ificial dike or dam. While he was engaged in these great works,
Antony sailed to Taventum, in B.C. 37, with 300 ships. Maecenas hastened
thither from Rome, and succeeded once more in concluding an amicable
arrangement. He was accompanied on this occasion by Horace, who has
immortalized, in a well-known satire, his journey from Rome to
Brundusium. Octavian and Antony met between Tarentum and Metapontum; the
Triumvirate was renewed for another period of five years; Antony agreed
to leave 120 ships to assist in the war against Pompey, and Octavian
promised to send a land force to the East for the campaign against the
Parthians.

Octavian, now relieved of all anxiety on the part of Antony, urged on
his preparations with redoubled vigor. By the summer of B.C. 36 he was
ready to commence operations. He had three large fleets at his disposal:
his own, stationed in the Julian harbor; that of Antony, under the
command of Statilius Taurus, in the harbor of Tarentum; and that of
Lepidus, off the coast of Africa. His plan was for all three fleets to
set sail on the same day, and make a descent upon three different parts
of Sicily; but a fearful storm marred this project. Lepidus alone
reached the coast of Sicily, and landed at Lilybaeum; Statilius Taurus
was able to put back to Tarentum; but Octavian, who was surprised by the
storm off the Lucanian promontory of Palinurus, lost a great number of
his ships, and was obliged to remain in Italy to repair his shattered
fleet. As soon as the ships had been refitted, Octavian again set sail
for Sicily. Agrippa defeated Pompey's fleet off Mylae, destroying 30 of
his ships; but the decisive battle was fought on the 3d of September
(B.C. 36), off Naulochus, a sea-port between Mylae and the promontory of
Pelorus. Agrippa gained a brilliant victory; most of the Pompeian
vessels were destroyed or taken. Pompey himself fled to Lesbos with a
squadron of 17 ships. Octavian did not pursue him, as Lepidus, who was
at the head of a considerable force, now claimed Sicily for himself, and
an equal share as Triumvir in the government of the Roman world; but
Octavian found means to seduce his soldiers from their allegiance; and
Lepidus was at last obliged to surrender to Octavian, and to throw
himself upon his mercy. His life was granted, but he was deprived of his
Triumvirate, his army, and his provinces, and was compelled to retire to
Italy as a private person. He was allowed, however, to retain his
pr