Alla Bataglia Firenze!
So we’re back! Back in Florence and back to Leonardo and Lorenzo’s fight against Rome. I really love how this show combines the elements of the story, like the Sons of Mithras, with the Pope, and the Medicis.
With the Roman forces coming and Giuliano’s accidental reveal of the pipe-organ guns, Leonardo needs to think of a better solution to his weapons. His solution? Pomegranates. I have to say, it must be unnerving for everyone to work with Leonardo. Especially since he spends 80% of his time thinking about other things, while the whole of the city waits to be laid siege to. Thankfully he is brilliant, and all that thought about pomegranates actually comes to good use. He creates basically a grenade, which is hilarious because pomegranates are called grenades in French.
Anyways, on the path to figuring out grenades, he ends up blowing up the studio they use to make the guns as well as get some insight from Clarice about the Cosimo Medici, Lorenzo’s grandfather. After some time staring at Cosimo’s painting he realizes a startling truth, that Cosimo was once a Son of Mithras. As seen by his portrait and the symbols represented in it.
A fallen cup, representing a fountain. A farmer tilling the field, representing earth. A starry sky. Blue flowers known as forget me nots, representing memory. All alluding to the saying we know so well. “I am a son of earth and starry heaven. I am thirsty. Please, give me something to drink from the fountain of memory.” Of course Cosimo is a Son of Mithras. But he was also known as a magician, alluding to the title of the episode as well as the Tarot card bearing the same name.
Lorenzo, for one, has no time for this, and instead is infuriated by the thought that Leonardo destroyed the workshop. Threatened by Rome’s coming forces as well as the fear that he will not be able to protect his city he makes some rash decisions. First, he put Becchi into a jail cell, ready for execution for being a traitor. Then, he had a messenger executed for spreading the word of Riario’s evil doings. Slowly, he is unraveling. Sadly, the person with the best head on his shoulders seems to be Giuliano. He understands that it’s better not to punish every person who disagrees with Lorenzo, and not to act too quickly with Becchi.
Unfortunately, by the time Lorenzo realizes that Giuliano and Leonardo are right, it is too late. Lucrezia has made her move, sneaking into Becchi’s jail cell and killing him with hemlock before planting evidence of suicide on him. They find him too late. Though everyone seems to believe the tale, Giuliano does not.
Meanwhile, with the success of the grenades that Leonardo develops that scares away Rome for now, he has a party held in his honor. During the party he is given a medal, and is also given a moment to speak. He begins telling Lorenzo of his hope to travel to the west, in search of glory, but also in search of the Book of Leaves. But he does not have enough time, as the Dragonetti come into the party and announce that they are arresting Leonardo on the charge of sodomy. Oh the horror!
So that’s where we are left. Presumably the charges are set on by Riario in some manner, and it is all in an effect to take down Lorenzo and his family, but we will see more of that in the next episode, this Friday! And Da Vinci gets a massive beard as well!
English