- Octavius: [to Agrippa] The Egyptian relgion declares that to die of a snake bite will secure immortality. Did you know that, Agrippa?
- Maecenas: Never mind that! History... History will never forget this moment. At last, every legion in Rome listens to the command of a single man. The peace of Rome is assured, to the one, absolute ruler of the Roman Empire.
- Agrippa: [In disgust] So, that was you plan all along, Octavius? To wear a crown on your head!
- Maecenas: In order to keep the nobles from tearing Rome apart he must be king. He will be declared..."Augustus"!
- [to Octavius]
- Agrippa: If you send your legions against Antony, you'll start another civil war.
- Maecenas: Do you want him to ignore the betrayal of his sister? Ignore this?
- Agrippa: Do you want him to be the one who bring Roman against Roman again?
- Maecenas: Don't go in there without a plan, country boy!
- Octavius: I'd spare your life if I could, Antony.
- Mark Antony: I wasn't begging for your mercy!
- [short pause and smile]
- Mark Antony: I have lived well. I have no hatred or envy for Caesar's son. I wonder if your father had foresaw this end.
- Octavius: No... and neither did I.
- [to Octavius, weeping]
- Maecenas: But without a crown, they will destroy you... I am sorry, my friend... I love you... But I... I will not watch them destroy you.
- Livia: I came as soon as I heard. The assassin was not from Rome so we can't trace his employer.
- Augustus: Marcus Agrippa is dead.
- Livia: Yes, there is a dangerous under carriage in the young noblity.
- Augustus: Did you hear what I said, Livia? He was my dear friend, my daughter's husband, the father of my grandchildren and he is dead!
- Livia: Yes and your enemies are waiting for the right moment to kill you. This is the moment. Agrippa, your heir apparent, is dead and you too nearly died today... Where does that leave the empire tomorrow?
- Augustus: At the stumbling feet of your son, I suppose, exactly where you WANT IT?
- Livia: Why haven't you told them?
- Julia: You know?
- Livia: Yes, why does that surprise you? Go and tell them now before they embarrass us in public.
- Julia: How do I tell them their father is dead, Livia?
- Livia: They barely knew him.
- Julia: Marcus Agrippa was a good father and a loving husband.
- Livia: Oh, come now Julia! Don't play the poor young widow to me.
- Julia: You are a merciless woman!
- Livia: [pause] Perhaps. It is necessary.
- Iullus: I love you.
- Julia: But Iullus, my father...
- Iullus: Wouldn't approve? What else does he want from you? Didn't it satisfy him enough to have married you to *old* Agrippa in order to beget an heir from your marriage bed?
- Julia: I was faithful to Agrippa until he died...
- Iullus: So, come to my bed.
- Julia: I can't, Agrippa...
- Iullus: He's dead, Julia! And you've mourned that beloved, so-called husband for months. You've done your duty for Rome!
- [to Agrippa, upon reaching Rome]
- Octavius: Tomorrow, we go to Munda. Tonight, I am going to show you the greatest city in the world.
- [Octavius has broken his ribs]
- Agrippa: Lie down! If you take a direct hit, you're dead!
- Maecenas: He can't stay in the tent.
- Agrippa: What would you know? You never leave this tent!
- Maecenas: *I* am not Caesar's nephew - he just has to make an appearance, appearance is everything.
- Agrippa: You're right.
- Maecenas: [sarcastically] Am I really? Oh, high praise from the great warrior!
- [after telling Scipio about Tiberius raping Julia]
- Iullus: She blames her father, even said she wants him dead... But I don't believe her, she'd never hurt him.
- Scipio: She doesn't have to.
- Iullus: I love her!
- Scipio: Stop telling me that!
- Iullus: It's true!
- Scipio: Really?
- Iullus: Yes!
- Scipio: Then if you truly love her, you'll do it. Augustus will not yield.
- Iullus: But surely...
- Scipio: Your noblity won't protect you, you're father made that mistake. There is only one way - he must die.
- Iullus: I would lose her, she would never forgive me...
- Scipio: You'd be saving her. Do you really think Livia is ever going to let Julia's children rule over the empire when Augustus dies? The children will be killed too, you know it's evitable. And when she realizes that, she will thank you.
- Iullus: We failed once.
- Scipio: We were stupid, out in the open with the mob, the guards and Julia to stop us... Will she let you into her house?
- Iullus: [nods] Tonight.
- Scipio: Then the gods have handed us the sword.
- Augustus: Cleopatra and Antony met Agrippa and I for battle at the coast of Actium. They had only one thought in mind - to kill us.
- Scipio: Hail to our queen!
- Julia: Scipio! Don't holler so loud.
- Scipio: No worries, we're in disguise. You don't want your father to arrest us for scandal in Rome, do you?
- Julia: You do scandalize Rome!
- Phoebe: Which is why you love us! Your father caught us one time.
- Scipio: He called us "naughty children"!
- Julia: He's absolutely right!
- Iullus: Indeed. Augustus is *always* right!
- [On Caesar's murder]
- Mark Antony: Ten of them came at us with daggers, I don't know why I'm alive.
- Octavius: They must have not wished you dead.
- Augustus: I am the master of nothing. Why didn't I listen to Julia? Why didn't you say it too, Livia - that I couldn't master the future; think how happy could have been.
- Augustus: My grandsons! Gaius and Lucius! Beautiful, aren't they? Devil see them, the pair of them- they take after their mother!
- [Julia enters through the crowds]
- Julia: They do not! They take after their father and their grandfather. Come along boys, your grandfather is far too busy being "king" to play with his grandsons.
- Augustus: Julia, I'm not a king- there are no "kings" in Rome.
- Julia: Have I ever been anything more to you then a instrument to fulfill your destiny.
- Augustus: I have never loved anyone in my life as much as I love you.
- Julia: Then why are you taking my life away from me?
- Augustus: Julia, I want you to be happy, but you have to remember that you aren't just my daughter; you are the daughter of the Empire. As Rome's princess, your body and soul belongs to state, and the state is the body of world - if Rome falls, civilization falls!