Rome: Season 2 Episode 8 A Necessary Fiction
Lucius Vorenus and Gaius Octavian are betrayed by those close to them.
Series Index
Characters/Groups
Atia of the Julii - Polly Walker
Octavia of the Julii - Kerry Condon
Vorena the Elder - Coral Amiga
Vorena the Younger - Valery Usai
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
Detailed Synopsis
Gaius Octavian gives a speech to a group of Roman women promising that Rome will reward women for fertility and sanctity in marriage and enact laws that punish adultery and promiscuity. After the speech, Gaius Maecenas points out Livia to Octavian. Maecenas then introduces Alfidia and Livia to Octavian. Octavian asks Livia if she would like to get married to him and she agrees after she divorces her husband. Timon, Bec, Mary, Deborah and Yesh leave Rome for Jerusalem. Posca and Jocasta go to the market and Posca tells Jocasta she can buy anything she wants. He then has a meeting with Maecenas where they discuss stealing a small amount from a gold shipment being brought to the Temple of Saturn by one of Lucius Vorenus' men. Lucius has a meeting with Titus Pullo and Mascius where he tells them of his plan to take the gold shipment by road instead of by ship, which he told Octavian and Mark Antony. As Mascius leaves the meeting he passes Vorena the Elder sweeping just outside the door. Gaia gives Eirene a cup of tea and watches as she drinks it. During the night, Eirene has a miscarriage and after telling Titus she wants to be buried with their baby, she dies. Gaia then watches as Titus and Lucius leave. They then dig a grave and bury Eirene and her baby. As Mascius is escorted the gold, he and the other men are ambushed. He is brought back to the Collegiate wounded and tells Lucius how he was ambushed and the gold taken. Lucius reports to Octavian and Mark Antony that the gold was stolen and he promises to bring it back. After the meeting, Maecenas accuses Posca of double crossing him and stealing the gold. Lucius goes to the headquarters of Memmio and finds him and his men celebrating. He tells him state property was stolen, but Memmio denies stealing it. Memmio tells Omnipor to tell Hannibal Cotta, Acerbo and the other captains that he wants to have a meeting with them. Maecenas tells Octavian that Mark Antony has been sleeping with Atia of the Julii and Octavia has also been lying to Octavian. Merula tells Atia that Octavian demands to see her that evening. Memmio has a meeting with Cotta, Acerbo, Gaul Boss and another captain and tells them they should unite to fight Lucius Vorenus. After they start to leave he throws handfuls of the stolen gold coins at them. Octavian tells Livia that at some points he may beat her to get sexual pleasure. Octavian introduces Livia to Atia, Octavia, Mark Antony and Agrippa. Octavian then accuses Octavia of betraying him and Agrippa admits to sleeping with Octavia. Octavian then tells Mark Antony that he must go to Egypt and not come back. Mark Antony grabs Octavian by the throat but lets go and storms out. Lucius checks on Titus and is told by Gaia that he hasn't eaten or drunk any water in two days. Titus guesses that Memmio was the one that stole the gold and thinks Mascius colluded with Memmio.