that you have also granted him two legions. Moreover, you have supplied a thousand of your best soldiers for him. Do you not consider that this first victory might foresee a second one? You love me as much now as you did back then. There was no anger in your sight upon facing your foe. Today, you are not accompanied by legions urging for a new opportunity to demonstrate their bravery. You stand alone, unarmed, and I am wretched and distraught. My tears, my reasoning, and my pleas should be more influential over you than they were on that day of reconciliation. Now it is solely my interests at stake, not your honor. It is easier to abstain from gearing up for battle than it is to force oneself to disarm. Therefore, it should be simpler for you not to commence a war now replacing the peace you formed with Antony before. It's Antony's passion we contest, not him as a person. I ought to endure his weakness without grumbling, I ought to guard my heart even if he robs me of his, I ought to empathize with his frailty, I ought to respect him, even in the face of his disdain. I ought to stay in his house as long as he tolerates me. Finally, I must resist you whenever you implore me to accomplish things that could bring me dishonor.

If Antony were to persuade me to annihilate you, I would resist him in the same way I resist you now. With the same weapons I use to fight you, I would combat his injustice and stubbornness. Indeed, I will always remain Octavia's sister and Antony's wife, and regardless of the twists of fate, I shall never perform anything unworthy of these two statuses. Please forgive me if I tell you that I won't leave my husband's abode unless he requests it. Should his love for Cleopatra lead him to such an abusive demand, I would part with him whilst shedding as few tears as possible, fearing that the compassion rendered towards me would strengthen the resentment towards him. These are the sentiments of Octavia today, and they will remain the same forever. In all honesty, Antony is no ordinary man. The considerable qualities that he possesses warrant the acquittal of his weaknesses, and the splendid achievements he has made in war deserve indulgence, albeit the things love urges him to enact. The perpetual affection of Julius Caesar towards him should oblige you not to judge him, as being Caesar's adoptive son and legitimate successor, it seems like you must inherit his feelings, friends, and wealth. Antony fought for Julius Caesar, thus he fought for you. You ought to reward him for everything he accomplished for Caesar; among all his debts, the most rightful to be repaid are the good services from his friends. Remember all that Antony did for this remarkable man; he bravely rallied against Pompey's revolt when Pompey demanded that Caesar be the only one to lay down his weapons. Antony voiced his argument passionately at this meeting, not afraid to place himself at risk of attack, only to be treated disgracefully afterward, being forced to disguise as a slave in order to seek refuge in Caesar's camp. What Antony achieved at that time, he also accomplished on the occasion of...

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