that Tiberius is well aware of the plot and plans to publicize it in order to seize power. To protect Julia, Octavius Caesar himself decides to have Julia prosecuted under adultery laws which lead to her banishment. Despite disliking Tiberius he confirms him as his heir and finally adopts him. In a long letter to his old friend Nicolaus of Damascus, Octavius reflects on his life and his failures, surprised that despite working to bring peace to the people of Rome they seem to long for violence and instability. 50 years later, Octavius' final physician reflects on what little he knew of the man and hopes that the newly named emperor Nero will once again bring stability to Rome. Major themes The major theme Augustus addresses is the ability of circumstances to change the personality and behavior of a person. The conditions that surrounded Augustus's rise to power plagued Ancient Rome with violence and contention, which led to Augustus working hard to implement a time of peace and cooperation in Rome, commonly referred to as the Pax Romana or the Pax Augusta. Other themes Williams writes on in his novel include coming of age and the difference between restraint and resignation. Background Augustus is the last work Williams published before his death in 1994. Though Augustus garnered little public recognition while Williams was alive, the critical reception of the work was generally positive. Augustus is different from Williams's other works in that it is his only piece in which the main character is not named William. In addition, it is his first novel that takes place outside of the United States. Critical reception Augustus was received with general positivity from critics across the country. Augustus garnered so much critical respect that it won the National Book Award in 1973. Williams and Augustus shared the 1973 U.S. National Book Award for Fiction with John Barth and Chimera, the first time the award was split. Critics such as Harold Augenbraum discuss the split award in their work, saying that this was the first time the fiction award was split and also discussing that the 1973 National Book Awards allowed many categories to split the awards. Both the Los Angeles Review of Books and the New York Review of Books offered positive criticism, particularly about the fusion of biography and fiction. Reviewer Daniel Mendelsohn of the New York Review of Books wrote that