Rome

The boy is blameless.

That's my girl.

Cack!

You all right?

- Looking pointy. - What's the news from Ostia?

Three grain ships from Alex in. Mussa's people.

Have a cup of wine. Set you up.

Take 25, no less.

Give the lading to Ajax.

Well, Mussa will complain.

If he does, cut out his tongue.

You think I'm joking?

I'll see to it now.

Vorenus...

Nothing.

Memmio of the Caelian is here. He asked to see you.

How many more?

Salve, Memmio.

Please, sit down.

Weather's turning, eh? I like a bit of heat.

What brings you to the Aventine, Memmio?

No chit-chat. Straight to cases. I like that.

A young nephew of my colleague, Carbo, here,

was defiled by an Aventine man.

Name of Quintus Bubo. You know him?

I know him.

With your permission,

Carbo wishes to avenge his family's honor

- and kill this Quintus. - Boy's only 12.

He was sucking his cock for pennies.

He was paid, then?

- Yes but he didn't ask me first. - The boy was paid.

Nobody in my family sucks cock without I say so.

Carbo is from respectable people.

The boy took money.

He was working as a prostitute.

Quintus Bubo's committed no offense. You won't touch him.

Brother Vorenus, perhaps you misunderstand.

I misunderstand nothing, brother.

I've been given a strict mandate by Mark Antony

to maintain the peace.

Quintus Bubo is a man of property and respect.

You will not touch him.

Money or not though, he took advantage of the boy.

Perhaps some moderate form of punishment...

We come to you out of politeness. A mere formality.

I've given you my answer.

Wrong fucking answer.

This maggot pisses on my name, on my family honor.

Control your man, Memmio.

Vorenus, the man has a fair point.

Silence, Pullo!

Brother Vorenus, in all candor, even your own man knows...

My man doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut.

I've given you my decision.

And we graciously accept your judgment.

I thank you for your time...

and I apologize for the disruption.

You didn't have to insult me in front of...

Do not question my authority in front of others.

Do not question my authority under any circumstance.

Authority?

Hard being the boss, eh?

- Good stuff. - Is it? How does one tell?

Try.

Hold your breath.

It's horrid.

In a minute, you'll feel delicious.

You know Jocasta.

- Do I? - We met at a theater last year.

- I was with... - What are you doing?

We're inhaling hemp.

I can see that.

You're making the whole house stink.

In future, do it outside, if you must.

Yes, mother.

- Is it any good? - Excellent.

Give it here.

I brought back two sacks from Macedonia.

So much better than the Italian kind.

Macedonia?

Mmm. Papa has quarries there.

We're going there when Antony takes up his governorship.

- What's it like? - My dear, it's ghastly.

Oh?

Filthy climate, vile food, beastly people.

Perhaps you didn't mix in quite the best society.

Oh no, Papa is hideously rich,

but there's no society to be found.

The men are overly fond of fucking their sheep.

And when you meet the women, you can hardly blame them.

It truly is the end of the world.

I'm no snob, Octavia, and I don't mind that you

bring home a tradesman's daughter...

...but, let's just stop there, shall we?

No actors, no gladiators, or that sort of thing, neh?

Don't mind her.

She's been an infernal grump since Octavian left.

Send to ask Antony when he's coming home. No, don't.

- Fig for him. - Yes, Domina. Timon is waiting.

Asking if it pleases you to see him.

Hm.

Domina.

- Domina. - Go away.

- But Merula said... - I changed my mind.

Hello, Duro.

Yes, it's good.

It's good.

Very good!

Hello, Abba. We're learning Hebrew.

I can see that.

They'll be reading Torah in no time.

Can't wait.

You came in very late last night.

Business.

Business involving wine, vomit and sex.

- I'm sorry, did I disturb you? - No, not at all.

But do please wake me before you come at me,

so it would be a little less...

alarming.

I was thinking about Macedonia.

Were you?

Do we have to go? Can't we just...

stay here?

No.

Once my consulship is over, we're gone.

But it's so far from Rome.

They have dressmakers

and jewel merchants in the desert just like here.

Once you're gone from Italy,

your enemies will no longer fear you

and you will be powerless to strike at them.

I don't want to strike at them.

There's no juice in it anymore.

I want peace and quiet and...

nice rich province to squeeze.

- Peace and quiet? - Mm-hmm.

While you're swilling wine in Macedonia,

do you think Brutus and Cassius will be idle?

Those abject creatures?

Abject only while you have power.

Your enemies will not rest until you are dead.

You have a wolf by the ears. You cannot let go of him now.

Pass the oil, would you?

Make way!

Well, thank you. Thank you very much.

- We'll see you next week? Yeah. - Okay. Okay.

- Brother! - Who was that man?

Who?

The man you were speaking with.

Oh, you mean Barak. He's a saffron trader.

Doesn't look like a saffron trader.

Not everybody looks like what they are.

Huh?

Justice, Captain!

- I beg for justice! - Who's this?

Quintus Bubo and his wife. Gelded by Memmio's boys.

Please, Captain. Justice!

Come on. Calm down, brother.

The old man shouldn't have been goating around anyhow.

Memmio disobeyed me.

Well, he didn't kill the old fool, at least.

- He disobeyed me! - Let me go talk to Memmio.

- I'll sort out a compromise. - No.

If you punish Carbo over this trivia,

Memmio is going to take it as disrespect.

He'll have to retaliate. You'll start a gang war.

Very likely, but I've got no choice.

- And it's your fault. - What?

How is it my fault?

You questioned my authority in front of Memmio.

That gave him license to disobey me.

Oh, bollocks.

Now, you go and find Carbo.

You show him the same disrespect that he has shown me.

- Everyone is in the wrong here. - I gave you an order.

This isn't the mumping legion. I take orders from no man.

Then you're no use to me. You. Go and do it.

Will do, Captain.

You are thinking all backwards.

I warned you about questioning my authority.

- You learn your place. - My place?

Well, fuck you, you miserable bastard.

I'm the one trying to keep you alive.

Oh, you'd like nothing better than to start a gang war, eh?

Get yourself killed. Put an end to all of your misery.

Take half the city with you.

Well, I tell you what. You can die a thousand times

and it won't bring back Niobe or the children or Caesar!

Listen, I'm your friend.

- I'm trying to help you. - You've never helped me.

Have I not?

Well, who saved your life a dozen times?

Who took care of that snake Evander?

Who carried you home when... when you were drunk?

What do you mean?

"Took care of Evander"?

Nothing. I didn't mean anything.

What do you mean?

Speak.