[-6-] This was the reason that they voted for war against Cleopatra, but they made no such declaration against Antony, knowing well that he would be made hostile in any case, for he was certainly not going to betray her and espouse Caesar’s cause.  And they wished to have this additional reproach to heap upon him, that he had voluntarily taken up war in behalf of the Egyptian woman against his native country, though no ill treatment had been accorded him personally at home.

Now the men of fighting age were being rapidly assembled on both sides, money was being collected from all quarters, and all warlike equipment was being gathered with speed.  The entire armament distinctly surpassed in size anything previous.  All the following nations cooeperated with one side or the other in this war.  Caesar had Italy—­he attached to his cause even all those who had been placed in colonies by Antony, partly by frightening them on account of their small numbers and partly by conferring benefits; among other things that he did was to settle again as an act of his own the men who inhabited Bononia, so that they might seem to be his colonists.  His allies, then, were Italy, Gaul, Spain, Illyricum, the Libyans,—­both those who had long since accepted Roman sway (except those about Cyrene), and those that had belonged to Bogud and Bocchus,—­Sardinia, Sicily, and the rest of the islands adjacent to the aforementioned divisions of the mainland.  On Antony’s side were the regions obeying Rome in continental Asia, the regions of Thrace, Greece, Macedonia, the Egyptians, the Cyrenaeans together with the surrounding country, the islanders dwelling near them, and practically all the princes and potentates who were neighbors to that part of the Roman empire then under his control,—­some taking the field themselves and others being represented by troops.  And so enthusiastic were the outside contingents on both sides that they confirmed by oath their alliance with each man.

[-7-] Such was the strength of the contestants.  Antony took an oath to his own soldiers that he would fight without quarter and further promised that within two months after his victory he would give up his entire power and commit it to the senate and the people:  some of them with difficulty persuaded him to do so only when six months had elapsed, so that he might be able to settle matters leisurely.  And he, however far he was from seriously contemplating such an act, yet made the offer to strengthen the belief that he was certainly and without fail going to conquer.  He saw that his own force was much superior in numbers and hoped to weaken that of his opponent by bribes.  He sent gold in every direction, most of all into Italy, and especially to Rome; and he tempted his opponents individually, trying to win followers.  As a result Caesar kept the more vigilant watch and gave money to his soldiers.