#messia

One of the things I'm absolutely loving about Spartacus: House of Ashur is the social commentary. If you blink, you'll miss it. Hilara is clearly our resident dim-witted pick-me. She's observant enough to psychoanalyze Achillia (Tenika Davis), but still deluded enough to think she and Ashur are truly more than master and slave.

Hilara is easily threatened by other women; even before Achillia attacks Ashur we can tell right off the bat that the Nubian goddess's mere presence rubs her the wrong way. Even before Achillia so much speaks, Hilara's facial expression betrays the fact she's bound and determined to hate this woman.

But the disrespect in yesterday's Episode 3 is what finally made me root for this bitch to die. To left is Messia (Ivana Baquero of Pan's Labyrinth legend), a fellow enslaved woman of Ashur's. Unlike Hilara, Messia is no pick-me. She has no delusions about her status in life. She bears Achillia no ill will and is subtly rooting for her Black Queen to succeed. And she's in love with Hilara (unfortunately).

So yesterday, Messia confesses her love to Hilara, who politely turns her down and tells Messia she's her "dearest friend". I felt bad for Messia, because she was obviously heartbroken, but I was also like, "Sis... you could do better. You deserve soooooo much better." And yesterday's episode proved that when Ashur and Hilara start to get it on right in front of Messia. Annoyed and disgusted, Messia eventually joins in because, again, slave. She's done this countless times before; it's literally how we're first introduced to her character.

It was so irritatingly disrespectful that I'm no longer waiting for Hilara's inevitable slave wake-up call. Next episode, I need someone to just go ahead and yeet her head first over the cliff. Wrap this up.

But this time, Hilara doesn't want her there. Like the Domina she is not and never will be, Hilara dismissively commands her "dearest friend" to "fetch wine" and then "wait until summoned".

Don't know who needs to hear this, and not sure if anyone cares but Ashur doesn't feel a thing for Hilara. I said it before and I still say so. Maybe one of the tidbits I like about him still being sort of terrible and just uses people. If things are to stay real, I don't think he'll ever really care about someone. Messia knows it.

'His heart is mine.'

Messia: 😐🙄

I laughed. With good reason later justified. If you've seen you know. Also good for her not willing to be the sudden rebound. She's brilliant, she knows, is planning or has some idea of something. I think so.

I think she does care about Hilara but also isn't about to let feelings get in the way of anything. For a slave girl, Messia is still far too chill to me. And based on a past post of mine, Curse Of Ashur, I'll circle back to that idea.

first, Cornelia flatters Messia (“Your presence brightens otherwise grim surroundings. I value it. And the lay of your thoughts… when so requested”), very likely a manipulation tactic. and it works: Messia is soon entirely too candid with her—

CORNELIA: You do not care for the Syrian? MESSIA: I serve as commanded. CORNELIA: That is not the question put to you, is it? MESSIA: He is a serpent, venomous of fang and not to be trusted.* CORNELIA: You would speak of your dominus in such manner? MESSIA: He stands unworthy of title, and affections misplaced by those who serve him.

* babe, a simple “I do not” would have sufficed 😭

oh, that is the face of trouble! and then we’re back to the flattery—

CORNELIA: And what of your domina? How gauge you her worth? MESSIA: Beyond measure of words to describe. CORNELIA: You are a treasure, are you not? A precious jewel, exhumed from muck and mire of unfortunate environ, to be polished until made dazzling to all who gaze upon such rarity. MESSIA: It shall be saddest of days, Domina, when you depart from Capua. CORNELIA: Perhaps we shall find place among my possessions for nearest acquisition.

so here’s the thing: Messia is a bit in a corner here. of course, she has to say what her domina wants to hear & flatter her, but she is also extremely bold & blunt when voicing her dislike of Ashur. partially that’s because of her heartbreak over Hilara (“affections misplaced by those who serve him” is very revealing) but i think it’s also in no small part because Cornelia has been gassing her up a bit, making her feel comfortable to speak her mind (…when so requested).

and as we were reminded early in the series, speaking ill of the dominus is grounds for execution. for his part, he clearly senses her disloyalty

of course, he knows that Cornelia's authority trumps his own, but Messia is not subtle about rubbing his and Hilara's faces in her new status in the house—again, i worry that that defiance & boldness will be her undoing.

and Hilara (heartbroken, loose cannon Hilara) knows she keeps Cornelia's secrets—

HILARA: What words did she break with Cossutia, in absence of Dominus? MESSIA: (pauses) None of note.