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artyartieYou were like a traveller in the night, whose torch lights up for others the path where he himself has miserably fallen.
-Letter from Petrarch to Cicero
After a rewatching last night, I feel much more collected about writing a much more coherent response. My post from Sunday night was so much incoherent flailing. This is far more coherent, I promise, even if it flails about at times.
Besides the historical innacuracies in giving agency for Cicero's death from Antony to Octavian, it somewhat diminished Antony's character. Cicero deliberatly provoked Anthony with his Phillipics, knowing he was risking his own life. For Antony to add the comment about cutting off his hands as almost an afterthought took something away from Antony as well.
When Pullo and Vorenus turned the trip to Tusculum into a family picnic, I admit I was more than a little horrified. If they were going to make light of such a thing - thanfully, my fears didn't come to pass, but for a moment it was rather frightening. It's startling to see the change in Vorenus' character, once a devout Catonian - how resigned he is to the course of events around him.
The scene at the villa was one of such pastoral bliss, if even for a moment. Before the servant came with news of Antony and Octavian, Cicero finally seemed to have found peace, even if it had come at such a terrible cost to himself, I'm certain.
This scene was so poignant and powerful on so many levels. Aesthetically, it was beautiful - the lush sensuality of the garden, the merry chatter of birds, the peaches, nearly ripe. At first, I was somewhat annoyed by Pullo's callous request for those same peaches, but on rewatching, it's such an innocent question, like Pullo is a small child, asking a parent. Ray Stevenson did a fine job with a somewhat ackward part - his gentleness towards Cicero at the end was unexpectedly moving. And David Bamber - my God, he was simply incredible. As much as you've all heard me complain about the character in Rome, David Bamber has done an astounding job in several episodes, conveying in a single gesture a myriad of emotions. He protrayed Cicero's final moment with such a subtle presence - for an actor who primarily does comedy, he handled this extremely dramatic moment with such gravitas and grace.
As for his death itself, it was very, very difficult to watch the first time, and before I could check my emotions, I nearly started crying when he died, and again when his hands were nailed to the door. When I first read of Cicero's death eight years ago, I remember the curious drop in my stomach, the cold in my hands.
It was so important to me that this last moment, at least, to be portrayed with some sort of respect - I never imagined it would be done with such haunting beauty.
-Letter from Petrarch to Cicero
After a rewatching last night, I feel much more collected about writing a much more coherent response. My post from Sunday night was so much incoherent flailing. This is far more coherent, I promise, even if it flails about at times.
Besides the historical innacuracies in giving agency for Cicero's death from Antony to Octavian, it somewhat diminished Antony's character. Cicero deliberatly provoked Anthony with his Phillipics, knowing he was risking his own life. For Antony to add the comment about cutting off his hands as almost an afterthought took something away from Antony as well.
When Pullo and Vorenus turned the trip to Tusculum into a family picnic, I admit I was more than a little horrified. If they were going to make light of such a thing - thanfully, my fears didn't come to pass, but for a moment it was rather frightening. It's startling to see the change in Vorenus' character, once a devout Catonian - how resigned he is to the course of events around him.
The scene at the villa was one of such pastoral bliss, if even for a moment. Before the servant came with news of Antony and Octavian, Cicero finally seemed to have found peace, even if it had come at such a terrible cost to himself, I'm certain.
This scene was so poignant and powerful on so many levels. Aesthetically, it was beautiful - the lush sensuality of the garden, the merry chatter of birds, the peaches, nearly ripe. At first, I was somewhat annoyed by Pullo's callous request for those same peaches, but on rewatching, it's such an innocent question, like Pullo is a small child, asking a parent. Ray Stevenson did a fine job with a somewhat ackward part - his gentleness towards Cicero at the end was unexpectedly moving. And David Bamber - my God, he was simply incredible. As much as you've all heard me complain about the character in Rome, David Bamber has done an astounding job in several episodes, conveying in a single gesture a myriad of emotions. He protrayed Cicero's final moment with such a subtle presence - for an actor who primarily does comedy, he handled this extremely dramatic moment with such gravitas and grace.
As for his death itself, it was very, very difficult to watch the first time, and before I could check my emotions, I nearly started crying when he died, and again when his hands were nailed to the door. When I first read of Cicero's death eight years ago, I remember the curious drop in my stomach, the cold in my hands.
It was so important to me that this last moment, at least, to be portrayed with some sort of respect - I never imagined it would be done with such haunting beauty.
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Date: 2007-02-23 04:14 am (UTC)I've been enjoying "Rome" more this season. It seems grounded now, and there are quite a few telling moments in it. I like how the writing points up how casually the characters view human life while at the same time they grab greedily onto it while they have it.
I've been tempted to brush up my Roman history but have avoided it so I can be surprised by the events. Only vague memories of "I, Claudius" are there to help me out. :))