Rome: Season 2 Episode 9 Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man)
Gaius Octavian hatches a plan to win the allegiance of the citizens of Rome.
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
Lucius Vorenus wakes up next to Prostitute after dreaming he was sleeping next to Niobe. He walks into the palace at Alexandria and finds Posca smoking opium from a pipe. Posca tells Lucius that Mark Antony is in the throne room meeting a delegation from Rome. In the throne room, Bibulus watches as Mark Antony teaches Cleopatra how to shoot a bow and arrow using a man dressed as a deer. Mark Antony fires an arrow that barely misses the man dressed as a deer and the crowd, except Charmian and Bibulus and the other delegates from Rome, clap. Cleopatra tries and misses the man dressed as a deer and blames him for moving. Bibulus offers Mark Antony double the price for a grain shipment. Cleopatra misses again and demands triple the price and Carthage be annexed under Mark Antony, to which Bibulus agrees to. Mark Antony then tells Bibulus that the people will always love him more than Gaius Octavian. Before Bibulus leaves, Mark Antony also demands Spain and Cleopatra shoots the man dressed as a deer in the throat and he bleeds to death. Mark Antony and Cleopatra go into their quarters and Mark Antony tells her that he expects Octavian to declare war and Cleopatra suggests he declare war first, but Mark Antony refuses.
Titus Pullo wakes up next to Gaia to the sounds of a crowd of people shouting. He walks outside and declares to the crowd that there is no more food to give out that day and if he were to give them anymore food then they would then starve tomorrow. Mascius, Vorena the Elder, Vorena the Younger and the boy Lucius walk up to Titus and he sends them away after telling them he needs to speak with Mascius. Mascius tells Titus they only have enough food for tens days of rations. Mascius tells Titus that the Baker's Guild was offering 600 for a sack of grain. Titus drops a hunk of meat into a cage holding a disheveled Memmio. Gaia asks why he keeps Memmio and doesn't just kill him and he tells her seeing Memmio reminds him to stay honest. Titus goes to see Octavian and tells him the state of things. Gaius Maecenas suggests the people eat dogs, and Titus tells them there are no more dogs to eat. Agrippa suggests sending some of the military to Africa so that Lepidus will have to feed them and Octavian agrees and then tells Titus he will send some grain to him and asks Titus who the people blame for the famine and Titus tells Octavian that the people blame him and not Mark Antony.
Octavia of the Julii finds her daughter Antonia with Atia of the Julii and she complains to Atia that Antonia doesn't listen to her. Atia asks Castor if there are any letters for her and he tells her no. Octavia tells Atia that Mark Antony will never call for her. Octavian, Atia, Octavia, Livia, Agrippa and Gaius Maecenas have dinner and Octavian asks Octavia and Atia to go to Egypt to ask Mark Antony to send more grain. Octavia asks if he is joking and he remarks that he can't remember the last time he joked and Livia brings up a time in the fish market a few days back. Atia demands that Octavian give her a villa in Capri and Octavia demands cash. After sex, Livia tells Octavian that she likes birds but not eggs and she doesn't want eggs served anymore. She then figures out Octavian's plan that Mark Antony will turn away Atia and Octavian and that the Roman people will be upset that he chose his Egyptian queen over his Roman wife. On their voyage, Atia wonders how Mark Antony will react to her and Octavia accuses her of being sentimental. Caesarion is playing a game with Rhodomantes where he throws a ball at him to hit him and then sends Rhodomantes away. Caesarion demands Lucius play with him and after he demands Lucius throw the ball properly, Lucius hits him with the ball. Caesarion asks Lucius to tell him about Caesar and Lucius describes Caesar to him and Caesarion asks to know more. Posca runs into the throne room and tells Mark Antony and Cleopatra that Atia and Octavia have arrived in Alexandria and they demand to have an audience with him. Mark Antony figures out that Octavian is forcing him to publicly choose between Octavia and Cleopatra. Cleopatra tells Charmian to have a meal prepared for Octavia and Atia, but Mark Antony figures out she just wants to humiliate Atia. Cleopatra suggests killing Atia and Octavia and Mark Antony refuses. Cleopatra accuses Mark Antony of either being a coward or still having feelings for Atia and they fight and make love.
Atia, Octavia and Merula arrive at the palace of Alexandria and find the doors shut. Jocasta comes outside and says hello to Octavia and Atia and shortly afterwards, Posca comes outside and grabs Jocasta and rushes her away. Mark Antony has Lucius go and tell Atia and Octavia that they are to return to their ship. Atia at first refuses to leave, but she eventually leaves after Lucius threatens the Egyptians will force them. As they are leaving, Octavia tells Lucius to tell Mark Antony that he is cowardly scum. Lucius finds Posca and Jocasta packing and allows them to leave after telling Posca to tell Titus to kiss his children for him. On the boat, Octavia throws her wedding ring into the water and shortly after, Posca and Jocasta arrive on their boat and ask to sail with them. Mark Antony goes to Lucius and asks how Atia was and after Lucius tells him what Octavia instructed him to say, Mark Antony asks him if he thinks he is a coward and Lucius tells him he knows he isn't, he just has a disease in his soul that will eat at him until he dies. Atia, Octavia, Posca and Jocasta return home and Atia slaps Octavian when she figures out she was used by Octavian. Posca hands Octavian a scroll that is the last will and testament of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, which declares them gods and gives portions of the Eastern provinces to their children and Rome to Caesarion.
Newsreader tells the populace that Mark Antony has rejected Octavia and promised Rome to Cleopatra. He then tells the crowd that Mark Antony has started worshiping dogs and cats and uses eye makeup like a prostitute and dances in profane rites. Octavian then goes to the Senate and asks for war against Mark Antony. Octavian has a meeting with Titus in which Posca gives Titus, Lucius' request to kiss his children. Octavian then asks Titus to join him on his campaign in Egypt so that he may have a chance to convince Lucius to talk sense with Mark Antony. Titus tells Lyde, Vorena the Elder, Vorena the Younger and the boy Lucius that he is leaving for Egypt. The children refuse to return a kiss to Lucius. Titus gives a speech telling Acerbo, Barca and the others that there will be no extortion or other thievery while he is away, unless Mascius orders it under threat of sharing the fate of Memmio. Gaia asks Titus to take her with him, but he refuses. While he is about to eat he notices Memmio missing from his cage and is attacked by Memmio. Before Memmio can stab Titus, Gaia attacks Memmio and Memmio stabs Gaia. Gaia then crushes Memmio's head with a goblet. As Gaia is dying, she tells Titus that she poisoned Eirene and Titus strangles her to death. He then drops her body in an overgrown channel and walks away.