TACITUS
THE ANNALS
WHEN NERO HAD JUST BECOME 21 YEARS OLD,
THE CITIZENS OF ROME WERE ANXIOUS TO SEE
HOW THE YOUNG EMPEROR
WOULD COUNTERACT THE THIRST OF CONQUEST AND POWER
OF HIS MOTHER AGRIPPINA.
FURTHERMORE, THE MOMENT WAS CRITICAL FOR THE STATE.
AMAZING ENEMIES THREATENED THE BORDERS.
AND THE PEOPLE WERE UNHAPPY BECAUSE OF THE HIGH TAXES.
IT IS PERHAPS TO SOLVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS THAT NERO,
TOGETHER WITH HIS ADVISOR SENECA,
WENT TO HIS VILLA, AN EIGHT DAY TRIP FROM ROME,
WHERE HE WAS CERTAIN THAT HIS MOTHER WOULD NEVER REACH HIM.
He was certain I would never be able to reach him.
But what force in the world can separate a mother from her son?
Even more so if the son is Nero and the mother is Agrippina.
It had become a system by now. A crisis would break out in Rome,
and Nero would hide here. Oh, Nero!
Nobody knew him better than I did, his mother.
I knew what happened in the villas
where he retired to solve the big problems of the State.
Look. Here are the legionaries of Rome, the heroes of Gaul.
They sleep in sweet company, play dice.
Instead of defending the empire under the guide of Nero,
they use their spears to fish.
But my son was not a real leader.
He was just a child influenced by bad company.
That is why, sometimes, I would pleasantly surprise him
and his friends.
Agrippina.
Help! Agrippina is here!
Agrippina is here!
Help!
Halt!
Hurry up! In position!
- I can't let you in. - No?
Clearly, this centurion doesn't know who I am.
Yes. You're Augusta Agrippina, Nero's mother.
Then how dare you stop me from entering?
-You have a purple shawl.
-Yes.
Nero ordered me to whip all those dressed in purple.
And you're missing a stud here. I should have you roasted alive.
- But… - Your career would be ruined.
- Do you have a mother? - Yes, in Padua.
Then get out of here, if you want to see her again!
You, Germans, camp outside the villa.
My son could think that I want to parade my power.
- You don't fear entering alone? - I have my weapons too.
- Look how cute. - The mongoose that kills serpents!
Yes, the few that escape me.
- But Seneca is here at the villa. - Right.
"Make my foot sick, my hand.
Make my thigh invalid.
Have me become hunchback.
Have my teeth fall, one after the other,
but preserve my life and don't let me die."
This is the prayer of the coward.
While we, real philosophers, call upon death
as the supreme bliss.
- Agrippina is here. - Agrippina?
- Yes. - It's not your hallucination?
No, it's real. Behind your back. I'm rushing off.
Dearest Agrippina!
What an unexpected and pleasant surprise!
You are as young and beautiful as always.
Who is in command here? You or Nero?
I am your son's humble advisor
and last of the humble servants of the imperial family.
- You ordered not to have me enter. - Me? Allow me to be surprised.
Let this never happen again.
You are always welcome in this house.
- Are you just passing by? - It depends.
- How is my son? - Very well.
With me, Nero is becoming a real man.
Serious, responsible, studious…
- What is this nonsense? - Nero's experiments.
He wants fish to pull the galleys?
The experts that surround him suggested it.
Boys, find Anicetus and bring him here, dead or alive.
My life depends on it.
- Who are these people? - The experts I was talking about.
Nero's guests. Architects, mathematicians, artists.
- All people who excel. - In what? In vices?
Is he a literate?
No, he's a general, he is a senator…
Nero chooses his guests with care.
She is the daughter of a praetor, she is the wife of a consul.
- What's this? - It's a finger.
- What? - One of Ennius Silanus' fingers.
Ennius waves his finger under his nose when talking to him.
- You mean "waved." - And so Nero…
That little rascal cut it.
- Did you see Anicetus? - No.
Tell him the centurion wants to see him right now.
Where is Nero now?
In a very important meeting with the senators.
- In his studio? - Yes, it deals with State affairs.
We had better not disturb them.
I am kind. Everyone knows I am kind.
That is why you take advantage of me!
You're distracted. You're distracted!
You are distracted today!
How can I compose my musical melody of the forest
if you enter off tempo? There isn't the right tempo!
Come on. Apply yourself! From the beginning.
Why did you enter off tempo?
Yes! Don't stare at me. You entered off tempo.
I didn't want you in the group.
I wanted you to be a senator!
But you're an owl, and will remain an owl!
Let's start again with the pig.
Pig, what are you doing? Sleeping?
- Enough! - Poppaea, what do you want?
You've tortured those poor animals all night. You're cruel.
A person who studies all night is cruel?
Alright, but sleep a bit.
I can't. I must learn the song by this afternoon. You sleep.
I can't sleep with this foul smell. It's like being in a stable.
And if I fall asleep the "counter-pig" will wake me up.
This big scene in front of the animals? Don't listen. She's crazy.
- You should've told me. - I didn't make it in time.
I tried to stop her, but couldn't. She was about to kill me.
Now Nero will kill me. How can I give him this news?
- Who knows. You're his executioner. - No, I am a naval officer.
If I kill someone, it's because I've a family. I must advise Nero.
Let's start from the beginning. Pig, goat, owl.
Owl, you must follow the tempo!
- Nero! - Listen…
- What do you want? Don't bother me. - Your mother is here.
- Sure, from the world beyond. - No. She's below waiting for you.
Then she's alive. What's her mood like?
Upset. She wanted to come here, but Seneca stopped her.
Let's take the animals away. Poppaea, go away!
- What is it? - My mother is here. Go away!
Leave with the animals. You hurry, and you leave!
- I am not an animal. - I don't know who you are. Go.
- Introduce your mother to me. - No. She's jealous. Get lost!
The emperor is afraid of his mother.
Don't make me waste time.
Every time your mother comes, you kick me out of bed.
- Poppaea, enough! - You once locked me in the basement.
Take it away. Lock yourself up in your room.
You're just a mama's boy.
Poppaea, don't provoke me!
My mother is coming. Go away.
Go! My mother is coming.
Go away!
Don't make me lose my patience. It's just an excuse.
- You don't want me to see him. - How can you doubt me?
Doubt is an evil woodworm that can corrupt
the most profound friendships, the most sacred ones. Where is she?
- Who? - Agrippina!
Agrippina!
Agripinna. Agripinna!
Agrippina is here!
Every man to himself!
- Agrippina is here! - She's here!
The senators, right?
Nero. Nero!
Who is it?
Mother, what a surprise to see you! How are you?
You've put on a stomach.
And you've the eyes of vice! Let me see your tongue!
That's new! Your beard!
Do you like it? I had it grown, like Grandfather.
The senators smell like perfume!
- What? - Where is that woman?
What woman? Why did you stop coming to see me?
- I will get angry. - Her name is Poppaea Sabina, right?
I don't know any Poppaea Sabina.
Then see if you know these.
Vipers! Help!
- Where did you find them? - In my bed, as usual.
- Three, this month. - Luckily you noticed!
Yes, and I found the slave who put them there.
- Did you have him killed? - No, I tortured him.
So he confessed that you gave him the order.
I don't know anything.
Come here, Nero.
Come here! Look into my eyes!
Look into my eyes!
- It was a joke. - What a joke!
You must stop putting vipers in my bed.
Don't go around like this. Agrippina could see you. Hide.
Let me at least go to my room. I can't disappear.
- Go away! - Don't make me angry,
or I'll hide in Nero's bed.
- Why, mother? - It's been over 50 years
that no member of our family dies a natural death.
- Right. All accidents! - Accidents!
My father Germanicus, was killed by Grandfather Tiberius.
Tiberius was strangled in his sleep by Uncle Caligula.
Uncle Caligula is pleasant.
Grandmother killed Gaius and Postumus.
And even my sister Drusilla was killed by Uncle Caligula.
What a man!
Only your father Claudius died a natural death,
and only because I watched over him.
No, mother. He was poisoned.
- What are you saying? - We all know you poisoned him.
It's a lie!
I saw you while you prepared the mushrooms.
If you listen to these lies, I won't give you the gift I brought.
A gift? Really, Mother?
- Let me see it. - You can't be seen like this.
Change your clothes. I'll change too, and after…
- Where is the bag? - The bag?
Here it is. The vipers!
Oh, Jupiter! I sat on top of it.
I knew you were there. Come in.
Yes, I heard everything.
Why did you put a viper in your mother's bed?
I did it for the wellbeing of the people.
She wanted me to raise the taxes.
A trivial reason like taxes can push a son to do that?
- I would think so. - What if the viper bit her?
If it had, whose fault would it have been?
- If it had bitten? The viper's. - No, my dear disciple.
I am your tutor and your advisor.
It was my fault. I don't want to go down in history as a philosopher
who taught men to put vipers in their mothers' beds.
Remember, a mother will always be a mother.
You suggested that I put the little viper there.
I never said that. I said this to you,
"If one day a slave should put…
A viper in your mother's bed,
- nobody would be surprised." - So I sent a slave.
- Deaf-mute? - Deaf-mute? Why?
A deaf-mute, even if tortured, does not talk.
Right. I should've thought of it. I'll punch myself in the head!
- What're you doing in my room? - We are setting up pipes.
- Is it the emperor's idea? - Yes. It's for the water theater.
My Juno, where did I go wrong?
Seneca, I think it's possible to all live in harmony.
- Under the same roof? - Yes.
But your mother and I can't live under the same roof.
We have completely different political ideas.
- Who cares about politics! - Nero!
Try to get along. I've more important things to do than politics.
- I have to sing. - You're right.
You are right in following this noble vocation.
How can you think your mother and I, two such different people,
in politics, religion, morals, ethics, aesthetics,
- can get along? - Excuse me, Seneca.
You taught me that good stems from evil.
- From death… - Life is born.
- And from hatred… - Love is born.
If you and my mother hate each other, better to have love born. Seneca.
What would you say about a nice marriage?
A marriage between you and Poppaea.
Silly!
I found the way to have you two agree.
I order you to marry my mother immediately.
There he goes! Come on!
Come on!
- Where am I? What's going on? - You're marrying my mother.
How can you be so cruel with your teacher?
You taught me we must also learn to suffer.
I prefer death.
You prefer death to my mother?
- So you dare refuse? - Yes.
Seneca, I order you to get out of this house immediately.
- Thank you! - I knew it.
I've been meaning to retire in Gaeta for a long time,
in my modest country home.
To nourish myself on a piece of bread and an olive, meditate
on the uselessness of life, of glory.
- I understand. - Go to your mother.
- Yes, I'm going. - Go!
She brought me a gift, but you get out of this house.
Go. I don't want to see you again. I'm staying with my mom.
- If you want me, I'm in Gaeta. - Huh?
If you want me, I'm in Gaeta.
Good day.
Caesar, here is your new garment…
Go away! I don't want to see it! No, let me see!
The new garment! Lovely!
Slaves, dress me. I am going to my mother. She brought me a gift.
- Do you like men? - Certainly.
One, two, three. I like it.
One, two, three. I am the king of singing.
Anicetus, are these slaves all deaf-mute?
- All deaf-mute. - It's important.
- Seneca said deaf-mute. - All of them.
Help! Caesar!
Deaf-mute, huh? Make them all deaf-mute by tonight.
I am not a surgeon, but a naval officer.
You were. Now you'll do these sorts of jobs.
Cut his tongue and break his eardrums with a hammer.
Take him away. Shame on you!
- What are we doing? - Cutting some tongues.
- Why are you here? - Am I or not your fiancée?
I don't know. Who are you? You go around like that?
I am tired of hiding when your mother is here.
I know, but what can we do with my mother here?
If she knows we're engaged, it's the end. Don't listen!
Go away!
You promised to marry me.
- What will you do now? - I don't know.
I promised you some things, but how can I?
You know I can't fool around with my mother.
- I have an idea. - Yes?
To detour suspicion, you will marry Anicetus.
- Are you crazy? - Let me take care of it. Hear that?
- I'll have you marry Poppaea. - I'm married already.
- I said Poppaea. - And my wife?
- No, not this man! - We'll give your wife to the lions.
You're a disgusting coward! Horrendous.
Poppaea.
- Mother! - Close your eyes.
- Where is the gift?
- I've a lovely surprise for you. - It's really lovely?
- You can't imagine what it is. - Where are you taking me?
- Where is it? - Watch out. Here.
Here… What did you bring me?
It's Grandfather Germanicus' armor.
He wore it in 100 glorious battles, but now you'll wear it.
- Where should I wear it? - In battles.
But we're at peace. Germania was already conquered by grandpa.
There is still half of Britannia to occupy.
The situation is serious.
Listen to what General Corbulone has to say to you.
In the last battle, 2,000 legionaries died.
How many battles did you fight in?
- 45 with honor. - Then why are you alive?
- Let me be. - I was fortunate.
- Will you promise me something? - Of course.
- In the next battle… - Yes?
- Try to die. - I'll do my best.
Right. We'll make the soldiers happy, they always die.
Let's have some generals die too.
Of course!
Who are you? Mother!
- Who is he? - Segimer, the Germanic general.
You brought a German in my home?
He organized the operation.
Operation? Will you explain?
What is it?
This is northern Britannia covered with ice and snow.
With four legions and a simple maneuver
- it can be easily conquered. - Really?
- Certainly. - What've I got to do with it?
- What? - What've I got to do with it?
Your hour has come, Nero. Britannia is waiting for you.
- What is Britannia doing? - Waiting for you.
Let it wait. I'm not going there. It's cold.
- I've weak bronchial tubes. - Don't exaggerate.
Dry cold is healthy.
- Now listen to Segimer. - Why did you bring Segimer?
- Be quiet. - Alright, I'm listening.
The battle plan is easy. I will set the woods on fire
and devastate all the coast towns, burning ports and warehouses.
Lovely! Mom! A horn.
Look at it, but don't touch.
- If I ask, will he give it to me? - No. And you can't steal it.
I love the horn. It has a nice sound.
- Be quiet. - It will be swept away!
Nothing will be left standing. Everything will be destroyed.
- You want to send me to war? - Of course.
- To war? Like a soldier? - Of course.
Agrippina's sudden arrival doesn't sound very good.
Yes. Goodbye, orgies!
Grandfather, I am not a warrior. I'm an artist,
and like an artist, I've a serious program to conquer the world.
Conquer the world? I wanted to hear you say that.
My ears are rejoicing. Listen to him! Explain that, Nero.
Thank you. Listen.
- You know our soldiers? - Of course.
- I will withdraw them all. - It can't be!
Silence. This is a strategy.
You understood me.
I will withdraw them all and transform them into masons.
Soldiers into masons?
You were joking!
- Come on, seriously. - I am serious.
They will become masons, and they will build theaters
in the entire empire! Because I must sing.
You, the emperor, would like to sing in public?
Yes. Seneca discovered that I have a beautiful voice.
In fact, I am setting up a performance to be held today.
If it's successful, I'll take it to all the theaters.
I don't need an army.
I will conquer the world with my voice.
And while you act like a clown and be made fun of,
who will take care of Rome's affairs?
There are senators. That is why I pay them.
And then there is Seneca.
Seneca.
Caesar, they're waiting for you for rehearsal.
Yes, I'm coming.
Corbulone, come here.
Anicetus, take the armors from the soldiers.
- Armors? - Yes.
I take the armors from the soldiers and give them to female dancers.
They will make an army of dancers with which you'll conquer Britannia.
The Britons will see an army of female dancers and won't rebel.
I should command an army of dancers?
Yes, I trust you, Corbulone.
I refuse!
You like soldiers more than dancers?
Anicetus, I don't understand these generals. Do you?
Hail, Caesar Augustus!
Friends, are you afraid I won't sing?
- Sing! - Yes, sing!
What if I don't sing?
Well, I won't sing!
- You won't sing? - I want to enjoy their torment.
I want to be desired.
Friends, I was joking.
Caesar was joking.
Silence them. They're bothering me.
A funny prince!
Is that the woman whose husband we killed?
She still thinks it's a joke.
Friends, the performance will be held.
I will participate, not as emperor,
but as a modest singer.
- Canary of Rome! - What?
- Canary of Rome. - In what sense?
- I am Pisone. - Who are you?
Architect Pisone. I repeat, Pisone. I design, do projects for theaters.
And I construct them, all in marble.
Good. Construct theaters in the whole empire, Pisone.
I repeat, Pisone.
The contract is ours.
- Who is he? - Seneca.
Seneca? Where's he going?
Seneca.
Stop! Go away!
- Seneca, where are you going? - To Gaeta.
You can't miss the performance. My mother wants to send me to war.
- That was the gift. - Yes.
- You wanted it. - Don't leave.
Do it for the good of the people.
I'll give you a villa.
I will sacrifice myself again.
There won't be a war. Is the villa on the beach?
- No, in the country. Alright? - Yes, I prefer that.
I like you because you never refuse, but calm my mother down.
Right, left! Right, left!
- Squad, halt! - Halt!
- Are they the army recruits? - Yes.
- Dancers? - No. They are…
- And… - They're volunteers.
Good!
We don't need soldiers to conquer Britannia.
You are enough, girls,
with your will power, with your…
- Where are you from? - I'm from Ferrara.
Did they try on the armors?
Have this one try on Grandfather armor.
- Grandfather's armor? - Do as I say.
- Have her march. - Forward, march!
One, two. One, two. Turn around!
One, two. One, two… Halt!
Enough. Very good.
Grandpa's armor.
Get in line!
- Finally you're here! - You're still like this?
Agrippina is over there. I must talk to her.
- Me too! - This is not the moment.
I must marry Anicetus, Nero's executioner.
- Congratulations. - No!
I've been with Nero two years. You promised me things.
I divorced from two husbands to become empress.
Now his mother comes and I must marry the executioner.
Lucky you! I risk marrying Agrippina, his mother.
- Is his mother bothering? - A mother will always be a mother.
- Do you know Poppaea Sabina? - I just know who she is.
- What are your husbands doing? - I left them.
But I am engaged again.
With who?
- With me. - Very strange!
In Rome everyone says you're Nero's lover.
Yes…
You, Nero's lover?
It's a funny idea.
It doesn't seem funny to me. It's the moment to speak.
But why speak?
Why worry about these things?
Go on, dear. Go.
I never doubted your love. Go!
Here are my little, dear senators. Why are you here?
We came from Rome to study the new laws with you.
You study the laws. I'll sign them if I like them.
That is what the Senate is for. Be serious, senators.
- Do you know how to sing? - Sing?
- Yes. Do you know how to sing? - Actually, we…
Try.
Good. Tomorrow I'll have them sing.
Have them rehearse. Have them take a bath, too.
- Why is the crowd coming? - Agrippina invited the people
to see the performance. A lovely idea, isn't it?
Idiot! It's the worst thing that could happen.
- That woman is a demon. - But then…
We must take measures. As soon as the people enter…
Long live Nero! Savior of the motherland! Long live Nero!
- What is this commotion? - The plebs invaded the villa.
- The plebs? - Your mother invited them.
She wants them to judge your art.
Wonderful! The people will judge my art.
- She'll be there too, your mother. - Mother?
Yes!
Alcaeus, this is the loveliest day of my life.
Go away!
My mother!
Let's enjoy this performance.
I'm sure it will be unforgettable for everyone.
And now, Nero Caesar Augustus!
Raise the curtain!
Shiver, senators and matrons.
I am Emperor Nero.
The great singer!
Shiver, in front of me,
population.
His voice is a bit hoarse, but the tone…
A revelation! I think I will applaud.
And yet, among the many people in the world,
there is someone who makes Nero shiver.
- Who is it? - Who is it?
Who can it be?
Who knows!
Who can it be?
His mother!
Mother.
Mother!
When the song ends, you must all whistle.
- Agrippina's orders. - What will happen?
Agrippina rules us.
Seneca's orders.
- Who doesn't applaud will die. - Don't worry, Anicetus.
As soon as he stops, whistle.
Bravo! Bravo!
If he'd won a battle, he wouldn't have had such an applause.
Crown him right away, before it's too late.
They can't whistle. The praetorians are stopping them.
- Shall I have my guard intervene? - Wait.
Thank you, my dears.
But I don't deserve this crown yet.
I consider your applause an encouragement.
This shows my singing has delighted you very much.
So I won't have you plead me,
and I'll sing my song another…
823 times!
- He said 23? - No, 823.
And you say he's not generous.
It's a lovely surprise.
Block the doors while Nero sings. Nobody must leave.
- What if someone feels ill? - He'll go after the final applause.
Mother! Mother!
I know what you want.
But I won't do it.
My grandfather's armor…
I won't wear it.
Do you want to know why?
Because you like it, but I don't.
Who knows how this matter
will end up.
Where are you going, mother?
- It is shameful. - Be quiet.
No, I am a war veteran.
I fought 27 years in Germania with his grandfather!
I fought too!
- I don't hit veterans. Anicetus? - He was here, but disappeared.
Dog! Go away!
Stop it. Go away!
Stop!
- Whistling? - Whistling.
- Whistling?
Seneca, it seems that the people
didn't like the music that you like.
And it's the people's opinion that matters.
Nero's singing it too refined to be understood by the plebs.
Now he'll have to go to Britannia to forget this fiasco.
We'll leave tomorrow morning.
My compliments, Seneca.
How will you manage to take over the situation?
With what topics?
The only person
who at this hour of the night can convince Nero
is you, dear.
- Me? - Certainly.
- Do you know how to sing too? - Why?
We must return Nero's self-confidence in his voice.
Poppaea, you're singing my song! You learned it.
- Of course. - Do you like it?
It's wonderful!
When you hear it, you don't forget it.
Then why did the people whistle? They don't understand me?
- I understand you. Isn't it enough? - Yes. It's enough for me.
But don't leave me in this moment of discomfort.
You'll never leave me, huh? Never!
Poppaea, never! Never!
Never!
You're putting water in the milk?
Does Poppaea know?
Slaves, I'm talking to you!
They're watering the milk!
Slaves!
Poppaea, let me feel.
They'll ruin your skin. They're watering the milk.
Poppaea, I want you barefoot, with your hair messed up.
- Poppaea, I will marry you! - I hoped so much you'd say it.
Let's go before they make you change your mind. We'll go far away.
Far away, in Egypt. You'd like that?
Yes, in Egypt with you! It's like a dream.
- Yes, in Egypt. - We'll see the mysterious pyramids.
The pharaohs' palaces covered with gold. I'll be in Cleopatra's bed!
- No, not Cleopatra. - And I will be empress.
How marvelous!
You are marvelous when you dance.
- And I will dance for you. - Yes.
I will dance naked for you.
What is it?
Not naked, almost naked!
Here, Poppaea. Take this.
The emperor is now in your hands.
Not completely. It's too soon to be victorious,
and we won't win while Poppaea and Seneca are alive.
- What should we do? - Nothing. I'll take care of them.
This evening.
Beautiful! Come here. Beautiful!
- With these rags? - Yes, it's how you must dress.
We'll live off of charity. How lovely!
They say that Egypt is full of beggars. We'll be among them.
Beggars, beggars, beggars…
What an imagination!
I'm not joking. You said you'd never leave me,
and I dream of living off charity like a poor artist.
- Don't you? - Are you joking?
- You want to leave the throne? - Yes, why?
- The throne is mine, not yours. - No, my dear.
I gave up two husbands, I ruined my reputation,
and for two years I've been risking my life to become empress!
I should beg now? You are mad!
I'll go alone!
I don't care about the throne. I am an artist!
You are an artist?
Do you want me to say how you sing?
- You sing like… - Like a nightingale.
- What? - A nightingale. Here's proof.
- Who is he? - One of those who whistled.
- Disgusting crow! - Have pity! You sing very well.
- Then why did you whistle? - I have a wife and children.
- I let myself be corrupted. - What?
He was paid to whistle.
- Who paid you? - Creperius. Your mother's orders.
Bird of ill omen, you owl!
Don't tell me my mother paid you.
Your mother paid the people to whistle at you.
Caesar, you sing well! You're phenomenal!
Hear that, Seneca? My mother paid the people.
The gods want me to be an orphan at a young age.
- Nero! - What do you want?
Nero! Nero!
Hemlock.
Cobra extract, beggar, toad's tail.
A tiny dead body. A little bit.
- More begger. - Nero!
Silence. Let me work.
This is an extraordinary poison.
Is the recipe exact? Be quiet, Seneca.
My mother is strong. The whole family is strong.
- I experimented it on a general. - Nero!
Be silent, Seneca!
Heavens! Who is it?
It's you! You scared me.
- I found the arsenic. - Let's remain calm.
If she comes, we're done. Put the arsenic here.
- Let's add more. - Mind your own business.
I don't know what you're doing. Is it a decoction or poison?
If it's poison, don't ever use it against your mother.
- So much fuss! - Nothing justifies this gesture.
Remember, a mother will always be a mother.
He's right. I won't do it.
Throw everything away!
- You say I shouldn't do it? - You must not.
But you are young, and youth is deaf
to advice from who has more experience, so you'll do it.
- Really? - Yes, unfortunately.
But at least allow me to give you some advice.
- You're boiling the decoction? - I should boil it?
- No, or the effect will be gone. - You're right.
Look. It's clear.
- Shake it! - Shake it!
Are you sure it's strong?
Don't fear. It's an old family recipe
that has been handed down from father to son.
The vipers look like they're sleeping.
They'll wake up with a warm bed.
Whose?
Poppaea's. You'll put it there.
And I'll put the poison in Seneca's lemonade.
Hurry. Go on.
Oh, by Jupiter!
It's you! Why are you scared?
There! There! Germanicus!
Go!
- You filthy hired killer! - Help!
Help! Oh! Help!
- Shall I come? - Yes.
Help!
- Are you holding him tightly? - Yes.
I will destroy you! I'll rip your ear off!
Have pity, Caesar Augustus. I am a worker from Pozzuoli.
What are you doing in my mother's bed?
I am one of the plumbers working in the villa.
Yes, we are working.
We are fixing the water tube.
- It rained on your mother's bed. - What's this?
A marble slab that we must put back on the ceiling.
But unfortunately,
tonight we can't fix it definitively with plaster.
We'll leave the slab raised now with an iron bar.
Nobody is to touch the bar or…
The slab could fall on your mother's bed
and break her head.
If the bar is touched,
the slab will fall on the bed.
Did you hear that?
- If the bar is touched… - What happens to the slab?
It falls on the bed.
I knew you were here. Everything is set.
Nero, I feared you would do it.
Why?
- Did you check the details? - Of course.
Besides the poison, the slab will fall on the alcove.
But it will take five minutes. Here she is. She's coming to bed!
Stop her, we need five minutes!
Still here? Your Poppaea is surely anxiously waiting for you.
Poppaea is just my fiancée now.
A philosopher should be sleeping at this hour.
- Agrippina! - What?
- I'd like to talk to you. - The people decided.
- I can't do anything about it. - Agrippina!
- What's the matter? - I don't feel well.
- My head is spinning. - You drank something in the room?
No. It must be asthma.
The remedy is easy. Drink a glass of lemonade.
- You've some in the room? - Yes.
- Come. - Thank you, Agrippina.
- Up! - Come on!
Here. Drink a big glassful.
It will all go away.
Thank you. No, thank you. It's useless.
For a philosopher like me, the only remedy is death.
Philosophers! Why do you always think about death?
This way we will not suffer while dying.
Do as you wish, but if it happens again, drink the lemonade.
- Do as I say. - No, Agrippina!
Don't go. Don't leave me alone.
- What do you want? - Asthma has nothing to do with it.
- It's not true that I'm ill. - What?
I think philosophy has made you go mad.
Stop. You're taking advantage of my patience.
Don't talk to me like that.
Don't ruin the wonderful dream I've been living since this morning.
What dream?
A dream I've had in my heart for 25 years,
that I didn't dare confess to myself.
I love you, Agrippina.
But you're about to marry Poppaea.
Poppaea is just a palliative.
How can an unripe fruit like her sedate my thirst for love?
I want to bite the juicy pulp of a ripe fruit.
Poppaea is ice, and you are fire.
Poppaea's love is a little stream while you're an impetuous river.
I want to drown in that river.
Don't resist me, Agrippina!
Don't resist me!
Who's resisting? You want to drown?
Then drown. This is what I wanted from you.
Nothing else!
But right away, without second thoughts.
It would be wonderful, but it's too late.
It's never too late for love.
It's four in the morning. We've been awake 24 hours. I can't stand up.
- Lie down! - A man's energy has its limits.
So I imagined. Your passion is all smoke and no roast.
- Just words! - Yes, just words.
Poor Poppaea if she marries you!
I would die of boredom.
Don't exaggerate!
You softie!
Ask your sister Livilla.
Softie!
Look at this criminal's lemonade.
- Is everything ready? - Yes.
- Are these all the papers? - All of them.
- You're not going to bed? - First I'll study these papers.
- It will take two or three hours. - It won't be enough.
I'll stay awake until dawn.
Stop it!
Don't tickle my foot!
- Stop it! - It's not me. I'm combing my hair.
You are…
But someone is tickling my foot.
The viper I put in mother's bed! It's crawling!
Kill it, Poppaea.
- You can never sleep in this house. - Not on me!
- I bet it was your mother. - Of course.
- Is it always like this here? - If you want to marry me,
you must get used to vipers, spiders, evil toads.
A viper!
- Kill it! - Help!
Who are you? What do you want?
Caesar!
What are you doing? You're up at this hour?
- What do you want? - We found this viper.
I killed it.
- It's the one from Tivoli. - Tivoli?
Yes. Go away. You're disturbing my mother.
Go away.
My mother brought three.
That one was from Tivoli. Poppaea killed the one from Anzio.
The third one is missing!
The one with the horn!
That one is terrible. The horned one is still alive.
- Tacitus! - What do you want?
- You just caressed my beard. - Me?
- Yes. You caressed my beard. - You're delirious.
Sweet darling, you smell snakes, huh?
Senators, citizens, friends!
Nero's mother, the wise, the generous Agrippina is dead,
and I am not crying. In fact, I envy her.
I envy her because with her death
she reached the state of perfect bliss
that at every hour I desire, in vain.
I yearn, I crave.
Maestro, what is it?
Nothing. I thought I saw a reptile.
You should have told me that in your home they put vipers in beds.
You're the emperor's mistress. It's a related risk.
I should've chosen a slave.
I won't get angry, only because it's you.
You play with bells with vipers around?
You don't understand. Look.
Look at what your emperor brilliantly invented.
When a viper comes by, it moves the toe and the bell rings.
Don't touch my toe tonight or you risk getting hit in the head!
Juno, Mercury and Saturn! What happened?
The ceiling caved in!
A tragedy!
A tragedy! Agrippina is dead!
- What will become of us? - She's alive!
- She's alive? - She's alive.
Yes!
- She's alive. - She's alive!
I got it!
The viper! The bell rang.
The bell rang…
Anicetus! Don't do this.
- Creperius… - He's the viper.
Creperius is dead. Your mother is alive.
- She's coming here. - Idiot! I'm running away!
The furious Germans are everywhere.
Where is the emperor?
Good morning, Augusta.
- Where is that woman's room? - If you mean Poppaea,
she's in the third room in the peristyle.
Have the villa surrounded.
Follow me!
- Anicetus, take Poppaea away. - Come.
- You go away! - Are you coming?
- You must leave! - This is my bed. You go away.
- Oh, yes? - Here she is.
- Augusta, I'd like to say… - Nero!
- Yes, Mother? - You get out!
I was in here.
Mother!
What are you doing here? Go away!
Alright, but don't think it ends here.
You are beautiful, Mother!
You're already up.
I'm up because I didn't go to bed.
- The ceiling caved in. - You could have died!
Creperius died, instead.
Only an ordinary mortal could've died so stupidly.
Are you immortal?
- Are you immortal? - Only history can say.
By the way…
There was this strange beverage on my table.
- Know anything about it? - No. What is it?
- Poison! - Go away!
You want to see what effect it has on me?
Yes.
Yes, yes!
No, Mother!
Why did you do it?
Mother!
Doesn't it have any effect on you?
- You are alive. - Yes.
Yes?
It's a tonic for me!
It didn't kill you?
Yes. Every morning I've taken poison with breakfast since I was this tall.
Otherwise, you'd have been an orphan a long time ago.
Rascal, remember what I'm saying.
If one day a viper should bite me,
the poor viper would die.
That's a good one!
- What are you doing? - You think I'm joking, huh?
You try it.
One drop will kill you. Drink it!
Are you mad! I'll throw the drop away!
- On your knees, at my feet! - I don't want to die!
- You don't want it, huh? - Mother!
Poppaea should die
along with all these parasites you keep with you.
Under this roof, they are all plotting.
Who is plotting?
Who plots in this house?
Who plots? Tell me who!
The one you mostly trust is the first.
- Who is that? - This is Seneca's letter.
I intercepted it last night.
- You intercepted it? - Yes.
Let me see what it says.
What does it say, Mother?
Dear Lucilius, in your last letter you ask me
what people think about Nero's voice.
All the guests of this villa
think that Nero has a mediocre voice.
I'll burn them all.
I will burn them all!
- Except Seneca, Mother. - Continue.
As for me, I officially say Nero has an excellent voice.
Excellent! He said excellent.
Excellent!
- Go on! - He says it's excellent.
- Go on. - He doesn't deceive. Excellent.
But if you ask me, Lucilius…
I can only say that Nero sings like a dog.
The lions must not be fed!
Because they will eat the guests of this villa.
Go on. The trial is about to begin!
Go on!
Emperor Nero,
father and savior of the motherland,
- has instituted this trial… - Sure, a trial!
He states that all the guests of this house
are guilty of offense to the emperor, and conspiracy
against him and his mother.
In using the exceptional powers allowed to the emperor,
- he will judge and condemn… - Yes, he will condemn.
On the basis of his sole and unquestionable judgement.
- Why don't you kneel? - I can't. Who will pull me up?
- Right! Who are you? - Ugolilla.
Remind me of her. I've an idea.
My dear friends, if this will please you,
I announce that I am here to put you in a position
to avoid hearing me sing.
- No! - We're all your admirers.
- You sing like a lark. - A lark!
I'll show you how the lark pulls out its little beak.
Open up your hands.
I will kill you all!
Have pity! Have pity! Have pity!
- What? - Have pity! Have pity!
I don't understand. Find out what he wants.
Pity, oh Caesar!
- Who is he? - Architect Pisone.
Pisone! We'll give Pisone to a lion.
- No, not the lion! - Actually…
Yes?
Let me see. Pull up.
How disgusting!
Aren't you ashamed?
What little legs! The lions can't eat those bones.
No animal can eat you.
- Thank you. - Who will eat him?
No animal can…
- Will you eat him? - I can't. I'm an officer…
You were! Now you're an executioner. You'll eat just a piece.
You want to argue with me? Have him brought to the kitchen!
I'm innocent, Caesar! I have faith in you!
Stop! Leave him as he is!
Anicetus, we'll embalm him.
Put a hole in his head, a candle and we'll give him to Mother.
Light blue and red matches her bedroom. Perfect!
- Thank you, Nero. - Don't ruin him.
Nero, little Nero!
Mother dearest!
I see you want to grasp the spear of justice.
Yes. Grandfather's spirit is inside of me now.
- I can feel it. - Good.
Where are Poppaea and Seneca?
They're waiting for supreme judgement.
Call Poppaea!
Monster!
If I must die, I want you to pierce my breast.
Cover up, you harlot! You're trying to corrupt him.
Don't try to corrupt me.
What am I accused of?
Do you know what Poppaea is accused of?
She participated in Christian rituals.
You came with me to the catacombs.
My son with the Christians,
in the catacombs!
Once, Mother. You know I'm curious.
I wondered, "What are these catacombs like?"
"I could have chariots pass down here to ease the traffic."
There is so much traffic in Rome!
What a scandal!
Don't worry. I'll take care of the Christians.
I know them. They are harmless.
They are all little men, like this, with white voices.
Let's not waste time. What'll you do with Poppaea?
Poppaea!
I know! It even rhymes. I'm a poet.
We'll throw Poppaea down Rupe Tarpea.
Nero, don't do it!
- I love you! - Go away!
Now we'll go on to Seneca. Where is he? Seneca?
- I'll take care of Seneca. - Forgive him.
Seneca has been my dearest friend.
If you must condemn him, I don't want to look.
- Let's see what you'll do. - Come on!
Out! Out!
- My son is on the right path. - When will executions take place?
Not before my departure, or the Senate could think I am responsible.
- You're leaving? - Immediately.
I don't want to!
Is this your letter?
- What's mine is yours. Take it. - No, read it.
Read, Seneca.
- "Dear Lucilius…" - "Dear Lucilius."
- Read. - "You ask me how Nero sings."
"His friends, guests of the villa, say that Nero
- has a mediocre voice." - It's not true!
You said it.
"Even if they're always ready to applaud."
- Continue. - "I officially state
that Nero has an excellent voice."
Alright…
Come here. The letter isn't over. Read.
- Oh, the ending. - Yes, read.
"But to you, Lucilius, who ask me, I must confess that Nero…"
- "Affectionately yours." - Read clearly, Seneca.
- Do… Do…" - What do you mean?
- "Do… do… do." - Where is it?
- "Do… do… do." - Don't take advantage of me.
Ready clearly. "That Nero…"
"Sings like a dog."
- You confess it! - Yes.
You sing like a dog. So what?
- So what? - What is wrong with that?
Enough! You called the emperor a dog.
You're condemned to death for insulting me.
You consider that word offensive.
You called me a dog!
I used the word "dog".
-What does the word "dog" mean?
What does it mean? Dog!
No. The word "dog", as all words,
has a vague, ambiguous meaning.
An even mysterious one!
It seems strange that in a language as rich and perfect as ours,
- there are ambiguous words. - Don't laugh. This is a trial.
Friends, there are different kinds of dogs.
Each dog is different. Dogs that squeal are delightful.
It's true.
Others howl and bark.
In your case, Caesar, you sing.
What a prodigious thing! A dog that sings.
- It's a miracle! - You insist on saying I'm a dog!
- No, I don't insist. - But you wrote it.
Friends, I wrote:
"To you, Lucilius, if you ask me,
I must confess that Nero sings like a dog."
But since Lucilius didn't ask me,
- and maybe he never will… - No, wait.
Just a moment. It's not "if you ask", but "you who ask".
"To you, Lucilius, who ask me", not "If you ask me."
- "Who ask". - "If you ask".
"Who"!
- It's "who". - You thought "if"?
I thought "if".
Be careful when I dictate!
For a mistake in words, you almost sent your master to die.
What do you write? You want me to cut off your hands?
No, have pity.
Don't cut off this poor man's working tools.
Look at his skull, his dull eyes without thought.
He is innocent!
Nero, it's enough to re-write the letter with "if"
- and it will be cleared up. - It seems easy!
What are you doing? You destroyed the evidence.
You don't need evidence to condemn me to death.
Your friends and I
will be pleased to die.
- No! - I'm not pleased.
After my death and with the guide of your mother,
you will become a great general.
I can just see you with the armor of Grandfather Germanicus.
I can see him riding at the head of the Roman armies,
advancing in the icy plains of the north,
heroically fighting until the last drop of blood,
against the Barbarous enemies,
facing the snow with his breast,
breaking the ice of the rivers with his sword!
I can see you advance in snow blizzards!
Snow! Snow!
I can see you bravely defy the most terrible snowstorms.
Oh, Jupiter! Segimer!
Corbulone!
Segimer!
I will stop.
That is your destiny, Nero.
Snow! Snow!
I have finished.
We do not fear the snow, Nero.
We want to die with you in the icy plains of the north!
Yes! We want to die with you
- in the icy plains of the north! - Yes!
Are you mad? Don't you like it here where it's warm?
Are they mad?
I have never felt so cold in my life.
I even have a cough.
Anicetus, isn't that my mother?
Yes. She wants to board at Anzio and not see the executions.
- What executions? - Seneca, Poppaea, the guests.
Don't you want to kill them? I already prepared the lions.
Imbecile! Free them all.
You want me to freeze to death on battlefields?
My mother will send me to war! Come on!
Anicetus, would you like to command my mother's ship?
Yes, I am a naval officer.
- Who are you? - A naval officer.
Really?
Would you like that?
That son of mine! This time I've taken a grasp of him.
A mother will always be a mother, for a slave or an emperor.
- What are they hitting? - They're repairing the hold.
It's something little, they say.
Good! This little work deserves a good compensation.
- Thank you! - Thank you.
- You are divine! - Go away!
Anicetus!
- Do you like it? - What is it?
- It's looks like a fountain. - No, it's a leak.
If you pull this lever the ship sinks in two hours.
- But I'm on the ship. - I just care about my mother.
- Your mother will sink too. - How?
If the ship sinks, she sinks too.
We don't understand each other.
- Why? - My mother must sink!
- What about me? - Who are you?
- The commander of the ship. - The commander sinks with his ship.
- You can't swim? - No.
Our Naval! How shameful!
Anicetus, don't make me waste time.
When my mother is sleeping tonight and the ship is out at sea,
take this lever and…
- What about me? - You'll die.
Mother, get down and cover yourself well.
Don't get cold. The trip is brief. You'll arrive immediately.
The next time we meet, it will be to accompany you to war.
Yes, you'll accompany me to war.
- Farewell, Mother. - Not farewell. I will see you.
In fact, see you soon, Mother.
Men, start rowing!
We are leaving immediately. Now I am finally in command.
Pull up the anchor! Quick!
You got scared, huh? I never doubted you, Seneca.
I care for you! And of course you too!
It was my mother's fault, but it's over now.
In a few minutes it will reach Cape Miseno.
- Look. Here. - Yes!
Anicetus will open the leak.
Why rejoice over tragedies?
My tragedy, my rejoice.
- A mother… - Yes. Will always be a mother.
- Did you make the leak? - Yes, I did.
- What is it exactly? - A hole.
No, it's a lion.
It's a lion's mouth.
Come on, Anicetus. Pull.
Come on!
Senators, citizens, friends!
Nero's mother, the wise, generous Agrippina, is dead.
- I am not crying, friends… - "In fact, I envy her."
It's written, up to the ceiling that fatally falls on her head.
Cancel "ceiling" and add…
Neptune, the greedy god, holds her tightly in his arms
in the profound abyss of the sea.
Help, Agrippina! I'm drowning!
Shame on you, Anicetus! A real captain goes down with the ship.
Romans, here are the legions that I prefer!
Forward, with the conquer of the world!
- Where shall we take it? - To the museum.
- Goodbye, Granddaddy! - Who is he?
- I don't know. - Halt!
Bye, Grandad.
Use it to make cans.
Aren't you on Agrippina's side?
Yes, I was, before she died.
Why? Is she dead?
Yes, she's very dead!
- The ship sank. - And she is dead.
Tiger!
The Syrian. Beautiful!
- Agrippina! - Take command. Go on!
In line, quickly!
Come on, another one! Who are you?
Mother! A ghost!
I am not a ghost! Arrest him! Arrest him immediately!
Open up, you scoundrel!
No, you're a ghost!
Open, and you'll see I'm not a ghost.
Jupiter, save me from this evil spirit.
- Caesar! - A hooded Christian!
- You survived! - Your mother survived too.
I tried to hit her with an oar, but it was dark and I missed.
She is alive!
There's a limit to my patience.
Knock down the door… Wait.
Arrest her. She attempted to kill the emperor!
- Arrest those two traitors. - Let's arrest them!
Keep your hands off. You must arrest the enemies of Rome.
You must receive orders from me. You're paid by the State.
- Capture that conspirator. - Go ahead and kill me.
I'll show you how a Roman dies.
But you, Seneca, will die with me.
My Germans will take revenge.
Segimer, we'll die together, right?
- Yes! - One moment!
We can't all die together!
Agrippina, tell him to wait.
- You're afraid, huh? - Not at all.
But we are behaving too selfishly.
We only think about dying, enjoying, and not…
One moment, excuse me. Thank you.
We don't think of Nero who will be left alone.
- Surely. - What do you propose?
A truce. Let's reach an agreement that's not brute force.
Let's use our brain, instead of our hands.
Let's solve our small disagreements at the table.
What a man, Seneca is! He would even convince Jupiter.
- Now we can rest assured. - What are they doing?
Be quiet! How did you survive?
The dispute between us is well defined.
- You want peace. But you, Poppaea? - War or peace is the same for me.
I want to marry Nero. I gave up two husbands…
Alright. I will consent. What will you give me in exchange?
Rather than go to war, I'm willing to do anything. Ask.
I just want one thing. That Nero doesn't sing.
Nero sings like an old dog.
- I wouldn't say that… - We can say it.
It's the opinion of all of Rome.
If that's the opinion of Rome, I unite my voice to the people's
and cry out, "Yes, Nero sings like a dog!"
"He sings like a dog!"
Did it take that much to acknowledge it?
So everyone has agreed, even the people of Rome.
Now it is all clear.
Do you still doubt what we must do?
So you've decided that I won't sing, right?
Then I'll take you to Rome and block you there.
And you will be obliged to listen to me forever!
Here they are. Three blocks of marble. You said I sing like a dog.
Nailed to the marble. You can't say it anymore.
You look good!
You want to tell me that even Rome said I sang like a dog.
Yes, Rome said I sang like a dog.
That's Rome! Look!
The Capitoline Hill, the Viminalis and Testaccio are burning!
You want to know why I did all this?
Why? Why?
Only I know the answer.
THE END