[-17-] Sextus, after he had originally left Spain according to his compact with Lepidus and not much later had been appointed admiral, was removed from his office by Caesar.  For all that he held on to his fleet and had the courage to sail to Italy; but Caesar’s adherents were already securing control of the country and he learned that he had been numbered among the assassins of Caesar’s father.

[B.C. 43 (a. u. 711)]

Therefore he kept away from the mainland but sailed about among the islands, maintaining a sharp watch on what was going on and supplying himself with food without resort to crimes.  As he had not taken part in the murder he expected to be restored by Caesar himself.  When, however, his name was exposed on the tablet and he knew that the edict of proscription was in force against him also, he despaired of getting back through Caesar and put himself in readiness for war.  He had triremes built, received the deserters, made an alliance with the pirates, and took under his protection the exiles.  By these means in a short time he became powerful and was master of the sea off Italy, so that he made descents upon the harbors, cut loose the boats, and engaged in pillage.  As matters went well with him and his activity supplied him with soldiers and money, he sailed to Sicily, where he seized Mylae and Tyndaris without effort but was repulsed from Messana by Pompeius Bithynicus, then governor of Sicily.  Instead of retiring altogether from the place, he overran the country, prevented the importation of provisions, gained the ascendancy over those who came to the rescue,—­filling some with fear of suffering a similar hardship, and damaging others by some form of ambuscade,—­won over the quaestor together with the funds, and finally obtained Messana and also Bithynicus, by an agreement that the latter should enjoy equal authority with him.  The governor suffered no harm, at least for the time being:  the others had their arms and money taken from them.  His next step was to win over Syracuse and some other cities, from which he gathered more soldiers and collected a very strong fleet.  Quintus Cornificius also sent him quite a force from Africa.

[-18-] While he was thus growing strong, Caesar for a time took no action in the matter, both because he despised him and because the business in hand kept him occupied.

[B.C. 42 (a. u. 712)]

But when owing to the famine the deaths in the City became numerous and Sextus commenced to make attempts on Italy also, Caesar began to have a small fleet equipped and sent Salvidienus Rufus with a large force ahead to Rhegium.  Rufus managed to repel Sextus from Italy and when the latter retired into Sicily he undertook to manufacture boats of leather, similar to those adapted to ocean sailing.  He made a framework of light rods for the interior and stretched on the outside an uncured oxhide, making an affair like an oval shield.  For this he got laughed at and decided