Farewell Rome :-(

Where to start?

Let me first say how sad I am that Rome is over. This is one of the best television series I have ever watched. I will really miss Titus Pullo. He is a noble character.

Cleopatra, as it turns out, is a bitch. She tricked Marc Antony into committing suicide. Though, I don't feel sorry for him. He was a bastard.

Octavian is also a bastard, and as I've been saying all along, amoral. He was almost scary. Atia was wondering what went wrong as he used to be such a good boy. Look in the mirror, bitch! Though, Atia evened out in my mind because she stuck it to Livia in the end giving slight deference to Servilla of the Junii (I just like saying that).

I was sorry to see Vorenus die, but I have to say I saw that one coming. He was on the wrong side of the conflict, and the gods have funny way of evening things out. However, he was a good man, loyal to the end. He did the right thing protecting Caesarion because he knew he was Pullo's son. At least, he got to see his family before he died.

I liked that they didn't kill Caesarion. He was Pullo's son, and Pullo deserved happiness. History tells us that Octavian had him killed. Of course, Octavian believes he was killed, just as he believed (and so did everyone else) he was Caesar's son.

I stated in previous posts that I was worried that Pullo would be asked to kill Caesarion. Indeed he was, but he never had any intention of carrying out that task. Titus Pullo was a good man 'til the end. He made some mistakes in life, but he repented, and he held honor. He lied to Octavian in order to save Caesarion's life. Octavian took good care of Pullo, but he knew that Octavian was morally challenged. I really liked how it ended with Pullo and Caesarion, father and son, on somewhat of a comical note with the theme music in the background.

I will miss you Rome. :-(

Chickens coming home to roost

One more episode and that's it for Rome. So sad.

See my prediction from January 22, 2007 about Pullo and Cesarion. Clearly, he is conflicted. Will there be a final showdown with Vorenus?

Is Octavian completely devoid of morality?

I think Octavian has no moral compass. This probably comes from being raised by a nymphomaniac mother with little empathy for the plight of others. He is very astute, and he understand the political landscape, almost to the point where he can predict the future. Every decision he makes leaves others no choice, but to accept their fate, and further increases his grip on power.

For example, on meeting the young woman Maecenas introduces to him, he asks her to marry him. Of course, she doesn't think her current husband, Claudius Nero who doesn't beat her, will mind. He tells her he will beat her because it gives him sexual pleasure. (Did you catch the part about her son, Tiberius? He is, of course, Emperor #2, who if you've ever seen Caligula, you know to be very fucked up.) At the beginning of the episode he was talking about a new morality and laws that will reward fertility and fidelity and punish infidelity. Very Republican of him.

He sends his main competition, Mark Antony, out of town so he can rule with impunity. Antony, for all his faults, at least has some morality. Octavian will enslave his own people for their own good.

I feel very bad for Titus Pullo. I hope he finds out that bitch killed his wife and gives her "what fer." Then again, maybe he had it coming. He will handle things much differently on the Aventine. However, while Vorenus kept the peace, people were happy and fed. As we caught a glimpse of next week, people go hungry.

What will become of Vorenus in Egypt?

As for Timon? Next year in Jerusalem.

The Death Mask episode

Okay, I've been getting lazy with my Rome blogs. Anyway, on with my thoughts about the episode.

This episode dealt with justice as a major theme, I think. Servilla (of the Junii) demanded justice just before she committed suicide. "Now, that was an exit." Her justice was for Atia's life going forward to suck. Let's see what happened. Atia wanted to marry Marc Antony. Her own son kicks her out of the room to discuss the terms of the wedding. She is all excited about the big wedding. Marc Antony marries Octavia. Talk about cold-hearted. More to come for Atia, I assume. I feel kind of bad for Agrippa, though.

We now know what Timon's brother was doing in Rome. He was there to assassinate King Herod. (I can't decide which portrayal I like better, the guy playing King Herod in Rome or Josh Mostel.) Of course, Levi does not get his justice. Nice that King Herod buys a little peace and safety for the Jews. How long does that last?

Posca gets himself a nice little piece of tail. It's not necessarily fair for Jocasta, but Posca has served Caesar well. He deserves something in return. Though, Antony still treats him as a bitch, he exacts a little revenge on Antony by informing Maecenas (Octavian's Karl Rove) of Antony's acceptance of Herod's bribe.

Now to the little spout between Gaia and Eieren: I feel for Eirene because she has suffered somewhat by losing her first love to the hands of Pullo. Now, he loves her and he wants to be a good husband. Of course, now that she is pregnant, she is losing her horny. Enter Gaia, a bitch that likes it rough. She give Eirene some lip, which causes Eirene to want justice. Gaia wants some justice in the form of Titus Pullo's raging woody. After the disciplining, Eirene suggests Pullo discipline her once a month. Hmm? Of course, this story is not done, and Gaia will have her revenge on Eirene.

Vorena the Elder will get justice from her father as she is still mad at him. While Memmio will do the same with her being part of the rouse. How will this one play out?

Will the fall of Vorenus and Pullo equal the fall of Rome?

I know there is much more to say about the episode, but I can't cover it all. Please share your thoughts.

Philippi

This episode should have been called "Poetic License." Before I get into this great episode, I'd like to point out some historical inaccuracies.

First and foremost, neither Brutus nor Cassius died in battle. In fact, it is quite misleading the way it was portrayed in the episode with Brutus removing his armor. Brutus committed suicide, not on the battlefield, but in the privacy of his quarters. In fact, his body was found and identified. Antony even showed respect for him by having his corpse draped with a purple garment.

Enough about what really happened. Atia, Antony and Octavian (though cautiously) are bloodthirsty sons of bitches, aren't they? I guess one way to ensure peace is to murder all your enemies. In this case, they did it preemptively.

Pullo is surely a man of duty honorably carrying out the murder of Cicero. "Do you mind if I take some peaches?" What if Cicero had said "no." You have to wonder if Pullo would have taken them.

I really like Timon. He has rediscovered his Jewish roots. He will not be a partner in his temple's selling out to Rome. I fear for his character, though, that he may have made a decision that will cost him his life in a later episode. Plus, Atia can't be too pleased with him.

With the enemies out of the way, there is no other course for the Triumvirate, but to turn on one another. Octavian has no intentions of allowing Antony a share of the power. We shall see.

Will Servilla reappear?

Am I forgetting anything?

Heroes of the Republic

There was a lot of religion in this episode. I liked how it started out with Timon praying at the synagogue. Vorenus finds religion again, and thus finds favor with the gods. He accepts his children, though they were slaves. He even accepts Niobe's child from another man. Marc Antony grants forgiveness to Lepidus, and he makes peace with Octavian. Atia asks Octavian for forgiveness, and he grants it.

BTW, where does Lepidus come in? This is the first time we meet him. Historically, he was one third of the Triumvirate. Though, he was not a significant threat to power. Rather, his presence was to appease the senate.

Speaking of the senate, did you like how they gave a blank check to the wishes of Octavian? Does that sound like any Senate you know?

Cicero did not like being punked by Octavian. What a puss, though, calling for Brutus and Cassius to return to Rome. Those cowards all deserve each other.

This episode was less violent. Maybe, it was about redemption. I suspect we will see more violence in upcoming episodes, particularly when the legions of Antony and Octavian run into Brutus and Cassius.

The Tortoise and the Hare

Sorry it's taken a while to get this one posted.

Okay, so Atia didn't die. I figured it was probably too soon. Her head slave lost his boy toy. I was hoping to see him made into a eunuch.

Those were some brutal beating scenes. Timon was clearly conflicted and does not enjoy his work. (I've been there.) It is a high price to pay. If he does not serve Atia, is he persecuted because he is Jew? I love his line a la The Elephant Man "I am not an animal!" It gave me some pride to see that they give the Jewish characters humanity, which I think is a commentary on the fact that Judaism has a moral code, while the Roman (polytheistic) religion has none. Moreover, it is narcissistic and self-serving, which is why you won't find anyone praying to Jupiter today. I like the development of Timon's character. Hopefully, he will stick around.

The growth hormone did wonders for young Octavian. I don't think they transitioned that one too well. Anyway, I guess Pullo recognized him.

Anthony recognizes that it is falling apart for him, and he will be forced to reconcile and ally with Octavian. Smart move. Octavian has the support of the people. Kind of like a Roman Obama to Marc Anthony's Joe Biden. (Sorry for the political pun.)

Would like to see a little more of Brutus and Cassius (their characters, not their genitals).

Finally, it is good to see Pullo and Vorenus as mates again. They are an indomitable team. Well, I don't have much else to say. What do you think?

Who's your favorite character?

Below are my favorite, most interesting and least favorite characters.
Titus Pullo is my favorite character. He is just very likable. He reminds me of Maximus in Gladiator. He is redeemed, and I find that a fascinating quality in a character.
Brutus is the most interesting character. He is clearly conflicted. I don't fault him for his role in Caesar's murder. He did what he thought was right, but he clearly didn't consider the consequences. That action takes his life down a path he never intended it to go. He will self-destruct. I love character transformations in movies and on TV. This seems to be one of the more brilliant ones. In later episodes I think he changes his name to Bluto. ;-)
Marc Anthony is my least favorite, or rather most hated character. He disgusts me completely. He is a vile individual. He reminds me of Tom Delay. That being said, James Purefoy is brilliant in his portrayal.

What is your take?

These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero

Was I watching Rome or Oz? It was a bit confusing with all the boo-foo scenes. Anyway, I guess that's why Roman culture ultimately died out.

But now to Cicero.... How dastardly of him? Show some balls man! Do you notice how Cicero has problems looking people in the eye? When Marc Anthony asks for his support, Cicero can't bring himself to make eye contact with Anthony as he pledges his support. Of course, Anthony being the fool that he is, is too arrogant to believe in the possibility of a double-cross. Were you surprised at Anthony's brutality in the end? I think Cicero made the wise choice, however, in supporting Octavian. Cicero is influential, and it will help in Octavian's quest for power.

What of Pullo and Vorenus? Pullo is torn between his loyalty to Vorenus and his sense of justice as they are at odds. Pullo leaves in anger after a fallout with (and somewhat of an ass-kicking of) Vorenus, but his loyalty ultimately brings him back. Actually, I'm wondering if his wife will leave him. She is a free woman, and Pullo treats her with dignity unbecoming of a Roman. Will she bolt or will she stick with him for this very reason? When the war breaks out between Octavian and Anthony, on which side will Pullo fight? It will be interesting to see. Will Pullo be able to break Vorenus from the spell of Marc Anthony? Now that Pullo has found Vorenus' children, I wonder if Vorenus will accept them.

Octavia and Agrippa? Hmmm? Do you hear wedding bells?

Finally, I guess Atia gets it. That must have been some pretty good coin for that boy to allow himself to be that guard's bitch just so he could murder Atia. Was he smiling during the "ass-pounding" scene? If so, double-bonus for him.

Son of Hades

They used to call me that in college. But I digress. What an outstanding episode! Can it keep getting better? If so, we are in store for a great season. I almost should have waited for this episode to make my comments about Marc Anthony, but his actions prove my point. I stated it last week, and Octavian says it in this episode: "He is not fit to lead."

I suppose Vorenus is the title character in this episode. Erastes was the brutal captain that controlled the Aventine. Vorenus separated his body from his head for him. That's what it takes to control the Aventine, and that's what it will likely take to control Rome. Brutality. Ruthlessness. Otherwise, it falls into chaos at the hands of warlords. As Vorenus sinks deeper into the depths of Hades, Pullo remains the moral epicenter of the show. BTW, was that Vorenus' children at the end? Hmm?

I'd like to thank my anonymous friend for commenting below with his/her wonderful insights. However, I disagree with you on a comment. While I agree Octavian, soon to be Augustus, is brilliant, I do not think he is ethical (unless you believe in ethical relativism, but that's a subject for a different blog). In fact, I believe it is his dysfunctional upbringing that deprives him of a moral compass. He is politically astute, there is no doubt, but he is an opportunist. In fact, Julius Caesar had a sense of compassion that Octavian lacks (remember he forgave Brutus and Pompey). History tells us, and I'm assuming we'll see somewhere in this season, that Octavian obliterates his enemies. He seeks revenge for the murder of Caesar. Though, he makes an alliance with Anthony, it will break because he has no intent of sharing power with Anthony, and Anthony is too foolish gain/keep control on his own. Furthermore, he will kill (or have killed) the son of Cleopatra, Cesarion, who is potentially an heir to the thrown as the son of Caesar. Indeed, I see the conflict brewing as I believe he will ask Pullo to commit this heinous act. Of course, there is a chance that Pullo is actually the father. The question is: will he do it? Pullo's ethics will be tested.

Marc Anthony the Epicurean

CAUTION: This post contains vulgar language.

"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die" is the Epicurean motto by which Marc Anthony lives. He relishes in power, sex, violence, and, of course, partying. His actions are not politically astute, but rather hasty to where even the 18 year old Octavian needs to talk sense into him. He failed to see the advantage of the paradox created by Brutus and gang when they assassinated Caesar. He was all set to leave town: grab what you can, including Calpurnia and let's get the hell out of dodge, rather Rome. The wiser, more stoic Octavian knew there was a smarter, calmer course of action.

His propensity to resort to violence (without regret or regard of consequences) is befitting an epicurean. Slitting the throat of Quintus Pompey, while much deserved, was impromptu and shows his lack of regard for the responsibilities of power. Caesar would have shown more compassion. Anthony is not fit to lead.

"I'm not getting out of bed until I fuck something." That may be my favorite line from the Passover episode if not my favorite line of all time. Marc Anthony says this as he lay lazily in the bed on the day of Caesar's funeral. We've all been there. He had morning wood, and he needed to do something about it. What better way to honor the memory of your closest friend than by schtupping some slave right before his funeral.

We shall see what happens to Marc Anthony in upcoming episodes. Will his ties to Caesar be enough to carry him to power or will his urges ultimately be his downfall?

Passover

What can I say about the season premier of Rome? My expectations were surpassed. For those of you that have read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Rome is its antithesis. From the foul, crass language and the obligatory violence and brutality to the subtle utterance from Brutus when describing to Servilla his horrific part in Caesar's murder "he tried to speak to me, but nothing came out." As if to say, it didn't happen that way Bill! People didn't speak in iambic pentameter and there was no "et tu Brute!" There was no "Friends, Romans Countrymen...." They didn't show the funeral scene or the supposed Marc Antony address to the crowd.

My favorite character, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, is Titus Pullo. He is violent and brutal as the rest, but he is fiercely loyal and there is a sense of compassion in him not present in any other character on the show. He is ahead of his time. A proponent of equal rights for woman, perhaps? To Octavian, he says he is sorry about Caesar and asks if he is planning revenge, to which Octavian replies "eventually." "I'm up for the task," says the convicted Pullo. This brought tears to my eyes. Pullo is not a politician, and he does not cozy up to Octavian because he is in a position of power, rather he genuinely likes him, just as he genuinely likes, rather loves, Lucius Vorenus. It does not get more real than Titus Pullo.

Brutus is another interesting character. He is certainly this season's tragic hero. His tragic flaw being his naiveté. The actor who portrays him is younger, and I'm wondering if this is by design. He believes in the idea of the republic. He may be the only character that actually does. The other characters would abuse their power in much the same way as Caesar given the chance. He is a coward, and he allows himself to be manipulated by others, such as his mother, Cassius, and the other senators. He will commit the ultimate act of cowardice, whether it be this season or the next.

The republic is destroyed and now Octavian and Antony want revenge for the murder of Caesar. They will hunt down Brutus and Cassius, then they will fight each other. Octavian is a brilliant strategist, and my bets are on him to become the next leader of Rome, possibly Emperor. I guess we'll have to see what happens. I can't wait for the next episode.

Rome the Series on HBO

Rome is in it's second season on HBO. I was so fascinated with the first episode of this season that I felt I must create a blog. Hopefully, fans will find this and we can have an intelligent dialog of this brilliant show.