When Octavia finds Cleopatra in the tomb and he is wearing a ring - is that the ring of the son Caesar? Did she know her son was dead when she asked Octavia to make him the king of Egypt?
shareWhy are you saying Octavia?' And yes, when she saw the ring in Octavian's finger she knew her son was dead.
shareShe was willing to swear to Octavian on her son's life that she would not commit suicide. So, yes, she knew he was dead.
As far as I can remember, the ring began as Pompey's property, which was given to Caesar on his arrival in Alexandria, and which Caesar gave to Cleopatra, and which she gave to Caesarion when sending the boy away from Alexandria. The ring is highly significant to her because of who gave it to her, and why; and it's highly significant that this is her parting gift to Caesar's son.
Octavian is seen on his way to Cleopatra casually smiling as he just as casually swings the ring around his finger via the chain Cleopatra had used to hang the ring around her son's neck. So we already know that Octavian has killed the boy.
Octavian is likely unaware of the ring's history, but in a weird way, this object has lived through the entire adventure along with us, and there's an extra impact of seeing it on Octavian's finger - not only do we realize that Cleopatra, seeing the ring, knows her son is murdered, but we might feel a little chill: we first see the ring as a gift resulting from murder, and the last we see of it is a result of murder too; and both murders relate directly to Caesar's sensibility, morality, and affection. Caesar and Pompey have been "present" with us through the entire epic.
Octavian is likely unaware of the ring's history, but in a weird way, this object has lived through the entire adventure along with us, and there's an extra impact of seeing it on Octavian's finger - not only do we realize that Cleopatra, seeing the ring, knows her son is murdered, but we might feel a little chill: we first see the ring as a gift resulting from murder, and the last we see of it is a result of murder too; and both murders relate directly to Caesar's sensibility, morality, and affection. Caesar and Pompey have been "present" with us through the entire epic.
For you, perhaps. I liked it.
shareyou were not bored once?
shareNope. I was more interested in the Julius section than the Antony section, but I was never bored.
shareWhy? That is the most boring part and rEX Harrison's acting was horrific.
shareFor me, it was more interesting because of the meeting and clashing of minds between Cleopatra and Caesar. And I always like Harrison. I felt he acted well opposite Taylor and that they supported each other nicely.
share