Borgia

And so, gentle souls. Follow me now to a place where men are men...

and cocks are...

cocks.

August 1494 The Assumption

Welcome, Son of God.

Or so he calls himself in all his godlessness.

I come to take my bride.

- As is ordered by my father. - Ordered by God.

I am handsome and powerful. Kiss me and you will swoon.

(The play is finished! Everybody out! Walk on!)

You once said that I would have plays written about me...

but you did not say what would happen to those who performed such plays.

God, have mercy on the man who shot the arrow into my ass.

Let us wait to dispense our wrath until we know the facts.

Wait. It's easy to wait when one can sit.

Fuck.

The people of Beroide, Camporoppolo and San Brizio...

stand ready to join Spoleto's attack on Terni.

Terni's attempt on the life of Prince Goffredo is an insult to your honor.

The entire population of Terni cannot be blamed for one man's arrow.

Yet they will come to the walls of Porta Monterone seeking control of our mines...

our roads, our prosperity. We must attack first.

No.

First we will learn the truth. That is my decision.

- She's a woman. And a Roman. - No.

But she's our appointed leader, so we must obey.

- I see now, to lead is to be despised. - There is someone for you to meet.

- A preparation for the... - Someone who may bring you peace.

We were in the alley behind here.

She was facing out, eyes over my shoulder. I viewed nothing...

- as I was otherwise occupied. - Watch your manners.

I am from Terni. If they find out that I named the guilty man...

Terni is crowded with slow-witted superstitious fools.

- What you call superstition, we call Faith. - Do you know who shot the arrow?

Yes.

- The archer is... - Their champion. Sidonius Grimani.

He and his family are the richest, stupidest, most superstitious...

Enough.

How can you be certain that Grimani committed this crime?

Because...

He is my brother.

Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.

Dignum et justum est.

Majesty, I have retrained your troops...

and I'm ready to cross the Alps to conquer Milan.

Yet I wait and wait and wait for your signal.

- Oh, please, Cesare. Why such haste? - A bit more patience.

Without the love of Carlotta d'Aragona, all that is left for me in France

is a bitter pear. I can taste it in my throat. It comes up, it's in my mouth all the day.

If I am to be a man with bile, I should be a man at war.

You think me arbitrary, but listen.

Duke Ludovico's sister is married to Emperor Maximilian...

who will send German troops to defend Milan...

Unless you can sign a treaty with Venice to block the German advance.

Exactly. I must await news from the Doge. Then we will pummel the Sforza family.

These dogs, what are they for?

To protect you, dear friend.

Did he threaten you?

It is not Cesare's words that frighten me, but his silences.

The havoc caused by his dogs in the theatre was hardly silent.

Cesare is pure pride. Nothing is more dangerous than a proud man.

Dangerous or not, I need him content. I cannot offend the Pope, at least...

not until I've married Anne. Oh, but Venice procrastinates.

Then, in the meanwhile, give him something to distract.

What could I possibly give him? I have already granted him a duchy.

How about a bride?

Well, who?

Well, present me with choices.

Those dogs are the hounds of Hell.

I want some.

The Venetian Ambassador awaits you in the map room.

Ambassador Giustiniani, thank you for seeing me.

- A pleasure as always, your Grace. - I will come directly to my purpose.

If the Doge acquiesces and supports France's attack on Milan...

I will give Venice Cremona and Ghiara d'Adda.

You will give? I was unaware those cities are in your possession.

- They are not now, but they will be. - I see.

- You hesitate. - Yes.

Cremona and Ghiara d'Adda will delight the Doge.

- Yes. - But you wonder:

- What does Cesare Borgia grant me? - Yes.

Why, the satisfaction of serving the Most Serene Republic of Venice...

and her noble citizens. Doing your job.

Hmm.

Milan will proffer a more tangible proposal.

So you refuse to convey my words to the Doge?

Regrettably.

- Do you like dogs, Giustiniani? - Dogs? No. Not even remotely.

Ah, too bad.

My love.

What is this I hear?

You will travel to Terni? I will not permit you to go.

I go not as your wife, but as governor of Spoleto.

Then I, sword in hand, will lead Spoleto's finest soldiers and protect you.

Your courage is admirable. But I need a warm spirit, a champion of peace...

Bishop Bembo.

Do the figures. Do them again.

I have, over and over. The Papal Treasury is practically bare.

- And the income from the beard tax? - That's why we are not.

- What else can we do to fill these empty chests? - Double the tax on salt, wine.

Excellent thought. Have you no ideas on how to raise funds, Signor Treasurer?

You have proven yourself an idiot.

How can you accept your salary while our Papal finances are in such disarray?

He is conjuring up fights with me because you gallivant with an Orsini.

- I have done nothing with Virginio. - Except use him to taunt the Pope.

I do not taunt. Virginio treats me kindly and not only would Rodrigo...

deprive me of a husband, but he would deprive me of kindness as well.

Do you know who survive untouched in the ancient epic tales?

Who? Some righteous sibling?

The people not in the story. If the Farnese are to survive, we must go unnoticed.

The gods torment those they see.

Especially those they fuck.

I have decided to name you a knight in the Order of Saint Michel...

the highest honor a King of France can bestow.

You are already Duke of Valentinois.

Now, also, Count of Diois, Lord of Issoudun, and...

the Order of Saint Michel.

And it is written. Cesare Borgia, you are officially reborn as a son of France.

We need a ceremony, do we not?

Sire, another title is meaningless if not earned.

- And what of a wife? Will she be earned? - A wife?

My cousin. Not a Carlotta, but a Charlotte. Charlotte d'Albret...

daughter of the Duke of Guyenne, sister of Navarre's King Juan.

Half French, half Spanish. Perfect for you. With skin never touched.

Let us get both of our marriages out of the way.

Then we will teach Italy what it means to submit.

But Majesty, there is the German threat.

Ambassador Giustiniani...

Giustiniani, did you have an accident?

A nasty tumble.

After further consideration, I will strongly encourage the Doge to support...

your advance against Milan. Venice will stop the Germans.

- Wonderful. Is that not wonderful? - Truly. When can we depart?

As soon as all the documents have been signed and the wedding wine has been drunk.

Oh, you will love my cousin Charlotte.

Circumstances force us to raise the taxes on all of Rome's vineyards.

Yes, but my vineyard will barely turn a profit as is.

Vincenzo, show the cardinal the year's expenses to date.

Repairs on the cistern for irrigation. Rise in the price of horse fodder.

Our harvest is less than expected. Soon, there will be no vineyard to tax.

Let me study the tabulations and see if an exemption is possible.

Thank you. I will send you some wine to aid in your study. Alessandro, wait.

You seem troubled.

Damn, I'm losing the ability to hide my true feelings...

a gift that is necessary to survive at the Vatican. - Politics is another name for despair.

Yes, but compounded with that are my own personal concerns.

- I, like you, face destitution. - But you are Papal Treasurer.

No. The Holy Father allows me no salary. And, as you know, I'm to have another baby.

How will I support my children, my sweet Silvia, my mother?

Do as I have done all these years. Beg sometimes, borrow sometimes...

and sometimes steal.

Hah. I spare you, knave.

Come along, come along. Quick, quick, quick, quick. Come along.

You scared the children.

It is my way these days. They can sense my bad temper.

- Does your knight always spare his foe? - He is a Christian.

And a puppet.

Is your lady around? Charlotte d'Albret?

Yes. She is very near.

The King sent me to meet her.

We all obey the King.

What? This? The Collar of Saint Michel.

- Too ostentatious? - Yes.

Your lady, is she beautiful?

Some say.

Though... Here is a secret:

She looks more innocent than she is.

You remind me of my sister.

And you remind me of no one else.

Your Grace, the King summons you.

We all obey the King.

Sidonius Grimani must come to Spoleto, admit his guilt, ask to be forgiven.

That is the only way we can avoid a war. A war which will bankrupt both of our cities

and decimate a generation of young men.

Perhaps I know why Sidonius Grimani drew his bow.

I fear he fired the arrow at your brother...

because Grimani thought, at the archery competition, that he was cheated.

How can one cheat at archery?

Since my appointment, I have learned that the people of Terni...

always feel cheated by the people of Spoleto.

The only way my city can explain our misery is to lay it upon yours.

What can we do?

Good evening.

You move around Rome disguised, like a thief?

Sit.

I asked to see you here, where I caused such devastation.

I did not recall if I ever properly thanked you for taking care of me

when my brain was twisted by vitriolo?

Gacet gave me 2000 ducats.

What do you want now?

- Advice. - Certainly.

About Giulia. She demands a husband.

Then give her one. Or two. Or three, as you did for me.

- Those were different times. - Or different feelings?

Vannozza, how do I keep Giulia from another man's bed?

- That depends on what you're willing to risk. - Everything.

Your Papacy?

Yes.

You must remind Giulia that even a husband dies. That marriage is not security.

You must expose the vulnerability of your rival. There is a poison...