OCTA'VIA, the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus, and wife of Mark Antony. She was distinguished for her beauty, her noble disposition, and womanly virtues. Her first husband was C. Marcellus, to whom she was married 50 B.C. He died 41 B.C., shortly after which she consented to marry Antony, to make secure the reconciliation between him and her brother. The event was hailed with joy by all classes. In a few years Antony became tired of his gentle and virtuous spouse, and forsook her for Cleo patra. When the Parthian war broke out, Octavia wanted to accompany her husband, and actually went as far as Corcyra, whence Antony sent her home, that she might not interrupt his guilty intercourse with the Egyptian queen. In 35 B.C., Octavia made an effort. to rescue him from a degradation that was indifferent even to the honor of the Roman arms, and sailed with re-enforcements; but a message reached her at Athens ordering her to return home. She proudly obeyed, but, with a magnanimity that reminds us of the Roman character in earlier and better days, she forwarded the supports to her husband. Her brother, Octavian, was indignant at the treatment she received, and would have had her quit her husband's house, and conic and live with him; hut she refused. In 32 B.C. war, long inevitable, broke out between Antony and Octa
via; and the former crowned his insults by sending Octavia a bill of divorcement. But no injury was too great to be forgiven by this " patient Grizel" of the ancient world, and after her husband's death, she brought up with maternal care not only her awn chil dren, but also Cleopatra's bastards. Her death took place 11 B.C. 4-•_; OCTOBER (hat. octo, eight) was the eighth mouth of the so-called "year of Romulus," October (hat. octo, eight) was the eighth mouth of the so-called "year of Romulus," bit became the tenth when (according to tradition) Noma changed the commencement of the year to the first of January, though it retained its original name. It has since maintained its position as the tenth month of the year, and has 31 days. October pre served its ancient name notwithstanding the attempts made by the Roman senate, and the emperors Commodus and Domitian, who substituted for a time the terms Faustinus, Invictus, Domitianus. Many Roman and Greek festivals fell to be celebrated in this month, the most remarkable of which was the sacrifice at Rome of a horse (which was railed Octoer) to the god Mars. The other festivals were chiefly bacchanalian. Among the Saxons it was styled }Vim. Ino'neth or the wine month.