red also about the serpent,
because he too had doubtless indicated something about the situation
confronting them. A little before this a great two-headed serpent,
eighty-five feet long, had suddenly appeared in Etruria and after doing
much damage had been killed by lightning. This had a bearing upon all of
them. The chief force engaged on both sides alike was made up of Romans,
and many were destined at that juncture to perish in each army, and then
all of the survivors to become the property of the victor. Antony was
given omens of defeat beforehand by the children in Rome; without any
one's having suggested it they formed two parties, of which one called
itself the Antonians and the other the Caesarians, and they fought
with each other for two days, when those that bore Antony's name were
defeated. His death was portended by what happened to one of his images
set up as an offering in the temple of Jupiter at Albanum; although it
was stone it sent forth streams of blood.

[-9-] All alike were excited over these events, yet in that year
nothing further took place. Caesar was busied settling matters in Italy,
especially when he discovered the presence of money sent by Antony, and
so could not go to the front before winter. His rival started out with
the intention of carrying the war into Italy before they suspected his
movements, but when he came to Corcyra and ascertained that the advance
guard of ships sent to reconnoitre his position was hiding in the
vicinity of the mountains of Ceraunia, he conceived the idea that Caesar
himself with all his fleet had arrived; hence he would proceed no
farther. Instead, he sailed back to the Peloponnesus, the season being
already late autumn, and passed the winter at Patrae, distributing the
soldiers in every direction to the end that they might keep guard over
the various districts and secure more easily an abundance of provisions.
Meanwhile volunteers from each party went over to both sides, senators
as well as others, and Lucius Messius was caught as a spy by Caesar. He
released the man in spite of his being one of those previously captured
at Perusia, but first showed him all his power. To Antony Caesar sent
a letter, bidding him either withdraw from the sea a day's journey on
horseback, and grant him the free privilege of coming to him by boat on
condition that they should meet within five days, or else to cross over
to Italy himself on the same terms. Antony made a great deal