Spartacus: House of Ashur

Sundered hand must be removed before infection sets.

You would see my champion crippled.

Tarchon shall stand as champion

until such day Achillia returns to form.

Let us witness evidence of the divine.

Offering falls short.

She was in error.

Your boasts proved true, in all regards.

Cornelia, she conspires

to see my only child bonded to Quintus Thermus.

I would plea... against it.

Are we not friends?

Ah! Gratitude!

Turn from cold, uncaring arms

in favor... of loving embrace.

My villa and ludus

and all men contained within

in exchange for but one of yours.

The man takes flight,

his holdings falling to deserving... hands.

Opiter?

Aargh!

No, no, no!

No!

Cilicians.

We must go, quickly.

Let's go!

Aargh!

He has barely taken food in seven days.

Yet appetite for drink threatens to drain pantry of wine.

Loss of heart's desire inflicts deepest wound.

Is there nothing to be done for him?

Time...

stands only remedy.

Then may it swiftly pass.

See wine tempered with water

in hope of dousing inflamed passions.

And deny entry to villa, lest he cause unwanted disturbance.

I will see it so.

There is one more thing I would ask of you.

Opiter's holdings are to fall to auction.

Do they not spill to you, as promised?

Agreement was not enshrined in wax nor parchment

prior to Opiter's passing.

Come.

I would have you gauge coin towards purchase.

Cilician shits!

A fucking blight

upon republic!

Heart shatters at thought of final moments.

Opiter did not deserve such fate.

You were right.

- Towards? - This world

holding nothing

but shadow.

For there to be shadow, there must also be light.

Realization formed by words of loving mother.

He was my friend.

Oh, you must compose yourself.

You wail and gnash teeth

as if the man were cut from your own flesh.

Would that they had taken arm

or fucking leg!

Gladly given

to have him yet among us.

I know the worth he held towards you

and services provided.

Apologies.

I do not glean...

meaning.

Let it pass from thought,

carrying with it weight of such grief.

It would hasten climb

from depths of sorrow

to see Opiter deservedly honored.

In what manner?

Funeral games

presented by this house.

Warmest gesture.

To hold remembrance of him in the arena

where he once presented spectacle to all of Capua.

We must fix intent upon mounting Cilician threat

in advance of additional lives claimed.

- Father-- - He stood a lanista.

A senator cannot be seen

publicly honoring a man of such low station.

Your own image

is all that consumes you.

One of us must make attempt.

Is there nothing you can do,

striking balance between limits of title

and compassion towards wife and mother?

Games are removed from question.

Yet Opiter's holdings

fall to auction,

in absence of family to claim them.

I could preside over event,

breaking measured words of praise towards his memory.

Gratitude.

It would lend much comfort.

It lifts spirits to see you rise again.

- I'm too stubborn to die. - Mm.

On that we are in agreement.

The name Achillia falls from every tongue

in Capua,

clamoring for your return to the arena.

May the gods marshal patience, for the wait fucking continues.

But increases anticipation.

Thoughts have turned towards you,

in days confined to recovery.

I admit, thoughts of you lend distraction.

A feast for the senses.

I have been called many things, yet never that.

No, your words broken towards the arena.

It stood just as you had described.

There are few things more intoxicating.

And I would drink my fill.

Yet the champion,

would begin day's training.

Rest.

Attend your recovery.

Tarchon assumes mantle

until such time you are able to reclaim it.

You stand his better in every regard.

Why was title not bestowed upon more worthy name?

Because I no longer stand a gladiator.

- Dominus strips you of honor? - Oh, no. He but elevate it...

to position of doctore.

Doctore?

What of Korris?

Departed from this house,

only to return haunted by phantom of slain lover,

grief twisting thought and purpose

beyond concerns of ludus.

Much has changed in brief absence.

Some things have remained constant.

I have been too long upon back.

Let us to training for the moment,

in promise of future glories.

Doctore.

Achillia!

Achillia!

Dacus!

Swords.

Hen returns, and with broken wing.

She shall find cock crowing in her place.

May the gods bless your return.

And stay from fucking path if they do not.

Achillia.

Pair with Salvius.

I would train with exalted champion, doctore.

A thing equally desired.

Then fall to fucking position.

Begin!

The Nubian,

has learned much within her short time at this house.

Lessons I stand eager to impart.

Perhaps former champion requires a moment

to gather herself, doctore.

Yah!

You tend to your hand,

and return to training when you are able.

As you command,

Doctore.

Father, I would break much-needed words.

And use of fucking hand?

But it proves a concern.

Perhaps more days tended by medicus.

The city clamors to lay eyes upon the Goddess of Death,

yet their interests shift as fucking wind!

Days must become hours if we are to harvest victory's fruit

in advance of fucking rival

presenting imitations upon the sands.

How fares Korris?

His wisdom towards returning Achillia to the arena

would be of great benefit.

His thoughts are his own until shared.

You remain doctore.

Return to your duties and see Achillia rise once more

to exalted position.

Or all within this house shall tumble with her towards abyss.

Apologies, Dominus. I would... I would petition towards favor.

And what does newborn doctore seek to wrest

from generous fucking master?

For myself, nothing.

Yet son stands champion in Achillia's absence

and beseeches request reflective of title.

Break words

and see considerations met.

If coin

presents no...

burden.

How do accounts stand?

Towards villa and ludus, adequate.

And towards purchase of Opiter's holdings?

- Purse falls short of ambition. - By what degree?

If we reduce the men to half rations

- and cease purchasing of wine, - Mm-hm.

we are able to offer 5000 denarii.

Barely.