(typewriter ticking)
(dramatic music)
(crowd chanting)
Nero! Nero! Nero!
(slow serene music)
You can't imagine how many times
I've dreamed of this moment.
Now it's happened.
You are the emperor, Nero.
(slow calm music)
It's so vast.
Mm-hmm.
And the gods will only have to allow our stupidity
to go unchecked.
And our empire will vanish from the earth.
Like wine spilled on hot rocks.
What must I do?
Unless the threat to our provinces is real
we must not take more territory.
Claudius's great victory in Britannia is actually
a dangerous financial defeat.
And we cannot withdraw.
Our provinces closer to home will think us weak.
Greed is the greatest threat we face.
In fact, we could cut taxes by half.
If we ensure the revenue reaches
the treasury intact.
We'd need the cooperation of the senate.
(classical music)
(laughing)
(people applauding)
No!
Someone might see.
Who?
The emperor?
(laughing)
You're still my Lucius.
Lucius to you.
Nero to the world.
(laughs)
Does your mother know I'm here?
Unless she's losing her touch.
What will she do?
You have nothing to fear.
Let her be.
No.
What harm can she do?
She's a millstone.
Anchoring him to the past.
She loves him.
She loves what he was.
Not what he can and must be.
And he will trust her, take her advice.
Who knows what dangers could grow
from the sentimental ideas of an ignorant child.
When first love dies, it maims us all.
Perhaps they are destined to be together.
Would anyone, seeing you in exile, have thought
you destined to be the wife of one emperor
and mother of a second?
She cannot be his wife.
Can you?
I know what's best for my son.
And you, teacher, ou will do whatever I command.
I serve the emperor not you.
I don't love you.
I won't give you up.
I can't do that.
You deserve a man that loves you.
But I want you.
And I don't care if you love someone else.
I care.
Why torture both of us?
Octavia, I will not let you waste your life.
Whether you want it or not, I will give you
a chance to be happy.
(classical music)
I, Octavia having borne
neither sons nor daughters
acknowledge the fault of sterility.
I accept the consul's ruling to annul our marriage.
(ring clanking)
All bonds between us are dissolved.
I have to.
You don't even know where you will go.
Where will you go?
It doesn't matter.
But far from here.
(weeping)
Let me come with you.
No.
No, Rome could need you.
I'll miss you. I'll miss you.
How could this happen?
How could you let my son choose a slave girl over you?
You really think you know him, don't you?
Tigellinus.
Guards.
(crowd chattering)
Good evening.
Who is she?
Poppaea. Two marriages, one divorce, one funeral.
Ah, not yours, I hope.
Not yet.
I see she has put you already under her spell.
(sighs)
She's too expensive for me.
I hope he's not fool enough to present her today.
It would be an insufferable insult.
He can't present her as a consort.
Not a filthy slave.
Hypocrite.
The filthier, the better.
That's what I heard about you.
Poppaea, if I were you I would learn to tame my tongue.
If I didn't want to lose it along with my head.
And if I were you I wouldn't care if I lost them both.
Britannicus, son of the Divine Claudius.
And my brother.
This is Domitia, his grandmother.
You forget that we know each other.
You knew a slave.
I introduce a free woman.
Hello.
I thought you were a friend of Octavia's.
I am a friend to anyone who has the courage
to follow their own heart.
And despise the disapproval of hypocrites.
Do you think she means it?
Of course.
All the best liars mean what they say until
they have said it.
You're even more lovely than I remembered.
Your skin is paler.
Better for being out of the sun, I'm sure.
And your eyes so full of hope.
Yes, they are.
(classical music)
(crowd yelling and cheering)
(grunting)
(metal clanking)
(yelling and grunting)
(cheering continues)
(grunting continues)
Ah!
(crowd chanting)
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Follow him!
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Now you see the beast.
(chanting stops)
If I asked for their voices now what do you think
they would say?
Kill! Kill! Kill!
People of Rome!
I'm talking to each one of you!
What if this man was your brother?
What if this man was your son?
I spared these lives because I want no
blood spilled to honor my name!
But you shall have sport!
One hundred days of games!
(crowd applauding)
Who's going to pay for them?
He will.
In seven days, I will inaugurate the Neronia.
- He's buying their hearts! - A festival of competitions
in gymnastics, horsemanship and music.
- No blood, he's lost them. - And from my own treasury
every Roman citizen
will receive a gift of 400 Sesterces!
(chuckles)
(crowd cheering loudly)
The last day of the festival shall be the greatest!
On that day
I will take this woman as my wife.
She is not of patrician blood.
But she has the virtue and the strength
and the nobility bred in your bones!
Because I'm not only the ruler of an empire.
But I'm the emperor of all Romans!
(crowd cheering)
Keep back!
Leave her.
Juno Pronubia.
She watches over engagements.
Nero, he watches over you.
(moaning pleasurably)
Close your eyes.
It's beautiful.
But I can't take it.
I insist.
You have to listen to me.
I'm the future empress.
(Both giggling)
Congratulations.
Acte, this is Paul of Tarsus.
Tarsus?
Is a long way away.
Why are you in Rome?
To deliver a message.
For whom?
For all the people of Rome.
I have some good news.
It is time to implement measures that
will ensure the strength and continuance
of the empire.
I'm very glad the emperor has our strength
uppermost in his mind.
Then you advocate that we build up the legions
and increase taxes?
The cost of our existing military strengths
already exceeds the maximum net revenues levied on
the provinces they occupy.
(crowd murmuring)
Pallas, is it?
Do you presume to instruct senators and knights,
whose financial acumen far exceeds that
of a wretched slave turned glorified clerk?
Pallas speaks with my permission!
But we must move our legions to the borders
most threatened by invasion.
And what will prevent rebellion in other provinces?
Fair taxation will garrison those provinces
more effectively than legions.
Fair taxation?
You want to lower taxes?
But your own clerk has told you
that current revenues fail to meet expenses.
Gentlemen, I thank the gods.
We have two or three honest provincial governors.
The others appoint corrupt officials.
Between them they forge returns barely half of what
is collected reaches Rome!
(senators murmuring disagreement)
But the governors themselves keep little
of what they steal.
For most of it must be sent in tribute
to the powerful men in senate who lobbied
for their appointments.
(senators grumbling loudly)
That's a monstrous accusation.
I will create an imperial commission
to investigate every aspect of tax collection!
They will have powers of universal audit
and powers of arrest.
The officers will be imperial freedmen.
(senators grumbling loudly)
I adjourn this session until tomorrow morning
when the reforms will be put to a vote.
No! No! No! No!
You go too fast.
I know the penalty of haste.
Your father died because we tried to move
too quickly against Caligula.
You're so much like him.
I couldn't bear to lose you as well.
I couldn't bear it.
Everything I do is for you.
You have no idea of the price I've paid.
I know the price that others have paid.
Nero.
Would you make these reforms at any cost?
What do you mean?
If you antagonize the senate,
you put us all at risk.
Acte understands what we are trying to do.
Why can't you?
- She understands nothing. - Why don't you trust him?
Don't ever interrupt me again!
Do not talk to her like that!
If you don't trust my judgment,
then you have to trust Seneca's.
You made him my tutor.
You wanted to stand at the emperor's side
and change the world.
Now you can change the world.
You can.
We can.
Porridus.
P-O double-R-I-D-U-S.
(senators laughing)
(coin clanking)
(senators murmuring)
I thought you opposed me, Noble Septimus.
I do.
But it must not be said that the emperor
left the senate without a vote in his favor.
(senators laughing)
Thank you for your support,
but it is not necessary.
(coins crashing)
I exercise my imperial tribunal and
consular powers!
The proposed reforms will be implemented!
And when the voting roll is published,
the people will know who
has their best interest at heart.
(Nero laughing)
I don't understand why you're celebrating.
I heard everything.
Perhaps Agrippina's right.
About what?
Are you sure it's safe to make so many enemies?
The senate cannot move against him.
The people would tear them limb from limb.
And when the voting roll is published,
even old Porridus will be rupturing himself in his
haste to give money away!
The emperor has cornered them
into an orgy of ingratiation!
But in secret?
In secret they will do what they do in public.
Posture.
Gossip.
Whine and do very little.
Very little.
(both laughing)
General Galba, he's the only man for us.
Galba delights in extortions and executions,
power and pretty young boys.
If we ask Galba to deliver us from Nero,
who will deliver Rome from Galba?
This was supposed to be a secret meeting.
The emperor has no spies.
I do.
I have a weapon to regain control of my son.
Give me time to use it.
Claudius' will.
The will must contain something inconvenient or it
would have been read after the funeral.
How is young Britannicus?
Well, I trust.
We have a weapon of our own.
General Galba?
How did you?
Septimus, Porridus, and your mother,
a secret meeting.
My lord, I can put one of her slaves to torture and...
No.
Leave.
Tigellinus.
Let me pass.
The emperor forbids you to approach him.
You must leave the palace today and are forbidden
to enter it again, unless summoned by the emperor.
Guards!
He's taking my escort.
Go, lady, please.
Or you may spend another ten years alone
on that island.
Are you all right?
You had to do it.
You had no choice.
[Claudius] When I die, let grief suffice.
I want no disappointment, jealousy, or bitterness.
I entrust the guidance of the empire
to Britannicus.
And I ask Nero to support and advise him.
(water running)
Noble Seneca?
My mistress wishes to speak with you.
(whispers)
She wants you to come to her as soon as possible.
It's a very serious matter.
You told us you had destroyed the will.
Do you take me for an imbecile?
Septimus and his allies would be delighted to hail.
Britannicus as their new emperor,
a weakling and a puppet.
He's everything they could hope for.
You wouldn't do it,
destroy your son, destroy your dreams.
I have no son.
I have no dreams.
What do you want?
No.
I will not banish you to Corsica.
It will be seen as a punishment for bad counsel.
To further appease the senate you have to
give up the reforms.
And she wants to be here by the palace by your side.
And Acte?
Acte must leave the palace.
And you can never see her again.
I knew it.
How could she do this to me?
That witch!
Nero, I beg you.
Remember, anger is dangerous.
Anger is madness.
Anger rises in the soul of man like smoke and
the taste thereof is sweeter than honey!
Homer.
Sing, goddess Achilles' rage black and murderous
that cost the Greeks immeasurable pain.
Britannicus.
Is she insane?
She is angry.
And Britannicus is her weapon.
But he grows weaker.
The gods may take him before he can harm us.
So I the son of the Divine Claudius
can presume to assist the gods?
As a politician I can see no other way.
As a man, I could never do it.
So, to save my title I must murder my brother.
Is that it?
♪ Father
♪ Me thinks I see
♪ The stranger
♪ Alone he comes
♪ Weeping
♪ In the everlasting snow.
I'm sorry.
I thought you might teach me that.
Not this music.
Have you been awake all night?
What's wrong?
Let me help.
Please.
If the welfare of thousands of people
depended on you sacrificing your life, would you do it?
For thousands, yes.
Even for one.
And if you had to take a life
to save thousands?
Whose life do you have to take?
What has he done?
Is he a murderer?
Many will die if he lives.
Until he does wrong, then he can't be punished.
Lucius, you are emperor now.
There must be another way.
(sighs)
Who wants you to do this?
Seneca?
Your mother?
You promised.
You promised all of us a better world.
[Domitia] My dearest Octavia,
I wish I could spare you the pain this letter will bring,
but I'm afraid I have bad news.
Nero will marry Acte in May.
I'm so sorry.
And some for you.
(gasps)
Acte, you look well.
I turn my back and suddenly you have a family.
Children from the Suburra.
Orphans.
They're my children now.
Every time we meet you offer me something.
Next time it's my turn, Martia.
Britannicus, will you join us?
To Nero and Acte,
all the happiness they deserve.
My sister is dead.
Octavia is dead.
How?
Suicide.
Drowned.
When she found out you were getting married.
They've burned her.
I wish you were dead.
Both of you.
(applause)
(gagging)
Your brother is dead.
It seems the gods have taken him.
Finish your work.
Do it!
(thunder rumbling)
(sobs)
Do you hear the god's anger?
It's not anger.
It's laughter.
Take her away from here.
Was it him?
Was it Britannicus who had to die
for the good of the empire?
No.
Lucius.
Domitia's grief is intolerable.
I understand that.
To lose both grandchildren.
She's wrong.
It was the falling sickness.
Tell me you didn't have him killed.
I didn't, no.
Swear it.
Swear it!
I swear it!
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to.
Let me go.
Everything I have done, everything I have done,
I have done for us.
No! Don't! Don't put blood on my hands!
You can't leave!
You love me.
How can I love an assassin?
How can I love a liar?
I saved our lives.
Acte!
(thunderclap)
Acte?
Acte.
Acte?
Mother, how did you get in here?
Acte has gone.
So now you know what the love of a slave is worth.
Where is Seneca?
He is here.
And you cannot force me to banish him.
Because Britannicus is dead?
Claudius' will is worthless now.
I had the will.
But it was in ashes before I threatened to use it.
How could you believe I would ever really hurt you?
You had to learn what it means to be an emperor.
And now you're safe.
I knew you could find the strength.
Now you're ready,
my son.
(animals braying)
How could he do it?
Kill his brother?
Lucius is not a murderer.
He asked my advice, but I didn't realize he...
I should have done something.
I should have understood!
It's not your fault.
I trusted him.
Perhaps my father was right.
I should never have fallen in love with him.
Love is not a question of choice.
True love is absolute.
Strong enough even to survive hate.
God made us in his own image.
His love is ours.
A love that always protects,
always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
(whimpering)
She is suffocating me.
You must endure ills which have no remedy.
And work to fulfill your destiny!
I don't have the strength.
I know that without Acte it will be hard.
Find the desire to carry on and you will find the strength.
When destiny faces us with challenges,
it's not because they are hard that we lose confidence.
No, they are hard because we lack confidence.
"We must quit ourselves like men"
"and Champion our cause."
"So although we are but two,"
"great is the strength of feeble arms combined."
Your position has never been stronger.
Your power is unchallenged.
Unchallenged?
How can we rebuild the empire
with a harpy tearing at our backs?
She wants to take control of everything.
Only an emperor who is master of himself
can master an empire.
And as long as my mother draws breath,
how can we aspire to anything?
I wish she was dead!
Call him back.
Nero, call him back!
Call him back!
Mother.
So, it's to be you, Tigellinus.
This was foretold.
I don't believe in omens.
Strike the womb that bore him.
(groans)
(sizzling)
(crying)
She wanted you to have this.
Leave me.
(clanging)
Tigellinus! Tigellinus, find Acte.
Start at the house of Etius.
If she is not there, look everywhere.
Do you understand?
Bring her to me!
Yes, my lord.
(crowd screaming)
Out of the way, move.
We are helping a lot of children
from the streets.
Most of them are orphans or abandoned
by their parents.
More and more people want to know more
about Christ's message.
Many want to be baptized.
Daddy, make a funny face.
(grunting)
(giggles)
(hisses)
(screaming in the distance)
(door crashing open)
Are you Etius?
You?
I'm Etius.
This is my house.
The emperor's concubine, where is she?
I don't know.
Oh.
(grunts, moans)
(gasps)
Acte.
Is she here, huh?
(moaning)
(kicks landing)
(grunting)
No.
I'll do it!
Go ahead. As far as I'm concerned,
you're not a great loss.
Nero will never believe I killed myself.
He'll blame you.
Will you lose your head?
Or will you be crucified?
Am I worth it?
Tell him you couldn't find me.
Tell him I've gone to greece, alone.
He'll know what it means.
Now get out!
Nero will find someone else.
I'll make sure of that.
Get out!
My lord, I couldn't find her.
Someone told me she has gone to Greece.
Emperor, in all my experience I've learned that
you can never trust the feelings of a slave.
Especially a female.
(weeping softly)
If you need anything.
(door opening, closing)
Once an Emperor's consort now an empress
of despair.
Nero's falling into darkness.
But we are all free to move into the light.
I still love him.
I can't believe he's lost.
You want to save him?
Yes, I do.
Acte.
(sighs)
Despair is a sin of pride.
Can we know the mind of God?
Do we know his purpose?
He tries us.
And his trials are hard.
Sometimes god leads us into valleys of
profound shadow.
Those who have faith in him
are brought safely through the darkness.
For we walk by faith
not by sight.
Then what should I do?
I don't know.
Ask God to show you.
Pray.
Martia.
Poppaea.
May I join you?
Are you afraid of the dark?
Afraid of what it might become.
No.
I've got something better.
A cordial from Egypt.
It convinced the pharaohs they were gods.
(sighs)
(Egyptian music)
(Nero laughing)
(giggling)
The senate expects your direction on
the new laws regarding the manumission
of slaves.
Do you really want me to give them this?
Of course.
You are not serious?
Oh, yes, I am.
(Burrus coughs)
The senate is commanded to attend the wedding.
We shall also be asked to dance and to take part
in mock gladiatorial combats.
He means it, doesn't he?
He's intoxicated.
He's lost himself.
Tell him he can't do this.
I tried.
I've failed him.
He...
(Burrus coughs)
I cannot help him now.
Then the moment has come.
Porridus.
Burrus.
I'm dying anyway.
For the good of Rome
please no more killing.
It is time to go.
Claudia, please take this to the palace.
Haven't you suffered enough?
Please.
(Claudia sighs)
Seneca?
Seneca, too?
More than anyone.
Leave me.
(wind gusting)
Acte.
Lucius.
I've missed you so much.
Come back to me.
Come back to me, please.
I'm so sorry.
And I'm ashamed.
I'm ashamed of what I've done.
And what I have to do.
Have to?
There's always another choice.
You don't understand.
Do you?
Help me.
Help yourself.
Acte?
How can I help you if you won't help yourself?
What must I do?
Make a sacrifice.
Another sacrifice?
It's for your own good.
You sound like my mother.
Sacrifice a dream you've already betrayed.
No.
I can still change the world.
You can't!
But we can be together.
But not in the palace, not where your brother
and your mother were murdered.
You must abandon everything bought with death.
Lucius.
Come with me.
Leave Nero behind.
I can't.
(crowd cheering)
Porridus?
(Septimus gasps)
(crowd cheering)
Why aren't you at the feast?
Pity, it doesn't show the way to hades.
That path is different for every man.
Never mind.
Septimus and Porridus will be waiting for you.
Tigellinus sent them on ahead.
It's remarkable, isn't it?
That the man who murdered my father should become
my only loyal friend.
Why did you betray me?
Why did you betray our work?
Our work
is at an end.
Mine is just beginning.
A present to mark our parting.
(Gasps)
Resolve to die a stoic.
Why fear death?
Death is just oblivion.
The wise man takes joy in the life he has lived.
But is never reluctant to lose it.
And escapes necessity because he wills
what necessity is going to force upon him.
(pants)
I baptize you in the name of the father
and of the son and of the holy spirit.
Amen.
I baptize you in the name of the father
and of the son and of the holy spirit.
Amen.
I baptize you in the name of the father
and of the son and of the holy spirit.
Amen.
I've tried.
I've prayed.
But he doesn't hear me.
Which is why we need faith.
Take a step closer to him.
I baptize you in the name of the father
and of the son and of the holy spirit.
Domitia.
They said you were dead
I hoped it was true.
I need your forgiveness.
I meant no harm to Octavia or Britannicus.
If I had been wiser, if I had known what
we both accuse ourselves.
But neither of us could have saved them.
We ask forgiveness of the dead.
Perhaps the dead
would ask us to forgive ourselves
and each other.
(Acte weeps)
(Panting)
(people screaming)
Martia!
(horse neighing)
(baby crying)
Can you look after him?
(screams)
Get out of the house, quick! Quick! Move! Move!
(man coughs, gasps)
Oh, lord, I've heard your voice I am afraid.
In the midst of wrath
remember mercy.
Come here.
This way.
Come! Come!
Claudia!
Claudia, have you seen Martia?
No, I haven't seen her.
No, no, no, Acte, you can't go.
It's too dangerous.
But she might have come here!
Acte!
Martia!
Martia.
(gasps)
(Acte panting)
oh, Lord,
you have made it known
that I can do all things through Christ
who has abolished death and strengthens me.
Show me again the brightness of your glory.
Bring her back.
Let this child be a light to another
of your children.
Save her.
You who are able to give abundantly
exceeding all that we ask or think,
to you be the glory throughout all ages.
Amen.
Acte.
Don't stay here.
Martia?
(gasps)
Only four of the 14 districts remain undamaged.
Three districts are completely destroyed.
We have not yet been able to draw up an estimate of death.
Rome must be rebuilt to reflect its true glory.
Our houses will be palaces
and our palaces fit for gods.
And at the heart of it all
the Domus Aurea,
around this lake, vineyards, pastures
and woodlands.
Every variety of wild creature will roam freely.
Walls inlaid with gold
and studded with precious stones.
And the roof will revolve slowly
harmonized with the movement of the celestial bodies.
But how will you house your people?
The money will be found!
My dream will become reality.
Rome will be perfect.
If you build this.
Some of the people may believe
the fires were started on your orders.
Fight fire with fire.
Start another rumor, my lord.
Some people mistrust the Christians.
Their profit preach charity and peace,
but practice violence
even in the temple of his own people.
Then it must have been the Christians.
This is my body which is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.
(door crashes open)
(congregants screaming)
(gasps)
♪ Let this
♪ That is left of my soul
♪ Whatever it be
♪ Let this at least
♪ Ye loves have rest
♪ For heaven's sake.
(applause)
(both laugh)
(Poppaea screams)
Shh, help!
Please!
Please, someone!
Someone, help!
She's carrying my child!
Perhaps she can be saved.
There's a Christian prophet.
They say he can resurrect the dead.
Leave us.
Show me the power of your God.
I cannot.
Liar!
Only our Lord is able to perform miracles.
I am nothing more than his servant.
Bring her back to me.
I will build temples to your God
in every city of the world!
I will worship at his altar.
Please.
No, this is not God's will.
You will die!
You can ask anything of God.
But you must do it with a pure heart.
If your heart is hard you cannot ask for
the mercy of God.
Your people will die.
There will be suffering beyond your imagination!
That is in God's hands.
No.
It's in mine.
I was as you are.
I persecuted the children of Christ.
I sinned in my pride and vanity, and yet
even I was saved.
It was you the Lord sent me to save.
I tell you the truth
today you will be with me in paradise.
(lyre music)
A Christian woman is here to see you.
I think she has come to beg your mercy.
Come.
Spare Paul of Tarsus, Lucius.
Spare them all.
Let their God save them, if he will.
(chuckles)
They are already saved.
I am lost.
Not lost.
Alone.
I will come back to you.
And you will never leave me.
Never.
You can begin again.
No one is beyond redemption.
No one.
You would betray me again!
Lucius, please...
Nero.
Please.
Get her out of here.
Get her out of here out.
I am a Christian.
You must condemn me with the others.
Tigellinus.
I find this slave guilty of treason!
And I sentence her to freedom and to life
(yells)
Back to work, now.
Now!
It's nothing we haven't seen before.
General Galba.
Rome is yours as we agreed.
I delivered the support of the Praetorians.
In return, you will never,
never interfere with my business.
Is that clear?
Where is Nero?
Nero!
Check in there.
Nero!
(indistinct, angry shouts)
Can you carry this?
Go back home
and take care of your sister.
Don't worry, Acte.
(sighs)
(knife slices)
(shuddering)
Acte,
forgive me.
Yes, my Lucius.
I forgive you.
Lucius, we are all forgiven.
(gasping)
Nero had a dream of Rome,
a dream of a better world.
He did not start the fire,
but the fire in his soul consumed him.
Let us forgive him as we hope to be forgiven.
(calm music)