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Atia survives a poisoning attempt. Octavian, looking older and slightly bigger (Simon Woods has taken over the role from Max Pirkis), has kicked Mark Antony’s ass in Gaul. Alia has Servilia tortured; Timon has a crisis of conscience. Vorenus and Pullo rescue Vorenus’ children from slavery.
Carnage: Two torture scenes
Sex: Suggested
Nudity: No one worth mentioning
I recently read two novels set in the Roman Empire: Imperium by Robert Harris, and I, Claudius by Robert Graves. Imperium is gripping, fast-paced, full of information about Republican politics and elections. The narrator is the scribe Tiro, and the hero is Cicero. For some reason I did not like Cicero, and then I realized why: in the TV series he is portrayed as a wuss (plus he never kills anyone with his bare hands or has a nude scene). I, Claudius is riveting, peopled with the most fascinating and appalling characters. Livia, Octavian/Augustus’ second wife, poisons or banishes anyone who stands in the way of her favorites’ succession (I know why Tony Soprano’s mother was called Livia). The monster Caligula, direct descendant of Augustus, Agrippa, and Antony, commits the most unspeakable acts. I know, I know, there was a BBC series. And a Penthouse movie—we actually met the director Tinto Brass in Udine. Chris Martinez got his autograph. It cracked us up.