22. How did he accomplish this?

23. What was his next measure?

24. By what means did he effect his purpose?

25. What was the consequence of this artful conduct?

26. Did the conspirators fall victims to their fury?

27. Had Antony no rivals in his attempts to acquire power?

28. What was the result of this rivalship?

SECTION IV.

Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come,
Revenge yourself alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is aweary of the world.--_Shakspeare._

1. The meeting of these three usurpers of their country's freedom, was
upon a little island of the river Rhenus.[7] Their mutual suspicions
were the cause of their meeting in a place where they had no fear of
treachery; for, even in their union, they could not divest themselves
of mutual diffidence. 2. Lep'idus first entered; and, finding all
things safe, made the signal for the other two to approach. At their
first meeting, after saluting each other, Augustus began the
conference, by thanking Antony for putting Dec'imus Brutus to death;
who, being abandoned by his army, had been taken, as he was
endeavouring to escape into Macedo'nia, and was beheaded by Antony's
soldiers. 3. They then entered upon the business that lay before them,
without any retrospection to the past.

[Illustration: The Second Triumvirate preparing their Proscription
List.]

Their conference lasted three days; and, in this period, they
settled a division of the government, and determined the fate of
thousands. 4. The result of this conference was, that the supreme
authority should be lodged in their hands, under the title of the
Trium'virate, for the space of five years; that Antony should have
Gaul; Lep'idus, Spain, and Augustus, Africa and the Mediterranean
islands. As for Italy, and the eastern provinces, they were to remain
in common, until their general enemy should be subdued; and, among
other articles of union, it was agreed that all their enemies should
be destroyed, of which each presented a list. 5. In these were
comprised, not only the enemies but the friends of the Trium'virate,
since the partisans of the one were found among the opposers of the
other. Thus Lep'idus gave up his brother AEmil'ius Paulus to the
vengeance of his colleague; Antony permitted the proscription of his
uncle Lucius; and Augustus delivered up the great Ci'cero, who was
assassinated shortly after by Antony's command.[8]

6. In the mean time Brutus and Cassius, the principal of the
c