[
92]
Less than half of Octavius' ships were saved, and these badly damaged. He
left certain officers in charge of them and proceeded to Campania much cast
down, for he had no other ships and he needed many; nor did he have time to
build them, pressed as he was by the famine and by the people, who were
again harassing him about a new treaty and mocking at the war as being in
violation of the old one. He needed money, but had none. The Romans were not
paying the taxes, nor would they allow the use of the revenues that he had
devised. But he was always clever at discovering what was for his advantage.
He sent
Mæcenas to Antony to change the mind of the latter respecting
the things about which they had lately had some
bickering, and to bring him to an alliance. If Mæcenas should not
succeed, he intended to embark his infantry on merchant vesels, cross over
to Sicily, abandon the sea, and wage war on land. While in this state of
dejection the news reached him that Antony had agreed to the alliance, and
he heard of a splendid victory over the Gauls of Aquitania, gained under the
leadership of Agrippa. His friends and certain cities also promised him
ships, and built them. Accordingly, Octavius cast off his despondency, and
made more formidable preparations than his previous ones.
