- [first lines]
- Gentile Di Viterbo: [entering chambers] Your ears do not deceive you, Holy Father, respected Eminences. A new world! The visionary navigator and explorer, Cristoforo Colombo, financed by their most Catholic Majesties, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, has discovered a new, immeasurable landmass rich with gold, silver, pearls. Populated by feral natives. King Ferdinand hopes Your Holiness will confer papal legitimacy upon Spain's claims to sovereignty.
- Jorge da Costa: [chuckles]
- Gentile Di Viterbo: [defiantly turning] Need I remind Cardinal Da Costa that Portugal rejected the proposed expedition not once, but twice?
- Jorge da Costa: As did your masters. Cristoforo Colombo is nothing but a cheese dealer.
- [Cardinals all laugh heartily]
- Cardinal Sforza: Ambassador De Haro, there is not only the King of Portugal to consider, but all the monarchs of Europe.
- Rodrigo Borgia: Yes. If we, with our Spanish blood, favor the cause of Spain, what do we gain except wide spread hostility?
- Cesare Borgia: Let me help you, Father.
- Rodrigo Borgia: *We* are the Holy Father, Bishop. And even if our gut instincts did not warn us of the danger, you know what else convinces us that we're in trouble? A member of our own family refuses to obey. Backstabbing cardinals we can abide, but disrespectful nephews we cannot.
- Cesare Borgia: I am sorry, I was only trying to To help, yes.
- Rodrigo Borgia: But we do not want your help. We want your loyalty.
- Vannozza Catanei: Whether or not you are Rodrigo's son, he loves you and wants what is best for you.
- Cesare Borgia: Stop! I am worth about as much to His Holiness as these pits are to olive oil.
- Francesc Gacet: Shall I decline?
- Rodrigo Borgia: To the contrary. Make our meeting a dinner. In wine there is truth. In much wine, opportunity.
- Giulia Farnese: Curiosity is a powerful sensation, is it not?
- Vannozza Catanei: Let us be honest, you were not invited so we could gossip like giddy sisters.
- Rodrigo Borgia: [about her sutured wound] La Bella, let us see.
- Giulia Farnese: You would never love me the same again, if at all.
- Rodrigo Borgia: You are right. Not the same. Even more.
- Francesc Gacet: [entering] Your Excellency.
- Cesare Borgia: Cockroach, here on the outskirts of town? Running His Holiness' errands all over Rome must be exhausting.
- [last lines]
- Rodrigo Borgia: [in bed] I would have thought you'd be less agitated given the day's other events.
- Giulia Farnese: I am very happy for my brother, yes.
- Rodrigo Borgia: I can make your brother a cardinal, but you cannot support my claim to paternity.
- Giulia Farnese: I can, as long as today's announcement is not your last.
- Rodrigo Borgia: Believe me. I have done what I can to make certain there are no more little Borgias running about.
- Giulia Farnese: Out there, maybe. But in here?
- [smiling and rubbing her belly]
- Rodrigo Borgia: No.
- Giulia Farnese: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes.
- [kissing his neck gleefully]