| Legends | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Season | 1 | |
| Number | Episode 03 | |
| Date Aired | February 5, 2010 | |
| Writer | Brent Fletcher | |
| Director | Grady Hall | |
| Guests | ||
| Previous | Sacramentum Gladiatorum | |
| Next | The Thing in the Pit | |
"Legends" is the third episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand. It is the third episode in the Spartacus series overall.
Plot Outline
Though Spartacus proved himself during training and now wears the attire of a gladiator, his coarse attitude and relentless quest to see him wife isolates him from his fellow gladiators and Doctore.
Synopsis
Spartacus readies himself for training in the ludus, wrapping Sura's purple ribbon around his arm for safe keeping. Doctore watches him fighting Kerza and mocks his style and embarrasses him in front of the other gladiators, telling them all that they need to leave everything they learned before behind. The gladiators train hard, especially Spartacus, who has a goal to fight for.
Doctore tells them that the Vulcanalia is approaching and that Batiatus has chosen twenty of them to fight in it. The two strongest gladiators will fight as the primus, and they are left wondering who will fight Crixus.
Meanwhile, Batiatus outs his frustration regarding the magistrate Calavius, who says he will likely not attend the reception for the games in Batiatus' villa to instead dine with Solonius. Lucretia assures him that the other guests will suffice, and that she may be able to raise the subject of patronage with Ilithyia.
Later, Lucretia has a merchant of jewelry as guest in the house. Naevia, watched by Crixus as he trains,
tries on each piece as Lucretia looks for something of note, or something that would impress Ilithyia. She haggles for an expensive emerald green and gold necklace.
Doctore drills the Gladiators.
Doctore puts the gladiators through drills. Spartacus notices that the purple ribbon is coming loose and stops to tighten it. This angers Doctore, who urinates in front of Spartacus and then pushes him into it as punishment. Crixus is removed from training to satisfy Lucretia's lust and uses the walk into the villa as an opportunity to flirt with her personal slave, Naevia, albeit unsuccessfully.
During training, Doctore teaches the gladiators that not all fights end in death, and that lifting a hand with two fingers signifies surrender. Doctore catches Varro and Spartacus mocking the lesson and sends them both to "the hole", a well of muck and waste, as punishment. Although at first angry to have been punished
alongside Spartacus, Varro learns that Spartacus fights to free his wife, and reveals that he fights to pay off his debts and return to his wife, Aurelia. Later on, the two are in the baths with the other gladiators washing themselves off, and Doctore tells them that Crixus and Gnaeus will fight each other in the Vulcanalia primus. Spartacus and Varro are to fight each other, much to Spartacus' dismay, who wishes to fight Crixus. The next day, he speaks to Gnaeus and taunts him until he attacks, moving out of the way at the last moment so that Gnaeus crashes into a wooden post and injures himself. Doctore does not punish Spartacus, although he and the other gladiators suspect that Spartacus is definatly up to something.
The reception for the Vulcanalia takes place that evening and the gladiators are brought forth for public viewing. Amongst the gladiators, Spartacus is the favorite and is admired by many of the visitors. Lucretia escorts Ilithyia, who notices the emerald necklace and remarks that it is beautiful but out of fashion, thwarting Lucretia's attempts to impress her. When Ilithyia bores of the company, Lucretia hastily arranges for Varro to have sex with one of the slaves to keep the guests entertained. On his return Varro overhears Batiatus organizing for Rabanus to face Crixus in the primus, and Spartacus decides he must take action. He attacks Crixus, spurring Batiatus to take advantage of the public interest and drama and set the two against each other in the Arena.
In the evening, Naevia is sent down to the gladiator's area to fetch wine for the household, and there she meets Crixus who gives her a necklace he acquired through Ashur in an attempt to express his feelings for her. Meanwhile, the other gladiators prepare the approaching Vulcanalia, and Kerza tells them of Theokoles the Shadow of Death. Spartacus believes that the stories, like those about Crixus, are fake and that he will win the fight the next day.
The Vulcanalia arrives and Varro has success in his first fight in the arena. Calavius announces the primus and Spartacus enters the arena to chants and cheers. Crixus receives an even greater ovation, and is admired by Lucretia, Ilithyia and Naevia from the stands. Before Batiatus can announce the official beginning of the battle, Spartacus attacks.
Spartacus surrendering in the arena.
The fight is unevenly matched to begin with, Spartacus attacking fiercely and Crixus defending. When Spartacus has exhausted himself from attack after attack, Crixus trips him and pushes him to the ground, turning to the crowd to shout, "Capua, shall I begin?" He begins an impenetrable attack, showing himself to be a skilled gladiator beyond Spartacus' expectations. Spartacus is beaten many times until, exhausted and wounded, Crixus downs him. The crowd chants, "Kill! Kill!" and Crixus moves to place his sword at Spartacus' neck, waiting for Batiatus' signal. Spartacus sees the purple ribbon on his arm and realizes he has no other option but to surrender if he is to see Sura again. He raises the two fingers, even though this means he is disgraced as a gladiator. Batiatus allows Spartacus to live, against the wishes of both the crowd and Calavius.
Afterwards, a wounded Spartacus removes his armor. He tells Doctore that he will train harder, but learns that it is of no use now. The crowd no longer favors him, and he is to be sent to the Pit.
Characters in Order of Appearance
- Spartacus
- Kerza
- Oenomaus
- Crixus
- Barca
- Ashur
- Pietros
- Varro
- Hamilcar
- Rabanus
- Batiatus
- Santos
- Lucretia
- Naevia
- Rhaskos
- Mago (flashback)
- Ramel
- Gnaeus
- The Gargan Twins (flashback)
- Mercato
- Ilithyia
- Calavius
- Domitia
Trivia
- This episode marks the first time that male slaves or gladiators are sexually exploited or abused by Romans in the series. The cases being Lucretia ordering Crixus to have sex with her, and Varro to have sex with a female slave in front of Romans for their viewing pleasure.
- Chronologically, such abuse or exploitation occurs in the prequel season prior to this episode.
- The name of the female slave that Varro has sex with in this episode is never revealed,
Quotes
Oenomaus: "Forget everything you learned outside these walls, for that is the world of men. We are more. We are gladiators! Study, train, bleed, and one day your name will be legend, spoken in hushed whispers, feared by all, as the city speaks of Crixus, Champion of Capua!"
Lucretia: (to Batiatus) "Darling, you must spend coin to receive coin... My husband taught me that."
Varro: "He stands a legend. After Carthage suffered defeat by the Romans, they forced hundreds of his people to fight against each other in the arena. Half a day passed, and only two remained; Barca, and the chief of his people, the noble Margo. Skills and the testament of years were his allies. Strength and youth, Barca's. Margo fell to his knees and Barca became the Beast of Carthage."
Varro: "In the world of the gladiator a man's fame and glory constructs its own truth."
Spartacus: "Fame and glory. I seek neither."
Oenomaus: "The land from which you hail from matters no more. The only thing that does is the sound of my voice and the sand beneath your feet."
Crixus: "Did you enjoy my victory?"
Naevia: "I was pleased... when it ended."
Crixus: "It is no easy task to sever a man's head. You must find the right angle."
Oenomaus: "Never lose focus! Not if Jupiter himself were to rip open the clouds and dangle his cock from the skies! A gladiator's first distraction is his last."
Spartacus: "To surrender in the arena; I cannot do it. I must have victory."
Varro: "So, buried up to your balls in garbage - is this part of your plan to get Sura back?"
Ilithyia: "I've never seen a gladiator fuck before. Look at the way he rams her, like an enraged bull."
Lucretia: "A gladiator's virtues extend well beyond the sands of the arena. As lovers they're said to be ravenous beasts. They provide unimaginable pleasures."
Promo
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