Octavian prevailed because he was going to make a visit to Octavia at Tarentum.He took a seat with Antony in the latter's chariot,and proceeded to his lodgings at Tarentum unprotected,and passed the night there without guards.On the following day Antony made the same exhibition of trust.Thus they were continually changing from suspicion born of rivalry to confidence due to their mutual needs.However,Octavian postponed his expedition against Pompeius till the following year.On account of the Parthian war Antony was not able to wait.Nevertheless,they made an exchange with each other,Antony giving to Octavian 12 ships,which he sent at once and delivered at Tarentum,in return for which Octavian promised to send him
20,000 Italian legionaries. Octavia, begging the p539favour from Antony, made her brother a present of ten three-banked phaseli — a combination of war-ship and merchant vessel — and Octavian gave her in return 1000 picked men as a body-guard, to be selected by Antony. As the term of the triumvirate voted to them was about expiring, they renewed it for five years without again asking the people. And so they separated, Antony proceeding straightway to Syria and leaving Octavia with her brother, and also a daughter already born to them.But Menodorus, — either because he was a turn-coat by nature, or because he feared the former threat of Antony, who had said that he would punish him as a rebellious slave,
or because he had received less consideration than he had expected, or because the other freedmen of Pompeius were continually reproaching him for unfaithfulness to his master and urging him to return, — now that Menecrates was dead, asked forgiveness, and, having obtained it, deserted to Pompeius with seven ships, without the knowledge of Octavian's admiral, Calvisius. For this reason Octavian dismissed the latter from his command and appointed Agrippa in his place.When the fleet was ready, Octavian performed a lustration for it in the following manner. The altars are erected on the margin of the sea, and the multitude ranged around them in a circle of ships, observing the most profound silence.