Cesare celebrates his victory in Milan by summoning Leonardo da Vinci, whom he wishes to employ as a designer of innovative new war machines.

Cesare trains a private army in case Louis doesn't send his promised troops; Lucrezia listens as her mother recites the rosary at Juan's tomb.

Cesare prepares to march against Milan and forces the Venetian ambassador into a commitment to stop German troops if they should rush to Milan's aid.

Bored at the French royal court in Lyons, Cesare asks King Louis to give him an army that will pressure the Italian provinces to come to an agreement.

The Pope is attacked during a public morality play and his outraged cardinals assume that the House of Borgia's alliance with France is the cause.

Under the influence of poison, Rodrigo suffers from hallucinations and embarrasses himself in public, so he elects to undergo withdrawal treatment.

Rodrigo has to rely on his secretary, Gacet, more than ever. In order to end Rodrigo's papacy, Della Rovere wants to procure a compromising document.

When Cesare returns to Rome, the city offers him a triumphant welcome. He regards his success against Savonarola as a turning point in his destiny.

In Florence, Savonarola has a Dominican friar stand in for him in the ordeal by fire, while Cesare's place is taken by a Franciscan.

By the end of Lent, torrential rains have flooded Rome. Furthermore, the ordinary people feel threatened by a mythical creature with a mule's head.

When Rodrigo has a man executed for his homosexuality, Della Rovere comes up with a perfidious scheme to eliminate Rodrigo's secretary, Gacet.

Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander XI, is not yet over the loss of his son, Juan. His powers are threatening to slip from his hands.