Livy: Periochae 121-125

C. Cassius, cui mandatum a senatu erat ut Dolabellam hostem iudicatum bello persequeretur, auctoritate rei p. adiutus Syriam cum tribus exercitibus, qui in eadem provincia erant, in potestatem suam redegit, Dolabellam in urbe Laodicia obsessum mori coegit. M. quoque Bruti iussu C. Antonius captus occisus est.

[43 BCE] Gaius Cassius, who had been sent by the Senate to pursue Dolabella (who was declared an enemy of the state), used the authority of the republic to obtain the three armies that were stationed in the province of Syria, laid siege to the town of Laodicea and forced Dolabella to commit suicide. Gaius Antonius was captured and executed too, by command of Marcus Brutus.

M. Brutus adversus Thracas parumper prospere rem gessit, omnibusque transmarinis provinciis exercitibusque in potestatem eius et C. Cassi redactis coierunt Smyrnae uterque ad ordinanda belli futuri consilia.

M. Messalae Publicolam fratrem vinctum communi consilio condonaverunt.

For some time, Marcus Brutus waged a successful war against the Thracians, and when all the provinces and armies across the sea were in his and Gaius Cassius' power, they came together in Smyrna to make plans for the future war.

Together, they pardoned Marcus Messala, convinced by his brother Publicola.

Sex. Pompeius, Magni filius, collectis ex Epiro proscriptis ac fugitivis cum exercitu diu sine ulla loci cuiusquam possessione praedatus in mari Messanam (oppidum in Sicilia) primum, dein totam provinciam occupavit occisoque Pompeio Bithynico praetore, Q. Salvidenum, legatum Caesaris, navali proelio vicit.

Caesar et Antonius cum exercitibus in Graeciam traicerunt bellum adversus Brutum et Cassium gesturi.

Q. Cornificius in Africa T. Sextium, Cassianarum partium ducem, proelio vicit.

[42] Sextus Pompeius, son of Pompeius the Great, who had assembled exiles and runaways from Epirus, and had for a long time been active as pirate, without having a real base, first captured Messina (a town on Sicily) and then the whole province, and, having killed governor Pompeius Bithynicus, he defeated Quintus Salvidenus, who had been sent by [Octavian] Caesar, in a naval battle.

[Octavian] Caesar and Marc Antony crossed over to Greece with their armies to wage war against Brutus and Cassius.

In Africa, Quintus Cornificius fought against Titus Sextius, the leader of the faction of Cassius, and defeated him.

C. Caesar et Antonius apud Philippos vario eventu adversus Brutum et Cassium pugnaverunt ita ut dextra utriusque cornua vincerent et castra quoque utrimque ab his qui vicerant expugnarentur. Sed inaequalem fortunam partium mors Cassi fecit qui cum in eo cornu fuisset quod pulsum erat, totum exercitum fusum ratus mortem conscivit.

Altera dein die victus M. Brutus et ipse vitam finiit exorato Stratone, fugae comite, ut sibi gladium adigeret. Annorum erat circiter XL.

[lacuna] inter quos Q. Hortensius occisus est.

At Philippi, Gaius [Octavian] Caesar and Marc Antony fought against Brutus and Cassius. The outcome was inconclusive because on both sides the right wing won and on both sides the camp was taken by those who had been victorious. But the death of Cassius tipped the scales. He had been on the wing that had been defeated and, believing that the whole army had been beaten, chose death.

On the next day, Marcus Brutus was defeated, and he put an end to his life, asking Strato (who was fleeing too), to drive his sword through him. He was about forty years old.

[lacuna] among whom Quintus Hortensius was killed.

Caesar relicto trans mare Antonio (provinciae ea parte imperi positae ei cesserant) reversus in Italiam veteranis agros divisit. Seditiones exercitus sui quas corrupti a Fulvia, M. Antoni uxore, milites adversus imperatorem suum concitaverant, cum gravi periculo inhibuit. L. Antonius cos., M. Antoni frater, eadem Fulvia consiliante bellum Caesari intulit. Receptis in partes suas populis quorum agri veteranis adsignati erant, et M. Lepido, qui custodiae urbis cum exercitu praeerat, fuso hostiliter in urbem inrupit.

[41] [Octavian] Caesar, leaving Marc Antony overseas (the provinces in that part of the empire had been placed under his command), returned to Italy and gave land to his veterans. At great danger he suppressed rebellions in his army, which certain soldiers, corrupted by Fulvia, the wife of Marc Antony, had stirred up against its general. Consul Lucius Antonius, brother of Marc Antony, launched a war against [Octavian] Caesar. The peoples whose country had been given to the veterans, had sided with him, and he defeated Marcus Lepidus, who was responsible for the defense of the city, and forced his way into Rome.