avagant that negotiations were at once
broken off, and nothing remained but to try the fortune of arms. The
consuls proceeded to levy troops; but so exhausted was the treasury that
now for the first time since the triumph of AEmilius Paullus it was found
necessary to levy a property tax on the citizens of Rome.

Octavius and the consuls assembled their forces at Alba. On the first
day of the new year (43) Hirtius marched for Mutina, with Octavius under
his command. The other consul, Pansa, remained at Rome to raise new
levies; but by the end of March he also marched to form a junction with
Hirtius. Both parties pretended to be acting in Caesar's name.

Antony left his brother Lucius in the trenches before Mutina, and took
the field against Hirtius and Octavius. For three months the opponents
lay watching each other. But when Antony learned that Pansa was coming
up, he made a rapid movement southward with two of his veteran legions
and attacked him. A sharp conflict followed, in which Pansa's troops
were defeated, and the consul himself was carried, mortally wounded, off
the field. But Hirtius was on the alert, and assaulted Antony's wearied
troops on their way back to their camp, with some advantage. This was on
the 15th of April, and on the 27th Hirtius drew Antony from his
intrenchments before Mutina. A fierce battle followed, which ended in
the troops of Antony being driven back into their lines. Hirtius
followed close upon the flying enemy; the camp was carried by storm, and
a complete victory would have been won had not Hirtius himself fallen.
Upon this disaster Octavius drew off the troops. The news of the first
battle had been reported at Rome as a victory, and gave rise to
extravagant rejoicings. The second battle was really a victory, but all
rejoicing was damped by the news that one consul was dead and the other
dying. No such fatal mischance had happened since the Second Punic War,
when Marcellus and Crispinus fell in one day.

After his defeat Antony felt it impossible to maintain the siege of
Mutina. With Dec. Brutus in the town behind him, and the victorious
legions of Octavius before him, his position was critical. He therefore
prepared to retreat, and effected this purpose like a good soldier. His
destination was the province of Narbonnese Gaul, where Lepidus had
assumed the government and had promised him support. But the senate also
had hopes in the same quarter. L. Munatius Plancus commanded in North