Tu quoque, fili mi?

Rome's first season ends with the famous scene - don't tell me I'm spoiling you, it doesn't count: it's history - of the bunch of conspirators for the Republic stabbing the dictator in the floor of the Senate. Having learned history through the lives of the leaders (who were intelligent enough to write their own versions), I've always felt like the Roman people and loath to understand the reasons of the bloodthirsty, kin-slaughterer Brutus. I was so naiv, wasn't I? Not that I needed the series to prove me wrong - believe it or not, I have matured before HBO entered my life - but this show, the most brilliant I've seen since BBC's Pride and Prejudice, helps precising some of the emotions a man, who went down in legend a dagger in the hand (1), may have felt, torn between family's respect and honour.

The show ends up with the famous scene, but what happened to Brutus? In front of the tragic moment and given the worried eyebrows of Tobias Menzies, I wouldn't have been surprised to see him turn the knife on himself. But he didn't, apparently. He fled to Greece, and dedicated himself to philosophy... and fund-raising to support the army which will be fought by Mark Antony and Octavian. In season 2.

(1) and in our Latin manuals thanks to four little words...