Gaius Octavian (Rome Character) - Personality

Personality

Highly intelligent and well read, Octavian is a young man whose formidable mind marks him out even among the upper classes of Rome. His astute understanding of those around him makes him observant and lethally sharp in guessing the motives and intent of others. He is, however, cold and distant. He also displays a cynicism which is most likely a product of exposure to his amoral mother and the morally corrosive nature of Roman politics. He does however occasionally display his insecurities such as self-doubt in front of his sister (for whom he has sexual feelings) and Titus Pullo, to whom he admits his mediocre skills in physical combat, "I dare say I can kill a man, so long as he's not fighting back." He has already demonstrated this upon Pullo's rescue of him from being kidnapped by bandits hired by Pompey, when he beats to death an already heavily wounded bandit. His friendship with Pullo becomes a major plot point in the second season, with Octavian even entrusting to the soldier the assassination of the teenage Caesarion.

He is also well read in philosophy and is implied to be a monotheist and more specifically a deist (in contrast to his polytheistic society)--he does not believe in the Roman gods, but is open to the possibility of some kind of Prime Mover. He has political beliefs favoring rule by the people rather than the elite. Upon Lucius Vorenus asking why should the Republic be changed and the nobles out placed, Octavian counters by saying "Because the Roman people are suffering, because slaves have taken all the work, because nobles have taken all the land, and because the streets are filled with the homeless and the starving. Thus demonstrating a sense of compassion for the Roman people, but not so much for his own social class, the nobles. In the second season, his opinions evolve; it becomes obvious that he intends to establish a tyranny, and he sincerely advocates a harsh stance on issues of moral degeneration amongst the Roman elite - particularly his own family, with whom he shares a tense and manipulative relationship, frequently using them for political gain. He also orders, along with Mark Antony, the assassination of nearly a thousand senators and rich citizens, including Cicero and the father of Jocasta, primarily to obtain their wealth and also to eliminate his opponents in the Senate. Atia herself personally admits privately that she is responsible for her son's cruelty, after years of manipulating Octavian he changed from a good and honest child. Despite this, he seems to be motivated by genuine benevolence for the Roman people and moral outrage at the corruption of Roman society.

He is shown to have sadistic sexual tendencies; he mentions this to his fiance Livia, rather ashamed, that when they are married he will sometimes beat her with his hands or a light whip, citing that it's not out of anger, but it gives him sexual pleasure. Luckily, not only does Livia tolerate his predilection, but also shares his pleasure in it; the two engage in erotic asphyxiation and particularly violent sex.