Spartacus: Vengeance 2.8 - Balance

Aaaaaaaarrrrgh, Ilithyia! Has the Lady Macbeth of Spartacus met her grisly end?

The episode opens with Gannicus leading Ilithyia through the forest, warning her that if she tries to call for help he will kill her. They encounter some hunters who ask awkward questions and when Ilithyia can bear it no longer she blurts out the truth, forcing Gannicus to slaughter them all, who even apologises as he does so. Ilithyia offers Gannicus money but he laughs her off. Meanwhile, Spartacus and Mira are hunting. They flirt away happily until his wife is brought up and things get awkward. Fortunately, Gannicus chooses that moment to appear, offering Ilithyia to Spartacus as recompense for Glaber sending his wife to her death.

Back at the temple, Oenomaus is training the new recruits and Naevia is learning fast at Crixus' instruction. When Spartacus, Gannicus and Mira return with Ilithyia the rebels cheer at her impending execution. All except Lucius (Peter McAuley) who warns Spartacus against killing a defenceless, pregnant woman. Spartacus begins interrogating Ilithyia and she breaks the news that we've all known all along - her baby is his. Memories of his wife and his burning desire for a child satiate his bloodlust and they share a tender moment when he wipes her tears from her cheek which is suddenly broken when he puts his hands around her neck. He does not choke Ilithyia, despite her goading of him to finish what he started and she tells him that if he were to kill her and his unborn child his wife would turn her back on him when he joins her in the afterlife. When Spartacus tells Gannicus he has not killed Ilithyia, Gannicus is unsurprisingly pissed off that he risked his life so that she could be spared, telling Spartacus that more will die if he does not end this now.

Lucius takes some food to Ilithyia and tells her how he was betrayed by another Roman who stole his land and slaughtered his family. Sensing an opportunity, Ilithyia promises him that she can return what was taken from him if he would just let Glaber know where she is being kept. Mira, meanwhile, has taken the news of Spartacus' decision to spare Ilithyia's life even worse than Gannicus. The two get into an argument and he refuses to act as Glaber did and in so become the man his wife would turn from. That night, Spartacus is destroying a post while we see flashbacks of Sura's abduction. Lucius tries to sneak out but Spartacus spots him and the two go off together to have words. Gannicus, meanwhile, has words with Oenomaus. Gannicus again tries to mend bridges but Oenomaus is not interested, telling him that even if he died he would not hold him as a brother.

Agron and Nasir (Pana Hema Taylor) are supposed to be guarding Ilithyia but they're much more interested in each other so Mira offers to relieve them. This isn't going to end well... Mira asks Ilithyia if she really does carry Spartacus' baby and when she receives an answer in the affirmative she resolves to help Ilithyia. Help her leave this world, that is! She is in the middle of strangling poor Ilithyia when Spartacus pulls her off. She tells Spartacus that she was doing what must be done, what he cannot do but knows in his heart must be done. "You do not know my heart" he replies. Ouch.

Back in Capua, Lucretia and Seppia talk to Glaber about his wife's disappearance. Seppia speculates that Gannicus is probably in league with Spartacus which Lucretia flatly denies adding that she knows Ilithyia is still alive, suggesting that Glaber send word to Rome and call for aid. He refuses, knowing how embarrassing it would be for him. Glaber and Seppia leave and Ashur takes the chance to lord it over Lucretia who looks even more disgusted than she did last week.

Gannicus' favourite whorehouse is again treated to a visit from Ashur and his men, this time accompanied by Glaber. He demands information and when the owner tells him that Gannicus' favourite whore was in fact crucified at his own instruction, Glaber slits his throat and leaves Ashur to interrogate the rest. Back at the villa, Lucretia tries to persuade Seppia to contact Varinius and ask for his assistance in finding Ilithyia but she laughs her suggestion off, making clear that her attentions are now firmly set on Glaber. After an uninterrupted session in bed with Seppia, Glaber tells her how he and Ilithyia drifted apart and she tells him that the pain of her brother's death lessens every day she is with him. Awww, how romantic. Speaking of romance, Ashur tells Lucretia how he and his men slaughtered the occupants of whorehouses all across Capua. After a hard day of torture and killing he only wants some affection from his unwilling lover but when she slaps him he forces her to apologise and rapes her again. Such a gentleman!

The next morning Lucretia is about to tell Seppia that Ashur has her brother's wristband among the collection of trophies he has taken from his victims when Lucius arrives. He tells Glaber that in exchange for a wagon full of armour and weapons, Spartacus will return Ilithyia to him. Seppia is unsurprisingly reluctant to see Ilithyia return so quickly and Ashur advises against making the trade but Glaber has already made his mind up. Back at the rebels' camp, Crixus, Agron and Gannicus volunteer to go with Spartacus to make the exchange. Mira tells him it's a bad idea but Spartacus too has made his mind up.

In the middle of a deserted city square, the meeting takes place. Spartacus, Crixus, Agron and Gannicus face off against Glaber and three of his men. Glaber asks for proof that his wife is still alive and Spartacus offers a piece of her dress. When Glaber points out that he could have killed her anyway, Spartacus tells him that he does not kill innocent people (except for all the people who were killed when you burned down the arena?). Spartacus promises Glaber that he will kill him and Glaber replies that he hopes he does not regret the decision he has made, calling the wagon forward.

That's where I'm going to leave the summary. It's obvious that something happens, but I'm not going to spoil it. The tension built up at the end of the last episode when Ilithyia was kidnapped is kept up all through this episode as we're kept on tenterhooks as to her fate. Mira and Spartacus' falling out is an effective culmination of his longing for his wife and her frustration that he will not commit to her. Seppia and Glaber continue their love affair although that too may come to an end if Lucretia can convince her that he was behind her brother's death. Another great episode.

Ilithyia boob watch: Seen briefly during flashbacks to her masked encounter with Spartacus in Blood and Sand. Seppia again shows her boobs as she rides Glaber like a pony.

8 out of 10.