is still an
additional honor and distinguishes them as superior, or as capable,
through having been freed, of becoming knights.

[-46-] Such is the matter in question. Sextus, having this as a reproach
against Caesar, and the further facts that Achaea had been impoverished
and the rights agreed upon were not granted either to him or to the
restored exiles, sent to Italy Menecrates, another freedman of his, and
had him ravage Volturnum and other parts of Campania. Caesar on learning
this took the documents containing the treaty from the vestal virgins and
sent for Antony and Lepidus. Lepidus did not at once obey. Antony came to
Brundusium from Greece where, by chance, he still was: but before he met
Caesar, who was in Etruria, he became alarmed because a wolf had entered
his head-quarters and killed soldiers; so he sailed back to Greece again,
making the urgency of the Parthian situation his excuse. Caesar, however
much he felt that he had been abandoned by his colleague with the purpose
that he should face the difficulties of the war alone, nevertheless
showed no anger openly. Sextus kept repeating that Antony was not for
punishing him and set himself more zealously to the task in hand. Finally
he sailed against Italy, landed at different points, inflicted much
injury and endured much in return. Meantime off Cyme there was a naval
battle between Menecrates and Calvisius Sabinus. In this several ships of
Caesar were destroyed, because he was arrayed against expert seafarers;
but Menecrates out of rivalry attacked Menas and perished, making the
loss of Sextus an equal one. For this reason the latter laid no claim to
victory and Caesar consoled himself over the defeat. [-47-] He happened at
this time to be in Rhegium, and the party of Sextus feared he would cross
over into Sicily; and being somewhat disheartened, too, at the death
of Menecrates, they set sail from Cyme. Sabinus pursued them as far
as Scyllaeum, the Italian promontory, without trouble. But, as he was
rounding that point, a great wind fell upon him, hurling some of the
ships against the promontory, sinking others out at sea, and scattering
all the rest. Sextus on ascertaining this sent the fleet under command of
Apollophanes against them. He, discovering Caesar coasting along somewhere
in these parts with the intention of crossing into Sicily along with
Sabinus, made a dash upon him. Caesar had the ships come to anchor,
marshaled the heavy-armed soldiers upon