to engage separately those of the enemy who came to meet them; but after
a little they turned about and unexpectedly attacked those following
behind (who did not stand their ground), killing many of them. After this
some foraging parties on both sides fell to blows and when the remainder
of each party came to the rescue a sharp battle ensued between the two
forces, in which Antony was victorious. Elated by his success and in
the knowledge that Vibius was approaching he assailed the antagonists'
fortification, thinking possibly to destroy it beforehand and make the
rest of the conflict easier. They, in consideration of their disaster and
the hope which Vibius inspired, kept guard but would not come out for
battle. Hence Antony left behind there a certain portion of his army with
orders to come to close quarters with them and so make it appear as much
as possible that he himself was there and at the same time to take
good care that no one should fall upon his rear. After issuing these
injunctions he set out secretly by night against Vibius, who was
approaching from Bononia. By an ambush he succeeded in wounding the
latter severely, in killing the majority of his soldiers and confining
the rest within their ramparts. He would have annihilated them, had
he proceeded to besiege them for any time at all. As it was, after
accomplishing nothing at the first assault he began to be alarmed lest
while he was delaying he should receive some setback from Caesar and the
rest; so he again turned against them. Wearied by the journey both ways
and by the battle he was also in doubt whether he should find that his
opponents had conquered the force hostile to them; and in this condition
he was confronted by Hirtius and suffered a decisive defeat. For when
Hirtius and Caesar perceived what was going on, the latter remained to
keep watch over the camp while the former set out against Antony. [-38-]
Upon the latter's defeat not only Hirtius was saluted as imperator by
the soldiers and by the senate, but likewise Vibius, though he had
fared badly, and Caesar who had done no fighting even. To those who had