They sure played up that tension, though. For a second there I thought they were going to rewrite history.

This episode was intense! Which is saying something for a show like Rome that exists to be intense. From that eerily perfect mask of Brutus, to Servillia chanting and killing herself, to Attia feeling every inch of that curse--every moment was bringing just another ratchet of tension.

Knowing that Anthony would marry Octavia just made Attia's misery that much more delicious.

Nicely played con on Lucia. I'm interested to see how that goes. Vorenus doesn't seem to play things very close to his chest these days, though that could be a mistaken impression. He went and got all my sympathy with that remark about people who need food getting some, who cares where they live.

Oh, that bitch Gaia. She needs a comeuppance.

Oh, that bitch Gaia. She needs a comeuppance.

Oh, yeah. My hope is that it's Pullo that catches her trying to abort Eirene's baby and chokes the life out of her. If anything happens to the baby, I'm going to be completely broken.

Vorenus doesn't seem to play things very close to his chest these days, though that could be a mistaken impression. He went and got all my sympathy with that remark about people who need food getting some, who cares where they live.

His only blind spot is his family. He's earnest about the charity, but he's also pragmatic. He knows that if the poor in the city are getting food from them, it can only spread the goodwill. Plus, he's right about letting the other gangs feeling like they're pulling one over on him to keep them happy.

The look he gave Lucia makes me think he suspects something is up, though. I hope so. I'd hate to see her break his heart (again). Poor, stupid Lucia. She's so broken and young and naive. I know her anger is justified and she needs a target for her vengence but she's going to be sorry.

I totally think he suspects something. The thing about Vorenus though is that at his heart he does firmly believe in the moral difference between right and wrong. And when he goes wrong, he goes *really really wrong,* and now that he's moving towards right, he does an absolute kind of right. People need food = we give them food = doing something right. Keeping the peace = right. He's perhaps more circumspect than he was when we first met him. But he remains quite canny about his place in the world, and the good* he can do there.

She's so broken and young and naive. I know her anger is justified and she needs a target for her vengence but she's going to be sorry.

So, so this. Gross sleazy guy seriously did a number on her.

*Good relatively speaking for Rome, where beating a woman and then fucking her on the kitchen table is a perfectly justifiable use of a slave.

What breaks my heart about the Vorenus kids is that from their point of view Lucius killed mom, cursed them and abandoned them to be sold into slavery. He is the correct target, in Lucia's story. No way it goes well for her, though.

If anything happens to the baby, I'm going to be completely broken.

You and me both.

Crap. Pullo kills me. I want to strangle Gaia myself. Poor Eirene.

McKidd outdid himself again. I'm glad Vorenus actually asked Vorena why she did it.

This episode was heartbreaking in every sense--too many good-byes.

I was not expecting poor Eirene to die. That was so awful. I want to see Pullo rip Gaia apart. What an evil wench.

I hate that Vorenus and Pullo are being separated (again). Poor guys.

So the latest play I was working on at the Colony was a (well acted but poorly written) comic thriller called Stage Struck, and one of the stars was Larry "Leon the Card-Dealing Addict" Cedar. He's a member of the company at the Colony, and has done a few other roles there.

He's always a treasure to work for, and a great and funny guy to talk to.

Also at the Colony, there's something of a little tradition there, where the tech crew does a parody of the play we've done, and puts it on for the cast (yes, I talked about this over in Bitches).

But the reason I brought this up is because Larry had some VERY kind things to say about me and my performance in the parody afterwards. It was really nice to hear, and reminded me how much I love acting, and that maybe I should try to get back into it, even though I'm much more interested in behind-the-scenes work these days.

Plus, it's pretty cool when a favorite actor has really great things to say about your own acting.

I'm all with the swelled ego today.

(Okay, yes, this is tangentially on-thread at best, but I had to toot my own horn a little)

That's fantastic, Sean!

I hate that Vorenus and Pullo are being separated (again). Poor guys.

Yes, but that means a reunion down the road!

I see Mere Smith had producer credits on this episode, too. I liked Anthony & Atia's good-bye. It made me really think her. Of course he loves himself more and I love the way he greeted Cleopatra.