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CESAR2. Octavius Caesar, 63 B.C.-A.D.14, known later as Caesar Augustus, was the son of Julius Caesar's niece Atia, and Caesar adopted Octavius as his chief heir. Octavius was appointed pontifex in 46 B.C. at the age of seventeen. After his victory in the war of Mutina in 43 B.C., the army forced his appointment as Consul and the Senate recognized him as Caesar's adopted son under the name of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavius. He tried to win Antony over to his interests by agreeing to the marriage of his sister Octavia with Antony, but when Antony refused to leave Cleopatra, their rivalry broke out. Octavius defeated Antony at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. and became master of Egypt. Boccaccio also gives the repudiation of Octavia as the cause of the war between Antony and Octavian (De claris mulieribus, LXXXVIII). On January 16, 27 B.C., he received the title Augustus, and the month Sextilis was renamed Augustus after him in 8 B.C. When he died at Nola in A.D. 14, Caesar Augustus left a far-flung Roman Empire at peace; although Greek culture was being encouraged, and Roman traditions were given predominance in all parts of the empire, care was taken not to offend the traditions of the people of the provinces (Suetonius, The Deified Augustus).

Not only is Antony a rebel against Rome, but he falsely leaves Cesar's sister to take another wife, and because of these provocations, there is strife between Antony, Rome, and Cesar, LGW 592-595. Caesar shows no grace to Antony's wife, LGW 663. July and August are named after Julius Cesar and Augustus Cesar, Astr I.10. [Antonius: Cleopataras: Julius: Octavyen]

Cesar, the medieval Latin and OF form, occurs twice in medial positions, LGW 595, 663, and once in final rhyming position, LGW 592.


Boccaccio, CFW, trans. G. Guarino, 194; ibid., De claris mulieribus, ed. V. Zaccaria, 142-146; Suetonius, De vita Caesarum, ed. and trans. J.C. Rolfe, I: 123-287.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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