Marcus Apathicus

If there is one, well bugger me I couldn't find it. If not, shouldn't there be one? Just a suggestion.

I liked the visuals. The acting was ok too (though Gerard Butler, imo, is a mediocre actor; definitely not cut for Leonidas). But what was the point behind portraying Xerxes as a piercing fetishist and the Immortals as a bunch of chimps wearing happy meal masks? And what was the point behind all the "freedom talk"? Or is that just the same old bit of Americana that makes it into every historical epic made in Holywood? Troy was quite awful I agree. Eric Bana would've done a better job at playing king Leo though.

The movies are ok, but they're children's movies. The typical Goscinnyan wit that made the books so savory is more or less absent here. But Depardieu is an amazing actor as always, and the astonishing Monica Bellucci stars as Cleopatra in the second one.

Because LotR really happened and Thermopylae didn't? I was exaggerating to make a point. [in a nasal shrill voice] And yes, everyone knows LotR really happened!

Maybe I should have said "Agnosticism in Ancient Rome" but it just wouldn't have had the same kind of impact I think Lucretius though, through his materialist atomism, comes pretty close to denying the existence of any supernatural deity.

Too bad he's nothing like his illustrious eponym.

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two words: Meiji Restoration. Japan became the little engine that could in less than half a century. From a feudal shogunate to a state constitution and a modern army in only a few decades. Now that's what I call a success story.

It would be interesting to know to what extent Dacian culture was influenced by the Greeks. Afterall, Plato has it that Zalmoxis (the Dacian supreme deity) had been a disciple of Pythagoras before being deified by his people.

Lucretius: "Too often in time past, religion has brought forth criminal and shameful actions. ...How many evils has religion caused!" "The nature of the universe has by no means been made through divine power, seeing how great are the faults that mar it." "All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher." "Fear was the first thing on earth to make gods." "Not they who reject gods are profane, but those who accept them." "We, peopling the void air, make gods to whom we impute the ills we ought to bear." "There is no murky pit of hell awaiting anyone. ...Mind cannot arise alone without body, or apart from sinews and blood. ...You must admit, therefore, that when the body has perished, there is an end also of the spirit diffused through it. It is surely crazy to couple a mortal object with an eternal and suppose that they can work in harmony and mutually interact." Others: "It is expedient that gods should exist; since it is expedient, let us believe that they do." (Ovid) "From the moment of death onward, the body and soul feel as little as they did before birth." (Pliny the Elder) "The superstitious man wishes he did not believe in gods, as the atheist does not, but fears to disbelieve in them." (Plutarch) "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." (Seneca) "It is for the good of states that men should be deluded by religion." (Statius) Please feel free to contribute with further examples or with thoughts and opinions.

I love those two Gaulish buggers! The humor, besides being dry and very French, is also kind of hard to get if you're not well versed in European history and mythology. Par Toutatis!

There is more factual accuracy in something like Lord of the Rings than there is in "300". The Persians it seems weren't even human (for the most part), and the masks worn by the Immortals were hilarious. It was fun to watch in Imax, but really it is almost completely devoid of any actual historical information.

As for the sex scenes, they were pretty mild; hardly the stuff to be called "porno".

I am pretty sure he did not actually die. Pullo makes it sound like he was lying to Augustus all the way (which would include the bit about Vorenus being dead). In any case it's very unlikely that he was able to survive the undoubtedly long and strenuous journey all the way from Egypt only to succumb in his own home bed like some old invalid. Now as far as this implies a 3rd season, I'm not so sure, but... Dum spiro, spero.

I beg to differ. The only bad thing about this episode was knowing it was the last one of the series. I know the show hasn't exactly been a history lesson (though it wasn't that far off either), but it has entertained, amused and generally delighted me so in the past few months. Pullo only lied out of loyalty to his friend (contrast with the early reprobate irresponsible Pullo), and I don't see how that is morally reprehensible. In fact I found it most amusing when "Octavian" says at one point about Lucius Vorenus that "[he] turned loyalty into a vice" (I'm quoting from memory). That is a very "unroman" thing to say if anything. Atia is obviously only loosely based on the eponymous historical character (who indeed was dead by the time of Augustus' triumph) The whole Caesarion swearing vengeance thing was a bit ridiculous, but in no way does it invalidate the great artistic accomplishments of the series. I am hoping (in vain, I know) for a third season, but HBO seems to take a sadistic pleasure in producing great shows and then canceling them only after 2 seasons (see Deadwood, Carnivale etc.)