Bronwyn Green

So, Marc Antony has settled in with Cleopatra, they’ve had a couple of kids together, he’s developed an impressive opium habit (as has Posca), he’s taken to wearing a lot of kohl, henna, and silks, and he’s busy impressing…intimidating…impressidating dignitaries from Rome by having a slave dress up in a deer skin and pretending to be a deer so he and Cleopatra can shoot at him. And Vorenus is clearly hating his time in Egypt, but since he’s loyal to a fault, he stays with Antony.

The Romans are there to negotiate for more grain because the people are starving. A&C agree to send it for triple the rate and some land, but I can’t remember which one. The negotiators agree. And then Antony says he wants Spain, too, in hopes of getting Octavian to declare war. The Roman’s can’t agree to that, so they leave empty handed.

Cleopatra’s oldest son, Caesarian, demands that Vorenus tell him about his father. And Vorenus complies, but it’s very clear that he’s telling the boy about Pullo (Caesarian’s actual father) as opposed to Caesar.

Pullo and Gaia are the picture of domestic bliss, well, as much domestic bliss as occurs in the Aventide, anyway. Particularly when you keep Memio in a cage in the dining room. (The guy who robbed the gold from the last episode.) Pullo has to calm the near-rioting, starving inhabitants and tells them they’ll get fed again tomorrow. He goes to Octavian for help, but Octavian doesn’t have food to spare, either.

He comes up with a plan to send Atia and Octavia to Antony in Egypt. He figures if Antony turns them away, Octavian can declare war with the full support of the Roman people (they’re very loyal to Antony, but that will change if Antony is seen to turn his back on Rome). Cleopatra wants to humiliate Atia, or, better yet, have her killed, but Antony refuses. He and Cleopatra end up having some pretty violent love/hate sex while Atia and Octavia wait outside the palace wilting in the hot sun. However, Jocasta comes out to see them, until Posca hurries her away.

Antony has Vorenus send Atia and Octavia back to Rome without seeing them and Jocasta and Posca decide to defect back to Rome and join them on their ship. Posca sneaks out Antony and Cleopatra’s last will and testament because proves treason against the Roman empire.

Octavian asks that Pullo come with him to fight Antony and asks him if it’ll be a problem since Vorenus is still loyal to Antony. Pullo says it won’t be. Octavian also drops the bomb that Caesarian (Pullo’s biological son) has to die, too.  Octavian has some very rough sex with his wife, Livia, but instead of slapping her around as we were led to expect, she’s the aggressor slapping and choking him. But he definitely seems to be enjoying it.

Back at Pullo’s, Memio has escaped the cage, he knocks out Pullo, and Gaia comes to his rescue, but Memio mortally wounds her before he’s killed. On her deathbed, Gaia confesses that she poisoned Eriene and killed her and the baby. Pullo chokes her to death and dumps her lifeless body in a pond.

And now, the questions.

My favorite part of the episode:

I really liked Vorenus very sweetly telling Caesarian about his actual father. And I also enjoyed that he passed along Octavia’s message to Antony about being a coward.

 

My least favorite part of the episode: 

Pretty much the whole Gaia storyline.

Favorite costume:

There were a ton of great costumes in this episode. I also really liked Octavia’s even though I’m not a pink person. And also Jocasta’s. It was cute and and looked comfy. But this color combo is so stunning.

Team Atia or Team Servilia, and why:

Since Servillia is still dead, I guess Atia. But Servilla’s curse is still picking up speed.

Favorite watch-a-long tweet (obviously used with permission):

This week’s best tweet has to go to Lauren Billingsley (@Noisy_ninja)

Guess Jess’s head canon:

Well, Vorenus and Pullo had no scenes together this week, but I firmly believe that in her head they’re longing for each other.

What made Jenny super happy?

The fact that Octavian and Livia’s super slappy sexy times was in a red room ala the red room of pain in Fifty Shades of Awful Grey.       

 

Jess’ take on Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man).

Jen’s take on Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus (No God Can Stop a Hungry Man).