Antony hopes to push Octavian into declaring war, which Antony believes he can win due to his suppor...

Antony hopes to push Octavian into declaring war, which Antony believes he can win due to his support among the Roman people.Realizing the tight spot he's in Octavian sends for Atia of the Julli (Polly Walker), who preparing for the opera and Octavia (Kerry Condon), who now has a young daughter by Mark Antony named Antonia, to join him at a luxurious dinner. As a last resort to sway public sentiment to his side, Octavian tells Octavia and Atia he needs their assistance to mediate a grain settlement with Antony. Atia tells Octavian that she has no desire to go on a long sea voyage and that neither she nor Octavia are "hungry" and basically what's in it for them? Octavian counters with, "What do you want?" Atia asks for a Villa in Capri and turns to Octavia asking her of she also desires a new villa. Octavia cannot make up her mid so at Atia's suggestion, Octavia tells Octavian she will settle for cash. Octavian agrees and sends Atia and Octavia to Alexandria, knowing that Antony will reject his lover and lawful wife respectively. During a post-coitus moment of pillow talk, Livia Drusilla (Alice Henley), Octavian's new wife, asks Octavian about Atia and Octavia sailing off to Egypt for the mediation. Livia figures out Octavian's strategy out loud. Octavian refuses to discuss it with her, rolls over and ends the evening by saying, "Good night, dear."Atia and Octavia are seen on a Roman vessel down below. Octavia suffers from sea sickness and Atia asks Octavia if she's changed very much since Antony last saw her. Octavia says now and gets even sicker upon hearing a slave vomit within earshot. Atia looks out of the window as a shipman announces land. Atia and Octavia disembark for the Egyptian capital for an audience with Mark Antony who ends up in a a violent tussle with Cleopatra after Mark Antony first insults her by referring to her as "like a queen" and then further refuses to agree to kill Atia and Octavia or arrange for a sea disaster while the two sail back to Rome. Cleopatra's position is that if Mark Antony no longer loves Atia, killing her should not be an issue. Carried by slaves, Atia and Octavia arrive at the front door of Cleopatra's palace. It is sweltering hot. Atia says, Egypt is strange. Octavia marvels at the sheer size of the palace. They wait. There is no one to either greet them or receive them and the women complain that no one brings them water. Meanwhile the violent argument between Cleopatra and Mark Antony has turned into a rambunctious sexual interlude. Antony then calls for Vorenus to handle a "delicate matter."In the meantime, Jocasta (Camilla Rutherford), who's garbed in Egyptian attire per Cleopatra, sneaks out of the palace to talk with her old friend, Octavia and Atia. Atia and Octavia marvel at Jocasta's Egyptian appearance. Jocasta says she must wear her hair in the Egptian or face the wrath of Cleopatra who despises Roman styles. Jocasta compliments Octavia's hairstyle and asks Octavia if that's how Roman women are wearing it now. Posca furtively comes out of the palace a few minutes later to retrieve Jocasta fearing that harm will come to both of them if Cleopatra discovers them talking to Atia and Octavia, and whisks her back into the palace. Cut to Cleopatra's two children by Antony tumbling out of a palace hallway to greet their father who is tired and falls asleep before they go. Cleopatra looks at Anthony in wonder.Ultimately, Octavian is proven correct: Antony refuses to see Atia and Octavia (owing to the fact he was in the middle of having sex with Cleopatra) and with Vorenus' assistance sends them packing back to Rome. Atia, who at first is happy to see that Vorenus has not "gone native" sees him as an ally to no avail, takes the rejection very hard and attempts to storm the palace while calling out Antony's name. Vorenus intervenes. Atia tells Vorenus that he would not manhandle them, but Vorenus points to Cleopatra's Nubian guards who step forward in a show of force to dispatch them forthwith. A distraught Atia turns leave and head back to the ship without being carried. Before also parting on foot, Octavia tells Vorenus to deliver a message to her husband, Antony that he is a "Coward" and scum.Caesarion (Max Baldry) commands Vorenus to play ball with him after her bullies a servant away by hitting him with the ball. Vorenus agrees while hitting Caesarion with the ball striking him in the shoulder. Caesarion winces in pain but continues to play while asking Vorenus for information about his father. Vorenus tells Caesarion ambiguous stories about Caesarion's father (the boy believes his father to be Julius Caesar though Vorenus is speaking of Titus Pullo).Again--Vorenus chooses to stay in Alexandria with Antony, but before Posca departs the ship bound for Rome (Vorenus catches Posca and Jocasta in the act of packing to flee Egypt but plays along with their fiction of taking a walk to see the ships at port), Vorenus tells Posca that if he sees Titus Pullo to tell them Vorenus asks him to kiss his children for him and next advises Posa to make haste for the wind is picking up and the ships shall sail with the winds thus, jeopardizing his and Jocasta's chance "to see the ships" before they set sail. Posca and Jocasta are next seen surreptitiously leaving the palace, making their way through the crowds to the seaport.