often came home very scurvily treated and sometimes beaten severely Though this sort of behaviour was very unpleasing to some yet the Alexandrians were well satisfy'd in his frolicks and jovial humour saying pleasantly that they had great obligations for Antony who diverted them with a Comical Countenance and reserv'd the Tragical for the Romans It would be very tedious to be more particular in his follies but his fishing must not be forgot He went out one day to angle with Cleopatra and being so unfortunate as to catch nothing in the presence of his Mistress he fell into a great passion and gave secret orders to the Fishermen to dive under water and put Fishes that had been fresh taken upon his hooks he drew so fast that the subtil Aegyptian perceiv'd it but feigning great admiration she told every body how dexterous Antony was and invited them next day to come and see him again so soon as he had let down his hook one of her Servants was too nimble for his Divers and fixed upon his hook a salted Fish taken in the Pontick Sea who when he felt his Line give drew up the prey which as one may easily imagine gave great occasion of Laughter which she turning very agreeably said Allow us brave Sir poor inhabitants of Charos and Canopus the reputation to be skilful in this Art your Game is Cities Provinces and Kingdoms Whilst Antony was thus amused in his Childish recreations two Messengers arrive the one from Rome who informs him that his Brother Lucius and his Wife Fulvia after many quarrels among themselves had joyn'd to resist Caesar but having lost all were forc'd to fly out of Italy The other brought little better news how that Labienus at the head of the Carthians had over-ran Asia from Euphrates and Syria all along to Lydia and Ionia scarce could he be rowsed from this sleep but at length as it were recovering from a drunken Fit he sets onward for Parthia and having got as far as Phaenicia upon the receipt of most lamentable Letters from Fulvia he turn'd his Course with two hundred Ships to Italy and in his way receiving such of his Friends as fled from Italy he was given to understand that Fulvia was the sole cause of the War a Woman of a restless Spirit and very bold and withal her hopes were that the commotions in Italy would force Antony from Cleopatra But it happen'd that Fulvia as she was coming to meet her husband fell sick by the way and dy'd at Sicyon by which reason an accommodation with Caesar was easily made for those that were Friends to them both seeing Antony arriv'd in Italy and nothing laid to his charge but what he disown'd and shifted off upon Fulvia they would not suffer that the time should be spent in justifying and accusing they made them both Friends and so proceeded to the division of the Empire the Eastern Provinces were given to Antony to Caesar the Western and Affrick left to Lepidus and an agreement was made that every one in their turn as they thought fit should make their Friends Consuls when they took it not themselves this Agreement was well approv'd of but yet 't was thought a Stronger tye would be very necessary and here Fortune was propitious for Caesar had an elder Sister not of the whole blood for Accia was his Mothers name hers Ancharia this Sister he lov'd intirely and a Lady she was of a Noble Character the Relict of Caius Marcellus and Antony was now a Widower by the death of Fulvia for though he did not disavow the passion he had for Cleopatra yet he disown'd any thing of Marriage Love and Reason still debating in his Breast what was to become of the fair Aegyptian Queen Every body was for promoting this Marriage it being the general expectation that a Lady of so much Honour Beauty and Prudence being perpetually with Antony and having great credit with him as might reasonably be expected affairs would easily be so order'd that no difference should arise betwixt him and Caesar Both parties being agreed they went to Rome to celebrate the Nuptials the Senate dispensing with the Law by which a Widow was not permitted to marry till ten Months after the death of her Husband Sextus Compeius was in possession of Sicily who with his Ships under the command of Menas and Menecrates two famous Pirates infested the Italian Coast that no Vessels durst venture into those Seas Sextus had behaved himself with much humanity towards Antony having kindly receiv'd his Wise and Mother in their Flight and it was judg'd fit that he should be receiv'd into the peace they met nigh to the Promontory of Misenum upon a point of Land that runs into the Sea Pompey's Fleet being at anchor in the Road and Antony and Caesar's Army drawn up all along the Side over against them There it was concluded that Sextus should quietly enjoy the Government of Sicily and Sardinia he conditioning to scowre the Seas of all Pirates and to send so much Corn every year to Rome This agreed on they invited one another to supper and by lot it fell to Pompey's turn to make the first entertainment and Antony asking where it was to be there said he pointing to the Admiral for that is the only House that Pompey is Heir to of his Fathers And this he said reflecting upon Antony who then was in possession of his Fathers House Having cast Anchor and made a Bridge from the promontory into the Galley he received them very gallantly when they began to grow warm which occasion'd many pleasant passages upon the subject of Antony's and Cleopatra's loves Menas the Pirate whispers Pompey in the ear Sir said he will you be pleas'd that I cut the Cable which will not only make you Master of Sicily and Sardinia but of the whole Roman Empire Pompey having for a while considered what was propos'd return'd him this answer Menas this might have been done without acquainting me in 't now let us make the best of our present condition for I cannot break my word And so having been treated by the other two in their turns he set fail for Sicily As soon as matters were concerted Antony dispatch'd Ventidius into Asia to put a stop to the inroads of the Carthians and he to make a complement to Octavius accepted of the Office of being Priest to the deceased Caesar and in all occasions of common civility as also in matters of the highest concernment they both behaved themselves with a great deal of easiness and friendship But Antony could not suffer with patience that Caesar in all little plays which they frequently diverted themselves with should be constantly victorious He had usually with him an Aegyptian skilful in the calculation of Nativities who either to make his Court to Cleopatra or that by the rules of his Art he found it so to be did declare to him that though the Fortune that did attend him was
themselves bravely in the next Engagement he would give them up two Cities to spoil and plunder Thessalonica and Lacedaemon This is the only inexcusable fault in the Life of Brutus though Antony and Caesar were much more cruel in the Rewards that they gave to their Souldiers after Victory For they drove out almost all the old Inhabitants of Italy to put their Souldiers in possession of other Mens Lands and Cities but indeed their only design and end in undertaking the War was to obtain Dominion and Empire But Brutus for the reputation of his Vertue could not either overcome or save himself but with Justice and Honour especially after the death of Cassius who was generally accus'd of putting Brutus upon several violent and cruel Actions But now as in a Ship when the Rudder is broken by a Storm the Mariners fit and nail on some other piece of Wood instead of it striving against the danger not so well as before but as well as in that necessity they can So Brutus being at the Head of so great an Army and engaged in such weighty Affairs and having no Commander equal to Cassius was forc'd to make use of those that he had and to do and to say many things according to their Advice which he chiefly follow'd in whatever might conduce to the bringing of Cassius's Souldiers into better Order For they were very head-strong and intractable bold and insolent in the Camp for want of their General but in the Field cowardly and fearful remembring that they had been beaten Neither were the Affairs of Caesar and Antony in any better posture for they were streightned for Provision and the Camp being in a low Ground they expected to endure a very hard Winter For being encompass'd with Marshes and a great quantity of Rain as is usual in Autumn having fallen after the Battel their Tents were all fill'd with Mire and Water which through the coldness of the Weather immediately froze And while they were in this condition there was News brought to them of their loss at Sea For Brutus's Fleet fell upon their Ships which were bringing a great supply of Souldiers out of Italy and so entirely defeated 'em that but very few escaped being slain and they too were forc'd by Famine to feed upon the Sails and Tackle of the Ship As soon as they heard this they made what hast they could to come to the decision of a Battel before Brutus should have notice of his good Success For it happen'd that the Fight both by Sea and Land was on the same day But by some misfortune rather than the fault of his Commanders Brutus knew not of his Victory till twenty days after For had he been informed of this he would not have been brought to a second Battel since he had sufficient Provisions for his Army for a long time and was very advantageously posted his Camp being safe from the injuries of the Weather and almost inaccessible to the Enemy And his being absolute Master of the Sea and having at Land overcome on that side wherein he himself was engag'd would have mightily encourag'd him But it seems the state of Rome not enduring any longer to be govern'd by Many but necessarily requiring a Monarchy Providence that it might remove out of the way the only Man that was able to resist him that was destin'd to this Empire cut off this good Fortune from coming to the ears of Brutus Tho it came but a very little too late For the very Evening before the Fight Clodius a deserter from the Enemy came and told him that Caesar had receiv'd advice of the loss of his Fleet and for that reason was in such hast to come to a Battel This Relation met with no Credit neither would Brutus so much as admit him to his Presence but utterly despis'd him as one that had had no good Information or one that had invented Lyes to please him and bring himself into favour The same Night they say the Vision appear'd again to Brutus in the same shape that it did before but vanish'd away without speaking But Publius Volumnius a Man given to the study of Philosophy and one that had from the beginning born Arms with Brutus makes no mention of this Apparition but says that the first Standard was cover'd with a swarm of Bees and that there was one of the Captains whose Arm of it self sweated Oyl of Roses and though they often dryed and wiped it yet it would not cease And that immediately before the Battel two Eagles falling upon each other fought in the space between the two Armies that the whole Field kept incredible silence and all were intent upon the Spectacle till at last that which was on Brutus's side yielded and fled But the story of the Ethiopian is very famous who meeting the Standard-bearer at the opening the Gate of the Camp was cut to pieces by the Souldiers that took it for an ill Omen Brutus having brought his Army into the Field and set 'em in Array against the Enemy he paus'd a long while before he would fight for examining his Army he began to have some suspicions of some of them and others were accus'd to him Besides he saw his Horse begin the Fight not with any great Vigour or Resolution but still expecting what the Foot would do then suddenly Camulatius a very good Souldier and one whom for his Valour he highly esteem'd riding hard by Brutus himself went over to the Enemy the sight of which griev'd Brutus exceedingly So that partly out of Anger and partly out of fear of some greater Treason and Desertion he immediately drew on his Forces upon the Enemy after Three of the Clock in the Afternoon Brutus on his side had the better violently charging the Enemies lest Wing which gave way and retreated and the Horse too fell in together with the Foot when they saw them amaz'd and in disorder But the other Wing when the Captains order'd them to march on to the Fight fearing to be encompass'd being fewer in number than their Adversaries spread themselves and widen'd the middle of their Battel by which being weakned they could not withstand the Charge but at the first On-set fled After their defeat the Enemy surrounded Brutus behind who all the while performed all that was possible for an expert General and valiant Souldier shewing in the greatest danger a Courage and a Conduct that deserv'd to Overcome But that which was advantageous to him in the former Fight was much to his prejudice in this second For in the first Fight that part which was beaten was presently cut in pieces but in this of Cassius's Souldiers that fled few were slain and those that escaped daunted with being beaten put the greatest part of the Army when they came to joyn with them into Despair and Confusion Here Marcus the Son of Cato was slain fighting and behaving himself with great bravery in the midst of the Youth of the greatest Quality
to the knowledge of Curio's Father he took an occasion to dismiss Antony from his house Soon after this he engaged himself with Clodius the most insolent and turbulent disturber of the Government that that age had produced but not being able long to endure his madness and withal apprehensive of the powerful Cabal against Clodius he left Italy and travell'd into Greece where he spent his time in warlike Exercises and in the Study of Eloquence he affected much the Asiatick way of speaking which was most in fashion then and had most resemblance to his temper which was very Rhodomantade and brave very Ambitious and unequal After some stay in Greece he was invited by Gabinius the Proconsul to make a Compagne in Syria which at first he refused not being willing to serve in a private Character but receiving a Commission to Command the Horse he went along with him His first service was against Aristobulus who had prevail'd with the Jews to Rebel He himself was the first that scal'd the Walls and on the strongest side of the Town beat him from all his Forts and in a pitcht Battel overcame him though much inferior in number put most of them to the Sword and took Aristobulus and his Son Prisoners This War ended Gabinius was sollicited by Ptolomy to restore him to his Kingdom of Aegypt and a promise made of ten thousand Talents reward most of the Officers were against this enterprize and Gabinius himself did not much approve it though shrewdly tempted by the ten thousand Talents which had a powerful influence over him But Antony desirous of engaging in brave Actions and willing to gratifie a Petitioning King was resolv'd to use all his Interest to bring about Gabinius to undertake this Expedition all were of opinion that the March to Peleusium was of more dangerous consequence than any thing else that could probably happen in the way for they were to pass over a deep Sand where no fresh water was to be hop'd for all along the Marishes of Serbonis which the Aegyptians give out to be the hollow Canal through which Typhon takes his breath and is in truth an Eruption caused by the over-flowing of the red-Red-Sea which is separate from the Mediterranean but by a small Neck of Land But Antony being Order'd thither with a party of Horse did not only make himself Master of the passes but won Peleusium a strong City took in the Citadel and by this means rendred the March secure to the Army and the way to Victory not uneasie to the General The Enemy was sensible of Antony's generous disposition for when Ptolomy had entred Peleusium in great rage and malice against the Aegyptians designing to put them every one to the Sword Antony positively withstood him and hindred the Execution In great and frequent skirmishes and battels many were the proofs he gave of his personal Valor and Military Conduct but never did it more plainly appear than in that Action of his when wheeling about he attack'd the Rear of the Enemy and gave opportunity to them that charg'd the Front to obtain an intire Victory for which he received both rewards and honors Nor was his humanity less taken notice of towards the deceased Archelaus he had been formerly his Guest and Acquaintance as he was in duty bound he fought him bravely while alive but finding his dead body he buried him with all the Ornaments and Decency which were due to the quality of a King Upon these and many other considerations the Alexandrians spoke of him with infinite respect and the Roman Soldiers lookt upon him as one of most worthy qualifications to compleat all he was a Man of Excellent Shape and Mein his Beard was of a comely growth his Fore-head large his Nose was of the Roman Shape and something he had in his Countenance of Greatness that made him seem to resemble the Statues and Medals we have of Hercules and it was an ancient Tradition that the Antonies were descended of Hercules by a Son of his called Anteon and this Opinion he endeavored to confirm by affecting the likeness of him both in his Mein and Dress for whensoever he appear'd in publick he wore his Vest girt low about the hips a broad Sword on his side and over all a large course Plad or Mantle What might seem to some very insupportable as vain glory raillery drinking in publick frequenting the Common Soldiers Tables and eating places made him the delight and pleasure of the whole Army He was very agreeable in his Loves and gain'd many Friends by the assistance he gave them in theirs being very pleasant in his Raillery upon his own intrigues The generous temper which he was of in disposing of his gratuities with an open and liberal hand to the Soldiers and his Friends gave him a fair opportunity of making his fortune and was very advantageous to him in establishing him in his new honours and employments from which it is improbable he ever could have fallen but by a thousand follies which he was Master of One instance of his Liberality I must relate he had order'd to one of his Friends twenty five thousand Crowns and his Steward wondring at the extravagance of the sum laid all the Silver in a heap as he should pass by Antony seeing the heap ask'd what it meant His Steward reply'd the mony you have order'd to be dispos'd of to your Friend well perceiving the malice of the Action says he I thought I had order'd much more 't is too little pray let the sum be doubled but enough of this The Citizens of Rome were divided into two parties they that seemed to favor the Senate follow'd Pompey who was then present the others that consider'd the interest of the People sheltred themselves under the Authority of Caesar who was then making War in Gaul Curio the Friend of Antony having changed his party had devoted himself to Caesar and brought over Antony to his service the Authority which he had gain'd by his Eloquence and great expences which were constantly supply'd by Caesar gave him opportunity of making his Friend Antony first Tribune of the People and then Augur whose coming into the heat of business made him capable of rendring no small services to Caesar In the first place he oppos'd the Consul Marcellus who had designed some old Legions for Pompey with Commission to raise new ones making an order that they should be sent into Syria to reinforce Bibulus his Army who was then making War with the Parthians and that no one as they should answer it at their peril should give in their Names to serve under Pompey Next finding that Pompey's Faction would not suffer Caesar's Letters to be received or read in the Senate by vertue of his Office he read them publickly and succeeded so well that many were brought to change their mind and to declare that Caesar's demands were but just and reasonable at length two questions being started the one
whether Pompey should dismiss his Army the other if Caesar his some were for the former for the latter all except some few when Antony stood up and put the question if it would be agreeable to them that both Pompey and Caesar should dismiss their Armies which proposal was approv'd of with great acclamations and Antony desir'd after much honor receiv'd to put it to the Vote but this was oppos'd by the Consuls and Caesar's Friends making some new proposals which did not carry the least appearance of unreasonableness were brow beaten by Cato and Antony himself commanded to leave the Senate by Consul Lentulus He gave them many a bitter â—â—rse at his going out and disguising himself in a Servants habit accompanied only with Quintus Cassius in a hired Chariot he went straight away to Caesar they no sooner arrived but great were the Complaints they made that affairs at Rome were transacted without any order or justice that the privilege of speaking in the Senate was deny'd the Tribunes and that he that asserted the Common right of the People was in imminent danger of his life Caesar took hold of this pretence to march his Army into Italy and upon this hint it was that Cicero writes in his Philippicks that Antony was as much the Cause of the Civil War as ever Helena was of the Trojan But this is but a surmise for Caesar was not of so weak a temper as to suffer himself to be carry'd away by a passion into a Civil War with his Country upon the sight of Antony and Cassius seeking refuge in his Camp in mean habit and a Hackney Chariot without ever having thought or taken his measures in an affair of so great consequence this was to him that wanted a pretence of declaring War a fair and equitable occasion but the true motive was the same that formerly set Alexander and Cyrus at odds with all Mankind the unquenchable thirst of Empire and the distracted Ambition of being the greatest Man in the World which was impracticable for him unless Pompey were reduc'd So soon then as he had surprized Rome and driven Pompey out of Italy he purpos'd first to go against the Legions that Pompey had in Spain and then to have a Fleet in readiness to attend his Motions leaving the mean while the Government of Rome to Lepidus the Praetor and the Command of the Army to Antony Tribune of the People who was not long in getting the hearts of his Soldiers eating and drinking himself with them and making them presents to the utmost of his abilities But on the other side he wanted not his Enemies he was too lazy to inform himself in the Complaints of the injur'd and was impatient in any thing of business and his Familiarity with other peoples Wives gave him an ill reputation In short the Government of Caesar which in it self was little better than Tyrannical was by the indiscretion and insolence of his Friends render'd insupportable And Antony as he had the greatest power in the Army so he committed the most notorious Insolencies and had much to answer for But Caesar at his return from Spain wink'd at his faults not thinking fit to disoblige a Souldier that could suffer all Fatigue was very brave of his person and an experienced Commander Caesar going aboard at Brundusium sailed over the Ionian Sea with a few Troops and sent back the Fleet with Orders to Antony and Gabinius to embark the Army and Land as soon as might be in Macedonia Gabinius having no mind to put to Sea and being apprehensive of the Winter-Season was forc'd to March his Army round about by Land but Antony being more afraid lest Caesar might suffer some great inconvenience from the number of his Enemies who press'd him hard beat back Libo who was at Anchor with a Fleet in the Mouth of the Haven of Brundusium having Mann'd out several small Pinnaces and other Boats with which he encompassed each Galley and made them retire gaining thus an occasion of putting aboard twenty thousand Foot and eight hundred Horse and so set out to Sea The Enemy having espied him made up to him but this Danger he escaped by reason that the South-Wind was so high that the Enemies Fleet was not able to live in so rough a Water but. withal he had like to have fallen upon a Ridge of Rocks where the Sea wrought so high that there was no hope of escaping Ship-wrack when all on a sudden the Wind turn'd about to South-west and blew from land to the main Sea where Antony sailing in security saw the Coast all covered with the Wreck of the Enemies Fleet for the Gallies of Pompey had been miserably toss'd up and down and many of them sunk he took many Prisoners and much Booty he took also the Town of Lyssus and by the seasonable arrival of so great Recruit gave heart to the Affairs of Caesar There was no Engagement in which he did not signalize himself twice he stopt the Army in its flight led them back to a Charge and gained the Victory that not without reason his Reputation next to Caesar's was greatest in the Army and what opinion Caesar himself had of him did well appear when Pharsalia was to determine who should be Emperour of the World he himself chose to lead the right Wing committing the charge of the left to Antony as to the most experienc'd Officer of all that serv'd under him After the Battel Caesar being created Dictator went in pursuit of Pompey and sent Antony to Rome with the Character of Tribune of the People who is in Office and Power next to the Dictator when present and in his absence rules in Chief For upon the Election of a Dictator all other Magistrates cease to exercise any Authority in Rome The young Dolabella who was also Tribune of the People at that time and a great promoter of new Projects was for enacting a Law to rescind the register'd Debts and would needs perswade Antony to joyn with him who was his Friend and forward enough to promote any thing that was agreeable to the generality of the People Asinius and Trebellius were of the contrary Opinion and at the same time a grievous Fit of Jealousie possessing Antony that Dolabella was kinder than he desired to his Wife and taking it to heart he parted with her she was his Cousin-German and Daughter to Caius Antonius the Colleague of Cicero and taking part with Asinius declared War with Dolabella who had seiz'd on the Market-place in order to give Authority by force to his new Law Antony by a special Command of the Senate who had authoriz'd him to oppose Dolabella's breaking into the Market-place gave him Battel in the Fight many were lost on both sides and by this action he did incurr the displeasure of the common People and by reason of his Course of Life was not only not agreeable but as Cicero says had in detestation by the better sort of
Philosophers were assisting to him among whom was Cyprius Endemus on whose Death Aristotle writ his Dialogue of the Soul and Timonides the Leucadian they also engaged on his side Miltas the Thessalian who was skilful in fore-telling Events and his fellow-Student in the Academy Of all that were Banished by Dionysius who were not fewer than a thousand five and twenty only listed themselves the rest for fear declined the undertaking The general Rendezvous was in the Island Zacynthus whither they marched a small Army being not in all eight hundred compleat but all of them experienced Men who had signalized themselves in many and great Engagements well disciplin'd and inur'd to hardship and for Courage and Conduct the very flower of all the Soldery and such as by their Example would animate and encourage to action the numerous Forces Dion hoped to have in Sicily Yet these Men when they first understood the Expedition was against Dionysius were troubled and disheartned blaming Dion that hurried on like a mad man by his Passion and Despair he rashly threw both himself and them into certain Ruin Nor were they less angry with their Commanders and Muster-Masters that they did not in the beginning let them know the design of the War But when he had in an Oration set forth the unsafe and weak condition of Arbitrary Government and declared that he carryed them rather for Commanders than Soldiers the Citizens of Syracuse and the rest of the Sicilians having been long ready for a Revolt and after him Alcimenes a Grecian Noble-man of great Quality and Reputation who accompanyed him in the Expedition harangued them to the same effect they were quiet and contented It was now the midst of Summer and the Winds blew which are constant to that season of the year called by the Greeks Etesiae the Moon being at the full when Dion prepared a magnificent Sacrifice to Apollo and with great Solemnity marched his Soldiers to the Temple in all their Arms and Accoutrements after the Sacrifice he feasted them all in the Publick Cirque or place of Exercise of the Zacynthians where he had made Provision for their Entertainment who seeing with wonder the plenty and richness of Gold and Silver Plate and the Tables furnished in an extraordinary manner far exceeding the fortunes of a private Man concluded with themselves that one of his Age and Master of so much Treasure would not engage himself in so hazardous an Enterprize without good assurance of hope and certain and sufficient Supplies from his Friends As they were offering Wine to the Gods and performing their customary Devotions the Moon was Eclipsed which was no wonder to Dion who understood the revolutions of Eclipses and how the Moon was over-shadowed by the direct interposition of the Earth between her and the Sun But because it was necessary that the Soldiers should be satisfied and encouraged who were surprized and troubled at it Miltas the Diviner standing up in the midst of the Assembly bid them be of good chear and expect all happy success for that the Gods did fore-tell something that was at present glorious and resplendent should be Eclipsed and obscured Now nothing being more resplendent than they Grandeur of Dionysius their arrival in Sicily should cloud the glory and extinguish the brightness of that illustrious Empire Thus Miltas in publick descanted upon the Accident But concerning a swarm of Bees which settled on the Poop of Dion's Ship he privately told him and his Friends that he feared the great Actions they were like to perform tho' for a time they should thrive and flourish would be of short continuance and soon suffer a decay it is reported also that many ill prodigies hapned to Dionysius at that time An Eagle snatching a Javelin from one of the Guard carried it aloft and from thence let it fall into the Sea The water of the Sea that washed the Castle Walls was for a whole day sweet and potable as many that tasted it experienced Piggs were farrowed perfect in all their other parts but without Ears The Diviners did declare this to portend a Revolt and Rebellion for that the Subjects would no longer give ear to the Commands of their Superiours They expounded the sweetness of the Water to signifie to the Syracusians a Change from bad and woful Times into better and more happy Circumstances The Eagle being the Bird of Jupiter and the Spear an Emblem of Power and Command This Prodigy was to denote That Jupiter the chief of the Gods designed the destruction and dissolution of the present Government These things Theopompus in his History relates Two great Ships carryed all Dion's Men which were tended by a third somewhat less and two Galleys of thirty Oars Besides his Soldiers Arms he carried two thousand Shields a very great number of Darts and Lances and abundant stores of all manner of Provisions that there might be no want of any thing in their Voyage because they resolved to keep out at Sea and ply in the Main fearing to come near the Shore upon advice that Philistus rode at Anchor in the Bay of Apulia with a Fleet ready to intercept them Twelve days they sailed with a fresh and gentle gale the thirteenth they made Pachynus afore-Land of Sicily There the chief Pilot advised them to Land presently for if they were forced again from the Shoar and did designedly pass the Cape they might ride out at Sea many Nights and Days expecting a Southerly Wind in the Summer season But Dion fearing a descent too near his Enemies and desirous to land at greater distance and further up in the Country weathered the Cape Pachinus They had not sailed long before stress of Weather the Wind blowing hard at North drove the Fleet from the Coast it being a very stormy Season much about the time that Arcturus appears and there hapning then a great deal of Thunder and Lightning with violent Rains and tempestuous gusts of Wind the Mariners were at their Wits end and wholly ignorant what Course they ran till on a sudden they found they were driven to Circina an Island on the Coast of Africk craggy and full of dangerous Rocks upon which they scaped narrowly of being forced and staved to pieces but labouring hard at their Oars with much difficulty they kept clear until the Storm ceased Then lighting by chance upon a Vessel they understood they were upon the beginning of the Flats called the great Syrtis Being now again disheartned by reason of a sudden Calm and beating too and again without making any way they had a Southerly briese from the Shoar when they least expected the Wind in that quarter and scarce believed the happy change of their Fortune The Gale increasing and beginning to blow fresh they clapt on all their Sails and praying to the Gods put out again to Sea steering to rights for Sicily from the Coast of Africk and running steady before the Wind the fifth