The Borgias, Season One

Girolamo Savanarola:
(addressing a crowd in a Florentine cathedral) FLORENCE! The time will come when all your finery, goods and chattles will profit you nothing! You have lived in usury, Florence, like pigs in heat! The riches of your banking may astound the world, but one day they will be your undoing -owing to your avarice! Neither you, nor your children lead a good life! You have already discovered, many devices of gaining money...

Niccolo Machiavelli:
(appears next to Cesare, who is watching Savanarola) It was rumored a Cardinal had graced Florence with his presence.

Cesare Borgia:
(glances at him) And, you are?...

Niccolo Machiavelli:
Niccolo Machiavelli, Ambassador to the House of Medici.

Cesare:
(nods to the ranting Savanarola)...This Friar would burn your Florence to the ground.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
Not quite- he would reduce us, to his own status.

Cesare Borgia:
Which is?...

Niccolo Machiavelli:
A pile of straw, upon a monastery floor. He disapproves of... display, ornament, artistry. Even comfort.

Cesare Borgia:
...Perhaps Cardinal Cesare Borgia can be of some help.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
You would meet with my master, Piero de Medici?

Cesare Borgia:
No. He would meet with you, in Macedon.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
(glances quickly at him)... Aha. A conspiracy, then.

Cesare Borgia:
(smiles) No. More like... an Inquisition.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
(smiles briefly) Perhaps you should follow me. (they move away from Savanarola)

Cesare Borgia:
Another Cardinal came through here, some days ago- he left his mark, I believe, upon a confessional door.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
There... was a Friar, found murdered. But, that Cardinal claimed to be a man of peace.

Cesare Borgia:
We all do, Signor Machiavelli.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
You make the same claims?

Cesare Borgia:
For the moment. But, I would hazard, that if this Cardinal passed through Florence, he did more than pin a Dominican Friar to a door.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
You would?

Cesare Borgia:
Yes. I would hazard... he met with the Florentine Ambassador (gives Machiavelli a direct look) and his master, Don Medici.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
And, if he did?...

Cesare Borgia:
I would hazard there was a purpose for that meeting.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
The purpose being?...

Cesare Borgia:
... That Florence unite to his cause?

Niccolo Machiavelli:
No. On the contrary, he asks for nothing.

Cesare Borgia:
(pause) Nothing?

Niccolo Machiavelli:
... Or, to be more specific, he asked that Florence... do nothing.

Cesare Borgia:
(nods slowly) He requested that Florence do nothing... in the event of a great something. (moves past Machiavelli)

Niccolo Machiavelli:
... You are far too clever, for a Cardinal.

Cesare Borgia:
The times have made me so. He requested that Florence do nothing, and allow a great passage of arms through its' Republic?...

Niccolo Machiavelli:
(shrugs) Perhaps.

Cesare Borgia:
And, Florence promised him?

Niccolo Machiavelli:
... Why should I tell you what Florence told him?

Cesare Borgia:
(smiles) I could ensure that, instead of your beautiful Florence... Friar Savanarola himself burns.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
(chuckles briefly) An impressive offer.

Cesare Borgia:
So... Florence offered the good Cardinal...

Niccolo Machiavelli:
What he offered Florence. Nothing. (starts to move away, Cesare grabs his arm)

Cesare Borgia:
So, the arms of France cannot pass through your fair Republic?

Niccolo Machiavelli:
In a sentence. (looks at Cesare thoughtfully) And, if these times have made you clever... the coming months may thrust genius upon you. (leaves)