As the operations by sea which he carried on, in conjunction with the
pirates, are the last recorded in history, by means of which Rome was
reduced to such straits, and as this repeated proof of the absolute
necessity of rendering her independent of any maritime power for supplies
of corn, seems to have been the chief inducement with Augustus to establish
regular and powerful corn fleets, we shall notice them in this place,
though rather posterior to the period of Roman history at which we have
arrived.

The younger Pompey, it would appear, was sensible that his father's fame
and fortune had been first established by his success at sea: this induced
him to apply himself to maritime affairs, and, when he resolved to oppose
the triumvirate, to trust principally to his experience and force by sea,
to oblige them to comply with his terms. Accordingly, he built several
ships, some of which are said to have been covered with leather: he
associated himself with all the pirates he could meet with; and, when
sufficiently powerful, he took possession of Sardinia, Sicily, and Corcyra,
made himself master of the whole Mediterranean sea, and intercepted all the
convoys which were carrying provisions and other necessaries to Rome. The
occupation of Sicily enabled him to prevent any corn from being shipped
from that island, and to intercept all that came from the eastern ports of
the Mediterranean. His possession of Sardinia and Corcyra enabled him to
intercept all that came from the west, while he captured all that came from
Africa by his squadrons, which were constantly cruising in that direction.

It may easily be imagined, that when Rome was deprived of her supplies of
corn from Sicily, Africa, and the Euxine, she could not long subsist,
without being threatened with famine: this was actually the case, the
inhabitants were near starving, and it became necessary for the triumvirate
to relieve them, either by conquering Pompey, or coming to terms with him.
But Rome alone did not suffer: the rest of Italy was also deprived, in a
great measure, of provisions, and its coasts insulted and plundered.
Octavianus, one of the triumvirate, at first resolved, with the advice of
Anthony, to raise a naval force, and oppose Pompey; but when he attempted
to lay a tax on the inhabitants of Rome and the rest of Italy, though it
was to prevent them from starving, they resisted it with so much violence
and determination, that he was obliged to aba