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17Now after Sextus had taken ship from Messana he was afraid of pursuit and suspected that some act of treachery would be committed by his followers. Therefore he gave notice to them that he was going to sail across the sea, 2but when he had extinguished the light which flagships exhibit during night voyages for the purpose of causing the rest to follow close behind, he coasted along past Italy, then went over to Corcyra, and from there came to Cephallenia. Here the remainder of his vessels, which had by chance been driven from their course by a storm, joined him again. 3Accordingly, after calling them together, he took off his general’s uniform and made an address, in which he said, among other things, that while they remained together they could render no lasting aid to one another or escape detection, but if they scattered they could more easily make their escape; and he advised them to look out for their own safety each man separately and for himself. 4Thereupon the majority gave heed to him and departed in various directions, while he with the remainder crossed over to Asia with the intention of going straight to Antony. When he reached Lesbos, however, and learned that Antony had gone on a campaign against the Medes and that Caesar and Lepidus had gone to war with each other, he decided to winter where he was; 5and in fact the Lesbians welcomed him with great enthusiasm on account of their recollection of his father and tried to keep him there. But when he learned that Antony had met with a reverse in Media, and when Gaius Furnius, the governor of Asia at the time, was not disposed to be friendly to him, he was against remaining, 6but hoping to succeed to Antony’s leadership, inasmuch as many had come to him from Sicily and still others had rallied around him, some on account of his father’s renown and some because they were in need of a livelihood, he resumed the dress of a general and began to make preparations for occupying the land opposite.
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