Lucius Vorenus (character of Rome)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rome character | |
 |
|
| Lucius Vorenus | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lucius Vorenus |
| Class | Plebeian |
| Family | Niobe (wife) Vorena the Elder (daughter) Vorena the Younger (daughter) Lucius (supposed grandson) Lyde (sister-in-law) |
| Allies | Caesar Titus Pullo 13th Legion (Legio XIII Gemina) Roman Republic |
| Enemies | Erastes Fulmen |
| Appearances | 1-1 "The Stolen Eagle" 1-2 "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic" 1-3 "An Owl in a Thornbush" 1-4 "Stealing from Saturn" 1-5 "The Ram Has Touched the Wall" 1-6 "Egeria" 1-7 "Pharsalus" 1-8 "Caesarion" 1-9 "Utica" 1-10 "Triumph" 1-11 "The Spoils" 1-12 "Kalends of February" |
| Portrayed by | Kevin McKidd |
Lucius Vorenus is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Kevin McKidd. He is depicted as a staunch, traditional, Roman soldier, who struggles to balance his personal beliefs, his duty to his superiors, and the needs of his family and friends. The basis for this character is the historical Roman soldier of the same name, who is briefly mentioned in Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico.
[edit] Personality
The hard essence of a professional Roman soldier, proper (in the Roman sense). Honorable and severe, and a staunch traditionalist, he is unforgiving and pitiless when crossed. A dour and pragmatic man, with a tendency towards self-laceration, Vorenus can appear to be cold and unfeeling. This would not be a fair assessment; even though he is not given to great expression of emotion, he is a man of deep feeling as well as deep personal conviction and is dedicated to his family. He has also shown evidence of a temper which he seldom allows to get the better of him.
He struggles to balance the needs of family and friends, what he thinks is right, and the demands of his military/political superiors. Naturally this leads him into internal conflict, but Vorenus has shown that the needs of his family come first - although not without a personal cost.
[edit] Character history
Apart from the fact that he was born into the plebian class of Roman society, little is known of the early life of Lucius Vorenus. We may infer that his family was not rich, but seems to have had sufficient means to give Lucius an education (we see him trying to explain aspects of Roman Natural philosophy to Titus Pullo in "An Owl in a Thornbush").
We know that Lucius married Niobe when she was "young", by "special dispensation" from the Legion but Lucius does not seem to be much older than her. From the age of their eldest daughter (Vorena the Elder) when Lucius returns to his family in "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic" we know that Lucius and Niobe share some years together as a married couple.
When Julius Caesar begins his Gallic Wars, Lucius is forced to leave his family to serve in the 13th Legion (Legio XIII Gemina), and he will not see his wife and daughters again for another eight years.
Lucius shows himself to be a competent and respected soldier, rising through the ranks. When the series begins, we see him as a centurion (centurio secundi pili), at the Siege of Alesia, fighting in the front lines with his men, including Titus Pullo. Events do not bode well for the relationship between the two men, as in that battle, a drunk and crazed Pullo charges into the ranks of the Nervii in violation of orders and military discipline. Despite the fact that Vorenus leads the men to retrieve the encircled Pullo - an action during which Pullo decks Vorenus with a right hook - Vorenus is furious, and has Pullo flogged and condemned to death for his actions. (Note: This scene has parallels with the chapter in Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico in which the story of Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo is told, but it is not a direct re-enactment of historical events.)
When "blue Spaniards" (actually agents of Pompey) steal Caesar's battle standard (or Aquila, the eagle of "The Stolen Eagle"), and Mark Antony details Vorenus to find and retrieve it. Vorenus grants Pullo a reprieve to aid him reasoning that as he was directly ordered to make the attempt he must, but as the mission is doomed to failure, he need not disgrace another competent legionary - he will take Pullo instead.
Despite their differences, and setbacks, they surprisingly succeed not only in retrieving the standard, but in rescuing Octavian, nephew of Caesar, who had been captured by Gauls while travelling to visit his uncle with a gift of a magnificent white stallion.
Favored by Caesar, Vorenus (now promoted to Centurion (primus pilus) and Pullo are detailed to accompany Mark Antony back to Rome, where Antony is to be invested as a Tribune of the People (tribunus plebis) - giving Vorenus the opportunity to see his wife for the first time in nearly eight years.
Vorenus is promoted to praefectus evocatorum (ep. 1-5) before being asked to stand for election as a city magistrate by Julius Caesar (ep. 1-10). In episode 12, he is promoted to senator by Caesar.
