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| AVGVSTVS IS DEAD | ||||
| Pulman presents this pivotal event in an off-beat fashion. We see a slack-jawed Augustus staring vacantly while Livia lectures and nags him. Barely any indication is given to the exact point of his passing. Graves, drawing from Suetonius, Dio and Tacitus, presents a very different Augustus. From Suetonius he includes Augustus' death bed performance, "Have I acted well in this farce?" Graves, however, puts his own twist on the last words of this princeps. Instead of "Good bye, Livia. Never forget our marriage," Graves has Tiberius reporting that Augustus died with salutations to Tiberius, and of course, the SPQR. He then undercuts this tender Tiberius & pater moment, by stating that Augustus had actually died a day before Tiberius arrived.
The sources differ on Tiberius' proximity to and arrival at Nola. Suetonius and Velleius have Augustus send for Tiberius, who manages to arrive in time for a long private discussion with Gus and to be present at his death. Dio and Tacitus lean more toward conspiracy theories. Tacitus, stating that Tiberius had already made it to Illyricum only to be recalled by an urgent letter from Livia, expresses doubt as to whether Tiberius arrived in time. Dio provides the dirt that Livia delayed the announcement of the princeps' passing until Tiberius' arrival. Grudgingly acknowledging the order of events found in Suetonius & Velleius, Dio is convinced that Tiberius was not at the deathbed. Suspicions surrounding Gus' demise are mentioned in Tacitus and Dio, both pointing the finger at Livia. As to the poisoned figs, Dio is the source. |
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