abundance of talent and abundance of courage. He seems to me to be disposed as I should wish towards our champions. But it is a matter for grave consideration how far we can trust him, at his age, with his name, with such an inheritance and such instructors."[1]
In the month of October Octavian who had now just completed his nineteenth year, took a bold step forward. His agents stirred up the legions at Brundisium to resist Antony, and he himself meanwhile summoned to his standard the veterans from his adoptive father's army, who were settled on their lands in Campania. Two of the legions from Macedonia (the 2d and 35th) sided with Antony: he had force enough to put to military execution a number of disaffected centurions of the Martian legion, and the rest sullenly submitted for the moment. But as soon as Antony had returned to Rome, the Martian legion, which was now on its way westward, declared for Octavian, and its example was followed by the 4th legion. Octavian took up his position with his small but formidable army at Alba, protecting the city of Rome from any armed attack on the part of Antony.
Thus threatened, Antony changed his plan. On the 20th of November he left the city, collected all the troops which still remained faithful to him, and pressed northward hoping to surprise and crush Decimus Brutus. Decimus' army of recruits, though probably superior to that of Antony in numbers, was not to be trusted to meet the veteran
- ↑ Ad Att., xv., 12, 2.
