Posted on 11/20/2005 3:52:19 PM PST by DCBryan1
As a result of their arena exploits, Pullo and Vorenus have become heroes to the Roman rank and file, causing Caesar to reward those he normally would punish. Pullo's unexpected return to Vorenus' household is not appreciated by his former slave Eirene. Caesar decides to overhaul the Senate by adding some unexpected new faces, to the chagrin of the old guard. And Servilia hurdles the final obstacle in her ambitious revenge scenario, at Niobe's expense.
Thank the gods it's over.
I just finished watching it, I taped it. A strong season finale, tragic. The show smartly realizes that the story is Vorenus and Pullo, given that they are fictional characters, and built the climax around those two. The audience knows what happens to Julius--but not what would happen to Niobe.
The only weakness through the whole series has been the undercutting of Cicero. The writers have interpreted the actions of Brutus and the conspirators in almost a Freudian manner, given no credence whatsoever w/ political disagreement. I really think the show could have been even stronger if Cicero and Cato's arguments were given more air time. Cato's portrayal was pathetic, and we get none of what made Cicero the intellectual that he was. There's still time to work on Cicero, but just seems like the creators aren't interested in him at all.
I bet Vorenus sticks with Antony and Pullo sides with Octavian. That a nice set up for another 12 episodes.
"I was yelling at the TV like Sam Kinison..."Say it!...Saaaay it!""
I was screaming at the top of my lungs!! I was dissapointed, to say the least!
if they hold to history, octavian cleans out the entire nest of vipers and goes on to greatness.
i hope they let antony run wild for a while, he was one of my favorite characters.
bummer about 2007- thats a long way off, but we may need something to look forward to besides the 2006 elections.
and we may really need something good after nov 2006
Did you notice that Caesar didn't say "Alia iacta est" when crossing the Rubicon?
vorenus marries his wifes sister- adopts the child.
What I took from this episode, thematically, apart from the history, was the notion of how quickly fortunes can change, and roles can reverse. The person who has everything can lose it, and those with nothing can land on the top, either by sheer will, chance or the whims of the Gods. Bruno Heller (the writer) did a masterful job of weaving history, human nature, and the capricious nature of luck, into the episode.
I was too until my wife reminded me that the line was from Shakespeare and probably wasn't actually uttered by Julius Caesar.
"Octavious is a panzie, if he wins it will only be because Cleopatra has cut off Antony's nads."
Octavius will later become Augustus Caesar.
"She was a whore. She had to go."
Nah - her husband was part of a bloody war in Gaul for years without being able to send her a message, and she thought he was dead.
"Octavian, the master thinker he is, now knows Servilla used his sister for information to damn his family."
...and we know how much Octavian loves his sister! (sorry, couldn't resist.)
That's crazy talk.
If she lied, that makes her a liar. If she slept around, that makes her a whore. Lying does not make one a whore.
And besides, she thought he was dead. And when he came back, she had never loved him, and still didn't. He was a hardened soldier, and she was afraid he would kill her, as well as her child.
Even today, there are women who lie to their husbands when they fear being beaten or killed. Natural response, I think.
And since they did come to love each other, I am sad for Vorenus. He was so happy for a few episodes. And now, just like Pullo had to watch Vorenus be in love, Vorenus is without and Pullo gets his woman. Damned show.
Actually, Vorenus and Pullo were real, but nothing much is known about them. They were the only common soldiers mentioned in Caesar writings of the Gaul campaign. The very first scene in the first episode is taken from "A Short Story of the Two Sargents" where Pullo breaks formation and Vorenus has to save him. But they were both of the same rank and in heavy competition for a promotion in real life.
http://community.middlebury.edu/~harris/Texts/CaesarV.html
Having just watched the episode, I'd just say that the dark look that Octavian gives to Servilla indicates that he's 'marked' her.
Yes, looks like a role reversal for sure. But Pullo will never leave Vorenus. He will be there for him, whether Vorenus wants him there or not. It will be interesting to see how Vorenus reacts to Pullo killing junior's daddy.
No telling. Vorenus is always mad about something.
But I think he would be more upset that Pullo knew, and didn't tell him, than the fact that he killed the guy.
That is pretty funny. Drunk posting. Perhaps one night we can all plan to get plastered, and then start a thread in the SBR for laughs the next day.
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