Jordan Reid Berkow Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Rome of Augustus TF: Brian Jobe February 22, 2003 Caesar Augustus, Hero or Tyrant?: The Effects of Hindsight on Caesar's Portrayal of God Cassius Caesar Augustus, during the period of his reign as prince of the Roman people, he cultivated for himself an image of military valor, generosity, virtue and clemency. Velleius Paterculus' History of Rome, written only a few years after Augustus' death, paints a picture of Caesar that is imagined to be quite consistent with the way he wanted to be portrayed. Dio Cassius' History of Rome, written around 229 AD, presents a very different picture, portraying Augustus as an uncertain and domineering tyrant. The three ways in which the two authors, in their descriptions of the Battle of Actium, most prominently represent Caesar's differences are through his fighting style, his attitude towards his prisoners, and the attention given to his victory. Through these three vehicles, Velleius and Dio present versions of Caesar Augustus so radically different that it is almost impossible to reconcile the two into a coherent picture of who the man truly was. Caesar's fighting style and character as an adversary are described very differently by Velleius and Dio, with the former presenting Augustus as diplomatic and decisive, and the latter describing him more as an overbearing tyrant than a conquering hero. Velleius opens his description of the Battle of Actium by explicitly stating where his loyalty lies: “Caesar and Antony…fought, the one for safety, and the other for the ruin of the world” (SB 78). Although numerous sources question Augustus' military ability, Velleius explains Caesar's decision to leave direct action to generals such as Agrippa by stating that "Caesar, reserving himself for that part of the battle to which fortune called him, was present everywhere " (SB78). It was not, therefore, that Caesar was incapable of fighting at Agrippa's level, but rather that he was diplomatically prudent enough to delegate tasks when his services would have been more effective elsewhere. Dio's depiction of Caesar's fighting style couldn't be more different. When describing Caesar's attack on Antony's forces, he uses words such as "threatened," "provoked," and "harassed" (SB 139). He also presents Augustus as an uncertain and indecisive leader, stating twice that Caesar did not know how to proceed in the face of Antony's tactics (SB 140, 141). Caesar's fighting style and leadership abilities as represented by God, therefore, paint a far less noble picture of the courageous and heroic man described in the History of Velleius. Caesar's treatment of Antony's men after his victory is another topic treated in radically different ways by Velleius and Dio. Velleius places repetitive emphasis on Caesar's clemency, a trait that Caesar closely associated with himself, as can be seen in the Res Gestae. Velleius writes that "great clemency was shown in the victory; no one was put to death, and only a few were banished" (SB 78), and shortly after repeats this statement, writing that "it was in keeping with Caesar's fortune and his clemency that no one of those who had taken up arms against him were put to death by him, or by his order" (SB 79). setting fire to Antony's ships. While Velleius writes that Caesar shouted to Antony's men that Antony had deserted, urging them to surrender, "desiring.