Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Disparities in Healthcare Does Everyone Receive the Same...

Research shows that healthcare is not equal among all demographics and it is evident that throughout time, various groups of people have been taken advantage of by the medical community. In the United States, we believe that health care should not differ by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or geographic location. When these differences do exist, they are referred to as disparities. We see this when racial and ethnic minorities receive lower quality healthcare than whites, when age is a determinant of quality of care, when level of education or sexual orientation are taken into consideration or when a person is uninsured or must rely on government issued health coverage for care. It is important to understand that differences in†¦show more content†¦She thought since science could keep her mother’s cells alive, they ought to be able to make another Henrietta. Had Mrs. Lacks been white or affluent, her family quite possibly would have been informed of what doctors were doing. They were a simple family and medically and ethically, the medical community took advantage of this fact. Also revolving around HeLa cells were experiments performed on men in prison in the 1960s. They were directly injected with cancer cells to see if they developed cancer, what kind of cancer they developed and if the cancer was curable. Some of the men understood what was being done to them, but others did not. Those who did not know were not told. None of the inmates died as a result of the injected cancer cells. In an aim to abolish unfair and harmful practices, the Institutional Review Board was established to eliminate the inequality of medical experimentation on humans. Since the IRB began regulating biomedical and behavioral research the things that happened in the past are, with hope, not going to occur again. What exists now is an apparent inequality in the level of care some individuals receive. Disparities in health status and health care have been well documented, but solutions for reducing them are less clear. One reason is that the landscape of influences on health disparities is complex. The factors include individual socioeconomic circumstances such as level of education, income, wealth and occupation; physical andShow MoreRelatedSocial Determinants Of Health Care Healthcare Accessibility1375 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Determinants of Health Care—Healthcare Accessibility In this comparative case study, healthcare accessibility in the United Kingdom is researched assiduously in order to get a better understanding of the health inequalities that a myriad of refugees and minorities face on an everyday basis. In addition, it will focus on the notion of a social gradient and its impact in communities that are of the minority. Moreover, the research will discuss the associations between socioeconomic classificationsRead MoreThe Effects Of Culture On Health Care1642 Words   |  7 Pageshealth care disparities. Consequently, it is essential that health care organizations improve its cultural competency. Overall, the increased diversity in the population and the documented health care disparities have made cultural competency essential in order, to ensure that every patient receives quality health care services (Haynes, 2016). The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of culture on health care. Define the Role of Cultural Awareness in the Management of Health Care CultureRead MoreEssay about Healthcare Coverage: Unequal based on Wealth1967 Words   |  8 Pages In a perfect world all patients would receive the same level of healthcare and they would all be treated equally based on their illness. Although, living in a capitalist society not everything is meant to be equal. Our country was founded by settlers looking to escape from punitive taxation and were looking to be free from all other countries and start a new country. The United States is known as the place for people to chase the American Dream, where you work hard and the fruits of your laborRead MoreA Policy Regarding Women and HIV/AIDS: An Evaluation, Analysis, and Revision1557 Words   |  6 PagesPOLICY IN HEALTH CARE Health care services are one of the basic human rights that ensure that a person and society as a whole lives a healthy life. Health care policy making is necessary for educating and equipping individuals with knowledge and abilities to understand and improve their health standards. Many societies and states are developed as well as responsible enough that they comply with the ethical standards of offering health care to its people. However, the ethical standards are only looselyRead MoreHealthcare for All2461 Words   |  10 PagesHealthcare for all Introduction Access to health care is one of the human rights that is stipulated in the American constitution. It is also a priority as per the provisions of the World Health Organization. Provision of health care is not solely the work of the government. It is also facilitated by other organizations from the private sector such as health insurance providers and other non-governmental organizations ADDIN EN.CITE Reading20101085(Reading)1085108517Reading, Joshua P.Whos ResponsibleRead More Why We Need Universal Healthcare Essay1586 Words   |  7 PagesWhy We Need Universal Healthcare Many would argue that here, in the United States, we have the best healthcare in the world. We benefit from the most up to date medical technologies, medications, and services. People come from every corner of the world to take advantage of our top notch physicians and facilities. But is this reputation warranted, and if so, at what cost? The average annual cost per US resident is $7,681; this comprises 16.2% of our gross domestic product. These costs rank usRead MoreHealth Care And The Healthcare Industry3132 Words   |  13 Pageswithin health care has been a necessity that has permeated and become a large concern within the industry. While quality healthcare has been defined as doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right people and achieving the best possible results, many health care leaders struggle to transform their organizations to accurately fit this definition. This research paper examines different measure health care leaders can and have taken to enhance the quality of care within theRead MorePoor vs. Health Care2279 Words   |  10 PagesSOC320: M7A1 The Poor vs. Health Care It is prudent to keep in mind that the current system leaves million Americans without health insurance. There are many factors contributing to the poor care quality. Healthcare is too expensive already and barriers just contribute to Americans not getting proper medical care. Americans want the best possible healthcare they can get and they are demanding a basic necessity insurance coverage despite their circumstances. Health care insurance needs to be simplifiedRead MoreHealthcare Disparities Essay2200 Words   |  9 PagesDisparities in Healthcare Quality Jacqulin Johnson Kaplan University MT305-Health Care Organization and Delivery Professor Martha Jennings June 8, 2010 It is prudent to keep in mind that the current system leaves million Americans without health insurance. There are many factors contributing to the poor care quality. Healthcare is too expensive already and barriers just contribute to Americans not getting proper medical care. Americans want the best possible healthcare they can get andRead MoreEssay on The Inequality in Health Care Bases on Race and Ethnicity2245 Words   |  9 Pagesgov/minorityhealth/populations/remp.html ). Quality medical care is something that every person no matter what race they are should have access to. Research shows that there are great inequities in medical care due to one’s race. This has been a problem throughout history and it continues to today in the overall quality of medical care that minorities receive. In the past however, in addition to poor medical care, there were extreme examples of abuse of minorities by medical care professionals. People of the minority

Monday, December 16, 2019

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 10 Free Essays

string(68) " bright and passionate woman, who loves life, and wants to live it\." Jesus. What had I been thinking? I had to work today. Not only that, I had to work in ten minutes. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Blues CHAPTER 10 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I had no time for â€Å"real† clothing or makeup. With a sigh, I shape-shifted form, my robe giving way to gray slacks and an ivory blouse, hair and makeup suddenly done to my normal, immaculate perfection. Brushing my teeth and adding perfume could not be faked, and after performing those tasks, I grabbed my purse and sprinted out. When I reached my lobby, the desk clerk called out to me. â€Å"Got something for you.† He handed over a flat parcel. Still conscious of the time, I quickly tore at the wrapping and stifled a gasp at what I found. Black Velvet Paint by Number Kit, read the package. A subheading proclaimed: Create Your Own Masterpiece! Contains Everything You Need to Paint Just Like a Real Artist! The â€Å"masterpiece† I could create depicted a desert landscape with a giant cactus to one side and a howling coyote on the other. An eagle soared in the sky, and a ghostly, disembodied Native American head floated nearby. Terribly stereotyped and cheesy. A small piece of paper had been taped to it. Start small, the note said. Love, Roman. The writing was so perfect as to be unreal. I was still chuckling when I got to work. In my office, I settled in front of the computer and discovered a second morning surprise: another e-mail from Seth. It had been sent at five in the morning. Georgina, A few years ago, while writing Gods of Gold, I met a woman at a class I took on South American archaeology. I don’t know how it is for women; it’s probably not even always the same for us men. But for me, when I meet someone I’m attracted to, time stands still. The planets come into alignment, and I stop breathing. The angels themselves descend to sit upon my shoulders, whispering promises of love and devotion while less heavenly creatures whisper promises of an earthier, baser nature. I guess that’s part of being a man. Anyway, that was what happened with this woman. We fell pretty hard for each other and dated off and on for a very long time. Some days we wouldn’t be able to leave each other’s side for more than a minute, and then later, months would go by without any sort of contact. I have to confess, this latter behavior was more my fault than hers. I mentioned before that Cady and O’Neill are demanding. During phases when I was hot into my writing, I wouldn’t be able to think about or do anything else that didn’t involve my novel. I knew it hurt her – knew she was the kind of person who wanted to settle down and start a family, live a quiet and committed life. I was not that kind of person – I’m not even sure I am now – but I liked the idea of always having someone around, someone reliable who I could call up when I was finally ready to make time. It really wasn’t fair to do that to her, always leave her hanging like that. I should have ended things early on, but I was too selfish and too comfortable. One day, after not having spoken to her in a few months, I called her up and was astonished to hear a man answer the phone. When she came on the line, she told me she’d met someone else and wouldn’t be able to see me anymore. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I started rambling, going on and on about how much I cared for her, how she couldn’t throw away what we had. She took it all pretty nicely, considering what a psycho I must have sounded like, but in the end, she closed things by saying I shouldn’t have expected her to wait forever. She had her own life to live. The reason I share this embarrassing tale from the canon of Seth Mortensen is twofold. First, I need to apologize to you for what happened tonight. In spite of my grumblings, I really did intend to meet you. A couple hours before the game, I ran home to get something and suddenly thought of a solution to the snag that had been blocking me all day. I sat down to write, only planning to spend an hour on it. As you might be guessing by now, it took a lot longer than that. I got so caught up that I completely forgot about the game – and about you. I never heard my phone ring. I wasn’t aware of anything else except getting the story out on paper (or rather, my screen). This, I’m afraid, is a problem I frequently have. It happened with my ex, it happens with my family, and unfortunately, it happened with you. Don’t even get my brother started about how I nearly missed his wedding. The worlds and people in my head are so alive to me that I lose track of the real world. Sometimes I’m not even convinced Cady and O’Neill’s world isn’t the real one. I never mean to hurt people, and I feel terrible afterward, but it is a failing I can’t seem to overcome. None of this justifies abandoning you last night, but I hoped this might offer some insight into my unbalanced worldview. Please understand how very sorry I am. My second reason for the memoir is to address your comment about Cady â€Å"getting some.† In thinking about her and O’Neill, I decided that Cady wasn’t the kind of person who would wait around forever either. Now, don’t get me wrong: I don’t think Cady and my ex-girlfriend have a lot in common. Cady isn’t looking to settle in the suburbs and pick out curtains with O’Neill. But, she is a bright and passionate woman, who loves life, and wants to live it. You read "Succubus Blues CHAPTER 10" in category "Essay examples" A lot of people were upset to see her break out of her devoutly chaste, puppy-at-O’Neill’s-side role, but I think she had to do it. Let’s face it: O’Neill takes her for granted, and he needed a wake-up call. Now, does this mean steps are being made to finally bring them together, as so many readers have asked? Naturally, as their creator, my lips are sealed on that, but I can say this: I have a lot more books with them in mind, and readers tend to lose interest when protagonists hook up. – Seth P.S. – By the way, I bought the condo. Mistee was so excited that she took me on the spot, and we made love all over the granite countertops. P.P.S. – All right, I’m making up that last part. Like I said, I’m a man. And a writer. My eyes still heavy with sleep, I sluggishly pondered the letter’s message. Seth had had a serious girlfriend. Wow. That shouldn’t have surprised me, especially considering the sex scenes he wrote. I mean, he couldn’t have pulled them all out of imagination. Still, it was hard to picture introverted Seth participating in all the social exchanges normally required of a long-term relationship. And then the other part, his reasons for not showing. What to think of those? He was right in saying his burst of inspiration was no excuse for what he had done. The explanation did take away some of the sting, however, moving him from rude to simply thoughtless. No, maybe thoughtless was too harsh. Scattered, that was it. Perhaps scattered wasn’t such a bad thing, I mused, since ignoring the real world allowed him to work on the written one. I just didn’t know. I pondered all this for the rest of the morning, my anger from last night growing cold in the wake of time passing and my speculation on a brilliant writer’s mind. By the time lunch rolled around, I realized I had gotten over the hockey mishap. He had not intended the neglect, and it wasn’t like my night had turned out too badly after all. Around late afternoon, Warren came trolling around. â€Å"No,† I said immediately, recognizing the look in his eyes. I hated his presumption, yet always found myself eerily drawn to it. â€Å"I’m in a terrible mood.† â€Å"I’ll make you feel better.† â€Å"I told you, I’m too bitchy.† â€Å"I like you bitchy.† The succubus feeding instinct began waking up. I swallowed, annoyed at it and my own weakness. â€Å"And I’m really busy. There are†¦ things†¦ I should do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My excuse sounded halfhearted, though, and Warren apparently recognized that. He walked over to me and knelt by my chair, running a hand over my thigh. I wore thin, silky slacks, and the feel of his fingers stroking me through that smooth material was almost more sensual than on bare skin. â€Å"How was your date the other night?† he murmured, moving his mouth up to my ear and then my neck. I arched my head obligingly, in spite of my best resistance, liking the way his mouth grew fiercer against my skin, his teeth just teasing me. He was far from being a boyfriend but was still the closest I had to any sort of consistent relationship. That meant something. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"Did you fuck him?† â€Å"No. I slept alone, alas.† â€Å"Good.† â€Å"He’s coming back tonight, though. For the dance lesson.† â€Å"Really?† Warren unbuttoned the top two buttons of my blouse, revealing a pale pink lace bra. His fingertips traced the shape of one of my breasts, following its inner curve down to where it met the other one. Then he moved his hand up to that breast, playing with the nipple through the lace. I closed my eyes, surprised at my swelling desire. After helping Hugh close the contract with Martin, I wouldn’t have thought I’d need a fix so soon. Yet, the hunger tugged ever so slightly within me, mingled with lust. Pure instinct. â€Å"We’ll introduce him to Maria.† Maria was Warren’s wife. The thought of passing Roman off on her was too funny. â€Å"You sound jealous,† I teased. I pulled Warren toward me, and he responded by pushing me on top of the desk. I moved my hands down to unfasten his pants. â€Å"I am,† he grunted. Leaning over, he pulled the bra down to bare my breasts and lowered his mouth to one of the nipples. He hesitated. â€Å"Are you sure you didn’t fuck him?† â€Å"I think I’d remember something like that.† A knock sounded at the door, and Warren hastily sprang away from me, pulling up his pants. â€Å"Shit.† I, too, sat up and returned to my chair. With Warren’s eyes on the door, I quickly used some more shape-shifting to neaten myself up and rebutton my blouse. Satisfied we were both decent, I called, â€Å"Come in.† Seth opened the door. I clamped down on my jaw, lest it drop open in astonishment. â€Å"Hi,† said Seth, looking back and forth between Warren and me. â€Å"I didn’t mean to interrupt.† â€Å"No, no, you aren’t,† Warren assured him, clicking into public relations mode. â€Å"We were just having a quick meeting.† â€Å"Not a very important one,† I added. Warren gave me a droll look. â€Å"Oh,† said Seth, still appearing like he wanted to bolt. â€Å"I just came by to see if maybe†¦ you wanted lunch. I†¦ e-mailed you about what happened.† â€Å"Yeah, I read it. Thanks.† I smiled at him, hoping to silently communicate that all was forgiven. The worried look on his face was so heart-wrenching that I felt certain his conscience had suffered more than my ego last night. â€Å"Excellent idea,† boomed Warren. â€Å"Let’s all go get some lunch, shall we? Georgina and I can meet again later.† â€Å"I can’t.† I reminded him about how short-staffed we were and how I was needed for coverage. He scowled when I finished. â€Å"Why haven’t we hired anyone?† â€Å"I’m working on it.† Warren ended up just taking Seth out – something the writer seemed highly uneasy about – and I was left alone, feeling abandoned. I would have half liked to hear what else Seth had to say about writing taking over his life. I might have even liked getting laid. Neither was to be. Ah, the injustices of the universe. I apparently had one karmic favor left, however. Around four, Tammi – the red-haired girl from Krystal Starz – showed up to solve my staffing problem. As suggested, she brought a friend. After a quick interview, I felt satisfied by their competency. I hired them on the spot, pleased to have one task taken off my list. When the store finally closed later, those few hours of sleep were catching up with me more fiercely. I felt in no mood to teach a dance lesson. Realizing I needed to change, I closed the office door and shape-shifted my outfit for the second time that day. It felt like cheating, as always. For dancing I selected a sleeveless dress, clingy through the bodice and flowing through the skirt – just right for twirls. Colored in blending hues of peach and orange, I hoped the dress would warm my mood up. I also hoped no one had noticed I hadn’t carried a change of clothes in with me this morning. On the overhead speakers, I heard one of the cashiers make the announcement that the store had closed, just as another knock sounded on my door. I called an entry, wondering if it might be Seth again, but Cody appeared this time. â€Å"Hey,† I said, forcing a smile. â€Å"Are you ready for this?† I had taught Cody to swing dance a year or so ago, and he had picked it up remarkably well, probably half due to vampire reflexes. As a result, I had – against his better judgment – recruited him to be my coteacher in these impromptu lessons for the staff. He kept claiming he was no good, but in both lessons so far, he’d proven remarkably efficient. â€Å"What? Dancing? Yeah. No problem.† I glanced around, ascertaining we were alone. â€Å"Any more weird occurrences?† Cody shook his head, blond hair framing it like a lion’s mane. â€Å"No. It’s been pretty quiet. Maybe I was overreacting.† â€Å"Better safe than sorry,† I advised, feeling like somebody’s cliched grandmother. â€Å"What are you doing after this?† â€Å"Meeting Peter at a bar downtown. You want to come with us?† â€Å"Sure.† We’d all be safer as a group. The door pushed open, and Seth stuck his head inside. â€Å"Hey, I – oh, I’m sorry,† he stammered, catching sight of Cody. â€Å"I didn’t mean to interrupt.† â€Å"No, no,† I said, waving him inside. â€Å"We were just talking.† I gave Seth a curious look. â€Å"What are you still doing here? Are you staying for the lesson?† â€Å"Er, well I, that is, Warren invited me to†¦ but I don’t think I’ll actually dance. If that’s okay.† â€Å"Not dance? What are you going to do then, watch?† I demanded. â€Å"Be like a voyeur or something?† Seth gave me a sage look, appearing for the first time in a while like the guy who had written the comic observations about real estate agents and old girlfriends. The guy I’d once engaged in a stumbling flirtation with. â€Å"I’m not that desperate. Not yet, anyway. But it’s really safer if I don’t dance. For those around me.† â€Å"That’s what I used to say until she made me try it,† remarked Cody, clapping me on the shoulder. â€Å"Just wait until you’ve been in Georgina’s capable hands. You’ll never be the same.† Before any of us could acknowledge that suggestive comment, Doug appeared behind Seth, outfitted as his grunge band self rather than assistant manager self. â€Å"Hey, are we getting this party started or what? I came back here today just for this lesson, Kincaid. You better make the trip worth my while. Hey, Cody.† â€Å"Hey, Doug.† â€Å"Hey, Seth.† â€Å"Hey, Doug.† I groaned. â€Å"All right. Let’s do this.† We left en masse for the cafe, where tables were being moved to give us space. I introduced Cody and Seth along the way. They shook hands briefly, the young vampire looking at me meaningfully when he realized just which Seth this must be. â€Å"You sure you aren’t going to dance?† I asked the writer, still puzzled by his obstinacy. â€Å"Nope. Just doesn’t feel right.† â€Å"Yeah, well, after the shitty day I’ve had, running this shindig doesn’t feel right to me either, but we all endure. Put on the happy face and go, you know?† Seth looked like he didn’t know, only giving me a small, bemused smile. A moment later, that smile dimmed slightly. â€Å"You said you got the e-mail†¦ did it†¦ do you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It’s fine. Forget about it.† His bizarre social habits might not mesh with mine, but I couldn’t stand seeing him worry anymore about last night. â€Å"Honestly.† I patted his arm, gave him my Helen of Troy smile, then turned my attention to the scene upstairs. Most of the staff who’d worked today milled around, along with a few others who, like Doug, had come back. Warren and his wife waited with them, and so did Roman. He approached with a smile when he saw me, and I felt a faint wave of lust sweep me, independent of any succubus feeding. As good-looking as ever, he wore black slacks and a teal shirt that gleamed like his eyes. â€Å"Group date, huh?† â€Å"For my safety. I’ve always found it best to keep a few dozen chaperones on hand.† â€Å"You’ll need a few dozen more in that dress,† he warned in a low voice, those eyes molesting me from head to toe. I flushed, taking a few steps away from him. â€Å"You’ll have to wait your turn, like everyone else.† Turning away from him, I inadvertently made eye contact with Seth. He had obviously overheard the brief exchange. My blush deepening, I fled both of them for the center of the floor, Cody in tow. Putting on the so-called â€Å"happy face,† I pushed my long day out of my mind and grinned at my coworkers’ whoops and cheers. â€Å"All right, gang, let’s get going. Doug’s in kind of a hurry and wants to finish this up as quickly as possible. I understand that’s pretty standard for him in a lot of matters – especially romantic ones.† This elicited both positive and negative catcalls from the crowd, as well as an obscene gesture from Doug. I reintroduced Cody, who was less comfortable with the attention than I was, and began sizing up the group. We had more women than men, per usual, and a wide range of skill levels. I split couples up accordingly, putting especially adept women with other women since I felt confident they could dance the male part for this practice and switch effortlessly later. I didn’t have such faith in everybody; some of them still struggled to follow a beat. Consequently, I started the lesson by reviewing from last time, turning on the music and making everyone practice basic steps. Cody and I monitored, making minor adjustments and suggestions. My tension from the long day eased slightly as I worked the crowd. I loved swing dancing, had loved it when it first emerged in the early twentieth century, and had been thrilled when its revival came around recently. I knew it was going out of style again, which was part of the reason I wanted to pass on the knowledge to others. Not knowing Roman’s level of expertise, I’d placed him with Paige, a pretty skilled dancer. After watching them a minute or so, I shook my head and approached. â€Å"You hustler,† I chastised. â€Å"You acted all nervous about dancing, but in reality, you’re a pro.† â€Å"I’ve done it a few times,† he admitted modestly, taking her into a turn I hadn’t taught them yet. â€Å"Stop that. I’m splitting you guys up. Your skills are needed elsewhere.† â€Å"Oh come on,† pleaded Paige. â€Å"Let me keep him. It’s about time we had a man around here who knows what he’s doing.† Roman cut me a glance. â€Å"She said it, not me.† I turned my eyes heavenward and reassigned them to new partners. After a bit more supervising, I grew satisfied with the whole group’s prowess, convinced I’d see little change. Deciding to move on, Cody and I taught them lindy kicks next. Not surprisingly, chaos soon broke out. The gifted in the group picked the move up right away, those who had struggled previously continued to struggle, and some who had performed fine with the basic steps and turns now fell completely apart. Cody and I moved through the dancers, doing damage control, offering our words of wisdom. â€Å"Keep the tension in your wrist, Beth – not too much, though. Don’t hurt yourself.† â€Å"Count, damn it! Count! The beats are still the same as before.† â€Å"Keep facing your partner†¦ don’t lose track of her.† My role as teacher consumed me, and I loved it. Who cared about vampire hunters and the eternal struggles of good and evil? I caught sight of Seth sitting off to the side, just as he’d vowed. â€Å"Hey, voyeur, still just want to watch?† I chided, breathless and excited from running all over the makeshift dance floor. He shook his head, a faint smile playing across his features as he studied me. â€Å"Plenty to see from here.† Standing up from his chair, he leaned forward in a familiar sort of way, startling me when his hand reached out and pushed up a dress strap that had slipped off my shoulder down to my arm â€Å"There,† he pronounced. â€Å"Perfect.† Goose bumps rose on my flesh at his touch, his fingers warm and gentle. For just a moment, a look I hadn’t seen before crossed his face. It made him look less like the distracted writer I’d come to know and more†¦ well, male. Admiring. Considering. Maybe even predatory. The look was gone as quickly as it had come, though I still felt taken aback. â€Å"Keep an eye on that strap,† warned Seth mildly. â€Å"You’ve got to make him work for it.† He inclined his head slightly toward some dancers, and I followed the motion to see Roman walking one of the baristas through a complex step. I admired Roman’s graceful moves a moment before turning back to Seth. â€Å"It’s not that hard. I can teach you.† I held up a hand by way of invitation. He looked as though he might agree but shook his head at the last second. â€Å"I’d make a fool of myself.† â€Å"Ah yes, and sitting here alone, while everyone else dances and we’re short of men – yes, that doesn’t make you look foolish at all.† He gave a soft laugh. â€Å"Maybe.† When no other explanation came, I shrugged and returned to the dance floor, continuing my instruction. Cody and I added a couple new tricks, assisted in more practice, and finally stood off to the side admiring our pupils. â€Å"Think they’ll be ready for the Moondance ?† he asked. The Moondance Lounge was a ballroom dance club that hosted monthly swing dance nights. We considered this group’s appearance there to be the ultimate triumph of graduation. â€Å"One more lesson, I think. Then we can take them out in public.† An arm caught me around the waist, pulling me onto the dance floor. I recovered my footing quickly, falling in step with Roman as he spun me into an intricate turn. A few people nearby stopped to watch. â€Å"It’s my turn to be teacher’s pet,† he admonished. â€Å"I’ve hardly seen you all night; I don’t think this counts as a date.† I let him lead me around flamboyantly, curious as to just how good he really was. â€Å"You’re always changing what you want,† I complained. â€Å"First you just want to go out, now you say you actually want to be alone with me. You need to pick a story and stick with it. Be more specific.† â€Å"Ah, I see. No one told me that.† He led me into a reverse whip, and I followed through flawlessly, earning a grudging look of approval from him. â€Å"I don’t suppose there’s a Georgina Kincaid Instruction Manual around somewhere to help me avoid these embarrassing blunders in the future.† â€Å"We sell them downstairs.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† He began improvising steps now, and I enjoyed the challenge of second-guessing where he would go. â€Å"Is there a page on how to woo the fair Georgina?† â€Å"Page? Hell, there’s a whole chapter.† â€Å"Required reading, I’d imagine.† â€Å"Definitely. Hey, thanks for the paint by number.† â€Å"I expect to see that on your wall the next time I’m over.† â€Å"With that horrible Native American stereotype? The next time you see it will be on the ACLU’s hit list.† He spun me out into a flourish-filled ending, much to the delight of everyone else. They had long since stopped dancing to watch me make a spectacle of myself. I felt slightly self-conscious but shrugged it off, savoring the moment, taking Roman’s hand to bow luridly to my coworkers’ applause. â€Å"Get ready,† I announced, â€Å"because that’s going to be next week’s exam.† Cheers and laughter continued, but as they faded and the group dispersed for the night, Roman persisted in holding on to my hand, his fingers laced with mine. I didn’t mind. We walked around, making small talk and saying goodbyes. â€Å"You want to go get a drink?† he asked me, once we were momentarily alone. I turned toward him, standing close, studying those gorgeous features. In the now-warmed-up room, I could strongly smell his perspiration mingled with cologne, and it made me want to bury my face in his neck. â€Å"I want to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began slowly, wondering if alcohol and raw animal lust would be a wise combination with someone I wanted to avoid sleeping with. Looking beyond him, I caught Cody’s eye. He was talking earnestly with Seth, which I found odd. Suddenly, I remembered my earlier promise to go meet the vampires at the bar. â€Å"Damn,† I muttered. â€Å"I don’t think I can.† Still holding Roman’s hand, I led him over to Cody and Seth. They stopped talking. â€Å"I feel left out,† joked Cody a moment later. â€Å"I saw you do some stuff just now that you never taught me.† â€Å"You were supposed to have been doing it for homework.† I cocked my head in consideration. â€Å"Have you met Roman, Cody? Or you Seth?† I made quick introductions around, and they all politely shook hands, guy-style. Once that was done, Roman settled his hand comfortably on my waist. â€Å"I’m trying to get Georgina to have a drink with me. But I think she’s playing hard to get.† Cody smiled. â€Å"I don’t think she’s playing.† I looked apologetically at Roman. â€Å"I told Cody I’d meet him and another friend tonight.† The young vampire made a wave of dismissal. â€Å"Forget about it. Go have fun.† â€Å"Yeah, but – † I cut myself off and made significant eye contact with him  §?la Jerome and Carter. I didn’t want Cody to go off alone, lest he be targeted by the vampire hunter, but I could hardly say that in front of the others. â€Å"Take a cab,† I said at last. â€Å"Don’t walk.† â€Å"Okay,† he said automatically. Too automatically. â€Å"I mean it,† I warned. â€Å"Yes, yes,† he muttered. â€Å"Do you want to call it for me?† I rolled my eyes at him, then suddenly remembered Seth’s presence. Feeling kind of embarrassed with him standing there while we all made plans, I wondered if I should offer to invite him along or send him with Cody. As though reading my mind, Seth bluntly declared, â€Å"Well, I’ll see you guys later.† He turned around and left before any of us could answer. â€Å"Is he mad or something?† asked Cody after a moment. â€Å"I think that’s just the way he is,† I explained, not sure I’d ever understand the writer. â€Å"Weird.† Roman turned back to me. â€Å"Ready to step out?† Seth quickly left my mind. Roman and I walked over to a small restaurant across the street from Emerald City, sitting together on one side of a booth. I ordered my vodka gimlet, and he got brandy. When our drinks arrived, he asked, â€Å"Should I be jealous of anyone back there?† I chuckled. â€Å"You don’t know me well enough or have any claims on me to worry about jealousy yet. Don’t jump the gun here.† â€Å"I suppose not,† he agreed. â€Å"Still, famous writers and suave, young dance partners are certainly exalted company.† â€Å"Cody’s not that young.† â€Å"Young enough. Is he a close friend?† â€Å"Close enough. Not romantically close, if that’s what you’re still driving at.† Roman and I had snuggled together in the booth, and I gave him a playful poke in the ribs. â€Å"Quit worrying about my acquaintances. Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about the world of linguistics.† I meant it half-jokingly, but he complied, explaining his specialty – classical languages, ironically enough. Roman knew his material well, speaking about it with the same wit and cleverness used in his flirtations. I followed these explanations avidly, enjoying the opportunity to engage in a topic few others knew anything about. Unfortunately, I had to taper my participation, lest I show just how well versed in the subject I truly was. It might look a little weird if a bookstore manager knew more about an area of study than someone who had made a career out of it. Throughout this whole gripping discourse, Roman and I stayed in contact – arms, hands, and legs touching. He never tried to kiss me, for which I was grateful, as that would have been walking into dangerous territory. We were really on an ideal date for me: stimulating banter and as much physical contact as a succubus could safely handle. Our flirty conversation flowed effortlessly, like reading from a script. Our drink flew by in an eye blink, and before I knew it, we stood back outside, parting ways and making arrangements for another date. I attempted my protests, but both of us could see how weak they were. He kept claiming I owed him a real, unchaperoned outing. Standing there with him, warmed by his presence, I felt surprised at how badly I wanted that date. The thing about sparing nice guys was that I always ended up lonely. Looking up at Roman, I decided then that I wanted to put off being lonely again – just for a little while. So I agreed to go out again, ignoring the mental warning bells this decision set off. His face lit up, and I thought he would definitely try a mouth kiss now. My heart thumped loudly at the prospect, scared and eager. Apparently my previous neurotic rants about not getting too close hit home, however. He merely held my hand, finally brushing his lips across my cheek in a kiss that was barely a kiss. He wandered off into the streets of Queen Anne, and a moment later, I walked the half-block back to my apartment. When I reached my door, I discovered a note taped to it. My name, done in beautiful, heavily inked calligraphy, lay scrawled across the surface. An apprehensive coldness ran through me. The note read: You are a beautiful woman, Georgina. Beautiful enough, I think, to even tempt angels into falling – something that doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should anymore. Beauty such as yours is effortless, however, when you can make it anything you like. Your large friend, unfortunately, doesn’t have such luxury, which is a damned shame after what happened today. Fortunately, he works in the right business to correct any damage to his appearance. I stared at the note like something that might bite me. It bore no name, of course. Ripping it off the door, I hurried into my apartment and picked up the phone. I dialed Hugh’s number without hesitation. With the references to â€Å"large† and â€Å"right business,† he was the only one the note could be referring to. His phone rang and rang before giving way to an answering machine. Annoyed, I dialed his cell number. After three rings, an unknown female voice answered. â€Å"Is Hugh Mitchell there?† There was a long pause. â€Å"He†¦ can’t talk right now. Who is this, please?† â€Å"This is Georgina Kincaid. I’m his friend.† â€Å"I’ve heard him talk about you, Georgina. This is Samantha.† The name didn’t mean anything to me, nor did I have the patience for this runaround. â€Å"Well, can I please talk to him then?† â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her voice sounded strained, upset. â€Å"Georgina, something bad happened today†¦Ã¢â‚¬  How to cite Succubus Blues CHAPTER 10, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Roman Aristocracy free essay sample

What virtues and attainments defined the Roman aristocrat in the Republic? How, if at all, did this conception of the aristocrat change during the empire? Select one biography, by either Suetonius or Plutarch: discuss its subject’s successes and failures in realizing the appropriate aristocratic ideal. Include in your essay some consideration of the importance placed on this matter by the biography’s author (that is, is the matter of aristocratic excellence relevant to the biography, and, if so, in what ways? If not, why not? ) What virtues and attainments defined the Roman aristocrat in the Republic? How, if at all, did this conception of the aristocrat change during the empire? The aristocracy of Rome has changed with the transition from the Republic to the Empire. This can be seen through analyzing funeral epitaphs, such as the epitaph of the Scipionic family and the epitaph of Publius Plautius Pulcher. Virtues of the aristocracy in the Republic were mainly focused on virtus and gloria; they attained such precedence by maintaining the achievements of their ancestors and upholding their status as the nobilitas. We will write a custom essay sample on Roman Aristocracy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page During the empire virtues and attainments of the nobility did not change completely, they merely altered to the new setting of imperialist Rome. Becoming a great man in Imperial Rome was somewhat harder, but still achievable as can be observed from the biography of Gnaeus Julius Agricola written by Tacitus. Suetonius’ life biography of the Deified Julius Caesar clearly shows the aristocratic ideal. Caesar’s success is extensively remarked upon showing that aristocracy excellence is relevant to the biography. The Roman aristocracy was an important part of Rome and analyzing their change is an appropriate way to understand the change from the Republic to the Empire. Roman aristocracy in the Republic was known under the term nobilitas, or nobility. It was a combination of leading Patrician and Plebeian families who had leading positions in the political powers of Rome. The aristocracy was simply a political aristocracy,1 those who held office in politics were those of great status in Rome. Nobilitas in the first century BC was limited to families that had consular lineage; it became a birthright. 2 New men, novi homines, were not easily accepted into the aristocracy,3 they did not come from well-known families who had already achieved great things; the aristocracy looked down on those without great ancestry lineage, they had no standing in politics. The introduction of new men created a possible balance but few advanced to significant positions of power. This lead to a small percentage of Rome’s population holding all the power; around twenty powerful families controlled Rome’s politics along with armies, provinces and the policy of Rome. 4 They had almost complete control of all politics in Rome. 5 There was a fierce competition for power and glory especially with few political positions available. It is important to understand that the aristocracy of the Republic did not achieve political and military success for wealth nor for superiority over the common people. Wealth was not an incentive for the aristocracy; it was not their nature to be greedy and to accumulate wealth in ways that would be looked down on. Wealth was of course a must for the aristocracy but it had to be gained by honest means. They did not deal in trade or business, and regarded those occupations with distaste. 6 The aristocracy either had to inherit a large sum of money or negotiate in profitable land investments. 7 Aristocracy received no privileges; they were technically equal before the law to the same standard of a common Roman man. Only the Patricians were awarded a few decorative privileges. 8 It was power and prestige that was paramount in the aristocrat’s life. 9 Power remained in the aristocracies’ hands due to the clientela relationship. All citizens had a patron, many of whom stemmed from a noble family; it was the patrons’ job to look after their clients in return for political support. 10 This clientela system was important, as the clients were the voters for who in the aristocratic class received certain political positions. A greater client base enhanced the nobles’ political success by increasing their number of votes. The clients were pleased with this arrangement as long as stability and freedom were secured. 11 The clientela system had similarities to the process of lobbying observed today in many modern democracies. If the nobility could uphold these benefits to the ordinary Romans, all would be well. This relationship enabled the Roman elite to control not only Rome, but also the rest of Italy and its allies giving the aristocrats more prestige and influence in the political scene. 12 In the Republic, aristocracy followed two main virtues, virtus and gloria and displays of these two virtues defined one as a great man, honoring ones ancestors and progeny. Virtus can be translated in many different ways depending on what it concerns. The most common translation is ‘manliness’ but it can also be associated with prayer, money or the quality of man. 13 In context to the Roman aristocrat it was in relation to the individuals glory and greatness one attained from serving the Roman state. 14 Virtus could also be gained by the good conduct of the aristocracy. 15 Their morals in the second BC had been tainted by debauchery but they still prided themselves on not fighting their wars with money, reward or trickery. 16 Aristocracy had to aspire to live in an honourable way and commit oneself to fides, good faith, to earn more virtus for ones family. 17 Gloria, the second most important virtue of Roman aristocracy, was acquired when one gained an excellent reputation through brave deeds. One had to have a good reputation and be a good man to achieve gloria and â€Å"†¦was awarded by the political class for political achievements†18 If both virtues were exhibited one attained honos, bestowing honor on your family. To achieve pride in your family you had to devote your life to military and public service. 19 The Scipionic epitaphs reflect both these virtues; Lucius Cornelius Scipio displayed his virtus through his courage in military success â€Å"†¦he captured Taurasia and Cisauna in Samnium†(ILS 1) plus he went on to achieve in politics â€Å"†¦he was aedile, consul, and censor among you†(ILS 1) Another Lucius Cornelius Scipio attained the virtues of virtus and gloria by his individual political and military attainments â€Å"†¦he was aedile, consul and censor†¦this man captured Corsica and the city of Aleria†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (ILS 23) he was also pious and dedicated a temple to the Goddess of Weather. This display of political and military success proved that the Scipio’s had achieved virtus and gloria and honored their family as the proper aristocrat should. It was not Roman custom to speak ill of the dead, but it is clear in some cases like Publius Cornelius Scipio that some aristocrats did not achieve greatness. Publius’s epitaph envisions what he could of achieved had he not been short lived â€Å" if you had been allowed to enjoy a longer life, you would of easily have surpassed the glory of your ancestors†(ILS 4) He is said to have died early, although his age was to be of 40; in Roman times that was old. His political and military success is excused by the position of Flamen Dialis (ILS 4) yet his epitaph still speaks of the glory he could of attained. It is clear that he did not honor his family or ancestors in politics or military success, as the other Scipios’ did. This clearly shows the importance of individual success, it was an aristocratic tradition to only record achievements made in servitude of the state20 and it becomes very apparent when little was achieved. The main defining attainment of the aristocrat was to honor their ancestors, family and progenies. By displaying virtus and gloria and gaining honor for ones family one managed to attain the greatest glory. This can be seen in the Scipio epitaph of Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Hispanus where he states that he tried to equal his fathers achievements and â€Å"†¦attained the distinction of my ancestors, so that they were glad I was born of their line †(ILS 6) Gnaeus achieved the attainment of honoring his ancestors through the means of politics and his â€Å"good character† although he did not achieve consulship. If an aristocrat failed in participating in public life and did not contribute to the families glory they failed the aristocratic ideal. 21 Gnaeus himself may not of attained consulship but he still took an active role in public life and was worthy of the aristocrat title. It was a disgrace of an aristocrat who did not try to attain some sort of virtus and gloria to honour their family. 22 Nobilitas men had to have an avid political and military contribution to be considered successful. They had to devote their life to the public and maintain mos maiorum. Consul was the highest position and most successful magistracy. If you achieved this position you had a successful life and had undoubtedly succeeded in honoring your ancestors. In Caecilius Metullus’ funeral oration it states that he obtained consul twice, a great achievement. It also states that he â€Å"†¦had achieved the ten greatest and noblest objects in pursuit of which wise men devote their lives†(Plin. HN 7. 39) Metullus was a great man and he had achieved his greatness in honourable and wise ways upholding his and his families status as part of the nobility. Metullus was a â€Å"†¦superlative warrior, the best orator, the bravest general†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he had fully participated in public life just to ensure that he would continue his families prosperity and bestow enough honour on his progeny so they may surpass his own glory. With the transition from the Republic to the Empire the aristocracy was seen to have some change in their virtues and attainments. The aristocracy retained the virtues of gloria and virtus but added in two more: obsequium and moderatio. 23 These were what the imperial aristocrat needed in order to become a great man instead of just a good man. Imperial Rome was both part republican and part autocratic24 so the aristocrat still had the duty to fulfill of servitude to the state. Emperor Augustus transformed the aristocracy;25 he had all authority but knew to share the running of the state with his inferiors. 26 Under the empire the need for competition was less, as one technically could not surpass the superiority of the autocrat. 27 The emperor was the greatest of Romans,28 it was a lifetime position and he held the power to elect magistracies. Without competition for political power the nobles had to form a new way to honour their ancestors. Thus the virtue obsequium29 came into practice, obsequium was the respectful attitude and compliance towards the powerful. Deference towards the Emperor and earning his favour gave you virtus and gloria. In exchange for ones loyalty to the emperor they were rewarded in both prestige and wealth. 30 By looking at the epitaph of Publius Plautius Pulcher we can see that he is not disgraced for not attaining the consulship nor is there any mention of military success. He still managed to achieve political success and receive the magistracy of praetor in 47BC (CIL 14. 3607) but the main focus is on his closeness to the Emperor â€Å"†¦friend of Drusus the son of Germanicus, uncle of Drusus the son of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (CIL 14. 3607) His ties to the Emperor Claudius are how he attains his ancestral glory. There is no excuse given to why he did not attain a consulship like the Scipionic epitaphs do. Military and political success, although still prominent, had a lesser meaning for the aristocracy of imperial Rome. Senatorial greatness was to a great extent reliant on the emperor. 31 Moderatio,32 the second virtue meant simply in moderation, everything was regulated and taken in moderation. In the Republic the aristocracy wanted everything and tried to be the best of the best. But in imperial Rome one could not be the best of the best as there was always an emperor who was greater. The aristocrat had to regulate what one could have and take it in moderation and be careful not to threaten the emperor. The biography of Gnaeus Julius Agricola illuminates these two virtues. Tacitus, the writer, depicts Agricola as a great man; something he would of attained through virtus and gloria plus the imperial virtues of obsequium and moderatio. Tacitus states that Agricola â€Å"†¦ retained what is most difficult to compass moderation. †(Tac. Ag. 4) Agricola was offered a proconsulship yet he refused instead to live in private; (Tac. Ag. 42) he took his political powers in moderation, and knew when to decline. Agricola also displayed obsequium in that he had an honorable career and respected the Emperor in power, even when it was Domitian who roundly hated Agricola. 33 The moral attitude of the aristocracy also underwent change during the empire due to Augustus’ influence. In the republic the aristocrats had become debauched and had forgotten their morals of being honest and boni as they became consumed with lust for money and power. 34 Augustus set about restoring the moral standards of Rome by restoring temples, religious practices, and even going as far as intruding on the private lives of Romans by regulating family values. 35 He wanted pristine values and virtues in Rome. This interference with moral standards would hopefully rid the aristocracy of their arrogance, cruelty and neglection of the gods36 that they had acquired during the republic. If these new moral standards were not adhered too, serious consequences would follow. The attainments of the aristocracy in Imperial Rome did not change significantly. It was still a great attainment if you achieved gloria and honos for your ancestors and progeny. But the emperor had impacted both the political and public identity of the aristocracy. 37 To accomplish military and political success was still an avid part of the aristocracy but their reasoning had changed. The competition was lost, and they now succeeded in gaining favour from the Emperor instead. Obsequium, the virtue, can be easily seen in this way. Like discussed previously, the funeral oration of Publius Plautius Pulcher readily shows how the aristocracy did not care for power as greatly as before. If you had achieved friendship with the Emperor but did not achieve consul it did not matter, your ancestors would still be pleased. In the Republic an aristocrat had to participate fully in public life or you were accused of failing the idealistic Roman aristocrat life. 38 But in the Empire you could merely befriend the Emperor and honor to your family was attained. In conclusion, to state that the aristocracy changed is simplistic; they adapted to a new environment through an evolutionary process and utilized new methodology to maintain status and power. There is a difference in the aristocrat of the Republic and the Empire but it is not a direct change, more an evolution. Instead of going against the new Empire the aristocrat instead moved with it. They evolved their virtues and attainments to suit the current situation. By keeping the basis of their virtues they retained their previous ancestral glory and honor but also allowed their progenies to attain such glory in the new setting of politics. The introduction of an Emperor reduced the fierce competition of power so the aristocracy created a new competition; a competition to befriend and earn the favour of the Emperor. Gloria and virtus were still key virtues, but everything was taken in moderation with regards to the emperor. Discuss Julius Caesar’s successes and failures in realizing the appropriate aristocratic ideal. Is importance placed on this matter by Suetonius, that is, is the matter of aristocratic excellence relevant to the biography, and, if so, in what ways? If not, why not? Suetonius discusses the successes and failures of the deified Julius Caesar in realizing the appropriate aristocratic ideal. Importance is placed on the matter of achieving the aristocratic ideal as Suetonius discusses the military and political attainments of Julius Caesar’s life extensively. Although whilst assessing Caesar’s aristocratic credentials he does allude to some potential failures. Aristocratic excellence is relevant to the biography as it is full of Caesar’s successes and little of his failures. The biography itself is called the ‘deified’, which relates to a godlike presence, which signifies that Caesar was worshipped after the end of his life. Julius Caesar’s biography by Suetonius is full of his success in both military achievements and politics fulfilling the aristocrat ideal. He gained both virtus and gloria and bestowed honos on his ancestors. Suetonius has put great effort into describing Caesar’s success and little on his failures making out that Caesar was a very great man. Caesar’s success as an aristocrat seem to arise from when he looked upon the statue of Alexandra the Great at the temple of Hercules in Gades. (Suet. Jul. 7) Suetonius portrays him as groaning at the thought of how little he has accomplished at an age where Alexandra had already conquered the world. (Suet. Jul. 7) On his return to Rome, Caesar was already determined to seize the greater opportunities available to him and become a great man. Caesar’s political history saw him attain military tribune, questor, aedile, pontifix maximus, praetor, consul and dictator. (Suet. Jul. 10,13,14,18) By achieving so highly in politics Caesar had accomplished the appropriate aristocratic ideals. Caesar was also an excellent general who cared for his ‘comrades’. Caesar was reputed for having no stains on his manliness (Suet. Jul. 49) and was of a handsome sort. (Suet. Jul. 45) He was a good man and Suetonius clearly thinks so as he praises Caesar and has little to fault him on. Caesar attains the Republican aristocrat ideal by pursuing a public life and devoting himself to serving the state. His prestigious career undoubtedly would of bestowed virtus, gloria and honour on his family. The people loved him, according to Suetonius they mobbed him and demanded he be returned to power when the senate had sent him away. (Suet. Jul. 16) This was the same attitude of the men that served under his command. It was said that â€Å"†¦he made his men utterly loyal to him and supremely brave as well† (Suet. Jul. 68) Suetonius also goes to mention that Caesar grew his beard and hair out and refused to cut them until he had his vengeance after the Titurian disaster. (Suet. Jul. 67) By participating in public life and gaining the peoples love he was able to succeed further in his political attainments, as the people wanted him to continue serving the state. Caesar was a reputable general who never seemed to lose a battle and was merciful to those he defeated. He conquered Gaul and the Britons and occupied Picenum, Umbria and Etruria in the civil war. (Suet. Jul. 25,34) These military achievements gave Caesar an excellent reputation which aristocrats strove for. He was lenient in his revenge; a great example that Suetonius mentions is to do with the pirates who had previously captured him. He ordered them to be crucified but had them strangled first to save them the pain of crucifixion. (Suet. Jul. 74) Even when his slave Philemon tried to poison him Caesar was considerate and gave him a quick death with no punishment. (Suet. Jul. 74) Caesar became ‘the father of the fatherland’ (Suet. Jul 85) and was given a godlike status after his death. He had attained the Republican aristocratic ideal via his display of virtus and gloria by being honest, just and committing oneself to fides. Nevertheless Caesar was a human being and did have his failings as an aristocrat although they did not cause great injury to his reputation. Suetonius states that Caesar had epileptic fits, (Suet. Jul. 45) which portrayed poor health. This was not an idealistic trait of an aristocrat, and would be perceived as a weakness although the truth behind this claim is speculative. Another weakness Caesar had was becoming completely engrossed with power. Suetonius mentions Caesar becoming arrogant and excessive in the amount of honour bestowed upon him. (Suet. Jul. 76) Caesar was given a godlike status and idealised himself as a god, even going as far to state that his aunts fathers family was related to the goddess Venus. (Suet. Jul. 6) He was supposedly caught saying in public â€Å"Men should now have more consideration in speaking with me and regard what I say as law†(Suet. Jul. 77) This was inclined to failing the aristocratic ideal as by assuming himself in control of all law was taking away the freedom of the people and disregarding the republic of Rome. An aristocrat obtained wealth either by inheritance or land investments yet Caesar went against this and obtained some through trickery. This was distasteful in regards to the moral of fides. Caesar is said to have stolen three thousand pounds of gold from the capitol replacing it with gilded bronzed coins. (Suet. Jul. 54) This failed the ideal of the aristocrat, as it was not an honorable way to gain wealth but a shameless act. Caesar was also accused of being a tyrant and a King. (Suet. Jul. 79) Caesar himself denied himself as King yet allowed himself to have special privileges, which went against the republic and angered the rest of the aristocracy. It was said that he was given a golden seat in the senate, temples, altars and statues placed next to Gods and of course a month of the year named after him. (Suet. Jul. 76) Suetonius refers to one moment, which thoroughly angered the senate, where Caesar did not rise from his seat to thank the senate for bestowing the highest decrees to him. (Suet. Jul 78) This lead to immense jealousy throughout the senate, Caesar was seen as a threat to the Republic and the senatorial auctoritas. Suetonius details some ways that Caesar secured alliances that gave him a homosexual reputation. Homosexuality was debauchery and impure to the moral standards of aristocrats. 39 It was said that he sold himself to King Nicomedes in order to gain a Bithynia fleet thus earning the degrading title of Queen of Bithynia. (Suet. Jul. 49) His soldiers chanted â€Å"Caesar had his way with Gaul; Nicomedes had his way with Caesar: Behold now Caesar, conqueror of Gaul, in triumph, Not so, Nicomedes, conqueror of Caesar†(Suet. Jul. 49) and this escapade follows him throughout his career and was later used against him by his enemies. (Suet. Jul. 49) Other facts Suetonius touched on concerned his infidelity towards his wives, (Suet. Jul. 50) he was renowned for being an adulterer although he does not place importance on this fact and merely regards it as a small problem concerning Caesars aristocratic status. Caesar’s cunning and dirty ways he accomplished such things were occasionally overlooked. He was still perceived as attaining virtus and gloria even amongst his few failures as an aristocrat. Aristocratic excellence is relevant to the biography of the Deified Julius Caesar as it concerns his excellence. Suetonius covers mostly Caesar’s success in the military and political scene of Republic Rome and how he rose to become one of the great Caesars of Rome. Suetonius treats the weaknesses of Caesar as historical facts. He states that Caesar had a weakness in moral character with infidelity and a reputation of an alleged homosexual. Yet they do not demoralize his aristocratic excellence. Caesar’s excellence is also largely relevant due to the fact that he was the instigator of the decline of the Republic. His successes in Rome lead to jealousy amongst the senate, which enthralled them to conspire together and plan Caesar’s death. (Suet. Jul. 80) Although it was not the custom of the Republican aristocracy to take things in moderation, it is obvious to see that Caesar took too much and paid for this mistake with death. To conclude, the aristocracy of Rome evolved with the transition of the Republic to the Empire. The republican virtues of virtus and gloria were incorporated into the empire along with obsequium and moderatio thus creating new motives for the aristocracy. In the republic it was a battle over who was greatest but in the empire it focused on the emperor. Suetonius’ life on Caesar enhances his success as an aristocrat, confirming his achievement of being the greatest. It is clear to see that Caesar did achieve the republican aristocratic ideal, definitely in securing honos for his ancestors and progeny. The morals of aristocracy were on a downward spiral tainted by trickery but the intervention of Augustus and the Roman Empire rectified them by making everyone a winner. Being a great man was a continuous self-centered battle in Republican Rome but in Imperialistic Rome there was a lesser need to compete, as the greatest would always be the emperor. One attainment of the aristocrat that stayed true through both Republic and Imperial Rome was that family honour was a fundamental principal of any aristocrat and the main instigator for any success. No aristocrat wanted to disgrace their family. Bibliography: Primary Sources – Excerpts from the Scipionic Epitaphs (ILS 1-4, 6-7) Epitaph for Publius Plautius Pulcher (CIL 14. 3607) Funeral oration for Lucius Caecilius Metellus (Plin H. N 7. 139) Suetonius. â€Å"The Deified Julius Caesar†. Lives of the Caesars. Trans. C. Edwards (United States, 2000) 3-42 Tacitus, Agricola Secondary Sources – Earl, D. The Moral and Political Tradition of Rome (Ithaca 1967), 11-43 Tatum, W,J. Always I am Caesar (Oxford 2008), 167-88 Wallace-Hadrill, A. ‘ Civilis Princeps: Between Citizen and King’, JRS 72 (1982), 32-48