Rome 1.03 - An Owl in a Thornbush

The second episode ended on a cliff-hanger with Caesar entering Italy with an army, an act of treason under Roman law. The Senate asks Pompey to defend Rome. There are four legions in Rome, but Pompey says that they won't be enough to stop Caesar, because they're made up of inexperienced recruits. He needs more soldiers, but they're camped three days away. He suggests retreating to Corfinium, south of Rome, letting Caesar take Rome before returning and taking the city back. Pompey leaves on horseback, letting senators like Cato walk. Before leaving, Pompey encourages all true Romans to leave with him. Many stay behind to protect their property.

Pompey tells his men to remove Rome's gold reserves so that Caesar can't use the money. The treasure is to be brought to Corfinium, hidden in a grain cart. Before leaving Rome there's a mutiny. Those loyal to Pompey are killed, and the grain cart heads north.

Atia, Caesar's niece, remains in Rome. Many traders come to her and ask for protection. She demands high sums for her services. In the absence of the consuls and senators, she acts as a de facto Queen of Rome. She holds a party, but it's interrupted by a mob of Pompey's supporters trying to break in.

Caesar sends a scouting party lead by Vorenus and Pullo, despite Vorenus' hesitance to do the task. He's divided between his duty to Caesar as a soldier and his duty to Rome. He considers himself a traitor for breaking the law by entering Rome as a soldier. Pullo has no such scruples. He follows Caesar and does whatever he says. The scouts are told not to attack anyone unless they meet resistance.

On the way the scouts encounter the grain cart. Vorenus asks why soldiers are escorting a grain cart, and a fight breaks out. The scouts easily slay the soldiers. Pullo wants to examine the grain cart to see what's so special about it, but Vorenus orders him to follow Caesar's instructions and continue to Rome.

Vorenus and his men find Rome deserted. They'd expected resistance from Pompey. Vorenus nails a proclamation from Caesar to the door of the Senate, and then he returns home to take off his uniform. He's served Caesar loyally, but now that he's done this one last duty he's left the army. Pullo is no longer under his command, so he returns to the grain cart. He finds the chests of gold. Not knowing who it belongs to, he takes the gold for himself.

I have no idea what the significance of this episode's title is. Was there an owl in the episode? If so, I must have blinked and missed it.

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