g them out one against the other.
Accordingly, even against his will he kept his covenant with them and
directed his efforts to effecting a reconciliation for them with the
senate and with the people. He did not himself propose the matter, lest
some suspicion of what had really taken place should arise, but he set
out as if to make war on them, while Quintus urged, as if it were his own
idea, that amnesty and restoration be granted them. He did not secure
this, however, until the senate had communicated it to the supposedly
ignorant Caesar and he had unwillingly agreed to it, compelled, as he
alleged, by the soldiers.

[-53-] While this was being done Decimus at first set forth in the
intention of making war upon the pair, and associated with him Lucius
Planeus, since the latter had been appointed in advance as his colleague
for the following year. Learning, however, of his own condemnation and of
their reconciliation he wished to lead a campaign against Caesar, but was
abandoned by Plancus who favored the cause of Lepidus and Antony. Then he
decided to leave Gaul and hasten into Macedonia on land through Illyricum
to Marcus Brutus, and sent ahead some of the soldiers while he was
engaged in finishing some business he had in hand. But they embraced
Caesar's cause, and the rest were pursued by Lepidus and Antony and then
were won over through the agency of others. So, being deserted, he was
seized by a personal foe. When he was about to be executed he complained
and lamented so loudly that one Helvius Blasio, who was kindly disposed
to him from association on campaigns, in his sight voluntarily slew
himself first.

[-54-] So Decimus afterward died also. Antony and Lepidus left
lieutenants in Gaul and themselves proceeded to join Caesar in Italy,
taking with them the larger and the better part of their armies. They did
not trust him very far and wished not to owe him any favor, but to seem
to have obtained amnesty and restoration on their own merits and by their
own strength, and not through him. They also hoped to become masters of
whatever they desired, of Caesar and the rest in the City, by the size
of their armies. With such a feeling they marched through the country,
according it friendly treatment. Still, it was damaged by their numbers
and audacity no less than if there had been a war. They were met near
Bononia by Caesar with many soldiers: he was exceedingly well prepared to
defend himself against them, if they