The Borgias (2011–2013): Season 2, Episode 7 - The Siege at Forli - full transcript

Previously on The Borgias...

You will choose a bride in Spain

and you will become the Borgia.

I always hoped you would be.

I propose we use the weapon
the Borgia family uses.

Canterella.

Too much and it will kill you.

Just enough, and it
will make you strong.

Dedicate yourself to
the renewal of Christendom.

To the destruction of
the red whore of Rome!

There is a new
order in Florence.



Savonarola virtually
controls the city.

He must be silenced.

We would have Catherina
Sforza come to Rome

and kneel at our feet.

The pope would
request your presence

at the chair of St. Peter's.

Whom does your mother
bow to, my son?

Nobody.

You refuse to come to Rome?

She shared her bed with me.

Did she beg to be
friends with us?

No, she remains an enemy.

Release me from my
cardinal's robes,

give me the papal army,



and I will bring you
Catherina Sforza in chains!

I will not marry.

Never again.

It is a daughter's duty to
marry her father's choice!

So I am to have no
voice in the matter!

Like me, you have
just declared a war.

Which one is the suitor?

Calvino Pallavicini
from Genova.

And, behind him,
in the brown and grey.

Who is he?

His brother, Raffaello.

Your brother's coming home
with a party of conquistadors.

You must embrace him for me...

while I attend to the
Church's business...

back in Florence.

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The most respected
Duke of Gandia, Juan Borgia!

Holy Father. My son.

A gift.

What is that?

This, dear sister,

is a gift for
you like no other.

For me?

It is called a panther.

Are such beasts common
in Spain?

Not anymore.

Oh!

Take the baby.

Um, and who is this?

May I present
Don Hernando de Caballos.

Ah.

Don Hernando is a
true conquistador.

He has travelled
to the New World

where he brought
the word of God

to the heathen he found there.

He was also at
the Siege of Granada

where they defeated the Moor.

Good. We had a siege in mind.

Hmm. Holiness.

So, now to our gift.

Mmm.

What have we here?

Turds?

You travel all the way
to our ancestral homeland

and back again

to bring us turds?

Smell them.

Why should we smell a turd?

They are called cigarros.

They are an exotic creation
from the New World.

I will happily demonstrate
at your Holiness's leisure.

Ow!

It bit me!

It could have eaten my hand!

Give up your vanities!

They're here!
Quick! Hide your valuables!

Get inside.
I told you! Come quickly!

Come along!

Give up your gold!

Your Eminence. Come.

Save yourselves!

Bring it out! Bring it out!

What is this,
Signore Machiavelli?

God's children.

Savonarola's vermin.

I feel a sudden chill.

Give up your vanities!

Hell is eternal!

So, we take a turd in our hand.

Cigarro.

Yes, cigarro. Then what?

You put it in your mouth.

What? All of it?

No, just the end.
In between the lips.

Now, we take a burning taper.

And so carefully,

as not to cause damage
to the holy person,

we apply fire to the
end of the cigarro.

And, here for the
most important part,

a sensation of great pleasure.

Pleasure?

I didn't know this
was a leisure pursuit.

We thought it was medicinal.

Please.

Fire, and now suck as
if drawing air through a tube...

a little harder.

Ah! We are on fire!

One more time.

What is this called?

Smoking!

Smoking?
Indeed, well, one is smoking.

Thank you...

Thank you.

My wife...

Maria Enriquez de Luna.

A rare beauty.

I am devoted to her,
body and soul.

She is with my child.

Bravo!

The bull has done his work.

An heir.

This pleases us.

It will be a boy.
I can feel it - here.

You have grown into
manhood, my son.

As we prayed for.

We feel a little, how do I say?

Nauseous.

Exactly.

It will pass.

Wine?

Um, no. I only drink water.

The clarity of water
gives clarity of mind.

Oh.

A blessing.

We are of a similar
temperament.

So-to business.

Catherina Sforza.

The bitch of Forli.
Is she still in this world?

In this world and
threatening war.

The papal army
awaits your command.

Lay siege to her castle,

give her occasion to
come to the Holy City,

to bend her knee to Rome.

Should she refuse

then you are at liberty
to seize her estates.

Her land, her titles,
her deeds, the castle at Forli,

will be yours, a rich reward.

And if she refuses?

Then knock the bitch
off her perch.

By the grace of God,
Father, I am ready.

Thank you, Brother.

Heard the news from
Florence, Brother?

Our blessed Brother Savanorola

is making it
a true city of God.

He should take care then.

Borgia spies take note
of his every word,

Machiavelli chief among them.
Thank you.

Any hint of heresy is
music to their ears.

Praise to God.

Is it heresy, then, to declare
the rule of the blessed?

To ban usury and sodomy?

We know all the
Borgia wiles, Brother.

If Savanarola claims to speak
with the tongue of angels,

they have the excuse they
need for a public burning.

He must beware.

Temper his words.

The friar speaks from the heart.

His power is his rhetoric.

His words will
never be tempered.

We need his presence
here on earth,

not in heaven, Brother.

We already have one among
us who would be a martyr.

Then we must let the friar know

that we are within
in sight of our goal.

Our prayer: a world
without the Borgia pope.

Holy Father?

Ah!

I would meet with the
suitor from Genova.

Calvino Pallavicini?

I would meet with him...

if just to determine
the colour of his eyes.

Nothing more.

Oh. Your hand?

Ah. Such elegance, yes?

My thanks to my brother.

Had he gifted me a viper,
I would now be in my shroud.

Your brother shows sense.
He has married well.

We would advise you to
follow the same path.

What is that in your mouth?

It's a cigarro.

Hm.

Not a turd?

No!

It smells like one.

Hm. Ah!

Not good.

In fact, very bad.

Is it true that the disease

can eat its way to the
brain and destroy it?

It is lust that destroys
the brain, not the disease.

The damage has
already been done

before the disease
takes hold. Hm...

Ah.

Mercury-or rather,
the corrosive sublimate...

is indicated.

To be taken in minute
portions, mind,

or it will kill.

Your salvation may lie in
this, uh, modest instrument.

Allow me to demonstrate.

This is inserted into
the privy member.

There will be pain.

Once it is in place,

I push on this gizmet, here...

revealing the umbrella-like
apparatus that does the work.

The instrument is withdrawn
and thus it will scrape clear

the pus and discharge
upon its exit.

Are you ready?

No.

Bite on this.

Be sure, I have seen
the vision of God.

As I have heard the
words of his angels.

God has chosen us
to purify his church

but for these angels,
life is just a moment.

A breath of wind
upon their cheeks.

But life hereafter
is an eternity!

And every day you
live is Judgment Day.

Now which of you can tell me,

what is Judgment Day?

What is your name? Angelo.

Angelo. You see?

We have an angel amongst us.

So, Angelo, tell us,
what is Judgment Day?

It is when the son of man
will return in his glory,

the graves will open,

and the living and the
dead will be judged

and sent to Heaven or Hell.

An eternity in Heaven
or an eternity in Hell!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Oh, my friends, this world
is crowded with vanity.

What you see in the mirror
is but an illusion.

Until you have cast
off your fine clothes...

the jewels in your hair,

your lewd pictures
in your pagan books...

your wines, your
courtesans, your paramours,

your lust for all the things
in life that you crave!

This man has been ordered not
to preach and remain silent.

It is the loudest silence
I have ever heard.

This is in direct defiance
of the papal order.

But no surprise.

What is all this? Vanities.

Waiting like a
witch for the fire.

...until that time,
you are damned

and the doors to Heaven
will remain closed.

Which of you would like to
stand and contradict that?

Line up!

Stand in tight!

Soldiers! Papal guards!

To arms! To arms!

Summon the Lady Sforza.

Soldiers approaching!

To your stations!

Stand to! Awaiting orders!

More archers to the main gate!

Take your positions!

Gunners!

Quickly! Ready yourselves!

Cannon forward! Forward!

Seal the gates!

Sir!

Make way!

Cannons ready!

Do not shoot!

Move the line out!

How many men are in the castle?

It's not known.

We most likely outnumber them.

We pray we outnumber them, yes?

There is big danger here,
my lord.

Speak with this woman.

The Bitch of Forli.

Bitch?

Yes, speak with this
bitch and speak soon.

A white flag. A truce.

State your terms before they
turn those cannons onto us.

We will keep the army
back in the trees.

Yes.

Out of reach of the cannon.
Venga!

Make way for the horses!

Yah.

Shields!

Form up!

Standard bearers!

Presenting the most honourable.

Calvino Pallavicini da Genova.

Holiness.

The Lady Lucrezia will
be here presently.

Oh.

Our daughter's pet.

It goes everywhere with her.

Presenting the most
gracious Lucrezia Borgia.

Father.

Holy Father...

We have been waiting!

The baby cried and
would not stop.

Madame,
may I present my brother,

Calvino Pallavicini da Genova.

Lady. I am honoured.

And I am truly
honoured to meet you.

Father.

Lucrezia!

Oh!

Sir, forgive me, I forget.

Please accept this
beast as a gift.

It is the only one
of its kind in the land.

He eats only meat.

White flag!

White flag!

You are Catherina Sforza.

I am Catherina Sforza.

I am Juan Borgia,
Duke of Gandia,

commander of the papal army.

I am here to command
you to proceed

under our escort
to the Holy City

and humbly swear allegiance

to our most Holy Father,
Pope Alexander the Sixth.

The whore of Rome first
sent one boy to do his work...

a murderer...

and now he sends another.

You bring a boy to protect you?

Is he strong enough
to hold a sword?

He is my son

and he is worth more than
a whole nest of Borgias.

Is our business here done?

Be warned, failure to
comply with this order

will find you guilty
of betrayal

and your estate
shall be confiscated.

Here.

Here is my estate;
Here is my land.

Take it if you can; my cannons
will answer your call.

Whoa!

Benito! Grab the boy!

Grab the boy! Yah!

Go! Mother!

No! Please! Help!

I warned you, Sforza! Stop!

Don't shoot! Don't fire!

Hold your arrows!

Help!

Help! Shields up!

Wait, my lady!
It's too dangerous!

Hold formation!

Go back!

My lady!

Go back!

Open the gates!

Yah!

How many years do you have?

Sir?

How old are you?

I am 15 years, sir.

Then you have 15 years.

Yes, sir.

And how many years
do you have left?

I do not know.
Does your mother love you?

I think she does, yes.

How much does your
mother love you?

That is hard to tell.

How much does your
mother love you?

Ahh!

It is for me to
ask the questions

and for you to answer them.

Yes, sir.

We are going to torture you.

We could start here-yes?

With a sharp knife.

There'll be lots of blood.

You might even die.

How does that make you feel?

There is nothing
I can tell you.

Well, that is your misfortune.

We are not going to torture you

because we want you
to tell us something;

We are going to torture you

so that your mother
can see you suffer.

So, from here
he walked to the Tiber

and then stopped for a while

to do a picture
of the Castel Sant'Angelo.

And then?

From there he walked to
the ruins on Via Aurelia

where he sat for several hours...

drawing and painting.

What else?

He ate an apple.

And did he meet with anyone?

No one.

I don't think there's
anyone else, my lady.

Here...

Go to the store
on the Piazza de Navona

and buy me some paints...

artist's paints-
brushes and the like.

I wish to become an artist.

Man the ramparts!

Yes, sir!

My lady, their army has
gathered in the forest

beyond the range of the cannon.

And we cannot estimate
their numbers.

We wait.

You cannot march an
army into Romagna

and word not travel.

Ludovico and his
army will come,

then we will spill some blood.

Can we depend on Ludovico?

Ludovico is like the
wind, we know this,

but he is family.

We made a pact.
Each to help the other.

Bring the prisoner!

General's escort! Forward!

What is this?

Ahh!

What are they doing to my son?

Call to your mother.

There.

In the battlements.

Call to the bitch.

Mother.

Louder!

Mother.

Ahh!

Scream to her.

MOTHER! I'm here.

Louder! I am here!

MOTHER! I am here!

Ahh!

Please!

Borgia bastard.

Tell her you are afraid.
Tell her you're afraid!

I am afraid, Mother.

Tell her- "Help me."

Ahh!

Help! Help! Louder! Louder!

Stop! Louder!

Help!

Tell her that
we will torture you.

They'll torture me.

Please.

Men do not torture boys!

Not even ones worth a
whole nest of Borgias?

Release my son!

Surrender to my forces,
give up your castle,

journey to Rome,

bend your knee to the
Holy Father, and then...

then I will release your
son into your loving arms!

Dead.

General, is this a noble act?

What?

The torture of this boy?

You surprise me.

If you don't have the
stomach for the spectacle,

you'll find that
Spain lies that way.

Men, with me! Hold shields!

Hold guard!

Ahh! Stay with him.

My son...

live or die...

I swear these men will
not make old bones.

Mother.

Mother!

Open up! Open up!

They're coming!
How can you stop them?

They're coming back.
Let's go home!

To think, Florence was
once a joyful city.

Open up!

There is word your brother
has returned from Spain

and has been ordered to bring
the Sforza woman to her knees.

Hmm...

Well, I wish him good fortune.

She has sharp teeth.

So the papal army has laid
siege to the castle at Forli.

To her castle or to her bed?

Oh there's more.

Ludovico of Milan

is marching on Forli
to break the siege.

He is on the move.

The papal army will find
itself under attack.

Could a messenger reach
my brother in time

to warn him of the attack?

That would depend

on how fast the messenger
chooses to ride.

The threat is imminent.

Open up! Open up!

My father, the Holy Father,
gave me this mission.

It's plain, my duty lies here.

My brother's a military man

and trained in
the art of warfare.

I'm sure he'll find a
strategy to defend his army...

and himself.

Hand them over!

Don't be vain, be righteous!

God's children are
knocking at the door.

God will follow later.

Would you care to answer?
Give us your riches!

No. Open the door!

Would you? No.

I hear no knocking.
Don't be vain, be righteous!

What are you doing here?

How do you know this place?

Uh, a recent discovery.

And you?

I come here often.

To paint and to read the poets.

Have you painted for long?

No, not long at all.

May I see your work?

Oh. I think not.

Who are your favourite poets?

I read them all.

I love Ovid and I love Sappho.

"Someone will remember us,
even in another time."

"Even in another time."

And you, are you an artist?

No, I'm a bored nobleman

from a family
of considerable wealth

with too much time on my hands.

I paint and draw,
pretend to be an artist.

Well then,
I will pretend with you.

What happened to your hand?

Oh, I was bitten. By a panther.

Yes, I remember the beast.

It dared to bite such
a beautiful hand?

And thus I cannot paint today.

Will you marry my brother?

Would he make a worthy husband?

He is an honourable man

so, yes, I think he will
make a worthy husband.

For me?

Well, he is the elder son.

He has lands,
a fleet of ships, power.

But that is not love, is it?

No, that's not love.

This is the perfect place.

For what?

A kiss.

Vanities!

Your gold, your silver. Wait!

Before you speak,

I would have you cease marking
chalk crosses on my door.

You may continue.

Vanities.

Your gold, your silver,
your trinkets, your books.

Give up your vanities!
I have no vanities.

I have only my intellect,

which I am reluctant
to relinquish.

And, as you can see,

with these looks
I have no vanity.

An eternity in Heaven
or an eternity in Hell.

What will it be?

Hell is here in this city.

Heaven has, of late, been
removed to another place.

Are you a sinner?

The son of man will
return in his glory

and he will judge both
the quick and the dead.

Give up your vanities or
face the wrath of God.

Give 'em up.
Give up your vanities!

Give up your vanities!

Would you have us
break your windows?

Yes, would you?

So, God is now reduced
to breaking windows.

Wait. One moment.

Here.

Come to the square...

How long can you
watch your son suffer

at the hands of this man?

Revenge will harden the heart.

Open ranks!

If my son must die,
then so be it.

General.

My lady.

There!

You think you can
beat me, Sforza?

One arrow and we can deprive
them of their leader.

The boy weakens, my lord.

Can you kill him?

Do it.

Ahh! Formation! Formation!

Close the gaps, quickly!

Archers ready!

For every arrow!

Ahh! For every man you hit,

I'll take one of
your son's fingers.

See!

And then I'll hack off his head.

Soldiers, shield!

General!

Form a shield wall!

Mother! Grab him!

Mother!

Ropes! Tie him!

Medic!

Let me say, I think
I know what's in your mind.

Tell me, have you
fallen in love?

How am I to know?

My heart is still with Paulo.

But, if I am to marry,

to be sold like a sheep,
as my father would have it,

then I would rather
have it be my choice.

Shush, shush.

Just pick him up.

I've just fed him.

Why defy your father?

He has great love for you.

Marriage is a civilized
arrangement of mutual benefit;

It's not a cattle market.

But I thought that
was a cattle market.

You give me money,
I give you a sheep.

Only in this case,
I am the sheep.

Mother, if I am to choose,

then please not Calvino
Pallavicini da Genova.

Who then?

Oh, let me take him.

Come to me. Come to me.

Ba-dup, ba-dup.

There he is.

It's the brother, yes?

Why not?

I knew it.

Oh, Lucrezia...

This is not possible.

Put it out of your mind.

It's the golden rule:
Never marry the second son.

Your father will never agree.

Well, then, I will not marry.

Are you in love with him?

No...

I don't know.

I-I don't want to fall in love,

it causes too much pain.

But you desire him.

I have that craving, yes.

And why not?

Why not, indeed?

Have you given up
your gold, Cardinal?

Have you?

Those robes are the
trappings of blasphemy!

Burn him all the same!

Sandro Botticelli. The painter.

There he is! The Medici whore!

Save us!

Save our souls!

I should have brought
my print of the Decameron.

Boccaccio would
have been amused.

He could have written
a fine story about this.

The one hundred and first.

There goes the Botticelli.

Months to paint,
a moment to burn.

Cardinal Cesare Borgia,
my Bonfire of the Vanities!

Stand too close and your
mozzetta will turn to fire.

And you, Signor Machiavelli,

have you brought
your works to burn?

Be sure, we will
visit your house,

seek them out, and consign
them to the flames!

Six times you've
taken the poison

and each time your
resistance grows.

This is the seventh.

"When the lamb opened
the seventh seal

there was silence in heaven."

Is that all there is? Silence?

I feel as if I go to the other
side of life and then return.

Do you have visions?

Just darkness.

And shadows.

We grow weary
in extremis of this game.

It is no game.

No, it is no game!

It is not simply a matter

of you satisfying
your own sweet self!

Your indecision is a
gift to our enemies.

A folly!

This could cost us our
lives, our home, our all!

You are marrying
for all of us, Lucrezia,

not just yourself.

For family!

What a burden.

Did you not have hopes of
capturing Alfonso d'Aragona?

He's young, powerful.
Surely he'd do nicely.

A message was sent
to the south.

His arrival was expected
but never fulfilled.

What more is to be said?

Sell me to the highest bidder.

Lord Sforza!

We approach Forli!

Muffle your arms!

At your ready. Shields.

Here is your son!

He is waiting to die!

Archers, prepare.

For you!

What is your answer?

God will be my judge...

...but I will never,

NEVER bend my knee

to the whoremaster of Rome.

Is that your answer?

Load the piece quickly!

This is my answer.

You can take my son,

but do you see?

Here!

I have the means to
produce TEN MORE SONS!

And they will hunt you down
and send you to your grave.

Enough.

Get ready.

Ludovico is here!

Fire!

We are under attack!

Hunt the Borgia down.

Bombard at the ready! Yes sir.

Fire!

Forward! After them!

Kill the boy!
We are under attack in the forest.

What are your orders?
Kill the boy!

Hang him!

No!

Yah!

No! Yah!

Save him! Save my son!

General! Archers!

Attack!

Fire!

Release!

Release!

Come about!
They're on both sides!

Attack!

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