by the end of 42 bc, octavian gained control over much of the western half of the roman republic and antony the eastern half, with lepidus largely marginalized. antony moved his headquarters from athens to tarsos in anatolia by the summer of 41 bc. he summoned cleopatra to tarsos in several letters, invitations she initially rebuffed until he sent his envoy quintus dellius to alexandria, convincing her to come. the meeting would allow cleopatra to clear up the misconception that she seemed to support cassius during the civil war, and would address pressing issues about territorial exchanges in the levant. mark antony also undoubtedly desired to form a personal, romantic relationship with the queen.