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diff --git a/40205-8.txt b/40205-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 47df046..0000000 --- a/40205-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5981 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, History of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, by -Jacob Abbott - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: History of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt - - -Author: Jacob Abbott - - - -Release Date: July 11, 2012 [eBook #40205] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF CLEOPATRA, QUEEN OF -EGYPT*** - - -E-text prepared by the Online Distributed Proofreading Team -(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 40205-h.htm or 40205-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40205/40205-h/40205-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/40205/40205-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - http://archive.org/details/historyofcleopat00abbo - - - - - -[Illustration: SCENE OF CLEOPATRA'S HISTORY] - - -HISTORY OF CLEOPATRA, QUEEN OF EGYPT. - -by - -JACOB ABBOTT. - -With Engravings. - - - - - - - -New York: -Harper & Brothers, Publishers. -1854. - -Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight -hundred and fifty-one, by -Harper & Brothers, -in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of -New York. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -In selecting the subjects for the successive volumes of this series, it -has been the object of the author to look for the names of those great -personages whose histories constitute useful, and not merely entertaining, -knowledge. There are certain names which are familiar, as names, to all -mankind; and every person who seeks for any degree of mental cultivation, -feels desirous of informing himself of the leading outlines of their -history, that he may know, in brief, what it was in their characters or -their doings which has given them so widely-extended a fame. This -knowledge, which it seems incumbent on every one to obtain in respect to -such personages as Hannibal, Alexander, Cæsar, Cleopatra, Darius, Xerxes, -Alfred, William the Conqueror, Queen Elizabeth, and Mary, queen of Scots, -it is the design and object of these volumes to communicate, in a -faithful, and, at the same time, if possible, in an attractive manner. -Consequently, great historical names alone are selected; and it has been -the writer's aim to present the prominent and leading traits in their -characters, and all the important events in their lives, in a bold and -free manner, and yet in the plain and simple language which is so -obviously required in works which aim at permanent and practical -usefulness. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - Chapter Page - - I. THE VALLEY OF THE NILE 13 - - II. THE PTOLEMIES 35 - - III. ALEXANDRIA 61 - - IV. CLEOPATRA'S FATHER 87 - - V. ACCESSION TO THE THRONE 112 - - VI. CLEOPATRA AND CÆSAR 132 - - VII. THE ALEXANDRINE WAR 157 - - VIII. CLEOPATRA A QUEEN 181 - - IX. THE BATTLE OF PHILIPPI 200 - - X. CLEOPATRA AND ANTONY 225 - - XI. THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM 256 - - XII. THE END OF CLEOPATRA 286 - - - - -ENGRAVINGS. - - - Page - - MAP, SCENE OF CLEOPATRA'S HISTORY _Frontispiece._ - - MAP, THE RAINLESS REGION 21 - - MAP, THE DELTA OF THE NILE 29 - - THE BIRTH-DAY PRESENT 50 - - ANTONY CROSSING THE DESERT 107 - - CLEOPATRA ENTERING THE PALACE OF CÆSAR 135 - - VIEW OF ALEXANDRIA 162 - - CLEOPATRA'S SISTER IN THE TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION 190 - - THE ENTERTAINMENTS AT TARSUS 242 - - THE RAISING OF ANTONY TO THE UPPER WINDOW OF - THE TOMB 303 - - - - -CLEOPATRA. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -THE VALLEY OF THE NILE. - - -The story of Cleopatra is a story of crime. It is a narrative of the -course and the consequences of unlawful love. In her strange and romantic -history we see this passion portrayed with the most complete and graphic -fidelity in all its influences and effects; its uncontrollable impulses, -its intoxicating joys, its reckless and mad career, and the dreadful -remorse and ultimate despair and ruin in which it always and inevitably -ends. - - * * * * * - -Cleopatra was by birth an Egyptian; by ancestry and descent she was a -Greek. Thus, while Alexandria and the delta of the Nile formed the scene -of the most important events and incidents of her history, it was the -blood of Macedon which flowed in her veins. Her character and action are -marked by the genius, the courage, the originality, and the impulsiveness -pertaining to the stock from which she sprung. The events of her history, -on the other hand, and the peculiar character of her adventures, her -sufferings, and her sins, were determined by the circumstances with which -she was surrounded, and the influences which were brought to bear upon her -in the soft and voluptuous clime where the scenes of her early life were -laid. - -Egypt has always been considered as physically the most remarkable country -on the globe. It is a long and narrow valley of verdure and fruitfulness, -completely insulated from the rest of the habitable world. It is more -completely insulated, in fact, than any literal island could be, inasmuch -as deserts are more impassable than seas. The very existence of Egypt is a -most extraordinary phenomenon. If we could but soar with the wings of an -eagle into the air, and look down upon the scene, so as to observe the -operation of that grand and yet simple process by which this long and -wonderful valley, teeming so profusely with animal and vegetable life, has -been formed, and is annually revivified and renewed, in the midst of -surrounding wastes of silence, desolation, and death, we should gaze upon -it with never-ceasing admiration and pleasure. We have not the wings of -the eagle, but the generalizations of science furnish us with a sort of -substitute for them. The long series of patient, careful, and sagacious -observations, which have been continued now for two thousand years, bring -us results, by means of which, through our powers of mental conception, we -may take a comprehensive survey of the whole scene, analogous, in some -respects, to that which direct and actual vision would afford us, if we -could look down upon it from the eagle's point of view. It is, however, -somewhat humiliating to our pride of intellect to reflect that -long-continued philosophical investigations and learned scientific -research are, in such a case as this, after all, in some sense, only a -sort of substitute for wings. A human mind connected with a pair of -eagle's wings would have solved the mystery of Egypt in a week; whereas -science, philosophy, and research, confined to the surface of the ground, -have been occupied for twenty centuries in accomplishing the undertaking. - -It is found at last that both the existence of Egypt itself, and its -strange insulation in the midst of boundless tracts of dry and barren -sand, depend upon certain remarkable results of the general laws of rain. -The water which is taken up by the atmosphere from the surface of the sea -and of the land by evaporation, falls again, under certain circumstances, -in showers of rain, the frequency and copiousness of which vary very much -in different portions of the earth. As a general principle, rains are much -more frequent and abundant near the equator than in temperate climes, and -they grow less and less so as we approach the poles. This might naturally -have been expected; for, under the burning sun of the equator, the -evaporation of water must necessarily go on with immensely greater -rapidity than in the colder zones, and all the water which is taken up -must, of course, again come down. - -It is not, however, wholly by the latitude of the region in which the -evaporation takes place that the quantity of rain which falls from the -atmosphere is determined; for the condition on which the falling back, in -rain, of the water which has been taken up by evaporation mainly depends, -is the cooling of the atmospheric stratum which contains it; and this -effect is produced in very various ways, and many different causes operate -to modify it. Sometimes the stratum is cooled by being wafted over ranges -of mountains; sometimes by encountering and becoming mingled with cooler -currents of air; and sometimes, again, by being driven in winds toward a -higher, and, consequently, cooler latitude. If, on the other hand, air -moves from cold mountains toward warm and sunny plains, or from higher -latitudes to lower, or if, among the various currents into which it falls, -it becomes mixed with air warmer than itself, its capacity for containing -vapor in solution is increased, and, consequently, instead of releasing -its hold upon the waters which it has already in possession, it becomes -thirsty for more. It moves over a country, under these circumstances, as a -warm and drying wind. Under a reverse of circumstances it would have -formed drifting mists, or, perhaps, even copious showers of rain. - -It will be evident, from these considerations, that the frequency of the -showers, and the quantity of the rain which will fall, in the various -regions respectively which the surface of the earth presents, must depend -on the combined influence of many causes, such as the warmth of the -climate, the proximity and the direction of mountains and of seas, the -character of the prevailing winds, and the reflecting qualities of the -soil. These and other similar causes, it is found, do, in fact, produce a -vast difference in the quantity of rain which falls in different regions. -In the northern part of South America, where the land is bordered on every -hand by vast tropical seas, which load the hot and thirsty air with vapor, -and where the mighty Cordillera of the Andes rears its icy summits to -chill and precipitate the vapors again, a quantity of rain amounting to -more than ten feet in perpendicular height falls in a year. At St. -Petersburg, on the other hand, the quantity thus falling in a year is but -little more than one foot. The immense deluge which pours down from the -clouds in South America would, if the water were to remain where it fell, -wholly submerge and inundate the country. As it is, in flowing off through -the valleys to the sea, the united torrents form the greatest river on the -globe--the Amazon; and the vegetation, stimulated by the heat, and -nourished by the abundant and incessant supplies of moisture, becomes so -rank, and loads the earth with such an entangled and matted mass of -trunks, and stems, and twining wreaths and vines, that man is almost -excluded from the scene. The boundless forests become a vast and almost -impenetrable jungle, abandoned to wild beasts, noxious reptiles, and huge -and ferocious birds of prey. - -Of course, the district of St. Petersburg, with its icy winter, its low -and powerless sun, and its twelve inches of annual rain, must necessarily -present, in all its phenomena of vegetable and animal life, a striking -contrast to the exuberant prolificness of New Grenada. It is, however, -after all, not absolutely the opposite extreme. There are certain regions -on the surface of the earth that are actually rainless; and it is these -which present us with the true and real contrast to the luxuriant -vegetation and teeming life of the country of the Amazon. In these -rainless regions all is necessarily silence, desolation, and death. No -plant can grow; no animal can live. Man, too, is forever and hopelessly -excluded. If the exuberant abundance of animal and vegetable life shut him -out, in some measure, from regions which an excess of heat and moisture -render too prolific, the total absence of them still more effectually -forbids him a home in these. They become, therefore, vast wastes of dry -and barren sands in which no root can find nourishment, and of dreary -rocks to which not even a lichen can cling. - -The most extensive and remarkable rainless region on the earth is a vast -tract extending through the interior and northern part of Africa, and the -southwestern part of Asia. The Red Sea penetrates into this tract from the -south, and thus breaks the outline and continuity of its form, without, -however, altering, or essentially modifying its character. It divides it, -however, and to the different portions which this division forms, -different names have been given. The Asiatic portion is called Arabia -Deserta; the African tract has received the name of Sahara; while between -these two, in the neighborhood of Egypt, the barren region is called -simply _the desert_. The whole tract is marked, however, throughout, with -one all-pervading character: the absence of vegetable, and, consequently, -of animal life, on account of the absence of rain. The rising of a range -of lofty mountains in the center of it, to produce a precipitation of -moisture from the air, would probably transform the whole of the vast -waste into as verdant, and fertile, and populous a region I as any on the -globe. - -[Illustration: VALLEY OF THE NILE] - -As it is, there are no such mountains. The whole tract is nearly level, -and so little elevated above the sea, that, at the distance of many -hundred miles in the interior, the land rises only to the height of a few -hundred feet above the surface of the Mediterranean; whereas in New -Grenada, at less than one hundred miles from the sea, the chain of the -Andes rises to elevations of from ten to fifteen thousand feet. Such an -ascent as that of a few hundred feet in hundreds of miles would be wholly -imperceptible to any ordinary mode of observation; and the great rainless -region, accordingly, of Africa and Asia is, as it appears to the traveler, -one vast plain, a thousand miles wide and five thousand miles long, with -only one considerable interruption to the dead monotony which reigns, with -that exception, every where over the immense expanse of silence and -solitude. The single interval of fruitfulness and life is the valley of -the Nile. - -There are, however, in fact, three interruptions to the continuity of this -plain, though only one of them constitutes any considerable interruption -to its barrenness. They are all of them valleys, extending from north to -south, and lying side by side. The most easterly of these valleys is so -deep that the waters of the ocean flow into it from the south, forming a -long and narrow inlet called the Red Sea. As this inlet communicates -freely with the ocean, it is always nearly of the same level, and as the -evaporation from it is not sufficient to produce rain, it does not even -fertilize its own shores. Its presence varies the dreary scenery of the -landscape, it is true, by giving us surging waters to look upon instead of -driving sands; but this is all. With the exception of the spectacle of an -English steamer passing, at weary intervals, over its dreary expanse, and -some moldering remains of ancient cities on its eastern shore, it affords -scarcely any indications of life. It does very little, therefore, to -relieve the monotonous aspect of solitude and desolation which reigns -over the region into which it has intruded. - -The most westerly of the three valleys to which we have alluded is only a -slight depression of the surface of the land marked by a line of _oases_. -The depression is not sufficient to admit the waters of the Mediterranean, -nor are there any rains over any portion of the valley which it forms -sufficient to make it the bed of a stream. Springs issue, however, here -and there, in several places, from the ground, and, percolating through -the sands along the valley, give fertility to little dells, long and -narrow, which, by the contrast that they form with the surrounding -desolation, seem to the traveler to possess the verdure and beauty of -Paradise. There is a line of these oases extending along this westerly -depression, and some of them are of considerable extent. The oasis of -Siweh, on which stood the far-famed temple of Jupiter Ammon, was many -miles in extent, and was said to have contained in ancient times a -population of eight thousand souls. Thus, while the most easterly of the -three valleys which we have named was sunk so low as to admit the ocean to -flow freely into it, the most westerly was so slightly depressed that it -gained only a circumscribed and limited fertility through the springs, -which, in the lowest portions of it, oozed from the ground. The third -valley--the central one--remains now to be described. - -The reader will observe, by referring once more to the map, that south of -the great rainless region of which we are speaking, there lie groups and -ranges of mountains in Abyssinia, called the Mountains of the Moon. These -mountains are near the equator, and the relation which they sustain to the -surrounding seas, and to currents of wind which blow in that quarter of -the world, is such, that they bring down from the atmosphere, especially -in certain seasons of the year, vast and continual torrents of rain. The -water which thus falls drenches the mountain sides and deluges the -valleys. There is a great portion of it which can not flow to the -southward or eastward toward the sea, as the whole country consists, in -those directions, of continuous tracts of elevated land. The rush of water -thus turns to the northward, and, pressing on across the desert through -the great central valley which we have referred to above, it finds an -outlet, at last, in the Mediterranean, at a point two thousand miles -distant from the place where the immense condenser drew it from the -skies. The river thus created is the Nile. It is formed, in a word, by the -surplus waters of a district inundated with rains, in their progress -across a rainless desert, seeking the sea. - -If the surplus of water upon the Abyssinian mountains had been constant -and uniform, the stream, in its passage across the desert, would have -communicated very little fertility to the barren sands which it traversed. -The immediate banks of the river would have, perhaps, been fringed with -verdure, but the influence of the irrigation would have extended no -further than the water itself could have reached, by percolation through -the sand. But the flow of the water is not thus uniform and steady. In a -certain season of the year the rains are incessant, and they descend with -such abundance and profusion as almost to inundate the districts where -they fall. Immense torrents stream down the mountain sides; the valleys -are deluged; plains turn into morasses, and morasses into lakes. In a -word, the country becomes half submerged, and the accumulated mass of -waters would rush with great force and violence down the central valley of -the desert, which forms their only outlet, if the passage were narrow, and -if it made any considerable descent in its course to the sea. It is, -however, not narrow, and the descent is very small. The depression in the -surface of the desert, through which the water flows, is from five to ten -miles wide, and, though it is nearly two thousand miles from the rainy -district across the desert to the sea, the country for the whole distance -is almost level. There is only sufficient descent, especially for the last -thousand miles, to determine a very gentle current to the northward in the -waters of the stream. - -Under these circumstances, the immense quantity of water which falls in -the rainy district in these inundating tropical showers, expands over the -whole valley, and forms for a time an immense lake, extending in length -across the whole breadth of the desert. This lake is, of course, from five -to ten miles wide, and a thousand miles long. The water in it is shallow -and turbid, and it has a gentle current toward the north. The rains, at -length, in a great measure cease; but it requires some months for the -water to run off and leave the valley dry. As soon as it is gone, there -springs up from the whole surface of the ground which has been thus -submerged a most rank and luxuriant vegetation. - -This vegetation, now wholly regulated and controlled by the hand of man, -must have been, in its original and primeval state, of a very peculiar -character. It must have consisted of such plants only as could exist under -the condition of having the soil in which they grew laid, for a quarter of -the year, wholly under water. This circumstance, probably, prevented the -valley of the Nile from having been, like other fertile tracts of land, -encumbered, in its native state, with forests. For the same reason, wild -beasts could never have haunted it. There were no forests to shelter them, -and no refuge or retreat for them but the dry and barren desert, during -the period of the annual inundations. This most extraordinary valley seems -thus to have been formed and preserved by Nature herself for the special -possession of man. She herself seems to have held it in reserve for him -from the very morning of creation, refusing admission into it to every -plant and every animal that might hinder or disturb his occupancy and -control. And if he were to abandon it now for a thousand years, and then -return to it once more, he would find it just as he left it, ready for his -immediate possession. There would be no wild beasts that he must first -expel, and no tangled forests would have sprung up, that his ax must -first remove. Nature is the husbandman who keeps this garden of the world -in order, and the means and machinery by which she operates are the grand -evaporating surfaces of the seas, the beams of the tropical sun, the lofty -summits of the Abyssinian mountains, and, as the product and result of all -this instrumentality, great periodical inundations of summer rain. - -For these or some other reasons Egypt has been occupied by man from the -most remote antiquity. The oldest records of the human race, made three -thousand years ago, speak of Egypt as ancient then, when they were -written. Not only is Tradition silent, but even Fable herself does not -attempt to tell the story of the origin of her population. Here stand the -oldest and most enduring monuments that human power has ever been able to -raise. It is, however, somewhat humiliating to the pride of the race to -reflect that the loftiest and proudest, as well as the most permanent and -stable of all the works which man has ever accomplished, are but the -incidents and adjuncts of a thin stratum of alluvial fertility, left upon -the sands by the subsiding waters of summer showers. - -The most important portion of the alluvion of the Nile is the northern -portion, where the valley widens and opens toward the sea, forming a -triangular plain of about one hundred miles in length on each of the -sides, over which the waters of the river flow in a great number of -separate creeks and channels. The whole area forms a vast meadow, -intersected every where with slow-flowing streams of water, and presenting -on its surface the most enchanting pictures of fertility, abundance, and -beauty. This region is called the Delta of the Nile. - -[Illustration: DELTA OF THE NILE] - -The sea upon the coast is shallow, and the fertile country formed by the -deposits of the river seems to have projected somewhat beyond the line of -the coast; although, as the land has not advanced perceptibly for the last -eighteen hundred years, it may be somewhat doubtful whether the whole of -the apparent protrusion is not due to the natural conformation of the -coast, rather than to any changes made by the action of the river. - -The Delta of the Nile is so level itself, and so little raised above the -level of the Mediterranean, that the land seems almost a continuation of -the same surface with the sea, only, instead of blue waters topped with -white-crested waves, we have broad tracts of waving grain, and gentle -swells of land crowned with hamlets and villages. In approaching the -coast, the navigator has no distant view of all this verdure and beauty. -It lies so low that it continues beneath the horizon until the ship is -close upon the shore. The first landmarks, in fact, which the seaman -makes, are the tops of trees growing apparently out of the water, or the -summit of an obelisk, or the capital of a pillar, marking the site of some -ancient and dilapidated city. - -The most easterly of the channels by which the waters of the river find -their way through the Delta to the sea, is called, as it will be seen -marked upon the map, the Pelusiac branch. It forms almost the boundary of -the fertile region of the Delta on the eastern side. There was an ancient -city named Pelusium near the mouth of it. This was, of course, the first -Egyptian city reached by those who arrived by land from the eastward, -traveling along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. On account of its -thus marking the eastern frontier of the country, it became a point of -great importance, and is often mentioned in the histories of ancient -times. - -The westernmost mouth of the Nile, on the other hand, was called the -Canopic mouth. The distance along the coast from the Canopic mouth to -Pelusium was about a hundred miles. The outline of the coast was formerly, -as it still continues to be, very irregular, and the water shallow. -Extended banks of sand protruded into the sea, and the sea itself, as if -in retaliation, formed innumerable creeks, and inlets, and lagoons in the -land. Along this irregular and uncertain boundary the waters of the Nile -and the surges of the Mediterranean kept up an eternal war, with energies -so nearly equal, that now, after the lapse of eighteen hundred years -since the state of the contest began to be recorded, neither side has been -found to have gained any perceptible advantage over the other. The river -brings the sands down, and the sea drives them incessantly back, keeping -the whole line of the shore in such a condition as to make it extremely -dangerous and difficult of access to man. - -It will be obvious, from this description of the valley of the Nile, that -it formed a country which was in ancient times isolated and secluded, in a -very striking manner, from all the rest of the world. It was wholly shut -in by deserts, on every side, by land; and the shoals, and sand-bars, and -other dangers of navigation which marked the line of the coast, seemed to -forbid approach by sea. Here it remained for many ages, under the rule of -its own native ancient kings. Its population was peaceful and industrious. -Its scholars were famed throughout the world for their learning, their -science, and their philosophy. It was in these ages, before other nations -had intruded upon its peaceful seclusion, that the Pyramids were built, -and the enormous monoliths carved, and those vast temples reared whose -ruined columns are now the wonder of mankind. During these remote ages, -too, Egypt was, as now, the land of perpetual fertility and abundance. -There would always be corn in Egypt, wherever else famine might rage. The -neighboring nations and tribes in Arabia, Palestine, and Syria, found -their way to it, accordingly, across the deserts on the eastern side, when -driven by want, and thus opened a way of communication. At length the -Persian monarchs, after extending their empire westward to the -Mediterranean, found access by the same road to Pelusium, and thence -overran and conquered the country. At last, about two hundred and fifty -years before the time of Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, when he subverted -the Persian empire, took possession of Egypt, and annexed it, among the -other Persian provinces, to his own dominions. At the division of -Alexander's empire, after his death, Egypt fell to one of his generals, -named Ptolemy. Ptolemy made it his kingdom, and left it, at his death, to -his heirs. A long line of sovereigns succeeded him, known in history as -the dynasty of the Ptolemies--Greek princes, reigning over an Egyptian -realm. Cleopatra was the daughter of the eleventh in the line. - -The capital of the Ptolemies was Alexandria. Until the time of Alexander's -conquest, Egypt had no sea-port. There were several landing-places along -the coast, but no proper harbor. In fact, Egypt had then so little -commercial intercourse with the rest of the world, that she scarcely -needed any. Alexander's engineers, however, in exploring the shore, found -a point not far from the Canopic mouth of the Nile where the water was -deep, and where there was an anchorage ground protected by an island. -Alexander founded a city there, which he called by his own name. He -perfected the harbor by artificial excavations and embankments. A lofty -light-house was reared, which formed a landmark by day, and exhibited a -blazing star by night to guide the galleys of the Mediterranean in. A -canal was made to connect the port with the Nile, and warehouses were -erected to contain the stores of merchandise. In a word, Alexandria became -at once a great commercial capital. It was the seat, for several -centuries, of the magnificent government of the Ptolemies; and so well was -its situation chosen for the purposes intended, that it still continues, -after the lapse of twenty centuries of revolution and change, one of the -principal emporiums of the commerce of the East. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -THE PTOLEMIES. - - -The founder of the dynasty of the Ptolemies--the ruler into whose hands -the kingdom of Egypt fell, as has already been stated, at the death of -Alexander the Great--was a Macedonian general in Alexander's army. The -circumstances of his birth, and the events which led to his entering into -the service of Alexander, were somewhat peculiar. His mother, whose name -was Arsinoë, was a personal favorite and companion of Philip, king of -Macedon, the father of Alexander. Philip at length gave Arsinoë in -marriage to a certain man of his court named Lagus. A very short time -after the marriage, Ptolemy was born. Philip treated the child with the -same consideration and favor that he had evinced toward the mother. The -boy was called the son of Lagus, but his position in the royal court of -Macedon was as high and honorable, and the attentions which he received -were as great, as he could have expected to enjoy if he had been in -reality a son of the king. As he grew up, he attained to official -stations of considerable responsibility and power. - -In the course of time, a certain transaction occurred, by means of which -Ptolemy involved himself in serious difficulty with Philip, though by the -same means he made Alexander very strongly his friend. There was a -province of the Persian empire called Caria, situated in the southwestern -part of Asia Minor. The governor of this province had offered his daughter -to Philip as the wife of one of his sons named Aridæus, the half brother -of Alexander. Alexander's mother, who was not the mother of Aridæus, was -jealous of this proposed marriage. She thought that it was part of a -scheme for bringing Aridæus forward into public notice, and finally making -him the heir to Philip's throne; whereas she was very earnest that this -splendid inheritance should be reserved for her own son. Accordingly, she -proposed to Alexander that they should send a secret embassage to the -Persian governor, and represent to him that it would be much better, both -for him and for his daughter, that she should have Alexander instead of -Aridæus for a husband, and induce him, if possible, to demand of Philip -that he should make the change. - -Alexander entered readily into this scheme, and various courtiers, Ptolemy -among the rest, undertook to aid him in the accomplishment of it. The -embassy was sent. The governor of Caria was very much pleased with the -change which they proposed to him. In fact, the whole plan seemed to be -going on very successfully toward its accomplishment, when, by some means -or other, Philip discovered the intrigue. He went immediately into -Alexander's apartment, highly excited with resentment and anger. He had -never intended to make Aridæus, whose birth on the mother's side was -obscure and ignoble, the heir to his throne, and he reproached Alexander -in the bitterest terms for being of so debased and degenerate a spirit as -to desire to marry the daughter of a Persian governor; a man who was, in -fact, the mere slave, as he said, of a barbarian king. - -Alexander's scheme was thus totally defeated; and so displeased was his -father with the officers who had undertaken to aid him in the execution of -it, that he banished them all from the kingdom. Ptolemy, in consequence of -this decree, wandered about an exile from his country for some years, -until at length the death of Philip enabled Alexander to recall him. -Alexander succeeded his father as King of Macedon, and immediately made -Ptolemy one of his principal generals. Ptolemy rose, in fact, to a very -high command in the Macedonian army, and distinguished himself very -greatly in all the celebrated conqueror's subsequent campaigns. In the -Persian invasion, Ptolemy commanded one of the three grand divisions of -the army, and he rendered repeatedly the most signal services to the cause -of his master. He was employed on the most distant and dangerous -enterprises, and was often intrusted with the management of affairs of the -utmost importance. He was very successful in all his undertakings. He -conquered armies, reduced fortresses, negotiated treaties, and evinced, in -a word, the highest degree of military energy and skill. He once saved -Alexander's life by discovering and revealing a dangerous conspiracy which -had been formed against the king. Alexander had the opportunity to requite -this favor, through a divine interposition vouchsafed to him, it was said, -for the express purpose of enabling him to evince his gratitude. Ptolemy -had been wounded by a poisoned arrow, and when all the remedies and -antidotes of the physicians had failed, and the patient was apparently -about to die, an effectual means of cure was revealed to Alexander in a -dream, and Ptolemy, in his turn, was saved. - -At the great rejoicings at Susa, when Alexander's conquests were -completed, Ptolemy was honored with a golden crown, and he was married, -with great pomp and ceremony, to Artacama, the daughter of one of the most -distinguished Persian generals. - -At length Alexander died suddenly, after a night of drinking and carousal -at Babylon. He had no son old enough to succeed him, and his immense -empire was divided among his generals. Ptolemy obtained Egypt for his -share. He repaired immediately to Alexandria, with a great army, and a -great number of Greek attendants and followers, and there commenced a -reign which continued, in great prosperity and splendor, for forty years. -The native Egyptians were reduced, of course, to subjection and bondage. -All the offices in the army, and all stations of trust and responsibility -in civil life, were filled by Greeks. Alexandria was a Greek city, and it -became at once one of the most important commercial centers in all those -seas. Greek and Roman travelers found now a language spoken in Egypt which -they could understand, and philosophers and scholars could gratify the -curiosity which they had so long felt, in respect to the institutions, and -monuments, and wonderful physical characteristics of the country, with -safety and pleasure. In a word, the organization of a Greek government -over the ancient kingdom, and the establishment of the great commercial -relations of the city of Alexandria, conspired to bring Egypt out from its -concealment and seclusion, and to open it in some measure to the -intercourse, as well as to bring it more fully under the observation, of -the rest of mankind. - -Ptolemy, in fact, made it a special object of his policy to accomplish -these ends. He invited Greek scholars, philosophers, poets, and artists, -in great numbers, to come to Alexandria, and to make his capital their -abode. He collected an immense library, which subsequently, under the name -of the Alexandrian library, became one of the most celebrated collections -of books and manuscripts that was ever made. We shall have occasion to -refer more particularly to this library in the next chapter. - -Besides prosecuting these splendid schemes for the aggrandizement of -Egypt, King Ptolemy was engaged, during almost the whole period of his -reign, in waging incessant wars with the surrounding nations. He engaged -in these wars, in part, for the purpose of extending the boundaries of his -empire, and in part for self-defense against the aggressions and -encroachments of other powers. He finally succeeded in establishing his -kingdom on the most stable and permanent basis, and then, when he was -drawing toward the close of his life, being in fact over eighty years of -age, he abdicated his throne in favor of his youngest son, whose name was -also Ptolemy. Ptolemy the father, the founder of the dynasty, is known -commonly in history by the name of Ptolemy Soter. His son is called -Ptolemy Philadelphus. This son, though the youngest, was preferred to his -brothers as heir to the throne on account of his being the son of the most -favored and beloved of the monarch's wives. The determination of Soter to -abdicate the throne himself arose from his wish to put this favorite son -in secure possession of it before his death, in order to prevent the older -brothers from disputing the succession. The coronation of Philadelphus was -made one of the most magnificent and imposing ceremonies that royal pomp -and parade ever arranged. Two years afterward Ptolemy the father died, -and was buried by his son with a magnificence almost equal to that of his -own coronation. His body was deposited in a splendid mausoleum, which had -been built for the remains of Alexander; and so high was the veneration -which was felt by mankind for the greatness of his exploits and the -splendor of his reign, that divine honors were paid to his memory. Such -was the origin of the great dynasty of the Ptolemies. - -Some of the early sovereigns of the line followed in some degree the -honorable example set them by the distinguished founder of it; but this -example was soon lost, and was succeeded by the most extreme degeneracy -and debasement. The successive sovereigns began soon to live and to reign -solely for the gratification of their own sensual propensities and -passions. Sensuality begins sometimes with kindness, but it ends always in -the most reckless and intolerable cruelty. The Ptolemies became, in the -end, the most abominable and terrible tyrants that the principle of -absolute and irresponsible power ever produced. There was one vice in -particular, a vice which they seem to have adopted from the Asiatic -nations of the Persian empire, that resulted in the most awful -consequences. This vice was incest. - -The law of God, proclaimed not only in the Scriptures, but in the native -instincts of the human soul, forbids intermarriages among those connected -by close ties of consanguinity. The necessity for such a law rests on -considerations which can not here be fully explained. They are -considerations, however, which arise from causes inherent in the very -nature of man as a social being, and which are of universal, perpetual, -and insurmountable force. To guard his creatures against the deplorable -consequences, both physical and moral, which result from the practice of -such marriages, the great Author of Nature has implanted in every mind an -instinctive sense of their criminality, powerful enough to give effectual -warning of the danger, and so universal as to cause a distinct -condemnation of them to be recorded in almost every code of written law -that has ever been promulgated among mankind. The Persian sovereigns were, -however, above all law, and every species of incestuous marriage was -practiced by them without shame. The Ptolemies followed their example. - -One of the most striking exhibitions of the nature of incestuous domestic -life which is afforded by the whole dismal panorama of pagan vice and -crime, is presented in the history of the great-grandfather of the -Cleopatra who is the principal subject of this narrative. He was -Ptolemy Physcon, the seventh in the line. It is necessary to give some -particulars of his history and that of his family, in order to explain the -circumstances under which Cleopatra herself came upon the stage. The name -Physcon, which afterward became his historical designation, was originally -given him in contempt and derision. He was very small of stature in -respect to height, but his gluttony and sensuality had made him immensely -corpulent in body, so that he looked more like a monster than a man. The -term Physcon was a Greek word, which denoted opprobriously the ridiculous -figure that he made. - -The circumstances of Ptolemy Physcon's accession to the throne afford not -only a striking illustration of his character, but a very faithful though -terrible picture of the manners and morals of the times. He had been -engaged in a long and cruel war with his brother, who was king before him, -in which war he had perpetrated all imaginable atrocities, when at length -his brother died, leaving as his survivors his wife, who was also his -sister, and a son who was yet a child. This son was properly the heir to -the crown. Physcon himself, being a brother, had no claim, as against a -son. The name of the queen was Cleopatra. This was, in fact, a very common -name among the princesses of the Ptolemaic line. Cleopatra, besides her -son, had a daughter, who was at this time a young and beautiful girl. Her -name was also Cleopatra. She was, of course, the niece, as her mother was -the sister, of Physcon. - -The plan of Cleopatra the mother, after her husband's death, was to make -her son the king of Egypt, and to govern herself, as regent, until he -should become of age. The friends and adherents of Physcon, however, -formed a strong party in _his_ favor. They sent for him to come to -Alexandria to assert his claims to the throne. He came, and a new civil -war was on the point of breaking out between the brother and sister, when -at length the dispute was settled by a treaty, in which it was stipulated -that Physcon should marry Cleopatra, and be king; but that he should make -the son of Cleopatra by her former husband his heir. This treaty was -carried into effect so far as the celebration of the marriage with the -mother was concerned, and the establishment of Physcon upon the throne. -But the perfidious monster, instead of keeping his faith in respect to the -boy, determined to murder him; and so open and brutal were his habits of -violence and cruelty, that he undertook to perpetrate the deed himself, in -open day. The boy fled shrieking to the mother's arms for protection, and -Physcon stabbed and killed him there, exhibiting the spectacle of a -newly-married husband murdering the son of his wife in her very arms! - -It is easy to conceive what sort of affection would exist between a -husband and a wife after such transactions as these. In fact, there had -been no love between them from the beginning. The marriage had been solely -a political arrangement. Physcon hated his wife, and had murdered her son, -and then, as if to complete the exhibition of the brutal lawlessness and -capriciousness of his passions, he ended with falling in love with her -daughter. The beautiful girl looked upon this heartless monster, as ugly -and deformed in body as he was in mind, with absolute horror. But she was -wholly in his power. He compelled her, by violence, to submit to his will. -He repudiated the mother, and forced the daughter to become his wife. - -Physcon displayed the same qualities of brutal tyranny and cruelty in the -treatment of his subjects that he manifested in his own domestic -relations. The particulars we can not here give, but can only say that his -atrocities became at length absolutely intolerable, and a revolt so -formidable broke out, that he fled from the country. In fact, he barely -escaped with his life, as the mob had surrounded the palace and were -setting it on fire, intending to burn the tyrant himself and all the -accomplices of his crimes together. Physcon, however, contrived to make -his escape. He fled to the island of Cyprus, taking with him a certain -beautiful boy, his son by the Cleopatra whom he had divorced; for they had -been married long enough, before the divorce, to have a son. The name of -this boy was Memphitis. His mother was very tenderly attached to him, and -Physcon took him away on this very account, to keep him as a hostage for -his mother's good behavior. He fancied that, when he was gone, she might -possibly attempt to resume possession of the throne. - -His expectations in this respect were realized. The people of Alexandria -rallied around Cleopatra, and called upon her to take the crown. She did -so, feeling, perhaps, some misgivings in respect to the danger which such -a step might possibly bring upon her absent boy. She quieted herself, -however, by the thought that he was in the hands of his own father, and -that he could not possibly come to harm. - -After some little time had elapsed, and Cleopatra was beginning to be well -established in her possession of the supreme power at Alexandria, her -birth-day approached, and arrangements were made for celebrating it in the -most magnificent manner. When the day arrived, the whole city was given up -to festivities and rejoicing. Grand entertainments were given in the -palace, and games, spectacles, and plays in every variety, were exhibited -and performed in all quarters of the city. Cleopatra herself was enjoying -a magnificent entertainment, given to the lords and ladies of the court -and the officers of her army, in one of the royal palaces. - -[Illustration: THE BIRTH-DAY PRESENT.] - -In the midst of this scene of festivity and pleasure, it was announced to -the queen that a large box had arrived for her. The box was brought into -the apartment. It had the appearance of containing some magnificent -present, sent in at that time by some friend in honor of the occasion. The -curiosity of the queen was excited to know what the mysterious coffer -might contain. She ordered it to be opened; and the guests gathered -around, each eager to obtain the first glimpse of the contents. The lid -was removed, and a cloth beneath it was raised, when, to the unutterable -horror of all who witnessed the spectacle, there was seen the head and -hands of Cleopatra's beautiful boy, lying among masses of human flesh, -which consisted of the rest of his body cut into pieces. The head had been -left entire, that the wretched mother might recognize in the pale and -lifeless features the countenance of her son. Physcon had sent the box to -Alexandria, with orders that it should be retained until the evening of -the birth-day, and then presented publicly to Cleopatra in the midst of -the festivities of the scene. The shrieks and cries with which she filled -the apartments of the palace at the first sight of the dreadful spectacle, -and the agony of long-continued and inconsolable grief which followed, -showed how well the cruel contrivance of the tyrant was fitted to -accomplish its end. - -It gives us no pleasure to write, and we are sure it can give our readers -no pleasure to peruse, such shocking stories of bloody cruelty as these. -It is necessary, however, to a just appreciation of the character of the -great subject of this history, that we should understand the nature of -the domestic influences that reigned in the family from which she sprung. -In fact, it is due, as a matter of simple justice to her, that we should -know what these influences were, and what were the examples set before her -in her early life; since the privileges and advantages which the young -enjoy in their early years, and, on the other hand, the evil influences -under which they suffer, are to be taken very seriously into the account -when we are passing judgment upon the follies and sins into which they -subsequently fall. - -The monster Physcon lived, it is true, two or three generations before the -great Cleopatra; but the character of the intermediate generations, until -the time of her birth, continued much the same. In fact, the cruelty, -corruption, and vice which reigned in every branch of the royal family -increased rather than diminished. The beautiful niece of Physcon, who, at -the time of her compulsory marriage with him, evinced such an aversion to -the monster, had become, at the period of her husband's death, as great a -monster of ambition, selfishness, and cruelty as he. She had two sons, -Lathyrus and Alexander. Physcon, when he died, left the kingdom of Egypt -to her by will, authorizing her to associate with her in the government -whichever of these two sons she might choose. The oldest was best entitled -to this privilege, by his priority of birth; but she preferred the -youngest, as she thought that her own power would be more absolute in -reigning in conjunction with him, since he would be more completely under -her control. The leading powers, however, in Alexandria, resisted this -plan, and insisted on Cleopatra's associating her oldest son, Lathyrus, -with her in the government of the realm. They compelled her to recall -Lathyrus from the banishment into which she had sent him, and to put him -nominally upon the throne. Cleopatra yielded to this necessity, but she -forced her son to repudiate his wife, and to take, instead, another woman, -whom she fancied she could make more subservient to her will. The mother -and the son went on together for a time, Lathyrus being nominally king, -though her determination that she would rule, and his struggles to resist -her intolerable tyranny, made their wretched household the scene of -terrible and perpetual quarrels. At last Cleopatra seized a number of -Lathyrus's servants, the eunuchs who were employed in various offices -about the palace, and after wounding and mutilating them in a horrible -manner, she exhibited them to the populace, saying that it was Lathyrus -that had inflicted the cruel injuries upon the sufferers, and calling upon -them to arise and punish him for his crimes. In this and in other similar -ways she awakened among the people of the court and of the city such an -animosity against Lathyrus, that they expelled him from the country. There -followed a long series of cruel and bloody wars between the mother and the -son, in the course of which each party perpetrated against the other -almost every imaginable deed of atrocity and crime. Alexander, the -youngest son, was so afraid of his terrible mother, that he did not dare -to remain in Alexandria with her, but went into a sort of banishment of -his own accord. He, however, finally returned to Egypt. His mother -immediately supposed that he was intending to disturb her possession of -power, and resolved to destroy him. He became acquainted with her designs, -and, grown desperate by the long-continued pressure of her intolerable -tyranny, he resolved to bring the anxiety and terror in which he lived to -an end by killing her. This he did, and then fled the country. Lathyrus, -his brother, then returned, and reigned for the rest of his days in a -tolerable degree of quietness and peace. At length Lathyrus died, and left -the kingdom to his son, Ptolemy Auletes, who was the great Cleopatra's -father. - -We can not soften the picture which is exhibited to our view in the -history of this celebrated family, by regarding the mother of Auletes, in -the masculine and merciless traits and principles which she displayed so -energetically throughout her terrible career, as an exception to the -general character of the princesses who appeared from time to time in the -line. In ambition, selfishness, unnatural and reckless cruelty, and utter -disregard of every virtuous principle and of every domestic tie, she was -but the type and representative of all the rest. - -She had two daughters, for example, who were the consistent and worthy -followers of such a mother. A passage in the lives of these sisters -illustrates very forcibly the kind of sisterly affection which prevailed -in the family of the Ptolemies. The case was this: - -There were two princes of Syria, a country lying northeast of the -Mediterranean Sea, and so not very far from Egypt, who, though they were -brothers, were in a state of most deadly hostility to each other. One had -attempted to poison the other, and afterward a war had broken out between -them, and all Syria was suffering from the ravages of their armies. One of -the sisters, of whom we have been speaking, married one of these princes. -Her name was Tryphena. After some time, but yet while the unnatural war -was still raging between the two brothers, Cleopatra, the other -sister--the same Cleopatra, in fact, that had been divorced from Lathyrus -at the instance of his mother--espoused the other brother. Tryphena was -exceedingly incensed against Cleopatra for marrying her husband's mortal -foe, and the implacable hostility and hate of the sisters was thenceforth -added to that which the brothers had before exhibited, to complete the -display of unnatural and parricidal passion which this shameful contest -presented to the world. - -In fact, Tryphena from this time seemed to feel a new and highly-excited -interest in the contest, from her eager desire to revenge herself on her -sister. She watched the progress of it, and took an active part in -pressing forward the active prosecution of the war. The party of her -husband, either from this or some other causes, seemed to be gaining the -day. The husband of Cleopatra was driven from one part of the country to -another, and at length, in order to provide for the security of his wife, -he left her in Antioch, a large and strongly-fortified city, where he -supposed that she would be safe, while he himself was engaged in -prosecuting the war in other quarters where his presence seemed to be -required. - -On learning that her sister was at Antioch, Tryphena urged her husband to -attack the place. He accordingly advanced with a strong detachment of the -army, and besieged and took the city. Cleopatra would, of course, have -fallen into his hands as a captive; but, to escape this fate, she fled to -a temple for refuge. A temple was considered, in those days, an inviolable -sanctuary. The soldiers accordingly left her there. Tryphena, however, -made a request that her husband would deliver the unhappy fugitive into -her hands. She was determined, she said, to kill her. Her husband -remonstrated with her against this atrocious proposal. "It would be a -wholly useless act of cruelty," said he, "to destroy her life. She can do -us no possible harm in the future progress of the war, while to murder her -under these circumstances will only exasperate her husband and her -friends, and nerve them with new strength for the remainder of the -contest. And then, besides, she has taken refuge in a temple; and if we -violate that sanctuary, we shall incur, by such an act of sacrilege, the -implacable displeasure of heaven. Consider, too, that she is your sister, -and for you to kill her would be to commit an unnatural and wholly -inexcusable crime." - -So saying, he commanded Tryphena to say no more upon the subject, for he -would on no account consent that Cleopatra should suffer any injury -whatever. - -This refusal on the part of her husband to comply with her request only -inflamed Tryphena's insane resentment and anger the more. In fact, the -earnestness with which he espoused her sister's cause, and the interest -which he seemed to feel in her fate, aroused Tryphena's jealousy. She -believed, or pretended to believe, that her husband was influenced by a -sentiment of love in so warmly defending her. The object of her hate, from -being simply an enemy, became now, in her view, a rival, and she resolved -that, at all hazards, she should be destroyed. She accordingly ordered a -body of desperate soldiers to break into the temple and seize her. -Cleopatra fled in terror to the altar, and clung to it with such -convulsive force that the soldiers cut her hands off before they could -tear her away, and then, maddened by her resistance and the sight of -blood, they stabbed her again and again upon the floor of the temple, -where she fell. The appalling shrieks with which the wretched victim -filled the air in the first moments of her flight and her terror, -subsided, as her life ebbed away, into the most awful imprecations of the -judgments of heaven upon the head of the unnatural sister whose implacable -hate had destroyed her. - - * * * * * - -Notwithstanding the specimens that we have thus given of the character and -action of this extraordinary family, the government of this dynasty, -extending, as it did, through the reigns of thirteen sovereigns and over a -period of nearly three hundred years, has always been considered one of -the most liberal, enlightened, and prosperous of all the governments of -ancient times. We shall have something to say in the next chapter in -respect to the internal condition of the country while these violent men -were upon the throne. In the meantime, we will here only add, that whoever -is inclined, in observing the ambition, the selfishness, the party spirit, -the unworthy intrigues, and the irregularities of moral conduct, which -modern rulers and statesmen sometimes exhibit to mankind in their personal -and political career, to believe in a retrogression and degeneracy of -national character as the world advances in age, will be very effectually -undeceived by reading attentively a full history of this celebrated -dynasty, and reflecting, as he reads, that the narrative presents, on the -whole, a fair and honest exhibition of the general character of the men by -whom, in ancient times, the world was governed. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -ALEXANDRIA. - - -It must not be imagined by the reader that the scenes of vicious -indulgence, and reckless cruelty and crime, which were exhibited with such -dreadful frequency, and carried to such an enormous excess in the palaces -of the Egyptian kings, prevailed to the same extent throughout the mass of -the community during the period of their reign. The internal -administration of government, and the institutions by which the industrial -pursuits of the mass of the people were regulated, and peace and order -preserved, and justice enforced between man and man, were all this time in -the hands of men well qualified, on the whole, for the trusts committed to -their charge, and in a good degree faithful in the performance of their -duties; and thus the ordinary affairs of government, and the general -routine of domestic and social life, went on, notwithstanding the -profligacy of the kings, in a course of very tolerable peace, prosperity, -and happiness. During every one of the three hundred years over which the -history of the Ptolemies extends, the whole length and breadth of the land -of Egypt exhibited, with comparatively few interruptions, one wide-spread -scene of busy industry. The inundations came at their appointed season, -and then regularly retired. The boundless fields which the waters had -fertilized were then every where tilled. The lands were plowed; the seed -was sown; the canals and water-courses, which ramified from the river in -every direction over the ground, were opened or closed, as the case -required, to regulate the irrigation. The inhabitants were busy, and, -consequently, they were virtuous. And as the sky of Egypt is seldom or -never darkened by clouds and storms, the scene presented to the eye the -same unchanging aspect of smiling verdure and beauty, day after day, and -month after month, until the ripened grain was gathered into the -store-houses, and the land was cleared for another inundation. - -We say that the people were virtuous because they were busy; for there is -no principle of political economy more fully established than that vice in -the social state is the incident and symptom of idleness. It prevails -always in those classes of every great population who are either released -by the possession of fixed and unchangeable wealth from the necessity, or -excluded by their poverty and degradation from the advantage, of useful -employment. Wealth that is free, and subject to its possessor's control, -so that he can, if he will, occupy himself in the management of it, while -it sometimes may make individuals vicious, does not generally corrupt -classes of men, for it does not make them idle. But wherever the -institutions of a country are such as to create an aristocratic class, -whose incomes depend on entailed estates, or on fixed and permanent -annuities, so that the capital on which they live can not afford them any -mental occupation, they are doomed necessarily to inaction and idleness. -Vicious pleasures and indulgences are, with such a class as a whole, the -inevitable result; for the innocent enjoyments of man are planned and -designed by the Author of nature only for the intervals of rest and repose -in a life of activity. They are always found wholly insufficient to -satisfy one who makes pleasure the whole end and aim of his being. - -In the same manner, if, either from the influence of the social -institutions of a country, or from the operation of natural causes which -human power is unable to control, there is a class of men too low, and -degraded, and miserable to be reached by the ordinary inducements to daily -toil, so certain are they to grow corrupt and depraved, that degradation -has become in all languages a term almost synonymous with vice. There are -many exceptions, it is true, to these general laws. Many active men are -very wicked; and there have been frequent instances of the most exalted -virtue among nobles and kings. Still, as a general law, it is -unquestionably true that vice is the incident of idleness; and the sphere -of vice, therefore, is at the top and at the bottom of society--those -being the regions in which idleness reigns. The great remedy, too, for -vice is employment. To make a community virtuous, it is essential that all -ranks and gradations of it, from the highest to the lowest, should have -something to do. - -In accordance with these principles, we observe that, while the most -extreme and abominable wickedness seemed to hold continual and absolute -sway in the palaces of the Ptolemies, and among the nobles of their -courts, the working ministers of state, and the men on whom the actual -governmental functions devolved, discharged their duties with wisdom and -fidelity, and throughout all the ordinary ranks and gradations of society -there prevailed generally a very considerable degree of industry, -prosperity, and happiness. This prosperity prevailed not only in the rural -districts of the Delta and along the valley of the Nile, but also among -the merchants, and navigators, and artisans of Alexandria. - -Alexandria became, in fact, very soon after it was founded, a very great -and busy city. Many things conspired to make it at once a great commercial -emporium. In the first place, it was the depôt of export for all the -surplus grain and other agricultural produce which was raised in such -abundance along the Egyptian valley. This produce was brought down in -boats to the upper point of the Delta, where the branches of the river -divided, and thence down the Canopic branch to the city. The city was not, -in fact, situated directly upon this branch, but upon a narrow tongue of -land, at a little distance from it, near the sea. It was not easy to enter -the channel directly, on account of the bars and sand-banks at its mouth, -produced by the eternal conflict between the waters of the river and the -surges of the sea. The water was deep, however, as Alexander's engineers -had discovered, at the place where the city was built, and, by -establishing the port there, and then cutting a canal across to the Nile, -they were enabled to bring the river and the sea at once into easy -communication. - -The produce of the valley was thus brought down the river and through the -canal to the city. Here immense warehouses and granaries were erected for -its reception, that it might be safely preserved until the ships that came -into the port were ready to take it away. These ships came from Syria, -from all the coasts of Asia Minor, from Greece, and from Rome. They -brought the agricultural productions of their own countries, as well as -articles of manufacture of various kinds; these they sold to the merchants -of Alexandria, and purchased the productions of Egypt in return. - -The port of Alexandria presented thus a constant picture of life and -animation. Merchant ships were continually coming and going, or lying at -anchor in the roadstead. Seamen were hoisting sails, or raising anchors, -or rowing their capacious galleys through the water, singing, as they -pulled, to the motion of the oars. Within the city there was the same -ceaseless activity. Here groups of men were unloading the canal boats -which had arrived from the river. There porters were transporting bales of -merchandise or sacks of grain from a warehouse to a pier, or from one -landing to another. The occasional parading of the king's guards, or the -arrival and departure of ships of war to land or to take away bodies of -armed men, were occurrences that sometimes intervened to interrupt, or as -perhaps the people then would have said, to adorn this scene of useful -industry; and now and then, for a brief period, these peaceful avocations -would be wholly suspended and set aside by a revolt or by a civil war, -waged by rival brothers against each other, or instigated by the -conflicting claims of a mother and son. These interruptions, however, were -comparatively few, and, in ordinary cases, not of long continuance. It was -for the interest of all branches of the royal line to do as little injury -as possible to the commercial and agricultural operations of the realm. In -fact, it was on the prosperity of those operations that the revenues -depended. The rulers were well aware of this, and so, however implacably -two rival princes may have hated one another, and however desperately each -party may have struggled to destroy all active combatants whom they should -find in arms against them, they were both under every possible inducement -to spare the private property and the lives of the peaceful population. -This population, in fact, engaged thus in profitable industry, -constituted, with the avails of their labors, the very estate for which -the combatants were contending. - -Seeing the subject in this light, the Egyptian sovereigns, especially -Alexander and the earlier Ptolemies, made every effort in their power to -promote the commercial greatness of Alexandria. They built palaces, it is -true, but they also built warehouses. One of the most expensive and -celebrated of all the edifices that they reared was the light-house which -has been already alluded to. This light-house was a lofty tower, built of -white marble. It was situated upon the island of Pharos, opposite to the -city, and at some distance from it. There was a sort of isthmus of shoals -and sand-bars connecting the island with the shore. Over these shallows a -pier or causeway was built, which finally became a broad and inhabited -neck. The principal part of the ancient city, however, was on the main -land.[1] - -The curvature of the earth requires that a light-house on a coast should -have a considerable elevation, otherwise its summit would not appear above -the horizon, unless the mariner were very near. To attain this elevation, -the architects usually take advantage of some hill or cliff, or rocky -eminence near the shore. There was, however, no opportunity to do this at -Pharos; for the island was, like the main land, level and low. The -requisite elevation could only be attained, therefore, by the masonry of -an edifice, and the blocks of marble necessary for the work had to be -brought from a great distance. The Alexandrian light-house was reared in -the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus, the second monarch in the line. No pains -or expense were spared in its construction. The edifice, when completed, -was considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It was indebted for -its fame, however, in some degree, undoubtedly to the conspicuousness of -its situation, rising, as it did, at the entrance of the greatest -commercial emporium of its time, and standing there, like a pillar of -cloud by day and of fire by night, to attract the welcome gaze of every -wandering mariner whose ship came within its horizon, and to awaken his -gratitude by tendering him its guidance and dispelling his fears. - -The light at the top of the tower was produced by a fire, made of such -combustibles as would emit the brightest flame. This fire burned slowly -through the day, and then was kindled up anew when the sun went down, and -was continually replenished through the night with fresh supplies of fuel. -In modern times, a much more convenient and economical mode is adopted to -produce the requisite illumination. A great blazing lamp burns brilliantly -in the center of the lantern of the tower, and all that part of the -radiation from the flame which would naturally have beamed upward, or -downward, or laterally, or back toward the land, is so turned by a curious -system of reflectors and polyzonal lenses, most ingeniously contrived and -very exactly adjusted, as to be thrown forward in one broad and thin, but -brilliant sheet of light, which shoots out where its radiance is needed, -over the surface of the sea. Before these inventions were perfected, far -the largest portion of the light emitted by the illumination of -light-house towers streamed away wastefully in landward directions, or was -lost among the stars. - -Of course, the glory of erecting such an edifice as the Pharos of -Alexandria, and of maintaining it in the performance of its functions, -was very great; the question might, however, very naturally arise whether -this glory was justly due to the architect through whose scientific skill -the work was actually accomplished, or to the monarch by whose power and -resources the architect was sustained. The name of the architect was -Sostratus. He was a Greek. The monarch was, as has already been stated, -the second Ptolemy, called commonly Ptolemy Philadelphus. Ptolemy ordered -that, in completing the tower, a marble tablet should be built into the -wall, at a suitable place near the summit, and that a proper inscription -should be carved upon it, with his name as the builder of the edifice -conspicuous thereon. Sostratus preferred inserting his own name. He -accordingly made the tablet and set it in its place. He cut the -inscription upon the face of it, in Greek characters, with his own name as -the author of the work. He did this secretly, and then covered the face of -the tablet with an artificial composition, made with lime, to imitate the -natural surface of the stone. On this outer surface he cut a new -inscription, in which he inserted the name of the king. In process of time -the lime moldered away, the king's inscription disappeared, and his own, -which thenceforward continued as long as the building endured, came out to -view. - -The Pharos was said to have been four hundred feet high. It was famed -throughout the world for many centuries; nothing, however, remains of it -now but a heap of useless and unmeaning ruins. - -Besides the light that beamed from the summit of this lofty tower, there -was another center of radiance and illumination in ancient Alexandria, -which was in some respects still more conspicuous and renowned, namely, an -immense library and museum established and maintained by the Ptolemies. -The Museum, which was first established, was not, as its name might now -imply, a collection of curiosities, but an institution of learning, -consisting of a body of learned men, who devoted their time to -philosophical and scientific pursuits. The institution was richly endowed, -and magnificent buildings were erected for its use. The king who -established it began immediately to make a collection of books for the use -of the members of the institution. This was attended with great expense, -as every book that was added to the collection required to be transcribed -with a pen on parchment or papyrus, with infinite labor and care. Great -numbers of scribes were constantly employed upon this work at the Museum. -The kings who were most interested in forming this library would seize the -books that were possessed by individual scholars, or that were deposited -in the various cities of their dominions, and then, causing beautiful -copies of them to be made by the scribes of the Museum, they would retain -the originals for the great Alexandrian Library, and give the copies to -the men or the cities that had been thus despoiled. In the same manner -they would borrow, as they called it, from all travelers who visited -Egypt, any valuable books which they might have in their possession, and, -retaining the originals, give them back copies instead. - -In process of time the library increased to four hundred thousand volumes. -There was then no longer any room in the buildings of the Museum for -further additions. There was, however, in another part of the city, a -great temple called the Serapion. This temple was a very magnificent -edifice, or, rather, group of edifices, dedicated to the god Serapis. The -origin and history of this temple were very remarkable. The legend was -this: - -It seems that one of the ancient and long-venerated gods of the Egyptians -was a deity named Serapis. He had been, among other divinities, the object -of Egyptian adoration ages before Alexandria was built or the Ptolemies -reigned. There was also, by a curious coincidence, a statue of the same -name at a great commercial town named Sinope, which was built upon the -extremity of a promontory which projected from Asia Minor into the Euxine -Sea.[2] Sinope was, in some sense, the Alexandria of the north, being the -center and seat of a great portion of the commerce of that quarter of the -world. - -The Serapis of Sinope was considered as the protecting deity of seamen, -and the navigators who came and went to and from the city made sacrifices -to him, and offered him oblations and prayers, believing that they were, -in a great measure, dependent upon some mysterious and inscrutable power -which he exercised for their safety in storms. They carried the knowledge -of his name, and tales of his imaginary interpositions, to all the places -that they visited; and thus the fame of the god became extended, first, to -all the coasts of the Euxine Sea, and subsequently to distant provinces -and kingdoms. The Serapis of Sinope began to be considered every where as -the tutelar god of seamen. - -Accordingly, when the first of the Ptolemies was forming his various plans -for adorning and aggrandizing Alexandria, he received, he said, one night, -a divine intimation in a dream that he was to obtain the statue of Serapis -from Sinope, and set it up in Alexandria, in a suitable temple which he -was in the mean time to erect in honor of the god. It is obvious that very -great advantages to the city would result from the accomplishment of this -design. In the first place, a temple to the god Serapis would be a new -distinction for it in the minds of the rural population, who would -undoubtedly suppose that the deity honored by it was their own ancient -god. Then the whole maritime and nautical interest of the world, which had -been accustomed to adore the god of Sinope, would turn to Alexandria as -the great center of religious attraction, if their venerated idol could be -carried and placed in a new and magnificent temple built expressly for him -there. Alexandria could never be the chief naval port and station of the -world, unless it contained the sanctuary and shrine of the god of seamen. - -Ptolemy sent accordingly to the King of Sinope and proposed to purchase -the idol. The embassage was, however, unsuccessful. The king refused to -give up the god. The negotiations were continued for two years, but all in -vain. At length, on account of some failure in the regular course of the -seasons on that coast, there was a famine there, which became finally so -severe that the people of the city were induced to consent to give up -their deity to the Egyptians in exchange for a supply of corn. Ptolemy -sent the corn and received the idol. He then built the temple, which, when -finished, surpassed in grandeur and magnificence almost every sacred -structure in the world. - -It was in this temple that the successive additions to the Alexandrian -library were deposited, when the apartments at the Museum became full. In -the end there were four hundred thousand rolls or volumes in the Museum, -and three hundred thousand in the Serapion. The former was called the -parent library, and the latter, being, as it were, the offspring of the -first, was called the daughter. - -Ptolemy Philadelphus, who interested himself very greatly in collecting -this library, wished to make it a complete collection of all the books in -the world. He employed scholars to read and study, and travelers to make -extensive tours, for the purpose of learning what books existed among all -the surrounding nations; and, when he learned of their existence, he -spared no pains or expense in attempting to procure either the originals -themselves, or the most perfect and authentic copies of them. He sent to -Athens and obtained the works of the most celebrated Greek historians, and -then causing, as in other cases, most beautiful transcripts to be made, he -sent the transcripts back to Athens, and a very large sum of money with -them as an equivalent for the difference of value between originals and -copies in such an exchange. - -In the course of the inquiries which Ptolemy made into the literature of -the surrounding nations, in his search for accessions to his library, he -heard that the Jews had certain sacred writings in their temple at -Jerusalem, comprising a minute and extremely interesting history of their -nation from the earliest periods, and also many other books of sacred -prophecy and poetry. These books, which were, in fact, the Hebrew -Scriptures of the Old Testament, were then wholly unknown to all nations -except the Jews, and among the Jews were known only to priests and -scholars. They were kept sacred at Jerusalem. The Jews would have -considered them as profaned in being exhibited to the view of pagan -nations. In fact, the learned men of other countries would not have been -able to read them; for the Jews secluded themselves so closely from the -rest of mankind, that their language was, in that age, scarcely ever heard -beyond the confines of Judea and Galilee. - -Ptolemy very naturally thought that a copy of these sacred books would be -a great acquisition to his library. They constituted, in fact, the whole -literature of a nation which was, in some respects, the most extraordinary -that ever existed on the globe. Ptolemy conceived the idea, also, of not -only adding to his library a copy of these writings in the original -Hebrew, but of causing a translation of them to be made into Greek, so -that they might easily be read by the Greek and Roman scholars who were -drawn in great numbers to his capital by the libraries and the learned -institutions which he had established there. The first thing to be -effected, however, in accomplishing either of these plans, was to obtain -the consent of the Jewish authorities. They would probably object to -giving up any copy of their sacred writings at all. - -There was one circumstance which led Ptolemy to imagine that the Jews -would, at that time particularly, be averse to granting any request of -such a nature coming from an Egyptian king, and that was, that during -certain wars which had taken place in previous reigns, a considerable -number of prisoners had been taken by the Egyptians, and had been brought -to Egypt as captives, where they had been sold to the inhabitants, and -were now scattered over the land as slaves. They were employed as servile -laborers in tilling the fields, or in turning enormous wheels to pump up -water from the Nile. The masters of these hapless bondmen conceived, like -other slave-holders, that they had a right of property in their slaves. -This was in some respects true, since they had bought them of the -government at the close of the war for a consideration; and though they -obviously derived from this circumstance no valid proprietary right or -claim as against the men personally, it certainly would seem that it gave -them a just claim against the government of whom they bought, in case of -subsequent manumission. - -Ptolemy or his minister, for it can not now be known who was the real -actor in these transactions, determined on liberating these slaves and -sending them back to their native land, as a means of propitiating the -Jews and inclining them to listen favorably to the request which he was -about to prefer for a copy of their sacred writings. He, however, paid to -those who held the captives a very liberal sum for ransom. The ancient -historians, who never allow the interest of their narratives to suffer for -want of a proper amplification on their part of the scale on which the -deeds which they record were performed, say that the number of slaves -liberated on this occasion was a hundred and twenty thousand, and the sum -paid for them, as compensation to the owners, was six hundred talents, -equal to six hundred thousand dollars.[3] And yet this was only a -preliminary expense to pave the way for the acquisition of a single series -of books, to add to the variety of the immense collection. - -After the liberation and return of the captives, Ptolemy sent a splendid -embassage to Jerusalem, with very respectful letters to the high priest, -and with very magnificent presents. The embassadors were received with the -highest honors. The request of Ptolemy that he should be allowed to take a -copy of the sacred books for his library was very readily granted. - -The priests caused copies to be made of all the sacred writings. These -copies were executed in the most magnificent style, and were splendidly -illuminated with letters of gold. The Jewish government also, at Ptolemy's -request, designated a company of Hebrew scholars, six from each tribe--men -learned in both the Greek and Hebrew languages--to proceed to Alexandria, -and there, at the Museum, to make a careful translation of the Hebrew -books into Greek. As there were twelve tribes, and six translators chosen -from each, there were seventy-two translators in all. They made their -translation, and it was called the _Septuagint_, from the Latin -_septuaginta duo_, which means seventy-two. - -Although out of Judea there was no feeling of reverence for these Hebrew -Scriptures as books of divine authority, there was still a strong interest -felt in them as very entertaining and curious works of history, by all -the Greek and Roman scholars who frequented Alexandria to study at the -Museum. Copies were accordingly made of the Septuagint translation, and -were taken to other countries; and there, in process of time, copies of -the copies were made, until, at length the work became extensively -circulated throughout the whole learned world. When, finally, Christianity -became extended over the Roman empire, the priests and monks looked with -even a stronger interest than the ancient scholars had felt upon this -early translation of so important a portion of the sacred Scriptures. They -made new copies for abbeys, monasteries, and colleges; and when, at -length, the art of printing was discovered, this work was one of the first -on which the magic power of typography was tried. The original manuscript -made by the scribes of the seventy-two, and all the early transcripts -which were made from it, have long since been lost or destroyed; but, -instead of them, we have now hundreds of thousands of copies in compact -printed volumes, scattered among the public and private libraries of -Christendom. In fact, now, after the lapse of two thousand years, a copy -of Ptolemy's Septuagint may be obtained of any considerable bookseller in -any country of the civilized world; and though it required a national -embassage, and an expenditure, if the accounts are true, of more than a -million of dollars, originally to obtain it, it may be procured without -difficulty now by two days' wages of an ordinary laborer. - -Besides the building of the Pharos, the Museum, and the Temple of Serapis, -the early Ptolemies formed and executed a great many other plans tending -to the same ends which the erection of these splendid edifices was -designed to secure, namely, to concentrate in Alexandria all possible -means of attraction, commercial, literary, and religious, so as to make -the city the great center of interest, and the common resort for all -mankind. They raised immense revenues for these and other purposes by -taxing heavily the whole agricultural produce of the valley of the Nile. -The inundations, by the boundless fertility which they annually produced, -supplied the royal treasuries. Thus the Abyssinian rains at the sources of -the Nile built the Pharos at its mouth, and endowed the Alexandrian -library. - -The taxes laid upon the people of Egypt to supply the Ptolemies with funds -were, in fact, so heavy, that only the bare means of subsistence were -left to the mass of the agricultural population. In admiring the greatness -and glory of the city, therefore, we must remember that there was a gloomy -counterpart to its splendor in the very extended destitution and poverty -to which the mass of the people were every where doomed. They lived in -hamlets of wretched huts along the banks of the river, in order that the -capital might be splendidly adorned with temples and palaces. They passed -their lives in darkness and ignorance, that seven hundred thousand volumes -of expensive manuscripts might be enrolled at the Museum for the use of -foreign philosophers and scholars. The policy of the Ptolemies was, -perhaps, on the whole, the best, for the general advancement and ultimate -welfare of mankind, which could have been pursued in the age in which they -lived and acted; but, in applauding the results which they attained, we -must not wholly forget the cost which they incurred in attaining them. At -the same cost, we could, at the present day, far surpass them. If the -people of the United States will surrender the comforts and conveniences -which they individually enjoy--if the farmers scattered in their -comfortable homes on the hill-sides and plains throughout the land will -give up their houses, their furniture, their carpets, their books, and the -privileges of their children, and then--withholding from the produce of -their annual toil only a sufficient reservation to sustain them and their -families through the year, in a life like that of a beast of burden, spent -in some miserable and naked hovel--send the rest to some hereditary -sovereign residing upon the Atlantic sea-board, that he may build with the -proceeds a splendid capital, they may have an Alexandria now that will -infinitely exceed the ancient city of the Ptolemies in splendor and -renown. The nation, too, would, in such a case, pay for its metropolis the -same price, precisely, that the ancient Egyptians paid for theirs. - -The Ptolemies expended the revenues which they raised by this taxation -mainly in a very liberal and enlightened manner, for the accomplishment of -the purposes which they had in view. The building of the Pharos, the -removal of the statue of Serapis, and the endowment of the Museum and the -library were great conceptions, and they were carried into effect in the -most complete and perfect manner. All the other operations which they -devised and executed for the extension and aggrandizement of the city -were conceived and executed in the same spirit of scientific and -enlightened liberality. Streets were opened; the most splendid palaces -were built; docks, piers, and breakwaters were constructed, and fortresses -and towers were armed and garrisoned. Then every means was employed to -attract to the city a great concourse from all the most highly-civilized -nations then existing. The highest inducements were offered to merchants, -mechanics, and artisans to make the city their abode. Poets, painters, -sculptors, and scholars of every nation and degree were made welcome, and -every facility was afforded them for the prosecution of their various -pursuits. These plans were all eminently successful. Alexandria rose -rapidly to the highest consideration and importance; and, at the time when -Cleopatra--born to preside over this scene of magnificence and -splendor--came upon the stage, the city had but one rival in the world. -That rival was Rome. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -CLEOPATRA'S FATHER. - - -When the time was approaching in which Cleopatra appeared upon the stage, -Rome was perhaps the only city that could be considered as the rival of -Alexandria, in the estimation of mankind, in respect to interest and -attractiveness as a capital. In one respect, Rome was vastly superior to -the Egyptian metropolis, and that was in the magnitude and extent of the -military power which it wielded among the nations of the earth. Alexandria -ruled over Egypt, and over a few of the neighboring coasts and islands; -but in the course of the three centuries during which she had been -acquiring her greatness and fame, the Roman empire had extended itself -over almost the whole civilized world. Egypt had been, thus far, too -remote to be directly reached; but the affairs of Egypt itself became -involved at length with the operations of the Roman power, about the time -of Cleopatra's birth, in a very striking and peculiar manner; and as the -consequences of the transaction were the means of turning the whole -course of the queen's subsequent history, a narration of it is necessary -to a proper understanding of the circumstances under which she commenced -her career. In fact, it was the extension of the Roman empire to the -limits of Egypt, and the connections which thence arose between the -leading Roman generals and the Egyptian sovereign, which have made the -story of this particular queen so much more conspicuous, as an object of -interest and attention to mankind, than that of any other one of the ten -Cleopatras who rose successively in the same royal line. - -Ptolemy Auletes, Cleopatra's father, was perhaps, in personal character, -the most dissipated, degraded, and corrupt of all the sovereigns in the -dynasty. He spent his whole time in vice and debauchery. The only honest -accomplishment that he seemed to possess was his skill in playing upon the -flute; of this he was very vain. He instituted musical contests, in which -the musical performers of Alexandria played for prizes and crowns; and he -himself was accustomed to enter the lists with the rest as a competitor. -The people of Alexandria, and the world in general, considered such -pursuits as these wholly unworthy the attention of the representative of -so illustrious a line of sovereigns; and the abhorrence which they felt -for the monarch's vices and crimes was mingled with a feeling of contempt -for the meanness of his ambition. - -There was a doubt in respect to his title to the crown, for his birth, on -the mother's side, was irregular and ignoble. Instead, however, of -attempting to confirm and secure his possession of power by a vigorous and -prosperous administration of the government, he wholly abandoned all -concern in respect to the course of public affairs; and then, to guard -against the danger of being deposed, he conceived the plan of getting -himself recognized at Rome as one of the allies of the Roman people. If -this were once done, he supposed that the Roman government would feel -under an obligation to sustain him on his throne in the event of any -threatened danger. - -The Roman government was a sort of republic, and the two most powerful men -in the state at this time were Pompey and Cæsar. Cæsar was in the -ascendency at Rome at the time that Ptolemy made his application for an -alliance. Pompey was absent in Asia Minor, being engaged in prosecuting a -war with Mithradates, a very powerful monarch, who was at that time -resisting the Roman power. Cæsar was very deeply involved in debt, and -was, moreover, very much in need of money, not only for relief from -existing embarrassments, but as a means of subsequent expenditure, to -enable him to accomplish certain great political schemes which he was -entertaining. After many negotiations and delays, it was agreed that Cæsar -would exert his influence to secure an alliance between the Roman people -and Ptolemy, on condition that Ptolemy paid him the sum of six thousand -talents, equal to about six millions of dollars. A part of the money, -Cæsar said, was for Pompey. - -The title of ally was conferred, and Ptolemy undertook to raise the money -which he had promised by increasing the taxes of his kingdom. The -measures, however, which he thus adopted for the purpose of making himself -the more secure in his possession of the throne, proved to be the means of -overthrowing him. The discontent and disaffection of his people, which had -been strong and universal before, though suppressed and concealed, broke -out now into open violence. That there should be laid upon them, in -addition to all their other burdens, these new oppressions, heavier than -those which they had endured before, and exacted for such a purpose too, -was not to be endured. To be compelled to see their country sold on any -terms to the Roman people was sufficiently hard to bear; but to be forced -to raise, themselves, and pay the price of the transfer, was absolutely -intolerable. Alexandria commenced a revolt. Ptolemy was not a man to act -decidedly against such a demonstration, or, in fact, to evince either -calmness or courage in any emergency whatever. His first thought was to -escape from Alexandria to save his life. His second, to make the best of -his way to Rome, to call upon the Roman people to come to the succor of -their ally! - -Ptolemy left five children behind him in his flight. The eldest was the -Princess Berenice, who had already reached maturity. The second was the -great Cleopatra, the subject of this history. Cleopatra was, at this time, -about eleven years old. There were also two sons, but they were very -young. One of them was named Ptolemy. - -The Alexandrians determined on raising Berenice to the throne in her -father's place, as soon as his flight was known. They thought that the -sons were too young to attempt to reign in such an emergency, as it was -very probable that Auletes, the father, would attempt to recover his -kingdom. Berenice very readily accepted the honor and power which were -offered to her. She established herself in her father's palace, and began -her reign in great magnificence and splendor. In process of time she -thought that her position would be strengthened by a marriage with a royal -prince from some neighboring realm. She first sent embassadors to make -proposals to a prince of Syria named Antiochus. The embassadors came back, -bringing word that Antiochus was dead, but that he had a brother named -Seleucus, upon whom the succession fell. Berenice then sent them back to -make the same offers to him. He accepted the proposals, came to Egypt, and -he and Berenice were married. After trying him for a while, Berenice found -that, for some reason or other, she did not like him as a husband, and, -accordingly, she caused him to be strangled. - -At length, after various other intrigues and much secret management, -Berenice succeeded in a second negotiation, and married a prince, or a -pretended prince, from some country of Asia Minor, whose name was -Archelaus. She was better pleased with this second husband than she had -been with the first, and she began, at last, to feel somewhat settled and -established on her throne, and to be prepared, as she thought, to offer -effectual resistance to her father in case he should ever attempt to -return. - -It was in the midst of the scenes, and surrounded by the influences which -might be expected to prevail in the families of such a father and such a -sister, that Cleopatra spent those years of life in which the character is -formed. During all these revolutions, and exposed to all these exhibitions -of licentious wickedness, and of unnatural cruelty and crime, she was -growing up in the royal palaces a spirited and beautiful, but indulged and -neglected child. - -In the mean time, Auletes, the father, went on toward Rome. So far as his -character and his story were known among the surrounding nations, he was -the object of universal obloquy, both on account of his previous career of -degrading vice, and now, still more, for this ignoble flight from the -difficulties in which his vices and crimes had involved him. - -He stopped, on the way, at the island of Rhodes. It happened that Cato, -the great Roman philosopher and general, was at Rhodes at this time. Cato -was a man of stern, unbending virtue, and of great influence at that -period in public affairs. Ptolemy sent a messenger to inform Cato of his -arrival, supposing, of course, that the Roman general would hasten, on -hearing of the fact, to pay his respects to so great a personage as he, a -king of Egypt--a Ptolemy--though suffering under a temporary reverse of -fortune. Cato directed the messenger to reply that, so far as he was -aware, he had no particular business with Ptolemy. "Say, however, to the -king," he added, "that, if he has any business with me, he may call and -see me, if he pleases." - -Ptolemy was obliged to suppress his resentment and submit. He thought it -very essential to the success of his plans that he should see Cato, and -secure, if possible, his interest and co-operation; and he consequently -made preparations for paying, instead of receiving, the visit, intending -to go in the greatest royal state that he could command. He accordingly -appeared at Cato's lodgings on the following day, magnificently dressed, -and accompanied by many attendants. Cato, who was dressed in the plainest -and most simple manner, and whose apartment was furnished in a style -corresponding with the severity of his character, did not even rise when -the king entered the room. He simply pointed with his hand, and bade the -visitor take a seat. - -Ptolemy began to make a statement of his case, with a view to obtaining -Cato's influence with the Roman people to induce them to interpose in his -behalf. Cato, however, far from evincing any disposition to espouse his -visitor's cause, censured him, in the plainest terms, for having abandoned -his proper position in his own kingdom, to go and make himself a victim -and a prey for the insatiable avarice of the Roman leaders. "You can do -nothing at Rome," he said, "but by the influence of bribes; and all the -resources of Egypt will not be enough to satisfy the Roman greediness for -money." He concluded by recommending him to go back to Alexandria, and -rely for his hopes of extrication from the difficulties which surrounded -him on the exercise of his own energy and resolution there. - -Ptolemy was greatly abashed at this rebuff, but, on consultation with his -attendants and followers, it was decided to be too late now to return. The -whole party accordingly re-embarked on board their galleys, and pursued -their way to Rome. - -Ptolemy found, on his arrival at the city, that Cæsar was absent in Gaul, -while Pompey, on the other hand, who had returned victorious from his -campaigns against Mithradates, was now the great leader of influence and -power at the Capitol. This change of circumstances was not, however, -particularly unfavorable; for Ptolemy was on friendly terms with Pompey, -as he had been with Cæsar. He had assisted him in his wars with -Mithradates by sending him a squadron of horse, in pursuance of his policy -of cultivating friendly relations with the Roman people by every means in -his power. Besides, Pompey had received a part of the money which Ptolemy -had paid to Cæsar as the price of the Roman alliance, and was to receive -his share of the rest in case Ptolemy should ever be restored. Pompey was -accordingly interested in favoring the royal fugitive's cause. He received -him in his palace, entertained him in magnificent style, and took -immediate measures for bringing his cause before the Roman senate, urging -upon that body the adoption of immediate and vigorous measures for -effecting his restoration, as an ally whom they were bound to protect -against his rebellious subjects. - -There was at first some opposition in the Roman senate against espousing -the cause of such a man, but it was soon put down, being overpowered in -part by Pompey's authority, and in part silenced by Ptolemy's promises and -bribes. The senate determined to restore the king to his throne, and began -to make arrangements for carrying the measure into effect. - -The Roman provinces nearest to Egypt were Cilicia and Syria, countries -situated on the eastern and northeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, -north of Judea. The forces stationed in these provinces would be, of -course, the most convenient for furnishing the necessary troops for the -expedition. The province of Cilicia was under the command of the consul -Lentulus. Lentulus was at this time at Rome; he had repaired to the -capital for some temporary purpose, leaving his province and the troops -stationed there under the command, for the time, of a sort of lieutenant -general named Gabinius. It was concluded that this Lentulus, with his -Syrian forces, should undertake the task of reinstating Ptolemy on his -throne. - -While these plans and arrangements were yet immature, a circumstance -occurred which threatened, for a time, wholly to defeat them. It seems -that when Cleopatra's father first left Egypt, he had caused a report to -be circulated there that he had been killed in the revolt. The object of -this stratagem was to cover and conceal his flight. The government of -Berenice soon discovered the truth, and learned that the fugitive had gone -in the direction of Rome. They immediately inferred that he was going to -appeal to the Roman people for aid, and they determined that, if that were -the case, the Roman people, before deciding in his favor, should have the -opportunity to hear their side of the story as well as his. They -accordingly made preparations at once for sending a very imposing -embassage to Rome. The deputation consisted of more than a hundred -persons. The object of Berenice's government in sending so large a number -was not only to evince their respect for the Roman people, and their sense -of the magnitude of the question at issue, but also to guard against any -efforts that Ptolemy might make to intercept the embassage on the way, or -to buy off the members of it by bribes. The number, however, large as it -was, proved insufficient to accomplish this purpose. The whole Roman -world was at this time in such a condition of disorder and violence, in -the hands of the desperate and reckless military leaders who then bore -sway, that there were every where abundant facilities for the commission -of any conceivable crime. Ptolemy contrived, with the assistance of the -fierce partisans who had espoused his cause, and who were deeply -interested in his success on account of the rewards which were promised -them, to waylay and destroy a large proportion of this company before they -reached Rome. Some were assassinated; some were poisoned; some were -tampered with and bought off by bribes. A small remnant reached Rome; but -they were so intimidated by the dangers which surrounded them, that they -did not dare to take any public action in respect to the business which -had been committed to their charge. Ptolemy began to congratulate himself -on having completely circumvented his daughter in her efforts to protect -herself against his designs. - -Instead of that, however, it soon proved that the effect of this atrocious -treachery was exactly the contrary of what its perpetrators had expected. -The knowledge of the facts became gradually extended among the people of -Rome, and it awakened a universal indignation. The party who had been -originally opposed to Ptolemy's cause seized the opportunity to renew -their opposition; and they gained so much strength from the general odium -which Ptolemy's crimes had awakened, that Pompey found it almost -impossible to sustain his cause. - -At length the party opposed to Ptolemy found, or pretended to find, in -certain sacred books, called the Sibylline Oracles, which were kept in the -custody of the priests, and were supposed to contain prophetic intimations -of the will of Heaven in respect to the conduct of public affairs, the -following passage: - -"_If a king of Egypt should apply to you for aid, treat him in a friendly -manner, but do not furnish him with troops; for if you do, you will incur -great danger._" - -This made new difficulty for Ptolemy's friends. They attempted, at first, -to evade this inspired injunction by denying the reality of it. There was -no such passage to be found, they said. It was all an invention of their -enemies. This point seems to have been overruled, and then they attempted -to give the passage some other than the obvious interpretation. Finally, -they maintained that, although it prohibited their furnishing Ptolemy -himself with troops, it did not forbid their sending an armed force into -Egypt under leaders of their own. _That_ they could certainly do; and -then, when the rebellion was suppressed, and Berenice's government -overthrown, they could invite Ptolemy to return to his kingdom and resume -his crown in a peaceful manner. This, they alleged, would not be -"furnishing him with troops," and, of course, would not be disobeying the -oracle. - -These attempts to evade the direction of the oracle on the part of -Ptolemy's friends, only made the debates and dissensions between them and -his enemies more violent than ever. Pompey made every effort in his power -to aid Ptolemy's cause; but Lentulus, after long hesitation and delay, -decided that it would not be safe for him to embark in it. At length, -however, Gabinius, the lieutenant who commanded in Syria, was induced to -undertake the enterprise. On certain promises which he received from -Ptolemy, to be performed in case he succeeded, and with a certain -encouragement, not very legal or regular, which Pompey gave him, in -respect to the employment of the Roman troops under his command, he -resolved to march to Egypt. His route, of course, would lay along the -shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and through the desert, to Pelusium, -which has already been mentioned as the frontier town on this side of -Egypt. From Pelusium he was to march through the heart of the Delta to -Alexandria, and, if successful in his invasion, overthrow the government -of Berenice and Archelaus, and then, inviting Ptolemy to return, reinstate -him on the throne. - -In the prosecution of this dangerous enterprise, Gabinius relied strongly -on the assistance of a very remarkable man, then his second in command, -who afterward acted a very important part in the subsequent history of -Cleopatra. His name was Mark Antony. Antony was born in Rome, of a very -distinguished family, but his father died when he was very young, and -being left subsequently much to himself, he became a very wild and -dissolute young man. He wasted the property which his father had left him -in folly and vice; and then going on desperately in the same career, he -soon incurred enormous debts, and involved himself, in consequence, in -inextricable difficulties. His creditors continually harassed him with -importunities for money, and with suits at law to compel payments which he -had no means of making. He was likewise incessantly pursued by the -hostility of the many enemies that he had made in the city by his violence -and his crimes. At length he absconded, and went to Greece. - -Here Gabinius, when on his way to Syria, met him, and invited him to join -his army rather than to remain where he was in idleness and destitution. -Antony, who was as proud and lofty in spirit as he was degraded in morals -and condition, refused to do this unless Gabinius would give him a -command. Gabinius saw in the daring and reckless energy which Antony -manifested the indications of the class of qualities which in those days -made a successful soldier, and acceded to his terms. He gave him the -command of his cavalry. Antony distinguished himself in the Syrian -campaigns that followed, and was now full of eagerness to engage in this -Egyptian enterprise. In fact, it was mainly his zeal and enthusiasm to -embark in the undertaking which was the means of deciding Gabinius to -consent to Ptolemy's proposals. - -The danger and difficulty which they considered as most to be apprehended -in the whole expedition was the getting across the desert to Pelusium. In -fact, the great protection of Egypt had always been her isolation. The -trackless and desolate sands, being wholly destitute of water, and utterly -void, could be traversed, even by a caravan of peaceful travelers, only -with great difficulty and danger. For an army to attempt to cross them, -exposed, as the troops would necessarily be, to the assaults of enemies -who might advance to meet them on the way, and sure of encountering a -terrible opposition from fresh and vigorous bands when they should -arrive--wayworn and exhausted by the physical hardships of the way--at the -borders of the inhabited country, was a desperate undertaking. Many -instances occurred in ancient times in which vast bodies of troops, in -attempting marches over the deserts by which Egypt was surrounded, were -wholly destroyed by famine or thirst, or overwhelmed by storms of sand.[4] - -These difficulties and dangers, however, did not at all intimidate Mark -Antony. The anticipation, in fact, of the glory of surmounting them was -one of the main inducements which led him to embark in the enterprise. The -perils of the desert constituted one of the charms which made the -expedition so attractive. He placed himself, therefore, at the head of his -troop of cavalry, and set off across the sands in advance of Gabinius, to -take Pelusium, in order thus to open a way for the main body of the army -into Egypt. Ptolemy accompanied Antony. Gabinius was to follow. - -With all his faults, to call them by no severer name, Mark Antony -possessed certain great excellences of character. He was ardent, but then -he was cool, collected, and sagacious; and there was a certain frank and -manly generosity continually evincing itself in his conduct and character -which made him a great favorite among his men. He was at this time about -twenty-eight years old, of a tall and manly form, and of an expressive and -intellectual cast of countenance. His forehead was high, his nose -aquiline, and his eyes full of vivacity and life. He was accustomed to -dress in a very plain and careless manner, and he assumed an air of the -utmost familiarity and freedom in his intercourse with his soldiers. He -would join them in their sports, joke with them, and good-naturedly -receive their jokes in return; and take his meals, standing with them -around their rude tables, in the open field. Such habits of intercourse -with his men in a commander of ordinary character would have been fatal to -his ascendency over them; but in Mark Antony's case, these frank and -familiar manners seemed only to make the military genius and the -intellectual power which he possessed the more conspicuous and the more -universally admired. - -Antony conducted his troop of horsemen across the desert in a very safe -and speedy manner, and arrived before Pelusium. The city was not prepared -to resist him. It surrendered at once, and the whole garrison fell into -his hands as prisoners of war. Ptolemy demanded that they should all be -immediately killed. They were rebels, he said, and, as such, ought to be -put to death. Antony, however, as might have been expected from his -character, absolutely refused to allow of any such barbarity. Ptolemy, -since the power was not yet in his hands, was compelled to submit, and to -postpone gratifying the spirit of vengeance which had so long been -slumbering in his breast to a future day. He could the more patiently -submit to this necessity, since it appeared that the day of his complete -and final triumph over his daughter and all her adherents was now very -nigh at hand. - -[Illustration: ANTONY CROSSING THE DESERT.] - -In fact, Berenice and her government, when they heard of the arrival of -Antony and Ptolemy at Pelusium, of the fall of that city, and of the -approach of Gabinius with an overwhelming force of Roman soldiers, were -struck with dismay. Archelaus, the husband of Berenice, had been, in -former years, a personal friend of Antony's. Antony considered, in fact, -that they were friends still, though required by what the historian calls -their duty to fight each other for the possession of the kingdom. The -government of Berenice raised an army. Archelaus took command of it, and -advanced to meet the enemy. In the mean time, Gabinius arrived with the -main body of the Roman troops, and commenced his march, in conjunction -with Antony, toward the capital. As they were obliged to make a circuit to -the southward, in order to avoid the inlets and lagoons which, on the -northern coast of Egypt, penetrate for some distance into the land, their -course led them through the heart of the Delta. Many battles were fought, -the Romans every where gaining the victory. The Egyptian soldiers were, in -fact, discontented and mutinous, perhaps, in part, because they considered -the government on the side of which they were compelled to engage as, -after all, a usurpation. At length a great final battle was fought, which -settled the controversy. Archelaus was slain upon the field, and Berenice -was taken prisoner; their government was wholly overthrown, and the way -was opened for the march of the Roman armies to Alexandria. - -Mark Antony, when judged by our standards, was certainly, as well as -Ptolemy, a depraved and vicious man; but his depravity was of a very -different type from that of Cleopatra's father. The difference in the men, -in one respect, was very clearly evinced by the objects toward which their -interest and attention were respectively turned after this great battle. -While the contest had been going on, the king and queen of Egypt, -Archelaus and Berenice, were, of course, in the view both of Antony and -Ptolemy, the two most conspicuous personages in the army of their enemies; -and while Antony would naturally watch with the greatest interest the fate -of his friend, the king, Ptolemy, would as naturally follow with the -highest concern the destiny of his daughter. Accordingly, when the battle -was over, while the mind of Ptolemy might, as we should naturally expect, -be chiefly occupied by the fact that his _daughter_ was made a captive, -Antony's, we might suppose, would be engrossed by the tidings that his -_friend_ had been slain. - -The one rejoiced and the other mourned. Antony sought for the body of his -friend on the field of battle, and when it was found, he gave himself -wholly to the work of providing for it a most magnificent burial. He -seemed, at the funeral, to lament the death of his ancient comrade with -real and unaffected grief. Ptolemy, on the other hand, was overwhelmed -with joy at finding his daughter his captive. The long-wished-for hour for -the gratification of his revenge had come at last, and the first use which -he made of his power when he was put in possession of it at Alexandria was -to order his daughter to be beheaded. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. - - -At the time when the unnatural quarrel between Cleopatra's father and her -sister was working its way toward its dreadful termination, as related in -the last chapter, she herself was residing at the royal palace in -Alexandria, a blooming and beautiful girl of about fifteen. Fortunately -for her, she was too young to take any active part personally in the -contention. Her two brothers were still younger than herself. They all -three remained, therefore, in the royal palaces, quiet spectators of the -revolution, without being either benefited or injured by it. It is -singular that the name of both the boys was Ptolemy. - -The excitement in the city of Alexandria was intense and universal when -the Roman army entered it to reinstate Cleopatra's father upon his throne. -A very large portion of the inhabitants were pleased with having the -former king restored. In fact, it appears, by a retrospect of the history -of kings, that when a legitimate hereditary sovereign or dynasty is -deposed and expelled by a rebellious population, no matter how intolerable -may have been the tyranny, or how atrocious the crimes by which the -patience of the subject was exhausted, the lapse of a very few years is -ordinarily sufficient to produce a very general readiness to acquiesce in -a restoration; and in this particular instance there had been no such -superiority in the government of Berenice, during the period while her -power continued, over that of her father, which she had displaced, as to -make this case an exception to the general rule. The mass of the people, -therefore--all those, especially, who had taken no active part in -Berenice's government--were ready to welcome Ptolemy back to his capital. -Those who had taken such a part were all summarily executed by Ptolemy's -orders. - -There was, of course, a great excitement throughout the city on the -arrival of the Roman army. All the foreign influence and power which had -been exercised in Egypt thus far, and almost all the officers, whether -civil or military, had been Greek. The coming of the Romans was the -introduction of a new element of interest to add to the endless variety of -excitements which animated the capital. - -The restoration of Ptolemy was celebrated with games, spectacles, and -festivities of every kind, and, of course, next to the king himself, the -chief center of interest and attraction in all these public rejoicings -would be the distinguished foreign generals by whose instrumentality the -end had been gained. - -Mark Antony was a special object of public regard and admiration at the -time. His eccentric manners, his frank and honest air, his Roman -simplicity of dress and demeanor, made him conspicuous; and his -interposition to save the lives of the captured garrison of Pelusium, and -the interest which he took in rendering such distinguished funeral honors -to the enemy whom his army had slain in battle, impressed the people with -the idea of a certain nobleness and magnanimity in his character, which, -in spite of his faults, made him an object of general admiration and -applause. The very faults of such a man assume often, in the eyes of the -world, the guise and semblance of virtues. For example, it is related of -Antony that, at one time in the course of his life, having a desire to -make a present of some kind to a certain person, in requital for a favor -which he had received from him, he ordered his treasurer to send a sum of -money to his friend--and named for the sum to be sent an amount -considerably greater than was really required under the circumstances of -the case--acting thus, as he often did, under the influence of a blind and -uncalculating generosity. The treasurer, more prudent than his master, -wished to reduce the amount, but he did not dare directly to propose a -reduction; so he counted out the money, and laid it in a pile in a place -where Antony was to pass, thinking that when Antony saw the amount, he -would perceive that it was too great. Antony, in passing by, asked what -money that was. The treasurer said that it was the sum that he had ordered -to be sent as a present to such a person, naming the individual intended. -Antony was quick to perceive the object of the treasurer's maneuver. He -immediately replied, "Ah! is that all? I thought the sum I named would -make a better appearance than that; send him double the amount." - -To determine, under such circumstances as these, to double an extravagance -merely for the purpose of thwarting the honest attempt of a faithful -servant to diminish it, made, too, in so cautious and delicate a way, is -most certainly a fault. But it is one of those faults for which the -world, in all ages, will persist in admiring and praising the perpetrator. - -In a word, Antony became the object of general attention and favor during -his continuance at Alexandria. Whether he particularly attracted -Cleopatra's attention at this time or not does not appear. She, however, -strongly attracted _his_. He admired her blooming beauty, her -sprightliness and wit, and her various accomplishments. She was still, -however, so young--being but fifteen years of age, while Antony was nearly -thirty--that she probably made no very serious impression upon him. A -short time after this, Antony went back to Rome, and did not see Cleopatra -again for many years. - -When the two Roman generals went away from Alexandria, they left a -considerable portion of the army behind them, under Ptolemy's command, to -aid him in keeping possession of his throne. Antony returned to Rome. He -had acquired great renown by his march across the desert, and by the -successful accomplishment of the invasion of Egypt and the restoration of -Ptolemy. His funds, too, were replenished by the vast sums paid to him and -to Gabinius by Ptolemy. The amount which Ptolemy is said to have agreed -to pay as the price of his restoration was two thousand talents--equal to -ten millions of dollars--a sum which shows on how great a scale the -operations of this celebrated campaign were conducted. Ptolemy raised a -large portion of the money required for his payments by confiscating the -estates belonging to those friends of Berenice's government whom he -ordered to be slain. It was said, in fact, that the numbers were very much -increased of those that were condemned to die, by Ptolemy's standing in -such urgent need of their property to meet his obligations. - -Antony, through the results of this campaign, found himself suddenly -raised from the position of a disgraced and homeless fugitive to that of -one of the most wealthy and renowned, and, consequently, one of the most -powerful personages in Rome. The great civil war broke out about this time -between Cæsar and Pompey. Antony espoused the cause of Cæsar. - -In the mean time, while the civil war between Cæsar and Pompey was raging, -Ptolemy succeeded in maintaining his seat on the throne, by the aid of the -Roman soldiers whom Antony and Gabinius had left him, for about three -years. When he found himself drawing toward the close of life, the -question arose to his mind to whom he should leave his kingdom. Cleopatra -was the oldest child, and she was a princess of great promise, both in -respect to mental endowments and personal charms. Her brothers were -considerably younger than she. The claim of a son, though younger, seemed -to be naturally stronger than that of a daughter; but the commanding -talents and rising influence of Cleopatra appeared to make it doubtful -whether it would be safe to pass her by. The father settled the question -in the way in which such difficulties were usually surmounted in the -Ptolemy family. He ordained that Cleopatra should marry the oldest of her -brothers, and that they two should jointly occupy the throne. Adhering -also, still, to the idea of the alliance of Egypt with Rome, which had -been the leading principle of the whole policy of his reign, he solemnly -committed the execution of his will and the guardianship of his children, -by a provision of the instrument itself, to the Roman senate. The senate -accepted the appointment, and appointed Pompey as the agent, on their -part, to perform the duties of the trust. The attention of Pompey was, -immediately after that time, too much engrossed by the civil war waged -between himself and Cæsar, to take any active steps in respect to the -duties of his appointment. It seemed, however, that none were necessary, -for all parties in Alexandria appeared disposed, after the death of the -king, to acquiesce in the arrangements which he had made, and to join in -carrying them into effect. Cleopatra was married to her brother--yet, it -is true, only a boy. He was about ten years old. She was herself about -eighteen. They were both too young to govern; they could only reign. The -affairs of the kingdom were, accordingly, conducted by two ministers whom -their father had designated. These ministers were Pothinus, a eunuch, who -was a sort of secretary of state, and Achillas, the commander-in-chief of -the armies. - -Thus, though Cleopatra, by these events, became nominally a queen, her -real accession to the throne was not yet accomplished. There were still -many difficulties and dangers to be passed through, before the period -arrived when she became really a sovereign. She did not, herself, make any -immediate attempt to hasten this period, but seems to have acquiesced, on -the other hand, very quietly, for a time, in the arrangements which her -father had made. - -Pothinus was a eunuch. He had been, for a long time, an officer of -government under Ptolemy, the father. He was a proud, ambitious, and -domineering man, determined to rule, and very unscrupulous in respect to -the means which he adopted to accomplish his ends. He had been accustomed -to regard Cleopatra as a mere child. Now that she was queen, he was very -unwilling that the real power should pass into her hands. The jealousy and -ill will which he felt toward her increased rapidly as he found, in the -course of the first two or three years after her father's death, that she -was advancing rapidly in strength of character, and in the influence and -ascendency which she was acquiring over all around her. Her beauty, her -accomplishments, and a certain indescribable charm which pervaded all her -demeanor, combined to give her great personal power. But, while these -things awakened in other minds feelings of interest in Cleopatra and -attachment to her, they only increased the jealousy and envy of Pothinus. -Cleopatra was becoming his rival. He endeavored to thwart and circumvent -her. He acted toward her in a haughty and overbearing manner, in order to -keep her down to what he considered her proper place as his ward; for he -was yet the guardian both of Cleopatra and her husband, and the regent of -the realm. - -Cleopatra had a great deal of what is sometimes called spirit, and her -resentment was aroused by this treatment. Pothinus took pains to enlist -her young husband, Ptolemy, on his side, as the quarrel advanced. Ptolemy -was younger, and of a character much less marked and decided than -Cleopatra. Pothinus saw that he could maintain control over him much more -easily and for a much longer time than over Cleopatra. He contrived to -awaken the young Ptolemy's jealousy of his wife's rising influence, and to -induce him to join in efforts to thwart and counteract it. These attempts -to turn her husband against her only aroused Cleopatra's resentment the -more. Hers was not a spirit to be coerced. The palace was filled with the -dissensions of the rivals. Pothinus and Ptolemy began to take measures for -securing the army on their side. An open rupture finally ensued, and -Cleopatra was expelled from the kingdom. - -She went to Syria. Syria was the nearest place of refuge, and then, -besides, it was the country from which the aid had been furnished by which -her father had been restored to the throne when he had been expelled, in -a similar manner, many years before. Her father, it is true, had gone -first to Rome; but the succors which he had negotiated for had been sent -from Syria. Cleopatra hoped to obtain the same assistance by going -directly there. - -Nor was she disappointed. She obtained an army, and commenced her march -toward Egypt, following the same track which Antony and Gabinius had -pursued in coming to reinstate her father. Pothinus raised an army and -went forth to meet her. He took Achillas as the commander of the troops, -and the young Ptolemy as the nominal sovereign; while he, as the young -king's guardian and prime minister, exercised the real power. The troops -of Pothinus advanced to Pelusium. Here they met the forces of Cleopatra -coming from the east. The armies encamped not very far from each other, -and both sides began to prepare for battle. - -The battle, however, was not fought. It was prevented by the occurrence of -certain great and unforeseen events which at this crisis suddenly burst -upon the scene of Egyptian history, and turned the whole current of -affairs into new and unexpected channels. The breaking out of the civil -war between the great Roman generals Cæsar and Pompey, and their -respective partisans, has already been mentioned as having occurred soon -after the death of Cleopatra's father, and as having prevented Pompey from -undertaking the office of executor of the will. This war had been raging -ever since that time with terrible fury. Its distant thundering had been -heard even in Egypt, but it was too remote to awaken there any special -alarm. The immense armies of these two mighty conquerors had moved -slowly--like two ferocious birds of prey, flying through the air, and -fighting as they fly--across Italy into Greece, and from Greece, through -Macedon, into Thessaly, contending in dreadful struggles with each other -as they advanced, and trampling down and destroying every thing in their -way. At length a great final battle had been fought at Pharsalia. Pompey -had been totally defeated. He had fled to the sea-shore, and there, with a -few ships and a small number of followers, he had pushed out upon the -Mediterranean, not knowing whither to fly, and overwhelmed with -wretchedness and despair. Cæsar followed him in eager pursuit. He had a -small fleet of galleys with him, on board of which he had embarked two or -three thousand men. This was a force suitable, perhaps, for the pursuit -of a fugitive, but wholly insufficient for any other design. - -Pompey thought of Ptolemy. He remembered the efforts which he himself had -made for the cause of Ptolemy Auletes, at Rome, and the success of those -efforts in securing that monarch's restoration--an event through which -alone the young Ptolemy had been enabled to attain the crown. He came, -therefore, to Pelusium, and, anchoring his little fleet off the shore, -sent to the land to ask Ptolemy to receive and protect him. Pothinus, who -was really the commander in Ptolemy's army, made answer to this -application that Pompey should be received and protected, and that he -would send out a boat to bring him to the shore. Pompey felt some -misgivings in respect to this proffered hospitality, but he finally -concluded to go to the shore in the boat which Pothinus sent for him. As -soon as he landed, the Egyptians, by Pothinus's orders, stabbed and -beheaded him on the sand. Pothinus and his council had decided that this -would be the safest course. If they were to receive Pompey, they reasoned, -Cæsar would be made their enemy; if they refused to receive him, Pompey -himself would be offended, and they did not know which of the two it -would be safe to displease; for they did not know in what way, if both the -generals were to be allowed to live, the war would ultimately end. "But by -killing Pompey," they said, "we shall be sure to please Cæsar, and Pompey -himself will _lie still_." - -In the mean time, Cæsar, not knowing to what part of Egypt Pompey had -fled, pressed on directly to Alexandria. He exposed himself to great -danger in so doing, for the forces under his command were not sufficient -to protect him in case of his becoming involved in difficulties with the -authorities there. Nor could he, when once arrived on the Egyptian coast, -easily go away again; for, at the season of the year in which these events -occurred, there was a periodical wind which blew steadily toward that part -of the coast, and, while it made it very easy for a fleet of ships to go -to Alexandria, rendered it almost impossible for them to return. - -Cæsar was very little accustomed to shrink from danger in any of his -enterprises and plans, though still he was usually prudent and -circumspect. In this instance, however, his ardent interest in the pursuit -of Pompey overruled all considerations of personal safety. He arrived at -Alexandria, but he found that Pompey was not there. He anchored his -vessels in the port, landed his troops, and established himself in the -city. These two events, the assassination of one of the great Roman -generals on the eastern extremity of the coast, and the arrival of the -other, at the same moment, at Alexandria, on the western, burst suddenly -upon Egypt together, like simultaneous claps of thunder. The tidings -struck the whole country with astonishment, and immediately engrossed -universal attention. At the camps both of Cleopatra and Ptolemy, at -Pelusium, all was excitement and wonder. Instead of thinking of a battle, -both parties were wholly occupied in speculating on the results which were -likely to accrue, to one side or to the other, under the totally new and -unexpected aspect which public affairs had assumed. - -Of course the thoughts of all were turned toward Alexandria. Pothinus -immediately proceeded to the city, taking with him the young king. -Achillas, too, either accompanied them, or followed soon afterward. They -carried with them the head of Pompey, which they had cut off on the shore -where they had killed him, and also a seal which they took from his -finger. When they arrived at Alexandria, they sent the head, wrapped up -in a cloth, and also the seal, as presents to Cæsar. Accustomed as they -were to the brutal deeds and heartless cruelties of the Ptolemies, they -supposed that Cæsar would exult at the spectacle of the dissevered and -ghastly head of his great rival and enemy. Instead of this, he was shocked -and displeased, and ordered the head to be buried with the most solemn and -imposing funeral ceremonies. He, however, accepted and kept the seal. The -device engraved upon it was a lion holding a sword in his paw--a fit -emblem of the characters of the men, who, though in many respects -magnanimous and just, had filled the whole world with the terror of their -quarrels. - -The army of Ptolemy, while he himself and his immediate counselors went to -Alexandria, was left at Pelusium, under the command of other officers, to -watch Cleopatra. Cleopatra herself would have been pleased, also, to -repair to Alexandria and appeal to Cæsar, if it had been in her power to -do so; but she was beyond the confines of the country, with a powerful -army of her enemies ready to intercept her on any attempt to enter or pass -through it. She remained, therefore, at Pelusium, uncertain what to do. - -In the mean time, Cæsar soon found himself in a somewhat embarrassing -situation at Alexandria. He had been accustomed, for many years, to the -possession and the exercise of the most absolute and despotic power, -wherever he might be; and now that Pompey, his great rival, was dead, he -considered himself the monarch and master of the world. He had not, -however, at Alexandria, any means sufficient to maintain and enforce such -pretensions, and yet he was not of a spirit to abate, on that account, in -the slightest degree, the advancing of them. He established himself in the -palaces of Alexandria as if he were himself the king. He moved, in state, -through the streets of the city, at the head of his guards, and displaying -the customary emblems of supreme authority used at Rome. He claimed the -six thousand talents which Ptolemy Auletes had formerly promised him for -procuring a treaty of alliance with Rome, and he called upon Pothinus to -pay the balance due. He said, moreover, that by the will of Auletes the -Roman people had been made the executor; and that it devolved upon him as -the Roman consul, and, consequently, the representative of the Roman -people, to assume that trust, and in the discharge of it to settle the -dispute between Ptolemy and Cleopatra; and he called upon Ptolemy to -prepare and lay before him a statement of his claims, and the grounds on -which he maintained his right to the throne to the exclusion of Cleopatra. - -On the other hand, Pothinus, who had been as little accustomed to -acknowledge a superior as Cæsar, though his supremacy and domination had -been exercised on a somewhat humbler scale, was obstinate and pertinacious -in resisting all these demands, though the means and methods which he -resorted to were of a character corresponding to his weak and ignoble -mind. He fomented quarrels in the streets between the Alexandrian populace -and Cæsar's soldiers. He thought that, as the number of troops under -Cæsar's command in the city, and of vessels in the port, was small, he -could tease and worry the Romans with impunity, though he had not the -courage openly to attack them. He pretended to be a friend, or, at -least, not an enemy, and yet he conducted toward them in an overbearing -and insolent manner. He had agreed to make arrangements for supplying -them with food, and he did this by procuring damaged provisions of a most -wretched quality; and when the soldiers remonstrated, he said to them, -that they who lived at other people's cost had no right to complain of -their fare. He caused wooden and earthen vessels to be used in the palace, -and said, in explanation, that he had been compelled to sell all the gold -and silver plate of the royal household to meet the exactions of Cæsar. He -busied himself, too, about the city, in endeavoring to excite odium -against Cæsar's proposal to hear and decide the question at issue between -Cleopatra and Ptolemy. Ptolemy was a sovereign, he said, and was not -amenable to any foreign power whatever. Thus, without the courage or the -energy to attempt any open, manly, and effectual system of hostility, he -contented himself with making all the difficulty in his power, by urging -an incessant pressure of petty, vexatious, and provoking, but useless -annoyances. Cæsar's demands may have been unjust, but they were bold, -manly, and undisguised. The eunuch may have been right in resisting them; -but the mode was so mean and contemptible, that mankind have always taken -part with Cæsar in the sentiments which they have formed as spectators of -the contest. - -With the very small force which Cæsar had at his command, and shut up as -he was in the midst of a very great and powerful city, in which both the -garrison and the population were growing more and more hostile to him -every day, he soon found his situation was beginning to be attended with -very serious danger. He could not retire from the scene. He probably would -not have retired if he could have done so. He remained, therefore, in the -city, conducting all the time with prudence and circumspection, but yet -maintaining, as at first, the same air of confident self-possession and -superiority which always characterized his demeanor. He, however, -dispatched a messenger forthwith into Syria, the nearest country under the -Roman sway, with orders that several legions which were posted there -should be embarked and forwarded to Alexandria with the utmost possible -celerity. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -CLEOPATRA AND CÆSAR. - - -In the mean time, while the events related in the last chapter were taking -place at Alexandria, Cleopatra remained anxious and uneasy in her camp, -quite uncertain, for a time, what it was best for her to do. She wished to -be at Alexandria. She knew very well that Cæsar's power in controlling the -course of affairs in Egypt would necessarily be supreme. She was, of -course, very earnest in her desire to be able to present her cause before -him. As it was, Ptolemy and Pothinus were in communication with the -arbiter, and, for aught she knew, assiduously cultivating his favor, while -she was far away, her cause unheard, her wrongs unknown, and perhaps even -her existence forgotten. Of course, under such circumstances, she was very -earnest to get to Alexandria. - -But how to accomplish this purpose was a source of great perplexity. She -could not march thither at the head of an army, for the army of the king -was strongly intrenched at Pelusium, and effectually barred the way. She -could not attempt to pass alone, or with few attendants, through the -country, for every town and village was occupied with garrisons and -officers under the orders of Pothinus, and she would be certainly -intercepted. She had no fleet, and could not, therefore, make the passage -by sea. Besides, even if she could by any means reach the gates of -Alexandria, how was she to pass safely through the streets of the city to -the palace where Cæsar resided, since the city, except in Cæsar's -quarters, was wholly in the hands of Pothinus's government? The -difficulties in the way of accomplishing her object seemed thus almost -insurmountable. - -She was, however, resolved to make the attempt. She sent a message to -Cæsar, asking permission to appear before him and plead her own cause. -Cæsar replied, urging her by all means to come. She took a single boat, -and with the smallest number of attendants possible, made her way along -the coast to Alexandria. The man on whom she principally relied in this -hazardous expedition was a domestic named Apollodorus. She had, however, -some other attendants besides. When the party reached Alexandria, they -waited until night, and then advanced to the foot of the walls of the -citadel. Here Apollodorus rolled the queen up in a piece of carpeting, -and, covering the whole package with a cloth, he tied it with a thong, so -as to give it the appearance of a bale of ordinary merchandise, and then -throwing the load across his shoulder, he advanced into the city. -Cleopatra was at this time about twenty-one years of age, but she was of a -slender and graceful form, and the burden was, consequently, not very -heavy. Apollodorus came to the gates of the palace where Cæsar was -residing. The guards at the gates asked him what it was that he was -carrying. He said that it was a present for Cæsar. So they allowed him to -pass, and the pretended porter carried his package safely in. - -When it was unrolled, and Cleopatra came out to view, Cæsar was perfectly -charmed with the spectacle. In fact, the various conflicting emotions -which she could not but feel under such circumstances as these, imparted a -double interest to her beautiful and expressive face, and to her naturally -bewitching manners. She was excited by the adventure through which she had -passed, and yet pleased with her narrow escape from its dangers. The -curiosity and interest which she felt on the one hand, in respect to -the great personage into whose presence she had been thus strangely -ushered, was very strong; but then, on the other, it was chastened and -subdued by that feeling of timidity which, in new and unexpected -situations like these, and under a consciousness of being the object of -eager observation to the other sex, is inseparable from the nature of -woman. - -[Illustration: CLEOPATRA ENTERING THE PALACE OF CÆSAR.] - -The conversation which Cæsar held with Cleopatra deepened the impression -which her first appearance had made upon him. Her intelligence and -animation, the originality of her ideas, and the point and pertinency of -her mode of expressing them, made her, independently of her personal -charms, an exceedingly entertaining and agreeable companion. She, in fact, -completely won the great conqueror's heart; and, through the strong -attachment to her which he immediately formed, he became wholly -disqualified to act impartially between her and her brother in regard to -their respective rights to the crown. We call Ptolemy Cleopatra's brother; -for, though he was also, in fact, her husband, still, as he was only ten -or twelve years of age at the time of Cleopatra's expulsion from -Alexandria, the marriage had been probably regarded, thus far, only as a -mere matter of form. Cæsar was now about fifty-two. He had a wife, named -Calpurnia, to whom he had been married about ten years. She was living, at -this time, in an unostentatious and quiet manner at Rome. She was a lady -of an amiable and gentle character, devotedly attached to her husband, -patient and forbearing in respect to his faults, and often anxious and -unhappy at the thought of the difficulties and dangers in which his ardent -and unbounded ambition so often involved him. - -Cæsar immediately began to take a very strong interest in Cleopatra's -cause. He treated her personally with the fondest attention, and it was -impossible for her not to reciprocate in some degree the kind feeling with -which he regarded her. It was, in fact, something altogether new to her to -have a warm and devoted friend, espousing her cause, tendering her -protection, and seeking in every way to promote her happiness. Her father -had all his life neglected her. Her brother, of years and understanding -totally inferior to hers, whom she had been compelled to make her husband, -had become her mortal enemy. It is true that, in depriving her of her -inheritance and expelling her from her native land, he had been only the -tool and instrument of more designing men. This, however, far from -improving the point of view from which she regarded him, made him appear -not only hateful, but contemptible too. All the officers of government, -also, in the Alexandrian court had turned against her, because they had -supposed that they could control her brother more easily if she were away. -Thus she had always been surrounded by selfish, mercenary, and implacable -foes. Now, for the first time, she seemed to have a friend. A protector -had suddenly arisen to support and defend her--a man of very alluring -person and manners, of a very noble and generous spirit, and of the very -highest station. He loved her, and she could not refrain from loving him -in return. She committed her cause entirely into his hands, confided to -him all her interests, and gave herself up wholly into his power. - -Nor was the unbounded confidence which she reposed in him undeserved, so -far as related to his efforts to restore her to her throne. The legions -which Cæsar had sent for into Syria had not yet arrived, and his situation -in Alexandria was still very defenseless and very precarious. He did not, -however, on this account, abate in the least degree the loftiness and -self-confidence of the position which he had assumed, but he commenced -immediately the work of securing Cleopatra's restoration. This quiet -assumption of the right and power to arbitrate and decide such a question -as that of the claim to the throne, in a country where he had accidentally -landed and found rival claimants disputing for the succession, while he -was still wholly destitute of the means of enforcing the superiority which -he so coolly assumed, marks the immense ascendency which the Roman power -had attained at this time in the estimation of mankind, and is, besides, -specially characteristic of the genius and disposition of Cæsar. - -Very soon after Cleopatra had come to him, Cæsar sent for the young -Ptolemy, and urged upon him the duty and expediency of restoring -Cleopatra. Ptolemy was beginning now to attain an age at which he might be -supposed to have some opinion of his own on such a question. He declared -himself utterly opposed to any such design. In the course of the -conversation he learned that Cleopatra had arrived at Alexandria, and that -she was then concealed in Cæsar's palace. This intelligence awakened in -his mind the greatest excitement and indignation. He went away from -Cæsar's presence in a rage. He tore the diadem which he was accustomed to -wear from his head in the streets, threw it down, and trampled it under -his feet. He declared to the people that he was betrayed, and displayed -the most violent indications of vexation and chagrin. The chief subject of -his complaint, in the attempts which he made to awaken the popular -indignation against Cæsar and the Romans, was the disgraceful impropriety -of the position which his sister had assumed in surrendering herself as -she had done to Cæsar. It is most probable, however, unless his character -was very different from that of every other Ptolemy in the line, that what -really awakened his jealousy and anger was fear of the commanding -influence and power to which Cleopatra was likely to attain through the -agency of so distinguished a protector, rather than any other consequences -of his friendship, or any real considerations of delicacy in respect to -his sister's good name or his own marital honor. - -However this may be, Ptolemy, together with Pothinus and Achillas, and all -his other friends and adherents, who joined him in the terrible outcry -that he made against the coalition which he had discovered between -Cleopatra and Cæsar, succeeded in producing a very general and violent -tumult throughout the city. The populace were aroused, and began to -assemble in great crowds, and full of indignation and anger. Some knew the -facts, and acted under something like an understanding of the cause of -their anger. Others only knew that the aim of this sudden outbreak was to -assault the Romans, and were ready, on any pretext, known or unknown, to -join in any deeds of violence directed against these foreign intruders. -There were others still, and these, probably, far the larger portion, who -knew nothing and understood nothing but that there was to be tumult and a -riot in and around the palaces, and were, accordingly, eager to be there. - -Ptolemy and his officers had no large body of troops in Alexandria; for -the events which had thus far occurred since Cæsar's arrival had succeeded -each other so rapidly, that a very short time had yet elapsed, and the -main army remained still at Pelusium. The main force, therefore, by which -Cæsar was now attacked, consisted of the population of the city, headed, -perhaps, by the few guards which the young king had at his command. - -Cæsar, on his part, had but a small portion of his forces at the palace -where he was attacked. The rest were scattered about the city. He, -however, seems to have felt no alarm. He did not even confine himself to -acting on the defensive. He sent out a detachment of his soldiers with -orders to seize Ptolemy and bring him in a prisoner. Soldiers trained, -disciplined, and armed as the Roman veterans were, and nerved by the ardor -and enthusiasm which seemed always to animate troops which were under -Cæsar's personal command, could accomplish almost any undertaking against -a mere populace, however numerous or however furiously excited they might -be. The soldiers sallied out, seized Ptolemy, and brought him in. - -The populace were at first astounded at the daring presumption of this -deed, and then exasperated at the indignity of it, considered as a -violation of the person of their sovereign. The tumult would have greatly -increased, had it not been that Cæsar--who had now attained all his ends -in thus having brought Cleopatra and Ptolemy both within his -power--thought it most expedient to allay it. He accordingly ascended to -the window of a tower, or of some other elevated portion of his palace, so -high that missiles from the mob below could not reach him, and began to -make signals expressive of his wish to address them. - -When silence was obtained, he made them a speech well calculated to quiet -the excitement. He told them that he did not pretend to any right to judge -between Cleopatra and Ptolemy as their superior, but only in the -performance of the duty solemnly assigned by Ptolemy Auletes, the father, -to the Roman people, whose representative he was. Other than this he -claimed no jurisdiction in the case; and his only wish, in the discharge -of the duty which devolved upon him to consider the cause, was to settle -the question in a manner just and equitable to all the parties concerned, -and thus arrest the progress of the civil war, which, if not arrested, -threatened to involve the country in the most terrible calamities. He -counseled them, therefore, to disperse, and no longer disturb the peace of -the city. He would immediately take measures for trying the question -between Cleopatra and Ptolemy, and he did not doubt but that they would -all be satisfied with his decision. - -This speech, made, as it was, in the eloquent and persuasive, and yet -dignified and imposing manner for which Cæsar's harangues to turbulent -assemblies like these were so famed, produced a great effect. Some were -convinced, others were silenced; and those whose resentment and anger -were not appeased, found themselves deprived of their power by the -pacification of the rest. The mob was dispersed, and Ptolemy remained with -Cleopatra in Cæsar's custody. - -The next day, Cæsar, according to his promise, convened an assembly of the -principal people of Alexandria and officers of state, and then brought out -Ptolemy and Cleopatra, that he might decide their cause. The original will -which Ptolemy Auletes had executed had been deposited in the public -archives of Alexandria, and carefully preserved there. An authentic copy -of it had been sent to Rome. Cæsar caused the original will to be brought -out and read to the assembly. The provisions of it were perfectly explicit -and clear. It required that Cleopatra and Ptolemy should be married, and -then settled the sovereign power upon them jointly, as king and queen. It -recognized the Roman commonwealth as the ally of Egypt, and constituted -the Roman government the executor of the will, and the guardian of the -king and queen. In fact, so clear and explicit was this document, that the -simple reading of it seemed to be of itself a decision of the question. -When, therefore, Cæsar announced that, in his judgment, Cleopatra was -entitled to share the supreme power with Ptolemy, and that it was his -duty, as the representative of the Roman power and the executor of the -will, to protect both the king and the queen in their respective rights, -there seemed to be nothing that could be said against his decision. - -Besides Cleopatra and Ptolemy, there were two other children of Ptolemy -Auletes in the royal family at this time. One was a girl, named Arsinoë. -The other, a boy, was, singularly enough, named, like his brother, -Ptolemy. These children were quite young, but Cæsar thought that it would -perhaps gratify the Alexandrians, and lead them to acquiesce more readily -in his decision, if he were to make some royal provision for them. He -accordingly proposed to assign the island of Cyprus as a realm for them. -This was literally a gift, for Cyprus was at this time a Roman -possession.[5] - -The whole assembly seemed satisfied with this decision except Pothinus. He -had been so determined and inveterate an enemy to Cleopatra, that, as he -was well aware, her restoration must end in his downfall and ruin. He -went away from the assembly moodily determining that he would not submit -to the decision, but would immediately adopt efficient measures to prevent -its being carried into effect. - -Cæsar made arrangements for a series of festivals and celebrations, to -commemorate and confirm the re-establishment of a good understanding -between the king and the queen, and the consequent termination of the war. -Such celebrations, he judged, would have great influence in removing any -remaining animosities from the minds of the people, and restore the -dominion of a kind and friendly feeling throughout the city. The people -fell in with these measures, and cordially co-operated to give them -effect; but Pothinus and Achillas, though they suppressed all outward -expressions of discontent, made incessant efforts in secret to organize a -party, and to form plans for overthrowing the influence of Cæsar, and -making Ptolemy again the sole and exclusive sovereign. - -Pothinus represented to all whom he could induce to listen to him that -Cæsar's real design was to make Cleopatra queen alone, and to depose -Ptolemy, and urged them to combine with him to resist a policy which would -end in bringing Egypt under the dominion of a woman. He also formed a -plan, in connection with Achillas, for ordering the army back from -Pelusium. The army consisted of thirty thousand men. If that army could be -brought to Alexandria and kept under Pothinus's orders, Cæsar and his -three thousand Roman soldiers would be, they thought, wholly at their -mercy. - -There was, however, one danger to be guarded against in ordering the army -to march toward the capital, and that was, that Ptolemy, while under -Cæsar's influence, might open communications with the officers, and so -obtain command of its movements, and thwart all the conspirators' designs. -To prevent this, it was arranged between Pothinus and Achillas that the -latter should make his escape from Alexandria, proceed immediately to the -camp at Pelusium, resume the command of the troops there, and conduct them -himself to the capital; and that in all these operations, and also -subsequently on his arrival, he should obey no orders unless they came to -him through Pothinus himself. - -Although sentinels and guards were probably stationed at the gates and -avenues leading from the city, Achillas contrived to effect his escape -and to join the army. He placed himself at the head of the forces, and -commenced his march toward the capital. Pothinus remained all the time -within the city as a spy, pretending to acquiesce in Cæsar's decision, and -to be on friendly terms with him, but really plotting for his overthrow, -and obtaining all the information which his position enabled him to -command, in order that he might co-operate with the army and Achillas when -they should arrive. - -All these things were done with the utmost secrecy, and so cunning and -adroit were the conspirators in forming and executing their plots, that -Cæsar seems to have had no knowledge of the measures which his enemies -were taking, until he suddenly heard that the main body of Ptolemy's army -was approaching the city, at least twenty thousand strong. In the mean -time, however, the forces which he had sent for from Syria had not -arrived, and no alternative was left but to defend the capital and himself -as well as he could with the very small force which he had at his -disposal. - -He determined, however, first, to try the effect of orders sent out in -Ptolemy's name to forbid the approach of the army to the city. Two -officers were accordingly intrusted with these orders, and sent out to -communicate them to Achillas. The names of these officers were Dioscorides -and Serapion. - -It shows in a very striking point of view to what an incredible exaltation -the authority and consequence of a sovereign king rose in those ancient -days, in the minds of men, that Achillas, at the moment when these men -made their appearance in the camp, bearing evidently some command from -Ptolemy in the city, considered it more prudent to kill them at once, -without hearing their message, rather than to allow the orders to be -delivered and then take the responsibility of disobeying them. If he could -succeed in marching to Alexandria and in taking possession of the city, -and then in expelling Cæsar and Cleopatra and restoring Ptolemy to the -exclusive possession of the throne, he knew very well that the king would -rejoice in the result, and would overlook all irregularities on his part -in the means by which he had accomplished it, short of absolute -disobedience of a known command. Whatever might be the commands that these -messengers were bringing him, he supposed that they doubtless originated, -not in Ptolemy's own free will, but that they were dictated by the -authority of Cæsar. Still, they would be commands coming in Ptolemy's -name; and the universal experience of officers serving under the military -despots of those ancient days showed that, rather than to take the -responsibility of directly disobeying a royal order once received, it was -safer to avoid receiving it by murdering the messengers. - -Achillas therefore directed the officers to be seized and slain. They were -accordingly taken off and speared by the soldiers, and then the bodies -were borne away. The soldiers, however, it was found, had not done their -work effectually. There was no interest for them in such a cold-blooded -assassination, and perhaps something like a sentiment of compassion -restrained their hands. At any rate, though both the men were desperately -wounded, one only died. The other lived and recovered. - -Achillas continued to advance toward the city. Cæsar, finding that the -crisis which was approaching was becoming very serious in its character, -took, himself, the whole command within the capital, and began to make the -best arrangements possible under the circumstances of the case to defend -himself there. His numbers were altogether too small to defend the whole -city against the overwhelming force which was advancing to assail it. He -accordingly intrenched his troops in the palaces and in the citadel, and -in such other parts of the city as it seemed practicable to defend. He -barricaded all the streets and avenues leading to these points, and -fortified the gates. Nor did he, while thus doing all in his power to -employ the insufficient means of defense already in his hands to the best -advantage, neglect the proper exertions for obtaining succor from abroad. -He sent off galleys to Syria, to Cyprus, to Rhodes, and to every other -point accessible from Alexandria where Roman troops might be expected to -be found, urging the authorities there to forward re-enforcements to him -with the utmost possible dispatch. - -During all this time Cleopatra and Ptolemy remained in the palace with -Cæsar, both ostensibly co-operating with him in his councils and measures -for defending the city from Achillas. Cleopatra, of course, was sincere -and in earnest in this co-operation; but Ptolemy's adhesion to the common -cause was very little to be relied upon. Although, situated as he was, he -was compelled to seem to be on Cæsar's side, he must have secretly desired -that Achillas should succeed and Cæsar's plans be overthrown. Pothinus -was more active, though not less cautious in his hostility to them. He -opened a secret communication with Achillas, sending him information, from -time to time, of what took place within the walls, and of the arrangements -made there for the defense of the city against him, and gave him also -directions how to proceed. He was very wary and sagacious in all these -movements, feigning all the time to be on Cæsar's side. He pretended to be -very zealously employed in aiding Cæsar to secure more effectually the -various points where attacks were to be expected, and in maturing and -completing the arrangements for defense. - -But, notwithstanding all his cunning, he was detected in his double -dealing, and his career was suddenly brought to a close, before the great -final conflict came on. There was a barber in Cæsar's household, who, for -some cause or other, began to suspect Pothinus; and, having little else to -do, he employed himself in watching the eunuch's movements and reporting -them to Cæsar. Cæsar directed the barber to continue his observations. He -did so; his suspicions were soon confirmed, and at length a letter, which -Pothinus had written to Achillas, was intercepted and brought to Cæsar. -This furnished the necessary proof of what they called his guilt, and -Cæsar ordered him to be beheaded. - -This circumstance produced, of course, a great excitement within the -palace, for Pothinus had been for many years the great ruling minister of -state--the king, in fact, in all but in name. His execution alarmed a -great many others, who, though in Cæsar's power, were secretly wishing -that Achillas might prevail. Among those most disturbed by these fears was -a man named Ganymede. He was the officer who had charge of Arsinoë, -Cleopatra's sister. The arrangement which Cæsar had proposed for -establishing her in conjunction with her brother Ptolemy over the island -of Cyprus had not gone into effect; for, immediately after the decision of -Cæsar, the attention of all concerned had been wholly engrossed by the -tidings of the advance of the army, and by the busy preparations which -were required on all hands for the impending contest. Arsinoë, therefore, -with her governor Ganymede, remained in the palace. Ganymede had joined -Pothinus in his plots; and when Pothinus was beheaded, he concluded that -it would be safest for him to fly. - -He accordingly resolved to make his escape from the city, taking Arsinoë -with him. It was a very hazardous attempt, but he succeeded in -accomplishing it. Arsinoë was very willing to go, for she was now -beginning to be old enough to feel the impulse of that insatiable and -reckless ambition which seemed to form such an essential element in the -character of every son and daughter in the whole Ptolemaic line. She was -insignificant and powerless where she was, but at the head of the army she -might become immediately a queen. - -It resulted, in the first instance, as she had anticipated. Achillas and -his army received her with acclamations. Under Ganymede's influence they -decided that, as all the other members of the royal family were in -durance, being held captive by a foreign general, who had by chance -obtained possession of the capital, and were thus incapacitated for -exercising the royal power, the crown devolved upon Arsinoë; and they -accordingly proclaimed her queen. - -Every thing was now prepared for a desperate and determined contest for -the crown between Cleopatra, with Cæsar for her minister and general, on -the one side, and Arsinoë, with Ganymede and Achillas for her chief -officers, on the other. The young Ptolemy, in the mean time, remained -Cæsar's prisoner, confused with the intricacies in which the quarrel had -become involved, and scarcely knowing now what to wish in respect to the -issue of the contest. It was very difficult to foresee whether it would be -best for him that Cleopatra or that Arsinoë should succeed. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -THE ALEXANDRINE WAR. - - -The war which ensued as the result of the intrigues and maneuvers -described in the last chapter is known in the history of Rome and Julius -Cæsar as the Alexandrine war. The events which occurred during the -progress of it, and its termination at last in the triumph of Cæsar and -Cleopatra, will form the subject of this chapter. - -Achillas had greatly the advantage over Cæsar at the outset of the -contest, in respect to the strength of the forces under his command. -Cæsar, in fact, had with him only a detachment of three or four thousand -men, a small body of troops which he had hastily put on board a little -squadron of Rhodian galleys for pursuing Pompey across the Mediterranean. -When he set sail from the European shores with this inconsiderable fleet, -it is probable that he had no expectation even of landing in Egypt at all, -and much less of being involved in great military undertakings there. -Achillas, on the other hand, was at the head of a force of twenty -thousand effective men. His troops were, it is true, of a somewhat -miscellaneous character, but they were all veteran soldiers, inured to the -climate of Egypt, and skilled in all the modes of warfare which were -suited to the character of the country. Some of them were Roman soldiers, -men who had come with the army of Mark Antony from Syria when Ptolemy -Auletes, Cleopatra's father, was reinstated on the throne, and had been -left in Egypt, in Ptolemy's service, when Antony returned to Rome. Some -were native Egyptians. There was also in the army of Achillas a large -number of fugitive slaves--refugees who had made their escape from various -points along the shores of the Mediterranean, at different periods, and -had been from time to time incorporated into the Egyptian army. These -fugitives were all men of the most determined and desperate character. - -Achillas had also in his command a force of two thousand horse. Such a -body of cavalry made him, of course, perfect master of all the open -country outside the city walls. At the head of these troops Achillas -gradually advanced to the very gates of Alexandria, invested the city on -every side, and shut Cæsar closely in. - -The danger of the situation in which Cæsar was placed was extreme; but he -had been so accustomed to succeed in extricating himself from the most -imminent perils, that neither he himself nor his army seem to have -experienced any concern in respect to the result. Cæsar personally felt a -special pride and pleasure in encountering the difficulties and dangers -which now beset him, because Cleopatra was with him to witness his -demeanor, to admire his energy and courage, and to reward by her love the -efforts and sacrifices which he was making in espousing her cause. She -confided every thing to him, but she watched all the proceedings with the -most eager interest, elated with hope in respect to the result, and proud -of the champion who had thus volunteered to defend her. In a word, her -heart was full of gratitude, admiration, and love. - -The immediate effect, too, of the emotions which she felt so strongly was -greatly to heighten her natural charms. The native force and energy of her -character were softened and subdued. Her voice, which always possessed a -certain inexpressible charm, was endued with new sweetness through the -influence of affection. Her countenance beamed with fresh animation and -beauty, and the sprightliness and vivacity of her character, which became -at later periods of her life boldness and eccentricity, now being softened -and restrained within proper limits by the respectful regard with which -she looked upon Cæsar, made her an enchanting companion. Cæsar was, in -fact, entirely intoxicated with the fascinations which she unconsciously -displayed. - -Under other circumstances than these, a personal attachment so strong, -formed by a military commander while engaged in active service, might have -been expected to interfere in some degree with the discharge of his -duties; but in this case, since it was for Cleopatra's sake and in her -behalf that the operations which Cæsar had undertaken were to be -prosecuted, his love for her only stimulated the spirit and energy with -which he engaged in them. - -The first measure to be adopted was, as Cæsar plainly perceived, to -concentrate and strengthen his position in the city, so that he might be -able to defend himself there against Achillas until he should receive -re-enforcements from abroad. For this purpose he selected a certain group -of palaces and citadels which lay together near the head of the long pier -or causeway which led to the Pharos, and, withdrawing his troops from all -other parts of the city, established them there. The quarter which he thus -occupied contained the great city arsenals and public granaries. Cæsar -brought together all the arms and munitions of war which he could find in -other parts of the city, and also all the corn and other provisions which -were contained either in the public depôts or in private warehouses, and -stored the whole within his lines. He then inclosed the whole quarter with -strong defenses. The avenues leading to it were barricaded with walls of -stone. Houses in the vicinity which might have afforded shelter to an -enemy were demolished, and the materials used in constructing walls -wherever they were needed, or in strengthening the barricades. Prodigious -military engines, made to throw heavy stones, and beams of wood, and other -ponderous missiles, were set up within his lines, and openings were made -in the walls and other defenses of the citadel, wherever necessary, to -facilitate the action of these machines. - -[Illustration: VIEW OF ALEXANDRIA.] - -There was a strong fortress situated at the head of the pier or mole -leading to the island of Pharos, which was without Cæsar's lines, and -still in the hands of the Egyptian authorities. The Egyptians thus -commanded the entrance to the mole. The island itself, also, with the -fortress at the other end of the pier, was still in the possession of the -Egyptian authorities, who seemed disposed to hold it for Achillas. The -mole was very long, as the island was nearly a mile from the shore. There -was quite a little town upon the island itself, besides the fortress or -castle built there to defend the place. The garrison of this castle was -strong, and the inhabitants of the town, too, constituted a somewhat -formidable population, as they consisted of fishermen, sailors, wreckers, -and such other desperate characters as usually congregate about such a -spot. Cleopatra and Cæsar, from the windows of their palace within the -city, looked out upon this island, with the tall light-house rising in the -center of it and the castle at its base, and upon the long and narrow -isthmus connecting it with the main land, and concluded that it was very -essential that they should get possession of the post, commanding, as it -did, the entrance to the harbor. - -In the harbor, too, which, as will be seen from the engraving, was on the -south side of the mole, and, consequently, on the side opposite to that -from which Achillas was advancing toward the city, there were lying a -large number of Egyptian vessels, some dismantled, and others manned and -armed more or less effectively. These vessels had not yet come into -Achillas's hands, but it would be certain that he would take possession of -them as soon as he should gain admittance to those parts of the city which -Cæsar had abandoned. This it was extremely important to prevent; for, if -Achillas held this fleet, especially if he continued to command the island -of Pharos, he would be perfect master of all the approaches to the city -on the side of the sea. He could then not only receive re-enforcements and -supplies himself from that quarter, but he could also effectually cut off -the Roman army from all possibility of receiving any. It became, -therefore, as Cæsar thought, imperiously necessary that he should protect -himself from this danger. This he did by sending out an expedition to burn -all the shipping in the harbor, and, at the same time, to take possession -of a certain fort upon the island of Pharos which commanded the entrance -to the port. This undertaking was abundantly successful. The troops burned -the shipping, took the fort, expelled the Egyptian soldiers from it, and -put a Roman garrison into it instead, and then returned in safety within -Cæsar's lines. Cleopatra witnessed these exploits from her palace windows -with feelings of the highest admiration for the energy and valor which her -Roman protectors displayed. - -The burning of the Egyptian ships in this action, however fortunate for -Cleopatra and Cæsar, was attended with a catastrophe which has ever since -been lamented by the whole civilized world. Some of the burning ships were -driven by the wind to the shore, where they set fire to the buildings -which were contiguous to the water. The flames spread and produced an -extensive conflagration, in the course of which the largest part of the -great library was destroyed. This library was the only general collection -of the ancient writings that ever had been made, and the loss of it was -never repaired. - -The destruction of the Egyptian fleet resulted also in the downfall and -ruin of Achillas. From the time of Arsinoë's arrival in the camp there had -been a constant rivalry and jealousy between himself and Ganymede, the -eunuch who had accompanied Arsinoë in her flight. Two parties had been -formed in the army, some declaring for Achillas and some for Ganymede. -Arsinoë advocated Ganymede's interests, and when, at length, the fleet was -burned, she charged Achillas with having been, by his neglect or -incapacity, the cause of the loss. Achillas was tried, condemned, and -beheaded. From that time Ganymede assumed the administration of Arsinoë's -government as her minister of state and the commander-in-chief of her -armies. - -About the time that these occurrences took place, the Egyptian army -advanced into those parts of the city from which Cæsar had withdrawn, -producing those terrible scenes of panic and confusion which always -attend a sudden and violent change of military possession within the -precincts of a city. Ganymede brought up his troops on every side to the -walls of Cæsar's citadels and intrenchments, and hemmed him closely in. He -cut off all avenues of approach to Cæsar's lines by land, and commenced -vigorous preparations for an assault. He constructed engines for battering -down the walls. He opened shops and established forges in every part of -the city for the manufacture of darts, spears, pikes, and all kinds of -military machinery. He built towers supported upon huge wheels, with the -design of filling them with armed men when finally ready to make his -assault upon Cæsar's lines, and moving them up to the walls of the -citadels and palaces, so as to give to his soldiers the advantage of a -lofty elevation in making their attacks. He levied contributions on the -rich citizens for the necessary funds, and provided himself with men by -pressing all the artisans, laborers, and men capable of bearing arms into -his service. He sent messengers back into the interior of the country, in -every direction, summoning the people to arms, and calling for -contributions of money and military stores. - -These messengers were instructed to urge upon the people that, unless -Cæsar and his army were at once expelled from Alexandria, there was -imminent danger that the national independence of Egypt would be forever -destroyed. The Romans, they were to say, had extended their conquests over -almost all the rest of the world. They had sent one army into Egypt -before, under the command of Mark Antony, under the pretense of restoring -Ptolemy Auletes to the throne. Now another commander, with another force, -had come, offering some other pretexts for interfering in their affairs. -These Roman encroachments, the messengers were to say, would end in the -complete subjugation of Egypt to a foreign power, unless the people of the -country aroused themselves to meet the danger manfully, and to expel the -intruders. - -As Cæsar had possession of the island of Pharos and of the harbor, -Ganymede could not cut him off from receiving such re-enforcements of men -and arms as he might make arrangements for obtaining beyond the sea; nor -could he curtail his supply of food, as the granaries and magazines within -Cæsar's quarter of the city contained almost inexhaustible stores of corn. -There was one remaining point essential to the subsistence of an army -besieged, and that was an abundant supply of water. The palaces and -citadels which Cæsar occupied were supplied with water by means of -numerous subterranean aqueducts, which conveyed the water from the Nile to -vast cisterns built under ground, whence it was raised by buckets and -hydraulic engines for use. In reflecting upon this circumstance, Ganymede -conceived the design of secretly digging a canal, so as to turn the waters -of the sea by means of it into these aqueducts. This plan he carried into -effect. The consequence was, that the water in the cisterns was gradually -changed. It became first brackish, then more and more salt and bitter, -until, at length, it was wholly impossible to use it. For some time the -army within could not understand these changes; and when, at length, they -discovered the cause, the soldiers were panic-stricken at the thought that -they were now apparently wholly at the mercy of their enemies, since, -without supplies of water, they must all immediately perish. They -considered it hopeless to attempt any longer to hold out, and urged Cæsar -to evacuate the city, embark on board his galleys, and proceed to sea. - -Instead of doing this, however, Cæsar, ordering all other operations to -be suspended, employed the whole laboring force of his command, under the -direction of the captains of the several companies, in digging wells in -every part of his quarter of the city. Fresh water, he said, was almost -invariably found, at a moderate depth, upon sea-coasts, even upon ground -lying in very close proximity with the sea. The diggings were successful. -Fresh water, in great abundance, was found. Thus this danger was passed, -and the men's fears effectually relieved. - -A short time after these transactions occurred, there came into the harbor -one day, from along the shore west of the city, a small sloop, bringing -the intelligence that a squadron of transports had arrived upon the coast -to the westward of Alexandria, and had anchored there, being unable to -come up to the city on account of an easterly wind which prevailed at that -season of the year. This squadron was one which had been sent across the -Mediterranean with arms, ammunition, and military stores for Cæsar, in -answer to requisitions which he had made immediately after he had landed. -The transports being thus wind-bound on the coast, and having nearly -exhausted their supplies of water, were in distress; and they accordingly -sent forward the sloop, which was probably propelled by oars, to make -known their situation to Cæsar, and to ask for succor. Cæsar immediately -went, himself, on board of one of his galleys, and ordering the remainder -of his little fleet to follow him, he set sail out of the harbor, and then -turned to the westward, with a view of proceeding along the coast to the -place where the transports were lying. - -All this was done secretly. The land is so low in the vicinity of -Alexandria that boats or galleys are out of sight from it at a very short -distance from the shore. In fact, travelers say that, in coming upon the -coast, the illusion produced by the spherical form of the surface of the -water and the low and level character of the coast is such that one seems -actually to descend from the sea to the land. Cæsar might therefore have -easily kept his expedition a secret, had it not been that, in order to be -provided with a supply of water for the transports immediately on reaching -them, he stopped at a solitary part of the coast, at some distance from -Alexandria, and sent a party a little way into the interior in search for -water. This party were discovered by the country people, and were -intercepted by a troop of horse and made prisoners. From these prisoners -the Egyptians learned that Cæsar himself was on the coast with a small -squadron of galleys. The tidings spread in all directions. The people -flocked together from every quarter. They hastily collected all the boats -and vessels which could be obtained at the villages in that region and -from the various branches of the Nile. In the mean time, Cæsar had gone on -to the anchorage ground of the squadron, and had taken the transports in -tow to bring them to the city; for the galleys, being propelled by oars, -were in a measure independent of the wind. On his return, he found quite a -formidable naval armament assembled to dispute the passage. - -A severe conflict ensued, but Cæsar was victorious. The navy which the -Egyptians had so suddenly got together was as suddenly destroyed. Some of -the vessels were burned, others sunk, and others captured; and Cæsar -returned in triumph to the port with his transports and stores. He was -welcomed with the acclamations of his soldiers, and, still more warmly, by -the joy and gratitude of Cleopatra, who had been waiting during his -absence in great anxiety and suspense to know the result of the -expedition, aware as she was that her hero was exposing himself in it to -the most imminent personal danger. - -The arrival of these re-enforcements greatly improved Cæsar's condition, -and the circumstance of their coming forced upon the mind of Ganymede a -sense of the absolute necessity that he should gain possession of the -harbor if he intended to keep Cæsar in check. He accordingly determined to -take immediate measures for forming a naval force. He sent along the -coast, and ordered every ship and galley that could be found in all the -ports to be sent immediately to Alexandria. He employed as many men as -possible in and around the city in building more. He unroofed some of the -most magnificent edifices to procure timber as a material for making -benches and oars. When all was ready, he made a grand attack upon Cæsar in -the port, and a terrible contest ensued for the possession of the harbor, -the mole, the island, and the citadels and fortresses commanding the -entrances from the sea. Cæsar well knew that this contest would be a -decisive one in respect to the final result of the war, and he accordingly -went forth himself to take an active and personal part in the conflict. He -felt doubtless, too, a strong emotion of pride and pleasure in exhibiting -his prowess in the sight of Cleopatra, who could watch the progress of -the battle from the palace windows, full of excitement at the dangers -which he incurred, and of admiration at the feats of strength and valor -which he performed. During this battle the life of the great conqueror was -several times in the most imminent danger. He wore a habit or mantle of -the imperial purple, which made him a conspicuous mark for his enemies; -and, of course, wherever he went, in that place was the hottest of the -fight. Once, in the midst of a scene of most dreadful confusion and din, -he leaped from an overloaded boat into the water and swam for his life, -holding his cloak between his teeth and drawing it through the water after -him, that it might not fall into the hands of his enemies. He carried, at -the same time, as he swam, certain valuable papers which he wished to -save, holding them above his head with one hand, while he propelled -himself through the water with the other. - -The result of this contest was another decisive victory for Cæsar. Not -only were the ships which the Egyptians had collected defeated and -destroyed, but the mole, with the fortresses at each extremity of it, and -the island, with the light-house and the town of Pharos, all fell into -Cæsar's hands. - -The Egyptians now began to be discouraged. The army and the people, -judging, as mankind always do, of the virtue of their military commanders -solely by the criterion of success, began to be tired of the rule of -Ganymede and Arsinoë. They sent secret messengers to Cæsar avowing their -discontent, and saying that, if he would liberate Ptolemy--who, it will be -recollected, had been all this time held as a sort of prisoner of state in -Cæsar's palaces--they thought that the people generally would receive him -as their sovereign, and that then an arrangement might easily be made for -an amicable adjustment of the whole controversy. Cæsar was strongly -inclined to accede to this proposal. - -He accordingly called Ptolemy into his presence, and, taking him kindly by -the hand, informed him of the wishes of the people of Egypt, and gave him -permission to go. Ptolemy, however, begged not to be sent away. He -professed the strongest attachment to Cæsar, and the utmost confidence in -him, and he very much preferred, he said, to remain under his protection. -Cæsar replied that, if those were his sentiments, the separation would -not be a lasting one. "If we part as friends," he said, "we shall soon -meet again." By these and similar assurances he endeavored to encourage -the young prince, and then sent him away. Ptolemy was received by the -Egyptians with great joy, and was immediately placed at the head of the -government. Instead, however, of endeavoring to promote a settlement of -the quarrel with Cæsar, he seemed to enter into it now himself, -personally, with the utmost ardor, and began at once to make the most -extensive preparations both by sea and land for a vigorous prosecution of -the war. What the result of these operations would have been can now not -be known, for the general aspect of affairs was, soon after these -transactions, totally changed by the occurrence of a new and very -important event which suddenly intervened, and which turned the attention -of all parties, both Egyptians and Romans, to the eastern quarter of the -kingdom. The tidings arrived that a large army, under the command of a -general named Mithradates, whom Cæsar had dispatched into Asia for this -purpose, had suddenly appeared at Pelusium, had captured that city, and -were now ready to march to Alexandria. - -The Egyptian army immediately broke up its encampments in the neighborhood -of Alexandria, and marched to the eastward to meet these new invaders. -Cæsar followed them with all the forces that he could safely take away -from the city. He left the city in the night and unobserved, and moved -across the country with such celerity that he joined Mithradates before -the forces of Ptolemy had arrived. After various marches and maneuvers, -the armies met, and a great battle was fought. The Egyptians were -defeated. Ptolemy's camp was taken. As the Roman army burst in upon one -side of it, the guards and attendants of Ptolemy fled upon the other, -clambering over the ramparts in the utmost terror and confusion. The -foremost fell headlong into the ditch below, which was thus soon filled to -the brim with the dead and the dying; while those who came behind pressed -on over the bridge thus formed, trampling remorselessly, as they fled, on -the bodies of their comrades, who lay writhing, struggling, and shrieking -beneath their feet. Those who escaped reached the river. They crowded -together into a boat which lay at the bank and pushed off from the shore. -The boat was overloaded, and it sank as soon as it left the land. The -Romans drew the bodies which floated to the shore up upon the bank again, -and they found among them one, which, by the royal cuirass which was upon -it, the customary badge and armor of the Egyptian kings, they knew to be -the body of Ptolemy. - -The victory which Cæsar obtained in this battle and the death of Ptolemy -ended the war. Nothing now remained but for him to place himself at the -head of the combined forces and march back to Alexandria. The Egyptian -forces which had been left there made no resistance, and he entered the -city in triumph. He took Arsinoë prisoner. He decreed that Cleopatra -should reign as queen, and that she should marry her youngest brother, the -other Ptolemy--a boy at this time about eleven years of age. A marriage -with one so young was, of course, a mere form. Cleopatra remained, as -before, the companion of Cæsar. - -Cæsar had, in the mean time, incurred great censure at Rome, and -throughout the whole Roman world, for having thus turned aside from his -own proper duties as the Roman consul, and the commander-in-chief of the -armies of the empire, to embroil himself in the quarrels of a remote and -secluded kingdom, with which the interests of the Roman commonwealth were -so little connected. His friends and the authorities at Rome were -continually urging him to return. They were especially indignant at his -protracted neglect of his own proper duties, from knowing that he was held -in Egypt by a guilty attachment to the queen--thus not only violating his -obligations to the state, but likewise inflicting upon his wife Calpurnia, -and his family at Rome, an intolerable wrong. But Cæsar was so fascinated -by Cleopatra's charms, and by the mysterious and unaccountable influence -which she exercised over him, that he paid no heed to any of these -remonstrances. Even after the war was ended he remained some months in -Egypt to enjoy his favorite's society. He would spend whole nights in her -company, in feasting and revelry. He made a splendid royal progress with -her through Egypt after the war was over, attended by a numerous train of -Roman guards. He formed a plan for taking her to Rome, and marrying her -there; and he took measures for having the laws of the city altered so as -to enable him to do so, though he was already married. - -All these things produced great discontent and disaffection among Cæsar's -friends and throughout the Roman army. The Egyptians, too, strongly -censured the conduct of Cleopatra. A son was born to her about this time, -whom the Alexandrians named, from his father, Cæsarion. Cleopatra was -regarded in the new relation of mother, which she now sustained, not with -interest and sympathy, but with feelings of reproach and condemnation. - -Cleopatra was all this time growing more and more accomplished and more -and more beautiful; but her vivacity and spirit, which had been so -charming while it was simple and childlike, now began to appear more -forward and bold. It is the characteristic of pure and lawful love to -soften and subdue the heart, and infuse a gentle and quiet spirit into all -its action; while that which breaks over the barriers that God and nature -have marked out for it, tends to make woman masculine and bold, to -indurate all her sensibilities, and to destroy that gentleness and -timidity of demeanor which have so great an influence in heightening her -charms. Cleopatra was beginning to experience these effects. She was -indifferent to the opinions of her subjects, and was only anxious to -maintain as long as possible her guilty ascendency over Cæsar. - -Cæsar, however, finally determined to set out on his return to the -capital. Leaving Cleopatra, accordingly, a sufficient force to secure the -continuance of her power, he embarked the remainder of his forces in his -transports and galleys, and sailed away. He took the unhappy Arsinoë with -him, intending to exhibit her as a trophy of his Egyptian victories on his -arrival at Rome. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -CLEOPATRA A QUEEN. - - -The war by which Cæsar reinstated Cleopatra upon the throne was not one of -very long duration. Cæsar arrived in Egypt in pursuit of Pompey about the -1st of August; the war was ended and Cleopatra established in secure -possession by the end of January; so that the conflict, violent as it was -while it continued, was very brief, the peaceful and commercial pursuits -of the Alexandrians having been interrupted by it only for a few months. - -Nor did either the war itself, or the derangements consequent upon it, -extend very far into the interior of the country. The city of Alexandria -itself and the neighboring coasts were the chief scenes of the contest -until Mithradates arrived at Pelusium. He, it is true, marched across the -Delta, and the final battle was fought in the interior of the country. It -was, however, after all, but a very small portion of the Egyptian -territory that was directly affected by the war. The great mass of the -people, occupying the rich and fertile tracts which bordered the various -branches of the Nile, and the long and verdant valley which extended so -far into the heart of the continent, knew nothing of the conflict but by -vague and distant rumors. The pursuits of the agricultural population went -on, all the time, as steadily and prosperously as ever; so that when the -conflict was ended, and Cleopatra entered upon the quiet and peaceful -possession of her power, she found that the resources of her empire were -very little impaired. - -She availed herself, accordingly, of the revenues which poured in very -abundantly upon her, to enter upon a career of the greatest luxury, -magnificence, and splendor. The injuries which had been done to the -palaces and other public edifices of Alexandria by the fire, and by the -military operations of the siege, were repaired. The bridges which had -been broken down were rebuilt. The canals which had been obstructed were -opened again. The sea-water was shut off from the palace cisterns; the -rubbish of demolished houses was removed; the barricades were cleared from -the streets; and the injuries which the palaces had suffered, either from -the violence of military engines or the rough occupation of the Roman -soldiery, were repaired. In a word, the city was speedily restored once -more, so far as was possible, to its former order and beauty. The five -hundred thousand manuscripts of the Alexandrian library, which had been -burned, could not, indeed, be restored; but, in all other respects, the -city soon resumed in appearance all its former splendor. Even in respect -to the library, Cleopatra made an effort to retrieve the loss. She -repaired the ruined buildings, and afterward, in the course of her life, -she brought together, it was said, in a manner hereafter to be described, -one or two hundred thousand rolls of manuscripts, as the commencement of a -new collection. The new library, however, never acquired the fame and -distinction that had pertained to the old. - -The former sovereigns of Egypt, Cleopatra's ancestors, had generally, as -has already been shown, devoted the immense revenues which they extorted -from the agriculturalists of the valley of the Nile to purposes of -ambition. Cleopatra seemed now disposed to expend them in luxury and -pleasure. They, the Ptolemies, had employed their resources in erecting -vast structures, or founding magnificent institutions at Alexandria, to -add to the glory of the city, and to widen and extend their own fame. -Cleopatra, on the other hand, as was, perhaps, naturally to be expected of -a young, beautiful, and impulsive woman, suddenly raised to so conspicuous -a position, and to the possession of such unbounded wealth and power, -expended her royal revenues in plans of personal display, and in scenes of -festivity, gayety, and enjoyment. She adorned her palaces, built -magnificent barges for pleasure excursions on the Nile, and expended -enormous sums for dress, for equipages, and for sumptuous entertainments. -In fact, so lavish were her expenditures for these and similar purposes -during the early years of her reign, that she is considered as having -carried the extravagance of sensual luxury and personal display and -splendor beyond the limits that had ever before or have ever since been -attained. - -Whatever of simplicity of character, and of gentleness and kindness of -spirit she might have possessed in her earlier years, of course gradually -disappeared under the influences of such a course of life as she now was -leading. She was beautiful and fascinating still, but she began to grow -selfish, heartless, and designing. Her little brother--he was but eleven -years of age, it will be recollected, when Cæsar arranged the marriage -between them--was an object of jealousy to her. He was now, of course, too -young to take any actual share in the exercise of the royal power, or to -interfere at all in his sister's plans or pleasures. But then he was -growing older. In a few years he would be fifteen--which was the period of -life fixed upon by Cæsar's arrangements, and, in fact, by the laws and -usages of the Egyptian kingdom--when he was to come into possession of -power as king, and as the husband of Cleopatra. Cleopatra was extremely -unwilling that the change in her relations to him and to the government, -which this period was to bring, should take place. Accordingly, just -before the time arrived, she caused him to be poisoned. His death released -her, as she had intended, from all restraints, and thereafter she -continued to reign alone. During the remainder of her life, so far as the -enjoyment of wealth and power, and of all other elements of external -prosperity could go, Cleopatra's career was one of uninterrupted success. -She had no conscientious scruples to interfere with the most full and -unrestrained indulgence of every propensity of her heart, and the means of -indulgence were before her in the most unlimited profusion. The only bar -to her happiness was the impossibility of satisfying the impulses and -passions of the human soul, when they once break over the bounds which the -laws both of God and of nature ordain for restraining them. - -In the mean time, while Cleopatra was spending the early years of her -reign in all this luxury and splendor, Cæsar was pursuing his career, as -the conqueror of the world, in the most successful manner. On the death of -Pompey, he would naturally have succeeded at once to the enjoyment of the -supreme power; but his delay in Egypt, and the extent to which it was -known that he was entangled with Cleopatra, encouraged and strengthened -his enemies in various parts of the world. In fact, a revolt which broke -out in Asia Minor, and which it was absolutely necessary that he should -proceed at once to quell, was the immediate cause of his leaving Egypt at -last. Other plans for making head against Cæsar's power were formed in -Spain, in Africa, and in Italy. His military skill and energy, however, -were so great, and the ascendency which he exercised over the minds of men -by his personal presence was so unbounded, and so astonishing, moreover, -was the celerity with which he moved from continent to continent, and -from kingdom to kingdom, that in a very short period from the time of his -leaving Egypt, he had conducted most brilliant and successful campaigns in -all the three quarters of the world then known, had put down effectually -all opposition to his power, and then had returned to Rome the -acknowledged master of the world. Cleopatra, who had, of course, watched -his career during all this time with great pride and pleasure, concluded, -at last, to go to Rome and make a visit to him there. - -The people of Rome were, however, not prepared to receive her very -cordially. It was an age in which vice of every kind was regarded with -great indulgence, but the moral instincts of mankind were too strong to be -wholly blinded to the true character of so conspicuous an example of -wickedness as this. Arsinoë was at Rome, too, during this period of -Cæsar's life. He had brought her there, it will be recollected, on his -return from Egypt, as a prisoner, and as a trophy of his victory. His -design was, in fact, to reserve her as a captive to grace his _triumph_. - -A triumph, according to the usages of the ancient Romans, was a grand -celebration decreed by the senate to great military commanders of the -highest rank, when they returned from distant campaigns in which they had -made great conquests or gained extraordinary victories. Cæsar concentrated -all his triumphs into one. They were celebrated on his return to Rome for -the last time, after having completed the conquest of the world. The -processions of this triumph occupied four days. In fact, there were four -triumphs, one on each day for the four days. The wars and conquests which -these ovations were intended to celebrate were those of Gaul, of Egypt, of -Asia, and of Africa; and the processions on the several days consisted of -endless trains of prisoners, trophies, arms, banners, pictures, images, -convoys of wagons loaded with plunder, captive princes and princesses, -animals, wild and tame, and every thing else which the conqueror had been -able to bring home with him from his campaigns, to excite the curiosity or -the admiration of the people of the city, and illustrate the magnitude of -his exploits. Of course, the Roman generals, when engaged in distant -foreign wars, were ambitious of bringing back as many distinguished -captives and as much public plunder as they were able to obtain, in order -to add to the variety and splendor of the triumphal procession by which -their victories were to be honored on their return. It was with this view -that Cæsar brought Arsinoë from Egypt; and he had retained her as his -captive at Rome until his conquests were completed and the time for his -triumph arrived. She, of course, formed a part of the triumphal train on -the _Egyptian_ day. She walked immediately before the chariot in which -Cæsar rode. She was in chains, like any other captive, though her chains, -in honor of her lofty rank, were made of gold. - -[Illustration: CLEOPATRA'S SISTER IN THE TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION.] - -The effect, however, upon the Roman population of seeing the unhappy -princess, overwhelmed as she was with sorrow and chagrin, as she moved -slowly along in the train, among the other emblems and trophies of -violence and plunder, proved to be by no means favorable to Cæsar. The -populace were inclined to pity her, and to sympathize with her in her -sufferings. The sight of her distress recalled, too, to their minds the -dereliction from duty of which Cæsar had been guilty of in his yielding to -the enticements of Cleopatra, and remaining so long in Egypt to the -neglect of his proper duties as a Roman minister of state. In a word, the -tide of admiration for Cæsar's military exploits which had been setting -so strongly in his favor, seemed inclined to turn, and the city was filled -with murmurs against him even in the midst of his triumphs. - -In fact, the pride and vainglory which led Cæsar to make his triumphs more -splendid and imposing than any former conqueror had ever enjoyed, caused -him to overact his part so as to produce effects the reverse of his -intentions. The case of Arsinoë was one example of this. Instead of -impressing the people with a sense of the greatness of his exploits in -Egypt, in deposing one queen and bringing her captive to Rome, in order -that he might place another upon the throne in her stead, it only -reproduced anew the censures and criminations which he had deserved by his -actions there, but which, had it not been for the pitiable spectacle of -Arsinoë in the train, might have been forgotten. - -There were other examples of a similar character. There were the feasts, -for instance. From the plunder which Cæsar had obtained in his various -campaigns, he expended the most enormous sums in making feasts and -spectacles for the populace at the time of his triumph. A large portion of -the populace was pleased, it is true, with the boundless indulgences thus -offered to them; but the better part of the Roman people were indignant -at the waste and extravagance which were every where displayed. For many -days the whole city of Rome presented to the view nothing but one -wide-spread scene of riot and debauchery. The people, instead of being -pleased with this abundance, said that Cæsar must have practiced the most -extreme and lawless extortion to have obtained the vast amount of money -necessary to enable him to supply such unbounded and reckless waste. - -There was another way, too, by which Cæsar turned public opinion strongly -against himself, by the very means which he adopted for creating a -sentiment in his favor. The Romans, among the other barbarous amusements -which were practiced in the city, were specially fond of combats. These -combats were of various kinds. They were fought sometimes between -ferocious beasts of the same or of different species, as dogs against each -other, or against bulls, lions, or tigers. Any animals, in fact, were -employed for this purpose, that could be teased or goaded into anger and -ferocity in a fight. Sometimes men were employed in these combats--captive -soldiers, that had been taken in war, and brought to Rome to fight in the -amphitheaters there as gladiators. These men were compelled to contend -sometimes with wild beasts, and sometimes with one another. Cæsar, knowing -how highly the Roman assemblies enjoyed such scenes, determined to afford -them the indulgence on a most magnificent scale, supposing, of course, -that the greater and the more dreadful the fight, the higher would be the -pleasure which the spectators would enjoy in witnessing it. Accordingly, -in making preparations for the festivities attending his triumph, he -caused a large artificial lake to be formed at a convenient place in the -vicinity of Rome, where it could be surrounded by the populace of the -city, and there he made arrangements for a naval battle. A great number of -galleys were introduced into the lake. They were of the usual size -employed in war. These galleys were manned with numerous soldiers. Tyrian -captives were put upon one side, and Egyptian upon the other; and when all -was ready, the two squadrons were ordered to approach and fight a real -naval battle for the amusement of the enormous throngs of spectators that -were assembled around. As the nations from which the combatants in this -conflict were respectively taken were hostile to each other, and as the -men fought, of course, for their lives, the engagement was attended with -the usual horrors of a desperate naval encounter. Hundreds were slain. The -dead bodies of the combatants fell from the galleys into the lake, and the -waters of it were dyed with their blood. - -There were land combats, too, on the same grand scale. In one of them five -hundred foot soldiers, twenty elephants, and a troop of thirty horse were -engaged on each side. This combat, therefore, was an action greater, in -respect to the number of the combatants, than the famous battle of -Lexington, which marked the commencement of the American war; and in -respect to the slaughter which took place, it was very probably ten times -greater. The horror of these scenes proved to be too much even for the -populace, fierce and merciless as it was, which they were intended to -amuse. Cæsar, in his eagerness to outdo all former exhibitions and shows, -went beyond the limits within which the seeing of men butchered in bloody -combats and dying in agony and despair would serve for a pleasure and a -pastime. The people were shocked; and condemnations of Cæsar's cruelty -were added to the other suppressed reproaches and criminations which every -where arose. - -Cleopatra, during her visit to Rome, lived openly with Cæsar at his -residence, and this excited very general displeasure. In fact, while the -people pitied Arsinoë, Cleopatra, notwithstanding her beauty and her -thousand personal accomplishments and charms, was an object of general -displeasure, so far as public attention was turned toward her at all. The -public mind was, however, much engrossed by the great political movements -made by Cæsar and the ends toward which he seemed to be aiming. Men -accused him of designing to be made a king. Parties were formed for and -against him; and though men did not dare openly to utter their sentiments, -their passions became the more violent in proportion to the external force -by which they were suppressed. Mark Antony was at Rome at this time. He -warmly espoused Cæsar's cause, and encouraged his design of making himself -king. He once, in fact, offered to place a royal diadem upon Cæsar's head -at some public celebration; but the marks of public disapprobation which -the act elicited caused him to desist. - -At length, however, the time arrived when Cæsar determined to cause -himself to be proclaimed king. He took advantage of a certain remarkable -conjuncture of public affairs, which can not here be particularly -described, but which seemed to him specially to favor his designs, and -arrangements were made for having him invested with the regal power by the -senate. The murmurs and the discontent of the people at the indications -that the time for the realization of their fears was drawing nigh, became -more and more audible, and at length a conspiracy was formed to put an end -to the danger by destroying the ambitious aspirant's life. Two stern and -determined men, Brutus and Cassius, were the leaders of this conspiracy. -They matured their plans, organized their band of associates, provided -themselves secretly with arms, and when the senate convened, on the day in -which the decisive vote was to have been passed, Cæsar himself presiding, -they came up boldly around him in his presidential chair, and murdered him -with their daggers. - -Antony, from whom the plans of the conspirators had been kept profoundly -secret, stood by, looking on stupefied and confounded while the deed was -done, but utterly unable to render his friend any protection. - -Cleopatra immediately fled from the city and returned to Egypt. - -Arsinoë had gone away before. Cæsar, either taking pity on her -misfortunes, or impelled, perhaps, by the force of public sentiment, which -seemed inclined to take part with her against him, set her at liberty -immediately after the ceremonies of his triumph were over. He would not, -however, allow her to return into Egypt, for fear, probably, that she -might in some way or other be the means of disturbing the government of -Cleopatra. She proceeded, accordingly, into Syria, no longer as a captive, -but still as an exile from her native land. We shall hereafter learn what -became of her there. - -Calpurnia mourned the death of her husband with sincere and unaffected -grief. She bore the wrongs which she suffered as a wife with a very -patient and unrepining spirit, and loved her husband with the most devoted -attachment to the end. Nothing can be more affecting than the proofs of -her tender and anxious regard on the night immediately preceding the -assassination. There were certain slight and obscure indications of danger -which her watchful devotion to her husband led her to observe, though they -eluded the notice of all Cæsar's other friends, and they filled her with -apprehension and anxiety; and when at length the bloody body was brought -home to her from the senate-house, she was overwhelmed with grief and -despair. - -She had no children. She accordingly looked upon Mark Antony as her -nearest friend and protector, and in the confusion and terror which -prevailed the next day in the city, she hastily packed together the money -and other valuables contained in the house, and all her husband's books -and papers, and sent them to Antony for safe keeping. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -THE BATTLE OF PHILIPPI. - - -When the tidings of the assassination of Cæsar were first announced to the -people of Rome, all ranks and classes of men were struck with amazement -and consternation. No one knew what to say or do. A very large and -influential portion of the community had been Cæsar's friends. It was -equally certain that there was a very powerful interest opposed to him. No -one could foresee which of these two parties would now carry the day, and, -of course, for a time, all was uncertainty and indecision. - -Mark Antony came forward at once, and assumed the position of Cæsar's -representative and the leader of the party on that side. A will was found -among Cæsar's effects, and when the will was opened it appeared that large -sums of money were left to the Roman people, and other large amounts to a -nephew of the deceased, named Octavius, who will be more particularly -spoken of hereafter. Antony was named in the will as the executor of it. -This and other circumstances seemed to authorize him to come forward as -the head and the leader of the Cæsar party. Brutus and Cassius, who -remained openly in the city after their desperate deed had been performed, -were the acknowledged leaders of the other party; while the mass of the -people were at first so astounded at the magnitude and suddenness of the -revolution which the open and public assassination of a Roman emperor by a -Roman senate denoted, that they knew not what to say or do. In fact, the -killing of Julius Cæsar, considering the exalted position which he -occupied, the rank and station of the men who perpetrated the deed, and -the very extraordinary publicity of the scene in which the act was -performed, was, doubtless, the most conspicuous and most appalling case of -assassination that has ever occurred. The whole population of Rome seemed -for some days to be amazed and stupefied by the tidings. At length, -however, parties began to be more distinctly formed. The lines of -demarkation between them were gradually drawn, and men began to arrange -themselves more and more unequivocally on the opposite sides. - -For a short time the supremacy of Antony over the Cæsar party was readily -acquiesced in and allowed. At length, however, and before his -arrangements were finally matured, he found that he had two formidable -competitors upon his own side. These were Octavius and Lepidus. - -Octavius, who was the nephew of Cæsar, already alluded to, was a very -accomplished and elegant young man, now about nineteen years of age. He -was the son of Julius Cæsar's niece.[6] He had always been a great -favorite with his uncle. Every possible attention had been paid to his -education, and he had been advanced by Cæsar, already, to positions of -high importance in public life. Cæsar, in fact, adopted him as his son, -and made him his heir. At the time of Cæsar's death he was at Apollonia, a -city of Illyricum, north of Greece. The troops under his command there -offered to march at once with him, if he wished it, to Rome, and avenge -his uncle's death. Octavius, after some hesitation, concluded that it -would be most prudent for him to proceed thither first himself, alone, as -a private person, and demand his rights as his uncle's heir, according to -the provisions of the will. He accordingly did so. He found, on his -arrival, that the will, the property, the books and parchments, and the -substantial power of the government, were all in Antony's hands. Antony, -instead of putting Octavius into possession of his property and rights, -found various pretexts for evasion and delay. Octavius was too young yet, -he said, to assume such weighty responsibilities. He was himself also too -much pressed with the urgency of public affairs to attend to the business -of the will. With these and similar excuses as his justification, Antony -seemed inclined to pay no regard whatever to Octavius's claims. - -Octavius, young as he was, possessed a character that was marked with -great intelligence, spirit, and resolution. He soon made many powerful -friends in the city of Rome and among the Roman senate. It became a -serious question whether he or Antony would gain the greatest ascendency -in the party of Cæsar's friends. The contest for this ascendency was, in -fact, protracted for two or three years, and led to a vast complication of -intrigues, and maneuvers, and civil wars, which can not, however, be here -particularly detailed. - -The other competitor which Antony had to contend with was a distinguished -Roman general named Lepidus. Lepidus was an officer of the army, in very -high command at the time of Cæsar's death. He was present in the senate -chamber on the day of the assassination. He stole secretly away when he -saw that the deed was done, and repaired to the camp of the army without -the city and immediately assumed the command of the forces. This gave him -great power, and in the course of the contests which subsequently ensued -between Antony and Octavius, he took an active part, and held in some -measure the balance between them. At length the contest was finally closed -by a coalition of the three rivals. Finding that they could not either of -them gain a decided victory over the others, they combined together, and -formed the celebrated _triumvirate_, which continued afterward for some -time to wield the supreme command in the Roman world. In forming this -league of reconciliation, the three rivals held their conference on an -island situated in one of the branches of the Po, in the north of Italy. -They manifested extreme jealousy and suspicion of each other in coming to -this interview. Two bridges were built leading to the island, one from -each bank of the stream. The army of Antony was drawn up upon one side of -the river, and that of Octavius upon the other. Lepidus went first to the -island by one of the bridges. After examining the ground carefully, to -make himself sure that it contained no ambuscade, he made a signal to the -other generals, who then came over, each advancing by his own bridge, and -accompanied by three hundred guards, who remained upon the bridge to -secure a retreat for their master in case of treachery. The conference -lasted three days, at the expiration of which time the articles were all -agreed upon and signed. - -This league being formed, the three confederates turned their united force -against the party of the conspirators. Of this party Brutus and Cassius -were still at the head. - -The scene of the contests between Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus had been -chiefly Italy and the other central countries of Europe. Brutus and -Cassius, on the other hand, had gone across the Adriatic Sea into the East -immediately after Cæsar's assassination. They were now in Asia Minor, and -were employed in concentrating their forces, forming alliances with the -various Eastern powers, raising troops, bringing over to their side the -Roman legions which were stationed in that quarter of the world, seizing -magazines, and exacting contributions from all who could be induced to -favor their cause. Among other embassages which they sent, one went to -Egypt to demand aid from Cleopatra. Cleopatra, however, was resolved to -join the other side in the contest. It was natural that she should feel -grateful to Cæsar for his efforts and sacrifices in her behalf, and that -she should be inclined to favor the cause of his friends. Accordingly, -instead of sending troops to aid Brutus and Cassius, as they had desired -her to do, she immediately fitted out an expedition to proceed to the -coast of Asia, with a view of rendering all the aid in her power to -Antony's cause. - -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 Tænarus, -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.[7] - -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. - -The forces on the two sides were nearly equal; but on the Republican side, -that is, on the part of Brutus and Cassius, there was great inconvenience -and suffering for want of a sufficient supply of provisions and stores. -There was some difference of opinion between Brutus and Cassius in respect -to what it was best for them to do. Brutus was inclined to give the enemy -battle. Cassius was reluctant to do so, since, under the circumstances in -which they were placed, he considered it unwise to hazard, as they -necessarily must do, the whole success of their cause to the chances of a -single battle. A council of war was convened, and the various officers -were asked to give their opinions. In this conference, one of the officers -having recommended to postpone the conflict to the next winter, Brutus -asked him what advantage he hoped to attain by such delay. "If I gain -nothing else," replied the officer, "I shall live so much the longer." -This answer touched Cassius's pride and military sense of honor. Rather -than concur in a counsel which was thus, on the part of one of its -advocates at least, dictated by what he considered an inglorious love of -life, he preferred to retract his opinion. It was agreed by the council -that the army should maintain its ground and give the enemy battle. The -officers then repaired to their respective camps. - -Brutus was greatly pleased at this decision. To fight the battle had been -his original desire, and as his counsels had prevailed, he was, of course, -gratified with the prospect for the morrow. He arranged a sumptuous -entertainment in his tent, and invited all the officers of his division of -the army to sup with him. The party spent the night in convivial -pleasures, and in mutual congratulations at the prospect of the victory -which, as they believed, awaited them on the morrow. Brutus entertained -his guests with brilliant conversation all the evening, and inspired them -with his own confident anticipations of success in the conflict which was -to ensue. - -Cassius, on the other hand, in his camp by the sea, was silent and -desponding. He supped privately with a few intimate friends. On rising -from the table, he took one of his officers aside, and, pressing his hand, -said to him that he felt great misgivings in respect to the result of the -contest. "It is against my judgment," said he, "that we thus hazard the -liberty of Rome on the event of one battle, fought under such -circumstances as these. Whatever is the result, I wish you to bear me -witness hereafter that I was forced into this measure by circumstances -that I could not control. I suppose, however, that I ought to take -courage, notwithstanding the reasons that I have for these gloomy -forebodings. Let us, therefore, hope for the best; and come and sup with -me again to-morrow night. To-morrow is my birth-day." - -The next morning, the scarlet mantle--the customary signal displayed in -Roman camps on the morning of a day of battle--was seen at the tops of the -tents of the two commanding generals, waving there in the air like a -banner. While the troops, in obedience to this signal, were preparing -themselves for the conflict, the two generals went to meet each other at a -point midway between their two encampments, for a final consultation and -agreement in respect to the arrangements of the day. When this business -was concluded, and they were about to separate, in order to proceed each -to his own sphere of duty, Cassius asked Brutus what he intended to do in -case the day should go against them. "We hope for the best," said he, -"and pray that the gods may grant us the victory in this most momentous -crisis. But we must remember that it is the greatest and the most -momentous of human affairs that are always the most uncertain, and we can -not foresee what is to-day to be the result of the battle. If it goes -against us, what do you intend to do? Do you intend to escape, or to die?" - -"When I was a young man," said Brutus, in reply, "and looked at this -subject only as a question of theory, I thought it wrong for a man ever to -take his own life. However great the evils that threatened him, and -however desperate his condition, I considered it his duty to live, and to -wait patiently for better times. But now, placed in the position in which -I am, I see the subject in a different light. If we do not gain the battle -this day, I shall consider all hope and possibility of saving our country -forever gone, and I shall not leave the field of battle alive." - -Cassius, in his despondency, had made the same resolution for himself -before, and he was rejoiced to hear Brutus utter these sentiments. He -grasped his colleague's hand with a countenance expressive of the greatest -animation and pleasure, and bade him farewell, saying, "We will go out -boldly to face the enemy. For we are certain either that we shall conquer -them, or that we shall have nothing to fear from their victory over us." - -Cassius's dejection, and the tendency of his mind to take a despairing -view of the prospects of the cause in which he was engaged, were owing, in -some measure, to certain unfavorable omens which he had observed. These -omens, though really frivolous and wholly unworthy of attention, seem to -have had great influence upon him, notwithstanding his general -intelligence, and the remarkable strength and energy of his character. -They were as follows: - -In offering certain sacrifices, he was to wear, according to the usage -prescribed on such occasions, a garland of flowers, and it happened that -the officer who brought the garland, by mistake or accident, presented it -wrong side before. Again, in some procession which was formed, and in -which a certain image of gold, made in honor of him, was borne, the bearer -of it stumbled and fell, and the image was thrown upon the ground. This -was a very dark presage of impending calamity. Then a great number of -vultures and other birds of prey were seen, for a number of days before -the battle, hovering over the Roman army; and several swarms of bees were -found within the precincts of the camp. So alarming was this last -indication, that the officers altered the line of the intrenchments so as -to shut out the ill-omened spot from the camp. These and other such things -had great influence upon the mind of Cassius, in convincing him that some -great disaster was impending over him. - -Nor was Brutus himself without warnings of this character, though they -seem to have had less power to produce any serious impression upon his -mind than in the case of Cassius. The most extraordinary warning which -Brutus received, according to the story of his ancient historians, was by -a supernatural apparition which he saw, some time before, while he was in -Asia Minor. He was encamped near the city of Sardis at that time. He was -always accustomed to sleep very little, and would often, it was said, when -all his officers had retired, and the camp was still, sit alone in his -tent, sometimes reading, and sometimes revolving the anxious cares which -were always pressing upon his mind. One night he was thus alone in his -tent, with a small lamp burning before him, sitting lost in thought, when -he suddenly heard a movement as of some one entering the tent. He looked -up, and saw a strange, unearthly, and monstrous shape, which appeared to -have just entered the door and was coming toward him. The spirit gazed -upon him as it advanced, but it did not speak. - -Brutus, who was not much accustomed to fear, boldly demanded of the -apparition who and what it was, and what had brought it there. "I am your -evil spirit," said the apparition. "I shall meet you at Philippi." "Then, -it seems," said Brutus, "that, at any rate, I shall see you again." The -spirit made no reply to this, but immediately vanished. - -Brutus arose, went to the door of his tent, summoned the sentinels, and -awakened the soldiers that were sleeping near. The sentinels had seen -nothing; and, after the most diligent search, no trace of the mysterious -visitor could be found. - -The next morning Brutus related to Cassius the occurrence which he had -witnessed. Cassius, though very sensitive, it seems, to the influence of -omens affecting himself, was quite philosophical in his views in respect -to those of other men. He argued very rationally with Brutus to convince -him that the vision which he had seen was only a phantom of sleep, taking -its form and character from the ideas and images which the situation in -which Brutus was then placed, and the fatigue and anxiety which he had -endured, would naturally impress upon his mind. - -But to return to the battle. Brutus fought against Octavius; while -Cassius, two or three miles distant, encountered Antony, that having been, -as will be recollected, the disposition of the respective armies and their -encampments upon the plain. Brutus was triumphantly successful in his part -of the field. His troops defeated the army of Octavius, and got possession -of his camp. The men forced their way into Octavius's tent, and pierced -the litter in which they supposed that the sick general was lying through -and through with their spears. But the object of their desperate hostility -was not there. He had been borne away by his guards a few minutes before, -and no one knew what had become of him. - -The result of the battle was, however, unfortunately for those whose -adventures we are now more particularly following, very different in -Cassius's part of the field. When Brutus, after completing the conquest of -his own immediate foes, returned to his elevated camp, he looked toward -the camp of Cassius, and was surprised to find that the tents had -disappeared. Some of the officers around perceived weapons glancing and -glittering in the sun in the place where Cassius's tents ought to appear. -Brutus now suspected the truth, which was, that Cassius had been defeated, -and his camp had fallen into the hands of the enemy. He immediately -collected together as large a force as he could command, and marched to -the relief of his colleague. He found him, at last, posted with a small -body of guards and attendants upon the top of a small elevation to which -he had fled for safety. Cassius saw the troop of horsemen which Brutus -sent forward coming toward him, and supposed that it was a detachment from -Antony's army advancing to capture him. He, however, sent a messenger -forward to meet them, and ascertain whether they were friends or foes. The -messenger, whose name was Titinius, rode down. The horsemen recognized -Titinius, and, riding up eagerly around him, they dismounted from their -horses to congratulate him on his safety, and to press him with inquiries -in respect to the result of the battle and the fate of his master. - -Cassius, seeing all this, but not seeing it very distinctly, supposed that -the troop of horsemen were enemies, and that they had surrounded Titinius, -and had cut him down or made him prisoner. He considered it certain, -therefore, that all was now finally lost. Accordingly, in execution of a -plan which he had previously formed, he called a servant, named Pindarus, -whom he directed to follow him, and went into a tent which was near. When -Brutus and his horsemen came up, they entered the tent. They found no -living person within; but the dead body of Cassius was there, the head -being totally dissevered from it. Pindarus was never afterward to be -found. - -Brutus was overwhelmed with grief at the death of his colleague; he was -also oppressed by it with a double burden of responsibility and care, -since now the whole conduct of affairs devolved upon him alone. He found -himself surrounded with difficulties which became more and more -embarrassing every day. At length he was compelled to fight a second -battle. The details of the contest itself we can not give, but the result -of it was, that, notwithstanding the most unparalleled and desperate -exertions made by Brutus to keep his men to the work, and to maintain his -ground, his troops were borne down and overwhelmed by the irresistible -onsets of his enemies, and his cause was irretrievably and hopelessly -ruined. - -When Brutus found that all was lost, he allowed himself to be conducted -off the field by a small body of guards, who, in their retreat, broke -through the ranks of the enemy on a side where they saw that they should -meet with the least resistance. They were, however, pursued by a squadron -of horse, the horsemen being eager to make Brutus a prisoner. In this -emergency, one of Brutus's friends, named Lucilius, conceived the design -of pretending to be Brutus, and, as such, surrendering himself a prisoner. -This plan he carried into effect. When the troop came up, he called out -for quarter, said that he was Brutus, and begged them to spare his life, -and to take him to Antony. The men did so, rejoiced at having, as they -imagined, secured so invaluable a prize. - -In the mean time, the real Brutus pressed on to make his escape. He -crossed a brook which came in his way, and entered into a little dell, -which promised to afford a hiding-place, since it was encumbered with -precipitous rocks and shaded with trees. A few friends and officers -accompanied Brutus in his flight. Night soon came on, and he lay down in a -little recess under a shelving rock, exhausted with fatigue and suffering. -Then, raising his eyes to heaven, he imprecated, in lines quoted from a -Greek poet, the just judgment of God upon the foes who were at that hour -triumphing in what he considered the ruin of his country. - -He then, in his anguish and despair, enumerated by name the several -friends and companions whom he had seen fall that day in battle, mourning -the loss of each with bitter grief. In the mean time, night was coming on, -and the party, concealed thus in the wild dell, were destitute and -unsheltered. Hungry and thirsty, and spent with fatigue as they were, -there seemed to be no prospect for them of either rest or refreshment. -Finally they sent one of their number to steal softly back to the rivulet -which they had crossed in their retreat, to bring them some water. The -soldier took his helmet to bring the water in, for want of any other -vessel. While Brutus was drinking the water which they brought, a noise -was heard in the opposite direction. Two of the officers were sent to -ascertain the cause. They came back soon, reporting that there was a party -of the enemy in that quarter. They asked where the water was which had -been brought. Brutus told them that it had all been drank, but that he -would send immediately for more. The messenger went accordingly to the -brook again, but he came back very soon, wounded and bleeding, and -reported that the enemy was close upon them on that side too, and that he -had narrowly escaped with his life. The apprehensions of Brutus's party -were greatly increased by these tidings: it was evident that all hope of -being able to remain long concealed where they were must fast disappear. - -One of the officers, named Statilius, then proposed to make the attempt to -find his way out of the snare in which they had become involved. He would -go, he said, as cautiously as possible, avoiding all parties of the enemy, -and being favored by the darkness of the night, he hoped to find some way -of retreat. If he succeeded, he would display a torch on a distant -elevation which he designated, so that the party in the glen, on seeing -the light, might be assured of his safety. He would then return and guide -them all through the danger, by the way which he should have discovered. - -This plan was approved, and Statilius accordingly departed. In due time -the light was seen burning at the place which had been pointed out, and -indicating that Statilius had accomplished his undertaking. Brutus and his -party were greatly cheered by the new hope which this result awakened. -They began to watch and listen for their messenger's return. They watched -and waited long, but he did not come. On the way back he was intercepted -and slain. - -When at length all hope that he would return was finally abandoned, some -of the party, in the course of the despairing consultations which the -unhappy fugitives held with one another, said that they _must not_ remain -any longer where they were, but must make their escape from that spot at -all hazards. "Yes," said Brutus, "we must indeed make our escape from our -present situation, but we must do it with our hands, and not with our -feet." He meant by this that the only means now left to them to evade -their enemies was self-destruction. When his friends understood that this -was his meaning, and that he was resolved to put this design into -execution in his own case, they were overwhelmed with sorrow. Brutus took -them, one by one, by the hand and bade them farewell. He thanked them for -their fidelity in adhering to his cause to the last, and said that it was -a source of great comfort and satisfaction to him that all his friends had -proved so faithful and true. "I do not complain of my hard fate," he -added, "so far as I myself am concerned. I mourn only for my unhappy -country. As to myself, I think that my condition even now is better than -that of my enemies; for, though I die, posterity will do me justice, and I -shall enjoy forever the honor which virtue and integrity deserve; while -they, though they live, live only to reap the bitter fruits of injustice -and of tyranny. - -"After I am gone," he continued, addressing his friends, as before, "think -no longer of me, but take care of yourselves. Antony, I am sure, will be -satisfied with Cassius's death and mine. He will not be disposed to pursue -you vindictively any longer. Make peace with him on the best terms that -you can." - -Brutus then asked first one and then another of his friends to aid him in -the last duty, as he seems to have considered it, of destroying his life; -but one after another declared that they could not do any thing to assist -him in carrying into effect so dreadful a determination. Finally, he took -with him an old and long-tried friend named Strato, and went away a -little, apart from the rest. Here he solicited once more the favor which -had been refused him before--begging that Strato would hold out his sword. -Strato still refused. Brutus then called one of his slaves. Upon this -Strato declared that he would do any thing rather than that Brutus should -die by the hand of a slave. He took the sword, and with his right hand -held it extended in the air. With the left hand he covered his eyes, that -he might not witness the horrible spectacle. Brutus rushed upon the point -of the weapon with such fatal force that he fell and immediately expired. - -Thus ended the great and famous battle of Philippi, celebrated in history -as marking the termination of the great conflict between the friends and -the enemies of Cæsar, which agitated the world so deeply after the -conqueror's death. This battle established the ascendency of Antony, and -made him for a time the most conspicuous man, as Cleopatra was the most -conspicuous woman, in the world. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -CLEOPATRA AND ANTONY. - - -How far Cleopatra was influenced, in her determination to espouse the -cause of Antony rather than that of Brutus and Cassius, in the civil war -described in the last chapter, by gratitude to Cæsar, and how far, on the -other hand, by personal interest in Antony, the reader must judge. -Cleopatra had seen Antony, it will be recollected, some years before, -during his visit to Egypt, when she was a young girl. She was doubtless -well acquainted with his character. It was a character peculiarly fitted, -in some respects, to captivate the imagination of a woman so ardent, and -impulsive, and bold as Cleopatra was fast becoming. - -Antony had, in fact, made himself an object of universal interest -throughout the world, by his wild and eccentric manners and reckless -conduct, and by the very extraordinary vicissitudes which had marked his -career. In moral character he was as utterly abandoned and depraved as it -was possible to be. In early life, as has already been stated, he plunged -into such a course of dissipation and extravagance that he became utterly -and hopelessly ruined; or, rather, he would have been so, had he not, by -the influence of that magic power of fascination which such characters -often possess, succeeded in gaining a great ascendency over a young man of -immense fortune, named Curio, who for a time upheld him by becoming surety -for his debts. This resource, however, soon failed, and Antony was -compelled to abandon Rome, and to live for some years as a fugitive and -exile, in dissolute wretchedness and want. During all the subsequent -vicissitudes through which he passed in the course of his career, the same -habits of lavish expenditure continued, whenever he had funds at his -command. This trait in his character took the form sometimes of a noble -generosity. In his campaigns, the plunder which he acquired he usually -divided among his soldiers, reserving nothing for himself. This made his -men enthusiastically devoted to him, and led them to consider his -prodigality as a virtue, even when they did not themselves derive any -direct advantage from it. A thousand stories were always in circulation in -camp of acts on his part illustrating his reckless disregard of the value -of money, some ludicrous, and all eccentric and strange. - -In his personal habits, too, he was as different as possible from other -men. He prided himself on being descended from Hercules, and he affected a -style of dress and a general air and manner in accordance with the savage -character of this his pretended ancestor. His features were sharp, his -nose was arched and prominent, and he wore his hair and beard very -long--as long, in fact, as he could make them grow. These peculiarities -imparted to his countenance a very wild and ferocious expression. He -adopted a style of dress, too, which, judged of with reference to the -prevailing fashions of the time, gave to his whole appearance a rough, -savage, and reckless air. His manner and demeanor corresponded with his -dress and appearance. He lived in habits of the most unreserved -familiarity with his soldiers. He associated freely with them, ate and -drank with them in the open air, and joined in their noisy mirth and rude -and boisterous hilarity. His commanding powers of mind, and the desperate -recklessness of his courage, enabled him to do all this without danger. -These qualities inspired in the minds of the soldiers a feeling of -profound respect for their commander; and this good opinion he was -enabled to retain, notwithstanding such habits of familiarity with his -inferiors as would have been fatal to the influence of an ordinary man. - -In the most prosperous portion of Antony's career--for example, during the -period immediately preceding the death of Cæsar--he addicted himself to -vicious indulgences of the most open, public, and shameless character. He -had around him a sort of court, formed of jesters, tumblers, mountebanks, -play-actors, and other similar characters of the lowest and most -disreputable class. Many of these companions were singing and dancing -girls, very beautiful, and very highly accomplished in the arts of their -respective professions, but all totally corrupt and depraved. Public -sentiment, even in that age and nation, strongly condemned this conduct. -The people were pagans, it is true, but it is a mistake to suppose that -the formation of a moral sentiment in the community against such vices as -these is a work which Christianity alone can perform. There is a law of -nature, in the form of an instinct universal in the race, imperiously -enjoining that the connection of the sexes shall consist of the union of -one man with one woman, and that woman his wife, and very sternly -prohibiting every other. So that there has probably never been a community -in the world so corrupt, that a man could practice in it such vices as -those of Antony, without not only violating his own sense of right and -wrong, but also bringing upon himself the general condemnation of those -around him. - -Still, the world are prone to be very tolerant in respect to the vices of -the great. Such exalted personages as Antony seem to be judged by a -different standard from common men. Even in the countries where those who -occupy high stations of trust or of power are actually selected, for the -purpose of being placed there, by the voices of their fellow-men, all -inquiry into the personal character of a candidate is often suppressed, -such inquiry being condemned as wholly irrelevant and improper, and they -who succeed in attaining to power enjoy immunities in their elevation -which are denied to common men. - -But, notwithstanding the influence of Antony's rank and power in shielding -him from public censure, he carried his excesses to such an extreme that -his conduct was very loudly and very generally condemned. He would spend -all the night in carousals, and then, the next day, would appear in -public, staggering in the streets. Sometimes he would enter the tribunals -for the transaction of business when he was so intoxicated that it would -be necessary for friends to come to his assistance to conduct him away. In -some of his journeys in the neighborhood of Rome, he would take a troop of -companions with him of the worst possible character, and travel with them -openly and without shame. There was a certain actress, named Cytheride, -whom he made his companion on one such occasion. She was borne upon a -litter in his train, and he carried about with him a vast collection of -gold and silver plate, and of splendid table furniture, together with an -endless supply of luxurious articles of food and of wine, to provide for -the entertainments and banquets which he was to celebrate with her on the -journey. He would sometimes stop by the road side, pitch his tents, -establish his kitchens, set his cooks at work to prepare a feast, spread -his tables, and make a sumptuous banquet of the most costly, complete, and -ceremonious character--all to make men wonder at the abundance and -perfection of the means of luxury which he could carry with him wherever -he might go. In fact, he always seemed to feel a special pleasure in doing -strange and extraordinary things in order to excite surprise. Once on a -journey he had lions harnessed to his carts to draw his baggage, in order -to create a sensation. - -Notwithstanding the heedlessness with which Antony abandoned himself to -these luxurious pleasures when at Rome, no man could endure exposure and -hardship better when in camp or on the field. In fact, he rushed with as -much headlong precipitation into difficulty and danger when abroad, as -into expense and dissipation when at home. During his contests with -Octavius and Lepidus, after Cæsar's death, he once had occasion to pass -the Alps, which, with his customary recklessness, he attempted to traverse -without any proper supplies of stores or means of transportation. He was -reduced, on the passage, together with the troops under his command, to -the most extreme destitution and distress. They had to feed on roots and -herbs, and finally on the bark of trees; and they barely preserved -themselves, by these means, from actual starvation. Antony seemed, -however, to care nothing for all this, but pressed on through the -difficulty and danger, manifesting the same daring and determined -unconcern to the end. In the same campaign he found himself at one time -reduced to extreme destitution in respect to men. His troops had been -gradually wasted away until his situation had become very desperate. He -conceived, under these circumstances, the most extraordinary idea of going -over alone to the camp of Lepidus and enticing away his rival's troops -from under the very eyes of their commander. This bold design was -successfully executed. Antony advanced alone, clothed in wretched -garments, and with his matted hair and beard hanging about his breast and -shoulders, up to Lepidus's lines. The men, who knew him well, received him -with acclamations; and pitying the sad condition to which they saw that he -was reduced, began to listen to what he had to say. Lepidus, who could not -attack him, since he and Antony were not at that time in open hostility to -each other, but were only rival commanders in the same army, ordered the -trumpeters to sound, in order to make a noise which should prevent the -words of Antony from being heard. This interrupted the negotiation; but -the men immediately disguised two of their number in female apparel, and -sent them to Antony to make arrangements with him for putting themselves -under his command, and offering, at the same time, to murder Lepidus, if -he would but speak the word. Antony charged them to do Lepidus no injury. -He, however, went over and took possession of the camp, and assumed the -command of the army. He treated Lepidus himself, personally, with extreme -politeness, and retained him as a subordinate under his command. - -Not far from the time of Cæsar's death, Antony was married. The name of -the lady was Fulvia. She was a widow at the time of her marriage with -Antony, and was a woman of very marked and decided character. She had led -a wild and irregular life previous to this time, but she conceived a very -strong attachment to her new husband, and devoted herself to him from the -time of her marriage with the most constant fidelity. She soon acquired a -very great ascendency over him, and was the means of effecting a very -considerable reform in his conduct and character. She was an ambitious and -aspiring woman, and made many very efficient and successful efforts to -promote the elevation and aggrandizement of her husband. She appeared, -also, to take a great pride and pleasure in exercising over him, herself, -a great personal control. She succeeded in these attempts in a manner that -surprised every body. It seemed astonishing to all mankind that such a -tiger as he had been could be subdued by any human power. Nor was it by -gentleness and mildness that Fulvia gained such power over her husband. -She was of a very stern and masculine character, and she seems to have -mastered Antony by surpassing him in the use of his own weapons. In fact, -instead of attempting to soothe and mollify him, she reduced him, it -seems, to the necessity of resorting to various contrivances to soften and -propitiate her. Once, for example, on his return from a campaign in which -he had been exposed to great dangers, he disguised himself and came home -at night in the garb of a courier bearing dispatches. He caused himself to -be ushered, muffled and disguised as he was, into Fulvia's apartments, -where he handed her some pretended letters, which, he said, were from her -husband; and while Fulvia was opening them in great excitement and -trepidation, he threw off his disguise, and revealed himself to her by -clasping her in his arms and kissing her in the midst of her amazement. - -Antony's marriage with Fulvia, besides being the means of reforming his -morals in some degree, softened and civilized him in respect to his -manners. His dress and appearance now assumed a different character. In -fact, his political elevation after Cæsar's death soon became very -exalted, and the various democratic arts by which he had sought to raise -himself to it, being now no longer necessary, were, as usual in such -cases, gradually discarded. He lived in great style and splendor when at -Rome, and when absent from home, on his military campaigns, he began to -exhibit the same pomp and parade in his equipage and in his arrangements -as were usual in the camps of other Roman generals. - -After the battle of Philippi, described in the last chapter, Antony--who, -with all his faults, was sometimes a very generous foe--as soon as the -tidings of Brutus's death were brought to him, repaired immediately to the -spot, and appeared to be quite shocked and concerned at the sight of the -body. He took off his own military cloak or mantle--which was a very -magnificent and costly garment, being enriched with many expensive -ornaments--and spread it over the corpse. He then gave directions to one -of the officers of his household to make arrangements for funeral -ceremonies of a very imposing character, as a testimony of his respect for -the memory of the deceased. In these ceremonies it was the duty of the -officer to have burned the military cloak which Antony had appropriated to -the purpose of a pall, with the body. He did not, however, do so. The -cloak being very valuable, he reserved it; and he withheld, also, a -considerable part of the money which had been given him for the expenses -of the funeral. He supposed that Antony would probably not inquire very -closely into the details of the arrangements made for the funeral of his -most inveterate enemy. Antony, however, did inquire into them, and when he -learned what the officer had done, he ordered him to be killed. - -The various political changes which occurred, and the movements which took -place among the several armies after the battle of Philippi, can not be -here detailed. It is sufficient to say that Antony proceeded to the -eastward through Asia Minor, and in the course of the following year came -into Cilicia. From this place he sent a messenger to Egypt to Cleopatra, -summoning her to appear before him. There were charges, he said, against -her, of having aided Cassius and Brutus in the late war instead of -rendering assistance to him. Whether there really were any such charges, -or whether they were only fabricated by Antony as pretexts for seeing -Cleopatra, the fame of whose beauty was very widely extended, does not -certainly appear. However this may be, he sent to summon the queen to come -to him. The name of the messenger whom Antony dispatched on this errand -was Dellius. Fulvia, Antony's wife, was not with him at this time. She had -been left behind at Rome. - -Dellius proceeded to Egypt and appeared at Cleopatra's court. The queen -was at this time about twenty-eight years old, but more beautiful, as was -said, than ever before. Dellius was very much struck with her beauty, and -with a certain fascination in her voice and conversation, of which her -ancient biographers often speak as one of the most irresistible of her -charms. He told her that she need have no fear of Antony. It was of no -consequence, he said, what charges there might be against her. She would -find that, in a very few days after she had entered into Antony's -presence, she would be in great favor. She might rely, in fact, he said, -on gaining, very speedily, an unbounded ascendency over the general. He -advised her, therefore, to proceed to Cilicia without fear, and to present -herself before Antony in as much pomp and magnificence as she could -command. He would answer, he said, for the result. - -Cleopatra determined to follow this advice. In fact, her ardent and -impulsive imagination was fired with the idea of making, a second time, -the conquest of the greatest general and highest potentate in the world. -She began immediately to make provision for the voyage. She employed all -the resources of her kingdom in procuring for herself the most magnificent -means of display, such as expensive and splendid dresses, rich services of -plate, ornaments of precious stones and of gold, and presents in great -variety and of the most costly description for Antony. She appointed, -also, a numerous retinue of attendants to accompany her, and, in a word, -made all the arrangements complete for an expedition of the most imposing -and magnificent character. While these preparations were going forward, -she received new and frequent communications from Antony, urging her to -hasten her departure; but she paid very little attention to them. It was -evident that she felt quite independent, and was intending to take her own -time. - -At length, however, all was ready, and Cleopatra set sail. She crossed the -Mediterranean Sea, and entered the mouth of the River Cydnus. Antony was -at Tarsus, a city upon the Cydnus, a small distance above its mouth. When -Cleopatra's fleet had entered the river, she embarked on board a most -magnificent barge which she had constructed for the occasion, and had -brought with her across the sea. This barge was the most magnificent and -highly-ornamented vessel that had ever been built. It was adorned with -carvings and decorations of the finest workmanship, and elaborately -gilded. The sails were of purple, and the oars were inlaid and tipped with -silver. Upon the deck of this barge Queen Cleopatra appeared, under a -canopy of cloth of gold. She was dressed very magnificently in the costume -in which Venus, the goddess of Beauty, was then generally represented. She -was surrounded by a company of beautiful boys, who attended upon her in -the form of Cupids, and fanned her with their wings, and by a group of -young girls representing the Nymphs and the Graces. There was a band of -musicians stationed upon the deck. This music guided the oarsmen, as they -kept time to it in their rowing; and, soft as the melody was, the strains -were heard far and wide over the water and along the shores, as the -beautiful vessel advanced on its way. The performers were provided with -flutes, lyres, viols, and all the other instruments customarily used in -those times to produce music of a gentle and voluptuous kind. - -In fact, the whole spectacle seemed like a vision of enchantment. Tidings -of the approach of the barge spread rapidly around, and the people of the -country came down in crowds to the shores of the river to gaze upon it in -admiration as it glided slowly along. At the time of its arrival at -Tarsus, Antony was engaged in giving a public audience at some tribunal in -his palace, but every body ran to see Cleopatra and the barge, and the -great triumvir was left consequently alone, or, at least, with only a few -official attendants near him. Cleopatra, on arriving at the city, landed, -and began to pitch her tents on the shores. Antony sent a messenger to bid -her welcome, and to invite her to come and sup with him. She declined the -invitation, saying that it was more proper that he should come and sup -with her. She would accordingly expect him to come, she said, and her -tents would be ready at the proper hour. Antony complied with her -proposal, and came to her entertainment. He was received with a -magnificence and splendor which amazed him. The tents and pavilions where -the entertainment was made were illuminated with an immense number of -lamps. These lamps were arranged in a very ingenious and beautiful manner, -so as to produce an illumination of the most surprising brilliancy and -beauty. The immense number and variety, too, of the meats and wines, and -of the vessels of gold and silver, with which the tables were loaded, and -the magnificence and splendor of the dresses worn by Cleopatra and her -attendants, combined to render the whole scene one of bewildering -enchantment. - -[Illustration: THE ENTERTAINMENTS AT TARSUS.] - -The next day, Antony invited Cleopatra to come and return his visit; but, -though he made every possible effort to provide a banquet as sumptuous and -as sumptuously served as hers, he failed entirely in this attempt, and -acknowledged himself completely outdone. Antony was, moreover, at these -interviews, perfectly fascinated with Cleopatra's charms. Her beauty, her -wit, her thousand accomplishments, and, above all, the tact, and -adroitness, and self-possession which she displayed in assuming at once -so boldly, and carrying out so adroitly, the idea of her social -superiority over him, that he yielded his heart almost immediately to her -undisputed sway. - -The first use which Cleopatra made of her power was to ask Antony, for her -sake, to order her sister Arsinoë to be slain. Arsinoë had gone, it will -be recollected, to Rome, to grace Cæsar's triumph there, and had afterward -retired to Asia, where she was now living an exile. Cleopatra, either from -a sentiment of past revenge, or else from some apprehensions of future -danger, now desired that her sister should die. Antony readily acceded to -her request. He sent an officer in search of the unhappy princess. The -officer slew her where he found her, within the precincts of a temple to -which she had fled, supposing it a sanctuary which no degree of hostility, -however extreme, would have dared to violate. - -Cleopatra remained at Tarsus for some time, revolving in an incessant -round of gayety and pleasure, and living in habits of unrestrained -intimacy with Antony. She was accustomed to spend whole days and nights -with him in feasting and revelry. The immense magnificence of these -entertainments, especially on Cleopatra's part, were the wonder of the -world. She seems to have taken special pleasure in exciting Antony's -surprise by the display of her wealth and the boundless extravagance in -which she indulged. At one of her banquets, Antony was expressing his -astonishment at the vast number of gold cups, enriched with jewels, that -were displayed on all sides. "Oh," said she, "they are nothing; if you -like them, you shall have them all." So saying, she ordered her servants -to carry them to Antony's house. The next day she invited Antony again, -with a large number of the chief officers of his army and court. The table -was spread with a new service of gold and silver vessels, more extensive -and splendid than that of the preceding day; and at the close of the -supper, when the company was about to depart, Cleopatra distributed all -these treasures among the guests that had been present at the -entertainment. At another of these feasts, she carried her ostentation and -display to the astonishing extreme of taking off from one of her ear-rings -a pearl of immense value and dissolving it in a cup of vinegar,[8] which -she afterward made into a drink, such as was customarily used in those -days, and then drank it. She was proceeding to do the same with the other -pearl, when some of the company arrested the proceeding, and took the -remaining pearl away. - -In the mean time, while Antony was thus wasting his time in luxury and -pleasure with Cleopatra, his public duties were neglected, and every thing -was getting into confusion. Fulvia remained in Italy. Her position and her -character gave her a commanding political influence, and she exerted -herself in a very energetic manner to sustain, in that quarter of the -world, the interests of her husband's cause. She was surrounded with -difficulties and dangers, the details of which can not, however, be here -particularly described. She wrote continually to Antony, urgently -entreating him to come to Rome, and displaying in her letters all those -marks of agitation and distress which a wife would naturally feel under -the circumstances in which she was placed. The thought that her husband -had been so completely drawn away from her by the guilty arts of such a -woman, and led by her to abandon his wife and his family, and leave in -neglect and confusion concerns of such momentous magnitude as those which -demanded his attention at home, produced an excitement in her mind -bordering upon phrensy. Antony was at length so far influenced by the -urgency of the case that he determined to return. He broke up his quarters -at Tarsus and moved south toward Tyre, which was a great naval port and -station in those days. Cleopatra went with him. They were to separate at -Tyre. She was to embark there for Egypt, and he for Rome. - -At least that was Antony's plan, but it was not Cleopatra's. She had -determined that Antony should go with her to Alexandria. As might have -been expected, when the time came for the decision, the woman gained the -day. Her flatteries, her arts, her caresses, her tears, prevailed. After a -brief struggle between the sentiment of love on the one hand and those of -ambition and of duty combined on the other, Antony gave up the contest. -Abandoning every thing else, he surrendered himself wholly to Cleopatra's -control, and went with her to Alexandria. He spent the winter there, -giving himself up with her to every species of sensual indulgence that the -most remorseless license could tolerate, and the most unbounded wealth -procure. - -There seemed, in fact, to be no bounds to the extravagance and infatuation -which Antony displayed during the winter in Alexandria. Cleopatra devoted -herself to him incessantly, day and night, filling up every moment of time -with some new form of pleasure, in order that he might have no time to -think of his absent wife, or to listen to the reproaches of his -conscience. Antony, on his part, surrendered himself a willing victim to -these wiles, and entered with all his heart into the thousand plans of -gayety and merry-making which Cleopatra devised. They had each a separate -establishment in the city, which was maintained at an enormous cost, and -they made a regular arrangement by which each was the guest of the other -on alternate days. These visits were spent in games, sports, spectacles, -feasting, drinking, and in every species of riot, irregularity, and -excess. - -A curious instance is afforded of the accidental manner in which -intelligence in respect to the scenes and incidents of private life in -those ancient days is sometimes obtained, in a circumstance which occurred -at this time at Antony's court. It seems that there was a young medical -student at Alexandria that winter, named Philotas, who happened, in some -way or other, to have formed an acquaintance with one of Antony's -domestics, a cook. Under the guidance of this cook, Philotas went one day -into the palace to see what was to be seen. The cook took his friend into -the kitchens, where, to Philotas's great surprise, he saw, among an -infinite number and variety of other preparations, eight wild boars -roasting before the fires, some being more and some less advanced in the -process. Philotas asked what great company was to dine there that day. The -cook smiled at this question, and replied that there was to be no company -at all, other than Antony's ordinary party. "But," said the cook, in -explanation, "we are obliged always to prepare several suppers, and to -have them ready in succession at different hours, for no one can tell at -what time they will order the entertainment to be served. Sometimes, when -the supper has been actually carried in, Antony and Cleopatra will get -engaged in some new turn of their diversions, and conclude not to sit down -just then to the table, and so we have to take the supper away, and -presently bring in another." - -Antony had a son with him at Alexandria at this time, the child of his -wife Fulvia. The name of the son, as well as that of the father, was -Antony. He was old enough to feel some sense of shame at his father's -dereliction from duty, and to manifest some respectful regard for the -rights and the honor of his mother. Instead of this, however, he imitated -his father's example, and, in his own way, was as reckless and as -extravagant as he. The same Philotas who is above referred to was, after a -time, appointed to some office or other in the young Antony's household, -so that he was accustomed to sit at his table and share in his convivial -enjoyments. He relates that once, while they were feasting together, there -was a guest present, a physician, who was a very vain and conceited man, -and so talkative that no one else had any opportunity to speak. All the -pleasure of conversation was spoiled by his excessive garrulity. Philotas, -however, at length puzzled him so completely with a question of logic--of -a kind similar to those often discussed with great interest in ancient -days--as to silence him for a time; and young Antony was so much delighted -with this feat, that he gave Philotas all the gold and silver plate that -there was upon the table, and sent all the articles home to him, after the -entertainment was over, telling him to put his mark and stamp upon them, -and lock them up. - -The question with which Philotas puzzled the self-conceited physician was -this. It must be premised, however, that in those days it was considered -that cold water in an intermittent fever was extremely dangerous, except -in some peculiar cases, and in those the effect was good. Philotas then -argued as follows: "In cases of a certain kind it is best to give water to -a patient in an ague. All cases of ague are cases of a certain kind. -Therefore it is best in all cases to give the patient water." Philotas -having propounded his argument in this way, challenged the physician to -point out the fallacy of it; and while the physician sat perplexed and -puzzled in his attempts to unravel the intricacy of it, the company -enjoyed a temporary respite from his excessive loquacity. - -Philotas adds, in his account of this affair, that he sent the gold and -silver plate back to young Antony again, being afraid to keep them. Antony -said that perhaps it was as well that this should be done, since many of -the vessels were of great value on account of their rare and antique -workmanship, and his father might possibly miss them and wish to know what -had become of them. - -As there were no limits, on the one hand, to the loftiness and grandeur -of the pleasures to which Antony and Cleopatra addicted themselves, so -there were none to the low and debasing tendencies which characterized -them on the other. Sometimes, at midnight, after having been spending many -hours in mirth and revelry in the palace, Antony would disguise himself in -the dress of a slave, and sally forth into the streets, excited with wine, -in search of adventures. In many cases, Cleopatra herself, similarly -disguised, would go out with him. On these excursions Antony would take -pleasure in involving himself in all sorts of difficulties and dangers--in -street riots, drunken brawls, and desperate quarrels with the -populace--all for Cleopatra's amusement and his own. Stories of these -adventures would circulate afterward among the people, some of whom would -admire the free and jovial character of their eccentric visitor, and -others would despise him as a prince degrading himself to the level of a -brute. - -Some of the amusements and pleasures which Antony and Cleopatra pursued -were innocent in themselves, though wholly unworthy to be made the serious -business of life by personages on whom such exalted duties rightfully -devolved. They made various excursions upon the Nile, and arranged -parties of pleasure to go out on the water in the harbor, and to various -rural retreats in the environs of the city. Once they went out on a -fishing-party, in boats, in the port. Antony was unsuccessful; and feeling -chagrined that Cleopatra should witness his ill luck, he made a secret -arrangement with some of the fishermen to dive down, where they could do -so unobserved, and fasten fishes to his hook under the water. By this plan -he caught very large and fine fish very fast. Cleopatra, however, was too -wary to be easily deceived by such a stratagem as this. She observed the -maneuver, but pretended not to observe it; she expressed, on the other -hand, the greatest surprise and delight at Antony's good luck, and the -extraordinary skill which it indicated. - -The next day she wished to go a fishing again, and a party was accordingly -made as on the day before. She had, however, secretly instructed another -fisherman to procure a dried and salted fish from the market, and, -watching his opportunity, to get down into the water under the boats and -attach it to the hook, before Antony's divers could get there. This plan -succeeded, and Antony, in the midst of a large and gay party that were -looking on, pulled out an excellent fish, cured and dried, such as was -known to every one as an imported article, bought in the market. It was a -fish of a kind that was brought originally from Asia Minor. The boats, and -the water all around them, resounded with the shouts of merriment and -laughter which this incident occasioned. - - * * * * * - -In the mean time, while Antony was thus spending his time in low and -ignoble pursuits and in guilty pleasures at Alexandria, his wife Fulvia, -after exhausting all other means of inducing her husband to return to her, -became desperate, and took measures for fomenting an open war, which she -thought would compel him to return. The extraordinary energy, influence, -and talent which Fulvia possessed, enabled her to do this in an effectual -manner. She organized an army, formed a camp, placed herself at the head -of the troops, and sent such tidings to Antony of the dangers which -threatened his cause as greatly alarmed him. At the same time news came of -great disasters in Asia Minor, and of alarming insurrections among the -provinces which had been committed to his charge there. Antony saw that he -must arouse himself from the spell which had enchanted him and break away -from Cleopatra, or that he would be wholly and irretrievably ruined. He -made, accordingly, a desperate effort to get free. He bade the queen -farewell, embarked hastily in a fleet of galleys, and sailed away to Tyre, -leaving Cleopatra in her palace, vexed, disappointed, and chagrined. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM. - - -Cleopatra, in parting with Antony as described in the last chapter, lost -him for two or three years. During this time Antony himself was involved -in a great variety of difficulties and dangers, and passed through many -eventful scenes, which, however, can not here be described in detail. His -life, during this period, was full of vicissitude and excitement, and was -spent probably in alternations of remorse for the past and anxiety for the -future. On landing at Tyre, he was at first extremely perplexed whether to -go to Asia Minor or to Rome. His presence was imperiously demanded in both -places. The war which Fulvia had fomented was caused, in part, by the -rivalry of Octavius, and the collision of his interests with those of her -husband. Antony was very angry with her for having managed his affairs in -such a way as to bring about a war. After a time Antony and Fulvia met at -Athens. Fulvia had retreated to that city, and was very seriously sick -there, either from bodily disease, or from the influence of long-continued -anxiety, vexation, and distress. They had a stormy meeting. Neither party -was disposed to exercise any mercy toward the other. Antony left his wife -rudely and roughly, after loading her with reproaches. A short time -afterward, she sank down in sorrow to the grave. - -The death of Fulvia was an event which proved to be of advantage to -Antony. It opened the way to a reconciliation between him and Octavius. -Fulvia had been extremely active in opposing Octavius's designs, and in -organizing plans for resisting him. He felt, therefore, a special -hostility against her, and, through her, against Antony. Now, however, -that she was dead, the way seemed to be in some sense opened for a -reconciliation. - -Octavius had a sister, Octavia, who had been the wife of a Roman general -named Marcellus. She was a very beautiful and a very accomplished woman, -and of a spirit very different from that of Fulvia. She was gentle, -affectionate, and kind, a lover of peace and harmony, and not at all -disposed, like Fulvia, to assert and maintain her influence over others by -an overbearing and violent demeanor. Octavia's husband died about this -time, and, in the course of the movements and negotiations between Antony -and Octavius, the plan was proposed of a marriage between Antony and -Octavia, which, it was thought, would ratify and confirm the -reconciliation. This proposal was finally agreed upon. Antony was glad to -find so easy a mode of settling his difficulties. The people of Rome, too, -and the authorities there, knowing that the peace of the world depended -upon the terms on which these two men stood with regard to each other, -were extremely desirous that this arrangement should be carried into -effect. There was a law of the commonwealth forbidding the marriage of a -widow within a specified period after the death of her husband. That -period had not, in Octavia's case, yet expired. There was, however, so -strong a desire that no obstacle should be allowed to prevent this -proposed union, or even to occasion delay, that the law was altered -expressly for this case, and Antony and Octavia were married. The empire -was divided between Octavius and Antony, Octavius receiving the western -portion as his share, while the eastern was assigned to Antony. - -It is not probable that Antony felt any very strong affection for his new -wife, beautiful and gentle as she was. A man, in fact, who had led such a -life as his had been, must have become by this time incapable of any -strong and pure attachment. He, however, was pleased with the novelty of -his acquisition, and seemed to forget for a time the loss of Cleopatra. He -remained with Octavia a year. After that he went away on certain military -enterprises which kept him some time from her. He returned again, and -again he went away. All this time Octavia's influence over him and over -her brother was of the most salutary and excellent character. She soothed -their animosities, quieted their suspicions and jealousies, and at one -time, when they were on the brink of open war, she effected a -reconciliation between them by the most courageous and energetic, and at -the same time, gentle and unassuming efforts. At the time of this danger -she was with her husband in Greece; but she persuaded him to send her to -her brother at Rome, saying that she was confident that she could arrange -a settlement of the difficulties impending. Antony allowed her to go. She -proceeded to Rome, and procured an interview with her brother in the -presence of his two principal officers of state. Here she pleaded her -husband's cause with tears in her eyes; she defended his conduct, -explained what seemed to be against him, and entreated her brother not to -take such a course as should cast her down from being the happiest of -women to being the most miserable. "Consider the circumstances of my -case," said she. "The eyes of the world are upon me. Of the two most -powerful men in the world, I am the wife of one and the sister of another. -If you allow rash counsels to go on and war to ensue, I am hopelessly -ruined; for, whichever is conquered, my husband or my brother, my own -happiness will be for ever gone." - -Octavius sincerely loved his sister, and he was so far softened by her -entreaties that he consented to appoint an interview with Antony in order -to see if their difficulties could be settled. This interview was -accordingly held. The two generals came to a river, where, at the opposite -banks, each embarked in a boat, and, being rowed out toward each other, -they met in the middle of the stream. A conference ensued, at which all -the questions at issue were, for a time at least, very happily arranged. - -Antony, however, after a time, began to become tired of his wife, and to -sigh for Cleopatra once more. He left Octavia at Rome and proceeded to -the eastward, under pretense of attending to the affairs of that portion -of the empire; but, instead of doing this, he went to Alexandria, and -there renewed again his former intimacy with the Egyptian queen. - -Octavius was very indignant at this. His former hostility to Antony, which -had been in a measure appeased by the kind influence of Octavia, now broke -forth anew, and was heightened by the feeling of resentment naturally -awakened by his sister's wrongs. Public sentiment in Rome, too, was -setting very strongly against Antony. Lampoons were written against him to -ridicule him and Cleopatra, and the most decided censures were passed upon -his conduct. Octavia was universally beloved, and the sympathy which was -every where felt for her increased and heightened very much the popular -indignation which was felt against the man who could wrong so deeply such -sweetness, and gentleness, and affectionate fidelity as hers. - -After remaining for some time in Alexandria, and renewing his connection -and intimacy with Cleopatra, Antony went away again, crossing the sea into -Asia, with the intention of prosecuting certain military undertakings -there which imperiously demanded his attention. His plan was to return as -soon as possible to Egypt after the object of his expedition should be -accomplished. He found, however, that he could not bear even a temporary -absence from Cleopatra. His mind dwelled so much upon her, and upon the -pleasures which he had enjoyed with her in Egypt, and he longed so much to -see her again, that he was wholly unfit for the discharge of his duties in -the camp. He became timid, inefficient, and remiss, and almost every thing -that he undertook ended disastrously. The army, who understood perfectly -well the reason of their commander's remissness and consequent ill -fortune, were extremely indignant at his conduct, and the camp was filled -with suppressed murmurs and complaints. Antony, however, like other -persons in his situation, was blind to all these indications of -dissatisfaction; probably he would have disregarded them if he had -observed them. At length, finding that he could bear his absence from his -mistress no longer, he set out to march across the country, in the depth -of the winter, to the sea-shore, to a point where he had sent for -Cleopatra to come to join him. The army endured incredible hardships and -exposures in this march. When Antony had once commenced the journey, he -was so impatient to get forward that he compelled his troops to advance -with a rapidity greater than their strength would bear. They were, -besides, not provided with proper tents or with proper supplies of -provision. They were often obliged, therefore, after a long and fatiguing -march during the day, to bivouac at night in the open air among the -mountains, with scanty means of appeasing their hunger, and very little -shelter from the cold rain, or from the storms of driving snow. Eight -thousand men died on this march, from cold, fatigue, and exposure; a -greater sacrifice, perhaps, than had ever been made before to the mere -ardor and impatience of a lover. - -When Antony reached the shore, he advanced to a certain sea-port, near -Sidon, where Cleopatra was to land. At the time of his arrival but a small -part of his army was left, and the few men that survived were in a -miserably destitute condition. Antony's eagerness to see Cleopatra became -more and more excited as the time drew nigh. She did not come so soon as -he had expected, and during the delay he seemed to pine away under the -influence of love and sorrow. He was silent, absent-minded, and sad. He -had no thoughts for any thing but the coming of Cleopatra, and felt no -interest in any other plans. He watched for her incessantly, and would -sometimes leave his place at the table, in the midst of the supper, and go -down alone to the shore, where he would stand gazing out upon the sea, and -saying mournfully to himself, "Why does not she come?" The animosity and -the ridicule which these things awakened against him, on the part of the -army, were extreme; but he was so utterly infatuated that he disregarded -all the manifestations of public sentiment around him, and continued to -allow his mind to be wholly engrossed with the single idea of Cleopatra's -coming. - -She arrived at last. She brought a great supply of clothes and other -necessaries for the use of Antony's army, so that her coming not only -gratified his love, but afforded him, also, a very essential relief, in -respect to the military difficulties in which he was involved. - -After some time spent in the enjoyment of the pleasure which being thus -reunited to Cleopatra afforded him, Antony began again to think of the -affairs of his government, which every month more and more imperiously -demanded his attention. He began to receive urgent calls from various -quarters, urging him to action. In the mean time, Octavia--who had been -all this while waiting in distress and anxiety at Rome, hearing -continually the most gloomy accounts of her husband's affairs, and the -most humiliating tidings in respect to his infatuated devotion to -Cleopatra--resolved to make one more effort to save him. She interceded -with her brother to allow her to raise troops and to collect supplies, and -then proceed to the eastward to re-enforce him. Octavius consented to -this. He, in fact, assisted Octavia in making her preparations. It is -said, however, that he was influenced in this plan by his confident belief -that this noble attempt of his sister to reclaim her husband would fail, -and that, by the failure of it, Antony would be put in the wrong, in the -estimation of the Roman people, more absolutely and hopelessly than ever, -and that the way would thus be prepared for his complete and final -destruction. - -Octavia was rejoiced to obtain her brother's aid to her undertaking, -whatever the motive might be which induced him to afford it. She -accordingly levied a considerable body of troops, raised a large sum of -money, provided clothes, and tents, and military stores for the army; and -when all was ready, she left Italy and put to sea, having previously -dispatched a messenger to her husband to inform him that she was coming. - -Cleopatra began now to be afraid that she was to lose Antony again, and -she at once began to resort to the usual artifices employed in such cases, -in order to retain her power over him. She said nothing, but assumed the -appearance of one pining under the influence of some secret suffering or -sorrow. She contrived to be often surprised in tears. In such cases she -would hastily brush her tears away, and assume a countenance of smiles and -good humor, as if making every effort to be happy, though really oppressed -with a heavy burden of anxiety and grief. When Antony was near her she -would seem overjoyed at his presence, and gaze upon him with an expression -of the most devoted fondness. When absent from him, she spent her time -alone, always silent and dejected, and often in tears; and she took care -that the secret sorrows and sufferings that she endured should be duly -made known to Antony, and that he should understand that they were all -occasioned by her love for him, and by the danger which she apprehended -that he was about to leave her. - -The friends and secret agents of Cleopatra, who reported these things to -Antony, made, moreover, direct representations to him, for the purpose of -inclining his mind in her favor. They had, in fact, the astonishing -audacity to argue that Cleopatra's claims upon Antony for a continuance of -his love were paramount to those of Octavia. She, that is, Octavia, had -been his wife, they said, only for a very short time. Cleopatra had been -most devotedly attached to him for many years. Octavia was married to him, -they alleged, not under the impulse of love, but from political -considerations alone, to please her brother, and to ratify and confirm a -political league made with him. Cleopatra, on the other hand, had given -herself up to him in the most absolute and unconditional manner, under the -influence solely of a personal affection which she could not control. She -had surrendered and sacrificed every thing to him. For him she had lost -her good name, alienated the affections of her subjects, made herself the -object of reproach and censure to all mankind, and now she had left her -native land to come and join him in his adverse fortunes. Considering how -much she had done, and suffered, and sacrificed for his sake, it would be -extreme and unjustifiable cruelty in him to forsake her now. She never -would survive such an abandonment. Her whole soul was so wrapped up in -him, that she would pine away and die if he were now to forsake her. - -Antony was distressed and agitated beyond measure by the entanglements in -which he found that he was involved. His duty, his inclination perhaps, -certainly his ambition, and every dictate of prudence and policy, required -that he should break away from these snares at once and go to meet -Octavia. But the spell that bound him was too mighty to be dissolved. He -yielded to Cleopatra's sorrows and tears. He dispatched a messenger to -Octavia, who had by this time reached Athens, in Greece, directing her not -to come any farther. Octavia, who seemed incapable of resentment or anger -against her husband, sent back to ask what she should do with the troops, -and money, and the military stores which she was bringing. Antony directed -her to leave them in Greece. Octavia did so, and mournfully returned to -her home. - -As soon as she arrived at Rome, Octavius, her brother, whose indignation -was now thoroughly aroused at the baseness of Antony, sent to his sister -to say that she must leave Antony's house and come to him. A proper -self-respect, he said, forbade her remaining any longer under the roof of -such a man. Octavia replied that she would not leave her husband's house. -That house was her post of duty, whatever her husband might do, and there -she would remain. She accordingly retired within the precincts of her old -home, and devoted herself in patient and uncomplaining sorrow to the care -of the family and the children. Among these children was one young son of -Antony's, born during his marriage with her predecessor Fulvia. In the -mean time, while Octavia was thus faithfully though mournfully fulfilling -her duties as wife and mother, in her husband's house at Rome, Antony -himself had gone with Cleopatra to Alexandria, and was abandoning himself -once more to a life of guilty pleasure there. The greatness of mind which -this beautiful and devoted wife thus displayed, attracted the admiration -of all mankind. It produced, however, one other effect, which Octavia must -have greatly deprecated. It aroused a strong and universal feeling of -indignation against the unworthy object toward whom this extraordinary -magnanimity was displayed. - -In the mean time, Antony gave himself up wholly to Cleopatra's influence -and control, and managed all the affairs of the Roman empire in the East -in the way best fitted to promote her aggrandizement and honor. He made -Alexandria his capital, celebrated triumphs there, arranged ostentatious -expeditions into Asia and Syria with Cleopatra and her train, gave her -whole provinces as presents, and exalted her two sons, Alexander and -Ptolemy, children born during the period of his first acquaintance with -her, to positions of the highest rank and station, as his own acknowledged -sons. The consequences of these and similar measures at Rome were fatal to -Antony's character and standing. Octavius reported every thing to the -Roman senate and people, and made Antony's misgovernment and his various -misdemeanors the ground of the heaviest accusations against him. Antony, -hearing of these things, sent his agents to Rome and made accusations -against Octavius; but these counter accusations were of no avail. Public -sentiment was very strong and decided against him at the capital, and -Octavius began to prepare for war. - -Antony perceived that he must prepare to defend himself. Cleopatra entered -into the plans which he formed for this purpose with great ardor. Antony -began to levy troops, and collect and equip galleys and ships of war, and -to make requisitions of money and military stores from all the eastern -provinces and kingdoms. Cleopatra put all the resources of Egypt at his -disposal. She furnished him with immense sums of money, and with an -inexhaustible supply of corn, which she procured for this purpose from her -dominions in the valley of the Nile. The various divisions of the immense -armament which was thus provided for were ordered to rendezvous at -Ephesus, where Antony and Cleopatra were awaiting to receive them, having -proceeded there when their arrangements in Egypt were completed, and they -were ready to commence the campaign. - -When all was ready for the expedition to set sail from Ephesus, it was -Antony's judgment that it would be best for Cleopatra to return to Egypt, -and leave him to go forth with the fleet to meet Octavius alone. Cleopatra -was, however, determined not to go away. She did not dare to leave Antony -at all to himself, for fear that in some way or other a peace would be -effected between himself and Octavius, which would result in his returning -to Octavia and abandoning _her_. She accordingly contrived to persuade -Antony to retain her with him, by bribing his chief counselor to advise -him to do so. His counselor's name was Canidius. Canidius, having received -Cleopatra's money, while yet he pretended to be wholly disinterested in -his advice, represented to Antony that it would not be reasonable to send -Cleopatra away, and deprive her of all participation in the glory of the -war, when she was defraying so large a part of the expense of it. Besides, -a large portion of the army consisted of Egyptian troops, who would feel -discouraged and disheartened if Cleopatra were to leave them, and would -probably act far less efficiently in the conflict than they would do if -animated by the presence of their queen. Then, moreover, such a woman as -Cleopatra was not to be considered, as many women would be, an -embarrassment and a source of care to a military expedition which she -might join, but a very efficient counselor and aid to it. She was, he -said, a very sagacious, energetic, and powerful queen, accustomed to the -command of armies and to the management of affairs of state, and her aid -in the conduct of the expedition might be expected to conduce very -materially to its success. - -Antony was easily won by such persuasions as these, and it was at length -decided that Cleopatra should accompany him. - -Antony then ordered the fleet to move forward to the island of Samos.[9] -Here it was brought to anchor and remained for some time, waiting for the -coming in of new re-enforcements, and for the completion of the other -arrangements. Antony, as if becoming more and more infatuated as he -approached the brink of his ruin, spent his time while the expedition -remained at Samos, not in maturing his plans and perfecting his -arrangements for the tremendous conflict which was approaching, but in -festivities, games, revelings, and every species of riot and dissolute -excess. This, however, is not surprising. Men almost always, when in a -situation analogous to his, fly to similar means of protecting themselves, -in some small degree, from the pangs of remorse, and from the forebodings -which stand ready to terrify and torment them at every instant in which -these gloomy specters are not driven away by intoxication and revelry. At -least Antony found it so. Accordingly, an immense company of players, -tumblers, fools, jesters, and mountebanks were ordered to assemble at -Samos, and to devote themselves with all zeal to the amusement of -Antony's court. The island was one universal scene of riot and revelry. -People were astonished at such celebrations and displays, wholly -unsuitable, as they considered them, to the occasion. If such are the -rejoicings, said they, which Antony celebrates before going into the -battle, what festivities will he contrive on his return, joyous enough to -express his pleasure if he shall gain the victory? - -After a time, Antony and Cleopatra, with a magnificent train of -attendants, left Samos, and, passing across the Ægean Sea, landed in -Greece, and advanced to Athens; while the fleet, proceeding westward from -Samos, passed around Tænarus, the southern promontory of Greece, and then -moved northward along the western coast of the peninsula. Cleopatra wished -to go to Athens for a special reason. It was there that Octavia had -stopped on her journey toward her husband with re-enforcements and aid; -and while she was there, the people of Athens, pitying her sad condition, -and admiring the noble spirit of mind which she displayed in her -misfortunes, had paid her great attention, and during her stay among them -had bestowed upon her many honors. Cleopatra now wished to go to the same -place, and to triumph over her rival there, by making so great a display -of her wealth and magnificence, and of her ascendency over the mind of -Antony, as should entirely transcend and outshine the more unassuming -pretensions of Octavia. She was not willing, it seems, to leave to the -unhappy wife whom she had so cruelly wronged even the possession of a -place in the hearts of the people of this foreign city, but must go and -enviously strive to efface the impression which injured innocence had -made, by an ostentatious exhibition of the triumphant prosperity of her -own shameless wickedness. She succeeded well in her plans. The people of -Athens were amazed and bewildered at the immense magnificence that -Cleopatra exhibited before them. She distributed vast sums of money among -the people. The city, in return, decreed to her the most exalted honors. -They sent a solemn embassy to her to present her with these decrees. -Antony himself, in the character of a citizen of Athens, was one of the -embassadors. Cleopatra received the deputation at her palace. The -reception was attended with the most splendid and imposing ceremonies. - -One would have supposed that Cleopatra's cruel and unnatural hostility to -Octavia might now have been satisfied; but it was not. Antony, while he -was at Athens, and doubtless at Cleopatra's instigation, sent a messenger -to Rome with a notice of divorcement to Octavia, and with an order that -she should leave his house. Octavia obeyed. She went forth from her home, -taking the children with her, and bitterly lamenting her cruel destiny. - -In the mean time, while all these events had been transpiring in the East, -Octavius had been making his preparations for the coming crisis, and was -now advancing with a powerful fleet across the sea. He was armed with -authority from the Roman senate and people, for he had obtained from them -a decree deposing Antony from his power. The charges made against him all -related to misdemeanors and offenses arising out of his connection with -Cleopatra. Octavius contrived to get possession of a will which Antony had -written before leaving Rome, and which he had placed there in what he -supposed a very sacred place of deposit. The custodians who had it in -charge replied to Octavius, when he demanded it, that they would not give -it to him, but if he wished to take it they would not hinder him. Octavius -then took the will, and read it to the Roman senate. It provided, among -other things, that at his death, if his death should happen at Rome, his -body should be sent to Alexandria to be given to Cleopatra; and it evinced -in other ways a degree of subserviency and devotedness to the Egyptian -queen which was considered wholly unworthy of a Roman chief magistrate. -Antony was accused, too, of having plundered cities and provinces to make -presents to Cleopatra; of having sent a library of two hundred thousand -volumes to her from Pergamus, to replace the one which Julius Cæsar had -accidentally burned; of having raised her sons, ignoble as their birth -was, to high places of trust and power in the Roman government, and of -having in many ways compromised the dignity of a Roman officer by his -unworthy conduct in reference to her. He used, for example, when presiding -at a judicial tribunal, to receive love-letters sent him from Cleopatra, -and then at once turn off his attention from the proceedings going forward -before him to read the letters.[10] Sometimes he did this when sitting in -the chair of state, giving audience to embassadors and princes. Cleopatra -probably sent these letters in at such times under the influence of a -wanton disposition to show her power. At one time, as Octavius said in his -arguments before the Roman senate, Antony was hearing a cause of the -greatest importance, and during a time in the progress of the cause when -one of the principal orators of the city was addressing him, Cleopatra -came passing by, when Antony suddenly arose, and, leaving the court -without any ceremony, ran out to follow her. These and a thousand similar -tales exhibited Antony in so odious a light, that his friends forsook his -cause, and his enemies gained a complete triumph. The decree was passed -against him, and Octavius was authorized to carry it into effect; and -accordingly, while Antony, with his fleet and army, was moving westward -from Samos and the Ægean Sea, Octavius was coming eastward and southward -down the Adriatic to meet him. - -In process of time, after various maneuvers and delays, the two armaments -came into the vicinity of each other at a place called Actium, which will -be found upon the map on the western coast of Epirus, north of Greece. -Both of the commanders had powerful fleets at sea, and both had great -armies upon the land. Antony was strongest in land troops, but his fleet -was inferior to that of Octavius, and he was himself inclined to remain on -the land and fight the principal battle there. But Cleopatra would not -consent to this. She urged him to give Octavius battle at sea. The motive -which induced her to do this has been supposed to be her wish to provide a -more sure way of escape in case of an unfavorable issue to the conflict. -She thought that in her galleys she could make sail at once across the sea -to Alexandria in case of defeat, whereas she knew not what would become of -her if beaten at the head of an army on the land. The ablest counselors -and chief officers in the army urged Antony very strongly not to trust -himself to the sea. To all their arguments and remonstrances, however, -Antony turned a deaf ear. Cleopatra must be allowed to have her way. - -On the morning of the battle, when the ships were drawn up in array, -Cleopatra held the command of a division of fifty or sixty Egyptian -vessels, which were all completely manned, and well equipped with masts -and sails. She took good care to have every thing in perfect order for -flight, in case flight should prove to be necessary. With these ships she -took a station in reserve, and for a time remained there a quiet witness -of the battle. The ships of Octavius advanced to the attack of those of -Antony, and the men fought from deck to deck with spears, boarding-pikes, -flaming darts, and every other destructive missile which the military art -had then devised. Antony's ships had to contend against great -disadvantages. They were not only outnumbered by those of Octavius, but -were far surpassed by them in the efficiency with which they were manned -and armed. Still, it was a very obstinate conflict. Cleopatra, however, -did not wait to see how it was to be finally decided. As Antony's forces -did not immediately gain the victory, she soon began to yield to her fears -in respect to the result, and, finally, fell into a panic and resolved to -fly. She ordered the oars to be manned and the sails to be hoisted, and -then forcing her way through a portion of the fleet that was engaged in -the contest, and throwing the vessels into confusion as she passed, she -succeeded in getting to sea, and then pressed on, under full sail, down -the coast to the southward. Antony, as soon as he perceived that she was -going, abandoning every other thought, and impelled by his insane -devotedness to her, hastily called up a galley of five banks of oars, and, -leaping on board of it, ordered the oarsmen to pull with all their force -after Cleopatra's flying squadron. - -Cleopatra, looking back from the deck of her vessel, saw this swift galley -pressing on toward her. She raised a signal at the stern of the vessel -which she was in, that Antony might know for which of the fifty flying -ships he was to steer. Guided by the signal, Antony came up to the vessel, -and the sailors hoisted him up the side and helped him in. Cleopatra had, -however, disappeared. Overcome with shame and confusion, she did not dare, -it seems, to meet the look of the wretched victim of her arts whom she had -now irretrievably ruined. Antony did not seek her. He did not speak a -word. He went forward to the prow of the ship, and, throwing himself down -there alone, pressed his head between his hands, and seemed stunned and -stupefied, and utterly overwhelmed with horror and despair. - -He was, however, soon aroused from his stupor by an alarm raised on board -his galley that they were pursued. He rose from his seat, seized a spear, -and, on ascending to the quarter-deck, saw that there were a number of -small light boats, full of men and of arms, coming up behind them, and -gaining rapidly upon his galley. Antony, now free for a moment from his -enchantress's sway, and acting under the impulse of his own indomitable -boldness and decision, instead of urging the oarsmen to press forward more -rapidly in order to make good their escape, ordered the helm to be put -about, and thus, turning the galley around, he faced his pursuers, and -drove his ship into the midst of them. A violent conflict ensued, the din -and confusion of which was increased by the shocks and collisions between -the boats and the galley. In the end, the boats were beaten off, all -excepting one: that one kept still hovering near, and the commander of it, -who stood upon the deck, poising his spear with an aim at Antony, and -seeking eagerly an opportunity to throw it, seemed by his attitude and the -expression of his countenance to be animated by some peculiarly bitter -feeling of hostility and hate. Antony asked him who he was, that dared so -fiercely to threaten _him_. The man replied by giving his name, and saying -that he came to avenge the death of his father. It proved that he was the -son of a man whom Antony had at a previous time, on some account or -other, caused to be beheaded. - -There followed an obstinate contest between Antony and this fierce -assailant, in the end of which the latter was beaten off. The boats then, -having succeeded in making some prizes from Antony's fleet, though they -had failed in capturing Antony himself, gave up the pursuit and returned. -Antony then went back to his place, sat down in the prow, buried his face -in his hands, and sank into the same condition of hopeless distress and -anguish as before. - -When husband and wife are overwhelmed with misfortune and suffering, each -instinctively seeks a refuge in the sympathy and support of the other. It -is, however, far otherwise with such connections as that of Antony and -Cleopatra. Conscience, which remains calm and quiet in prosperity and -sunshine, rises up with sudden and unexpected violence as soon as the hour -of calamity comes; and thus, instead of mutual comfort and help, each -finds in the thoughts of the other only the means of adding the horrors of -remorse to the anguish of disappointment and despair. So extreme was -Antony's distress, that for three days he and Cleopatra neither saw nor -spoke to each other. She was overwhelmed with confusion and chagrin, and -he was in such a condition of mental excitement that she did not dare to -approach him. In a word, reason seemed to have wholly lost its sway--his -mind, in the alternations of his insanity, rising sometimes to fearful -excitement, in paroxysms of uncontrollable rage, and then sinking again -for a time into the stupor of despair. - -In the mean time, the ships were passing down as rapidly as possible on -the western coast of Greece. When they reached Tænarus, the southern -promontory of the peninsula, it was necessary to pause and consider what -was to be done. Cleopatra's women went to Antony and attempted to quiet -and calm him. They brought him food. They persuaded him to see Cleopatra. -A great number of merchant ships from the ports along the coast gathered -around Antony's little fleet and offered their services. His cause, they -said, was by no means desperate. The army on the land had not been beaten. -It was not even certain that his fleet had been conquered. They endeavored -thus to revive the ruined commander's sinking courage, and to urge him to -make a new effort to retrieve his fortunes. But all was in vain. Antony -was sunk in a hopeless despondency. Cleopatra was determined on going to -Egypt, and he must go too. He distributed what treasure remained at his -disposal among his immediate followers and friends, and gave them advice -about the means of concealing themselves until they could make peace with -Octavius. Then, giving up all as lost, he followed Cleopatra across the -sea to Alexandria. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE END OF CLEOPATRA. - - -The case of Mark Antony affords one of the most extraordinary examples of -the power of unlawful love to lead its deluded and infatuated victim into -the very jaws of open and recognized destruction that history records. -Cases similar in character occur by thousands in common life; but -Antony's, though perhaps not more striking in itself than a great -multitude of others have been, is the most conspicuous instance that has -ever been held up to the observation of mankind. - -In early life, Antony was remarkable, as we have already seen, for a -certain savage ruggedness of character, and for a stern and indomitable -recklessness of will, so great that it seemed impossible that any thing -human should be able to tame him. He was under the control, too, of an -ambition so lofty and aspiring that it appeared to know no bounds; and yet -we find him taken possession of, in the very midst of his career, and in -the height of his prosperity and success, by a woman, and so subdued by -her arts and fascinations as to yield himself wholly to her guidance, and -allow himself to be led about by her entirely at her will. She displaces -whatever there might have been that was noble and generous in his heart, -and substitutes therefor her own principles of malice and cruelty. She -extinguishes all the fires of his ambition, originally so magnificent in -its aims that the world seemed hardly large enough to afford it scope, and -instead of this lofty passion, fills his soul with a love of the lowest, -vilest, and most ignoble pleasures. She leads him to betray every public -trust, to alienate from himself all the affections of his countrymen, to -repel most cruelly the kindness and devotedness of a beautiful and -faithful wife, and, finally, to expel this wife and all of his own -legitimate family from his house; and now, at last, she conducts him away -in a most cowardly and ignoble flight from the field of his duty as a -soldier--he knowing, all the time, that she is hurrying him to disgrace -and destruction, and yet utterly without power to break from the control -of his invisible chains. - - * * * * * - -The indignation which Antony's base abandonment of his fleet and army at -the battle of Actium excited, over all that part of the empire which had -been under his command, was extreme. There was not the slightest possible -excuse for such a flight. His army, in which his greatest strength lay, -remained unharmed, and even his fleet was not defeated. The ships -continued the combat until night, notwithstanding the betrayal of their -cause by their commander. They were at length, however, subdued. The army, -also, being discouraged, and losing all motive for resistance, yielded -too. In a very short time the whole country went over to Octavius's side. - -In the mean time, Cleopatra and Antony, on their first return to Egypt, -were completely beside themselves with terror. Cleopatra formed a plan for -having all the treasures that she could save, and a certain number of -galleys sufficient for the transportation of these treasures and a small -company of friends, carried across the isthmus of Suez and launched upon -the Red Sea, in order that she might escape in that direction, and find -some remote hiding-place and safe retreat on the shores of Arabia or -India, beyond the reach of Octavius's dreaded power. She actually -commenced this undertaking, and sent one or two of her galleys across the -isthmus; but the Arabs seized them as soon as they reached their place of -destination, and killed or captured the men that had them in charge, so -that this desperate scheme was soon abandoned. She and Antony then finally -concluded to establish themselves at Alexandria, and made preparation, as -well as they could, for defending themselves against Octavius there. - -Antony, when the first effects of his panic subsided, began to grow mad -with vexation and resentment against all mankind. He determined that he -would have nothing to do with Cleopatra or with any of her friends, but -went off in a fit of sullen rage, and built a hermitage in a lonely place -on the island of Pharos, where he lived for a time, cursing his folly and -his wretched fate, and uttering the bitterest invectives against all who -had been concerned in it. Here tidings came continually in, informing him -of the defection of one after another of his armies, of the fall of his -provinces in Greece and Asia Minor, and of the irresistible progress which -Octavius was now making toward universal dominion. The tidings of these -disasters coming incessantly upon him kept him in a continual fever of -resentment and rage. - -At last he became tired of his misanthropic solitude, a sort of -reconciliation ensued between himself and Cleopatra, and he went back -again to the city. Here he joined himself once more to Cleopatra, and, -collecting together what remained of their joint resources, they plunged -again into a life of dissipation and vice, with the vain attempt to drown -in mirth and wine the bitter regrets and the anxious forebodings which -filled their souls. They joined with them a company of revelers as -abandoned as themselves, and strove very hard to disguise and conceal -their cares in their forced and unnatural gayety. They could not, however, -accomplish this purpose. Octavius was gradually advancing in his progress, -and they knew very well that the time of his dreadful reckoning with them -must soon come; nor was there any place on earth in which they could look -with any hope of finding a refuge in it from his vindictive hostility. - -Cleopatra, warned by dreadful presentiments of what would probably at last -be her fate, amused herself in studying the nature of poisons--not -theoretically, but practically--making experiments with them on wretched -prisoners and captives whom she compelled to take them, in order that she -and Antony might see the effects which they produced. She made a -collection of all the poisons which she could procure, and administered -portions of them all, that she might see which were sudden and which were -slow in their effects, and also learn which produced the greatest distress -and suffering, and which, on the other hand, only benumbed and stupefied -the faculties, and thus extinguished life with the least infliction of -pain. These experiments were not confined to such vegetable and mineral -poisons as could be mingled with the food or administered in a potion. -Cleopatra took an equal interest in the effects of the bite of venomous -serpents and reptiles. She procured specimens of all these animals, and -tried them upon her prisoners, causing the men to be stung and bitten by -them, and then watching the effects. These investigations were made, not -directly with a view to any practical use which she was to make of the -knowledge thus acquired, but rather as an agreeable occupation, to divert -her mind, and to amuse Antony and her guests. The variety in the forms and -expressions which the agony of her poisoned victims assumed--their -writhings, their cries, their convulsions, and the distortions of their -features when struggling with death, furnished exactly the kind and -degree of excitement which she needed to occupy and amuse her mind. - -Antony was not entirely at ease, however, during the progress of these -terrible experiments. His foolish and childish fondness for Cleopatra was -mingled with jealousy, suspicion, and distrust; and he was so afraid that -Cleopatra might secretly poison him, that he would never take any food or -wine without requiring that she should taste it before him. At length, one -day, Cleopatra caused the petals of some flowers to be poisoned, and then -had the flowers woven into the chaplet which Antony was to wear at supper. -In the midst of the feast, she pulled off the leaves of the flowers from -her own chaplet and put them playfully into her wine, and then proposed -that Antony should do the same with his chaplet, and that they should then -drink the wine, tinctured, as it would be, with the color and the perfume -of the flowers. Antony entered very readily into this proposal, and when -he was about to drink the wine, she arrested his hand, and told him that -it was poisoned. "You see now," said she, "how vain it is for you to watch -against me. If it were possible for me to live without you, how easy it -would be for me to devise ways and means to kill you." Then, to prove that -her words were true, she ordered one of the servants to drink Antony's -wine. He did so, and died before their sight in dreadful agony. - -The experiments which Cleopatra thus made on the nature and effects of -poison were not, however, wholly without practical result. Cleopatra -learned from them, it is said, that the bite of the asp was the easiest -and least painful mode of death. The effect of the venom of that animal -appeared to her to be the lulling of the sensorium into a lethargy or -stupor, which soon ended in death, without the intervention of pain. This -knowledge she seems to have laid up in her mind for future use. - -The thoughts of Cleopatra appear, in fact, to have been much disposed, at -this time, to flow in gloomy channels, for she occupied herself a great -deal in building for herself a sepulchral monument in a certain sacred -portion of the city. This monument had, in fact, been commenced many years -ago, in accordance with a custom prevailing among Egyptian sovereigns, of -expending a portion of their revenues during their life-time in building -and decorating their own tombs. Cleopatra now turned her mind with new -interest to her own mausoleum. She finished it, provided it with the -strongest possible bolts and bars, and, in a word, seemed to be preparing -it in all respects for occupation. - -In the mean time, Octavius, having made himself master of all the -countries which had formerly been under Antony's sway, now advanced, -meeting none to oppose him, from Asia Minor into Syria, and from Syria -toward Egypt. Antony and Cleopatra made one attempt, while he was thus -advancing toward Alexandria, to avert the storm which was impending over -them, by sending an embassage to ask for some terms of peace. Antony -proposed, in this embassage, to give up every thing to his conqueror on -condition that he might be permitted to retire unmolested with Cleopatra -to Athens, and allowed to spend the remainder of their days there in -peace; and that the kingdom of Egypt might descend to their children. -Octavius replied that he could not make any terms with Antony, though he -was willing to consent to any thing that was reasonable in behalf of -Cleopatra. The messenger who came back from Octavius with this reply spent -some time in private interviews with Cleopatra. This aroused Antony's -jealousy and anger. He accordingly ordered the unfortunate messenger to -be scourged and then sent back to Octavius, all lacerated with wounds, -with orders to say to Octavius that if it displeased him to have one of -his servants thus punished, he might revenge himself by scourging a -servant of Antony's, who was then, as it happened, in Octavius's power. - -The news at length suddenly arrived at Alexandria that Octavius had -appeared before Pelusium, and that the city had fallen into his hands. The -next thing Antony and Cleopatra well knew would be, that they should see -him at the gates of Alexandria. Neither Antony nor Cleopatra had any means -of resisting his progress, and there was no place to which they could fly. -Nothing was to be done but to await, in consternation and terror, the sure -and inevitable doom which was now so near. - -Cleopatra gathered together all her treasures and sent them to her tomb. -These treasures consisted of great and valuable stores of gold, silver, -precious stones, garments of the highest cost, and weapons, and vessels of -exquisite workmanship and great value, the hereditary possessions of the -Egyptian kings. She also sent to the mausoleum an immense quantity of -flax, tow, torches, and other combustibles. These she stored in the lower -apartments of the monument, with the desperate determination of burning -herself and her treasures together rather than to fall into the hands of -the Romans. - -In the mean time, the army of Octavius steadily continued its march across -the desert from Pelusium to Alexandria. On the way, Octavius learned, -through the agents in communication with him from within the city, what -were the arrangements which Cleopatra had made for the destruction of her -treasure whenever the danger should become imminent of its falling into -his hands. He was extremely unwilling that this treasure should be lost. -Besides its intrinsic value, it was an object of immense importance to him -to get possession of it for the purpose of carrying it to Rome as a trophy -of his triumph. He accordingly sent secret messengers to Cleopatra, -endeavoring to separate her from Antony, and to amuse her mind with the -profession that he felt only friendship for her, and did not mean to do -her any injury, being in pursuit of Antony only. These negotiations were -continued from day to day while Octavius was advancing. At last the Roman -army reached Alexandria, and invested it on every side. - -As soon as Octavius was established in his camp under the walls of the -city, Antony planned a sally, and he executed it, in fact, with -considerable energy and success. He issued suddenly from the gates, at the -head of as strong a force as he could command, and attacked a body of -Octavius's horsemen. He succeeded in driving these horsemen away from -their position, but he was soon driven back in his turn, and compelled to -retreat to the city, fighting as he fled, to beat back his pursuers. He -was extremely elated at the success of this skirmish. He came to Cleopatra -with a countenance full of animation and pleasure, took her in his arms -and kissed her, all accoutered for battle as he was, and boasted greatly -of the exploit which he had performed. He praised, too, in the highest -terms, the valor of one of the officers who had gone out with him to the -fight, and whom he had now brought to the palace to present to Cleopatra. -Cleopatra rewarded the faithful captain's prowess with a magnificent suit -of armor made of gold. Notwithstanding this reward, however, the man -deserted Antony that very night, and went over to the enemy. Almost all of -Antony's adherents were in the same state of mind. They would have gladly -gone over to the camp of Octavius, if they could have found an opportunity -to do so. - -In fact, when the final battle was fought, the fate of it was decided by a -grand defection in the fleet, which went over in a body to the side of -Octavius. Antony was planning the operations of the day, and -reconnoitering the movements of the enemy from an eminence which he -occupied at the head of a body of foot soldiers--all the land forces that -now remained to him--and looking off from the eminence on which he stood -toward the harbor, he observed a movement among the galleys. They were -going out to meet the ships of Octavius, which were lying at anchor not -very far from them. Antony supposed that his vessels were going to attack -those of the enemy, and he looked to see what exploits they would perform. -They advanced toward Octavius's ships, and when they met them, Antony -observed, to his utter amazement, that, instead of the furious combat that -he had expected to see, the ships only exchanged friendly salutations, by -the use of the customary naval signals; and then his ships, passing -quietly round, took their positions in the lines of the other fleet. The -two fleets had thus become merged and mingled into one. - -Antony immediately decided that this was Cleopatra's treason. She had made -peace with Octavius, he thought, and surrendered the fleet to him as one -of the conditions of it. Antony ran through the city, crying out that he -was betrayed, and in a phrensy of rage sought the palace. Cleopatra fled -to her tomb. She took in with her one or two attendants, and bolted and -barred the doors, securing the fastenings with the heavy catches and -springs that she had previously made ready. She then directed her women to -call out through the door that she had killed herself within the tomb. - -The tidings of her death were borne to Antony. It changed his anger to -grief and despair. His mind, in fact, was now wholly lost to all balance -and control, and it passed from the dominion of one stormy passion to -another with the most capricious facility. He cried out with the most -bitter expressions of sorrow, mourning, he said, not so much Cleopatra's -death, for he should soon follow and join her, as the fact that she had -proved herself so superior to him in courage at last, in having thus -anticipated him in the work of self-destruction. - -He was at this time in one of the chambers of the palace, whither he had -fled in his despair, and was standing by a fire, for the morning was -cold. He had a favorite servant named Eros, whom he greatly trusted, and -whom he had made to take an oath long before, that whenever it should -become necessary for him to die, Eros should kill him. This Eros he now -called to him, and telling him that the time was come, ordered him to take -the sword and strike the blow. - -Eros took the sword while Antony stood up before him. Eros turned his head -aside as if wishing that his eyes should not see the deed which his hands -were about to perform. Instead, however, of piercing his master with it, -he plunged it into his own breast, fell down at Antony's feet, and died. - -Antony gazed a moment at the shocking spectacle, and then said, "I thank -thee for this, noble Eros. Thou hast set me an example. I must do for -myself what thou couldst not do for me." So saying, he took the sword from -his servant's hands, plunged it into his body, and staggering to a little -bed that was near, fell over upon it in a swoon. He had received a mortal -wound. - -The pressure, however, which was produced by the position in which he lay -upon the bed, stanched the wound a little and stopped the flow of blood. -Antony came presently to himself again, and then began to beg and implore -those around him to take the sword and put him out of his misery. But no -one would do it. He lay for a time suffering great pain, and moaning -incessantly, until, at length, an officer came into the apartment and told -him that the story which he had heard of Cleopatra's death was not true; -that she was still alive, shut up in her monument, and that she desired to -see him there. This intelligence was the source of new excitement and -agitation. Antony implored the by-standers to carry him to Cleopatra, that -he might see her once more before he died. They shrank from the attempt; -but, after some hesitation and delay, they concluded to undertake to -remove him. So, taking him in their arms, they bore him along, faint and -dying, and marking their track with his blood, toward the tomb. - -Cleopatra would not open the gates to let the party in. The city was all -in uproar and confusion through the terror of the assault which Octavius -was making upon it, and she did not know what treachery might be intended. -She therefore went up to a window above, and letting down ropes and -chains, she directed those below to fasten the dying body to them, that -she and the two women with her might draw it up. This was done. Those who -witnessed it said that it was a most piteous sight to behold--Cleopatra -and her women above exhausting their strength in drawing the wounded and -bleeding sufferer up the wall, while he, when he approached the window, -feebly raised his arms to them, that they might lift him in. The women had -hardly strength sufficient to draw the body up. At one time it seemed that -the attempt would have to be abandoned; but Cleopatra reached down from -the window as far as she could to get hold of Antony's arms, and thus, by -dint of great effort, they succeeded at last in taking him in. They bore -him to a couch which was in the upper room from which the window opened, -and laid him down, while Cleopatra wrung her hands, and tore her hair, and -uttered the most piercing lamentations and cries. She leaned over the -dying Antony, crying out incessantly with the most piteous exclamations of -grief. She bathed his face, which was covered with blood, and vainly -endeavored to stanch his wound. - -Antony urged her to be calm, and not to mourn his fate. He asked for some -wine. They brought it to him, and he drank it. He then entreated -Cleopatra to save her life, if she possibly could do so, and to make some -terms or other with Octavius, so as to continue to live. Very soon after -this he expired. - -[Illustration: THE RAISING OF ANTONY TO THE UPPER WINDOW OF THE TOMB] - -In the mean time, Octavius had heard of the mortal wound which Antony had -given himself; for one of the by-standers had seized the sword the moment -that the deed was done, and had hastened to carry it to Octavius, and to -announce to him the death of his enemy. Octavius immediately desired to -get Cleopatra into his power. He sent a messenger, therefore, to the tomb, -who attempted to open a parley there with her. Cleopatra talked with the -messenger through the keyholes or crevices, but could not be induced to -open the door. The messenger reported these facts to Octavius. Octavius -then sent another man with the messenger, and while one was engaging the -attention of Cleopatra and her women at the door below, the other obtained -ladders, and succeeded in gaining admission into the window above. -Cleopatra was warned of the success of this stratagem by the shriek of her -woman, who saw the officer coming down the stairs. She looked around, and -observing at a glance that she was betrayed, and that the officer was -coming to seize her, she drew a little dagger from her robe, and was -about to plunge it into her breast, when the officer grasped her arm just -in time to prevent the blow. He took the dagger from her, and then -examined her clothes to see that there were no other secret weapons -concealed there. - -The capture of the queen being reported to Octavius, he appointed an -officer to take her into close custody. This officer was charged to treat -her with all possible courtesy, but to keep a close and constant watch -over her, and particularly to guard against allowing her any possible -means or opportunity for self-destruction. - -In the mean time, Octavius took formal possession of the city, marching in -at the head of his troops with the most imposing pomp and parade. A chair -of state, magnificently decorated, was set up for him on a high elevation -in a public square; and here he sat, with circles of guards around him, -while the people of the city, assembled before him in the dress of -suppliants, and kneeling upon the pavement, begged his forgiveness, and -implored him to spare the city. These petitions the great conqueror -graciously condescended to grant. - -Many of the princes and generals who had served under Antony came next to -beg the body of their commander, that they might give it an honorable -burial. These requests, however, Octavius would not accede to, saying that -he could not take the body away from Cleopatra. He, however, gave -Cleopatra leave to make such arrangements for the obsequies as she thought -fit, and allowed her to appropriate such sums of money from her treasures -for this purpose as she desired. Cleopatra accordingly made the necessary -arrangements, and superintended the execution of them; not, however, with -any degree of calmness and composure, but in a state, on the contrary, of -extreme agitation and distress. In fact, she had been living now so long -under the unlimited and unrestrained dominion of caprice and passion, that -reason was pretty effectually dethroned, and all self-control was gone. -She was now nearly forty years of age, and, though traces of her -inexpressible beauty remained, her bloom was faded, and her countenance -was wan with the effects of weeping, anxiety, and despair. She was, in a -word, both in body and mind, only the wreck and ruin of what she once had -been. - -When the burial ceremonies were performed, and she found that all was -over--that Antony was forever gone, and she herself hopelessly and -irremediably ruined--she gave herself up to a perfect phrensy of grief. -She beat her breast, and scratched and tore her flesh so dreadfully, in -the vain efforts which she made to kill herself, in the paroxysms of her -despair, that she was soon covered with contusions and wounds, which, -becoming inflamed and swelled, made her a shocking spectacle to see, and -threw her into a fever. She then conceived the idea of pretending to be -more sick than she was, and so refusing food and starving herself to -death. She attempted to execute this design. She rejected every medical -remedy that was offered her, and would not eat, and lived thus some days -without food. Octavius, to whom every thing relating to his captive was -minutely reported by her attendants, suspected her design. He was very -unwilling that she should die, having set his heart on exhibiting her to -the Roman people, on his return to the capital, in his triumphal -procession. He accordingly sent her orders, requiring that she should -submit to the treatment prescribed by the physician, and take her food, -enforcing these his commands with a certain threat which he imagined might -have some influence over her. And what threat does the reader imagine -could possibly be devised to reach a mind so sunk, so desperate, so -wretched as hers? Every thing seemed already lost but life, and life was -only an insupportable burden. What interests, then, had she still -remaining upon which a threat could take hold? - -Octavius, in looking for some avenue by which he could reach her, -reflected that she was a mother. Cæsarion, the son of Julius Cæsar, and -Alexander, Cleopatra, and Ptolemy, Antony's children, were still alive. -Octavius imagined that in the secret recesses of her wrecked and ruined -soul there might be some lingering principle of maternal affection -remaining which he could goad into life and action. He accordingly sent -word to her that, if she did not yield to the physician and take her food, -he would kill every one of her children. - -The threat produced its effect. The crazed and frantic patient became -calm. She received her food. She submitted to the physician. Under his -treatment her wounds began to heal, the fever was allayed, and at length -she appeared to be gradually recovering. - -When Octavius learned that Cleopatra had become composed, and seemed to be -in some sense convalescent, he resolved to pay her a visit. As he entered -the room where she was confined, which seems to have been still the upper -chamber of her tomb, he found her lying on a low and miserable bed, in a -most wretched condition, and exhibiting such a spectacle of disease and -wretchedness that he was shocked at beholding her. She appeared, in fact, -almost wholly bereft of reason. When Octavius came in, she suddenly leaped -out of the bed, half naked as she was, and covered with bruises and -wounds, and crawled miserably along to her conqueror's feet in the -attitude of a suppliant. Her hair was torn from her head, her limbs were -swollen and disfigured, and great bandages appeared here and there, -indicating that there were still worse injuries than these concealed. From -the midst of all this squalidness and misery there still beamed from her -sunken eyes a great portion of their former beauty, and her voice still -possessed the same inexpressible charm that had characterized it so -strongly in the days of her prime. Octavius made her go back to her bed -again and lie down. - -Cleopatra then began to talk and excuse herself for what she had done, -attributing all the blame of her conduct to Antony. Octavius, however, -interrupted her, and defended Antony from her criminations, saying to her -that it was not his fault so much as hers. She then suddenly changed her -tone, and acknowledging her sins, piteously implored mercy. She begged -Octavius to pardon and spare her, as if now she were afraid of death and -dreaded it, instead of desiring it as a boon. In a word, her mind, the -victim and the prey alternately of the most dissimilar and inconsistent -passions, was now overcome by fear. To propitiate Octavius, she brought -out a list of all her private treasures, and delivered it to him as a -complete inventory of all that she had. One of her treasurers, however, -named Zeleucus, who was standing by, said to Octavius that that list was -not complete. Cleopatra had, he alleged, reserved several things of great -value, which she had not put down upon it. - -This assertion, thus suddenly exposing her duplicity, threw Cleopatra into -a violent rage. She sprang from her bed and assaulted her secretary in a -most furious manner. Octavius and the others who were there interposed, -and compelled Cleopatra to lie down again, which she did, uttering all the -time the most grievous complaints at the wretched degradation to which she -was reduced, to be insulted thus by her own servants at such a time. If -she had reserved any thing, she said, of her private treasures, it was -only for presents to some of her faithful friends, to induce them the more -zealously to intercede with Octavius in her behalf. Octavius replied by -urging her to feel no concern on the subject whatever. He freely gave her, -he said, all that she had reserved, and he promised in other respects to -treat her in the most honorable and courteous manner. - -Octavius was much pleased at the result of this interview. It was obvious, -as it appeared to him, that Cleopatra had ceased to desire to die; that -she now, on the contrary, wished to live, and that he should accordingly -succeed in his desire of taking her with him to grace his triumph at Rome. -He accordingly made his arrangements for departure, and Cleopatra was -notified that in three days she was to set out, together with her -children, to go into Syria. Octavius said Syria, as he did not wish to -alarm Cleopatra by speaking of Rome. She, however, understood well where -the journey, if once commenced, would necessarily end, and she was fully -determined in her own mind that she would never go there. - -She asked to be allowed to pay one parting visit to Antony's tomb. This -request was granted; and she went to the tomb with a few attendants, -carrying with her chaplets and garlands of flowers. At the tomb her grief -broke forth anew, and was as violent as ever. She bewailed her lover's -death with loud cries and lamentations, uttered while she was placing the -garlands upon the tomb, and offering the oblations and incense, which were -customary in those days, as expressions of grief. "These," said she, as -she made the offerings, "are the last tributes of affection that I can -ever pay thee, my dearest, dearest lord. I can not join thee, for I am a -captive and a prisoner, and they will not let me die. They watch me every -hour, and are going to bear me far away, to exhibit me to thine enemies, -as a badge and trophy of their triumph over thee. Oh intercede, dearest -Antony, with the gods where thou art now, since those that reign here on -earth have utterly forsaken me; implore them to save me from this fate, -and let me die here in my native land, and be buried by thy side in this -tomb." - -When Cleopatra returned to her apartment again after this melancholy -ceremony, she seemed to be more composed than she had been before. She -went to the bath, and then she attired herself handsomely for supper. She -had ordered supper that night to be very sumptuously served. She was at -liberty to make these arrangements, for the restrictions upon her -movements, which had been imposed at first, were now removed, her -appearance and demeanor having been for some time such as to lead Octavius -to suppose that there was no longer any danger that she would attempt -self-destruction. Her entertainment was arranged, therefore, according to -her directions, in a manner corresponding with the customs of her court -when she had been a queen. She had many attendants, and among them were -two of her own women. These women were long-tried and faithful servants -and friends. - -While she was at supper, a man came to the door with a basket, and wished -to enter. The guards asked him what he had in his basket. He opened it to -let them see; and, lifting up some green leaves which were laid over the -top, he showed the soldiers that the basket was filled with figs. He said -that they were for Cleopatra's supper. The soldiers admired the appearance -of the figs, saying that they were very fine and beautiful. The man asked -the soldiers to take some of them. This they declined, but allowed the man -to pass in. When the supper was ended, Cleopatra sent all of her -attendants away except the two women. They remained. After a little time, -one of these women came out with a letter for Octavius, which Cleopatra -had written, and which she wished to have immediately delivered. One of -the soldiers from the guard stationed at the gates was accordingly -dispatched to carry the letter. Octavius, when it was given to him, opened -the envelope at once and read the letter, which was written, as was -customary in those days, on a small tablet of metal. He found that it was -a brief but urgent petition from Cleopatra, written evidently in agitation -and excitement, praying that he would overlook her offense, and allow her -to be buried with Antony. Octavius immediately inferred that she had -destroyed herself. He sent off some messengers at once, with orders to go -directly to her place of confinement and ascertain the truth, intending to -follow them himself immediately. - -The messengers, on their arrival at the gates, found the sentinels and -soldiers quietly on guard before the door, as if all were well. On -entering Cleopatra's room, however, they beheld a shocking spectacle. -Cleopatra was lying dead upon a couch. One of her women was upon the -floor, dead too. The other, whose name was Charmion, was sitting over the -body of her mistress, fondly caressing her, arranging flowers in her hair, -and adorning her diadem. The messengers of Octavius, on witnessing this -spectacle, were overcome with amazement, and demanded of Charmion what it -could mean. "It is all right," said Charmion. "Cleopatra has acted in a -manner worthy of a princess descended from so noble a line of kings." As -Charmion said this, she began to sink herself, fainting, upon the bed, and -almost immediately expired. - -The by-standers were not only shocked at the spectacle which was thus -presented before them, but they were perplexed and confounded in their -attempts to discover by what means Cleopatra and her women had succeeded -in effecting their design. They examined the bodies, but no marks of -violence were to be discovered. They looked all around the room, but no -weapons, and no indication of any means of poison, were to be found. They -discovered something that appeared like the slimy track of an animal on -the wall, toward a window, which they thought might have been produced by -an _asp_; but the animal itself was nowhere to be seen. They examined the -body with great care, but no marks of any bite or sting were to be found, -except that there were two very slight and scarcely-discernible punctures -on the arm, which some persons fancied might have been so caused. The -means and manner of her death seemed to be involved in impenetrable -mystery. - -There were various rumors on the subject subsequently in circulation both -at Alexandria and at Rome, though the mystery was never fully solved. Some -said that there was an asp concealed among the figs which the servant man -brought in in the basket; that he brought it in that manner, by a -preconcerted arrangement between him and Cleopatra, and that, when she -received it, she placed the animal on her arm. Others say that she had a -small steel instrument like a needle, with a poisoned point, which she had -kept concealed in her hair, and that she killed herself with that, without -producing any visible wound. Another story was, that she had an asp in a -box somewhere in her apartment, which she had reserved for this occasion, -and when the time finally came, that she pricked and teased it with a -golden bodkin to make it angry, and then placed it upon her flesh and -received its sting. Which of these stories, if either of them, were true, -could never be known. It has, however, been generally believed among -mankind that Cleopatra died in some way or other by the self-inflicted -sting of the asp, and paintings and sculptures without number have been -made to illustrate and commemorate the scene. - -This supposition in respect to the mode of her death is, in fact, -confirmed by the action of Octavius himself on his return to Rome, which -furnishes a strong indication of his opinion of the manner in which his -captive at last eluded him. Disappointed in not being able to exhibit the -queen herself in his triumphal train, he caused a golden statue -representing her to be made, with an image of an asp upon the arm of it, -and this sculpture he caused to be borne conspicuously before him in his -grand triumphal entry into the capital, as the token and trophy of the -final downfall of the unhappy Egyptian queen. - - -THE END. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] See Map of the Delta of the Nile, page 29; also the View of -Alexandria, page 162. - -[2] See map; frontispiece. - -[3] It will be sufficiently accurate for the general reader of history to -consider the Greek talent, referred to in such transactions as these, as -equal in English money to two hundred and fifty pounds, in American to a -thousand dollars. It is curious to observe that, large as the total was -that was paid for the liberation of these slaves, the amount paid for each -individual was, after all, only a sum equal to about five dollars. - -[4] For an account of one of these disasters, with an engraving -illustrative of the scene, see the HISTORY OF CYRUS. - -[5] For the position of this island in respect to Egypt and the -neighboring countries, see map, frontispiece. - -[6] This Octavius, on his subsequent elevation to imperial power, received -the name of Augustus Cæsar, and it is by this name that he is generally -known in history. He was, however, called Octavius at the commencement of -his career, and, to avoid confusion, we shall continue to designate him by -this name to the end of our narrative. - -[7] See map, at the frontispiece. - -[8] Pearls, being of the nature of _shell_ in their composition and -structure, are soluble in certain acids. - -[9] See map for the situation of Ephesus and of Samos. - -[10] These letters, in accordance with the scale of expense and -extravagance on which Cleopatra determined that every thing relating to -herself and Antony should be done, were engraved on tablets made of onyx, -or crystal, or other hard and precious stones. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF CLEOPATRA, QUEEN OF -EGYPT*** - - -******* This file should be named 40205-8.txt or 40205-8.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/0/2/0/40205 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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