and beat a hasty retreat before his approach, even abandoning some baggage and supplies in his fortifications.  The followers of Cornificius obtained from these ample support and made their way in safety to Agrippa.  Caesar received them back with praises and gifts, although he had treated them after the victory of Agrippa in a very supercilious manner, thinking the latter had finished the war.  Cornificius, indeed, prided himself so much upon his preservation of the soldiers, that in Rome, whenever he went out of his house to dine, he always returned home on the back of an elephant.

[-8-] Caesar after this entered Sicily and Sextus encamped opposite him in the vicinity of Artemisium.  They did not have any great battle at once, but indulged in a few slight cavalry skirmishes.  While they were stationed there in hostile array Sextus received as an accession Tisienus Gallus, and Caesar Lepidus with his forces.  Lepidus had encountered the storm which I mentioned, and also Demochares, and he had lost a number of ships:  he did not come to Caesar immediately, but on account of his reverse or to the end that his colleague should face difficulties by himself or in the wish to draw Sextus away from him he had made an assault on Lilybaeum.  Gallus was sent thither by Sextus and contended against him.  From there both the contestants, as they accomplished nothing, went to Artemisium.  Gallus proved a source of strength to Sextus, but Lepidus quarreled with Caesar; he claimed the privilege of managing everything on equal terms with Caesar as his fellow-commander, whereas he was employed by him entirely in the capacity of lieutenant:  therefore he inclined to favor Sextus and secretly held communication with him.  Caesar suspected this, but dared not give expression to his doubts and alienate him openly, nor could he safely conceal his thoughts:  he felt it would look suspicious if he should not consult him at all and that it would be dangerous to reveal all his plans.  Hence he determined to dispose of the uncertainty as quickly as possible, before there was any rebellion, though for most reasons there was no need of particular haste.  He had as much food and as much money as Sextus, and therefore hoped to overthrow him without effort before a great while.  Still, when he had once reached this decision, he himself led out his land force and marshaled it in front of the camp, while simultaneously Agrippa sailed close in and lay at anchor.  Sextus, whose forces were far inferior to theirs, would not oppose them on either element.  This lasted for several days.  Finally, Pompey became afraid that he might be despised for his behavior and be deserted by his allies, hence he gave orders for the ships to weigh anchor; in these he reposed his chief trust.