sounds,
we're on the hunt
for Corvinus again, first thing.
Not anymore.
I suppose we're in
for one of our serious talks.
Probably.
I won't be going.
-Yes, you will.
-No, I won't.
I'm not going on my own.
Yes, you are.
No, I'm most certainly not.
Domini, forgive me.
The house of Octavia?
Straight down there.
You're not
-What?
-Ready.
You've barely spoken to me
since I said I wanted to leave.
We have a huge estate
outside Rome.
I just want a chance to work it.
Our own land.
Our own thing.
-For our child.
-I said I'd go, didn't I?
They're going away for years.
We wouldn't have gone
with them anyway, would we?
Anyway, you've been free
since you were 15.
but it doesn't mean anything.
To you or Livia.
You still follow her
everywhere.
Even when she's killing people.
She's your whole life.
Because you're too scared
to have one of your own.
I meant no disrespect.
I was going to tell you.
May I ask
one more thing of you?
I'm going to the mausoleum
tomorrow.
-Of course.
-With the boys.
[laughing,
indistinct chattering]
[Agrippa] He wouldn't be
the first either.
[Gaius] He certainly
won't be the last!
[Scribonia]
It's driving me nuts!
[laughing]
So the elephant says
to the naked man,
"How do you breathe
through that?"
[laughing]
-See, Gaius?
-Livia!
We were about to send out
a search party.
Um, here, take this one.
Nope? Oh. [laughs]
Did you find Corvinus yet?
[Agrippa]
It's only a matter of time.
Are all these executions
really necessary, Gaius?
They all had
fair trials, Mother.
How many of them were there?
You should get married again.
-What?
-Set an example.
-You set one!
-You're out of mourning.
When I'm out of mourning, Gaius,
I'll let you know.
Telling me what to do
while you let this man Primus
blame my poor dead son
for his treachery.
You should be avenging
the family's honor,
not letting him crawl off
into exile.
The one man
that you should be killing.
Shame on you, Gaius Julius.
I hope his ship
goes down in a storm.
[Slave] Excuse me, Domina.
What?
Where is Primus?
Down at the port.
Waiting for a payoff
and a ship to Athens.
Everything all right, Mother?
We also promised him a pardon.
That was more an aspiration
than a promise.
I hope I wasn't interrupting
your cozy dinner with Scribonia.
-She came with Octavia.
-What?
Lying next to you like
you're married or something.
-She saved our lives.
-She betrayed her lover.
-I call that loyalty.
-Oh, fuck your loyalty!
You're cutting Primus loose.
His wife was sleeping
with Crassus.
So, he's a fool,
not a traitor.
Equally dangerous.
He lied for us in court.
He blamed Marcellus.
Who else could he blame?
Well, it's killing my sister!
Look
Primus is getting away
with his honor,
his life and a lot of my money.
So, the pardon
The pardon can wait a bit.
All right.
We can do it now.
Hmm.
Abraxas?
Lady.
[gasping]
[sobbing quietly]
[heavy breathing]
[moans]
-[Livia chuckling]
-You were jealous.
Of what exactly?
Antigone's leaving us.
She'll never leave you.
They found him.
Aprio.
Somebody buried his body
in the woods.
At Baiae.
Near the villa and the port.
-Are you sure?
-Yes.
He had the ring
I gave Marcellus.
Buried?
All this time I've been looking
all around the world,
and there he was all along.
Right here.
How was he buried?
Somebody killed him.
First, clearly.
Yes.
They found this with the body.
It's a diploma of freedom,
in his name,
from his master,
Titus Marcius Memor.
It's a forgery, of course -
perfectly executed -
as Marcellus was his owner.
So, we know
that after he killed my son,
he was silenced.
Which begs the question
by whom?
I wish to be alone.
Octavia. Octavia, there's
something I kept from you.
I kept it from everyone
about Marcellus.
When everyone thought
Gaius would die that time
Yes.
Marcellus expected
to be nominated his successor.
He had friends
who expected that, too.
Powerful friends.
If Gaius died,
Marcellus was going to execute
both of Livia's sons.
She and Antigone
were to be exiled
for the rest of their lives.
-No, that's not possible.
-He told me himself.
-It's a lie!
-It is not!
It was all planned.
He had his reasons,
and so did his friends.
Livia.
Livia told me
She told me
that I don't know him.
You're missing the point.
If I knew
who else did?
What if Livia knew?
What would any mother do
to protect her children?
And Antigone is an expert
in medicines.
Scribonia?
What do I do?
What do I do?
The Port at Ostia.
We'll catch the wagons
up on the way.
Yes, Lord.
You sure about this?
Gave him my word.
I'm sorry you found out
like that.
Well, in the end
you are free.
Am I?
We all live in a messy tangle
of feelings and obligation
and the history, you know,
you have with people.
I'm not sure
I know what freedom is.
Here.
They're all waiting inside.
You're against this?
I'm scared.
Me too.
You're scared they won't do it.
I'm scared they will.
Father
we give you this wine
from Antigone's estate at Nepi.
Twenty years ago,
after the battle of Philippi
I brought your grandfather's
body back from Greece.
Your mother swore
a sacred oath to his spirit
to restore the Republic
he died for.
She married her enemy
and turned him from a gangster
into a tyrant.
So that Drusus could inherit.
Inherit what?
Stepfather's power.
And give it back to the Senate.
What?
You knew about this?
No.
Once you understand the premise,
it's a simple deduction.
Does Stepfather know
why you married him?
That's not how it was.
At first it was survival.
Then came love.
But after that,
I began to see
the possibilities.
-Yes. Yes, I bet you did.
-Tiberius.
With their blood
and their sacrifice,
your ancestors
built the Republic of Rome.
Then your father
betrayed it all.
For the honor of our family,
it falls to you to make amends.
You know, most of my friends
gave their lives for this!
Show some fucking respect!
What would we have to do?
Exactly.
You just go on
as you would do anyway,
in the army and the Senate,
loyally serving Rome
and your stepfather,
but when the time comes,
be ready.
The rest you can leave to me.
You make it sounds so simple.
Your brother can't do it alone.
He needs your cunning,
your brilliance.
Without that, without you,
he will never succeed.
He will never survive.
I'll do it. I will.
I won't!
This will get him killed.
Just like everyone else who
ever crossed Caesar Augustus,
son of the divine Julius.
I won't do it.
Not for you
and never
for some political idea.
Then do it for Drusus.
He's a fool.
The Republic is dead.
So is your father.
And so, to me
are you.
Wait.
Where are you going?
-She didn't mean it.
-Yes, she did.
No, she didn't.
Stop.
Tiberius.
Forget it!
Let him run.
I know where he's going.
I want Tiberius gone today.
It was your vow.
Not his.
Please ask Tycho
to make the arrangements.
So
What's going on?
The four of you were in Baiae
when Marcellus died.
Why are you
dragging this up now?
New information
has come to light.
We now know that the slave Aprio
was murdered in Baiae.
They found his body buried
in the forest near the villa.
We're now forced to consider
whether Livia
may in fact be responsible.
[Antonia] Livia?
[laughs] That's
the maddest thing I ever heard.
Why on earth
would Livia be responsible?
It pains me deeply
to have to say this
but Marcellus was
Marcellus was planning
on killing Tiberius and Drusus
when he succeeded my brother.
But Aprio poisoned Livia
as well.
And me and Julia.
Yes, but you didn't die though,
did you?
-Only Marcellus died.
-This is stupid. It was Aprio!
Yes. Marcellus attacked him.
I saw it. Just before dinner.
Aprio was furious.
That explanation
no longer answers.
The slave did not work alone.
He was paid a lot of money.
Clearly by Livia.
I mean, what was Livia doing
there in the first place? Hmm?
She hates the seaside.
And where did the slave
get the poison anyway?
Antigone gave Marcellus
something to drink
before he died.
She gave us all
something to drink.
It was seawater
so we'd throw up.
Yes, but Marcellus
didn't throw up. He just died.
And Antigone hated Marcellus.
Everyone knows that.
And she knows
about poisons and things.
Everyone knows that, too.
She couldn't have killed Aprio,
and neither could Livia.
No.
No, then that had
to have been Tycho.
He left the villa
just before the dinner.
Where did he go?
Hmm?
Did anyone see him again
that night?
N What What's the point
of all this?
We have to destroy her
as she's destroyed my son.
-Gaius needs to know.
-Mother, please!
Livia mustn't know anything
about this.
No warning.
She mustn't be given any time
to prepare her lies.
Is that completely understood?
Do you understand?
We will go and see my brother
immediately.
Well, that's the end of our
sister's betrothal to Drusus.
I just don't believe it.
And Tiberius,
he won't get anyone.
So, what do you think?
Is it possible
she killed Marcellus?
If she did,
she saved my life.
I'm glad he's dead.
Always was
and always will be.
And his uppity fucking slave.
We should do something.
What?
I miss you.
Even though I see you every day,
I miss you so much.
Sometimes you have to fight
for what you want, Iullus.
Sometimes you have to take it.
Maybe it's time to pick a side.
I hate gulls.
They eat everything.
So do you.
Primus!
Welcome to Ostia.
We brought you a present.
This is an unexpected honor.
We had to come down anyway.
We're thinking
of extending the port.
-It needs more whorehouses.
-He means warehouses.
I'm very grateful.
We don't forget our friends.
Otherwise our friends
will forget us.
I've found a ship for Athens,
sailing tomorrow.
Well, if you have to do
a bit of exile,
you could do a lot worse.
The wine's not bad
and living with Greeks -
-the women are grateful.
-[laughing]
It feels good to be
on the same side again.
We were always on the same side.
[chuckling]
Um, you know I knew nothing
about any of that.
-Corvinus and Crassus, I
-Of course.
Obviously,
I'm divorcing Porcia.
Well, you should get Livia
to find you a new one
while you're away.
She enjoys that sort of thing.
Yeah, I'll write to her.
Thank you.
Good.
[groans]
Well, you took your time.
I promised Octavia.
You promised Livia, too.
Put him on a ship
to Athens anyway.
They can lose him at sea.
Get this cart back to Rome.
Oh, Varica's.
-He'll be there.
-I'll leave you to it.
Varica!
Nero Drusus.
An honor to have you here again.
Wine for our guest.
-I'm looking for my brother.
-He's through here.
We have some brand-new Germans
by the way.
I can always send them in later
if you if you wish.
We should talk about this.
I mean, do you think
it can be done?
In theory?
Tiberius.
I mean, it'd be incredible,
you know?
To make history like that -
the two of us.
Restore the family honor.
Avenge Grandfather,
the Republic.
I'm not scared.
She's right about one thing,
though.
I can't do it without you.
She killed Marcellus.
Mother.
-That much is obvious now.
-What?
And that means
she killed Father, too.
We don't know that.
I've always known that.
Because that's what happens
when people get involved
with Mother.
They die.
She's a monster.
So is Gaius.
That's how it works.
That's how they work.
Through him she has power.
And when he dies,
it will be through us.
It never ends.
I'm not scared of dying,
Tiberius.
I'm scared of not living.
But then
I'm just a fool.
Aunt Livia, forgive me.
Tycho told me
that you were here.
It's important.
I have something to trade.
Some news.
But I do want something
in return.
A marriage to Julia
would be very good for me.
Politically.
She's marrying Agrippa.
Of course.
But he won't live forever.
And when she does
become available,
I want you to fix it.
For me.
And not, for example,
Tiberius or anyone else.
And don't tell me you can't.
I won't.
Anything else?
Yes.
I want preferment,
like Tiberius and Drusus.
I'm the son of Marcus Antonius,
and I am sick
of being pushed aside.
You should be happy
you are not dead.
Do we have a deal,
Aunt Livia?
You want a lot.
I bring a lot.
[indistinct shouting]
Easy, there!
Slow down! Slow down!
Whoa!
[indistinct whispering]
They found Corvinus.
He's in the Tullianum.
May I join you?
What's your name?
Valeria.
We are trapped.
You and I.
Both of us.
In a room
where no light ever comes.
Feeling for a doorway
out of the dark.
There is no doorway.
Just walls and darkness.
And all we're looking for -
any of us -
is a little
happiness.
Mother.
Anyone you want.
Corvinus.
Gaius sends his regards.
He couldn't be bothered
to come.
I'm a Roman citizen
and a senator,
and I have the right
to a public trial.
That's more
than we were going to get.
You're a pair of tyrants.
What did you expect?
I still have the right
to a trial.
I know,
and you'll get one.
But you don't need to be there.
Wait!
I'll tell you
who killed Marcellus.
[laughs]
I know who killed Marcellus.
Everyone knows
who killed fucking Marcellus!
I don't want the body found
or recognized.
[groans]
[gasping for air]
You wanted to see us?
[Livia] So, Tycho,
what happened to Aprio
again?
Aprio?
The Spaniard.
I told Tycho to kill him.
And I did.
I gave him my word!
Your word would have got us
all killed.
That was not your decision
to make.
We couldn't leave
the Spaniard alive,
and deep down, you know it.
He had to be silenced.
But he wasn't silenced.
-I buried him in the forest.
-Well, not deep enough.
They found him.
They know.
They know everything.
What we did,
how we did it, and why.
I'm sorry.
Octavia's at the house
with her daughters,
waiting for Gaius.
And so now,
we fight for our lives.
All of us.
We can run.
Now. You and me.
We'd be at the coast by the
Kalends. We could disappear.
Forever.
You'd be admitting your guilt.
They would never stop looking.
-We'd lose everything.
-Except our lives.
And our child's.
If we stay,
we could lose that, too.
Would you come with us?
No.
I am the daughter
of Marcus Livius Drusus.
I don't break my word,
and I don't run.
But you must choose
for yourselves.
Because that is what it means.
Freedom.
I thank you for your service
and for your friendship.
I will never forget you.
[sobbing]
Where would we go?
Egypt?
I must still have family there.
It
It's some kind of home.
Not for me.
I was born in Rome.
My mother was born in Rome
and hers before her.
I am a citizen.
This is my home.
And she is my sister.
I choose to stay.
[sighs]
Let's go.
Are you sure?
We are.
It's a terrible thing
that Livia did to Marcellus.
That Marcellus did to her.
And that I am doing now.
Husbands and wives.
Mothers and
children.
Poison and blood.
There's no end to it.
There's no end to it ever.
Marcellus deserves vengeance.
So do we.
They're here.
Gaius, I have something terrible
to tell you.
It's about Livia and Marcellus.
And Antigone and Tycho.
They killed my son.
Piso's here.
I'm sorry
for what I said earlier.
You know, I'll never
let anything happen to you.
Fuck!
Tiberius.
She's dead.
Tiberius. The girl!
[Piso] I don't know
why you come here.
-What did you do?
-[Piso] What happened?
What did you do, Tiberius?
I was just talking to Mother.
Varica's a piece of work.
You two should leave!
Come.
Get him home, now.
I'll deal with Varica.
Go on.
If there's a plan,
now's the time.
Fuck her!
Oh, everyone's here.
I hope you left me something,
I'm starving.
[fingers snap]
We were all wondering
if you poisoned Marcellus.
-I'm sorry. What?
-My son.
Did you kill him?
Your son?
Why would I do that?
Did you know
Marcellus was planning
to kill Drusus and Tiberius?
-What?
-Did you know?
I did not!
And I don't believe it.
He told me himself.
-Well, he didn't tell me.
-You knew.
You knew.
You were paying the German slave
in Scribonia's house
just as you were
paying Aprio in mine.
The slave has admitted
to everything.
She overheard Marcellus, and
then she reported to Antigone.
-It's a lie.
-You be quiet, freedwoman!
You have no right
to speak here!
What is this?
The slave, Aprio,
was found dead in Baiae.
His body was buried.
Hidden.
Do you think I killed him?
Of course not.
You had Tycho do it.
And Antigone
gave Marcellus the poison.
We don't know what it was.
Right, maybe I paid the slave
to poison me, too.
And everyone else.
Means, motive,
and opportunity, Livia.
You had all three.
If you think I did it,
stand up and say so!
[Marcella] Somebody has to
stand up for him! He's dead!
My brother's dead!
They should be tortured.
We are not slaves.
Well, they were slaves.
What's the difference?
The difference is
they're not fucking slaves!
And nobody's torturing them.
Gaius, I need to know.
-[Marcella] Well, she has to
-Torture me!
[overlapping speech]
[screams] Stop!
Stop.
Stop it. All of you.
Your German slave,
your witness.
Bring her here.
Let her settle this.
Let her speak.
I sold her.
Can she be found?
Yes, of course
she can be found.
Then do it.
Agrippa, make sure
the slave is found.
Bring her back.
-Gaius.
-Marcellus is avenged.
The slave is dead.
Let me take you home.
-Sister, let me take you
-Who killed the slave?
-Come.
-I can go on my own!
[coughs]
This is far from over,
Octavia.
Anything but.
What do you think?
I think we've picked a side.
Now she owes us.
[door opens]
So?
He knows.
But he's keeping it
to himself.
Why?
Agrippa told us.
Did you do it?
Marcellus?
He was going to kill you both,
Little Bears.
And Father?
No.
My love.
That was me.
Your mother
knew nothing about it.
It was years before I told her.
Why?
Because he deserved it.
-I'll do it.
-[gasps]
I'll help him.
Drusus.
I'll do it
Mother.
[Gaius]
I want you to make sure
that Scribonia
never finds that slave.
Not that Livia would leave
another loose end.
It was Marcellus
who drew the sword first.
He wasn't ready.
Not for Livia.
Not even close.
There's no proof.
What will you do?
I don't know.
I won't speak of this again
to anyone else, ever.
Neither will you.
You can go.
Thank you.
[Gaius] I love you,
Livia Drusilla.
I love you, too.
♪♪
In return, at dinner tonight,
you will mix the powder
in this flask
into Marcellus's food.
Marcellus. No. No. No.
-I'm pregnant again.
-Oh! [laughing]
The day we got back, my husband
was charged with treason
against the Senate
and people of Rome.
Treason? Primus?
I've asked Marcus Messalla
Corvinus to defend me in court.
Your exact words were,
"Forget the treaty
and the Senate."
One of them's guilty,
and it can't be him!
I gave my word to Primus. Exile
and the money you promised.
We would try
to pardon him quietly,
when the dust settles.
He always goes to the baths
with Agrippa.
We'll do it there.
So, Gaius, you are going
to die at the baths tomorrow,
in the ninth hour.
Let me do it.
[groans]
[wind whistling]
[Octavia]
Great and beautiful Nemesis,
proud goddess of Vengeance,
this is Octavia,
daughter of Atia Balba Caesonia.
Why don't you hear my prayers?
My son has been dead a year.
How much longer must I wait?
My heart is cold and broken.
Give me my son's murderer,
the vile slave Aprio.
I will sacrifice
my entire herd of cattle
in my estate at Milonia.
I beg you.
Give me vengeance.
I beg you.
Give me vengeance.
I am Caesar Augustus!
And I will give anyone,
citizen or slave,
100,000 in gold
for the head of the traitor,
Marcus Messalla Corvinus.
[Woman screaming]
We're looking for your master.
-Dominus.
-Ugh uh!
One of you must know something.
Where your master went.
Where he's hoping to go.
Anything?
Anything at all?
Thank you.
[Livia] Listen, Piso,
Gaius and I are leaving Rome.
Sicily, Greece, Asia, Syria.
-We'll be gone for years.
-[Piso] Well, that explains
the elimination
of all dissent here first.
[Livia] To do what has to be
done, we need Gaius alive.
He has to survive.
[Piso] And so do you,
of course.
The end justifies it all.
I've betrayed
all my principles,
one after the other,
because I believe your plan
to restore the Republic
is the only chance we have left.
But it relies
on a lot of things.
Most important is Drusus.
A young man of 16 who has
no idea what you expect of him.
There's a hitch.
What hitch?
Oh, huh.
Drusus isn't up to it.
He lacks judgment.
Intellect politically.
Oh, what? So, that's it?
It's all off?
No. It
It just needs someone else.
It needs Tiberius.
[Piso laughing]
Ti
Tiberius?
Seriously?
Have you met him?
He loathes Rome,
hates its politics.
All he wants out of life
is a library in the hills.
It does not matter
what he wants.
He'll be persuaded.
You can't be persuaded
to do something like this.
You have to want it.
You have to die for it.
No, no, no, you have to face it,
Livia. It's over.
Nothing is over! They're young.
There's still time.
No, there isn't. This is what
I've been trying to tell you.
You'll be gone for years.
You might never come back.
And if you do,
I might not be here.
We need to know.
They need to know.
They're not ready.
Not yet.
I need to know.
When you get to my age,
you never know
what's round the corner.
Oh!
It's him.
♪♪
[Horse neighing]
Where are you two going?
We weren't expecting you
back yet, Mother.
I hate it
when you call me "Mother."
What would you like us
to call you, Mother?
I'm going to the mausoleum
tomorrow with Piso.
At the third hour,
I need you to come.
Sorry.
As fun as that sounds,
we're on the hunt
for Corvinus again, first thing.
Not anymore.
I suppose we're in
for one of our serious talks.
Probably.
I won't be going.
-Yes, you will.
-No, I won't.
I'm not going on my own.
Yes, you are.
No, I'm most certainly not.
Domini, forgive me.
The house of Octavia?
Straight down there.
You're not
-What?
-Ready.
You've barely spoken to me
since I said I wanted to leave.
We have a huge estate
outside Rome.
I just want a chance to work it.
Our own land.
Our own thing.
-For our child.
-I said I'd go, didn't I?
They're going away for years.
We wouldn't have gone
with them anyway, would we?
Anyway, you've been free
since you were 15.
but it doesn't mean anything.
To you or Livia.
You still follow her
everywhere.
Even when she's killing people.
She's your whole life.
Because you're too scared
to have one of your own.
I meant no disrespect.
I was going to tell you.
May I ask
one more thing of you?
I'm going to the mausoleum
tomorrow.
-Of course.
-With the boys.
[laughing,
indistinct chattering]
[Agrippa] He wouldn't be
the first either.
[Gaius] He certainly
won't be the last!
[Scribonia]
It's driving me nuts!
[laughing]
So the elephant says
to the naked man,
"How do you breathe
through that?"
[laughing]
-See, Gaius?
-Livia!
We were about to send out
a search party.
Um, here, take this one.
Nope? Oh. [laughs]
Did you find Corvinus yet?
[Agrippa]
It's only a matter of time.
Are all these executions
really necessary, Gaius?
They all had
fair trials, Mother.
How many of them were there?
You should get married again.
-What?
-Set an example.
-You set one!
-You're out of mourning.
When I'm out of mourning, Gaius,
I'll let you know.
Telling me what to do
while you let this man Primus
blame my poor dead son
for his treachery.
You should be avenging
the family's honor,
not letting him crawl off
into exile.
The one man
that you should be killing.
Shame on you, Gaius Julius.
I hope his ship
goes down in a storm.
[Slave] Excuse me, Domina.
What?
Where is Primus?
Down at the port.
Waiting for a payoff
and a ship to Athens.
Everything all right, Mother?
We also promised him a pardon.
That was more an aspiration
than a promise.
I hope I wasn't interrupting
your cozy dinner with Scribonia.
-She came with Octavia.
-What?
Lying next to you like
you're married or something.
-She saved our lives.
-She betrayed her lover.
-I call that loyalty.
-Oh, fuck your loyalty!
You're cutting Primus loose.
His wife was sleeping
with Crassus.
So, he's a fool,
not a traitor.
Equally dangerous.
He lied for us in court.
He blamed Marcellus.
Who else could he blame?
Well, it's killing my sister!
Look
Primus is getting away
with his honor,
his life and a lot of my money.
So, the pardon
The pardon can wait a bit.
All right.
We can do it now.
Hmm.
Abraxas?
Lady.
[gasping]
[sobbing quietly]
[heavy breathing]
[moans]
-[Livia chuckling]
-You were jealous.
Of what exactly?
Antigone's leaving us.
She'll never leave you.
They found him.
Aprio.
Somebody buried his body
in the woods.
At Baiae.
Near the villa and the port.
-Are you sure?
-Yes.
He had the ring
I gave Marcellus.
Buried?
All this time I've been looking
all around the world,
and there he was all along.
Right here.
How was he buried?
Somebody killed him.
First, clearly.
Yes.
They found this with the body.
It's a diploma of freedom,
in his name,
from his master,
Titus Marcius Memor.
It's a forgery, of course -
perfectly executed -
as Marcellus was his owner.
So, we know
that after he killed my son,
he was silenced.
Which begs the question
by whom?
I wish to be alone.
Octavia. Octavia, there's
something I kept from you.
I kept it from everyone
about Marcellus.
When everyone thought
Gaius would die that time
Yes.
Marcellus expected
to be nominated his successor.
He had friends
who expected that, too.
Powerful friends.
If Gaius died,
Marcellus was going to execute
both of Livia's sons.
She and Antigone
were to be exiled
for the rest of their lives.
-No, that's not possible.
-He told me himself.
-It's a lie!
-It is not!
It was all planned.
He had his reasons,
and so did his friends.
Livia.
Livia told me
She told me
that I don't know him.
You're missing the point.
If I knew
who else did?
What if Livia knew?
What would any mother do
to protect her children?
And Antigone is an expert
in medicines.
Scribonia?
What do I do?
What do I do?
The Port at Ostia.
We'll catch the wagons
up on the way.
Yes, Lord.
You sure about this?
Gave him my word.
I'm sorry you found out
like that.
Well, in the end
you are free.
Am I?
We all live in a messy tangle
of feelings and obligation
and the history, you know,
you have with people.
I'm not sure
I know what freedom is.
Here.
They're all waiting inside.
You're against this?
I'm scared.
Me too.
You're scared they won't do it.
I'm scared they will.
Father
we give you this wine
from Antigone's estate at Nepi.
Twenty years ago,
after the battle of Philippi
I brought your grandfather's
body back from Greece.
Your mother swore
a sacred oath to his spirit
to restore the Republic
he died for.
She married her enemy
and turned him from a gangster
into a tyrant.
So that Drusus could inherit.
Inherit what?
Stepfather's power.
And give it back to the Senate.
What?
You knew about this?
No.
Once you understand the premise,
it's a simple deduction.
Does Stepfather know
why you married him?
That's not how it was.
At first it was survival.
Then came love.
But after that,
I began to see
the possibilities.
-Yes. Yes, I bet you did.
-Tiberius.
With their blood
and their sacrifice,
your ancestors
built the Republic of Rome.
Then your father
betrayed it all.
For the honor of our family,
it falls to you to make amends.
You know, most of my friends
gave their lives for this!
Show some fucking respect!
What would we have to do?
Exactly.
You just go on
as you would do anyway,
in the army and the Senate,
loyally serving Rome
and your stepfather,
but when the time comes,
be ready.
The rest you can leave to me.
You make it sounds so simple.
Your brother can't do it alone.
He needs your cunning,
your brilliance.
Without that, without you,
he will never succeed.
He will never survive.
I'll do it. I will.
I won't!
This will get him killed.
Just like everyone else who
ever crossed Caesar Augustus,
son of the divine Julius.
I won't do it.
Not for you
and never
for some political idea.
Then do it for Drusus.
He's a fool.
The Republic is dead.
So is your father.
And so, to me
are you.
Wait.
Where are you going?
-She didn't mean it.
-Yes, she did.
No, she didn't.
Stop.
Tiberius.
Forget it!
Let him run.
I know where he's going.
I want Tiberius gone today.
It was your vow.
Not his.
Please ask Tycho
to make the arrangements.
So
What's going on?
The four of you were in Baiae
when Marcellus died.
Why are you
dragging this up now?
New information
has come to light.
We now know that the slave Aprio
was murdered in Baiae.
They found his body buried
in the forest near the villa.
We're now forced to consider
whether Livia
may in fact be responsible.
[Antonia] Livia?
[laughs] That's
the maddest thing I ever heard.
Why on earth
would Livia be responsible?
It pains me deeply
to have to say this
but Marcellus was
Marcellus was planning
on killing Tiberius and Drusus
when he succeeded my brother.
But Aprio poisoned Livia
as well.
And me and Julia.
Yes, but you didn't die though,
did you?
-Only Marcellus died.
-This is stupid. It was Aprio!
Yes. Marcellus attacked him.
I saw it. Just before dinner.
Aprio was furious.
That explanation
no longer answers.
The slave did not work alone.
He was paid a lot of money.
Clearly by Livia.
I mean, what was Livia doing
there in the first place? Hmm?
She hates the seaside.
And where did the slave
get the poison anyway?
Antigone gave Marcellus
something to drink
before he died.
She gave us all
something to drink.
It was seawater
so we'd throw up.
Yes, but Marcellus
didn't throw up. He just died.
And Antigone hated Marcellus.
Everyone knows that.
And she knows
about poisons and things.
Everyone knows that, too.
She couldn't have killed Aprio,
and neither could Livia.
No.
No, then that had
to have been Tycho.
He left the villa
just before the dinner.
Where did he go?
Hmm?
Did anyone see him again
that night?
N What What's the point
of all this?
We have to destroy her
as she's destroyed my son.
-Gaius needs to know.
-Mother, please!
Livia mustn't know anything
about this.
No warning.
She mustn't be given any time
to prepare her lies.
Is that completely understood?
Do you understand?
We will go and see my brother
immediately.
Well, that's the end of our
sister's betrothal to Drusus.
I just don't believe it.
And Tiberius,
he won't get anyone.
So, what do you think?
Is it possible
she killed Marcellus?
If she did,
she saved my life.
I'm glad he's dead.
Always was
and always will be.
And his uppity fucking slave.
We should do something.
What?
I miss you.
Even though I see you every day,
I miss you so much.
Sometimes you have to fight
for what you want, Iullus.
Sometimes you have to take it.
Maybe it's time to pick a side.
I hate gulls.
They eat everything.
So do you.
Primus!
Welcome to Ostia.
We brought you a present.
This is an unexpected honor.
We had to come down anyway.
We're thinking
of extending the port.
-It needs more whorehouses.
-He means warehouses.
I'm very grateful.
We don't forget our friends.
Otherwise our friends
will forget us.
I've found a ship for Athens,
sailing tomorrow.
Well, if you have to do
a bit of exile,
you could do a lot worse.
The wine's not bad
and living with Greeks -
-the women are grateful.
-[laughing]
It feels good to be
on the same side again.
We were always on the same side.
[chuckling]
Um, you know I knew nothing
about any of that.
-Corvinus and Crassus, I
-Of course.
Obviously,
I'm divorcing Porcia.
Well, you should get Livia
to find you a new one
while you're away.
She enjoys that sort of thing.
Yeah, I'll write to her.
Thank you.
Good.
[groans]
Well, you took your time.
I promised Octavia.
You promised Livia, too.
Put him on a ship
to Athens anyway.
They can lose him at sea.
Get this cart back to Rome.
Oh, Varica's.
-He'll be there.
-I'll leave you to it.
Varica!
Nero Drusus.
An honor to have you here again.
Wine for our guest.
-I'm looking for my brother.
-He's through here.
We have some brand-new Germans
by the way.
I can always send them in later
if you if you wish.
We should talk about this.
I mean, do you think
it can be done?
In theory?
Tiberius.
I mean, it'd be incredible,
you know?
To make history like that -
the two of us.
Restore the family honor.
Avenge Grandfather,
the Republic.
I'm not scared.
She's right about one thing,
though.
I can't do it without you.
She killed Marcellus.
Mother.
-That much is obvious now.
-What?
And that means
she killed Father, too.
We don't know that.
I've always known that.
Because that's what happens
when people get involved
with Mother.
They die.
She's a monster.
So is Gaius.
That's how it works.
That's how they work.
Through him she has power.
And when he dies,
it will be through us.
It never ends.
I'm not scared of dying,
Tiberius.
I'm scared of not living.
But then
I'm just a fool.
Aunt Livia, forgive me.
Tycho told me
that you were here.
It's important.
I have something to trade.
Some news.
But I do want something
in return.
A marriage to Julia
would be very good for me.
Politically.
She's marrying Agrippa.
Of course.
But he won't live forever.
And when she does
become available,
I want you to fix it.
For me.
And not, for example,
Tiberius or anyone else.
And don't tell me you can't.
I won't.
Anything else?
Yes.
I want preferment,
like Tiberius and Drusus.
I'm the son of Marcus Antonius,
and I am sick
of being pushed aside.
You should be happy
you are not dead.
Do we have a deal,
Aunt Livia?
You want a lot.
I bring a lot.
[indistinct shouting]
Easy, there!
Slow down! Slow down!
Whoa!
[indistinct whispering]
They found Corvinus.
He's in the Tullianum.
May I join you?
What's your name?
Valeria.
We are trapped.
You and I.
Both of us.
In a room
where no light ever comes.
Feeling for a doorway
out of the dark.
There is no doorway.
Just walls and darkness.
And all we're looking for -
any of us -
is a little
happiness.
Mother.
Anyone you want.
Corvinus.
Gaius sends his regards.
He couldn't be bothered
to come.
I'm a Roman citizen
and a senator,
and I have the right
to a public trial.
That's more
than we were going to get.
You're a pair of tyrants.
What did you expect?
I still have the right
to a trial.
I know,
and you'll get one.
But you don't need to be there.
Wait!
I'll tell you
who killed Marcellus.
[laughs]
I know who killed Marcellus.
Everyone knows
who killed fucking Marcellus!
I don't want the body found
or recognized.
[groans]
[gasping for air]
You wanted to see us?
[Livia] So, Tycho,
what happened to Aprio
again?
Aprio?
The Spaniard.
I told Tycho to kill him.
And I did.
I gave him my word!
Your word would have got us
all killed.
That was not your decision
to make.
We couldn't leave
the Spaniard alive,
and deep down, you know it.
He had to be silenced.
But he wasn't silenced.
-I buried him in the forest.
-Well, not deep enough.
They found him.
They know.
They know everything.
What we did,
how we did it, and why.
I'm sorry.
Octavia's at the house
with her daughters,
waiting for Gaius.
And so now,
we fight for our lives.
All of us.
We can run.
Now. You and me.
We'd be at the coast by the
Kalends. We could disappear.
Forever.
You'd be admitting your guilt.
They would never stop looking.
-We'd lose everything.
-Except our lives.
And our child's.
If we stay,
we could lose that, too.
Would you come with us?
No.
I am the daughter
of Marcus Livius Drusus.
I don't break my word,
and I don't run.
But you must choose
for yourselves.
Because that is what it means.
Freedom.
I thank you for your service
and for your friendship.
I will never forget you.
[sobbing]
Where would we go?
Egypt?
I must still have family there.
It
It's some kind of home.
Not for me.
I was born in Rome.
My mother was born in Rome
and hers before her.
I am a citizen.
This is my home.
And she is my sister.
I choose to stay.
[sighs]
Let's go.
Are you sure?
We are.
It's a terrible thing
that Livia did to Marcellus.
That Marcellus did to her.
And that I am doing now.
Husbands and wives.
Mothers and
children.
Poison and blood.
There's no end to it.
There's no end to it ever.
Marcellus deserves vengeance.
So do we.
They're here.
Gaius, I have something terrible
to tell you.
It's about Livia and Marcellus.
And Antigone and Tycho.
They killed my son.
Piso's here.
I'm sorry
for what I said earlier.
You know, I'll never
let anything happen to you.
Fuck!
Tiberius.
She's dead.
Tiberius. The girl!
[Piso] I don't know
why you come here.
-What did you do?
-[Piso] What happened?
What did you do, Tiberius?
I was just talking to Mother.
Varica's a piece of work.
You two should leave!
Come.
Get him home, now.
I'll deal with Varica.
Go on.
If there's a plan,
now's the time.
Fuck her!
Oh, everyone's here.
I hope you left me something,
I'm starving.
[fingers snap]
We were all wondering
if you poisoned Marcellus.
-I'm sorry. What?
-My son.
Did you kill him?
Your son?
Why would I do that?
Did you know
Marcellus was planning
to kill Drusus and Tiberius?
-What?
-Did you know?
I did not!
And I don't believe it.
He told me himself.
-Well, he didn't tell me.
-You knew.
You knew.
You were paying the German slave
in Scribonia's house
just as you were
paying Aprio in mine.
The slave has admitted
to everything.
She overheard Marcellus, and
then she reported to Antigone.
-It's a lie.
-You be quiet, freedwoman!
You have no right
to speak here!
What is this?
The slave, Aprio,
was found dead in Baiae.
His body was buried.
Hidden.
Do you think I killed him?
Of course not.
You had Tycho do it.
And Antigone
gave Marcellus the poison.
We don't know what it was.
Right, maybe I paid the slave
to poison me, too.
And everyone else.
Means, motive,
and opportunity, Livia.
You had all three.
If you think I did it,
stand up and say so!
[Marcella] Somebody has to
stand up for him! He's dead!
My brother's dead!
They should be tortured.
We are not slaves.
Well, they were slaves.
What's the difference?
The difference is
they're not fucking slaves!
And nobody's torturing them.
Gaius, I need to know.
-[Marcella] Well, she has to
-Torture me!
[overlapping speech]
[screams] Stop!
Stop.
Stop it. All of you.
Your German slave,
your witness.
Bring her here.
Let her settle this.
Let her speak.
I sold her.
Can she be found?
Yes, of course
she can be found.
Then do it.
Agrippa, make sure
the slave is found.
Bring her back.
-Gaius.
-Marcellus is avenged.
The slave is dead.
Let me take you home.
-Sister, let me take you
-Who killed the slave?
-Come.
-I can go on my own!
[coughs]
This is far from over,
Octavia.
Anything but.
What do you think?
I think we've picked a side.
Now she owes us.
[door opens]
So?
He knows.
But he's keeping it
to himself.
Why?
Agrippa told us.
Did you do it?
Marcellus?
He was going to kill you both,
Little Bears.
And Father?
No.
My love.
That was me.
Your mother
knew nothing about it.
It was years before I told her.
Why?
Because he deserved it.
-I'll do it.
-[gasps]
I'll help him.
Drusus.
I'll do it
Mother.
[Gaius]
I want you to make sure
that Scribonia
never finds that slave.
Not that Livia would leave
another loose end.
It was Marcellus
who drew the sword first.
He wasn't ready.
Not for Livia.
Not even close.
There's no proof.
What will you do?
I don't know.
I won't speak of this again
to anyone else, ever.
Neither will you.
You can go.
Thank you.
[Gaius] I love you,
Livia Drusilla.
I love you, too.
♪♪