rew the
whole army into dejection by their laments. The detachment would have
perished utterly, had not the foe, though reluctantly, taken their hands
off them. Agrippa, after winning the naval battle, had sailed back
to Lipara, but when he learned that Sextus had fled to Messana and
Demochares had gone off in some other direction, he crossed over to
Sicily, occupied Mylae and Tyndaris, and sent food and soldiers to the
other party. Sextus, thinking that Agrippa himself would come likewise,
became frightened and beat a hasty retreat before his approach, even
abandoning some baggage and supplies in his fortifications. The followers
of Cornificius obtained from these ample support and made their way in
safety to Agrippa. Caesar received them back with praises and gifts,
although he had treated them after the victory of Agrippa in a very
supercilious manner, thinking the latter had finished the war.
Cornificius, indeed, prided himself so much upon his preservation of the
soldiers, that in Rome, whenever he went out of his house to dine, he
always returned home on the back of an elephant.

[-8-] Caesar after this entered Sicily and Sextus encamped opposite him in
the vicinity of Artemisium. They did not have any great battle at
once, but indulged in a few slight cavalry skirmishes. While they were
stationed there in hostile array Sextus received as an accession Tisienus
Gallus, and Caesar Lepidus with his forces. Lepidus had encountered the
storm which I mentioned, and also Demochares, and he had lost a number
of ships: he did not come to Caesar immediately, but on account of his
reverse or to the end that his colleague should face difficulties by
himself or in the wish to draw Sextus away from him he had made an
assault on Lilybaeum. Gallus was sent thither by Sextus and contended
against him. From there both the contestants, as they accomplished
nothing, went to Artemisium. Gallus proved a source of strength to
Sextus, but Lepidus quarreled with Caesar; he claimed the privilege of
managing everything on equal terms with Caesar as his fellow-commander,
whereas he was employed by him entirely in the capacity of lieutenant:
therefore he inclined to favor Sextus and secretly held communication
with him. Caesar suspected this, but dared not give expression to his
doubts and alienate him openly, nor could he safely conceal his thoughts:
he felt it would look suspicious if he should not consult him at all and
that it would be da