The Cast - The Crown of Life

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This post has been long while in coming but late is better than never, right? Okay, if you haven't guessed this already, this post will be a 'literary' one. Lately I've seen quite a few character profile posts on my dashboard, and it has gotten me really excited to do one of my own. You see, a character profile post is basically a post introducing the author's characters, giving a brief description for who they are, and also a profile image that go along with the character. It sounded like a lot of fun and also probably helpful to my writing. So, I decided to go along and try it out. Little did I know, just how helpful it would be! I've had a lot of 'discoveries' about my characters (especially my main character, Marcellus Valerius--yes, I've finally settled on that name for my chief protagonist by the way) and "re-fittings" of many of their personalities. New tensions and pasts were discovered and I'm very glad that at last I can present to you a few of the main characters of my story, The Crown of Life.Please forgive the extreme lack of Ancient Roman period- clothing for most the characters. It was very difficult to find actors wearing 1st century clothing on their IMDb pages =D, but, with the help of my sisters, I did come up with a few. Also, there is a strong tendency that most of the actors don't look very Italian/Roman. Still, they were the best I found. I hope you enjoy!

Important Disclaimer: I do not own these photos, this is purely for fun and not for profit. Many of those profiles are actors from films I haven't seen. By placing their profiles here, it does not mean that I am recommending the films, or promoting the actors, I'm just using the pictures as character profiles to put life into the characters I have in my head. The other thing is the personality and traits of the profile actors are in no way the same as the characters in my story. Okay with all that said and done, lastly, I own all of these characters and all things attached to said characters; their existence makes them copyrighted to me. I'd appreciate it if this is respected please. Thanks =).

(p.s. minor spoilers, but nothing drastic!)

 Valerius Gallus

this is one of the best pictures I found with someone who looked like Valerius,
but he isn't at all THE Valerius of my imagination :-)

Valerius, the only surviving son of an aristocratic Senator, is a quiet young man, steady and determined, with great skill as a soldier in the Roman Army. He lives with his parents and sister, Anthea, in the city of Rome, and was selected as one of the top six tribunes in Legate Albinus' Legion. Having taken on the role of the eldest son, after his older brother was killed in battle, Valerius knows that his parents have high hopes in him. Yet in spite of the promising future ahead of him, Valerius feels discontented with his life, knowing that somehow man was made for a higher purpose. When Valerius' close boyhood friend, Tribune Flavius, returns to Rome after many years abroad the Empire, his arrival brings much joy to Valerius. But when he becomes betrothed to Claudia, Legate Albinus' beautiful young daughter, and gets a summons from the Imperial Palace, ambition and jealousy threaten to tear their friendship apart and set Valerius on the quest for the truth.

        Valerius' character is quiet, compassionate and thoughtful. He feels strongly and has a hot temper if the situation warrants it, yet he can be prone to bouts of depression despite his high-spirited character. Valerius has a soft side to him that he rarely lets others see.  His loyalty and patriotism to Rome is matched with his sorrow over the complacency of the Empire. His greatest desire is to find truth in his life, and to fill the empty void in his heart. 

Claudia Albinus

Claudia is the eldest daughter of Legate Albinus who is the General of Army in Rome and a confident of Nero. After her mother's death at an early age, Claudia and her little brother, Antony, were brought up by her old nurse and guardian, who was a patrician woman of reduced means named Rosa, and privately tutored by a Greek freedman. Claudia grows up to be a well-educated young woman, with a love for learning, music and beauty. She misses her mother deeply, but she is contented in life. Her father, though rather reserved and reticent about his past, holds a special place in his heart for his two motherless children, especially Claudia. Though she doesn't have many friends, having always shied away from social gatherings, she loves people and little children in particular, and dreams of the day when she is married and has children of her own. When her father betroths her to Senator Gallus' son, Tribune Valerius, Claudia feels there couldn't be a happier woman in Rome or the Empire for that matter, until a tragedy takes him away from her, and leaves her alone, searching for reality in her life.

            Claudia's character is dedicated, steadfast and loyal. She is finely cultured as a young lady becoming of her status, and owns a great deal of womanly grace. To combat that, she can be extremely stubborn, willful and owns a fierce streak of pride, though it isn't a self-conceited pride, but a ladylike dignity and self-control. Her hallmark is goodness, gentleness and an inner beauty and happiness that radiates to those around her. Much to her chagrin, her family and close friends consider her a powerhouse, but a fact little known to anyone except those closest to her is that in fact she has deep inner struggles, is oft' lonely, and is earnestly seeking from the depths of her heart for joy and peace, and Something or Someone in which to truly believe and trust in.

Flavius Apicius

Flavius, the only son of the late Governor Gaius Apicius of Umbria, returns to Rome after two grueling years of service campaigning in the Empire, embittered by what life and his uncle have done to him, and is obsessed with only one goal, one ambition, to revenge the wrong done to him after his father's death, and to rise in rank to a seat of power in Rome. Before he had left on the military campaign years before, he had become betrothed to twelve year old Anthea, his friend's sister. Now an older, attractive Anthea, and the warm friendship of Valerius tug on Flavius' spirits; yet his aching past calls to him still and the glittering reward, the crown ahead of him harden his heart, against the obstacles in his way. He has to make a choice between friendship, love and faith, or the ambition to rise, and to revenge. 

        Flavius is a charismatic person, witty and full of charm and sly in his manner. He's proud, and determined by his purpose, his painful past. He easily hides that past by a mask of loud strength, bluff, and intimidation. His actions are mostly driven by deep-ridden ambition, bitterness and jealousy, but when the the very things he fought for all his life go against him, his life disintegrates and he finds himself trapped. He has a strong abhorrence of the Christian faith, seeing how its call, and the lives of those who embrace it, wavers his purpose, and condemns his own tainted life. 

Anthea Gallus

Anthea, being the youngest daughter of Senator Gallus and Lady Cassia, adores her brother Valerius like nothing else and dreams that he'd one day become a hero such as a conquering General, riding out with his troops in victory, so she is very happy when Valerius becomes betrothed to her closest and dearest friend, Claudia. Yet she has an even more nagging fear and awe of his friend, Flavius, who she got betrothed to at the young age of twelve. She considers Flavius charming and handsome, but at the same time dominating and sly beyond her understanding, and is both dreading and yet anticipating her arranged marriage to him. 

Anthea is somewhat immature and naive, and often assigns her motives based on her feelings. She has a wild imagination and to her brother's mind, is a talkative chatter-box! She loves social gatherings, and parties and being with her friends. She enjoys  poetry and classics, and plays the tambourine beautifully. She is impulsive and romantic, and her moods are somewhat temperamental, depending on the circumstances.  She is often deluded in her flights of fancy, but underneath all of that, Anthea has a heart of gold. She is kind and compassionate and longs to have the courage to stand for what is right. She struggles with loyalties between her betrothed husband and her brother, and in spite of outwardly scorning the Christian faith, she longs for the peace that the Followers of the Christos own. But the cost of that choice is one that she isn't sure she can endure.

Julius Gallus

Julius was the eldest son of the Senator Gallus, and older brother to Valerius and Anthea, who died in battle when he was only seventeen. He and Valerius, despite the age gap, were very close, but when Valerius was 14, Julius was sent on a military campaign to fight in Gaul with Consul Apicius (Flavius' uncle) as Commander. His family mourned his death, but believed him to have died in honour, for the glory of Rome. Only Valerius and his friend Flavius (who was with Julius during the battle) know the real truth of Julius' death.

Antony Albinus

Thirteen year old Antony is Claudia's younger brother and only sibling. Antony is deeply introvert, and his favourite arena is the field of intellectual study. However, he is also impulsive and hot-headed, using his fists  on more then one occasion, yet only in defense of those who cannot fight. He thinks very highly of Valerius, and is deeply devoted to his sister especially when their father goes on his frequent military campaigns as General of the Roman Army. He shows an outward concern for Claudia's growing interest in the Christian faith, but Antony himself becomes intrigued by the tell-tale rumours and stories he hears about the practices of the Christians, and secretly starts attending their meetings, just to see if all that he has heard is true. 

 Talitha

Talitha is a little Jewish girl of eight, who plays a major role in the life of Valerius and that of Claudia. Her parents' death is a severe shock to her, but it doesn't break her feisty spirit, or her kind heart. She pours all the love of her sad little heart into those around her, and she grows to consider Valerius like a big brother to her.

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If you have any, I'd so love to hear your thoughts on my characters (encouragement and/or helpful criticism), because I know they'll be really helpful! God bless, and thanks for reading =D.

 "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield." Psalm 5:11, 12 KJV