Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (Episode 21)

[Segestan]

I'll second that... the series needs to move away from their version of the family trees liberties and persuites and focus on real Roman history. Although it is good to see an series on Rome exist still it would , to me at least, be more entertaining to have the series take events as they arose one at a time. Real-Time series making.

[Kieronus]

Or maybe HBO wants to have a soft core *or* show without advertising it as such. Good for ratings

 

Regardless, sex per se doesn't offend me. But if that is all the show can offer anymore, then let it descend into the shadow of Hades.

 

Sing it brother! The first season was far superior. I mourn the death of a great show.. But I'll keep watching till it ends. Incidentally, the last episode will be great, it is by Bruno Heller (the original writer and inventer of the show) who wrote 6 episodes in season one, and only the first one and last ones of this season (and boy does it show).

Edited March 24, 2007 by Kieronus

[Skarr]

But if the scriptwriters had kept to the historical events instead of introducing silly subplots of Timon the Jew, Erastes Fulmen and his cronies, or even Pullo and Vorenus and their various domestic spats, there would have been plenty of time. This for me is the crux of things. HBO have taken two separate strings and tried to make a whole. I think the series would have worked better if it had either stuck purely to the history (which is entertaining, and a lively enough script from good writers would have ensured it was) and left out the subplots; or, conversely, devise a series about purely fictitious characters against the backdrop of the fall of the Republic.

 

I guess HBO had to write something about Pullo and Vorenus, as they are the principal actors in the series, apart from those playing Antony and Octavian. I think the Timon sub-plot could have been cut out though, as it didn't really play out well and I don't think it was that interesting either. Vorenus, in his new role as Antony's aide in Egypt seems a little more mellow and subdued and I'm not sure how his character will end up in the final episode. Maybe he'll defect to Octavian at the last moment, as a number of Antony's senior officers did abandon him in his final days, probably disgusted at the way he was conducting himself, despite oaths of loyalty et al.

 

Pullo may try to rescue Caesarion, in the belief that he is his son, not Caesar's, as is commonly believed. Who knows what twists and turns await us tonight ? We'll see.. I do hope that the writers come up with something good for the finale and while Season 2 has not been as good as Season 1, I'll still take "Rome" over any other series. All in all, while not completely satisfying, it has had its moments. I do think Pullo has come off as a far more interesting character in Season 2 than Season 1, where he played second fiddle to Vorenus.

 

If there's a Season 3, I would like them to focus on Tiberius, Caligula and Nero - three of the most demented Emperors who would offer viewers a new perspective on what it meant to be "Roman", with their extragavance, their depravity and ultimately, a kind of madness that seized the Empire after the death of the "divine" Augustus.

[Mosquito]

I agree that Jewish subplots werent necessary but i really have enjoyed Erastes Fulman plot. Altough I must admit that I have really no idea how much influece had gangs of Rome or "collegia" because I dont remember ever reading about it in any real history book.

 

As for this episode I found it poor and disgusting. Especially the scene of sex between Augustus and Livia. I have no idea where from the writters get such concepts but I afraid that people who know history only from movies and TV series wil lbelive in such crap.

[M. Porcius Cato]

One howler that no one's mentioned is that the Roman senator serving as emissary to Egypt was Bibulus. This is almost certainly impossible: Bibulus died commanding the Adriatic fleet in the civil war. While he had three (possibly, four) sons, two were killed in Egypt by Roman soldiers long before the civil wars, and at least one of his sons died at Philippi. How any of these Bibuli could have served as a Roman senator entrusted with the negotiation of grain supply totally escapes me.

 

At least the kinky sex was possible.

[The Augusta]

As for this episode I found it poor and disgusting. Especially the scene of sex between Augustus and Livia. I have no idea where from the writters get such concepts but I afraid that people who know history only from movies and TV series wil lbelive in such crap.

 

Hehe. Although I did not see it, I was grateful for the vivid description of this scene in a PM kindly sent to me by Julia Caesaris (she has been keeping me up-to-speed, bless her!). My own reaction, had I witnessed it, would have probably been to declare it - at best - laughable, and - at worst - tedious. But the thing is, Mosquito, whenever sex is depicted in historical dramas, the viewer has no real argument. None of us know exactly what went on behind the bedroom door between Livia and Augustus, and as it's such an unimportant part of the history of their lives, I can't say that it would worry me too much. And I say this as someone who has loved, respected and admired both of these people for over 30 years now. So - someone who doesn't know the first thing about Livia will now think that she was into kinky sex with her husband? Is it any worse than thinking her a poisoner for centuries? I would be willing to expend my energies on clearing her of the latter charge - one to be rumoured in historic sources - rather than wasting my time on her depiction in this series.

 

Just my two cents....

[Northern Neil]

I too enjoyed this episode much more. I can still do without all the sex and I still cringe every time I see Atia still breathing, but it is what it is. The entire Egyptian spectacle was marvelous and Cleopatra delightfully dislike-able.

 

Regardless, it seems finally confirmed that the next episode is indeed the very last. It is being touted as the series finale, not the season finale. My guess is that either Pullo, Vorenus or both end up dead. I just hope that Pullo doesn't end up rescuing Caesarion and going off to live in harmony somewhere in Nubia.

 

Dont tell us - us Brits havent seen any of it yet! And anyway, you must admit, Atia is a bit of a babe...!

Edited March 31, 2007 by Northern Neil