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More drama is afoot in the great city, though perhaps the most interesting character of all is nowhere to be seen. Yes, Octavian, who in Son of Hades decided to leave the protection of his mother's arms and head out of Rome, is nowhere to be found (at least in the context of the episode). That doesn't mean you won't hear about him - not by any means. He sends his emissary to check in on his mother and his sister, and frankly I think he's really concerned about his sister the most. Probably something about their little time spent together last season if you ask me. He probably doesn't care much for his mother.

When Atia finds out what is afoot, she tries to do all that she can to have her son's friend captured, executed, humiliated or something - so is it really any wonder that Octavian isn't concerned about his mother's welfare? I didn't think so. But Mark Antony isn't worried about it, and lets the boy return from whence he came, which really does nothing other than infuriate Atia. So perhaps Antony did have a reason for his action (or inaction, as the case may be).

Down on the Aventine, Pullo has determined that he simply can't take any more of Vorenus any longer, and since Vorenus won't listen to reason, perhaps it is time for him to leave, so he takes his young slave, er, bride, and they head back to the country. I don't suppose that will last long, and it doesn't. But we'll leave them out there for a little while.

Antony, to his credit, is busy with the dealings of the people of Rome, and among those first and foremost is himself. Once he steps down as Counsel, he will have to find something for himself to do, and he most certainly doesn't want to end up out in the boonies, so he has decided that he would like to be closer to the city. Pressuring Cicero, he is making a play for Gaul, rather than getting stuck out in Macedonia - this is actually Atia's doing, since she heard that there is no society in Macedonia, but Antony probably likes playing with Cicero as well.

Cicero, however, has no intentions of bending to Antony's will, and calls in sick to the senate on the day when he is supposed to make his motion, and he sends someone else to read the scroll. The poor guy ends up getting a beat down for daring to be the messenger who tells the world that Mark Antony is, well, Mark Antony. I guess this is what they mean by clearing a room, for by the time the messenger is dead on the floor, the senate chamber is as empty as it was when Caesar himself was killed.

Pullo finally decides that the Gods are telling him that he needs to settle things with Vorenus, so he returns to the city, only to find that Cicero declared allegiance with Octavian, and Vorenus left with Antony. However, in a turn of events, he meets up with Lyde, sister of Niobe, Vorenus' wife, and finds out that the children are alive. It seems that drama is indeed running rampant.

In a move that is worthy of a season-ending cliffhanger, a young lad in the employ of the Julii (technically, he is employed by Servilia, but he works at Atia's house) finally had the opportunity he had been waiting for - to slip some poison into Atia's dinner, without the possibility of killing Octavia. Just as the episode ends, it seems that Atia crumbles to the floor. Bravo for such a move in the middle of the airing, and not towards the end of the season!