02x08 - Control

[bunniefuu]

In return
for my son's life,

I want you to take the
life of one of Livia's.

Tiberius and I have sworn
to restore the Republic.

If he ever sees you as
a threat or problem,

you'll be dead.

I want you to take Germany.

This is a
f*cking enormous honor!

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

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

I need to
decipher his letters.

I never forget my friends.

Tiberius, I know
you won't agree with me,

but now is the time to act.

Don't tell Mother or Piso.

We have to get him
recalled from Germany.

There's a darkness there.
It's consuming him.

Without your marriage to
me, Iullus, you're nothing.

Oh, I know
you're f*cking Gallus.

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

It wasn't Vilbia Julia
was sleeping with.

Julia?

Uh, no.

I'm not doing this
without a drink.

You don't do anything
without a drink.

We can't stay
here. We'll drown.

We'll never escape.

Left!

Livilla!

So, Vistilius let it slip

that you've refused
the recall to Rome.

Not refused, exactly.

More, sort of, postponed.

I just need some more time here

to agree the treaty
with the Cherusci.

Drusus.

You can't be serious.

I explained it all nicely.

To Caesar Augustus?
Are you mad?

Let me show you something.

I'm on the verge here.

The verge of something
f*cking incredible,

that nobody has ever done.

A whole new Roman province.

From the Rhine to
the f*cking Elbe.

Does Livia know about this?

I have not bled my army to death

in these f*cking forests
for the last four years

so some jealous old
man can steal my honor

and hand over my victory
to some undeserving f*ck!

Just saying.

My beautiful love,

this is treason.

What the f*ck?

Julia? Tiberius?

Children!

Lucius, Julilla, what
are you doing up?

Get to bed!

Tiberillus.

Hey!

Livia, what are you doing here?

This is your baby.

If you say so. They all
look the same to me.

This house is a toilet.
Your children are wild.

You can talk, Mother.

You really set an example
for everyone there.

Mother, we weren't
expecting you back just yet.

What is Vipsania doing here?

You shame your family.

- I try.
- Livia.

sh*t.

Livia, they told
me you were here.

Do you think Tiberillus
is starting to look

a bit more like me?

I can see a bit
of Julia in there,

not much Tiberius.

Do you think Tiberius would
mind if I adopted him?

But you already have
Gaius and Lucius.

But he's our only
proper grandson,

the only one with
your blood and mine.

Dominus.

Is that why you dragged
me back from the country?

No.

We need to talk.

You're back again?

You're going to Germany. Now.

What?

You have to bring Drusus back.

He refused the recall?

I don't care how you do it.

Of course.

Does Stepfather know?

He found out days ago.

It's all right for
now, I mean he's, uh,

he's been good about it.

Drusus is Drusus.

It's a direct challenge
to his authority.

Not if it stays in the family.

If you get Drusus
back, I can fix it.

But he has to come back.

Make sure you don't die, Father.

I'll look after everything
whilst you're gone.

I know you will.

Castor, Uncle Drusus
has been naughty,

and I need to go and fetch him.

You stay with your
mother until I get back.

Come along there, Castor.

If anything happens to
Drusus because of this...

I will never forgive you.

It's because of you
he stayed there,

on the frontline,
year after year.

I begged you to bring him home.

So did Antonina.

And you knew it
was destroying him,

but you didn't care, because
you wanted him to win.

He wanted it, too.

He's a child.

He needed a mother.

Bring him home, Tycho.

Ten days there.

Ten days back.

I sent Tiberius.

He'll be back in three
weeks with Drusus.

Speaking of Tiberius,

Gallus came to see me
while you were away.

He said he was sure Tiberius

had been seeing Vipsania
behind his back.

Naturally I told him
he must be mistaken,

because Tiberius

is now married to
my daughter, Julia,

and nobody would shame
my family like that,

least of all one of your sons.

Then the very next day

I get that letter from Drusus,

refusing my direct orders.

I don't believe in
this treaty of his.

He should be in Rome.

He just wants to please you.

He is in charge of an army!

An army he could
lead against me.

I need to know I can trust him.

He's Drusus.

That's all anyone needs to know.

Get the boys in line, Livia,

or I will.

Don't worry.

Has Piso ever talked to you
about restoring the Republic?

Piso? He's 150. What a joke.

f*ck!

Oh, f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!

Livia, I heard you were back.

We need to talk.

Not a good time.

Ah, not for me either.

I'm pregnant.

What?

Who's the father?

Well, as you imply, it's
obviously not Iullus.

We haven't been in the
same bedroom for years.

Fortunately, there's
a simple solution.

You leave Rome,

you give birth in the country,
the child goes to a sl*ve.

Don't be absurd, Livia.

I'm not spending
the f*cking winter

hiding in some dreary house
in the middle of nowhere.

I'm very attached to the father,

and I want to keep his child.

Why shouldn't I?

Because it's not your husband's.

Quite.

So, you need to go to Iullus

and get him to
accept the situation

and pretend the child is his.

Don't look at me like that.

You did it for Julia,

when she got pregnant
with Tiberillus.

You make sure Tiberius
shut his mouth

and raised the brat as his own.

Well, if you can get Tiberius
to do that for Julia,

you can get Iullus
to do it for me.

Because everyone knows

how my uncle dotes
on Tiberillus,

the first true blood grandchild
of Livia and Caesar Augustus.

Well, nobody wants
scandalous rumors

about his paternity
flying around the Senate.

Oh, and I suggest

you get a move on
with this, Livia,

because I'm starting to show.

All right. Let's go.

I don't like this. You
should have a proper escort.

They're disguised
as merchants from Gaul.

It's a secret meeting.
That's the point.

The Cherusci are taking
a risk with this treaty.

And so are you.

We should be on our way
back to Rome already.

It's not far.

I want to achieve one
last thing before I go.

A treaty to give to Augustus.

The chance to consolidate
our gains here.

You know?

Mm.

Germanicus.

Thank you, Livilla.

This will bring me luck.

Not that I need it.

We're going
home. Come on, you two.

Let's get packing.

There's been a leak.
Someone's betrayed you.

Maybe Drusus, too.

Gaius can't know for sure,

about me, us, the
Republic, everything,

or we would be dead.
Certainly I would.

Look...

when Tiberius
brings Drusus back,

everything will calm down.

You've handled Drusus.

You just need to
handle everything else.

Need to handle Domitius.
You need to handle Julia.

She's a drunk. The
kids are feral.

Tiberius is f*cking Vipsania.

Marcella is blackmailing you.

Your husband wants
to adopt Tiberillus,

which clearly you can't allow,

some other f*ck's b*stard
at the heart of the family.

I've lost control.

Just need to clean house, Livia.

- I know.
- Before the boys get back.

Are you
happy, Ballomar?

Yeah, sure.

Me, too.

You know what my
philosophy of life is?

No, tell me.

- I don't have one.
- Hmm.

Look at my brother.

He's the second
cleverest person I know.

All those books he reads,
Plato and the other one.

Is he happy? No.
He's miserable.

Or my mother,

who is the cleverest
person I know.

She's forever thinking
about something or other.

Thinking away.

Does it cheer her up?

Does it f*ck?

Drusus.

Here. For you.

Your time has come.

Death is waiting.

It's a
trap, General! Run!

Look out!

Aelina?

I've made the arrangements.

All right.

Let's clean house.

Shh.

Get off. f*ck off!

f*ck off.

Gaius, Julilla,
Agrippina, and Castor,

you will stay here for
now until I say otherwise.

Your schooling will resume.

This is your tutor.

All right,
good luck with that.

The children will stay
with us for a while.

Right, Domitius. Let's go.

Antonia, we need to talk, too.

Iullus, please wait
for Livia in her room.

What's this about?

Your husband is the
next governor of Africa.

He'll be gone for some years.

Oh, does he know that?

Gaius is telling him now.

He's going to hate that.

So will I.

You will stay in Rome
with your children.

Oh, I thought you'd be happy.

It's true my marriage has been
extremely trying at times,

but still...

it feels disloyal.

You are too nice.

Your mother was right.

Yes, she complained
about it constantly.

I suppose I should thank you.

What I need is your help...

with Julia and Iullus.

Livia has sent Julia to dry
out on our family estate.

When she sobers up,

Livia wants you and I to
help her remember her duties,

as her two oldest friends.

Wait, is she locked up
out there or something?

Fine.

Anything else?

Yes. Marcella's pregnant.

And she wishes to
keep the child.

And what?

She wants me to
pretend it's mine.

It would be better
for the family,

for everyone...
- But not for me.

Iullus, we can't
have another scandal.

I won't do it, Livia.

Not for you or the family

and never for Marcella.

Now that I finally understand
how this family works,

I assume sidelining me
in Africa was your idea?

This is Rome.

Women have no ideas.

As I recall, I
respected your wishes

about Julia's marriage.

But then you got Vilbia's
brother to k*ll me.

But I-I admire that. I do.

It took imagination and guts.

But where does it all end?

I think we should
make up, you and I.

Your father was one
of the great Romans.

I admired him very
much. Yours was not.

I despised him.

Yes. It's different
burdens to bear.

Mm.

What did you have in mind?

I will keep your secrets,

and support your
ambitions with my husband.

And in return?

I own you.

Governor of Africa, huh?

That's practically a reward.
He tried to k*ll us both!

It's no use being emotional.

I like being emotional!

He's more useful to
us alive, and you know it.

But Marcella's not.

You're not serious?

Iullus won't raise her child.

That is an issue.

She's been a problem for years.

- I know.
- And I've been very patient.

But still, the risk.

Hmm.

Tiberius
Claudius Nero!

Alert the General!

Tiberius!

How did you get here so fast?

Where is he?

The wound's gone bad.

I've seen it a thousand times.

There's nothing to be done.

I'm afraid you're just in time.

And just so you know...

he can't see.

Who's that?

Antonina?

It's me, Drusus.

And your brother.

Tiberius?

Brilliant.

Just in time for the
squalid and violent death

you always so
cheerfully foretold.

You're not going to die.

Yes, I am.

No, you're not.

Tycho.

I'm glad you came.

Tiberius isn't going
to be of much use.

I suppose Mother sent
you up to drag me home.

She's going to be
furious about this.

I'm glad I'll be dead.

What happened?

A German warband, random ambush.

They got a little
girl to hold them up

and then attacked
them from the sides.

He got a spear through the leg.

A German guide carried
him home when night fell.

The others were k*lled.

We were coming home, Tycho.
I was all packed and ready.

Hey, hey.

It's hard for you, I know.

But it's only death.

In the end, we all
go over the river.

I'm looking forward
to meeting Grandfather

and seeing Antigone again...

and that c**t Marcellus.

He'll still be seething
Mother poisoned him.

Yes.

Don't be sad.

I did everything I wanted.

I drank, I...

I gambled, I fornicated,

and I married,

and I loved...

and I went to w*r.

I gave my wife children and...

brought no dishonor
on my family,

which not many people
would have bet on.

No.

I would've liked to
see the kids grow up...

and take Livilla to her wedding.

Will you do that for me?

Of course.

And then you can
finish what we started.

No.

That's over.

Without you,

the Republic...

No.

It isn't.

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

- Yes, it is.
- Swear to me.

Swear you'll do it.

For me.

Mother will make
the arrangements.

All you have to do
is turn up and smile.

Please.

I swear.

I want you to end it.

We both know where a
wound like this goes.

You can't ask that of me.

Yes, I can.

No, you can't.

Yes, I can.

Tycho will help you.

Sorry I'm late.

You're always late.

You never answered my question,
about adopting Tiberillus.

That's a great idea, thank you.

I think about the
future a lot now.

The grandchildren,

the Rome they'll live in.

- Iullus tries hard.
- Mm.

And Domitius is a good man.

- We can trust him.
- We can.

But I worry about Drusus.

Yes. Well, he has no
interest in politics.

Hmm.

And Tiberius has no ambition.

Hard to believe
they're both yours.

I know.

Lately, I've been really
feeling the weight of it all.

Maybe it's just age.

Sometimes I just
think... f*ck it.

I should just hand it all back,

for real this time,

restore the Republic...

retire.

Open that whorehouse in
Pompeii we always dreamed of.

I could, you know.

The Senate would
take it from me.

It'd make your father happy.

You want to give away
everything we've built?

f*ck you.

And f*ck the Republic.

If you ever talk
about this again,

I'll divorce you.

Get a message to Piso.

f*ck.

I'm still here.

I'm ready.

Call Antonina.

Sleep well, Drusus.

Tycho?

Take care of everyone.

Tell Antigone I miss her.

Tiberius.

It's okay.

Please.

I welcome it.

Thank you.

Don't marry again.

Never.

Mother.

Will you write to Rome?

We should tell the men.

Daddy.

Livia. There
you are, at last.

How's it going?

Julia's still pretty furious.

Keep her locked up.

I won't change my
mind, so don't start.

I won't.

Then why did you wanna see me?

It's time to pay
your debts, my love.

Wait here.

I'm not a sl*ve.

Who knew?

Your message was, um, alarming.

Gaius knows
about Drusus, the Republic.

He was testing me
last night. Me!

If he knew, he wouldn't
be testing you out.

But how can he
know and not know?

Then who's the leak? Marcella?

I don't know either.

Well, we'd better
find out, Livia.

Our lives depend on it.

I wanted
to thank you...

for bringing my brother back.

I know he trusted you.

He trusted everybody.

That's why he's dead.

Are you telling me

that my brother's death
wasn't an accident?

It was, sort of, but...

sort of not.

It was always going
to end like this,

and he knew that.

Vistilius... He
just said to wait.

Vistilius loved my brother.

Not just your brother.

Can someone please see
to Claudius, please?

Yes, Domina.

His body is ready to go back...

when you are.

Listen, Antonina...

after your mourning period,
you'll marry again, of course.

And when that time comes,
I hope you'll consider me.

Obviously, that will be
your uncle's decision but...

I'm sure he won't object.

Vistilius.

I want to take my
brother home now.

It's about time.

I haven't seen or heard
a word from Iullus.

He's out on your family estate.

I assume you dealt with him.

Well, he understands
the situation.

He'll raise the
child as his own?

He has conditions.

Conditions?

He expects you out there

at your convenience
to discuss them.

All right.

Thank you, Livia.

Finally. He could
get lost in a bedroom.

Hello, Iullus.

You look much better.

She is much better.

Antonia can't
know. Nobody can.

Our secret.

Forever.

What the f*ck?

I love her.

I always have.

Oh, the gods.

It was you?

- It was you all along?
- It was always him.

What, and this is
your condition?

That I keep your secret
in return for mine?

No, Marcella.

I'm afraid not.

We know
you'd never do that.

Do you feel bad?

Not at all.

This is your last
chance, my love.

Get away from me.

Keep on going and
never look back,

because I will destroy you and
everything else completely.

I know.

But somehow...

it always seems better
than the alternative.

Welcome back.

It's done,

as is our debt to you, Livia.

I've alerted the sl*ves
that she's missing,

but... it might be days
before they find the body.

And when they do, you're
going to tell everyone

she came to you
about her pregnancy,

wracked with guilt and shame
and desperate for a way out.

I did what I could, but...

She took her own
life, like a Roman.

Leave that to me.

Livia!

Uncle wants to
see you.

It's Drusus.

True then?

He died of his wounds.

Father's putting it out that
Drusus fell from a horse.

He feels it would
be bad for morale

if people knew that
their greatest general

had been k*lled by Germans.

But even I think
that's just mean.

Where's Livia?

Well...

that's it.

It's over now.

So...

you're giving up?

You're just going to let
Drusus die for nothing?

How dare you?

You made a throne for Rome

and you put your husband on it,

and you're just gonna
walk away from that,

so that he can hand his tyranny
on to some f*cking relative?

You don't inherit Rome.

That's a f*cking insult.

You have to take it,

and we are going to take it.

We are going to take it back.

You are going to end this
tyranny with Augustus.

Your father died for that.

So did your son.

You don't get to walk away.

You don't.

I'm Livia,

daughter of Marcus
Livius Drusus,

and I walk where I want.

From Drusus.

I'm sorry, Mother.

Don't be too disappointed in me.

I tried my best.

But Tiberius will help you
finish what we started.

I made him promise.

Your son, Nero Claudius Drusus.

I have something to
tell you, Mother,

but you're not going to like it.

Drusus was betrayed.

The day after Drusus died,

Vistilius proposed
marriage to me.

I was shocked.

The niece of Augustus

is a startling
match for Vistilius.

His family are
provincial nobility,

nothing more.

Yet he told me
that he was certain

my uncle would agree.

All of which
naturally started us thinking

about Stepfather and Vistilius.

And then we remembered

the letter that Drusus
wrote to Tiberius

about restoring the Republic.

And we remembered the courier

that Drusus trusted
to deliver it.

Vistilius.

Yes, that's how Gaius
knew about everything.

"Don't tell Mother or
Piso," that's how it ended.

That's why you're still alive.

And that's
why he sent Drusus to w*r

and kept him there.

It wasn't an honor.

It was a death trap.

Yes.

And Vistilius
knew all along,

because he was a
spy for my uncle.

And there's
the dilemma, Mother.

Without Stepfather,
you're nothing.

If you take your revenge,

you'll lose your power.

If you keep your power,

you'll spend the
rest of your life

with the man who
k*lled your son.

But he didn't die
entirely in vain.

No.

At least I'm free,

released from your
hopeless quest

to restore the Republic.

That dream died with my brother.

You should have k*lled me
when you had the chance.

Yes.

Yes, I should.

My money's on power.

Is he right?

Which is it?

- Revenge or power?
- I will have both!

And Vistilius?

I want him dead.

And I won't wait.

You won't have to.

Gaius will take care of that.

I should have brought
him home years ago.

I should have asked you.

You were right,

everything you said.

Are you gonna put Tiberius
on the throne after Augustus?

Yes.

Undo everything he's
done, bury his legacy?

I will.

Now you're gonna have to burn
the whole f*cking house down

and everyone in it.

Good night, Piso.

Good night.

Oh, Tiberius, I just wanted
to see if you're all right.

Tiberius?

Wait.

Oh, it's you.

If you see Tiberius,
send my love.

I want to be alone with my son.

Dominus.

You're not my son, of course.

But you are Tiberillus,
grandson of Augustus.

And I know you're
innocent of all of it.

The lies...

the killings...

the vengeance.

Everything that made Rome great.

But life isn't fair.

But on the bright side,

you'll never have
to run for Consul.

Or worry...

about restoring the Republic

of Rome.