GCGiovanni Cybo/Innocent VIII
(to the Cardinals, as he is dying) You are afraid to enter, but you must. (they enter) I am about to meet my maker, and I have confessed. And, I confess... I am very afraid. (acknowledges several of them, and they bow) Corlona. Sforza. Orsini. Borgia.
GCGiovanni Cybo/Innocent VIII
...Della Rovere. (Della Rovere bows) You will fight, like dogs... over this corpse I leave...for this throne, of St. Peter's. (Della Rovere crosses himself) But, it was pure, once. We have all sullied it, with our greed and... lechery. (Borgia and Della Rovere meet each other's eyes) Which of you... will wash it clean?! (Della Rovere seems about to speak, but Borgia speaks first)
It shall be cleansed, Your Holiness- with the tears we shed for you. I swear, before the living God.
OOOrsino Orsini
(sneering) You swear thus- a Spanish burano, a white Moor?!
(firmly) As Vice-Chancellor, I swear, before the living God. (kisses the Pope's hand)
And so do I, Your Holiness.
CVCardinal Versucci
And I, Your Holiness. (the Cardinals all gather around the bed, voicing their assurances)
Guiliano Della RovereRest assured, Your Holiness, the glory of our Holy Mother Church will be restored- in my lifetime. (kisses the Pope's hand as Borgia watches him)
Guiliano Della Rovere
(notices Rodrigo coming down the hall) Cardinal Borgia.
(bows mockingly and keeps walking) My Lord Cardinal.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Whoever wins this contest-
Guiliano Della Rovere
... If you were a different man, I might vote for you. You've performed your duties as Vice-Chancellor admirably. (Rodrigo bows his head again) The Church has need of your... organizational genius.
Guiliano Della Rovere
She has other needs, as well.
(sits near Della Rovere) And, they would be?...
Guiliano Della Rovere
Honesty. Probity. Goodness'.
You find me lacking in those qualities?
Guiliano Della Rovere
(firmly) Yes. And so, I shall fight you. To the end, and beyond that, if need be, with any means at my disposal.
(nods)... I do tend to win whatever battles I fight. (stands up) But what talk we of fighting? It is all on God's hands. (crosses himself) Goodnight, my Lord.
Guiliano Della Rovere
(dining in the House of Medici) The wealth of Florence astounds me, Don de Medici.
PDPiero de Medici
Banking. The Medici family are bankers to the world- to the Vatican itself.
Father Savanarola calls it "usury".
PDPiero de Medici
And what do you call it?
Guiliano Della Rovere
He may be wrong about the Medici bank, but he's right about the Borgia Pope. Alexander's great game is the investiture of Naples. He knows France has claims upon it; he knows Spain has claims upon it. He will play them both against each other, like a spider with two flies-
PDPiero de Medici
(impatiently) And you? What is your game?
Guiliano Della Rovere
(smiles) I have no game- but, if I am forced to play... I will head to France, and ask the French King to invade our beautiful Italy. (Medici looks alarmed)
(pretends to look bewildered) "Italy?" Is there such an entity?
Guiliano Della Rovere
There is a land, Signor Machiavelli, made up of many principalities. The Duchy of Milan, the Republic of your wondrous Florence, the Dukedoms of the Romagna, the Papal States-
And to their south, Naples.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Borgia has betrothed his daughter to a Sforza. He will marry his son to a Spaniard or a Venetian, his younger son to a Florentine or a Neapolitan. (to Medici) He will weave a web around this Italy that may not exist- he will swallow your Florence, your Venice, your Milan- and Italy then will exist, my Liege. Under him.
(sarcastically) Hmm- prophetic words. Are you... cousin to Savanarola?
Guiliano Della Rovere
No. But, I would meet with him- I've seen him preach.
PDPiero de Medici
Can you explain to me, Cardinal, why the King of France would muster an army and invade his neighbors?
Guiliano Della Rovere
Because he wants Naples.
So,you give France Naples, France gives you... Rome.
Guiliano Della Rovere
(folds his hands together)... I don't want Rome. I want to restore the glory of her Holy Church.
Guiliano Della Rovere
(smiles uneasily) As her humble servant.
(smiles thinly) Indeed. And... what do you want of Florence?
Guiliano Della Rovere
... Nothing.
(chuckles) Well, then we will charge you nothing!
Guiliano Della Rovere
You misunderstand. I ask that Florence do... nothing.
... Ah. We, let those French... barbarians march through our Principality, and do...
Guiliano Della Rovere
Nothing. (Medici glances between them)
(coldly)... That's a different kind of nothing. That will cost you something.
Your Royal Highness, may I introduce you to Cardinal Guiliano Della Rovere? (Charles continues eating) Cardinal Della Rovere, His Royal Highness King Charles of France.
Guiliano Della Rovere
(bows) Your Royal Highness.
Guiliano Della Rovere
And I of you, Your Highness. Your military renown has traveled far and wide-
(irritated) Enough of the pleasantries! You are the one who would give us the Crown of Naples. (gestures for Della Rovere to sit opposite him, Della Rovere does so)
Guiliano Della Rovere
The Kingdom of France has long had claims on the investiture of the Kingdom of Naples. I would-
I said, enough pleasantries, did I not? Just tell me, Cardinal (leans forward) How you would place the Crown of Naples on this ugly head of mine. (Della Rovere looks startled) And it is exceedingly ugly, is it not?
Guiliano Della Rovere
Your Highness bears all the vigor of the French race in his person.
(smirks, to his Generals) He's afraid to say it. Is my head not ugly, General?
(grins) I can hardly bear to gaze at it. (the Generals laugh)
So, admit it, Cardinal- I have all the graces of a carnival dwarf.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Those words would never pass my lips, Your Highness.
Well, then we may get nowhere. I appreciate only plain speech. (eats, pause) Tell us, then, what you want of us- plainly.
Guiliano Della Rovere
... My countrymen are accustomed to the show of war, not the reality. They could never muster the courage to sustain your French fury.
... You want me to march to Rome, depose that Borgia, give you the Papal Crown... in the hope that you will place the Crown of Naples on this ugly head. (indicates himself)
Guiliano Della Rovere
(firmly) I want to restore the universal Church to her former dignity.
Couldn't this Borgia do the same?
Guiliano Della Rovere
(bewildered) Restore the Church?
Charles VIII': Place the Crown of Naples on this ugly noggin?
Guiliano Della Rovere
"Noggin?"
Head. (his Generals chuckle)
Guiliano Della Rovere
(curlty) Either way, you must get to Rome, Your Highness.
(drinking wine with Della Rovere) You would entice me to battle- but, do you know what that means?
Guiliano Della Rovere
It means a just war in defense of Christendom.
(snorts) No war is just. War is chaos. Brute force, mustered against brute force until one side is destroyed, utterly. (pause) I have read of your Italian battles. Hired mercenaries on feathered horseback, prancing like peacocks one against the other, until one side retires... with something called honor? (stares at Della Rovere, snorts) But, there is no honor in war. (bitterly) The French learned that against the English. There is blood, death, armor against armor until one side... surrenders, in death or domination. (pause) Be careful what you pray for, Cardinal, if you pray for war. You will find yourself in a place... beyond prayer itself. (Della Rovere stares at him)
Tell me, Cardinal- what is the Italian word for "cannon"?
Guiliano Della Rovere
We have no such word, General.
For... gunpowder? Recoil, battery, cannonball, ordinance?
Guiliano Della Rovere
... I'm at a loss.
(grins) You will need a new language, then. Your Italy will soon be deafened by the sound of cannon. (Della Rovere looks uneasy)
I have heard a whisper of your excommunication, Cardinal.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Indeed? I've heard the same of yours. (Machiavelli glances at him)
Guiliano Della Rovere
I've heard rumors the whole of Florence could be excommunicated, if this city is surrendered to French arms. (they glance back at Charles VIII at the head of his troops, who have almost reached the gates)
Well, then- perhaps that depends on one's definition of surrender. (he rides forward to intercept the King) I bid His Royal Highness and the Armies of France welcome, to the fair city of Florence. (Charles eyes him suspiciously) But, it would be politic, Your Highness, if you would ride through our gracious city with your lance at rest.
(glances at his spear, held in offensive position) At rest?
(smiles) Your lance at point is a symbol of conquest- and our gracious Florence has not been conquered. On the contrary- we welcome you with open arms.
Signor Machiavelli? (Machiavelli turns around)
Our lance at rest prevents our entry to your "fair city."
(shrugs) Perhaps, Your Highness, if it were to be angled backwards?
(irritated) And of what would that be a symbol?
(smirks) Of Your Highness' infinite... resourcefulness.
(observing the ceremonial crowning of Charles by Alexander) It is an august sight, is it not?
Guiliano Della Rovere
St. Peter's in its' full glory, the Pope of Rome in Cathedra, the Sistine Chapel Choir singing. It would bring tears to one's eyes, Cardinal Borgia.
I want to compliment you, Cardinal, on your... steadfastness, your probity, your...survival, indeed.
Guiliano Della Rovere
(nods) It did prove hard, at times.
In fact, you proved such a worthy opponent, that... I would gladly have you back in Rome. (Della Rovere glances sharply at him)
Guiliano Della Rovere
You?
I have my father's ear, as you must understand. And, he needs someone with the steel that your soul has. (Della Rovere looks away)
Guiliano Della Rovere
He has you, doesn't he?
I will not be Cardinal forever; surely, you must know that.
Guiliano Della Rovere
And the other Cardinals?
Well, my father's problem is he surrounds himself with weakness. (he and Della Rovere meet each other's gaze) And, with your strength, Cardinal-
Guiliano Della Rovere
I serve God...and can only pray the Papacy survives its' current occupant. (looks towards Alexander)
... I could've killed you. Twice.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Perhaps, then, you should kill me now. Because my opposition to the Borgia Papacy will only die with me.
Guiliano Della Rovere
Friar.
(lighting candles) Are you the cleric in red?
Guiliano Della Rovere
I find the robes of your Order suit me better, at this... pitiful juncture.
Guiliano Della Rovere
I can no longer serve the Pope of Rome.
Ah, yes. I heard of your plans for his deposition. Your plans failed. Miserably.
Guiliano Della Rovere
...Indeed. I must confess to failure.
Oh, so have you come here to make a confession of your failure?
Guiliano Della Rovere
No. I'm here to propose a solution to the sickness in our Holy Mother Church.
Guiliano Della Rovere
We must remove him.
From the Chair of St. Peter's?
Guiliano Della Rovere
From the Chair of St. Peter's-
But you tried that already.
Guiliano Della Rovere
From the Chair of St. Peter's- and, from this world. (Savanarola pauses)
... I shared a vision with you, once. Of the bloated figure of the Borgia Pope, lying blackened with sickness, on the floor of St. Peter's. No one dared approach it. Are you saying you're the one to bring this to pass?
Guiliano Della Rovere
Only if I have your blessing, Friar- and, the blessing of your Order.
You have the blessing of the Lord- for He shall bring it to pass. And, if my vision was a true one, you will have my blessing- and the blessing of the Lord Himself. (pause) "Be the sword of the Apocalypse, the sword of Righteousness. Ride out like Death, on a Pale Horse." (gives Della Rovere a grim smile and leaves)
The Borgias · 70 quotes
