back in rome, agrippa, octavianus and claudia mourn sextus. she tells them she is leaving rome, but will keep her eye on things. as she leaves, agrippa asks her to promise she will return, but she doesn't answer him. octavianus then vows to fulfill caesar's dream of the pax romana, with agrippa vowing to help him any way he can. in the epilogue, a content iris and charmian state it is time to tell their mistress they have "reached the end of the beginning."