254 The Republic. R 0 
WifhcM turning out the former inhabitants. In conse¬ 
quence of this, multitudes of women, with children in their 
arms, whose tender years and innocence excited universal 
compassion, daily filled the temples and the streets with 
'their distresses. Numbers of husbandmen and shepherds 
Came to deprecate the conqueror’s intention, or to obtain an 
habitation in some other part of the v, orld. Amongst this 
number was Virgil the poet, who, in an humble manner, 
begged permission to retain his patrimonial farm: Virgil 
obtained his request; but the rest of his countrymen, 
of Mantua and Cremona, were turned out without 
mercy. 
Italy and Home now felt the most extreme miseries; the 
insolent soldiers plundered at will; while Sextus Pompey, 
being master of the sea, cut off all foreign communication, 
and prevented the people’s receiving their usual supplies of 
corn. To these mischiefs were added the commencement 
of another civil war. Fulvia, the wife of Antony, who had 
been left behind him at Rome, had felt for some time all the 
.rage of jealousy, and resolved to try every method of bring¬ 
ing back her husband from the anns of Cleopatra. She 
considered a breach with Octavianus as the only probable 
means of rousing him from his lethargy; and accordingly, 
with the assistance of Lucius, her brother-in-law, who was 
then consul, and entirely devoted to her interest, she began 
to sow the seeds of dissension. The pretext was, that 
Antony should have a share in the distribution of lands 
as well as Octavianus. This produced some negociations 
between them; Octavianus offered to make the veterans them¬ 
selves umpires in the dispute. Lucius refused to acquiesce; 
and being at the head of more than six legions, mostly 
composed of such as had been dispossessed of their lands, he 
resolved to compel Octavianus to accept of whatever terms he 
should offer. Thus a new war was excited between Octa¬ 
vianus and Antony; or, at least, the generals of the latter 
assumed the sanction of his name. Octavianus, however, 
proved victorious: Lucius was hemmed in between two ar¬ 
mies, and constrained to retreat to Perusia, a city of Etruria, 
where he was closely besieged by the opposite party. He 
made many desperate sallies, and Fulvia did all in her power 
to relieve him, but without success. He was at last, there¬ 
fore, reduced to such extremity by famine, that he came out 
in person and delivered himself up to the mercy of the con¬ 
queror. Octavianus received him very honourably, and 
generously pardoned him and all his followers. Thus hav¬ 
ing concluded the war in a few months, he returned in tri¬ 
umph to Rome. 
Antony, who, during this interval, was revelling in all the 
luxuries procured him by his insidious mistress, having 
heard of his brother’s overthrow, and his wife’s being com¬ 
pelled to leave Italy, was resolved to oppose Octavianus 
without delay. He accordingly sailed at the head of a con¬ 
siderable fleet from Alexandria to Tyre, from thence to 
Cyprus and Rhodes, and had an interview with Fulvia, his 
wife, at Athens. He much blamed her for occasioning the 
late disorders, testified the utmost contempt for her person, 
and, leaving her upon her death-bed at Sicyon, hastened 
into Italy to fight Octavianus. They both met at Brun- 
dusium; and it was now thought that the flames of a civil 
war were going to blaze out once more. The forces of 
Antony were numerous, but mostly newly raised; however, 
ha was assisted by Sextus Pompeius, who in these opposi¬ 
tions of interests was daily coming into power. Octavianus 
was at the head of those veterans who had always been 
irresistible, but who seemed no way disposed to'fight against 
Antony their former general. A negociation was therefore 
proposed; and a reconciliation was effected. All offences 
and affronts were mutually forgiven; and, to cement the 
union, a marriage was concluded between Antony and 
Octavia, the sister of Octavianus. A new division of the 
Roman empire was made between them; Octavianus was 
to have the command of the west, Antony of the east, while ' 
Lap id us was obliged to content himself with the provinces 
■in Africa. As for Sextus Pompeius, he was permitted 'to 
M E. The Republic. 
retain all the islands he had already possessed, together with 
Peloponnesus: he was also granted the privilege of demand¬ 
ing the consulship in his absence, and of discharging that 
Office by any of his friends. It was likewise stipulated to leave 
the sea open, and pay the people what corn was due out of 
Sicily. Thus a general peace was concluded, to the great 
satisfaction of the people, who now expected a cessation 
from all their calamities. 
This calm seemed to continue for sometime: Antony led 
his forces against the Parthians, over Whom his lieutenant, 
Ventidius,had gained great advantages. Octavianus drew the 
greatest part of his army into Gaul, where there were some 
disturbances; and Pompey went to secure his newly ceded 
province to his interest. It was on this quarter that fresh 
motives were given for renewing the war. Antony, who 
was obliged by treaty to quit Peloponnesus, refused to 
evacuate it till Pompey had satisfied him for such debts as 
were due to him from the inhabitants. This Pompey would, 
by no means comply with; but immediately fitted out a 
new fleet, and renewed his former enterprises, by cutting off 
such com and provisions as were consigned to Italy. Thus 
the grievances of the poor were again renewed; and the 
people began to complain, that instead of three tyrants they 
were now oppressed by four. 
In this exigence, Octavianus, who had long meditated the 
best means of diminishing the number, fesolved to begin by 
getting rid of Pompey, who kept the state in continual 
alarms. He was master of two fleets; one of which he had 
caused to be built at Ravenna; and another which Meno- 
dorus, who revolted from Pompey, brought to his aid. His 
first attempt was to invade Sicily; but being overpowered in 
his passage by Pompey, and atterwards shattered in a storm, 
he was obliged to defer his designs to the ensuing year. Du¬ 
ring this interval he was reinforced by a fleet of 120 ships, 
given him by Antony, with which he resolved once more to 
invade Sicily on three several quarters. But fortune seemed 
still determined to oppose him. He was a second time 
disabled and shattered by a storm: which so raised the 
vanity of Pompey, that he began to style himself the son o f 
Neptune. However, Octavianus was not to be intimidated 
by any disgraces; for having shortly refitted his navy, and 
recruited his forces, he gave the command of both to 
Agrippa, his faithful friend and associate in war. Agrippa 
proved himself worthy of the trust reposed in him: he began 
his operations by a victory over Pompey; and, though he was 
shortly after worsted himself, he soon after gave his adversary 
a complete and final overthrow. Thus undone, Pompey 
resolved to fly to Antony, from whom he expected refuge, 
as he had formerly obliged that triumvir by giving protection 
to his mother. Nevertheless, Titus, Antony’s lieutenant, 
shortly after caused him to be slain. 
The death of this general removed one very powerful 
obstacle to the ambition of Octavianus, and he resolved to 
take the earliest opportunity to get rid of the rest of his 
associates. An offence was soon furnished by Lepidus, that 
served as a sufficient pretext for depriving him of his share 
in the triumvirate. Being now at the head of 22 legions, 
with a strong body of cavalry, he idly supposed that his 
present power was more than an equivalent to the popularity 
of Octavianus. He therefore resolved upon adding Sicily, 
where he then was, to his province; pretending a right, as 
having first invaded it. His colleague sent to expostulate 
upon these proceedings; but Lepidus fiercely replied, “ that 
he was determined to have his share in the administration, 
and would no longer submit to let one alone possess all the 
authority.” Octavianus was previously informed of the dis¬ 
position of Lepidus’s soldiers; for he had, by his secret 
intrigues and largesses, entirely attached them to himself. 
Wherefore, without further delay, he with great boldness 
went alone to the camp of Lepidus, and with no other 
assistance than his private bounties, and the authority he 
had gained by his former victories, he resolved to depose his 
rival. The soldiers thronged round him with the most duti¬ 
ful alacrity, while Lepidus hastened to prevent their defection. 
But 
