Has Mus been explicitly lied to (told his entire family is dead) or has it been a silent lie-of-assumption? (I can’t remember.) I think that would affect how annoyed he is with Domitian.
Hrm. Can’t help but realize Domitia just showed Mus how to watch large swaths of Rome AND gave him precise details of when they will will be away. Interesting….
Actually, Domitia just reassured Mus that he is in a very secure position; favored client (“one of my projects”) of an extremely powerful patron…while reminding him that she is ALSO a very politically clever patron who will not give her clients a very long leash. A smart guy like Mus should be able to figure out how to use that to his advantage – so long as his advantage doesn’t conflict with hers.
And – my personal opinion – we the readers need to be careful in assuming that klio is working from “Domitian the Eeeeevil Tyrant” starting point that comes largely from the senatorial contemporaries who wrote the histories. More recent scholarship tends to emphasize that he was a good chief executive who made much-needed reforms to the army and the government. He DID give the Senate the finger, but, given the condition of the Senate and the senatorial class that’s not necessarily a mark against him.
Now…later in his rule…yeah. He seems to have gone of the rails. WAY off. But at this point in his life I think it might not be a good idea to just assume that the stuff he’s doing is because he’s Suetonius’ Domitian, i.e. the Evil Emperor from “Star Wars”…
I didn’t find out until after I’d posted today’s set of drawings. The math is the other way around–1,937 years–but, yes, it would have been nice for the earth to be cooperative and stand still today. 🙁
The Julio-Claudians were a pretty gamy bunch, really, when you look at them as a group. Even Augustus, who is usually treated as the “good one” of the bunch did some pretty incredibly $#%!ed up stuff with his and Livia’s kids. So while he personally seems to have been a fairly”good” ruler his influence on the dynasty as a group was pretty toxic.
That and the Year of Four Emperors must have made the Flavians – even the “borderline” Flavians like Domitian – seem like paragons of virtue…
Augustus started out $#%!ed up. I’ve no kind words for him at all.
I’m thinking the average Roman in the street would have been hopeful when Domitian was there to step in and carry on the family line in a peaceful transition, no generals marching on the city. Though maybe some would be dubious about his lack of splashy achievements, at least he would have seemed experienced, and not given to extravagant debauchery and feeling entitled to loot the treasury (for debauchery).
…and the lifespan of a Galapagos tortoise! Assuming that you don’t count Nerva you kinda have to get to Trajan; that’s 98AD, so almost 20 years after the events our heroes are living…
Mind you, I hope that Felix and Iusta are there to see Trajan’s Column go up near the Quirinal Hill; arms still around each other, full of years and fond memories – and tales of their adventurous youth that their grandkids are sick of hearing.
“That was the year old Pompeii was buried, yes, buried, I tell you! And what a year it was…”
Survive the dangers of infancy, youth, childbirth, warfare, plagues, fires, earthquakes, fanciful dental care, and human villainy, and you might make it through quite a few emperors. Trajan’s already in the story, the poor unsuspecting young man. Then Hadrian, Antoninus Pius…
Marcus Aurelius, well, that’s a bit of a stretch, but little Aurora might still be around to tell the tale of the day the sky caught fire.
Evil laptops will do that to you. Hope the growling eases for the weekend! 🙂
Has Mus been explicitly lied to (told his entire family is dead) or has it been a silent lie-of-assumption? (I can’t remember.) I think that would affect how annoyed he is with Domitian.
Domitian has gone so far as to tell him, “I know you’re upset–people you love gone” (then veered into some crazy-talk) and “I know it seems horrible, losing every person you love.” Then took away Mus’s painkillers.
I thought so. He’s skated around it carefully enough not to have lied outright, but Mus isn’t an idiot. Mostly.
It helps to have friends in high places… very nice views included.
Hrm. Can’t help but realize Domitia just showed Mus how to watch large swaths of Rome AND gave him precise details of when they will will be away. Interesting….
Maybe she’s lying an d it’s a trap.
Actually, Domitia just reassured Mus that he is in a very secure position; favored client (“one of my projects”) of an extremely powerful patron…while reminding him that she is ALSO a very politically clever patron who will not give her clients a very long leash. A smart guy like Mus should be able to figure out how to use that to his advantage – so long as his advantage doesn’t conflict with hers.
And – my personal opinion – we the readers need to be careful in assuming that klio is working from “Domitian the Eeeeevil Tyrant” starting point that comes largely from the senatorial contemporaries who wrote the histories. More recent scholarship tends to emphasize that he was a good chief executive who made much-needed reforms to the army and the government. He DID give the Senate the finger, but, given the condition of the Senate and the senatorial class that’s not necessarily a mark against him.
Now…later in his rule…yeah. He seems to have gone of the rails. WAY off. But at this point in his life I think it might not be a good idea to just assume that the stuff he’s doing is because he’s Suetonius’ Domitian, i.e. the Evil Emperor from “Star Wars”…
All true but, like the recent rehabilitation of Richard III’s image, it ruins the fun.
Happy Herculaneum Day! Check it out: you’ll feel the earth move…. and the sky come tumbling down.
Considering what’s happened in Italy today, I’d just as rather the earth stand still. Jesus, what is it, 2095 years to there day?
I didn’t find out until after I’d posted today’s set of drawings. The math is the other way around–1,937 years–but, yes, it would have been nice for the earth to be cooperative and stand still today. 🙁
Ahh. I mixed up my BC and AD. My bad! Still yes, though I bet Antonious’ relitive is out there helping as we speak. There are always little heros.
And Domitian is STILL a fink, no matter what you say.
When the scale includes Caligula and Nero, he might come out looking pretty good in comparison.
The Julio-Claudians were a pretty gamy bunch, really, when you look at them as a group. Even Augustus, who is usually treated as the “good one” of the bunch did some pretty incredibly $#%!ed up stuff with his and Livia’s kids. So while he personally seems to have been a fairly”good” ruler his influence on the dynasty as a group was pretty toxic.
That and the Year of Four Emperors must have made the Flavians – even the “borderline” Flavians like Domitian – seem like paragons of virtue…
Augustus started out $#%!ed up. I’ve no kind words for him at all.
I’m thinking the average Roman in the street would have been hopeful when Domitian was there to step in and carry on the family line in a peaceful transition, no generals marching on the city. Though maybe some would be dubious about his lack of splashy achievements, at least he would have seemed experienced, and not given to extravagant debauchery and feeling entitled to loot the treasury (for debauchery).
Caligula and Nero… I’d just as soon not think of them. And Claudius was no shining lite either. So many lousy Emperors, so little time.
The augurs say there are a few good emperors on the way…if one has patience, and a keen instinct for self-preservation….
…and the lifespan of a Galapagos tortoise! Assuming that you don’t count Nerva you kinda have to get to Trajan; that’s 98AD, so almost 20 years after the events our heroes are living…
Mind you, I hope that Felix and Iusta are there to see Trajan’s Column go up near the Quirinal Hill; arms still around each other, full of years and fond memories – and tales of their adventurous youth that their grandkids are sick of hearing.
“That was the year old Pompeii was buried, yes, buried, I tell you! And what a year it was…”
Survive the dangers of infancy, youth, childbirth, warfare, plagues, fires, earthquakes, fanciful dental care, and human villainy, and you might make it through quite a few emperors. Trajan’s already in the story, the poor unsuspecting young man. Then Hadrian, Antoninus Pius…
Marcus Aurelius, well, that’s a bit of a stretch, but little Aurora might still be around to tell the tale of the day the sky caught fire.