Rome: Season 1 Episode 7 Pharsalus
The Gods favor Caesar once again, and Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo use a body raft to escape a deserted island.
Characters/Groups
Atia of the Julii - Polly Walker
Pompey Magnus - Kenneth Cranham
Servilia of the Junii - Lindsay Duncan
Marcus Junius Brutus - Tobias Menzies
Octavia of the Julii - Kerry Condon
Marcus Tullius Cicero - David Bamber
Daughter of Pompey - Eliza Darby
Lucius Septimius - David Kennedy
Son of Pompey - Michele Pettini
Character thumbnails with links to profiles
Detailed Synopsis
Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo crawl onto the beach of a deserted island after their ship is destroyed. At Caesar's camp, he and Mark Antony discuss their plans of retreat from the armies of Pompey Magnus. At the camp of Pompey Magnus, the senators including Porcius Cato, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Scipio and Marcus Junius Brutus discuss how they will divide Rome and who to give portions of it to. Pompey wants to starve Caesar's army and wait for Caesar's soldiers to desert, while the senators pressure him to strike the final blow. The Newsreader tells the city of Rome about the disaster of Mark Antony's fleet and that the forces of Pompey Magnus expect to defeat Caesar's armies shortly. Atia of the Julii orders Octavia of the Julii to go ask Servilia of the Junii to send some of her men as guards of Atia's home. Lyde goes to the home of Niobe and they reconcile. On the deserted island, Titus tries to hunt for fish with a spear while Lucius writes a final message to Niobe on a stone. Octavia gets dressed up nicely for her meeting with Servilia and Atia congratulates her for not looking like her normal frumpiness. Octavia asks Servilia for some of her men and then cries and tells Servilia she is kind to help them after the way Atia has been to her. They embrace and then Octavia leaves. Fulvio enters Ceasar's tent and tells him that Pompey's armies are on the move towards their camp. Caesar tells Fulvio to ready his horse and orders his army to prepare for battle. Posca questions his logic, but Caesar tells him his men will be forced to fight for their lives and will be more motivated then Pompey's troops. Caesar says goodbye to Posca and then the two armies clash.
Caesar returns to his camp victorious and takes a nap after telling Posca to tell Rome that he has won. An Officer finds a wounded Pompey sitting against a tree and tells him they must leave before Caesar's men find them and then rides away when Pompey does not respond with logic. At Pompey's camp, Cicero and Brutus decide to surrender to Caesar while Cato and Scipio decide to split off from Pompey for their own safety and abandon Pompey. Titus Pullo wonders when he dies how he will find his mother in heaven and if she will recognize him. Lucius Vorenus notices a body floating in the water and runs towards it. He and Titus Pullo build a raft out of wood and the bloated bodies of the dead, while Pompey, Cornelia, the Daughter of Pompey, the Son of Pompey and Pompey's remaining followers follow Lysandros and his men on their path to the ocean. Cornelia wakes up in the morning to her slave Helen stealing her necklace and the remainder of Pompey's men abandoning them. Pompey tells Lysandros if they happen to meet anyone on their journey not to tell them of his identity. Atia tells Octavia that she has been invited by Servilia to weave together and she must go. Pompey and his family arrive at the ocean and find Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus washed ashore. Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo recognize Pompey and work on a plan on what to do. While Servilia and Octavia are chatting, Eleni enters the room and tells Servilia that Caesar has won the war. Servilia begins to cry and Octavia comforts her and they kiss.
Cicero and Brutus ride towards Caesar's camp and tell a Legionary that they have come to surrender. Caesar warmly greets Brutus and Cicero and is told that Pompey is on his way to Egypt to rebuild his army and the other senators have also fled to Africa. Caesar invites them to the dinner tent and after some initial awkwardness, everyone returns to eating. Pompey tells his children of the time he hunted with the king of Egypt's father. Lysandros approaches Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo and makes an offer to them to attack and kill Pompey and then to take his family as slaves. Lucius tells Lysandros to walk away and when he doesn't, Lucius stabs him through the throat with his sword. Pompey asks Lucius Vorenus why he killed Lysandros and Lucius tells him that he is a prisoner of he and Titus Pullo. Pompey asks to speak to Lucius alone and begs him to let him and his family leave and after Pompey tells him about the battle that lost him the war, Lucius agrees. Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo arrive at Caesar's camp and Caesar is enraged when he finds out that Lucius let Pompey and his family go. Mark Antony is confused when Caesar allows Lucius to go unpunished, but Caesar tells him he doesn't want to make enemies of the gods that clearly favor Lucius. Caesar tells Posca to tell Fulvio to break camp as they are heading to Egypt. Pompey and his family arrive in Egypt and Pompey is greeted by Lucius Septimius. Lucius Septimius stabs Pompey in the stomach and then cuts his head off.