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At the beginning of spring, Antony set sail from Athens to Tarentum with 300
ships to assist Octavius as he had promised. But the latter had changed his
mind and postponed his movement until his own ships should be finished. When
called upon again and told that Antony's forces were ready and sufficient,
he advanced other reasons for delay. It was evident that he was again
offended with Antony about something, or that he disdained his assistance
because his own resources were abundant. Antony was vexed, but he remained,
nevertheless, and communicated
with Octavius again, because the expense of his fleet
was
burdensome. Moreover, he needed Italian soldiers
for his war against the Parthians, and he contemplated exchanging his fleet
for a part of Octavius' army; for, although it was provided in their treaty
that each of them might recruit soldiers in Italy, it would be difficult for
him to do so when Italy had fallen to the lot of Octavius. Accordingly,
Octavia betook herself to her brother to act as mediator between them.
Octavius complained that he had been abandoned by Antony when he was
overtaken by danger in the straits. She replied that that had been explained
through Mæcenas. Octavius said that Antony had sent his freedman
Callias to Lepidus in Africa to induce the latter to make an alliance
against him. She replied that she knew that Callias had been sent to make
arrangements about a marriage, because Antony desired, before setting out on
his Parthian expedition, to marry his daughter to the son of Lepidus, as had
been agreed. After Octavia had made this statement Antony sent Callias to
Octavius with permission to put him to torture [in order to learn the
truth]. Octavius would not receive him, but said that he would go and have
an interview with Antony between Metapontum and Tarentum, at a place where
there is a river of the latter name between them.
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