is most disgraceful for us, who are so many and so valiant, who
have weapons and money and ships and horses, to choose the worse instead
of the better course, and when we might afford the other party liberty
to prefer to join them in slavery. Our aims are so utterly opposed that,
whereas he desires to reign as sovereign over you, I wish to free you and
them together, and this I have confirmed by oath. Therefore as men who
are to struggle for both sides alike and to win blessings that shall be
common to all, let us labor, fellow-soldiers, to prevail at the present
juncture and to gain happiness for all time."

[-23-] After delivering a speech of this sort Antony put all his most
prominent associates aboard the boats, to prevent them from concerting
revolutionary measures when they got by themselves, as Deillius and some
other deserters had done; he also embarked great numbers of archers,
slingers, and hoplites. And since the defeat of Sextus had been largely
due to the size of Caesar's ships and the number of his marines, Antony
had equipped his vessels to surpass greatly those of his opponents, for
he had had constructed only a few triremes, but the rest were ships with
four banks and with ten banks, and represented all the remaining degrees
of capacity: upon these he had built lofty towers, and he had put aboard
a crowd of men who could fight from behind walls, as it were. Caesar for
his part was observing their equipment and making his preparations; when
he learned from Deillius and others their intention he himself assembled
the army and spoke to this effect:--

[-24-] "Having discovered, fellow-soldiers, both from what I have learned
from hearsay and from what I have tested by experience, that the most and
greatest military enterprises, or, indeed, I might say human affairs in
general, turn out in favor of those persons who both think and act in a
more just and pious manner, I am keeping this strictly in mind myself and
I advise you to consider it. No matter how numerous and mighty the force
we possess, no matter if it be such that even a man who chose the less
just of two courses might expect to win with its aid, nevertheless I base
my confidence far more upon the causes underlying the war than upon this
factor. For that we who are Romans and lords of the greatest and best
portion of the world should be despised and trodden under foot of an
Egyptian woman is unworthy of our fathers who overthrew Pyrrhus, Philip,
P