How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Empedocles claims that in utero, our backbone is one long solid; and that through the constriction of the womb and the punishments of birth it must be snapped again and again to form our vertebrae; that for the child to have a spine, his back must first be broken. (2.14.49)
The moral of this story is that suffering is an essential part of growing up. Whether this is true or not isn't really the point because, in Octavian's case, he simply doesn't have the choice—this philosophy was what he was born into, and his life as an enslaved person won't afford him a different experience.
Quote #8
On the road, I passed Prince in his Detachment. He spied me & held out his Hands to me. They were blistered & red with his Blood; & for the first Time, Shun, he smiled full upon me; for he has finally found his Cause & his Work. (3.20.19)
If you're Private Goring, you think Prince (a.k.a. Octavian) has completely grown up from sullen runaway slave to a man with a God-given purpose. We'll just point out that this optimistic view of Octavian may well have some truth to it, but Goring does make assumptions about Octavian (especially considering he never gets a chance to talk with Octavian about Octavian's newfound joy).
Quote #9
My companion Mr. G—ing hath a generous heart—a heart so filled with light that I could scarce desire to cloud it—but he did not think on this much when he came to visit me in the evenings. He little noted the lists of slaves made up by regimental commanders, that no runaways should enlist, or the careful tallies of monies to be paid to men who stayed at home and sent their bonded Negroes to the wars instead. He little noted the notice that was taken of Negroes who over about the camp at night. Had he seen such, his heart would have melted; he should have bellowed with outrage; and for that, may God bless him; but still, it would have been the outrage of a white man, unthreatened by these hypocrisies. (4.9.16)
And so begins Octavian's "traitorous" path… He turns on Goring (in the nicest way possible, of course) and points out Goring's hypocrisy in addition to the hypocrisies of the Patriots' cause. It shows Octavian's growing independence of thought, and his ability to think critically about all his relationships—even the good ones.