Wow, incest was a line I thought even HBO would hesitate to cross. Did the real Octavia seduce Octavian? After tonight I can see how she’d end up married to her mother’s ex-lover. Also it looks like the Pullo/ Vorenus friendship is going sour. Will next season see Pullo on Octavian’s side and Vorenus on Mark Antony’s? And Caeser asked Vorenus to stand for the “Magistrate of Lower Aventine” on his slate; what does that mean? Did the Roman’s have actual elections with citizens voting? What would a Magistrate of Lower Aventine do?
I liked the episode, but missed Mark Antony. It wasn’t clear to me what the position of Erastes was. Was he simply a mob boss/thug or was it more than that?
And yes, the friendship between Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus seems to be ending. It’s too bad because they made such a fun pair. Meanwhile, Atia got her vengance on Servilia.
I know that Timon was an observer to Servilia’s humiliation, but how do we really know that it was* Atia* who was getting the vengeance? Octavia was pretty upset, thinking Servilia had lied to her.
“You look like laundry.” 
Tonight’s episode seemed more straightforward than usual – not much to wonder about, except what Baker said – who was responsible for Servilia’s attack.
Is Vorenus safe from Erastes, now that he’s somebody?
I thought the episode was boring and cheap. “You look like laundry” and the return of Octavian were the best parts.
You may be right that Atia isn’t responsible for the attack on Servilia, but no one else is quite that evil. As for Erastes, I think we won’t see any more of him, unless Titus Pullo goes to work for him. That would be interesting.
Doubtful, though they were certainly close. For one thing the real Octavia was still married at this point ( and had been for ~ 14 years at the time of the battle of Thapsus ) to a very prominent man, who had been a Consul and an opponent of Caesar. She married Antony a few months after he died. In fact Octavia on the series is probably the most ahistorical of the historical characters. I believe it wasn’t she who was offered to Pompey, but her older half-sister of the same name ( who is otherwise rather obscure ).
Strictly speaking the word magistrate re:Roman government usually refers to an executive office and I don’t think that was what was being offered. I’m not sure in this case if he was accepting an appointment to the senate ( possible, as Caesar as consul had that power and greatly enlarged that body at this time ) or was standing for one of the Roman assemblies ( more likely from the seeming reference to some sort of geographic representation ) which were elected.
Depends on which one of those offices he was getting. There were multiple assemblies each with different powers and functions ( both legislative and judicial ) and the senate was advisory only ( but had considerable influence ).
- Tamerlane
So THAT’s why they rushed through Egypt, to get Octavian back in the fold. Glad to see him back. Maybe he gets to exercise his torture skills to find out who exactly attacked Servilla ;). I don’t think Octavia did it. Even if she thought that Servillia lied to her, they are still lovers.
Hmmm…scratch that - more like ~ 8 years. Married “some time after 54” ( she would have been 15 at that point ), Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49, battle of Pharsalus in 48, 47 victory on the Nile, 46 battle of Thapsus.
By the way, Scipio didn’t commit suicide, he died in a naval engagement. And Cato was already in Utica - he didn’t fight at Thapsus.
- Tamerlane
I didn’t see Caesar’s offer to Vorenus to become a magistrate (senator?) coming, I was totally floored when that happened. Loved the twist.
I’m also surprised that Titus hasn’t tried to make his girl a free-woman yet. In the time how would that have been done? Was the slave owner allowed to do it unilaterally?If not presumably Vorenus could have gotten it done in his new position of power. In any case, after hearing his diatribe about his slave mother and how much he disrespects his presumed slave father you’d think he’d prefer to have her as a free woman and his wife of her free will.
Thought Servillia had one hell of a nice body for an older chick, her boobs certainly aged better than her face.
I wonder if Octavian’s confession to Octavia regarding Niobe’s affair is going to work its way back around to be used as blackmail or get leaked to Vorenus. Seems unlikely based on everyones relative standing, but then again it’d probably make for interesting drama. Seems unlikely that it’d simply go away as a plotline.
I am glad there’s only three episodes left. The Octavia/Octavian thing had me cringing in embarrassment. It was gross and unnecessary, and unless Servilia secretly despises Octavia along with the rest of her family, it’s quite a position to put one’s lover in. Ick ick ick.
I don’t like the fact they’ve gone away from the politics and intrigue and turned this into a soap opera, where Caesar, Cato, et al are merely peripheral characters. Again, they didn’t show a historical battle (Thapsus) except in retrospect.
I did like Octavian being smart enough to think past the horrendous act with his sister to realize she was going to continue her interest in Caesar’s affliction (Octavia is no match for her little brother when is comes to Machiavellian subterfuges!), and I have to raise a wry toast to Atia. She’s not one for sly innuendos and gossip. You piss her off, she’ll slather obscene graffiti on Roman walls and hire thugs to attack you in the street. No shrinking violet, she!
Question…would it been that easy to attack a patrician woman in the streets of Rome? Wouldn’t there be tremendous outrage?
It doesn’t seem Vorenus can retire, can he? Every time he tries to enter private life, something happens to suck him back into the political arena.
All in all, I have to give this episode a D. I’m very disappointed, but I will watch the final three episodes.
This episode was rather depressing. I missed Mark Antony too. As for it being cheap, I think they saved their money for the triumph in the next episode. At least I hope so.
I was glad to see Octavian, but I kept waiting for him to show some backbone to his mother and sister. I was surprised when he didn’t refuse Octavia. I bet there’s going to be a good scene when he finally defies his mother.
(Over the weekend I watched Topsy Turvy again. It was fun seeing Lucius Vorenus prancing about refusing to take off his corset.)
Incest didn’t have quite the same “ick factor” in those times. It was frowned upon, but plenty of people did it. Egyptian royalty married their brothers and sisters, and possibly the common people did it was well: In some of the poetry I’ve read, beloved wives are sometimes addressed as “sister.” Didn’t one of the emporers marry his sister or mother? (I can’t quite remember.)
I thought the Romans looked down on Egyptians and other “Orientals” for such barbaric practices as marrying siblings? Certainly Octavia was initially appalled at Servilia’s suggestion.
Now that Vorenus is a public figure (the previews for next week show him making a public announcement for Ceasar) I can see this information coming into play, though how it would hurt Ceasar I don’t know.
Pullo is easily my favorite character, and to see him and Vorenus apparently going different ways stinks.
I think we’ve seen the last of Cleopatra, which sucks, since she is a stone-cold hottie.
I was hoping to see Vorenius and Pullo kick some serious ass.
Every time he mentions his mother it is with the deepest of love. I think the disrespect of slaves only applies to men in his mind.
Have you forgotten that whole episode with Marc Antony at a later time period? 
I don’t think so. She makes a trip to Rome, with her son in tow, which causes quite the scandal for Caesar.
Didn’t Caesar bring her to Rome? Richard Burton brought Liz to Rome. Her grand entrance probably cost as much as this whole series.
Does Pullo have the authority make his woman free? From her expression when he was making love to her, I don’t know that she’d stick around. I’d like to see more of that character, or one of the slaves. We’re not getting much from their viewpoint.
Did it seem that Octavius had gotten taller? Made me wonder if they filmed his earlier scenes to make him look shorter, so they could allow for his two years away.
Wahhh? You obviously are a newcomer to Sunday night HBO. Does Billy/Brenda or Iris/Justin ring a bell? Incest is HBO’s big gun for the sweeps.