Marc Antony and General Dolabella meet in the port of Antioch to negotiate control of the eastern Roman armies; Antony promises Dolabella command of those legions in exchange for a revenge killing. Antony and Cleopatra are re-united. She reports the temple of Artemis refused to take back Arsinoë, arguing Cassius and Brutus had jurisdiction. Enraged by this, Antony plans to visit Ephesus to exact vengeance. At the temple of Isis in Ephesus, Arsinoë gets to know her new handler Neos - although they get off to a rocky start.

In Tullianum prison in Rome, Antigonus kills a look-alike inmate that is placed in his cell. Thinking him to be the other man, guards transfer Antigonus to a holding jail in the lower city, where the Tiber begins to flood from incessant rains. He escapes when the cells are flooded. On his way to a meeting with Cassius in Jerusalem, Herod goes through Jericho to retrieve his part of the tribute payment. En route, he relates to Nicolaus the siege of Alexandria and rescue of Julius Caesar four years prior.

SYNOPSIS:

• Herod and his brothers + Nicolaus are met by a Roman courier in Avdat requesting them in Jerusalem as quickly as possible (Cassius’ behest)

• In Ephesus, Arsinoë and Neos (Isis temple priest) meet and get to know each other

• In Antioch, Cleopatra returns from Ephesus and sneaks in on angry summit between Antony and Dolabella; her presence creates a short-lived furor; plan to execute Trebonius in Smyrna is hatched; Antony & Cleopatra depart the military summit, go his quarters and make love

• Prisoner Gaius is put in cell with Antigonus; rain has been falling in Rome for days; Antigonus smashes the skull of Gaius with a stone; assumes his identity (via theft)

• Herod and Nicolaus split from Phasael and other brothers on road to Jerusalem, begin heading NE towards Jericho; Phasael not happy

• On road, Nicolaus gives a demonstration of his uncanny slinging skills & accuracy

• Antipater’s group arrive in Jerusalem and meet Cassius at the Hasmonean Palace

• Herod recounts the siege of Alexandria to Nicolaus on the road; they arrive in Jericho • Dolabella boards a ship in the port of Antioch bound for Smyrna, to kill Trebonius.