upon him (August 19th). Meanwhile, Antony escaped to Cisalpine Gaul,
effected a junction with Lepidus and marched towards Rome with a large
force of infantry and cavalry. Octavian betrayed his party, and came to
terms with Antony and Lepidus. The three leaders met at Bononia and
adopted the title of _Triumviri reipublicae constituendae_ as joint
rulers. Gaul was to belong to Antony, Spain to Lepidus, and Africa,
Sardinia and Sicily to Octavian. The arrangement was to last for five
years. A reign of terror followed; proscriptions, confiscations, and
executions became general; some of the noblest citizens were put to
death, and Cicero fell a victim to Antony's revenge. In the following
year (42) Antony and Octavian proceeded against the conspirators Cassius
and Brutus, and by the two battles of Philippi annihilated the
senatorial and republican parties. Antony proceeded to Greece, and
thence to Asia Minor, to procure money for his veterans and complete the
subjugation of the eastern provinces. On his passage through Cilicia in
41 he fell a victim to the charms of Cleopatra, in whose company he
spent the winter at Alexandria. At length he was aroused by the Parthian
invasion of Syria and the report of an outbreak between Fulvia his wife
and Lucius his brother on the one hand and Octavian on the other. On
arriving in Italy he found that Octavian was already victorious; on the
death of Fulvia, a reconciliation was effected between the triumvirs,
and cemented by the marriage of Antony with Octavia, the sister of his
colleague. A new division of the Roman world was made at Brundusium,
Lepidus receiving Africa, Octavian the west, and Antony the east.
Returning to his province Antony made several attempts to subdue the
Parthians, without any decided success. In 39 he visited Athens, where
he behaved in a most extravagant manner, assuming the attributes of the
god Dionysus. In 37 he crossed over to Italy, and renewed the
triumvirate for five years at a meeting with Octavian. Returning to
Syria, he resumed relations with Cleopatra. His treatment of Octavia,
her brother's desire to get rid of him, and the manner in which he
disposed of kingdoms and provinces in favour of Cleopatra alienated his
supporters. In 32 the senate deprived him of his powers and declared war
against Cleopatra. After two years spent in preparations, Antony was
defeated at the battle of Actium (2nd September 31). Once more he sought
refuge in the society of Cle