Prince of Foxes

This Alfonso d'este, do they say how big he is?

Yes. They say he's over six feet tall. A giant of a man.

A respectful silence is the least you can offer your dead husband.

Would you say the dead man made a reluctant corpse?

A loose tongue soon loses its mouth, captain orsini.

A wise tongue never needs to repeat itself, Don Esteban...

Nor does a competent assassin.

Duke cesare.

We have suffered a most tragic loss.

My dear sister lucrezia's broken with grief.

The court will observe a proper period of mourning.

- How long, de lorqua? - One year, my lord cesare.

One month.

The dead must not place too great a burden on the living.

It's my belief that everything, even death, can be turned into profit.

Our armies hold pesaro, rimini, forli.

We're on the road to urbino, Bologna, Siena.

All Tuscany, the center of Italy from coast to coast will be ours.

Then inevitably, Milan...

And venice.

But this devil-begotten ferrara stands blocking our progress.

You, gravina, you're the military genius.

- How would you take it? - Perhaps with 10,000 troops.

Or a woman.

We will walk into ferrara through a bedroom.

By arranging a marriage between my recently widowed sister lucrezia...

And, uh, Alfonso, the servant of Duke d'este.

Your lordship knows that Duke d'este is negotiating such a marriage with the French king.

Alfonsos a blacksmith. He needs a lusty woman...

Not one of those frail, French birds.

And who will convey this delicate information?

Who?

Who but a man as quick at deceit as a fox.

He must have the grace of a dancer, the wrist of an assassin.

He must have little regard for good faith.

Yet by his astuteness, be able to confuse men's minds.

He must have confidence in himself...

Yet not permit that confidence to render him incautious.

He must charm as a snake charms a bird...

Yet he must make no friends...

Except those that can be of use to him.

And for the same reason, although we make use of love...

He must not love.

You may go now, all of you, except...

Andrea orsini.

You question me?

Then go!

You're pleased with my choice?

I have never questioned your lordship's judgment.

- Don Esteban was annoyed. - Don Esteban is easily annoyed.

Don't underestimate him, Andrea.

Remember, that in this race for glory...

He's always just behind you ready to pass you if you should lose a single step.

I have learned that if my wits are quick, my feet will be quick enough.

You've learned something else today?

Why your sister's husband was sent to another world.

One life is little enough to pay for all ferrara.

So long as it's not mine.

You are a complete rogue.

I need someone that can follow my mind...

Who can keep his eyes fixed on the ultimate goal-one Italy...

One kingdom, one king-

cesare borgia.

Think of it- chief minister to a great new kingdom-.

What prize on earth could equal it?

But the great know only one law-

the outcome justifies the act.

Have you the stomach for greatness?

The stomach and the appetite.

Then bring me Alfonso d'este's promise to marry lucrezia...

And I'll be certain of it.

Your lordship will find me a most efficient cupid.

Try some of your shafts on my cousin, Angela.

She's waiting for you.

That way.

De lorqua.

Captain orsini leaves tomorrow for ferrara.

He travels by way of venice. Arrange the necessary passage.

Yes, Duke cesare.

Angela.

Oh, Angela, my love. I've been commissioned to leave immediately for ferrara.

Yes, I know.

It will take you away from me, and yet you are pleased.

Only because the reward is great.

Oh, I love you. I love you, Andrea.

But I don't trust you.

You're too ambitious.

If I'm ambitious, it's only to make myself worthy of your love.

For without your love, I'm nothing.

What do you think of that?

Good. Very good.

It's not signed. Did you paint it?

Would it be any better if it were signed Leonardo da Vinci?

- It would be worth more. - Never mind.

It's not for sale. I need it in my business.

But...

What do you think of this?

Ah. A gem! A rare gem!

- It's not signed either. - It doesn't need to be.

Will you sell it?

I might.

I will, uh, risk, uh, 50 ducats.

I risked my life.

- Let cesare borgia pay for that. - He does, in opportunities.

How I die is his problem. How I live is my own.

- Uh. 60. - I'm a poor man on an expensive mission.

Seventy-five, and that's my last offer.

My lowest price is 100 ducats, and only out of love for you.

- Ninety. - It's worth more than that to me.

I '/I buy your painting

Madonna Camilla. What an honor!

What a delight. Your signora drops like an angel from heaven.

To find you bargaining like a fishwife.

Not for myself, but for a client.

Oh, then it's worth the price?

No doubt, if beauty has a price.

Will you let me have this for 100 ducats?

Please?

Accept it as a tribute to your own beauty.

You mean that you'll give me this beautiful thing?

If your highness would honor me.

Well, did you hear that? And he doesn't even know me.

You have greatness of soul, messer.

I will hang it in a place of honor in my own bedroom...

Where it will always recall your generosity to me and to my good husband.

Well, messer, have you nothing appropriate to say?

Forgive my silence. H was just thinking...

With envy and admiration of your husband.

I was also deploring the fact that while your highness has a memento of our meeting...

I have nothing.

You're not hinting for a gift in return?

“Hinting” is hardly the word for it.

But i-

I will keep this as a Saint's relic...

In memory of the divine hand that wore it.

Master da pavia, isn't it time you presented this gentleman?

Magnifico Andrea orsini, captain to his excellency, Duke cesare borgia.

Oh, then I know your kinsman.

- The cardinal, the Duke of gravina. - Distant kinsman.

My family is of Naples.

My great uncle was raimondo orsini, count of Nola.

Oh, indeed. Now, will you please present me?

I have the honor to present Camilla degli baglioni...

Wife of his excellency, Marc Antonio verano...

Lord of citté del monte.

Who is very pleased to have exchanged souvenirs with you.

Would you do my husband and me the honor of waiting on us?

Well, unfortunately, I leave for ferrara.

You go alone?

Armed with an olive branch.

- A pleasant journey, messer orsini. - Madame. Messer.

How long have you known this gentleman?

Oh, three years about.

What do you make of him?

A soldier who knows art...

An orsini unrelated to the orsini...

A servant of the borgias going alone to borgia's enemies.

He has too many faces.

I find him interesting.

I hope you may not find him dangerous, Madonna. He drives a hard bargain.

Grazie.

- Don't be a fool! Don't be a fool! - Fool to kill you?

If you kill me, you'll never know why I attacked you.

Get up.

On your feet.

Walk in front of me toward the light.

Ah, a face like yours shouldn't be hidden in the dark.

- It's beautiful. - It's been called everything but that.

Oh, only by the unartistic.

Oh, there's- there's design in your face.

A hundred twisted curves and angles”.

Tortured into a pattern of exquisite evil.

And you have beautiful and artistic hands.

That face, those hands, your voice and manner of speaking.

You are, of course, of gentle birth.

What does my birth got to do with you?

I like to know something about the people I deal with.

Why rake over the past of a hired assassin?

Because it may determine our future.

Now tell me, who employed you to assassinate me?

- I never sell my wares until I know the price. - How much is your life worth?

- Why? - 'Cause that's all [promise to pay

now you're unarmed and I'm not squeamish-.

Besides, you deserve to die.

Well, I'm, uh-I'm waiting for a fresh topic of conversation.

Did I hear you say Duke d'este paid you to draw my blood?

- In advance. - How much?

- You were expensive. - They paid without bargaining?

Yes. You're distinctly not wanted in ferrara.

Do you know why?

I never cut a throat without knowing whose it is or why I'm cutting it.

The mere idea of a marriage between Alfonso d'este and lucrezia borgia...

Blisters their pride.

The lady's had too public a life.

Well, having lost you one employment, I should find you another.

Your game?

It amuses me to think of entering ferrara...

The master of the man who was hired to kill me.

Such insolence is stimulating. But have you thought of what will happen to me?

The same thing that'll happen to me. We live or die together. And I intend to live.