At Alexandria Cæsar became enamored of Cleopatra, the young, beautiful,
and fascinating queen of Egypt. He even mixed himself up with a quarrel
that was going on between her and her younger brother Ptolemy, to whom,
according to the custom of the country, she was married, and with whom
she shared the throne. This intermeddling led Cæsar, who had but a small
force with him, into conflict with the troops of the king. A fierce
battle was fought in the city. Cæsar succeeded in firing the Egyptian
fleet; but unfortunately the flames extended to the celebrated Library
of the city of Alexandria, and the greater part of the magnificent
collection of manuscripts was burnt. Cæsar was finally successful:
Ptolemy was killed, and Cleopatra was made queen of Egypt. From
Alexandria Cæsar marched into Pontus to attack Pharnaces, son of
Mithridates, whom he subdued so quickly that he described the campaign
in the most laconic dispatch ever penned: _Veni, vidi, vici_,--“I came,
I saw, I conquered.”