I am – Hercules!!

HBO unleashes another fast-moving episode of “Rome” tonight, with Lucius Vorenus settling into his new career as a Vito Corleone of Ancient Italy (with Titus Pullo serving as his Santino). Atia and Octavia get stoned together. Things go badly for a drunken Brutus in Bithynia. Antony bullies Cicero into reconsidering Antony’s retirement plans. And there’s a major reveal that will dramatically refocus Pullo’s energies. Octavian sits out this installment, but makes a compelling return next week, played by a different actor.

There’s also a stellar denouement this week involving Atia and a cheeky young servant. If you don’t want to ruin next week’s fun, don’t highlight the invisotext below:

For Immediate Release
Jan. 23, 2007

ROME - FEB. EPISODES

Episode #16: "Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare)"
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 4 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Feb. 5 (9:00 p.m.), 7 (11:00 p.m.), 8 (1:00 a.m.), 9 (10:00 p.m.), 10 (12:45 a.m. ET/11:30 p.m. PT), 11 (8:00 p.m.) and 28 (11:00 p.m.), and March 2 (8:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Feb. 4 (1:00 a.m.), 6 (10:00 p.m.) and 13 (9:00 p.m.)
Her treachery exposed by Duro (Rafi Gavron), Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) finds herself in Atia's (Polly Walker) villa at the mercy of Timon (Lee Boardman). Searching for Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) in the Mutina countryside, Pullo (Ray Stevenson) runs into Octavian (Simon Woods), who has just won a bloody battle against Mark Antony (James Purefoy). The new Caesar has decided to return to Rome with his army, and sends Marcus Agrippa (Allen Leech) to tell Octavia (Kerry Condon) and Cicero (David Bamber) the news. Meanwhile, encamped with a new army of mercenaries in western Turkey, Brutus (Tobias Menzies) and Cassius (Guy Henry) have plans of their own. Vorenus and Pullo arrive at a slave camp in search of Vorenus' children, and are shocked to discover their fates.

Written by Todd Ellis Kessler; directed by Adam Davidson.

Episode #17: "Heroes of the Republic"
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Feb. 12 (9:00 p.m.), 14 (11:00 p.m.), 15 (1:40 a.m.) 16 (10:00 p.m.), 17 (12:30 a.m.) 18 (8:00 p.m.) and 28 (midnight), and March 2 (9:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Feb. 11 (1:00 a.m.), 13 (10:00 p.m.) and 20 (9:00 p.m.)
Against Pullo's advice, Vorenus returns to the Collegium with his rescued daughters (Anna Fauista Primiano, Coral Amiga) and son Lucius (Alessio Cuna), who are soon reunited with Lyde (Esther Hall) and undergo a cleansing ritual for past sins. Denied a triumph in Rome, Octavian urges Cicero to embrace his request to be made consul; in exchange, Octavian promises not to make a move without consulting Cicero first. Octavian is reunited with Atia and Octavia; while the former begs for forgiveness, the latter doesn't like what her brother has become. Octavian's first act as consul takes Cicero and the Senate by surprise. Vorenus attempts to make peace with Memmio (Daniel Cerqueira) and Cotta (Cosimo Fusco), who wonder if he's gone soft. To gain advantage over Brutus' and Cassius' army, two adversaries patch up their differences.

Written by Mere Smith; directed by Alik Sakharov.

Episode #18: "Philippi"
Debut date: SUNDAY, FEB. 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Feb. 19 (9:00 p.m.), 21 (11:00 p.m.), 22 (1:30 a.m.), 23 (10:00 p.m.) and 24 (11:15 p.m.), and March 2 (10:00 p.m.), 3 (12:45 a.m.) and 4 (8:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Feb. 18 (1:00 a.m.) and 20 (10:00 p.m.), and March 6 (9:00 p.m.)
Brutus and Cassius see their military advantage vanish in the wake of Octavian's new alliance with Mark Antony. In Rome, Vorenus receives orders to execute scores of Rome's elite, dividing the task among the Collegium's gang captains. Cicero attempts to warn Brutus of his army's danger, but is foiled by the arrival of Pullo at his villa. Mark Antony adds a few names to the list of condemned, as does Atia; Octavia and Vorena the Elder (Coral Amiga) find themselves enchanted by unlikely suitors; Eirene (Chiara Mastalli) shares some domestic news with Pullo; Levi (Nigel Lindsay) and Timon precipitate a synagogue melee; and Atia gets Octavia to reveal a secret as Octavian heads out of Rome. On the plains of Philippi, two armies clash, with the future of Rome at stake.

Written by Eoghan Mahony; directed by Roger Young.

9 p.m. Sunday. HBO.

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