ROME: KALENDS OF FEBRUARY {FIRST SEASON FINALE} (TV)
Summary
The first season finale in this drama series about ancient Rome during the first century B.C., focusing on its transition from Republic to Empire. In this episode, which concludes the first season, the townspeople are still celebrating Pullo and Vorenus’ triumphant escape from the arena, and Atia and Octavia attend a theatrical reenactment. Pullo himself, still in the hospital with injuries from the battle, is surprised and pleased to hear that he and Vorenus have become heroes of the people. Elsewhere, Vorenus and Niobe conduct a blessing ceremony of the new farmland given to them by Caesar and discuss their future. When they arrive back home, they are surprised to find that Pullo has left the hospital and come to their home, re-injuring himself in the process. The doctor orders him to stay in bed, and Niobe is displeased, as is Eirene, who has not forgiven Pullo for killing her lover. She comes to him at night and attempts to kill him, but cannot bring herself to do it.
The newsreader announces that Caesar has declared his intentions to add a hundred new men to the Senate, and Cicero and Antony are shocked to hear that he means to include Gauls and Celts, their former enemies. Vorenus arrives, summoned by Caesar, and though Caesar is displeased that Vorenus interfered with the execution of a prisoner, Pullo, he acknowledges that the people love them both and makes Vorenus a senator, which stuns the common soldier. Antony suggests that these unusual appointments will anger many, but Caesar is confident that no harm can come to him when he has the tough Vorenus by his side. His wife, Calpurnia, has a nightmare that she considers a bad omen, but he dismisses this as well.
At home, Niobe and Vorenus discuss Vorena the Elder’s future with her, saying that she should find a rich husband. She expresses the desire to marry for love, but her parents say that love is something that grows eventually over the course of a marriage. Pullo defies the doctor’s orders and ventures out into the city, immediately picking up a girl, but he sends her on her way when he sees Eirene, suggesting he still cares for her. In the city, Vorenus is presented as a senator, and Brutus, Cassius and the other dissenters watch in disgust as he and the other new members are brought onto the senate floor. Later, the conspirators discuss their plot and decide that Vorenus must be out of the way before they can make an attempt on Caesar’s life. Brutus angrily rejects suggestions to poison Caesar or kill him in his sleep, saying their actions are “honorable” and must be done in public by hand to make a point. Servilia considers the matter, and formulates a plan for distracting Vorenus. She sends a letter to Atia, inviting her to her home, which surprises Atia, as they are enemies, but she agrees to come, bringing Octavian along for protection.
Pullo tells Eirene that he plans to journey to a nearby shrine to ask for forgiveness for his actions, and invites her to come along. When Atia arrives at Servilia’s home, Servilia sends her servant out into the streets, where she finds Vorenus and reveals the truth about Niobe’s affair with Evander and the true paternity of little Lucius. Enraged, Vorenus abandons Caesar and immediately heads for home. On the senate floor, the conspirators attack Caesar, first hesitantly, then viciously, stabbing him many times in frenzy. Antony, outside, fights his way through the panicked crowd, and Brutus simply stands back, looking horrified. Finally, Caesar falls, and Cassius encourages Brutus, who kneels and looks into the eyes of his former close friend before stabbing him in the heart. As he dies, Caesar attempts to cover his face with his cloak to preserve his dignity, but fails to complete the action. Cassius raises a distraught Brutus’ hand in triumph, saying “thus always to tyrants!”, and Antony looks upon the scene in shock and disgust.
Unaware of the murder, Vorenus confronts Niobe furiously, and she admits the truth, saying that she believed him dead. He contemplates a knife, clearly struggling with his decision, but Niobe pleads with him not to blame the boy before hurling herself from the balcony to her death. He weeps over her body, and Lucius witnesses the scene. At Servilia’s home, she smugly tells Atia of Caesar’s death and promises to make her “suffer slowly” for the pain that she, Atia, has caused her. Elsewhere, away from Rome, Pullo prays at the shrine, and Eirene takes his hand, signaling her forgiveness.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 20, 2005 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:90581
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical; Drama, action/adventure; Rome
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2005-2007
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frank Doelger … Executive Producer
- Anne Thomopoulos … Executive Producer
- William J. MacDonald … Executive Producer, Created by
- John Milius … Executive Producer, Created by
- Bruno Heller … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jim Dyer … Co-Executive Producer
- Eugene Kelly … Co-Executive Producer
- Marco Valerio Pugini … Producer
- James Hirsch … Co-Producer
- Robert Papazian … Co-Producer
- Frank Yablans … Co-Producer
- Todd London … Co-Producer
- Mark McGann … Co-Producer
- Bruce Everett … Co-Producer
- Michael Apted … Consulting Producer
- Alan Taylor … Director
- Jeff Beal … Music by
- Ray Stevenson … Cast, Titus Pullo
- Kevin McKidd … Cast, Lucius Vorenus
- Polly Walker … Cast, Atia of the Julii
- Lindsay Duncan … Cast, Servilia of the Junii
- Tobias Menzies … Cast, Marcus Junius Brutus
- Kerry Condon … Cast, Octavia of the Junii
- Indira Varma … Cast, Niobe
- David Bamber … Cast, Marcus Tullius Cicero
- Max Pirkis … Cast, Gaius Octavian
- Nicholas Woodeson … Cast, Posca
- Suzanne Bertish … Cast, Eleni
- Chiara Mastalli … Cast, Eirene
- Rick Warden … Cast, Quintus Pompey
- Hadyn Gwynne … Cast, Calpurnia
- Coral Amiga … Cast, Vorena the Elder
- Esther Hall … Cast, Lyde
- Enzo Cilenti … Cast, Evander Pulchio
- Anna Francolini … Cast, Clarissa
- James Purefoy … Cast, Mark Antony
- Ciaran Hinds … Cast, Caesar
- Frank Baker … Cast, Doctor
- Lydia Biondi … Cast, Merula
- Lorenza Damiani … Cast, Venus
- Peter Gevisser … Cast, Casca
- Simon Gregor … Cast, Artist
- Guy Henry … Cast, Cassius
- Ian McNeice … Cast, Newsreader
- Marco Pollak … Cast, Lucius
- Anna Fausta Primiano … Cast, Vorena the Younger
- David Quinzi … Cast, Rubio
- Luigi Santamaria … Cast, Flamen Priest
- Pip Torrens … Cast, Cimber