Imperial Image Written Sources

R.G 1

DIVI FILIUS

— “I liberated the republic” — Caesar known for opposing the republic

IMPERATOR

— “I raised an army” — inherited from Caesar

—“I liberated the republic which was being tyrannised by a faction” — Mark Antony was the faction, a) more impressive, b) open to interpretation either MA or Caesar

— “The people appointed me as consul” — maybe killed the consuls and marched on the senate + show election

R.G 2

DIVI FILIUS

“I drove into exile these men who had murdered my father” — Evokes sympathy for Caesar and he follows the mos maiorum by avenging his father, and distances himself from the idea of civil war partly as Caesar was associated with it and the Roman people suffered due to it

“legal means” Caesar was not renowned for his legality

IMPERATOR

“I drove into exile these men who had murdered my father” - “exile” = civil war, he is trying to appear civil contrasts with Ovid’s “Phillipi twice flowed with blood”

“avenging their deed by legal means” — yes, but according to Suetonius 10 only after they “foresaw the danger and fled”

R.G 3

DIVI FILIUS

“I pardoned all the citizens who asked for mercy” Clemency/ Clementia

“to all I assigned lands or gave money as rewards for military service” generous to veterans as Caesar was — avoids that he took land from

others

IMPERATOR

“waged wars on both land and sea […] as victor” - yes, but ignores Agrippa!!!

“I pardoned all the citizens who asked for mercy”  - He tortured 300 Pensians

R.G 15

DIVI FILIUS

“I paid out from my father’s will three hundred sesterces and, in my own name, four hundred sesterces from war booty.” — Followed Caesar’s will, and was even more generous

R.G. 21

DIVI FILIUS

“whenever I was named imperator, I did not accept the golden crown” — Caesar’s image revolved around the laurel crown

R.G. 34

DIVI FILIUS

“[after he’s named Augustus] the doors of my house were publicly clothed in laurel” — Even if he will not wear the crown, there’s some connection

SUETONIUS 7

DIVI FILIUS

His Various Names - adopted the name Gaius Caesar to comply with his great-uncle Julius Caesar’s will”

SUETONIUS 8

“Augustus followed [Caesar] … who quickly formed a high opinion of Augustus’ character”

SUETONIUS 9

“fought in five conflicts”

SUETONIUS 10

DIVI FILIUS

“Considered it his duty to avenge Caesar’s death”  — Augustus follows the mos maiorum, he is seen as a loyal son and heir

“The officials appointed to oversee Caesar’s victory games were afraid of doing so, he gave the games himself”

IMPERATOR

10 - “Acting on sundry advice, he hired assassins to murder Antony” — cowardly

Then, he “spent all he could muster on raising a force of veterans to protect himself and the state.” — not cowardly

“Augustus completed the military task entrusted to him in three months” (about Mutina) — efficient!

“Antony claimed that Augustus took to flight” — cowardly, but it’s Antony so…

“played the soldier’s part too […] shouldered the eagle of the legion, its bearer being wounded, and carried it for some time” — Image: - Bringer of unity and hope on the battlefield / Saviour of the wounded man / Heroic/ Brave, willing to fight and die with his people

SUETONIUS 11

IMPERATOR

“rumours spread that Augustus had engineered the fate of both Hiritus, who died fighting, and Pansa who died after the battle from a wound in order that […] he could take control of the various armies.” — Suggests illegitimate power “both consuls had fallen in war” is avoidant

METAMORPHOSES 15 The deification of Julius Caesar

DIVI FILIUS

“There is no greater achievement among Caesar’s actions than that he stood father to our emperor.” — a) a compliment to the greatness of Augustus b) hyperbole, Caesar did a great many things, exaggeration

“Therefore, in order for the emperor not to have been born of mortal seed, Caesar needed to be made a God.” a) a compliment, Augustus is so great that he must not be of mortal birth b) Thinly-veiled criticism, Augustus deified Caesar for his own advantage

“Venus, the golden mother of Aeneas […] grew pale” — reminds the reader of Caesar and Augustus’ extended heroic and divine ancestry

“gave no uncertain omens of imminent disaster […] stygian owl sounded its sad omens” — Apocalyptic vision of Rome in the wake of Caesar’s death, framing it as an injustice and suggesting that Augustus’ vengeance is carrying out the Gods’ just will

[Zeus to Venus]: “You and Augustus, his ‘son’, will ensure that he ascends to heaven as a god” — Emphasises Augustus’ divine links and his carrying out of the will of the Gods

[Zeus about Augustus]: “as the most courageous avenger of his father’s murder” — reinforces the divine will

The deification of Julius Caesar - “Philippi twice flow with blood” — a) his military victory in killing both Brutus and Cassius and avenging his father b) a brutal, violent image which goes against his ‘peaceful’ image

IMPERATOR

“Philippi twice flow with blood” — a) his military victory in killing both Brutus and Cassius b) a brutal, violent image which goes against his ‘peaceful’ image

“Wherever earth contains habitable land, it will be his; and even the sea will serve him!” — a) compliments his strength b) hyperbole, criticising his power

METAMORPHOSES 15 - Ovid’s celebration of Augustus

DIVI FILIUS

Caesar “delights in being surpassed by” Augustus and “to quote an example worthy of these two, so Saturn is less than Jove.” — a) they’re perfect and like Kronos and Zeus, powerful b) hyperbole, they forget their mortality in their power

IMPERATOR

“Earth is ruled by Augustus” — a) Augustus is powerful b) Presents him as too powerful, Tyrannical or monarchial

“I beg that the day be slow to arrive” — a) he’s great I hope he doesn’t die soon b) hyperbole, “beg” suggests an exaggerated desperation