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Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)
Encyclopedia
"Testudo et Lepus" is the fourth episode of the second season of the television series Rome
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. Duro slips into Atia's kitchen where he secretly poisons the dinner stew being prepared by the cook. The cook is Althea, a female kitchen slave who thinks Duro's attention to her is because he is genuinely attracted to her. Althea secretly tastes the stew on her way to taking it to Atia's table and dies before Atia has touched it. Duro is captured by Castor and Atia orders her Jewish henchman, Timon, to torture him. Duro confesses to Atia, after several hours of torture by Timon and his men, that it was Servilia who had employed him. Timon takes Duro out into the poorer district and kills him but feels guilty. Timon is told by Atia to kidnap Servilia while she is praying at her villa. Servilia is brought before Atia, where she is brutally tortured by Timon and raped by his men in Atia's basement. After hours of torturing Servilia, Timon feels pity on her and frees her. The bloodied Servilia runs out on the streets while Atia asks why Timon set her free. Timon seizes Atia's throat in his hand, shouting "I am not an animal! I'm not a fucking animal!". He storms out, presumably without intent to ever return.
Meanwhile, Octavian and Antony's legions clash in the Battle of Mutina
. After Octavian wins the battle, he sends his aide, Agrippa, to tell his mother and sister, Atia and Octavia. Agrippa arrives at Atia's villa and tells Octavia and Atia that Antony has fled to Transalpine Gaul and Octavian has won. He also begins to profess his feelings for Octavia, blurting out he would rather die than cause her unhappiness, but Octavia quickly changes the subject. Atia, meanwhile, is happy that both her lover, Antony, and son Octavian are alive.
With help and directions from Octavian, Pullo finds Vorenus, who had joined Antony's army at Antony's request, and tells Vorenus that his children are alive in a slave camp. Vorenus asks permission of Antony to leave his army in order to search for his children and Antony consents. On the way to the camp, Pullo asks what Vorenus intends to do with Niobe's son Lucius. Vorenus replies that for honor's sake, the boy must die. They arrive at the slave camp where they pretend the children are runaways belonging to Octavian in order to get access. They find Vorena the Younger first, who has been put to work in the kitchens. Vorenus embraces her before noticing Lucius, whom he seizes angrily, before softening and hugging the bewildered boy. He then discovers that Vorena the Elder has been forced into prostitution, at which point he kills the slave camp owner and leaves with all three children in tow.
as Octavian, taking over the role from Max Pirkis
. Woods portrayed the character for the remainder of the series' run.
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
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Plot
43 BC. Servilia's spy Duro has been taken into service at Atia's villa by Castor, Atia's lead male house slave, in exchange for sexual favorsHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Duro slips into Atia's kitchen where he secretly poisons the dinner stew being prepared by the cook. The cook is Althea, a female kitchen slave who thinks Duro's attention to her is because he is genuinely attracted to her. Althea secretly tastes the stew on her way to taking it to Atia's table and dies before Atia has touched it. Duro is captured by Castor and Atia orders her Jewish henchman, Timon, to torture him. Duro confesses to Atia, after several hours of torture by Timon and his men, that it was Servilia who had employed him. Timon takes Duro out into the poorer district and kills him but feels guilty. Timon is told by Atia to kidnap Servilia while she is praying at her villa. Servilia is brought before Atia, where she is brutally tortured by Timon and raped by his men in Atia's basement. After hours of torturing Servilia, Timon feels pity on her and frees her. The bloodied Servilia runs out on the streets while Atia asks why Timon set her free. Timon seizes Atia's throat in his hand, shouting "I am not an animal! I'm not a fucking animal!". He storms out, presumably without intent to ever return.
Meanwhile, Octavian and Antony's legions clash in the Battle of Mutina
Battle of Mutina
The Battle of Mutina was fought on April 21, 43 BC between the forces of Mark Antony and the forces of Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Aulus Hirtius, who were providing aid to Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus.-Prelude:...
. After Octavian wins the battle, he sends his aide, Agrippa, to tell his mother and sister, Atia and Octavia. Agrippa arrives at Atia's villa and tells Octavia and Atia that Antony has fled to Transalpine Gaul and Octavian has won. He also begins to profess his feelings for Octavia, blurting out he would rather die than cause her unhappiness, but Octavia quickly changes the subject. Atia, meanwhile, is happy that both her lover, Antony, and son Octavian are alive.
With help and directions from Octavian, Pullo finds Vorenus, who had joined Antony's army at Antony's request, and tells Vorenus that his children are alive in a slave camp. Vorenus asks permission of Antony to leave his army in order to search for his children and Antony consents. On the way to the camp, Pullo asks what Vorenus intends to do with Niobe's son Lucius. Vorenus replies that for honor's sake, the boy must die. They arrive at the slave camp where they pretend the children are runaways belonging to Octavian in order to get access. They find Vorena the Younger first, who has been put to work in the kitchens. Vorenus embraces her before noticing Lucius, whom he seizes angrily, before softening and hugging the bewildered boy. He then discovers that Vorena the Elder has been forced into prostitution, at which point he kills the slave camp owner and leaves with all three children in tow.
Background
This is the first episode to feature Simon WoodsSimon Woods
Simon Woods is an English actor best known for his role as Octavian in Season 2 of the British-American television series Rome and the 2005 Pride & Prejudice as Mr. Charles Bingley...
as Octavian, taking over the role from Max Pirkis
Max Pirkis
Max William R. Pirkis is an English film actor.-Personal life:Pirkis was born in London, England to a stockbroker father and a publisher mother. He also has an older sister, Elli Pirkis....
. Woods portrayed the character for the remainder of the series' run.
External links
- "Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)" at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- HBO summary