Caesar's bloodied corpse is lying on the floor of the Roman Senate house, his slave Posca weeping in sorrow and disbelief over it. Mark Antony leaves the Senate house bewildered at the events that have just transpired, and is quickly put into survival mode, as he is chased by Quintus and his gang. Brutus goes home, visibly shaken and probably feeling a bit ashamed of himself. His mother, Servilia, the subliminal mastermind behind it all, tells him that he has saved the Republic and their family name.
As word begins to spread about the death of Caesar, Atia, his cousin, is overcome with grief (and no doubt a touch of fear for her own fate). Her daughter, Octavia, well aware of her own role in the events, is very angry at Servilia, and herself, for sharing her knowledge of Vorenus' wife's secret. Having divulged the fact that Niobe was actually the mother of Lucius, and not his grandmother so angered Vorenus, that he left his guard of Caesar in order to confront and shame her. The information was integral in Servilia's plan to avenge Caesar's scorn of her. Hell hath no fury like a mistress scorned, you could say.
Octavian reminds his sister that there should be no more spoken of this secret. Meanwhile, Atia decides to leave Rome, to spare her life, and beacuse she fears that Mark Antony, her lover, has been murdered as well. Octavian tells her that they must stay, to defy Servilia. But when Mark Antony shows up at their villa door, Atia is relieved to see him alive, if a bit flustered. However, when he proclaims that he is going north to build an army and seek revenge, without her, she is upset. He begrudgingly says that her family can come.
Mark Antony and crew head over to Caesar's villa, where his body lies, so that they can pat their respects. Calpurnia, Caesar's widow, is there to greet mourners, but Atia and family are the only ones to turn up thus far. Mark Antony insists that she flee the city with them, but she resists, saying that she is glad to die there. Plus, it is time for Posca to read Caesar's will, as part of the funerary ritual.
Caesar's will reveals his generous side, as well as a great big shocking surprise. He isnists that part of his fortune is left to the citizens and verterans of Rome, to which Atia refers it as a waste. Then, Posca announces that Caesar has not only bequeathed all of his property and fortune to Octavian, but that he has named the boy his sole heir and SON. Of course, Atia is giddy. Octavian is shocked. And Mark Antony is hurt and bewildered, obviously feeling that all of that time kissing Caesar's butt is now for naught. In a bit of foreshadowing, you can see that Antony's pain begins to translate into a motivation, which will lead to an eventual showdown between he and Octavian (hopefully we will get to see that later this season).
Mark Antony informs the group that now that Brutus and his clan are in power, Caesar's cash and property will become lawfully theirs. By claiming that the assassination was a tyrannicide, Caesar's will would be worthless. Thus, Antony feels that going north to build an army is more important than ever. But, Octavian, showing the political prowess that will serve him well in the coming years, decides that the family will stay in Rome. The family must show their unity, and not cower to Servilia, her son Brutus, and his band of bullies. Octavian isn't just blowing smoke: he has a plan and some real logic to back it up. Since Brutus will have to call the fallen dictator a tyrant in order to ease his conscience about the killing (and make it lawful), that means that all acts and proclamations of Caesar would have been unlawful, including naming Brutus and Cassius to their powerful positions. Thus, defeating the purpose of their bloody act. Antony scoffs, but Atia likes what she hears, since this would mean her coffers could still be plenty full.
Back at Servilia's, all the men are gathered to rejoice their act. Cicero arrives to congratualte them, and laments that they did not kill Antony. As he announces that they should remedy this, who should walk in but a stoic and confident Mark Antony, leaving Cicero obviously embarrassed, and probably a bit scared.
Mark Antony sits with the group, and explains his stance and the grand plan. Insisting that the people aren't pleased, he says that he can help them get out of it. Explaining that people will worship and mourns Caesar for all of their lives, he then brings up the subject of future elections, which could prove dicey for Brutus and the gang. Then he busts out with Octavian's logic.
Brutus, being the smart (if not a bit gullible) one of the group, hears him out. They come to an agreement: Caesar will not be declared tyrant, his will shold stand, and he will have a public funeral. Brutus is a little miffed that his thugs tried to kill Antony, insisting that he is no criminal, and that he himself need not be involved in more than one dishonorable act. None of this sounds good to Mama Hen Servilia or anyone else in the club. But, Brutus goes outside to Antony and shakes on it anyway. And, as Antony walks away, he sees Quintus, looking cocky and smug. He walks over, and effectively slits his throat in the streets.
Later, in the streets, we see Caesar's funeral pyre burning high and bright, with Atia and group on one side and Servilia and her group on the other. The people riot in the streets, angered by the death of their leader. Afterwards, Antony approaches them and says that Brutus and Cassius should leave Rome, but Servilia should stay for appearances. The men are angry and insist that their "men of quality" are enough. Antony insists that the angry mob of Romans outside are more than enough to take on their men of quality. Good point.
We then see Brutus and Cassius leaving Rome by horse.
While these events are transpiring, Lucius Vorenus is in the courtyard of his home, cradling the dead body of his wife, Niobe. Though he was furious with her and left his post next to Caesar to come confront her about her humiliating secret, he was nonetheless devastated when she threw herself over the balcony. When Lucius, the child at the center of the secret comes up to him, Vorenus lunges at him, as if to attack. When his daughters discover what is happening, they try to stop him, Vorenus slapping his oldest daughter, Vorena, to the ground. He then proceeds to curse them in his anger and grief as he flees the scene. The children the weep over their mother's body.
Meanwhile, Pullo is seen in a field near Rome, with Eirene, his former slave. If you remember, he had fallen in love with her, and freed her, so that they could marry. Unbeknownst to Pullo, she was in love with another man and wanted to marry him instead. In his anger, he killed her betrothed like the brute that he is. Despite this, Pullo decided that it was the right time to propose to her again, and this time she accepts (perhaps she felt she had nowhere else to turn, and despite the fact that Pullo had bludgeoned her man, he could provide her with a decent home). So, he smears mud on both of their foreheads, to seal the deal. How romantic.
Back at Vorenus' home, the children, led by Lyde, are preparing Niobe for her funerary rite. Erastes and his thugs show up, looking for Vorenus, as they have heard that Caesar is dead and thus Vorenus propably doesn't have much to do.
When Pullo and the new bride return, they find Vorenus with Niobe's body, and the children nowhere to be found. Assuming his curse drove them away, he was devastated by what he had done in his fit of grief and pain. Pullo convinces his that because he didn't sacrifice any animals, the curse was never sealed. Pullo knows where to go to get the lowdown, and so he pays a visit to his former tutelage, Octavian. Octavian admits that he told Octavia the secret that Pullo had shared with him. Octavia had in turn told Servilia, thinking that she could be trusted. That information was used to lure Vorenus away from Caesar's side, and led to his assassination.
Octavian says he is sorry, though not very sincerely. When he tells Pullo that he has been named the son of Julius Caesar, Pullo vows to avenge the killing.
Vorenus and family take Niobe's body to the countryside, where she is burned according to Roman funerary tradition, and sent along to the afterlife (or allowed to "pass over"). When they return to Vorenus' place, they find a woman going through things. They confront her, ask her where the children are, and she informs then that Erastes took them. Pullo and Vorenus then go to find them.
At the local pub, Erastes is found with his men, in a drunken state. When he retires to the sauna, he is startled to find Vorenus there, bloody and wielding a sword. When Vorenus asks where his family is, Erastes confesses that he murdered them (among other things) and threw them in the river. Thinking his lynchmen are outside ready to come to his aid, he practically dares Vorenus to strike. Alas, Pullo and Vorenus had already slaughtered the group, leaving Erastes unprotected, and his head subsequently in Vorenus' hands. Vorenus and Pullo are then seen in the streets of the city, carrying the severed head of Erastes. Just another day at the pub in Rome.
