Original subtitles

Julia has... dishonoured her marriage.

Who is it?

Your father cannot allow a divorce with Agrippa.

So, you just go and tell them exactly what I told you.

Porcia, she has agreed to marry Vilbia for the family.

You will take her back to Rome and arrange it.

My mother sends you a wife.

What the fuck?

Livia.

High priestess.

I know Livia well.

We were best friends...

Turia.

...when we were children.

She used me and betrayed me

as she uses and betrays everyone.

My person is sacrosanct!

Antonia, my daughter, three births in four years.

You and Vipsania... not pregnant once.

I need my family to set an example.

She will.

Antonia wants to kill her husband.

He scares her.

- You're lying! - Ow! Ah, ah!

If you think about it,

Domitius is your direct rival for any kind of power.

When all this is over, we should talk about the future,

you and me. Rome needs leaders.

Let's do that.

Tonight we celebrate the adoption of my grandsons,

the sons of Agrippa.

Is he changing his will?

Agrippa's sons are next in line to succeed.

It took you long enough to come through on our deal.

A sacrifice I had to make.

It's all over.

What is?

Nothing.

Everything.

Roman traders.

They passed through the camp last week.

We told them it was safe.

Where are the rest of them?

Take them down, make a pyre,

then avenge them.

Let's get you back over the Rhine.

Brought you a present.

Tiberius, I thought you were in the Balkans.

We were. Mother sends her love.

That won't take up much space.

So good to see you!

You too, Drusus.

Listen. Do you know what Stepfather's doing here?

Did he say?

He's supposed to be in Gaul.

He's never been to Germany before.

And it's a secret.

Nobody knows.

Even Mother didn't.

Wow. You've come all this way to worry.

No, I haven't.

Yes, he has.

What do you think?

What's going on, Tiberius?

He has absolutely no sense of danger.

What danger?

It's probably nothing.

It's ready.

Your very own ring of Augustus.

Well, it looks just like the real one.

Yeah, the Greek's a genius.

We're ready now.

We're doing it tomorrow.

Make the arrangements.

Well, we are ready, right?

I mean...

Yes.

Oh, you know I don't like it.

People are weird.

They don't do what they should, they do other stuff instead.

If we get caught, your exile won't be temporary,

and mine will be extremely permanent.

Well, Gaius is away. He may never come back.

I need to know where his power is going,

what he wants after his death. I need to see his will.

Which is locked in a vault in the Temple of Vesta.

She's an important goddess.

We've spent months on this.

I'm not backing out now.

What if we offend the Gods?

Fuck the Gods!

They took everything from me, everything!

I was a child.

What have I done to them?

Huh? Or anyone?

They never cared about me.

Well, then I don't care about them.

Fuck.

-It's the kitchen again. -Yeah.

Lucky my wife's at the sea.

Could you put me up for a few days?

Do I run a boarding house?

I'll see you tonight for dinner.

Look at you.

All worried and suspicious,

already snuffling around for an ulterior motive,

a hidden agenda.

"Is he playing me?"

"Does he want me to think that he's playing me?"

"Or is that the whole point?"

It's on.

This morning.

Let me know.

It's a bad omen.

No, it's not.

I told the High Priestess I'm visiting my father.

She's given me the whole day off.

Iullus.

How was the journey?

Where is everyone?

Oh, not sure about my sister,

but Domitius went with Marcella to the village hours ago.

And I of course thought the beach was a better option.

Of course. Look.

What is it?

What do you think it is?

We're gonna give it to Domitius.

-What? -We talked about this.

No, you talked about this!

If you won't do it to avenge your sister

and save her from a miserable life with that man,

then at least do it for yourself.

I invited him down here

to talk about the future of Rome.

That's perfect, he won't suspect a thing!

Which would be easier if he wasn't dead!

And this is the ideal place.

Out of town, away from the doctors.

It's how Livia did it with Marcellus.

Domitius stands between you and everything you want.

Or everything you say you want.

He, he broke your sister's finger

and she was protecting us.

Are you just gonna let that go?

What is it?

Capria's cousin knows a woman,

over by the Aurelian Gate.

Come on.

I wanna show you something.

What?

Where are you going?

Iullus, give it back to me.

You do realise that if you poison anyone in this family,

everyone will think it was Livia.

No, they won't.

And?

And have you no sense of gratitude?

After what she did for us.

She was desperate to get back to Rome.

She practically used us.

You're right.

Come on.

What?

Where are you going?

Iullus! What?

I wanted to show you what I thought of your plan.

What is wrong with you?

Fucking idiot!

Julia!

Ha!

Look what I have!

I've got it! Come and get it!

Oh, wait, I forgot you can't,

'cause you can't fucking swim,

'cause you're afraid of the water,

as well as everything else!

What's the matter, eh?

Rent boy! Fucking pig!

Fucking jizz mouth, cocksucker!

Here it is! Here it is!

Here what is?

Is that Augustus' daughter?

Yes. Yes it is.

Hello.

What was she waving around in her hand?

Oh, you know, Julia.

Hello, Gallus.

- Antonia. - What's going on?

Look, Julia, you remember Gaius Assinius Gallus.

Fuck off!

That was amazing.

The Gods!

Who are you?

What are you doing in my bedroom? Get out!

Sorry to intrude.

But on the bright side, I'm not your husband.

Men are so intolerant when their wives get caught

in vile and deviant sexual practices.

Who are you, and what do you want?

I want you to leave.

It's all right. Go.

Unfortunately, Aurelia, your situation is much more serious.

When you joined the Temple of Vesta,

you took a vow of chastity

for the duration of your service.

As you know, any priestess dishonouring that vow

is buried alive.

Why are you telling me this?

'Cause I'm your friend.

And I'm going to make sure

nobody ever finds out what you've done.

In return, all you have to do

is borrow a will from the vault of the temple

and bring it to the Senate House in the fourth hour tomorrow.

Then, a day or so later,

simply pick it up from the same place and return it.

-What will? -The will of Caesar Augustus.

I can't do that.

Make no mistake.

I will denounce you to the Chief Vestal

without a second thought.

Witnesses will come forward,

-slaves will testify. -No, no.

-And everyone knows... -No!

...how strictly Turia enforces the rules of your Order.

Yeah.

You'll bring it straight back?

And you'll never hear from me again.

- Livia. - How did it go?

It went pretty well, while I was there.

I do feel bad about the girl though.

Well, you made her happy.

Until I didn't.

So, do you want to tell me what it's all about now?

It's better you don't know.

It's obviously to do with Turia.

Your ancient feud with the High Priestess,

it's legendary.

Are you sure you don't want me to find you a husband?

Fuck no.

What do I need one of them for?

It's still a form of slavery,

even if they don't own you outright any more.

And the money you gave me has made me independent.

I do what I like, I sleep where I want,

and I never have to see my fucking guardian again.

I won't forget it.

-Nice. -You, too.

Priestess says she'll do it.

Oh, come on, hurry up.

Antonia has an announcement, and I came ages ago.

Go on.

Now everyone's here,

I have some news.

Keep it coming.

I'm pregnant.

Oh!

Pregnant.

Well, it only took you five years.

Well done, Antonia.

Stand up.

And we all thought he was a eunuch.

Thank you.

I can't wait to tell your uncle.

Domitius,

I'll be sure to make a sacrifice to your health...

Make sure it doesn't happen to you.

...and to your future.

Oh, I know you're fucking Gallus.

That's the only reason why you're down here.

What's your point?

If he gets you pregnant, you're on your own.

Antonia, Domitius, congratulations!

I think I should join her.

We'll, er, speak tomorrow.

- Yes, let's do that. - Hey...

Any time is fine for me.

Are you not happy for me?

Sure.

Oh, look, Julia, here come your children.

See if you can recognise any of them.

You're in a good mood.

What have you been up to?

Oh, you know, the usual.

How are things with you and Julia?

-Well, how about you and Gaius? -I asked you first.

It didn't make me feel better,

killing the man she was sleeping with.

I thought it would, but... it didn't.

Ah, you got your boys adopted though.

Are you suggesting that made my wife's infidelity worthwhile?

I'm just saying it's much more important.

Does it ever bother you, that he adopted my two sons,

and never yours?

-Why would it? -Oh, come on.

-What? -Don't play me.

You love power more than life.

Yes, and?

Well, perhaps you want Drusus

to be the next First Citizen, for example.

Oh, he doesn't have the ambition or the brains.

Yeah, but you have plenty to spare.

Well... yes.

Listen.

I want you to promise me something.

When I die, I want you to look after my kids.

Especially the boys.

What if I go first?

Well, I'll look after your two, but you know that.

You'd do the same for me?

Of course, I will.

Okay.

Fuck.

-Turia. -Aurelia.

May I speak with you, please?

On the way to visit my father today,

I was stopped in the street by a man.

I'd never seen him before, but he knew who I was.

He said he wanted me to do something,

and if I didn't do it, he would come to you

and denounce me for breaking my vows...

with women.

It was disgusting!

He said that he would produce witnesses,

and that you would have no choice

but to condemn me.

Who was this?

Just a man.

Tall, good-looking,

with dark skin and a shaved head.

And what did he want you to do?

He told me to take the will of Augustus out of the vault

and bring it to him at the Senate House tomorrow.

He'd then meet me again afterwards to return it.

Nobody would ever have known it was gone.

Augustus will be very grateful

to hear about this plot against him.

But in the meantime,

this must remain just between us.

Tomorrow I want you to take his will to the Senate,

just as you were told.

You can leave everything else to me.

Step away from me.

For the Domina.

So how do you read Augustus' intentions for the succession?

It's clear to me he wants the two sons

he adopted from Agrippa to go on with his work.

Protect his legacy.

Yes, but they're young.

They're what? Four and one.

And if anything should happen to him or Agrippa,

then it's obvious someone would need to step in.

To look after things.

Of course, until they came of age.

Where do you think Drusus and Tiberius stand?

Near a door.

Drusus has no interest in politics,

and Tiberius has even less than that.

All right.

I am happy for you and the baby.

I know.

We're finished, you know. Me and Iullus.

What? No.

You've loved him all your life.

Not any more.

You've said that before.

It's over.

I don't believe you.

-Done. -I don't... believe you.

Antonia, I'm serious.

Fuck! Fuck!

The will, this won't do.

I'll make the arrangements.

I'll be back tonight.

And you're quite sure

you saw the man with the bag

come in the side of this house?

Yes, High Priestess, I'm sure.

May I help you High Priestess?

I'm Tycho, I run the household for Augustus.

Yes, I suppose you are good-looking.

But you must know Augustus is away from Rome at the moment.

Is his wife at home?

She went riding.

But I'm expecting her back tonight.

Ask her to call on me at the Temple,

at her earliest convenience.

May I ask what it concerns?

She knows very well what it concerns and so do you.

Oh.

Fuck.

I saw his will,

Gaius' will.

What?

How the fuck did you manage that?

Isn't it locked up with all the Vestals?

Oh, you didn't.

How bad is it?

Oh, help yourself. Oi!

So, the adopted sons of Agrippa inherit everything, eh?

Well, we expected that.

It was you who got them adopted.

-Who's the executor? -Domitius.

What, even though you slimed him for Julia's infidelity?

I know.

No mention of Drusus and Tiberius?

Nothing.

It's Agrippa or fucking Domitius

to ensure the proper administration of the state,

until the boys come of age.

And how about you?

Did you get anything?

Oh, come on.

He's not dead yet.

A lot can change. It means nothing.

It means that the only thing that matters to him

is blood, his blood.

Well, he was always like that.

Well, I thought he, he'd grow up.

You know, that's not the way you run a state.

There has to be a place for merit somewhere,

you know, ability, experience.

You can't just hand it all to the first thing

that comes out of your daughter's vagina.

Well, you can if you're a king, and you made him that, so...

Livia! Are you staying for dinner?

We done a goat in this morning.

Mmm.

-Is that another new dress? -Oh, yeah.

Look, getting back to Domitius,

when are we gonna use what we have on him, hmm?

When we need to.

Hi.

For once in your consistently miserable life, Marcella,

you seem almost happy.

Well, I just had Gallus in the woods again.

Cuckolding Iullus always cheers me up.

In itself it's... it's simple,

yet, somehow, richly satisfying in a very profound way.

Is that the key to serenity?

Cuckolding Iullus?

A total lack of ambition.

Hmm.

It's the secret to a long life.

Well, it's easy enough to get into Germany.

The tribes run and scatter. They take weeks to form an army.

But then they try to stop you leaving.

The ambush is their thing.

They know where to wait and they can wait for days.

Then they pour javelins into your columns and retreat.

Then they reload and come again.

Their men fight naked, mostly. Except for boots.

Kings and chiefs wear trousers.

Trousers?

I know.

Certainly it's no place for fashion.

But, in many respects, their culture is very advanced.

Women are honoured

and they are free to marry anyone they like.

Men rely on them to make

all the very important decisions on behalf of the tribe.

Luckily, that could never happen in Rome.

Listen, Drusus.

There's something I want you to do for me,

but I wanted to ask you myself.

I don't want you to go into Germany

to avenge those merchants.

I want you to go into Germany

and stay there.

I want you to take Germany,

from the Rhine to the Elbe, for Rome.

A sacred quest.

The first province

since my father, Julius Caesar, conquered Gaul.

I want you to make history.

But what's the point?

It's just forest and swamp.

And for some reason, the people seem to resent being slaves.

I hope Domitius won't be offended

that you're preferring my brother like this.

He's senior, I know, and capable

and I am fond of him.

But I just think...

Drusus has earned it.

To Drusus.

To Drusus.

Good fortune, Drusus.

What the fuck?

What were you talking about Domitius?

This is a fucking enormous honour!

-No, it isn't. -Yes, it is.

It's a ten-year suicide note is what it is.

-What? No, it isn't. -Yes, it is!

And I'd be asking yourself why it's got your name on it.

My... job

is to bring glory for our family,

because that leads to everything else.

Your job is to stay alive,

otherwise everything else leads to nowhere.

If I didn't know you better,

I'd say you were jealous.

All right, listen, you beautiful idiot.

This is a mad undertaking.

And thoroughly dangerous.

If you do pull it off,

Stepfather will take the glory.

If it dies screaming in a swamp,

you'll take the blame.

Wait a minute.

So you're saying what, exactly?

That this is some kind of trap?

-I know my uncle. -No one knows your uncle.

Not even Mother.

You two are up to something,

and you never tell us what it is.

Yes, 'cause they know it will break our hearts.

All right.

What do you want me to do? Tell him I'm busy?

No, of course not. Just...

I'll talk to Mother...

Just...

Don't die in the meantime.

What?

I don't know how to...

We're fucked.

Already?

I've been expecting you...

for 20 years.

May I offer you some wine?

No, thank you.

Oh, I think you're going to need it.

I was young and in love.

It never occurred to me you didn't love me back.

So when you asked me all those years ago,

if I could borrow the will of Marcus Antonius

from the vault,

just so your husband could read it,

I believed you.

And when you told me you'd bring it straight back,

it never occurred to me you were lying.

Because we were best friends.

And I loved you.

I was stripped naked in front of the whole Order,

and whipped until my back was bloody.

But none of that, none of it...

hurt anywhere near as much as your betrayal.

And abandonment.

And now here you are...

at it again.

I very much doubt you want your husband to find out this time.

What do you want?

I've served as a Vestal for nearly 30 years.

In a few months, my time is up.

I want to enjoy life,

which will take more than my pension.

I want your estates,

in Italy, Greece, and Egypt.

All of them.

In return for my silence, I want everything you have.

You were right.

We're fucked.

Aurelia gave us up.

Turia wants the will back, I presume?

Tomorrow morning.

So, erm, how's the kitchen coming?

Ooh, now you're in a bad mood.

What happened today?

I've been thinking about that time you and me,

got the will from the Temple.

And why the gloom?

That was your breakthrough.

Your first great triumph.

That was the start of everything,

for Gaius, for me and for you.

When you put that will up in the Forum,

it destroyed Marcus Antonius,

wanting to be buried in Egypt,

leaving everything to Cleopatra.

A year later, he was dead, Cleopatra, too.

I liked her.

You would.

-She had guts. -Mmm-hmm.

And after that, Gaius was the only one left.

The master of the world.

Everything he has, everything he is,

he owes to that will.

And it didn't cost a thing.

The bill just arrived.

What?

I fucked up, Agrippa.

Hey! Tell me!

Whatever it is, I'll deal with it.

No, you can't.

Not this.

Not even you.

Hey. Hey, hey, hey.

Is someone coming for you?

After all this time? Who? Who is it?

Tell me who!

Whoever it is, I'll deal with them.

You know I will.

Hey.

Are you playing me, Livia?

I don't know.

I'm sorry.

How did it go...

with Domitius yesterday?

Did you find out everything Livia wanted to know?

Come on, Iullus.

You wouldn't dare make a move without Livia.

And rightly so, of course.

Track record in politics.

She had you invite him down here,

told you what to say,

and now you're going to report back.

But he isn't stupid.

And neither is she.

Neither of them trust you,

and when the time comes,

you'll be floating down the Tiber.

Give it up, baby.

Seriously.

Open a whore house.

It wasn't poison...

you had.

The woman that Capria's cousin knows over by the Aurelian Gate,

she sells information to Tycho, who then reports to Livia.

She had them sell you a laxative.

She's here.

Is it ready?

The Greek redid the seal with the new ring.

Wait for me outside.

That's the will of Augustus.

Take it.

You didn't read it?

Not yet, no.

What did you want it for, anyway?

Well, I wanted to know what's in it,

for me.

I accept your terms.

My clerks will arrange the paperwork.

Have it sent to my summer residence on the lake.

I'm going there tomorrow.

One more thing.

I'm sorry...

for everything.

I couldn't give Gaius children, so, you know,

I had to prove myself in other ways.

With him, you always have to do that.

I owe you that.

We were friends.

I loved you.

And I betrayed you.

We won't see each other again,

and so I wanted you to know that I'm sorry.

Oh, so sorry.

So sorry.

Your mother's bracelets, I always loved them.

Oh, I remember.

Have them sent down as well.

I lost them.

Along with many other things, years ago.

This is the new will.

It's identical in every respect except for your changes.

Greek's a genius.

Keep it safe.

If anything happens to Gaius, we need it near.

And the real one will easily disappear when the time comes.

I don't understand.

You got what you wanted, your own will of Augustus,

naming Drusus as successor.

You had to pay Turia off, which is obviously annoying,

but you're still rich.

What she wants, I can never give her.

Not then, not now.

She will take everything I have

and it will never be enough.

And in the end she will go to Gaius,

and he will believe her.

Mmm.

And so, everything ends.

The Chief Vestal is protected by the Gods.

She can't even be touched, let alone harmed or killed.

I won't be part of that.

And neither will any of the Friends,

-not even for you. -This is her or me, Tycho.

You can't kill someone without killing them!

Especially if you can't even touch them.

It won't be easy.

But she's going to the lake tomorrow.

Here's how we do it.

She's off to the lake.

Get everyone ready.

This is Livia, daughter of Marcus Livius Drusus.

I ask your forgiveness,

as I defend myself

against the unjust vengeance of your servant, Turia.

She has dishonoured her Order,

and betrayed your trust.

So now I do what I must.

And I ask you all for your understanding.

In return, after my death,

I will build a temple to all the Gods.

The greatest ever seen on Earth.

Easy.

Hey...

Hey!

Let me out!

Hey, Quintus!

What is this?

- Come on. - Who are you?

Let me out!

Get that carriage off the road.

No! Wait!

Let me out!

This is sacrilege!

Wall it up. Nobody gets in.

Nobody gets out. Ever.

No!

No!

No!

No!

Do you know who I am?

Livia...

Livia...

Livia!

Untouched?

Unharmed?

You were right.

The cave is remote.

How did you know it was there?

We used to play inside when we were children.

Me and Turia.

Do you think they'll let this go?

Who?

The Gods?

We'll find out.

Go get the priestess Aurelia.

I want a copy of Agrippa's will, too.

- I love you. - I love you.

Livia?

Can I stay?

I don't want to be alone.