The doubling of Octavian and Caesarion killed me, and that scene, down to the spear/sword throw. Antony, in his way, as the focal point of their mothers' lives. I was tearing up even before the big death scenes (Vorenus! I can't even talk about that yet.) Caesarion is possibly the most adorable little chub ever, imperious, but like a real kid in every way Octavian was not. "OH BROTHER OSIRIS" and Pullo's saintly bitchface.
I'm still wibbly and half in tears and entirely incapable of writing something more coherent, except that Octavian still scares me, and Atia really deserved that send off.
I liked the way they brought things together at the end -- especially for Atia, who yes, totally deserved that ending. That was her triumph. And I loved that everyone has started to see through Octavian -- Octavia's omment about the children, and Maecenas' about his scariness, were both amusing.
The scene in the wagon, as the fight broke out, was just wonderful -- the way Pullo and Vorenus just look at each other like, "well, here we go again!" and "I told you this would happen!" And they are just that good.
Vorenus really owned this episode, and rightly so.
It will take me a while to gather my thoughts. I'm just sad that it's over.
I have to say, I think the giveaway about the cart was not His Imperial Highness but Vorenus' failure to procure a single sack of camoflauging grain with all that gold from Cleopatra.
What would have happened to Vorenus' status as a senator? Did that disappear with Caesar's death? That's been bugging me all season.
And Gaia was a slave who worked for the Collegia (or maybe just Vorenus personally), but who owned her? Were slaves able to go out and drum up independent employment?
There were wonderful moments in the final episode, but it had a Hollywood ending feel to it for me. Vorena bent too quickly at the end, but that was required for Vorenus' arc.
Atia surpassed anything I expected.
Cleopatra and Antony were way too much the last episode. All that fighting and sex just to have Antony sent Atia and Octavia away (and thereby saving their lives) bored me. Antony's debauchery, was he really noted for it?
Thanks for all the commentary over the two seasons. It really helped provide insight.
I think that a lot of Caesar's senators were removed from the rolls eventually -- Caesar's Senate had something like 900 men in it, whereas the normal number was between 400 and 600. Many of them died, of cursem but it didn't strike me as odd that Vorenus would essentially resign the position.
Were slaves able to go out and drum up independent employment?
Yes, if their owners agreed to it. I'm not really sure who did own Gaia, of course -- it's possible that she was originally part of the property of a brother under teh control of the Aventine collegium -- slaves could be owned by corporations, in Rome.
Antony's debauchery, was he really noted for it?
Oh, yes, very much so. That and his sheer military talent.
Antony & Cleopatra bored me too until this last episode. I'm a sucker for non-noble characters dying nobly, and James Purefoy pulled it off beautifully. Even Cleopatra improved -- the crack about Octavian's rotten sould was a nice touch.
Even Cleopatra improved -- the crack about Octavian's rotten sould was a nice touch.
Yes, she was great at the end -- up to then, her character didn't seem entirely consistent to me, though -- there was a point earlier on where she seemed to be handing the decision over to Antony, which seemed out of character.
I loved Agrippa's response to the "rotten soul" line, too -- you expect him to deny it, and he's just "oh, OK."
I do agree about Pullo and Vorenus -- but the highlight was Atia, getting her triumph in the end.
It does shock me, a little, that nothing came of Servilia's curse, in the end, though. But that's Atia's strength, I suppose: she looked lost for a while, and then she came through.
I think I still have the image of Max Pirkis as Octavian in my head, 'cause all I thought when Pullo was lying to him was that, poor boy has forced everyone's hand. even Pullo lies to him now and that's just painfully sad.
I actually don't know if Octavian really believed him...
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I'm still wibbly and half in tears and entirely incapable of writing something more coherent, except that Octavian still scares me, and Atia really deserved that send off.
Looking forward to your series review.
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The scene in the wagon, as the fight broke out, was just wonderful -- the way Pullo and Vorenus just look at each other like, "well, here we go again!" and "I told you this would happen!" And they are just that good.
Vorenus really owned this episode, and rightly so.
It will take me a while to gather my thoughts. I'm just sad that it's over.
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And Gaia was a slave who worked for the Collegia (or maybe just Vorenus personally), but who owned her? Were slaves able to go out and drum up independent employment?
There were wonderful moments in the final episode, but it had a Hollywood ending feel to it for me. Vorena bent too quickly at the end, but that was required for Vorenus' arc.
Atia surpassed anything I expected.
Cleopatra and Antony were way too much the last episode. All that fighting and sex just to have Antony sent Atia and Octavia away (and thereby saving their lives) bored me. Antony's debauchery, was he really noted for it?
Thanks for all the commentary over the two seasons. It really helped provide insight.
Reply
Were slaves able to go out and drum up independent employment?
Yes, if their owners agreed to it. I'm not really sure who did own Gaia, of course -- it's possible that she was originally part of the property of a brother under teh control of the Aventine collegium -- slaves could be owned by corporations, in Rome.
Antony's debauchery, was he really noted for it?
Oh, yes, very much so. That and his sheer military talent.
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Yes, she was great at the end -- up to then, her character didn't seem entirely consistent to me, though -- there was a point earlier on where she seemed to be handing the decision over to Antony, which seemed out of character.
I loved Agrippa's response to the "rotten soul" line, too -- you expect him to deny it, and he's just "oh, OK."
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I do like that line. Even at her death, she managed to get one last poke at Octavian..
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It does shock me, a little, that nothing came of Servilia's curse, in the end, though. But that's Atia's strength, I suppose: she looked lost for a while, and then she came through.
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I actually don't know if Octavian really believed him...
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