Cassius, on his part, finding that Cleopatra was determined on joining his enemies, immediately resolved on proceeding at once to Egypt and taking possession of the country.  He also stationed a military force at Taenarus, the southern promontory of Greece, to watch for and intercept the fleet of Cleopatra as soon as it should appear on the European shores.  All these plans, however—­both those which Cleopatra formed against Cassius, and those which Cassius formed against her—­failed of accomplishment.  Cleopatra’s fleet encountered a terrible storm, which dispersed and destroyed it.  A small remnant was driven upon the coast of Africa, but nothing could be saved which could be made available for the purpose intended.  As for Cassius’s intended expedition to Egypt, it was not carried into effect.  The dangers which began now to threaten him from the direction of Italy and Rome were so imminent, that, at Brutus’s urgent request, he gave up the Egyptian plan, and the two generals concentrated their forces to meet the armies of the triumvirate which were now rapidly advancing to attack them.  They passed for this purpose across the Hellespont from Sestos to Abydos, and entered Thrace.

After various marches and countermarches, and a long succession of those maneuvers by which two powerful armies, approaching a contest, endeavor each to gain some position of advantage against the other, the various bodies of troops belonging, respectively, to the two powers, came into the vicinity of each other near Philippi.  Brutus and Cassius arrived here first.  There was a plain in the neighborhood of the city, with a rising ground in a certain portion of it.  Brutus took possession of this elevation, and intrenched himself there.  Cassius posted his forces about three miles distant, near the sea.  There was a line of intrenchments between the two camps, which formed a chain of communication by which the positions of the two commanders were connected.  The armies were thus very advantageously posted.  They had the River Strymon and a marsh on the left of the ground that they occupied, while the plain was before them, and the sea behind.  Here they awaited the arrival of their foes.

Antony, who was at this time at Amphipolis, a city not far distant from Philippi, learning that Brutus and Cassius had taken their positions in anticipation of an attack, advanced immediately and encamped upon the plain.  Octavius was detained by sickness at the city of Dyrrachium, not very far distant.  Antony waited for him.  It was ten days before he came.  At length he arrived, though in coming he had to be borne upon a litter, being still too sick to travel in any other way.  Antony approached, and established his camp opposite to that of Cassius, near the sea, while Octavius took post opposite to Brutus.  The four armies then paused, contemplating the probable results of the engagement that was about to ensue.