| Laeta | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| First appearance | S3E02: Wolves at the Gate | |
| Last appearance | S3E10: Victory | |
| Profession | Roman Noble Slave Escaped Slave Rebel | |
| Race | Roman | |
| Relationships | Ennius (Husband, deceased) Ulpianus (Friend, deceased) Heracleo (Former Dominus, deceased) Sibyl (Friend) Spartacus (Former Captor/Lover, deceased) Kore (Friend, deceased) Rebel Mother (Friend) | |
| Status | Active | |
| Actor/Actress | Anna Hutchison | |
Laeta, the privileged wife of a Roman dignitary who becomes entangled in the struggle against Spartacus. Her life and those of the ones she loves are forever changed by the conflict.
Appearance
Laeta has long auburn hair and dresses like a proper wealthy Roman woman. She is elegant and takes care of her appearance even after her city is taken over by Spartacus and she is relegated to a prisoner.
Following Crassus turning her over to Heracleo, Laeta was branded with his initial forever marking her as a slave.
Personality
Laeta is both kind and helpful. Unlike many other Romans, she does not look down upon slaves and appears to have pity towards them. However, she does not approve of the rebels and how they treat the Roman captives. Laeta cares about her people greatly and will do whatever she must to see them safe, even if she must risk her life. After being branded as a slave herself, however, she slowly starts to embrace the rebel cause, turning from her people as they turned from her.
History
Intelligent, young, beautiful, and as independent as a Roman woman is allowed to be, Laeta was married off to her husband, an Aedile named Ennius. She and her husband make a comfortable living in the city of Sinuessa en Valle. Born and raised in a wealthy home, Laeta has only known life as a privileged Roman elite, but she is a kind Domina who does not mistreat her slaves.
War of the Damned
Laeta talking to Ulpianus about grain.
Laeta is approached by Ulpianus, a baker in the city of Sinuessa who is in desperate need of grain, which her husband, Ennius, has much stock in. He asks her if she could pursuade her husband to lower the prices of grain and although Laeta agrees to try, she states that it is unlikely.
As she goes to see her husband she witnesses as the speaker, Laurus is presenting a slave to be stoned by the public. While Ennius asserts that Laurus is doing his duty, Laeta is disgusted believing that if a slave were treated with kindness then they would not rebel, but because they are treated as caged animals, then it's no wonder they rise up as they do.
Laeta talking to Spartacus.
Laeta meets Spartacus after he and a few of his men enter the city seeking grain. He gives false pretense of planning to house his slaves in the city, and she welcomes him to look at her husband's stock while he is otherwise engaged.
She comes upon Spartacus once more when he is confronted by Laurus and a clutch of his men. Before things get out of hand Laeta intervenes, telling Laurus that Spartacus is in the city in related business with her husband. After Laurus and his men leave, Laeta and Spartacus converse once more with Laeta revealing that the city has a curfew due to the rebellion, which she has tried to disuade. She offers Spartacus a place to stay for the night but he declines.
Later that night,
Spartacus and the Rebels storm the city, massacreing men, women and children. As the city falls,Laeta encounters Spartacus once more and questions why is he aiding spartacus to which the rebel reveals the he is the man himself. Crixus then brings news to Spartacus that the Aedile is threatening to the burn the grain. Spartacus orders Laeta to stop her husband, giving the Rebels time to kill the Aedile and save the grain. Laeta is distraught, and although Spartacus tells her that he is sympathetic to losing a loved one, he orders her to be chained along with the remaining Romans.
When the Cilician Pirates enter the city seeking the Aedile's seal, Spartacus calls on Laeta to find it, despite initial protests that her husband would never deal with such low people. He offers to end the mistreatment of her people in exchange for her help, to which she agrees. Although distraught over finding out her husband's secret, she is surprised that Spartacus asks her to ensure the Roman captives are treated well.
When the Rebels are attacked by Roman soldiers, Laeta is able to steal away a small group of captives, hiding them in her villa's stables. When it is discovered that some captives are missing, Naevia goes on a blood hunt, accusing Attius of helping them escape. A fight ensues, and Naevia viciously smashes his head in with a hammer.
Laeta bumping into Sibyl.
Meanwhile, Laeta quietly roams the city, taking bread when availble to the Romans she has hidden away. Unfortunately, she bumps into Sibyl, dropping the bread. Laeta pleads with Sibyl not to speak of what she has seen, and although she nervously agrees, she later tells Gannicus of what she has seen.
As Laeta begins handing out bread, Gannicus and Saxa arrive and, realizing that Attius had nothing to do with the Roman's escape, rush to confront Naevia. A fight breaks out between Gannicus and Crixus, only ending when Naevia smashes Gannicus in the head, thus knocking him out. As the mood turns, the rebels demand that the Roman captives be killed - a demand to which Crixus eventually agrees. As the massacre begins, Saxa quietly tries to sneak Laeta and the other Romans to Spartacus, although they are intercepted. Spartacus arrives in time to save the group, although Crixus demands that he kill Laeta for her role in hiding the Roman captives - Spartacus nearly obliges, before deciding to house the captives in his own villa.
Laeta, being traded away.
As the rebels become increasingly agitated, Spartacus announces that he is to release the Roman slaves. He personally frees Laeta, informing her that he plans to leave Crixus and the others behind to find a new life in Sicilia. He leads Laeta and the remaining Roman captives to the gates while the rebels scream obscenities and toss filth.
After making it back to the Roman encampment, Laeta is taken to Crassus, where she does exactly what Spartacus had hoped for - she tells Crassus everything she has heard, including Spartacus' plans to leave. Crassus, however, questions her survival of the attacks, noting that she helped the rebels. Laeta replies that she helped the rebels so that her people could live, a thing that seems ireleveant to Crassus and his ambitions.
After the Romans retake Sinuessa, Crassus has Laeta tended to. She is bathed, dressed in fine Roman clothes, and has her hair styled - she is seen by Caesar who compliments her beauty. After a closer look, Laeta recognizes him, but before she accuses him of being among the rebels, Caesar reminds her that she did the same. Laeta accepts the truth by saying that they both did what was needed to survive.
Laeta being presented to Crassus.
Laeta is taken before Crassus, to which he casually questions her about Spartacus. She tells him that Spartacus is not the beast she thought him to be, but a man who fights for what he believes in. Heracleo then enters, telling Crassus that he now takes leave with all that the imperator has paid him for his service, including Laeta. Crassus tells her it is because she aided the rebels while they had the city. She screams as Heracleo's men bind and gag her, before taking her out of the room. Before they set sail, Heracleo and his men take Laeta to an abandoned
Laeta being branded by Heracleo.
workshop, where Heracleo brands a slave mark on her arm with a hot iron rod. He whispers to her that she will be taken care of and that they now have a future together. Before Heracleo can have his way with Laeta, Gannicus and Sibyl, who are trying to find a way out of the city, enter the workshop. Gannicus confronts Heracleo for his treachery, and his men attack them. Gannicus kills them all, but Heracleo manages to capture Sibyl. Before he can kill her, Laeta stabs him through the neck with an iron rod, killing him. Sibyl tells Gannicus that Laeta should come with them, as she is now a branded slave like they once were.
Laeta, with Gannicus, trying to escape.
Gannicus leads Sibyl and Laeta through the city streets wearing Heracleo's cloak, attempting to sneak out unseen. Before they can make an escape, Caesar and his men appear in front of them and he asks why Heracleo has two women instead of one. Gannicus reveals himself and fights them off and the three steal two horses to flee the city. They ride to the city gate where a group of soldiers stands in their path. The three ride and fight through them, but Laeta is stabbed in the side by one of their spears. Nevertheless they escape and make it to the rebel camp. The rebels assume she is a prisoner, but Gannicus and Sibyl say she is one of them now. Spartacus pulls her off her horse, and Nasir tells Spartacus that he will see that her wound is tended to. Laeta meets briefly with Spartacus in the
Laeta is seen to the medicus tent by Spartacus.
medicus tent describing, in essence, her loss of faith caused by the brand Heracleo burned into her forearm. Spartacus tries to counsel her loss by saying there is no single, simple answer and that each person must find their own way past it. They meet again at the height of the storm where Laeta shares her blanket with Spartacus, telling him that she wants him to live.
Laeta sharing her blanket with Spartacus.
Later, when the rebels make camp, she tries to pitch a tent, but has trouble due to her inexperience in such matters. Agron lends her a hand, saying he's only helping her because Spartacus has feelings for her. She's taken aback by this revelation. Kore runs up asking for help, and soon she and Laeta help deliver a baby. The rebels notice Kore's slave mark means she was Crassus' slave, and accuse her of being another spy like Caesar was. Laeta vouches for her and convinces them to spare her life.
Spartacus and Laeta kiss.
The next day, the rebels invade a nearby villa and then hold a celebration for Crixus, who will soon leave the group with his followers. Spartacus offers Laeta some wine and she declines. They trade a few verbal barbs (in a joking manner) and then kiss. Spartacus says he could never give his heart to her, but she says she doesn't want that, and they make passionate love on the floor.
Spartacus and Laeta making love.
When Spartacus holds gladiator games with Roman prisoners to honor the fallen Crixus, Laeta joins the rebels in the audience. When Spartacus notices her disgust at the proceedings, she assures him that she is not sympathizing with the Roman prisoners, she is just not used to seeing people killed so readily.
Spartacus and Laeta kiss one last time.
The warrior rebels would stand against Rome for a final battle so that the ones who cannot fight would be able to escape and live free. Laeta is seen to speak with Spartacus before the battle and the rebels leader thanks her for the affection for him. The rebels split up into two groups and Laeta leaves with Sibyl, Belesa, the rebel mother, andothers who decided to wait for Spartacus at the mountains. The final battle results in the defeat of the rebels and Spartacus
Laeta holding Spartacus hand while he slowly dies.
is mortally wounded.
Laeta, after Spartacus dies.
Agron and Nasir carry Spartacus to the Alps, where Laeta, Sibyl and other rebels decided to wait for him. When Spartacus awakens, Laeta cries out and suggests to transport him in the mountains but Spartacus refuses, knowing his end is near. As his life begins to fade, Laeta begins to speak his name. Upon hearing it called, Spartacus remarks that it was not his true name and that he will finally be able to hear his true name once more. After bidding them safe passage and speaking his final words, the rebel leader dies, much to the anguish of Laeta and the remaining survivors. After burying him, Laeta and the other rebels continue their journey out of the Roman Republic, as they finally live free.
Trivia
- Laeta is the first known Roman Noble woman that became a slave.
- In Latin, the name Laeta means "merry" or "cheerful".
- Of all the women who slept with Spartacus (Sura, Illythia, Mira) she is the only one not to die.
Quotes
"It is not your heart I'm after, this night..", Laeta to Spartacus
Laeta isnt searching for Spartacus' heart.
"You have set bargain with this fucking shit?", Laeta to Crassus about Heracleo
"I stand nothing but a slave...as you once did.", Laeta to Gannicus
"You robbed me of my husband, lay waste to my city, and now you call upon fucking aid?", Laeta to Spartacus
"We waited for you, as promised.", Laeta to Spartacus right before he dies.