I remember hbo's website "Atia vs Servilia" where people could vote for their fave vixen- and people ordering 'team atia' (or servilia) t-shirts. Everyone seemed convinced that Atia was the winner of the two when the series ended, but I beg to differ. By the end of this episode we see Servilia's curse has begun to do it's work. (not the curse of the first season- Atia's houses won't burn, we KNOW she won't see her children die, and I doubt that dogs ever raped her) But afterall Atia is alone and loverless, dependant on her children for her security. She becomes quite pathetic.
I pity Atia because- unlike her historical counterparts (Atia and Fulvia) she is forced to linger on in a city that has changed considerably since we first met her. Atia was dead in 43 bc and Fulvia of course- died after her seige by Octavian a few years after. But in the series Atia is left to bitterness. In the end she's little more than a captive in her own home (a punishment that Octavian had probably planned since Antony beat him and nearly killed him) all of her friends, allies and social rivals are dead or have abandoned her. Her dream of alliance and marriage to Antony is shattered. Timon has long since ignored her bidding. And she is even forced to suffer her daughter's adoption of Cleo's children by her former lover and live with the constant reminder. (she still has Octavia, nay?) When we say goodbye to Atia, as she watches the triumph procession, she is visibly miserable and bitter (who can blame her) I think any one would rather have had the fate of Servilia and Cleo (death by suicide) than Atia's fate. She'll die old and lonely under the resentful eyes of her son and medlesome hands of a scary little daughter-in-law..... clearly Servilia was the winner after all.