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.