When they had done all that they intended and Octavian had arrived (for,although he was not yet strong enough for a battle, he could be carried along the ranks reclining in a litter),he and Antony prepared for battle forthwith.Brutus and Cassius also drew out their forces on their higher ground,but did not come down.They decided not to give battle,hoping to wear out the enemy by want of supplies.There were nineteen legions of infantry on each side,but those of Brutus and Cassius lacked something of being full,while those of Octavian and Antony were complete. Of cavalry the latter had 13 and the former 20, including Thracians on both sides.Thus in the multitude of men,in the spirit and bravery of the commanders,
and in arms and munitions, was beheld a most magnificent display on both sides;yet they did nothing for several days.Brutus and Cassius did not wish to engage,but rather to continue wasting the enemy by lack of provisions,since they themselves had abundance from Asia, all transported by the sea from close at hand, all the enemy had nothing in abundance and nothing from their own territory.They could obtain nothing through merchants in Egypt,since that country was exhausted by famine, nor from Spain or Africa by reason of Pompeius, nor from Italy by reason of Murcus and Domitius.Macedonia and Thessaly, which were the only countries then supplying them, would not suffice much longer.Mindful chiefly of these facts
Brutus and his generals protracted the war.Antony, fearful of the delay, resolved to force them to an engagement.He formed a plan of effecting a passage through the marsh secretly,if possible, in order to get in the enemy's rear without their knowledge,and cut off their avenue of supply from Thasos.So he arrayed his forces for battle with all the standards set each day, so that it might seem that his entire army was drawn up,while a part of his force was really working night and day making a narrow passage in the marsh, cutting down reeds, throwing up a causeway upon them, and flanking it with stone, so that the earth should not fall away,and bridging the deeper parts with piles, all in the profoundest silence.