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Episode 11 Fool's Luck Players
in this episode are:
| Claudius |
Now the Emperor of Rome. |
| Herod |
Claudius' closest friend. |
| Messalina |
Claudius' third wife. Perhaps the most infamous harlot in history. |
| Domitia |
Messalina's mother. Pleasant but spineless. |
| Cassius Chaerea |
Heroic survivor of the massacre in the Teutoburg Forest. Assassin of
Caligula. |
| Narcissus |
Claudius freedman and assistant. |
| Pallas |
Claudius freedman and assistant. |
| Appius Silanus |
Senator. Messalina manipulates the situation to have him marry Domitia. |
 |
This episode takes place in 41 to 43 AD - Claudius has now been proclaimed
Emperor by the Praetorian Guard. (He may have really protested as shown in this episode,
but in real life he gave them a bonus.) They hold him under 'protective custody' in their
camp as the Senate debates the return of the Republic. Herod advises
Claudius to accept. |
Herod arrives and very practically advises him to accept, "at least for the time
being", or civil war will break out again and they will all be dead. Reluctantly, he
does. He tells the Senators they may think him half-witted, "but at least I have
survived with half my wits while thousands have died with all of theirs intact." Audio. Video. He condemns Cassius Chaerea for the
murder of Caesonia and the baby and the rest of the case is closed.
Messalina bears him two children in rather quick succession - Britannicus first and
then Octavia. Meanwhile she's busy gathering the reigns of power. She helps him redo the
Senatorial roles and takes over as Director of Public Morals. (What a laugh that one is!)
It seems that she can get him to do anything she asks. She has her sights set on Appius
Silanus, so she talks Claudius into recalling him from Spain to be his administrative
assistant and mom's new husband. Herod returns to the East. He's King of Judea now. On his
parting he gives Claudius advice. "Trust no one, my friend, no one."
Claudius orders the engineers to survey Ostia for all weather harbor improvements and,
surprise!, finds that they've probably been bribed to over estimate the difficulty.
Meanwhile, Messalina has made her pitch to Silanus. It's all a set up, she says, so that
he can become her lover.
Unfortunately for her, he has scruples and tells her that "I wouldn't
touch you, lady, with a 10 foot pole." He, however, does believe her story about
Claudius being in on it. After Tiberius and Caligula, these Emperors are capable of
anything.
|
Messalina reveals her plan to Silanus. |
While they are in Claudius' office looking over the new plans for Ostia compared to
those drawn nearly a century before under Julius Caesar, Silanus attempts to assassinate
Claudius. He fails and is restrained by the guards. Messalina hurriedly tells her mother
to back up everything she says, or else. They then rush to the Palace.
Messalina pleads with Claudius. |
Silanus repeats the story that Messalina told to him - that he was
brought to Rome to keep Messalina "amused". She twists the story completely
around. He, she says, was the one who approached her. Domitia confirms the lie and
Claudius condemns Silanus to death. Messalina begs for mercy - "Banish him.",
she pleads. But an attempted assassination cannot be punished that way. It must be death. |
| Messalina shoots Claudius a look behind his back that should leave you
drooling for the next episode. |
 |
|
