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2On learning of this Sextus himself remained at anchor off Messana, waiting for Caesar to cross, but he ordered Demochares to anchor opposite Agrippa at Mylae. 2These two men spent most of the time in testing each other’s strength as opportunity offered, but they did not dare to risk an engagement with their entire armaments; for they were not acquainted with each other’s forces and on both sides the reports that circulated about the opposing fleet were exaggerated and made more fear-inspiring than the reality. 3But finally Agrippa realized that it was not advantageous for him to delay,—for the forces of Sextus, lying as they did in home waters, had no need of haste,—and so, taking the best of his ships, he set out for Mylae to spy out the numbers of the enemy. And when he found that he could not see them all and that none of them wished to come out into the open sea, he came to despise them, and on his return made preparations to sail against Mylae on the following day with all his ships. 4And Demochares came to much the same conclusion; for he had the idea that the ships which had approached him were all alone, and seeing that they sailed very slowly by reason of their size, he sent for Sextus by night and proceeded to make preparations to attack Lipara itself. When day broke, they were sailing against each other, both sides expecting to meet inferior numbers.
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