Lucius Vorenus (character of Rome)

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Rome character
Lucius Vorenus
Name	Lucius Vorenus
Portrayed by	Kevin McKidd
Class	Plebeian
Family	Niobe (wife) Vorena the Elder (daughter) Vorena the Younger (daughter) Lucius (supposed grandson) Lyde (sister-in-law)
Allies	Gaius Julius Caesar Titus Pullo 13th Legion (Legio XIII Gemina) Roman Republic Mark Antony
Enemies	Erastes Fulmen
Appearances	The Stolen Eagle How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic An Owl in a Thornbush Stealing from Saturn The Ram has Touched the Wall Egeria Pharsalus Caesarion Utica Triumph The Spoils Kalends of February Passover Son of Hades These Being the Words of Marcus Tullius Cicero Testudo et Lepus (The Tortoise and the Hare) Heroes of the Republic Philippi Death Mask A Necessary Fiction Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop A Hungry Man) De Patre Vostro (About Your Father)

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 in public. Privately, however, Vorenus feels deeply and passionately, especially in matters concerning 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"), 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 primus pilus ("First Spear Centurion") 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.

When Vorenus first sees Niobe he becomes quickly angered to see her holding a baby, which he assumes is hers, though Niobe insists it is his own grandson. Vorenus grudgingly accepts the lie.

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 both due to his newfound popularity saving Titus Pullo from the arena and as a bodyguard for Caesar.

However, on the Ides of March, Vorenus is told the truth about Niobe and his "grandson" as part of the conspiracy against Caesar; to make him vulnerable for the ambush that awaits him in the Senate house. This truth being that his grandson is really Niobe's illegitimate son from an affair while Vorenus was in Gaul. Vorenus leaves Caesar's side to go home and confront Niobe, giving the conspirators (along with Mark Antony's delay outside the Senate house) their opening to assassinate Caesar. When Vorenus arrives to confront Niobe, she commits suicide, throwing herself off their two-story balcony.

Enraged by this discovery, Vorenus curses his family and storms off in a bewildered rage, leaving his children (Vorena the elder, Vorena the younger & Lucius) behind to prepare their deceased mother for an imminent funeral. Before Vorenus can return, Erastes Fulmen abducts the former's family as "repayment for [Vorenus'] many slights" against him. Not long after returning, Vorenus learns of the abduction and tracks down the gangster, confronting him about the abducted relatives. Erastes alleges he's raped and killed them all, which instantaneously results in Vorenus taking his head. At Antony's order, Vorenus then assumes Erastes' position as head of the Aventine to stop the power struggle. He has a falling out with Pullo and leaves with Antony. Vorenus' children are later revealed to be alive. Pullo tracks Vorenus down, and together they rescue them from a slave camp.

Vorenus resumes control of the Aventine upon his return, but leaves for Egypt with Antony when he learns of his children's hatred of him for killing their mother and cursing them. In Egypt, he appears to be the only Roman who does not descend into the debauchery and vice seemingly ubiquitous in Antony's court. Later, he assists Antony in committing suicide after Cleopatra fakes her own. In the aftermath of Octavian's victory, he flees Egypt with Caesarion (whom Octavian wished to murder) and meets up with Pullo, whom Octavian has dispatched to find them. He is wounded while fighting Octavian's soldiers at a miliatry checkpoint. Pullo brings him home to his children, who reluctantly forgive him. Pullo later states to Octavian that Vorenus "didn't make it." However, as Vorenus' death and/or body is never seen and Pullo lies to Octavian about the death of Caesarion, Vorenus' fate is ambiguous.