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Octavian At The Dressing Table Within The Royal Palace In Alexandria
Seated at the dressing table of the suicided queen;
gazing into the last mirror that reflected her,
Octavian touches up his face (in Alexandria, the
excesses of legendary Egyptian vanity
do very often defeat Roman modesty).
He does not mind to berate the servants who await
his pleasure: "If, after you have put forth your
"best effort (and I do mean, a Herculean effort) to
"locate my Uncle's bastard whom he spawned on that whore,
"than simply find a local look-alike, an adolescent of
"similar age and build; and torture him to death. then
"mutilate the body beyond recognition, bury it, and
"sign the requisite affidavits and certificates. Really,
"think outside the crates with which History attempts to
"confine us; that is how Rome became great. Then if he
"shows up some future day claiming to be somebody, we
"crucify him as an imposter and poseur."
Starward
