November, 43) the SECOND TRIUMVIRATE, assuming full authority to
govern and reorganize the state, and to hold office for five years.

The provinces were divided as follows: Lepidus was to have Spain and
Gallia Narbonensis; Antony, the rest of Gaul beyond the Alps and
Gallia Cisalpína; Octavius, Sicily, Sardinia, and Africa. A bloody
prescription followed. Among its victims were CICERO, who was
surrendered to please Antony, 300 Senators, and 2,000 Equites.


PHILIPPI AND ACTIUM.

The Triumvirs could now concentrate their energies upon the East,
whither BRUTUS and CASSIUS, the murderers of Caesar, had fled. These
two had organized in the provinces of the East an army amounting to
80,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry. They were employed in plundering
various towns of Asia Minor, and finally, in the spring of 42,
assembled their forces at Sardis preparatory to an invasion of Europe.
After marching through Thrace they entered Macedonia, and found Antony
and Octavius opposed to them at PHILIPPI, with an army of 120,000
troops. There were two battles at Philippi in November, 42. In the
first, Brutus defeated Octavius; but Cassius was defeated by Antony,
and, unaware of his colleague's victory, committed suicide. In the
second battle, three weeks later, Brutus was defeated by the united
armies of the Triumvirs, and, following the example of Cassius, put an
end to his life. With Brutus fell the Republic. The absolute
ascendency of individuals, which is monarchy, was then established.

The immediate result of Philippi was a fresh arrangement of the Roman
world among the Triumvirs. Antony preferred the East, Octavius took