After meeting Drusus in his house, just back from Capua, Maximus signals to a Marine officer as he steps down on the street.

The Greek priests shall be tortured until they speak or die. The traitors shall be tortured until they speak or die. A quick death if one of them speaks. The corpses shall be dragged with hooks to the Tiber.

The Marine and militia detachments in the environs of the Forum shall tighten their state of alert. The Dictator and me shall be informed of any developments.

Carry on.


Maximus continues his stride until he reaches his domus a little way up the hill. There he sits down in his garden with a jug of cool white and takes a scroll of epigrams to his hands... and tries to read with the noise coming from the Forum.