The Borgias Recap 'Relics'

Season 3 Episode 6

Caterina’s Message

The episode opens with good old Rufio relieving himself by a hanging corpse. There are lots of bodies around, and a sole woman crying. With his sword Rufio carefully pries a piece of a corpse’s clothing and places it in a satchel, careful not to touch it and keep his nose and mouth covered as much as possible. Why did Rufio not just tie a cloth over his face? Anyway, Rufio empties his purse by the weeping woman. Aw, charitable Rufio.

At Forli, Rufio carefully places the plague-infected cloth in an ornate golden box. He tells his mistress Caterina to keep her distance. Caterina places the letter she wrote and what looks like a handkerchief with some embroidery on the floor and leaves. Rufio places these items in the box too, and seals it. The box is to be delivered to the Borgia Pope.

Rodrigo’s Jubilee

Rodrigo wants lavish celebrations for the following year, 1500. He wants a spectacle for the pilgrims who would be flocking to Rome. He wants relics and such. The pilgrim who kneels in awe, he says, will be more likely to contribute to the Church. Rodrigo, intentionally or not, hilariously confuses the Cardinals on whether they could already sit or not. The look on Cardinal Sforza’s face is priceless as always.

While Rodrigo is being painted, a Cardinal whose name I do not know approaches him with a proposal ---that they make sinners pay for forgiveness. 

While Rodrigo is engaging in beekeeping (his days do seem full), Cardinal Sforza approaches him about the Jews in Rome who want trading rights within the city. I am very much enjoying Cardinal Sforza's thinly veiled contempt and impatience. He also held the gate open for another beekeeper, a small touch that I like more than I can explain.

Rodrigo meets with some Jewish merchants and lists his financial demands, which one of them protests they cannot meet. The negotiation is interrupted with news that a contingent of the French army landed in Italy.

Rodrigo sends for his generals and immediately wonders what his son could possibly have done to cause a French invasion. 'Has he insulted the King? Raped some poor princess?' Does Rodrigo think Cesare is Juan? When they are in front of him, Rodrigo berates his generals. His yelling is interrupted with the arrival of Cesare.

Cesare’s Army

Cesare meets with Vitelli and proposes and allegiance, not just with Vitelli but with the other Italian families as well. To convince Vitelli, Cesare shows him the French army that has just landed in Italy.

Cesare then continues to Rome to inform his father of his plans. It is interesting that Cesare did not see fit to warn his father that he is bringing a foreign army into the shores of Italy. Cesare introduces the French Archbishop who is to become a Cardinal. Rodrigo looks livid at the gall of his son and orders everyone to leave. Cardinal Sforza is the last one to leave the room after herding everyone out.

Cesare finally fills his father in on part his plan --- take out Ludovico Sforza. Rodrigo saves face by commanding Cesare north when the doors of the room were open, and the others could hear him.

Cesare makes time to stop by Naples, either to see his sister or to pick up Micheletto, I do not know. The streets of Naples seem to be celebrating, which is weird because their king just died and a new king has not yet been named (Lucrezia's husband is third in line). There is a beautiful shot of Cesare and Lucrezia in front of spinning fireworks. There is another shot of the Borgia siblings framed with a heart that is part of an ongoing street puppetry. They both look great, particularly the one with the spinning fireworks, but the fireworks and heart allusions are not exactly subtle, and as such I found I did not enjoy them that much.

We next see Cesare back in Rome. So, Cesare went to Rome to see his father, then to Naples, then back to Rome? Huh. Would it not have made more sense for this scene to happen before Cesare went to Naples? Anyway, the box with the plague has arrived, and a Cardinal whose name I do not know (I am going to refer to him as Cardinal 1) is carrying it to the Pope. Cesare intercepts him and asks him what it is. When informed that it is a message of peace from Caterina, Cesare instructs Cardinal 1 to burn it. Cesare is comfortable making decisions for his father now.

At an inn, the representatives of the Italian families are discussing Cesare's proposal. Cesare arrives with Micheletto and a good number of French soldiers. Cesare shrewdly plays these second sons, enjoining them to 'carve out your own fate.' The tactic is effective; the soldiers of these second sons and bastard sons join Cesare's French army.

Caterina's son Benito spies on Cesare's camp. Micheletto's warning from last season proved prescient.

Cesare, after being cheered on by French soldiers, plays on the second sons' Daddy issues as he revs them up for tomorrow's fight. Micheletto gallops in with disturbing news; the gates of Milan are open. When Cesare and his army arrive in Milan, they find that Ludovico Sforza and his army have left the city. The French king has his Italian city, but Cesare still has yet to defeat his enemy. 

Relics

The Jews in Rome discuss the demands of the Pope; they all agree they do not have the money. One of them, Mattai, has an idea.

Mattai courses his proposal through Cardinal Farnese. He says they, the Jews, have the Spear of Longinus, which is known to have pierced the flesh of Christ. They will give it to the Pope in lieu of the money he is demanding.

Cardinal Farnese comes with Mattai to the Pope with the proposal. Cardinal Sforza, because he is awesome, casually leans against the wall and smirks. Cardinal Sforza later approaches another Cardinal to discuss Mattai's proposal. I need to watch this episode another time to see if this is the same Cardinal who received Caterina's box. Anyway, this Cardinal is suspicious of Mattai's offer.

Mattai brings the Pope the famous sphere. The suspicious Cardinal brings in another sphere, which Mattai breaks and proves false. In a private audience, Rodrigo makes it clear to Mattai that he is very well aware the sphere Mattai brought with him may be fake too. Rodrigo says he will choose to believe it is the real Sphere of Longinus. He then asks what other gifts Mattai brought him.

Plague

In his office, Cardinal 1 first instructs his servant to burn the box, then changes his mind and says the box is pretty and should be saved. He opens the box and takes out the letter, without looking at the rest of the contents. His servant lightly touches the handkerchief with embroidery before being told to leave. Cardinal 1 reads the letter. 

Cardinal 1 tells another Cardinal about Caterina's letter, which he says is an honest supplication of peace. He thinks it may be of use to him. So, did Cardinal 1 not check the box's other contents?

Later, Cardinal 1 calls for his servant, who touched the embroidered cloth inside the box. He finds this servant ill. The episode ends with the Cardinal yelling, 'Plague!'

Baby Giovanni

A king had to die horribly for this kid to be brought to Naples, so I have to include him in this recap; this scene happened early in this episode. However, even the sight of Micheletto cradling a baby is not enough to make me like this scene. Sure, Giovanni no longer looks like a newborn, but this kid should, at the very least, be walking and talking by now. Methinks forgetting to age this child is a big blunder.

Micheletto kneels in front of Lucrezia as he hands her her child. That may be a little curtsy Lucrezia gives him after sweetly touching his hair, or it may be just Lucrezia adjusting herself after taking hold of her baby. In any case, I am again left wondering what the Borgias told the Naples nobility about Micheletto.

Show: The Borgias (Showtime)
Season: Three
Episode Title: Relics
Episode Writer: Guy Burt

Episode Director: Kari Skogland

Original Air Date: May 19, 2013