understanding with Antony, for he
had hardly entered Etruria before the unwilling Senate were compelled,
upon the proposal of Pedius, to repeal the sentence of outlawry against
Antony and Lepidus. These two were now descending the Alps at the head
of 17 legions. Octavian was advancing northward with a formidable army.
Between two such forces the situation of D. Brutus was hopeless. He was
deserted by his own troops, and fled to Aquileia, intending to cross
over to Macedonia, but was put to death in the former place by order of
Antony.

Lepidus, who acted as mediator between Antony and Octavian, now arranged
a meeting between them on a small island near Bononia, formed by the
waters of the River Rhenus, a tributary of the Po. The interview took
place near the end of November. It was arranged that the government of
the Roman world should be divided between the three for a period of five
years, under the title of "Triumvirs for settling the affairs of the
Republic."[71] Octavian received Sicily, Sardinia, and Africa; Antony
the two Gauls, with the exception of the Narbonese district, which, with
Spain, was assigned to Lepidus. Octavian and Antony were to prosecute
the war against Brutus and Cassius, who were in possession of the
eastern provinces. Lepidus was to receive the Consulship for the
following year, with the charge of Italy.

The Triumvirs next proceeded to imitate the example of Sulla by drawing
up a Proscription--a list of persons whose lives were to be sacrificed
and property confiscated. But they had not Sulla's excuse. He returned
to Italy exasperated to the highest degree by the murder of his friends
and the personal insults he had received. The Triumvirs, out of a
cold-blooded policy, resolved to remove every one whose opposition they
feared or whose property they coveted. In drawing up the fatal list,
they sacrificed without scruple their nearest relatives and friends. To
please Antony, Octavian gave up Cicero; Antony, in return, surrendered
his own uncle, L. Caesar; and Lepidus sacrificed his own brother Paullus.
As many as 300 Senators and 2000 Equites were entered on the lists.

As soon as the Triumvirs had made their secret arrangements they marched
toward Rome. Hitherto they had published the names of only 17 of the
Proscribed; but the city was in a state of the utmost alarm, and it was
with difficulty that Pedius could preserve the peace. So great were his
anxiety and fatigue that he died the night