After a complaint is made against one of group that runs the Aventine and the complainant demands that the offending party be punished. Vorenus refuses; even when Pullo suggests some sort of compromise. Shortly afterwards the accused party is brutally castrated
Pullo cautions restraint but Vorenus is determined that he can't let such a challenge to his authority go unanswered. It isn't long before these two old friends are at each other's throats. Meanwhile Atia has persuaded Mark Antony that when he stands down as Consul of Rome he should not accept the governorship of Macedonia as she has heard it is a ghastly place. He approaches Cicero and suggests that he propose to the senate that he is appointed to Gaul instead. Cicero appears to bow to his pressure but on the day he sends somebody to read a proclamation which condemns Mark Antony. He meanwhile pledges allegiance to Octavian; who has raised an army and declared himself Caesar. Octavian isn't the only potential threat to Mark Antony; Brutus and Cassius are trying to find allies in Bithynia, Eastern Turkey, to help retake Rome.
This was a solid episode; the friendship between Vorenus and Pullo has been tested throughout this season but here is reaches breaking point; this came as a real surprise as in many ways the series has been centred on this pair. Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson have been great as these two characters and had some impressive scenes together here. The various political machinations were fun to watch; the highlight being Mark Antony's reaction to Cicero's proclamation it was great to see his expression change as the expected endorsement turns out to be a condemnation; James Purefoy was on top form in this scene. There are some disturbing scenes; a man has his way with a young male slave who doesn't seem that keen and another man is raped as a punishment. The episode ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger as a plot to poison Atia is about to be put into effect this left me keen to find out what will happen next.
This was a solid episode; the friendship between Vorenus and Pullo has been tested throughout this season but here is reaches breaking point; this came as a real surprise as in many ways the series has been centred on this pair. Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson have been great as these two characters and had some impressive scenes together here. The various political machinations were fun to watch; the highlight being Mark Antony's reaction to Cicero's proclamation it was great to see his expression change as the expected endorsement turns out to be a condemnation; James Purefoy was on top form in this scene. There are some disturbing scenes; a man has his way with a young male slave who doesn't seem that keen and another man is raped as a punishment. The episode ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger as a plot to poison Atia is about to be put into effect this left me keen to find out what will happen next.
