Vorenus has a crew cleaning up the Aventine Collegium, Eriene among them. On an upper gallery, Pullo is quietly trying to warn Vorenus away from the Hades gimmick. Vorenus points out that it worked. Pullo agrees, but his point is that "The Gods don't like that sort of shit from mortal men." Vorenus claims he's just following orders for the good of the Republic, and asks if Pullo's with him or not. Pullo is, but he's still nervous. Kind of a switch for Pullo to be the one worried about blasphemy.

Obligatory public calendar shot, and then it's time for the Town Crier. He's got a particularly plot-advancing announcement this week, namely, that "Gaius Octavian Caesar, lawful son of Gaius Julius Caesar...personally will fulfill the terms of his beloved father's bequest to the people." In other words, Octavian will be personally handing out three hundred sesterces to every eligible citizen and soldier, having sold off his own property to do so. Meanwhile, Octavian himself is just about to rise for the day, and Antony and Julii Cooper are awakened by house staff who are clearly passing along the news to them. How do you think they'll take it?

Not well. Antony and Julie Cooper storm into the bedchamber of the still sleeping Octavian (and it's not like he's sleeping on the floor in a bare room, so there was a bit of propaganda to that announcement), demanding to know what the hell he's up to. Octavian calmly says that he was just fulfilling a promise, and says he didn't say anything about it before because he knew they'd object. Getting up to begin his toilet, Octavian says that he's "decided to enter public life. This seemed the best way to introduce myself to the people." Can't argue with that. "Hi! I'm Octavian! Want some money?" Antony says this is going to come off as a direct challenge to him, but Octavian isn't worried. He says a public display of unity should take care of that. Over Antony's increasing ire, he says that it makes sense, since they want the same thing. "While you're Consul, my name will lend weight to yours. And when your Consulship is over and you retire from politics as you have promised, I will step in as leader of the Caesarian Party. You will need protection from your enemies in the Senate, and I can provide that." He turns back to his basin. Antony doesn't know where to begin to respond. With Octavian's assumption that Antony needs protection? With his implied calling-out of Antony's having no intention whatsoever of retiring? With Octavian's smug, grating, fluty little voice? He just settles for grabbing Octavian by the ears and demanding, "Who the fuck do you think you are?" Why, Caesar's rightful heir, of course.