Medici: Masters of Florence (2016) s03e02 Episode Script

1 They'll take you to the convent.
Hang on in.
Open up, open up! Messer Medici.
They're ready.
You're late.
Say what you've come to say.
Your mercenary army is on its last legs.
Let's not spill more blood, Lorenzo.
Surrender Florence.
This is not your fight, Alfonso.
Go home.
I'm here by order of the King of Naples.
To serve the Pope.
I had no idea your father was so devout.
It's a waste of time.
If you want Florence, you'll have to take it.
The city's people call you Magnificent.
But you've lost them everything.
Except their freedom.
Which they seem to value most of all.
You must miss your brother.
I'll see you and your children join him.
Guiscardi, check the perimeter and see if we can attack.
We should attack again now! The troops are exhausted! I'll give no order without my father's command.
The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can return to Naples! You go ahead if you like, but without my men you'll lose.
Well? Attack and they will drive us back from the river Then nothing will stand between them and Florence.
You'll have reinforcements.
You've a few days at most.
We simply don't have enough men.
I'll address the Priori on my return to the city.
While I live Florence will not fall.
Combined forces of Naples and the Papacy are twenty miles away.
We must send half the soldiers guarding the city's walls to reinforce Guiscardi's army or it will be defeated within days.
Let us proceed.
Ardinghelli? Recruit more mercenaries to support Guiscardi.
We can't.
The city's coffers are empty.
Our men must stay on the walls for protection of the city.
You're prepared to sacrifice the blood of mercenaries for Florence's freedom, but not that of your own sons? If-if we If freedom-if freedom is so precious let us exercise it by putting this to the vote.
Yes, a vote! Or are we not really free? Yes, a vote! A vote! A vote is called.
Those in favor of reinforcing Guiscardi's line with men from the city walls.
Those in favor? Against? The motion is defeated.
Does Ardinghelli not see? If Riario wins that will be the end of the Republic.
He doesn't care who rules or how Just that his business turns a profit.
There's so little paint here.
Pigments are expensive.
We only mix what we need.
Will you show me? I want to learn to mix paints.
You're a very keen student, Giovanni.
I'm going to be an artist.
Well, there are easier things to be.
This is what I love.
Good boy.
The boys missed you.
I lost the vote to Ardinghelli.
Now my hands are tied by the Priori.
Can't the bank pay for the reinforcements? I guess we can.
But a divided Priori weakens Florence.
You asked to see me, Holy Father.
I've received a message from Riario.
Your husband wishes me to place Prince Alfonso of Naples under his command.
To force the pace of the war with Florence.
If that's what he believes is best I will not do as Riario asks.
Holy Father, I My spies report growing unrest in Florence.
Lorenzo will soon have to enforce his will upon the city.
Proving he is the tyrant that I've told the people he already is.
Go to your husband.
Explain my thinking.
He won't listen to me.
He has a sharp temper.
When you married him I feared for you.
Over time, I have come to see what I suspect your husband does not.
That your mind is as sharp as his temper.
Put it to use, Caterina.
Why not? Messer Medici, there is no money.
We're a bank.
How can there be no money? The King of England knows we are weak because of the war.
He has defaulted on his loan.
- The sum he owed is vast.
- And you didn't see fit to tell me? That decision was mine.
Sassetti, you can leave us.
But it's mine What do you think you're doing, keeping these things from me? Piero, what's going on? It's mine! - Is that true, Giulio? - Yes.
I thought to find a way to cover the shortfall.
That you'd never need to know.
Is it not enough that I must fight for the future of Florence and the Medici? But I have to do it blind-folded? Lorenzo? Let him have the toy.
Well, do as I ask.
When I retire from this job that you haven't yet given me, I'll write a book: a thousand and one stratagems for losing at chess.
You lost the vote at the Priori.
I'll have it with my queen.
Putting you in check.
There's nothing that I can do about the Priori.
Well, that's not true.
I've been studying Florentine law.
Helps me sleep.
In times of emergency, there is a precedent for instituting a temporary war council of Ten ruling in the Priori's place.
With that in place you can order as many troops from the city as you like - to support Guiscardi.
- No.
No, I cannot, will not, seize power.
Besides, the people will never accept a council of Ten.
As you keep telling me the Medici cannot rule Florence.
without the people's goodwill.
Another chapter for my book.
Then you must take power while maintaining the mirage.
There must be another way.
Here.
Thank you.
I'll give you some water.
Here.
This will help Have some more.
Alright.
I'll pray with you.
Our Father who art in heaven Keep your God.
In nomine Patris, et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen.
You're distressed.
It's nothing.
It wasn't that he died.
You deal with that every day.
It was that he turned away from God.
No! There's no alternative.
He has the pox and he must be removed.
This isn't a hospital.
We took in the wounded as there was nowhere else for them.
Would Jesus turn this man away? Perhaps you should ask yourself whether He would put other lives at risk by allowing him to stay, Father Girolamo I believe He would.
Let him sleep in my cell.
I'll rest here with the wounded.
If you agree, Prior? Quintino take him there.
I'm not sure you're suited to life within a community where the needs of your brothers must also be considered.
Christ shared his life with the apostles.
Yes, he did, Father.
But you are not Christ.
Thank you for agreeing to meet me.
How can I be of use? You are under great pressure.
No, no, not really.
I wanted to ask if you can try and persuade Ardinghelli to change his mind.
To support the movement of troops at the front.
You know I will always do what I can for Florence.
And for you.
But my husband's acquired a taste for political power.
And a victory in the Priori has only fed it.
But I will try.
Thank you.
What is it? Sketches you requested from Verrocchio's workshop, Messer.
And the address of the artist? Thank you.
Father, always good to see you.
I came to warn your wife.
There's a case of the pox at the convent.
But I couldn't resist Of all the Greeks, I should have known you'd make a friend of Aristotle.
For a heathen he was very Christian.
Read Thomas Aquinas' teachings on him.
I will.
When I get time, I will.
I promise.
In the meantime, you should borrow it.
Thank you.
I recognize the artist Yes All the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
He has no interest in Saint Sebastian.
Every line boasts of the artist's knowledge of the human form.
Please.
Is it what he draws that upsets you or the fact that they say he does not believe in God? One is the cause of the other.
God forbade man from eating from the tree of knowledge for a reason.
We may too easily become lost in our own intellect.
Is this hell? Yeah.
It's in nine circles and in the last one is Lucifer.
Virgil helps Dante through it.
You like doing this.
- Yeah - You enjoy it.
More than painting those dead men for my father.
I'll see you soon, Father, and thank you.
Father Girolamo was here for another of your philosophical discussions? There's a pox at the convent.
How much more suffering must the people endure? It may spread.
You and the children should go to the villa at Pistoia.
What, you're sending us away? No.
You'll be safer there.
And what of you taking solace from your family? It's not just the pox.
Any day now the city may come under siege.
I see your mind is already made up.
I'll ask Carlo to accompany you, and Poliziano.
The children's schooling should not be interrupted.
Oh dear! There they are.
Will you take him from me? Ohh! You're so heavy! - For you.
- Thank you.
Let me see them! No! They're for me.
You'll be a much better artist than this one, Giovanni.
Poliziano, it's a wonder Lorenzo allows you to teach the next generation hot air and philosophy Giovanni, come on.
Piero.
You're in my thoughts.
And you in mine.
Always.
Excuse me.
I still owe you money for your work at the loggia.
I will not take it, Lorenzo.
Why don't you come to my studio? I'm illustrating a text of the Divine Comedy for publication by Niccolò di Lorenzo della Magna.
You should see it.
I will.
I will.
Were Lorenzo's wife and children in the carriage? They took the road to Pistoia.
The Holy Father believes Florence is divided and will soon fall into your hands like ripened fruit.
Without further bloodshed.
And he sent you to convince me to do as Alfonso says? I wouldn't think to.
But if you antagonize Alfonso don't you risk him taking Florence for himself? What a cunning wife I have.
You've learned much from me, haven't you? We've got to go from here to here.
Take this to Lorenzo de' Medici.
Go.
This is the wide side.
Move what men we have here.
Guiscardi's scouts believe Alfonso's attack is imminent.
I'm sorry, Lorenzo, but my husband would not be moved.
Thank you for trying.
Then that is it? No.
You have a plan.
What will you do? Something I hoped I never would have to do.
Boys! Go play with your cousins.
Come on! It doesn't do to defy the Medici.
- You don't like children, Messer? - It's not that I dislike them Just that I fail to see what there is to like about them.
Do you know why Lorenzo has summoned the Priori? He must have found a way to persuade Ardinghelli to send reinforcements to the front line.
Who are you Messer? Bruno Bernardi.
Your loyalty is to the Medici? To Florence.
Aren't they one and the same? It is truly in my great honor to serve as a member of this Priori.
As my father did, and his father did before him.
It is true: We've we've had some disagreements along the way.
But I always felt we had a common aim: to serve Florence as best we could.
The best that I could.
And I will always be grateful for the support you showed me in the days following my brother's murder.
I'll never forget those.
But it has become clear in recent days that I am no longer in tune with the thinking of the majority as to what the best way of serving Florence is.
And in light of that fact with great sadness, I announce my resignation.
The Magnificent has resigned! You can't do this.
It's done, Tommaso.
Tell them that it was a mistake.
Ardinghelli opposed me.
Let the Priori look to him for leadership.
Do you still want a job? Never more so.
Good.
What's going on? A carriage has arrived.
We're not expecting visitors, Madonna.
You invited her? Clarice, you shouldn't have done this.
Lorenzo exiled her from the city.
We are in the country, Carlo and I see no reason as to why my children should not see their cousin.
Or my sister-in-law.
Bianca Oh, it's so good to see you.
She's even more beautiful than I remember.
Thank you for asking me, Clarice I thought I might never see my family again.
How's my brother? I bear him no ill will.
These have not been easy times for any of us.
Come on.
Let's go inside.
We're going to meet your uncle Carlo.
Right? Come with me.
So that's something we can maybe wait Prepare the ledgers, will you, Sassetti? We'll go through the accounts together.
Messer Bernardi? I saw your door was open.
We've not been properly introduced.
Madonna.
You're as beautiful as I remember.
We've met before? I saw you from a distance, once, as a young man.
I was in the city with my father.
He was doing business.
And to a poor boy like me from the country, you looked like a vision.
- Nonsense.
- You still do.
Enough of your flattering, Messer Bernardi.
- What are you doing here? - I now work for your son, and Oh, then perhaps you could tell me what he thinks he's doing resigning.
The people are angry, they're bewildered.
I'm so sorry, Madonna, but I must take my leave.
Until our next meeting.
- You lose.
- I could have killed you! But you didn't, you couldn't.
I didn't even know if I could move my blade out the way! You're insane! It's the only thing I could do to win.
Sometimes us mere mortals have to roll the dice and see where they fall.
I thought we should add Soderini to the list.
Sorry? Bastiano Soderini.
To the Ten.
Yes.
Yes, It's a good choice.
What did she want? Your mother was asking questions.
Perhaps you should explain.
She'll know soon enough.
You had to do this.
Is everything else prepared? It is.
Then all we have to do is wait.
Leonardo? Lorenzo de' Medici Verrocchio tells me that you're a genius But that you don't finish what you start.
Verrocchio's honest.
What brings you here? I've come to commission a work.
That's not why you've come.
You've come here looking for answers.
What are you doing here? Studying the machinery that gives us life.
The mechanisms by which machines work.
I brought this very man from the river two days ago.
He wasn't a machine then.
He was a living, breathing being.
He had a soul.
And what caused God to strike down this man and let me live? Well if God does exist, do you really think he cares who lives or dies? The good and the devout are cut down by war and plague just as fast as the dissolute and the evil.
What father brings children into the world not to love and care for them, but just to abandon them? Mine for one.
We live our lives hemmed in by the fear of judgment.
I live my life as I see fit.
You must choose how you wish to live your life, Lorenzo.
That's the only answer I can give you.
In the Republic Plato introduced us to idea of the tri-partite soul.
Name one part, Piero.
- The spirit.
- Very good.
Giulio? Appetite.
Well done, Giovanni, but I asked Giulio.
Giulio? The third part? Well, stop staring at me like a donkey and answer.
Donkey Ah! The Medici do not cheat! - I don't know.
- Reason.
I don't care.
If you have no desire to learn then leave.
Now! Very well Plato's boring! What's the matter? That boy does not know how to pay attention.
Well, perhaps they should study the Bible for a while.
But Plato's on the syllabus.
What, and the Bible isn't? My husband gave you that instruction, did he? Not only does he send his family away, but then he chooses what our children can and cannot learn without consulting me first.
Clarice! Get some help! Breathe! Get back from the window! The people blame us.
I was assaulted in the street on the way here.
Something must be done now! - What they want is Lorenzo.
- But why? Because they love him! And such a thing cannot be reasoned with.
And if you agreed to send more men to reinforce Guiscardi this would never have happened! So now you must give them what they want.
Gentlemen There is rioting in the streets.
Well, what do you intend to do about it, Messer Ardinghelli? You knew this would happen.
Ardinghelli, say your piece.
We've come to ask you to rescind your resignation.
To beg.
To beg.
Well, I have conditions.
The Priori will appoint a war council of Ten to be headed by me.
It will run Florence without interruption, until there is peace.
You hold us to ransom No, no.
The city needs strong leadership.
Once the council is appointed the Priori will dissolve itself.
This is blackmail.
We have no choice.
We have no choice.
It's a yes or a no, gentlemen.
We cannot agree to this.
Tommaso, we must.
There is civil unrest.
The enemy is only miles from the city.
I'll have the order drawn up.
It's already been drawn up.
It awaits your signatures.
It will be passed anyway, Tommaso.
I cannot in good conscience.
This is the end of the Republic.
These men are all good, loyal citizens.
These are the names to be appointed to the Council of Ten? Petrucci Bastiano the rest To a man they will do whatever you ask without question.
You believed in our Republic.
Sought to make it better.
This Council is nothing but a front for tyranny Lorenzo.
We must be decisive if we are to save Florence.
- "We"? - It's a temporary measure, Tommaso.
How temporary? Well, as soon as the war's over, the Priori will be reconvened.
I want you to have a seat on the Ten, Tommaso.
And I charge you with speaking the truth to me without fear.
- Messer? - It's your wife.
She collapsed.
A physician's with her.
And the child? Still lives.
Right.
Saddle the horses! You cannot mean to go to Pistoia? You must stand your authority on the Ten.
Florence needs you more than your family now.
Don't you ever tell me what comes before my family! Do you understand? Ever! Tommaso? Issue an order under the seal of the Ten dispatching half of the city's garrison to the front, to reinforce Guiscardi's men.
Do you understand? What news? Florence has ordered reinforcements to the front.
Alfonso's stalling has given Lorenzo the time he needed to act.
There's more.
He left for Pistoia with a handful of guards.
Slip past Guiscardi's men Take a few soldiers with you.
And do what must be done.
Clarice? Not yet out of danger.
Get the boys ready to leave for Florence.
You'll never know what came down.
Boys, where's Giulio? Piero? You know.
Tell me.
Where is he? Ran away.
To the village.
I'll find him.
Come on, boys, with me.
Piero! What are you doing here? Clarice asked me to come.
You shouldn't be here, it's too dangerous.
Well, we have to leave! Now! The contractions have started, Messer Medici.
Your wife can't possibly travel.
Hail Mary, full of grace Giulio? If you're going to steal a horse, you'd probably better find one your own size.
Why did you leave? Whatever they say, I don't belong.
I'm not a Medici.
Come back.
You're as much one of them as I am.
You, tell me where the Medici are! I don't know.
Ask him.
He works at the villa.
You, you.
The Medici villa.
Hey! Here! Who is he? The man that killed my mother.
Okay, we'll cut across the fields.
I know where to hide.
There are men coming to kill us.
She needs to be moved.
No.
Move her and you could loose them both.
They're here.
Quickly! Quickly! Come on! Sit her down.
- Help her! - Help her down! We'll have to deliver the child here! Please, Madonna, sit down.
It's alright.
Riario sends you into my home to kill my children and my pregnant wife! Kill them all.
Father! - Where's your mother? - There.
We'll call her Maddalena.
Maddalena.
Let this be a new beginning for our family.
You asked to see me, Prior? Father yes.
I've decided that you should return to Rome.
I believe I'm better here, in Florence.
It's not your decision to make.
Very well.
- Then I'll make preparations.
- Leave within the week.
By nightfall, Father.
So, there'll be no time for an appeal to the Medici.
Well? Lorenzo lives.
The money to pay the troops has come from Rome.
Fetch it.
Thank you for coming, Messer Guiscardi.
Lorenzo de' Medici wouldn't be happy that I'm meeting with you.
You have something to say? It's two thousand ducats.
Ten thousand more will come.
I don't ask you to fight with us, even to surrender.
Just let us pass through your ranks.
I'm sorry, Lorenzo.
Guiscardi has betrayed us.
Bought off by Riario.
And what about the reinforcements? They arrived too late Some have returned, others deserted.
Well, then the city will be under siege in a few days.
The cold may stop them from launching an all out assault but it will weaken the city more.
We can last no longer than a few, short weeks.
We must face it.
We've lost, Lorenzo.
Gentlemen.
I am sorry that the first meeting of the Ten is under such dire circumstances, but please, be seated.
We must try to secure the most favorable terms possible for the surrender.
That mercy be shown to you and your family of course, is paramount.
No, there'll be no terms.
- There's no other option, Lorenzo.
- Bastiano's right.
As long as Naples with all its resources backs the Pope we can't win.
Well, then I'll go to Naples.
I'll persuade King Ferrante to break his alliance with the Pope and side with Florence.
That would be madness.
A suicide mission.
- Ferrante's a murderous tyrant.
- Well, he's my problem.
Yours is to see that Florence doesn't surrender before my return.
If you return.
Yes, Bastiano, if.
You're intent on doing this? I am.
Lorenzo, please reconsider.
There's nothing to reconsider I must do this.
Is it-is it true? You You're-you're to go to Naples? You should be resting.
It's it's too dangerous.
What what good is it going to do? You think that you can work a miracle? You're only flesh and blood.
Was it prayers that saved you and our child at Pistoia? Lorenzo, please Look, Clarice, sit, please God will not save Florence.
Someone must.
But I do not wish to go without your love.
You go nowhere without my love.
Alfonso's men are moving into position.
We can leave by the Western gate.
We? Well, they say a little travel's good for the soul, Bernardi.
Come on!