THE BORGIAS Pilot To be written and directed by Neil Jordan ImageMovers/DreamWorks Television/Stephen Woolley 8-26-09

A TITLE - ROME 1492. INT. ST PETER'S. DAY. The august interior of the huge cathedral, at the time, the largest in the civilised world. It is empty but for a portly man dressed in the sumptuous clothes of a cardinal, holding the hand of a young teenage girl. RODRIGO BORGIA Jesus Christ said, Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church... LUCREZIA Because Petrus means rock in Latin, am I right Papa? And we realize she is the cardinal’s daughter. Her hair is blonde, her face terribly young, Italianate and beautiful... RODRIGO BORGIA You have learnt your lessons well, my dear. So the bones of St. Peter, and every pope to succeed him lie beneath the floor we walk upon. Which is why it is called St. Peter’s Basilica, the centre of the Christian world. LUCREZIA So if the pope dies, Papa, does that mean his body will be buried beneath us? RODRIGO BORGIA Yes, Lucrezia. LUCREZIA And will you become the new Pope in his place? Borgia chuckles mightily. RODRIGO BORGIA The new pope will be elected by the College of Cardinals, my dear. And only God can predict the outcome. LUCREZIA Can the Pope have a daughter, Papa?

CONTINUED: RODRIGO BORGIA Indeed, if cardinal Sforza is elected Pope, he will have several... LUCREZIA I think I will pray to God to choose you, papa. And to get me a new veil crowned with pearls, for your coronation. RODRIGO BORGIA Be careful what you pray for, my daughter. LUCREZIA Why, Papa? RODRIGO BORGIA Because the new Pope will be surrounded by enemies. And each of them will use their armies to try and bend him to their will. LUCREZIA Does the Pope not rule the world, Papa? RODRIGO BORGIA His rule is over the souls of men. His army rules the state and city of Rome, which is very small, among the many city states of Italy and the kingdoms that surround it. So he needs whatever help he can get... LUCREZIA It all sounds very complicated, papa. Maybe you should not bother being Pope. RODRIGO BORGIA It is in God's hands, Lucrezia, not mine... Footsteps coming down the nave, towards them. A young man dressed in well-cut, clerical clothes. Dashingly handsome. Borgia’s son, Cesare. CESARE It is time, father. The sounds of a turbulent crowd outside, growing louder. CESARE (CONT'D) The city has already heard...

CONTINUED: (2) RODRIGO BORGIA And the mob is baying... Borgia puts Lucrezia’s hand in Cesare’s. RODRIGO BORGIA (CONT'D) See that she gets home safe. I'll be in touch. CESARE How? RODRIGO BORGIA I have no idea. And he walks across the huge Basilica, towards an exit. INT. VATICAN. POPE’S CHAMBERS. Pope Innocent VIIIth, on his deathbed, attended by doctors and a gathering of cardinals. He is incredibly old, his skin the colour of parchment. He is straining to address them, his voice barely rising above a whisper. INNOCENT I can hear the Almighty calling. And I plead with whichever of you is chosen to be my successor... reform our Holy Mother Church... There is a murmur in reply. INNOCENT (CONT'’D) I want to hear your promise... The cardinals outdo each other in stating their assent. INNOCENT Our Church has become like an untamed orchard, bowed down with rotten fruit. We need to return to the simplicity that our saviour... And death is taking him. The words barely escape his lips. INNOCENT (CONT'D) ...that Jesus Christ lived by... And he dies.

INT. DOORS OF ST PETER’S. DAY. Swiss Guards, trying to close the huge doors, forcing back a baying mob outside. Cesare walks towards them, Lucrezia‘’s hand in his. GUARD No way out here your Grace. The news is out, the city is in chaos... EXT. SQUARE. DAY. Groups of young noblemen face off against each other, itching for battle. One of them is Cesare's brother, Juan. COLLONNA Back to Spain, Borgia. You can’t wring any more favours from a dead Pope - JUAN I was born here, as far as I'm aware - Collonna turns to the others. COLLONNA If a pig born in a stable, does that make him a horse? Derisive laughter from the gathering. Juan places his hand on the hilt of his sword... INT. VATICAN CORRIDORS. DAY. Cesare draws her back through the corridors. Guards are blocking up every window above them. The baying of the crowds outside grows terrifying. LUCREZIA happening brother? CESARE The Pope has died. Until a new one is elected, there will be no rule in Rome. Every faction will be fighting for their candidate... He pushes his way out, through a small door.

EXT. SQUARE. DAY. The same group of noblemen, facing off against each other like bantam cocks... COLLONNA Rome is for Romans now. The new pope will see to that - JUAN And if the new pope is Spanish? COLLONNA And my mother’s the Virgin Mary? JUAN Was the virgin a Roman whore? That’s news to me - Collonna draws his sword, runs at Juan, who’s sword is already drawn. Their blades clash, withdraw, clash again. The crowd around them bays for blood... INT. VATICAN GARDENS. DAY. A lackey opens a small door, leading to the unruly square outside. Cesare wraps his cloak around Lucrezia, hiding her from the world about. LUCREZIA Where’'s Papa? CESARE He will be locked inside with the others, until a new pope is chosen. We have to get you home, little sis.. Cesare passes through. EXT. VATICAN. DAY. The gate closing, as Cesare loses himself in the crowd. Marauders are trying to storm the upper windows of the Vatican, but are thrown back into the crowd below. ON FACE, LOOKING BACK - Through Cesare’'s cloak. She can see her father, Borgia, at an upper window. He waves, as huge shutters are drawn across it.

EXT. SQUARE. DAY. Juan and Collona. Their blades clash, as the crowd cheers for its faction. JUAN Which makes you - COLLONNA Careful - JUAN The son, if I’m not mistaken - The blades clash again - JUAN - of a Roman cardinals whore - And Juan freezes. Collonna’s blade is at his neck. Then Collonna finds another blade at his own neck. It is Cesare. CESARE My brother speaks before he thinks - Collonna relaxes his blade. CESARE (CONT'D) Sometimes... He looks from Cesare to Juan. CESARE (CONT’D) And isn’t this a time for mourning? He draws Juan away from the standoff. EXT. BORGIA VILLA. EVENING. A beautiful, gated villa, fronted by a cobbled Roman square. Large barred gates opening. Cesare walks through, with Lucrezia huddled in his cloak, Juan behind him. CESARE You’'re too quick with the sword, brother. JUAN If the times demand it... (CONTTNITREN Y

CONTINUED: CESARE But they don’t. These times demand wit. INT. BORGIA VILLA. EVENING. A small Renaissance interior garden. A servant removes Cesare’s cloak, revealing Lucrezia. An older Roman beauty sitting at a table. Vanossa, their mother. She looks CESARE You’ve heard? VANOSSA The Pope has died. CESARE And you know what that means? VANOSSA I know there will be an election. JUAN Which he’ll win - VANOSSA How can you be so sure, Juan? There are other candidates - JUAN Because... he’s waited his whole life for this... because... our lives would change immeasurably... VANOSSA For the better? around the gardens. VANOSSA (CONT'D) Your father found ways to love and care for us in this house. I'm not sure as Pope he can do the same... JUAN As Pope - he can do what he wants - VANOSSA Are you sure? Kings and Popes and Emperors belong to their peoples, not to their families -

CONTINUED: CESARE So, mother. If he asks us for help, we refuse? VANOSSA How will he ask you for help? He's sequestered in the Vatican - CESARE Like Jesus on the road to Emmaus. In a vision. INT. VATICAN CORRIDOR/COMMISARY. NIGHT. Johannes Burchart, the Vatican Bursar, watches as an array of meals are handed through a hatch to the assembled cardinals inside. He lifts the 1id off each dish to see nothing is concealed beneath it. A voice sounds from inside. VERSUCCI (OFF) What are we in here, prisoners? BURCHART Yes. He lifts another lid and examines another dish. BURCHART Until a new pope is agreed... INT. VATICAN COMMISARY. NIGHT. In the barest of rooms, the cardinals sit, like schoolboys at a table, waiting for their food. Versucci, an ancient Venetian cardinal, sits beside Borgia. VERSUCCI After the death of pope Sixtus they holed us up here for a month... BORGIA Appalling. VERSUCCI The company was tolerable, but as for the food... I had to lead the revolt. Insist our dishes could be brought from outside. BORGIA Wise indeed. And a plate is placed before Versucci. He touches it.

CONTINUED: VERSUCCI And now my soup is cold. BORGIA Please, your grace. Have mine. Borgia pushes the plate delivered to him, towards the old cardinal. VERSUCCI Delicious... As he sips. BORGIA You can have my suckling pig too, if you find yours overdone... VERSUCCI How can I thank you? BORGIA (TO HIMSELF) I wonder... INT. VATICAN CORRIDOR/COMMISARY. NIGHT. As puddings are brought through the hatches, Borgia talks in the corridor outside with Johannes Burchart. BORGIA You are in charge of the cardinals repast, Friar Burchart? BURCHART I am the Vatican Bursar, your grace. I account for every florin spent inside here. BORGIA You will know then, that cardinal Orsini must have pheasant for luncheon. His digestion is delicate. And as for cardinal Versucci... BURCHART Quail, marinated in truffle. BORGIA Cardinal Piccolomini - BURCHART Suckling pig -

10. CONTINUED: BORGIA Indeed. The well being of the curia is of the utmost importance. As Vice-chancellor, I have to insist upon it. Mens sana, corpore sano. BURCHART St. Augustine might disagree with you. He extolled the virtues of fasting... BORGIA St. Augustine never had to vote in conclave... INT. VATICAN CORRIDORS. NIGHT. Borgia, making his way down a corridor. Delle Rovere is sitting in a window, reading his breviary. DELLE ROVERE Cardinal Borgia - BORGIA Cardinal - DELLE ROVERE One of us will win this contest - BORGIA Can you be so sure? DELLE ROVERE Yes. I acknowledge your abilities. You have performed your office impeccably, as vice- chancellor - BORGIA Thank you. And I acknowledge yours. DELLE ROVEREIA If you were a different man, I would cede the contest to you now. The church has need of your.. His lips curl, distastefully. DELLE ROVERE ...organizational genius... BORGIA But...

11. CONTINUED: DELLE ROVERE It has other needs as well. BORGIA And they are? DELLE ROVERE Honesty. Probity. Goodness. BORGIA You find me lacking in those qualities? DELLE ROVERE Yes. So I shall fight you. To the end. And beyond that, if I have to. With every means at ny disposal. Borgia smiles, with apparent humility. BORGIA We must agree to disagree, then cardinal. Which is why we have an election process... EXT. VATICAN ROOFS. NIGHT. Borgia stands alone on the roofs, with a white dove in his hand. He ties a note to the dove’s leg and sends it flying over the city. EXT. ROOFS OF ROME. NIGHT. The dove, making its way over the crumbling city. INT. CESARE’S BEDROOM. BORGIA VILLA. NIGHT. Cesare, sleeping. He is awakened by the sound of the cooing of many doves. He goes to the window, throws it open. EXT. DOVECOTE. VILLA GARDEN. NIGHT. The dove, alighting at its home in the dovecote. INT. JUAN’'S ROOM. NIGHT. Cesare kicks Juan awake. CESARE Get a notary.

12. CONTINUED: JUAN What? CESARE We need to make deeds of transfer. Now... Pen and ink... INT. KITCHEN. BORGIA VILLA. NIGHT. A tired notary (lawyer) drawing up documents of deeds to transfer various properties. NOTARY To Cardinal Jullius Versucci, all rights to the Abbey of St. Catherine of Siena and all benefits accruing in perpetuity... signed... CESARE Cesare Borgia... He signs. The notary draws up another document. NOTARY To Cardinal Piccolomini, the estates of St. Angelo Di... Juan is rolling up the documents in greaseproof paper. EXT. DOVECOTE. VILLA GARDEN. DAWN. Cesare, tying a note to the same dove’s leg. Lucrezia, just awoken, comes towards him, still in her nightgown. LUCREZIA Why the dove, Cesare? CESARE It has a dual purpose, my love. Like many things in life. It is both a symbol and a messenger. LUCREZIA A symbol of what? CESARE Of the uncorrupted soul. LUCREZIA And a messenger of what? CESARE Of corruption.

13. CONTINUED: Vanossa enters the garden, from the house, dressed in a nightgown. She puts her arms protectively around Lucrezia. VANOSSA You mean it bears news of how many votes we have already bought in the Papal Election? CESARE You are criminally well informed, Mother. But I trust your soul is still of the purest white. LUCREZIA Don’t you want our father to be Pope, Cesare? CESARE I want to keep him as our father. LUCREZIA But even as Pope, he can still be our father. CESARE He will be father of all mankind. And he throws the dove into the air. EXT. ROOFS OF ROME. DAWN. The dove, flying through the city. EXT. BORGIA’S BEDROOM. VATICAN. DAWN. Borgia is woken by the tapping of the dove at his bedroom window. EXT. ROMAN STREETS. MORNING. Juan, walking through the streets with the documents in his arms, wrapped in greaseproof paper. He enters a kitchen doorway. INT. KITCHENS. MORNING. Stone arches, huge stone ovens, birds and beasts of all types being roasted, stuffed, garnished. Juan walks through with the head cook.

14. CONTINUED: JUAN Cardinal Julis Versucci - COOK Pheasant for the cardinal, roasted - He pulls out a roasting tray, displaying a roasting pheasant. Juan shoves one of the greaseproofed documents up the pheasant’s ass. JUAN And stuffed. Juan takes out the next document. JUAN (CONT’D) Cardinal Piccolomini? COOK Suckling pig - He pulls out another tray, displaying a roasted pig. EXT. VATICAN. DAY. The ragged crowds, outside St. Peter’s and the Vatican. Most of them asleep, like the crowds after a rock concert. Picking their way delicately through the crowds come a line of flunkeys, all bearing dishes covered by silver platters. INT. VATICAN DOOR. DAY. Johannes Burchart lifts the lid of each platter as the flunkeys enter, examining the content on the plate below. INT. VERSUCCI'S CHAMBERS. DAY. Versucci at his lunch, in his chambers. He is tucking into his pheasant. Finds his knife strikes something inside. Pulls out the document, wrapped in greaseproof paper. INT. PICCOLOMINI’S CHAMBERS. Piccolomini, tearing the suckling pig apart. He knows the document is in there. When he eventually pulls it out, he licks it clean. Y

15. CONTINUED: PICCOLOMINI Tasty... INT. VATICAN CONCLAVE. DAY. The conclave of cardinals gathered. The secretary is counting the votes. SECRETARY Cardinal Guido Delle Rovere has garnered thirty nine votes. Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, twenty eight. Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia has garnered thirty five votes. But none has the required majority. EXT. VATICAN ROOFS. DAY. Grey smoke burns out of the Vatican chimney. EXT. VATICAN. DAY. Cesare makes his way, through the milling crowds. He enters a small church, built into the walls. INT. CHURCH. DAY. Cesare, blessing himself in the half-empty church. He makes his way to a confessional. INT. CONFESSIONAL. DAY. Cesare kneels inside the confessional. His father is waiting on the other side of the grille. CESARE Bless me father, for I have sinned. BORGIA How have you sinned, my son? CESARE I have steeped myself in simony. I have pledged estates, castles, benefices to your brother cardinals. I have transferred the documents in the innards of roasted beasts and fowls. All to secure your election as Pope.

CONTINUED: BORGIA I need six more votes for a majority, my son. CESARE So I believe. And I am about to sin further. Ten mules, laden with gold are on the way from our estates in the Romagna. Which will leave the Borgia family sorely strapped... BORGIA The papacy will replay us tenfold. CESARE But you must set my soul at ease, father. Can a worthy end come of such unworthy means? BORGIA Every vote in that conclave will be bought and paid for. And if God intends Rodrigo Borgia to ascend to the papacy, why... He smiles to himself. BORGIA (CONT’D) ...He will put me in funds... CESARE You must set my soul further at ease, father. Can a family such as ours survive such a prize? We are outsiders, Spaniards, among Romans, of infinite guile. The enemies we have at present will be multiplied, tenfold. BORGIA God will protect his Vicar on earth, Cesare, and those dearest to him. CESARE If the outcome is to your liking and you do indeed become Pope, will you inform God as to his duties in this regard? BORGIA Why the blasphemous tone, my son? CESARE Because I swear, if God does not protect us, I shall. 16. (CONTTNTTREDY

17. CONTINUED: (2) BORGIA You do not need to think such ungodly thoughts, Cesare. CESARE I am forced to father. By the sins I am about to commit. So absolve of them, dear father. I commit them for you. BORGIA Ego te absolvo peccatore tui... INT. ABBEY. DAY. Juan, followed by a weeping Abbess, is walking through a magnificent abbey, tearing every gold ornament from the walls, the altars, putting them into a canvas sack... ABBESS But these belong to the Abbey, it’s traditions, it's history - JUAN And your benefactor is? ABBESS Cardinal Borgia - JUAN Then methinks they belong to him... He looks at the Abbess. She is pretty, beneath her penitential garb. She is wearing a silver, jewel embossed cross around her neck. JUAN (CONT'D) Haven’t you taken a vow of poverty? ABBESS Yes, My Lord - He pulls her robe aside, revealing her cleavage. The jewelled cross, dangling there. The abbess gasps. ABBESS (CONT'D) Please - JUAN Then you won’t be needing this - He rips it from her neck.

18. INT. CATHEDRAL. DAY. A series of gold trumpets, held to the mouths of stone carved angels, on the walls of a cathedral. Juan is knocking them free with the hilt of his sword. JUAN Catch - He throws the trumpets to a soldier below, who piles them into an already bulging sack. EXT. CATHEDRAL. DAY. Ten mules there, with soldiers, each mule laden with sacks. Juan emerges from the cathedral with his bulging sack, throws it over a mule. Mounts his horse, whips it into motion. JUAN Back to Rome... The mules follow, the sacks clinking with the precious ornaments inside... EXT. DOVECOTE. VILLA GARDEN. EVENING. Cesare sends the dove flying once more into the evening light. INT. VATICAN ROOFS. EVENING. Borgia, walking by the roofs. He is searching for something. He sees the dove, lying exhausted on the tiles. Picks it up. Unties the note from it‘s leg. Drops it back on the tiles. As Borgia walks off, reading the note, we see the inert dove in the foreground, dead. INT. VATICAN LIBRARY. DAY. Borgia, turning the pages of an ancient book, with Cardinal Ascanio Sforza. BORGIA Of course, Cardinal Sforza, the entire conclave knows that I cannot be both vice-chancellor and pope of Rome.

19. CONTINUED: SFORZA Than you can no longer be vice- chancellor. BORGIA You mean I might yet be Pope of Rome? SFORZA If you can find a suitable vice- chancellor. BORGIA How would you describe the qualities necessary for a suitable vice-chancellor, Cardinal Sforza? The cardinal smiles to himself. He knows what he must say. SFORZA Discretion. Loyalty. And a certain kind of wisdom. BORGIA Can you be more specific? SFORZA I would say the one who would be a suitable vice-chancellor would be wise to support the vice- chancellor who would be Pope. BORGIA And I would say we seem to have an understanding. If I do indeed become Pope I shall know who to thank... INT. VATICAN CONCLAVE. NIGHT. The cardinals gathered, pacing, tense. The secretary counts the votes. SECRETARY Cardinal Delle Rovere has garnered thirty six votes. Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, twenty five. Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, forty two. An intake of breath from the conclave. SECRETARY (CONT'D) Cardinal Borgia has the reguired majority.

20. CONTINUED: A wave of whispering round the gathering. Delle Rovere raises his voice above it. DELLE ROVERE Correction. Cardinal Borgia has bought the required majority. SECRETARY What is your implication? Borgia looks over at Delle Rovere. BORGIA His implication is that the throne of St. Peter’s is for sale. Orsini joins in the argument. ORSINI ...and has been bought by a Spaniard up to his elbows in simony... BORGIA I see. You would have preferred it had been bought by an Italian? ORSINI By someone remotely worthy of the papacy at least - BORGIA Well then. My first act as Pope will be to institute an enquiry into the elective process. The accusation of Simony is of the gravest concern... This shuts Orsini up. And we begin to realize how clever Borgia really is. Borgia glances towards Cardinal Sforza, and purses his lips. BORGIA (CONT'D) And my second of course, will be to appoint a vice-chancellor. Borgia, looking towards Sforza, gives an imperceptible wink. BORGIA (CONT’D) The greatest office, with the greatest income, is my gift. There are two obvious candidates.

21. CONTINUED: (2) He looks from Orsini to delle Rovere. BORGIA (CONT’D) Cardinals Delle Rovere and Orsini. They listen in silence. And we realize that they too can be bought. BORGIA (CONT’D) But the Pope could never appoint one who questions his right to be Pope. A silence. Then delle Rovere retracts. DELLE ROVERE That was not my intention. ORSINI Nor was it mine. BORGIA I see. And the Spanish race is closest to your bosom. Can we proceed then? He nods to the secretary. He is quite the operator and now is in complete control. SECRETARY To conclude. Cardinal Borgia has the required majority. And since the days of Pope Joan, an examination, testes et pendentes, is requested. BORGIA And Cardinal Borgia is happy to comply. He walks through the conclave, past delle Rovere. He displays no animosity as he passes his aristocratic profile. INT. VATICAN CORRIDORS. NIGHT. The cardinals walk, in comical procession, through the tiny corridors. Borgia follows, last, smiling to himself. INT. EXAMINATION ROOM. NIGHT. A series of circular benches, rising above a space, where sits a marble chair, with a circular hole cut in it. Y

22. CONTINUED: A young priest stands beside it, with a bowl of water. The cardinals enter, and seat themselves at the benches. Delle Rovere whispers to Orsini. DELLE ROVERE Can there be any doubt that the good cardinal is male? ORSINI Not if you count his children. SFORZA Let him who is without children cast the first stone... ORSINI I have heard rumors of a rhinocerous horn... SFORZA That small? They chatter on like this, in the Renaissance equivalent of locker room talk, as BELOW THEM - Borgia enters, last. He walks slowly towards the marble chair, with the hole in the centre. He raises his cardinals robes. He sits. The young priest washes his hands. BORGIA Is that water warm? PRIEST I am afraid not, your grace. And now his hands are shaking. BORGIA But those hands are, I trust. The priest hesitates. BORGIA (CONT’D) Go on. The suspense is killing themn... (CONTTNITRN

23. CONTINUED: (2) And the priest places his hands beneath Borgia’s robes and feels for his genitals. PRIEST Habet duos testiculos et benes pendentes. ORSINI So. He has two testicles, well hung. The cardinals chuckle. SECRETARY Habemus papam. The cardinals cheer. A bell begins to toll. EXT. VATICAN ROOFS. DAWN. Bells, ringing all over the vatican. White smoke billows from the chimneys. Thunderous cheers, from the crowd, below. INT. VATICAN CORRIDORS. DAWN. Rodrigo, walking down a long corridor towards a balcony, the murmur of crowds and the dawn light. He has an enigmatic smile on his lips. EXT. BALCONY. DAWN. Rodrigo reaches the balcony, raises his arms in the papal benediction. The crowd’s murmur swells to an almighty roar... INT. WHOREHOUSE. NIGHT. A group of whores, lying on a rose petalled floor, dressed provocatively in white nun’s outfits. A drunken Juan pours wine from a huge bottle, over their bodies. As if it were a renaissance wet T shirt competition, the red wine exposes their beautiful breasts. JUAN Your sins are all forgiven sisters - He falls on top of them. WHORE By the Pope’s bastard?

24. CONTINUED: JUAN Son. His favourite son... EXT. BORGIA VILLA. EVENING. Borgia sits at dinner al fresco, with Vanossa, by the dove-cote. Like any married couple, but now with a significant difference. There are bells, still ringing from the city. VANOSSA So. You have won. BORGIA Yes. I’'ve won. VANOSSA My congratulations. She pours him wine. She knows some statement is coming, but doesn’t know what form it will take. BORGIA And I have lost. And here it comes. Her hand stays with the bottle. VANOSSA Ah. What have you lost, my love? i BORGIA You. VANOSSA You’ll never lose me. BORGIA Not in spirit, maybe. But in fact, I may have to. VANOSSA The pope cannot love? BORGIA The Pope can love God. But to be seen to love anyone else would be... unthinkable. VANOSSA So. We can find ways to... accommodate our affections... Something like we’ve always done. BORGIA No. Y

25. CONTINUED: A tear comes to her eye. She blinks, doesn’t disclose it. she is used to containing her emotions. BORGIA Not only must the Pope be chaste. He must be seen to be chaste. VANOSSA Ah. She reaches for his hand. He squeezes hers. There is genuine affection between them. VANOSSA (CONT'D) We have our children. You can still love them, no? BORGIA Cesare will have a career in the church. Juan in the papal military. And Lucrezia will one day marry. VANOSSA As for me, I suppose I always knew this day would come. As long as you are with me in spirit... BORGIA I always will be. VANOSSA And with no-one else, in fact... BORGIA That is equally unthinkable, Vanossa. VANOSSA And why this new austerity, my dear cardinal? BORGIA I promised the dying Pope Innocent. We need to return to the simplicity that our Saviour lived by. VANOSSA You? Promised that? INT. KITCHEN. DAY. A huge kitchen, under a seemingly endless series of stone arches, each with its own blazing oven.

26. CONTINUED: Chefs run about in a frenzy, preparing lobster, suckling pig, exotic fish and fowl. Tray after tray of roasted gquail, duck, pheasant are pulled from the ovens and garnished by numerous cooks.. The sense of excess is obscene and overwhelming. We hear a voice, over. BURCHART (V.0.) Item. The coronation of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander Vth. For the breakfast banquet, two thousand quail, seventeen hundred duck, seven hundred french Capon, fifteen hundred platter of oyster, thirty seven barrels of Tuscan wine... EXT. ROMAN STREETS. DAY. A magnificent procession, heading towards St. Peters. BURCHART (V.0.) For the ceremonial procession, horse, arms and livery for seven hundred priests and cardinals with their retinues, knights and grandees... A carriage, drawing Vanossa, Cesare, Juan and Lucrezia, all respendently dressed. BURCHART (V.0.) (CONT’D) For the Borgia family, a sandalwood carriage, gold inlaid, refurbished in Venice... A ceremonial throne, drawn by four horses liveried in gold. Borgia sits on it, in gold and silver vestments. Nodding to the crowd... BURCHART (V.0.) (CONT’D) For Pope Alexander, a ceremonial throne constructed by Florentine master builders, gold and silver plated, four Andalusian horses, crowned with ostrich feathered, liveried with silk, threaded gold and silver... Lucrezia, in the carriage, a beautiful pearl embossed veil around her head.

27. CONTINUED: BURCHART (V.0.) (CONT'D) For Lucrezia Borgia, a mantilla of handwoven Catalan lace, embroidered with nine hundred pearls, silk stocking from... INT. CARRIAGE. DAY. Vanossa looks like Jackie Kennedy, in black lace. Cesare is beside her, dressed soberly in simple, black clerical garb. He lifts the black mantilla from her face. CESARE You look beautiful mother. But you must try to remember you are not in mourning. VANOSSA But perhaps I am... CESARE You think you are losing your family? The life we have lived? VANOSSA And what are we gaining? CESARE The future? VANOSSA I wonder who will protect us from it? CESARE Me? VANOSSA You are a man of God, Cesare. Not a man of arms... Cesare looks out the window, sees Juan prancing in magnificent armour, at the head of the Swiss Guard. CESARE Juan, then... But he doesn’t believe it. Neither does she. VANOSSA Juan needs protection himself... CESARE Well then. It will have to be God.

28. INT. ST DAY. Sunlight streams through the incense smoke as a heavenly choir sings. All of the royalty of Europe gathered, in st Peter’s. Borgia walks like a new bride, down the aisle towards the altar. There, the secretary raises the Papal Crown. SECRETARY I appoint thee the Chosen of God, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Primate of the West, Sovereign of Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God - It seems he will go on forever with the titles. DOWN IN THE PEWS - Lucrezia whispers to Cesare. LUCREZIA That is so many titles, Cesare. What will his family call him now? CESARE Holy father. UP BY THE ALTAR - The Secretary is nearing the end. SECRETARY His Holiness, Pope Alexander the Sixth. He brings the Papal Crown down on Alexander’s head. A Te Deum sounds out. The choir sings. DOWN IN THE PEWS - Lucrezia and Cesare. LUCREZIA Holy father. That’s easy. Even I can remember that. And tell me dear brother - CESARE What, sis? It is obvious they mean the world to each other. LUCREZIA What must I call myself? Holy Daughter?

29. CONTINUED: CESARE You are still Lucrezia Borgia, my dear. You will only change your name when you marry. LUCREZIA And when will I marry? CESARE Never, if I can help it. LUCREZIA But surely it is good to marry, Cesare? Cesare looks fondly at her. She is so young, the thought of marriage seems preposterous. CESARE As Pope’s daughter, you will have every Prince of Europe vying for your hand. But they may care little for your heart. There, for example, is the King of Naples, who wants to enlarge his domains. We see the king, sitting beside his young son. CESARE (CONT’D) A marriage to Rome would help his ambitions. He points to the french ambassador. CESARE (CONT’D) And there is the ambassador to King Charles of France. He regards the Kingdom of Naples as France'’s natural right. A marriage to Charles would help him enforce it. The only problem is, he is as ugly as a boar. Lucrezia shudders. CESARE (CONT'D) And there is the duke, Giovanni Sforza. Next to his cousin, Catherina Sforza. He points to a foppish young man across the way, next to a tall, beautiful woman. CESARE (CONT’D) Their kingdoms are next to the Papal States. (MORE) (CONTTNITRNY

30. CONTINUED: (2) CESARE (CONT'D) If you married him, France couldn’t get to Naples, Naples could get to Rome. Must I go on? LUCREZIA Perhaps I should do what you have done, brother. Take Holy Orders. Give my heart to God. CESARE It might be the safer option, my love. LUCREZIA Does Papa have so many enemies? CESARE As our father, perhaps not. But as Pope... DELLE ROVERE - Sitting beside the French Ambassador. DELLE ROVERE The King of France must be aware, ambassador, that we have placed the Papal mitre in the hands of an ape... AMBASSADOR He has hopes, Cardinal. That the office brings it’s own grace with it. And the grace of God can transform the worst of men... DELLE ROVERE And if it doesn’t? AMBASSADOR He will observe with interest what harm a mitred ape can do... INT. BANQUETING HALL. DAWN. A huge, seemingly endless banqueting hall, now empty of its guests. The table is groaning with food half consumed and an army of flunkeys arrives, to clear it. BURCHART Item. Coronation banquet. Five thousand snails from Perigord in France. Three thousand duck livers from Normandy. (CONTTNITRN

31. CONTINUED: The camera tracks down the sumptuous remains, out of the banqueting hall to find Johannes Burchart in a tiny room, continuing with his inventory, writing with a quill pen. BURCHART (CONT'D) Two hundred weight of caviar from the Caspian Sea... INT. ST PETER’S. DAY. A figure, sitting alone, dwarfed by the huge altar. It is Rodrigo Borgia, now pope Alexander the Sixth. Down the nave comes Cesare. CESARE You called for me, father. ALEXANDER Yes, my son. I need to confess. CESARE To me? ALEXANDER To whom does the Pope of Rome unburden his soul, Cesare? CESARE To his official confessor, surely, appointed by the Curia, bound by the sacramental vows... ALEXANDER We have bought them all, my son. We have shown, perhaps, how little those vows are worth... And Cesare now sits. CESARE You surprise me father. ALEXANDER Yes. I surprise myself. For I felt the hand of God descend on me, when that crown touched my head. The Pope of Rome is answerable to nobody but God Himself. Such responsibility is humbling, truly humbling. And it has made me think, perhaps God had his plan for us. CESARE Can you elucidate?

CONTINUED: ALEXANDER We used whatever means we could to gain the Papacy. All of the others bought, sold, traded, bartered. Power, influence, money. We merely proved ourselves better at the game. But perhaps that itself was part of God’s plan. CESARE God’s plan? ALEXANDER To place one such as ourselves in the Papal Throne. Only one so adroit at the arts of politics cold garner the forces necessary to do what God wishes to be done. CESARE And that is? ALEXANDER To effect the reform of our Holy Mother Church. CESARE Ah. A noble task, father. ALEXANDER And one which I can hardly accomplish alone. I will need your help, Cesare. CESARE I am at your service. ALEXANDER Overawed as I am, by the responsibilities that face me. CESARE Perhaps what you need to do, Holy father, is give it time. ALEXANDER Time? CESARE Time. To let that crown settle on your forehead. Do nothing hasty. ALEXANDER Small beginnings, then. 32.

33. CONTINUED: (2) CESARE Yes. ALEXANDER But to good ends. INT. VATICAN CONCLAVE. DAY. Pope Alexander sits at the head of the cardinals in conclave. He is in his new mode, of restrained humility. Cesare stands behind him, like a consigliere. Attentive, silent, almost invisible. ALEXANDER ...these offices we grant, in the full expectation that they will be used wisely, for the restoration of the honour of our Holy Mother Church. So help me God. The cardinals repeat. CARDINALS ...50 help me god. ALEXANDER And the last office in our gift, the post of vice-chancellor, the office that stands a heartbeat from our papacy goes to - He closes his eyes, as if looking for guidance. ALEXANDER (CONT'D) The most august, mot valued colleague and the brightest hope for the future of the church - ON DELLE ROVERE’S AND ORSINIS’S FACES - They have both been promised this. ALEXANDER (CONT’D) Cardinal Ascanio Sforza. The pleasure and cruelty of the moment is not lost on the gathering. But Orsini rises from his seat in fury. ORSINI Simony - I charge you now and in public with trading the sacred offices like a market huckster - Cesare tries to calm him. (CONTTNITREN

34. CONTINUED: CESARE My I remind the cardinal he is in conclave - ALEXANDER Perhaps we misheard him - ORSINI That office was promised to me - ALEXANDER Ah. Did you pay for it? ORSINI With my acceptance of your foul election - ALEXANDER When the Pope pledges to banish all suspicion of simony from the cardinalate, he means what he says. God has chosen us as a new broom to sweep the Vatican clean of corruption. Which is precisely why we choose one who has no expectation of advancement - Cardinal Sforza. sforza bows, graciously. SFORZA Your Holiness, I pray I might prove worthy of the honour. And delle Rovere interjects. DELLE ROVERE I pray so too. Cesare glances his way. Delle Rovere is proving himself far cleverer than the bullish Orsini. DELLE ROVERE (CONT’D) In fact I compliment his Holiness on a most inspired choice. I fully approve of his... His lips curl with the slightest disdain. DELLE ROVERE (CONT'D) ...new broom. And in honour of his new appointment, I invite Cardinal Sforza, His Holiness and the College of Cardinals to a banquet at my palace in two days time. He bows graciously. Whispers to Orsini.

35. CONTINUED: (2) DELLE ROVERE Bow, you fool - Orsini bows. INT. FRENCH AMBASSADOR’S RESIDENCE. DAY. The ambassador, in conference with Cardinals Orsini and delle Rovere. AMBASSADOR The French King has informed me that he must do business with whatever Pope the Curia has seen fit to elect. ORSINI What business does he have in mind? AMBASSADOR (CONT'D) He is new to the throne. He would dearly like a ceremony of investiture in St. Peter’s. By the Pope of Rome. ORSINI He wants the seal of Christ’s Vicar on earth upon his crown. The ambassador smiles, thinly. AMBASSADOR His majesty could not have put it better himself. Delle Rovere speaks up. DELLE ROVERE But the blessing of a pretender would be worth less than nothing. And the blessing of the Anti-Christ would be a positive curse. AMBASSADOR What are you implying? DELLE ROVERE I am implying that Rodrigo Borgia secured his votes from the curia through the foulest of methods. That his election will soon be declared null and void. And that your gracious Highness, if he so wants such an investiture would be wise to bide his time.

36. CONTINUED: AMBASSADOR So. I gather you have access to information that I am not privy to. DELLE ROVERE Borgia’'s reign has already been scandalous enough. I can assure you, it will also be brief. And that it will go down in history as the briefest, blackest stain on the chair of St. Peter’s. You must tell your French majesty of this exchange with the greatest of urgency... EXT. MARKET. ROME. DAY. Cesare, strolling, in his anonymous priest’s garb, through a busy market place. He comes to a stall where a huge Abyssinian man is selling spices. There is a small tame monkey on his shoulder. Cesare picks up a small bowl of spice. ABYSINNIAN Saffron, my Lord, from the Ethiope... Cesare dips his finger in the bowl, holds it up to the monkey, who licks it. CESARE He approves? ABYSINNIAN Indeed. He is my connoisseur of spices. CESARE How much? ABYSINNIAN For the bowl? CESARE For the monkey - EXT. CARRIAGE. NIGHT. A carriage, being drawn through the Roman streets. Flanked by the Papal Guard.

37. INT. CARRIAGE. NIGHT. Cesare and Pope Alexander inside it. Cesare, bizarrely, has the monkey on his lap. ALEXANDER Are you going to share it with me? CESARE Share what, Holy Father? ALEXANDER Why you take a monkey to a banquet? CESARE I fear the other cardinals might not share your appetite for reformation. ALEXANDER And the monkey does? CESARE Yes. He is an excellent judge - He lifts the monkey to his face. The monkey lips his lips. CESARE (CONT’D) ~of appetite - EXT. DELLE ROVERE'S PALACE. NIGHT. Tables set out on the lawns, framed by a magnificent renaissance palace. It displays far more taste and artistry than the Borgia Villa. The cardinalate, at dinner. Cesare sits beside his father, the monkey on his lap. ALEXANDER Reform of our Holy Mother Church may happen slowly. But God has spoken to me - as he spoke to my predecessor, Pope Innocent. Happen it must. DELLE ROVERE Shall we dine on gruel tonight then, your Holiness? I could inform my cooks - ALEXANDER I am your guest tonight, cardinal. (MORE) (CONTTNITED Y

38. CONTINUED: ALEXANDER (CONT'D) And we will dine according to your choosing. We must begin with the little things. ORSINI The little things. ALEXANDER Sale of indulgences, for example... DELLE ROVERE Thank goodness. I can have the wine poured then? Unless wine is too is under edict - ALEXANDER The last supper was celebrated with wine - Delle Rovere nods to a manservant waiting. Michelleto. A man with a pockmarked, inscrutable face. He pours wine for the pope. CESARE Let me taste that - MICHELETTO an excellent vintage, My Loxd. CESARE no doubt. He holds the glass in front of the monkey. Alexander smiles, finally realising the purpose of the monkey . The monkey slurps. DELLE ROVERE How is his palate? CESARE Superb. The monkey growls. Seems to like it. DELLE ROVERE And what’s his opinion? CESARE Tuscan. Early forties. He salutes your good taste. He nods to Micheletto, who pours wine for the Pope and the rest of the gathering.

39. CONTINUED: (2) DELLE ROVERE A great wine. Like the Papacy itself. Mature. Rounded. Its roots in the soil. Its bouquet in the heaves. Consumed by a monkey. He swirls the liquid in his glass. Glances at Alexander, to see has the intended offence been taken. Alexander smiles, graciously. ALEXANDER Is there a metaphor there? DELLE ROVERE Perhaps, your Holiness. For our unworthiness as servants of God. We are all of us, unequal to his calling. ALEXANDER We are all animals, blessed with an eternal soul. There go we, but for the grace of God. The monkey crawls along the table. It lifts its leg and pisses on Ascanio Sforza. The entire table breaks into laughter. CESARE It seems nature, not metaphor, calls. He lifts the monkey gingerly. The monkey squeals. CESARE (CONT’D) He begs your lordship’s pardon. Cesare walks with the monkey, away from the table. EXT. GARDENS. NIGHT. A lone figure, walking towards a small gazebo, with a wine decanter in each hand. It is Micheletto. Cesare appears some distance behind him, walking with the monkey. Cesare watches Micheletto slip like a shadow into the gazebo. EXT. GAZEBO. NIGHT. The gazebo in shadow. The sound of someone grinding, like a pepper grinder, comes from inside it. Cesare walks quietly towards it.

40. CONTINUED: The monkey makes a throaty noise. Cesare clamps his hand over the monkey's jaw. INT. GAZEBO. NIGHT. Micheletto grinding a tan coloured powder, with a pestle and mortar. Two decanters of wine next to it. He senses someone behind him. Keeps grinding with one hand. Reaches for a knife with the other. EXT. GAZEBO. NIGHT. Cesare, with his hand clamped over the monkey’s jaw. He edges towards the gazebo entrance. He sees - INT. GAZEBO. NIGHT. Micheletto, back to him, in the darkness, grinding away. Cesare draws something unexpected from his priestly cassock. A knife. Then he leaps on Micheletto, knife drawn. To his surprise, he finds Micheletto faster than him - with a knife towards his own throat. CESARE My God you’'re fast - MICHELETTO For a cook. And you - CESARE For a priest - The monkey leaps on the table. Licks the powder. CESARE (CONT’D) On kitchen duty? MICHELETTO For tonight. CESARE Who pays you? MICHELETTO Tonight? Cardinal delle Rovere. Tomorrow, who knows. (CONTTNTIRD

41. CONTINUED: CESARE Whatever your being paid 1’11 double it. MICHELETTO They all say that. CESARE No. You have heard me. I could use someone that fast. MICHELETTO You could? Cesare nods. Micheletto slowly relaxes the knife - and finds Cesare’s own knife to his throat. CESARE But not that stupid. Now they both have knives to each other’s throats. MICHELETTO If you employ me sire, I will never be that stupid again. Cesare smiles. Both knives are now drawing blood. CESARE Maybe we understand each other. MICHELETTO A rare kind of understanding. CESARE You first. Micheletto stares. Drops his knife. Cesare presses harder with his. MICHELETTO Of course... As if he expected this. CESARE Tell me why I shouldn’t. MICHELETTO Because of the sixth commandment father. Thou shalt not kill. CESARE be forgiven. The Pope is my confessor. MICHELETTO Because you’ll never meet an assassin like me. Y

42. CONTINUED: (2) CESARE That’s good... MICHELETTO I will gut any throat for you. I will smother infants in their beds. Someone as pitiless as you... Cesare stares, at his impenetrable, pock marked face. CESARE Yes? MICHELETTO Needs someone as pitiless as me. CESARE And in the powder? MICHELETTO Eternal life. CESARE For whom? MICHELETTO You. Your father. Who else? The monkey squeals, falls from the table, frothing at the mouth. Then it falls down, dead. CESARE Not very subtle. MICHELETTO There was no need for subtlety, tonight. They all wanted you dead. And Cesare finally relaxes the knife. Pours the pestle into one of the decanters. CESARE Serve it to delle Rovere. MICHELETTO He knows not to drink from me. CESARE Orsini, then. And if you pass this test, you have a lifelong contract. He hands the decanter to Micheletto. Micheletto considers, for a moment, then takes it and goes.

43. EXT. DELLE ROVERE'S PALACE. NIGHT. Micheletto, retreating from the table, decanters in his hand. We have no idea who he has served. Cesare approaches the table, from the darkness. He glances at Micheletto as he passes him, at the red wine in the decanters. Micheletto doesn’t look at him. And his eyes reveal nothing. And suddenly Cesare has a flash of panic. He has no idea who Micheletto has served. He glances round at the retreating figure of Micheletto. He looks at the table. Eyes every glass in the gathering. His father’s, delle Rovere’s, Orsini’s. His own. Eventually he has no alternative but to sit. DELLE ROVERE Your eminence - you are bleeding Cesare brings a handkerchief to his neck, bleeding from Micheletto’s blade. CESARE Damn monkey bit me. DELLE ROVERE Animals will do that. They lack soul. He raises his glass. DELLE ROVERE (CONT'D) I propose a toast. To Metaphor. He raises his glass. The table follows suit. Cesare raises his, looks at the red wine in his goblet. He looks at the raised glasses of the gathering. Any one of them could contain the poison... CESARE Why metaphor? Delle Rovere drinks. Everyone follows suit. Cesare looks to his father, as he brings the goblet to his lips. Delle Rovere looks to him. And Cesare has no alternative but to drink. DELLE ROVERE Because she is endlessly pliable. A monkey one minute, a prince the next. (MORE)

44. CONTINUED: DELLE ROVERE (CONT'D) And what her hidden meaning is, only God in his infinite wisdom knows. CESARE I propose another toast. To monkeys. ORSINI Monkeys? CESARE They lick your hand one minute, bite your neck the next. His eyes traverse the gathering. He looks from his father to Orsini. And now Orsini is rising, clutching his collar. CESARE (CONT'D) And everyone knows what you do with the monkey that bites you. Delle Rovere stares at Orsini. Orsini is trying to say something, but cant get the words out. Delle Rovere says, quite slowly. DELLE ROVERE And what do you do with the monkey that bites you? CESARE You wring it’s neck. Orsini sways by the table, tearing his collar from his neck. Foam and spittle come out of his mouth. The cardinals stare in horror. Piccolimini, beside him, rises. PICCOLOMINI Are you ill, your Grace? ORSINI Poison - He staggers backwards, pulling at the tablecloth. ORSINI (CONT’D) I accuse - He stares from Cesare to Delle Rovere, who seems frozen to the spot. CESARE The cooks? (CONTTNITRN