R as in ‘Rome’
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- January
- 29
So far, “Rome”:http://hbo.com seems to be downplaying the sex scenes this season. But there’s still plenty of R-rated material. Is it me, or has the show gotten even more violent? Vorenus as mob boss is pretty rough trade. But really, last night’s episode was merely the setup for some horrific stuff this coming Sunday. Brace yourself.
More on the violence after that episode airs, as I don’t want to give certain plot points away. For the moment, let’s stay with Octavia, played with poignant delicacy by Kerry Condon (“Angela’s Ashes”). You have to feel sorry for Octavia, a lovely pawn among Atia, Antony and Octavian. (The real Octavia was married off to Antony as a way to seal an alliance between him and her brother, Octavian. All it did, though, was seal Antony’s doom.)
Last night, we were treated to Octavia as mall queen, frequenting the marketplace and gossiping with her girlfriends and getting high on hemp. This really is following a train of thought: Last season we were treated to a drugged-out Cleopatra. Though drugs were used for religious and recreational purposes in the ancient world, as well as medicinal ones, I find it hard to believe either Cleo or Octavia succumbed. The one was too ambitious; the other, famously virtuous.
Indeed, the historical Octavia was so noble that she raised Antony’s children by his various wives, including Cleopatra’s surviving offspring. She truly was a heartbroken and heartbreaking figure  a note that I suspect Condon will sound more and more as the series strives for its own tragic conclusion.
This entry was posted
on Monday, January 29th, 2007 at 3:19 pm by Georgette Gouveia.
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