Rome: The Spoils (2005) Reviews

A fellow veteran, Mascius (Michael Nardone) approaches Vorenus (Kevin McKidd), now a magistrate, about severance for the 13th Legion. They are supposed to be receiving land. Vorenus asks Caesar (Ciarán Hinds) to act. Caesar, unwilling to give the veterans land in Italy, offers land in Pelonia. Told that this won't be acceptable, and eager to keep the former soldiers on his side, Caesar discreetly suggests that Vorenus bribe Mascius to persuade his comrades to accept the offer. Mascius reluctantly agrees. Caesar also invites Vorenus and Niobe (Indira Varma) to a dinner at Atia's (Polly Walker) home. When Vorenus responds nervously, Caesar tells him, "You shall get used to good society." The walls of Rome are filled with graffiti depicting Brutus (Tobias Menzies) murdering Caesar, and Cassius (Guy Henry) tries to convince Brutus to claim his family's legacy of fighting tyranny. Brutus initially refuses to betray his friend, but has second thoughts when Caesar, well aware of whispers and the power of Brutus' family name, suggests that Brutus rule over far-off Macedonia. Pullo (Ray Stevenson), now miserable and friendless, has found work as an assassin, but his lack of discretion gets him arrested for murder. At Atia's dinner, Octavian (Max Pirkis) suggests that Vorenus or Caesar himself do something to save Pullo, but Caesar points out the political implications such action would cause. Octavian acts on his own, sending Timon (Lee Boardman) to find Pullo a lawyer, but at Pullo's public trial, the crowd demands the brazen killer's head, and Pullo is sentenced to death in the arena. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi