If you were expecting to see the Battle of Actium -- a naval battle, no less -- on this show, then you're going to be disappointed. However, I trust there won't be too many disappointed people in this audience. We fade up after the battle is already over, and the distant remains of Cleopatra's and Mark Antony's armada can be seen on the horizon, burning to the waterline. In the foreground, a long rowboat heads toward shore. Vorenus makes his way from the stern to the bow, ordering a dead body thrown over the side as he goes. He finally reaches the bow, where Antony is staring into the depths with his damp hair spiked up all crazy-like. The stylists certainly have enjoyed playing with him this season, haven't they? Vorenus gives Antony water and a nice long window of time to reflect on the nature defeat. Antony says that, now that he's finally experienced it, it's not as bad as he thought it would be. "Glory is all well and good, but life is enough, nay?" he philosophizes. Nice realization to come to after all those people he got killed.

Back in Rome, the Town Crier is delivering the news to an unusually large crowd in the Forum. He actually cracks a smile for the first time ever as he announces that the Egyptian fleet has been destroyed. The whole crowd cheers, except for Vorena the Elder and Lyde, who look rather ambivalent at the news that Vorenus is likely dead now. Uh, maybe this scene should have gone first. The Town Crier adds that Octavian is now on his way to Alexandria, "where the witch and her creature take refuge."

The upper-class women of Rome are discussing these military developments as they dine together in Octavian's villa. Seated at the table are Livia, her mother, Octavia, and, pouting off by herself at one end, Julii Cooper. For some reason, they're all sitting on one side of the long table and facing the same direction, which is either how they did things back then, or just something to make the director's job easier. Livia is holding forth to the room about how cowardly it was for Antony to jump into a boat to follow Cleopatra after she abandoned ship. Octavia, of all people, speaks up in defense of her husband, saying that Antony was saving the gold on Cleopatra's ship in order to finance further battles. Livia says that her husband says otherwise. "Your husband's a liar," Octavia says cheerfully. Without even bothering to look at anyone, Julii Cooper mutters quietly to herself that Octavian used to be "a good, honest boy. I don't know what happened. I'm to blame, probably." Ya think?