The Borgias, Season Two

Piero de Medici:
We live in a fortress, now. Barricaded against the sea of zealots in the streets outside.

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
Hmm- "zealots".

Piero de Medici:
Their fervor for the Friar's visions increases daily. They would ban all art and ornament, and they have set their sights on the coin of the Realm itself!

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
Money? Dear God...

Piero de Medici:
They see gold and silver coin as part of the fallen world. They would reduce all exchange to a state of barter only possible in the Garden of Eden!

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
(pretending to examine a sculpture) Hmmm- and what of banking?

Piero de Medici:
(scoffs, imitates Savanarola) "Did Adam need gold coin?! Did Eve need a bank?! Did Cain charge interest to Abel?!" (Machiavelli smiles briefly, Cardinal Sforza and Medici chuckle)

Ascanio Sforza:
And what of the Church's deposits in your banks?

Piero de Medici:
They would scatter them like chaff. (he starts to sit. Machiavelli clears his throat, and Medici hastily stands up again) And, if they knew, Holy Father, of your personal accounts, they would burn the bank to the ground.

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
Well, then- perhaps we had better have our wealth brought back to Rome. (Machiavelli frowns)

Piero de Medici:
How? The Friar has his spies everywhere.

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
(shrugs) Well, perhaps the good Friar could be bought.

Piero de Medici:
With money?

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
No- a Bishopric. Generalship of the Dominican Order. (sits)

Piero de Medici:
(also sits) The Dominican Order already does his bidding.

Niccolo Machiavelli:
And, how can you buy one who would outlaw trade itself?

Rodrigo Borgia/Alexander VI:
You offer him something that money cannot buy. Heaven itself.