A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

490 POMPEIUS. POMPETUS.
clhided among these murderers, although he had nmaster of the sea. Octavian thought it more pruhad no share in the deed, and on the establishment dent to yield, and accordingly a peace was negotiated
of the triumvirate in October was proscribed. His between the triumvirs and Pompey, through the
fleet secured him safety; but as the governors of mediation of Scribonius Libo, the father-in-law of
Gaul and Spain had declared in favour of the tri- the latter. By this peace, which was concluded
umvirs, he had no fixed station on the mainland. at Misenum in B. c. 39, the triumvirs granted to
He therefore cruised about, plundering the coasts Pompey the provinces of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica,
both for the sake of support and with the view of and Achaia, and promised him the consulship,
injuring the triumvirs. His numbers gradually the augurate, and an indemnification of seventeen
increased; many of those swho had been proscribed and a half millions of denarii for his private forby the triumvirs, and multitudes of slaves, flocked tune: Pompey, on his part, promised to supply
to him; and he at length felt himself strong enough Italy with corn, to protect commerce in the Medito take possession of Sicily, which he made his terranean, and to marry his daughter to M. Marhead quarters. The towns of Mylae, Tyndaris, cellus, the son of Octavia, the sister of the triumvir.
Messana, and Syracuse fell into his power, and But this peace was a mere farce. Antony refused
the whole island eventually acknowledged his sway. to give up Achaia; and Pompey, therefore, recomA. Pompeius Bithynicus, who was propraetor of menced his piratical excursions. A war was inSicily, had at first repulsed Sextus in his attempts evitable: the only thing that could save Pompey
upon Messalna, but had afterwards allowed him was a quarrel between Octavian and Antony. In
to obtain possession of the town on condition that B. C. 38 Pompey sustained a severe loss in the dethey should rule together over Sicily; but this con- sertion of one of his principal legates, Menas or
dition was never observed, and Sextus became the Menodorus, who surrendered to Octavian Sardinia
real master of the island. Sextus likewise received and Corsica, together with a large naval and milisupport from Q. Cornificius, the governor of Africa. tary force [MENAS]. This important accession
Rome now began to suffer from. want of its usual determined Octavian to commence war immediately.
supplies, which were cut off by Sextus; and accord- He appointed C. Calvisius Sabinus to the command
ingly Octavian sent against him a fleet commanded of his fleet, with Menas as his legate. This camby his legate Q. Salvidienus Rufus (B. c. 42). The paign was unfavourable to Octavian. His fleet
latter succeeded in protecting the coasts of Italy was twice defeated by Pompey's admirals, first off
from the ravages of Pompey's ships, but was de- Cumae by Menecrates, who, however, perished in
feated in the straits of Sicily when he ventured upon the battle, and next off Messana, where his fleet
a naval engagement against the main body of Pom- was likewise almost destroyed by a storm. Pompey,
pey's fleet. This battle was fought under the eyes of however, did not follow up his success; he reOctavian, who departed immediately afterwards for' mained inactive, and lost, as usual, the favourable
Greece, in order to prosecute the war against Bru- moment for action. Octavian, on the contrary,
tus and Cassius. Pompey had now become stronger made every effort to equip a new fleet. He saw
than ever. His naval superiority was incontest- that it was absolutely necessary for him to crush
able; and in his arrogance he called himself the Pompey before he ventured to measure his strength
son of Neptune. About this time he put to death against Antony and Lepidus. He accordingly
Pompeius Bithynicus under pretence of a con- spent the whole of next year (B. c.'37) in making
spiracy. preparations for the war, and obtained assistance
While the war was going on in Greece between from both his colleagues, Antony and Lepidus. He
the triumvirs and the republican party, Pompey appointed M. Vipsanius Agrippa to the supreme
remained inactive. This was a fatal mistake. He command of the whole fleet. Just before the breakshould either have attacked Italy and caused there ing out of hostilities, Menas again played the dea diversion in favour of Brutus and Cassius, or he serter and returned to his old master's service, disshould have supported the latter in Greece; for it satisfied at having merely a subordinate command
was evident that if they fell, he must sooner or assigned to him. By the summer of B. C. 36, all
later fall likewise. But the fall of Pompey was the preparations of Octavian were completed, and
delayed longer than might have been expected. the war commenced. He had three large fleets at
Octavian on his return to Italy was engaged his disposal; his own, stationed in the Julian
with the Perusinian war (B. c. 41), and Pompey harbour, which he had constructed near Baiae;
was thus enabled to continue his ravages upon that of Antony, under the command of Statilins
the coasts of Italy without resistance. The con- Taurus, in the harbour of Tarentum; and that of
tinued misunderstandings between Octavian and Lepidus, off the coast of Africa. His plan was for
Antony, which now threatened an open war, were all three fleets to set sail on the same day, and
still more favourable for Pompey. In the be- make a descent upon three different parts of Sicily.
ginning of B. C. 40 Antony requested the assistance But a fearful storm marred this project; Lepidus
of Ponipey against Octavian. Pompey forthwith alone reached the coast of Sicily, and landed at
sent troops into the south of Italy, but was obliged Lilybaeum; Statilius Taurus was able to put back
to withdraw them shortly afterwards, upon the re- to Tarentum; but Octavian, who was surprised
conciliation of the triumvirs at Brundisium. The by the storm off the Lucanian promontory of Palitriumvirs now resolved to make war upon Pompey; nurum, lost a great number of his ships, and was
but as he was in possession of Sicily, Sardinia, obliged to remain in Italy to repair his shattered
and Corsica, and his fleets plundered all the supplies fleet. This was a reprieve to Pompey, who offered
of corn which came from Egypt and the eastern sacrifices to Neptune for his timely assistance, but
provinces, the utmost scarcity prevailed at Rome, he still remained inactive. Menodorus, who had
and a famine seemed inevitable. The Roman po- been already of considerable service to Pompey,
pulace were not content to wait for the conquest of again played the traitor and went over to Octavian.
Pompey; they rose in open insurrection and de- As soon as the fleet had been repaired, Octavian
manded of their new rulers a reconciliation with the again set sail for Sicily. Agrippa defeated Pompey's