“Osiris means the inundation of the Nile.
“Isis, the irrigated portion of the land of Egypt.
“Horus, their offspring, the vapors and exhalations reproducing rain.
“Butus, the marshy lands of Lower Egypt, where those vapors were
nourished.
“Typho, the sea which swallowed up the Nile water.
“The conspirators, the drought overcoming the moisture, from which the
increase of the Nile proceeds.
“The chest in which Osiris’s body was confined, the banks of the river,
within which it retired after the inundation.
“The Tanaïtic mouth, the lake and barren lands about it, which were
held in abhorrence from their being overflowed by the river without
producing any benefit to the country.
“The twenty-eight years of his life, the twenty-eight cubits to which
the Nile rises at Elephantina, its greatest height.
“The 17th of Athor, the period when the river retires within its banks.
“The queen of Æthiopia, the southern winds preventing the clouds being
carried southward.
“The different members of Osiris’s body, the main channels and canals
by which the inundation passed into the interior of the country, where
each was said to be afterwards buried. That one which could not be
recovered was the generative power of the Nile, which still continued
in the stream itself.
“The victory of Horus, the power possessed by the clouds in causing the
successive inundations of the Nile.”
Many animals, insects, and plants were considered sacred by the
Egyptians: among them were the cynocephalus ape, sacred to Thoth;
shrew-mouse, sacred to Mant; dog, sacred to Anubis; cat, sacred to
Pashtor Bubastis; lion, sacred to Gom, or Hercules; hippopotamus,
sacred to Mars; pig and ass, emblems of Typho; goat, sacred to Mendes;
cow, sacred to Athor.
The sacred oxen were Apis, Mnevis, and Basis, sacred to Osiris, Apollo,
and Onuphis.
The sacred birds of Egypt were the vulture, eagle, hawk, white and
saffron-colored cocks, little egret, sacred to Osiris; ibis, sacred
to Thoth; goose, emblem of Seb. Fabulous and unknown sacred birds were
the phœnix, sacred to Osiris; the “pure soul” of the king (a bird with
man’s head and arms), emblem of the soul; vulture with a snake’s head;
hawk with man’s and ram’s head.
The sacred reptiles were the tortoise, crocodile, asp, and frog. The
fabulous serpents were snakes with human heads, with hawk’s head, and
with lion’s head.
The sacred fishes of Egypt were the oxyrhinchus, the eel, the
lepidotus, satus, and mæotes. The scorpion was the emblem of the
goddess Selk. Different species of beetles were held sacred to the sun,
and adopted as an emblem of the world.
Foremost amongst the sacred plants of the East, being not merely a
symbol, but frequently the object of worship in itself, was the undying
lotus, which, from the throne of Osiris, Isis, and Nepthys, rises in
the midst of the waters, bearing on the margin of its blossom the four
genii.
“The Persians represent the sun as ‘rob’d with light, with lotus
crown’d.’ Among the Chinese it symbolized Buddha, and is the emblem
of female beauty. The Japanese deem it the emblem of purity, since it
is not sullied by the muddy waters in which it often grows. With the
flowers of the motherwort, it is borne before the body in their funeral
processions. The Hindoo deities are often represented seated upon a
lotus flower. Kamadeva, or Cupid, is depicted as floating down the blue
Ganges—
‘Upon a rosy lotus wreath,
Catching new lustre from the tide
That with his image shone beneath.’”
The consort of Vishnu, Laksmi, was also called the “Lotus-born,”
because she was said to have ascended from the ocean on its blossom.
Brahma was believed to have sprung from Narayana,—that is, “the Spirit
of God moving on the waters,”—and he is thus described in a Hindoo
poem:—
“A form cerulean fluttered o’er the deep;
Brightest of beings, greatest of the great,
Who, not as mortals steep
Their eyes in dewy sleep,
But heavenly pensive on the lotus lay,
That blossom’d at his touch, and shed a golden ray.”
An ancient prayer, common to the inhabitants of Tibet and the slopes of
the Himalayas, consists of unceasing repetitions of the words, _Om mane
padne haun_, meaning, “Oh, the jewel in the lotus! Amen.”
“The Grecian god of silence, Harpocrates, who was the Egyptian Aurora,
or Dayspring, and was the son of Isis, was often represented on the
lotus. The god Nofre Atmoo also bore the lotus on his head.”
The lotus is regarded in Egyptian delineations as signifying the
creation of the world. In the gallery of Egyptian antiquities in the
British Museum there are several statues bearing sceptres formed of
the lotus; and also a mummy holding in each hand of his crossed arms
a lotus flower. There was also brought to England, some years ago, a
bust of Isis emerging from a lotus flower, which has frequently been
mistaken for one of Clytie changing into a sunflower.
Three species of nymphæceæ, called lotus, were cultivated in Egypt.
One of these still grows in immense quantities in Lower Egypt. This
lotus has fragrant white blossoms, and fruit the size of that of
the poppy, filled with small seeds, used as an article of food. It
closely resembles our white water-lily. “It was the ‘rose of ancient
Egypt,’ the favorite flower of the country, and was made into wreaths
and garlands. With the blue lotus of the Nile (_Nymphæa cœrulea_),
it formed models for many works of art. But the sacred lotus is the
Nelumbo. This is the sacred bean of Egypt, the ‘rose lily of the Nile’
of Herodotus, the lotus _par excellence_. Its blossoms are larger than
those of the white or blue lotus; they are of a brilliant red color
sometimes, but rarely white, and hang over broad peltated leaves,
resembling, in their magnificent beauty, those—
‘Eastern flowers large,
Some dropping low their crimson bells
Half closed; others studded wide
With disks and tears, that fed the time
With odor, in the prime of good
Haroun Alraschid.’
“The Nelumbo was cultivated as much for its usefulness as an article
of food, as for its beauty. Its roots, seeds, and leaf-stalks are all
edible. The fruit is formed of many valves, each containing a nut
about the size of a filbert, with a taste more delicate than that of
almonds. The use of the seeds in making bread, and the mode of sowing
them,—by enclosing each seed in a ball of clay, and throwing it into
the water,—may probably be alluded to in the text, ‘Cast thy bread
upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.’ The Nelumbo
is a native of the north of Africa, of India, China, Japan, Persia,
and Asiatic Russia, and in all these countries maintains its sacred
character. The fable of the nymph Lotis, who was transformed into a
tree bearing her name, is supposed to be of Eastern origin. It was
under the lote-tree, beyond which there is no passing, that Mohammed
was said to have met the angel Gabriel. This lotis or lotus tree must
not be confounded with the sacred bean, or lotus flower, which is a
totally distinct plant. The lotus-tree is a moderate-sized thorny tree,
with broad leaves, fruit as large as an olive, of a reddish color,
containing the nut, the taste of which is sweetish, resembling that of
a fig or date. It was this lotus-tree which Homer refers to, when he
describes the charm of certain fruit which Ulysses dreaded would lure
his companions to give up home and friends forever, as the fable was,
that whosoever ate of its fruit would never leave the enchanted land.”
On account of these numerous stories connected with the far-famed
lotus of the East, it has become one of the most illustrious flowers
of romance and poetry. Its praises have been sung in all the languages
of Eastern climes, until its very name has become the synonyme for
oriental splendor and goddess-like attractions.
The asp appeared to be one of the favorite emblems of deity, and also
of royalty, and many strange stories are told of different species of
asps. The following is related to show the extreme veneration paid to
sacred animals.
“A sacred serpent of Melite had priests and ministers, a table, and a
bowl. It was kept in a tower, and fed by the priests with cakes made of
flour and of honey, which they placed there in the bowl. Having done
this, they retired. The next day, on returning to the apartment, the
food was found to be eaten, and the same quantity was again put into
the bowl, for it was not lawful for any one to see the sacred reptile.
On one occasion, one of the priests being anxious to behold it, went in
alone, and having deposited the cake, withdrew, until the moment when
he supposed the serpent had come forth to its repast. He then entered,
throwing open the door with great violence, upon which the serpent
withdrew in evident indignation, and the priest shortly after became
frantic, and having confessed his crime, expired.”
The Egyptian asp is a species of cobra de capello, and is still very
common in Egypt. As our story of Cleopatra is connected with the asp,
the following facts will be interesting. It is called Nashir, a word
signifying “spreading,” from its dilating its breast when angry. The
snake-players of modern days use this same serpent in their juggling
tricks, taking care first to extract its fangs, or to burn out the
poison-bag with a hot iron. The asp is generally about three or four
feet long; they are easily tamed; their food consists of mice, frogs,
and other reptiles. They are accustomed to live in gardens during the
warm weather, where they are of great use. It is supposed that the asp
employed by Cleopatra was a kind of poisonous snake much smaller than
the common variety; and the name, like that of viper, may have been
applied to venomous serpents of different species. Mummies of the asp
have been discovered in Thebes.
We have not space to describe the marvellous monuments and pyramids
of ancient Egypt, and will only give one statement of Herodotus in
connection with them. Herodotus says, that each of the two great
pyramids near Memphis required twenty years in building; and that one
hundred thousand men were unceasingly employed on the work, who were
relieved every three months; and that only sixteen hundred talents of
silver were spent on the radishes, onions, and garlic for the workmen,
which was probably their only pay, making about eighteen pence a year
of our money, for each man.
A slight sketch of an Egyptian house and dinner party will aid us in
obtaining a more definite idea of the manners and customs of those
times. The apartments appropriated to the reception of guests in
Egyptian houses were sometimes on the ground floor, sometimes in the
first story; though from the size, beauty, and arrangement of their
gardens it is supposed that they often entertained their friends in the
cool and shady retreats there. These reception rooms were provided with
handsome chairs, fauteuils, stools, and low seats. While conversing,
they did not recline on divans or couches, though ottomans and richly
covered couches formed part of the furniture in Egyptian apartments
of state. Egyptian tables were round, square, or oblong; the common
people sat cross-legged or crouched on the ground. Little is known of
the furniture of their bedrooms, but numerous wooden pillows have been
found with grooved places for the head. Those for the rich were made
of alabaster. In their entertainments they made lavish display and
provided various amusements. Songs, music, dancing, buffoonery, feats
of agility, and games of chance were introduced. The guests arrived in
chariots or in palanquins borne by their servants on foot. Sometimes
their attendants held over them parasols to protect them from the sun,
and one slave carried a stool to enable his master to alight with ease,
while another bore his writing-tablet, or whatever article of apparel
he might need. To those who arrived from a journey, water was brought
in a golden ewer to wash their feet before entering the reception-room.
It was also customary for each guest to be anointed with ointment by
a servant, as he seated himself; then a lotus flower was presented
to each visitor, who held it in his hand during the entertainment.
Servants also brought necklaces of the same or other flowers, and hung
them around the neck of each person, and placed garlands of flowers on
their heads with a single lotus bud so arranged that it would fall over
the forehead. Wreaths and other devices of flowers were laid around
the room on stands, while servants constantly brought fresh blossoms
from the gardens to replace those which had faded. After the floral
decorations, wine was offered to the guests. While the dinner was being
prepared, the company were entertained by music by a band of musicians,
who performed upon the harp, lyre, guitar, tambourine, double and
single pipe, flute, and other instruments. The Egyptians paid great
attention to the study of music. The father of Cleopatra received the
name of Auletes from his skill in playing on the flute. Long before the
lyre was known in Greece the Egyptians had attained great perfection in
the form of their stringed instruments, and Greek sages visited Egypt
to study music among the other sciences for which it was renowned.
Harps of fourteen, and lyres of seventeen, strings are found to have
been used by ordinary Egyptian musicians 1570 B.C. The strings of the
Egyptian harp were of catgut, and some discovered at Thebes in 1823
were so well preserved that they emitted a sound on being touched.
Apollodorus relates the following story of the supposed invention of
the lyre:—
“The Nile having overflowed the whole country of Egypt, when it
returned within its natural bounds, left on the shore a great number of
animals of various kinds, and among the rest a tortoise, the flesh of
which being dried and wasted by the sun, nothing remained within the
shell but nerves and cartilages, and these being braced and contracted
by the drying heat became sonorous. Mercury, walking along the banks
of the river, happened to strike his foot against this shell, and was
so pleased with the sound produced that the idea of a lyre presented
itself to his imagination. He therefore constructed the instrument in
the form of a tortoise and strung it with the dried sinews of dead
animals.”
It was not customary for the upper classes of the Egyptians to indulge
in dancing, and hired dancers were employed on all festive occasions.
Grace in posture and movement was the chief object of those skilled
in the dance. Many of their postures and steps resembled those of the
modern ballet; and the _pirouette_ enlivened an Egyptian party more
than thirty-five hundred years ago.
Having given this outline of the manners and customs of ancient
Egypt, we will take up the more immediate history of Cleopatra. It
will be remembered that Alexander the Great, after his conquest of
Egypt, founded the magnificent city of Alexandria situated at the
mouth of the river Nile. One of the most expensive and famous of all
edifices erected by the Ptolemies was the light-house on the island
of Pharos, opposite to the city, and at some distance from it a pier
was subsequently built connecting the island with the mainland. This
light-house was a lofty tower constructed of white marble. This great
edifice was erected by Ptolemy Philadelphus, the second monarch in
that line. It was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world.
The architect of this light-house was a man named Sostratus. Ptolemy
ordered that a marble tablet should be placed in the wall of the tower,
bearing his name as the builder of this wonder. Sostratus seemingly
obeyed, but he outwitted the haughty monarch. Sostratus secretly
engraved his own name upon the marble tablet, and then covered it with
an artificial cement similar in appearance to the marble. On this outer
surface he cut the name of the king, and the tablet was placed in the
wall without detection. In process of time the cement mouldered away
as the architect had calculated upon, and the king’s name disappeared,
while that of Sostratus remained as long as the building endured.
The city of Alexandria was also world-renowned for its immense
library and museum established by the Ptolemies. The museum was not
a collection of curiosities, but an institution of learning where
sages congregated to devote their time to the study of philosophy and
science. The institution was richly endowed, and very magnificent
buildings were erected for its use. The most valuable books from all
parts of the world were collected here, the king buying, borrowing, or
even stealing, these rare treasures, when they could not be otherwise
obtained from neighboring nations; and scribes were kept constantly
employed in copying these works on parchment by handwriting, as
printing was then unknown, so far as can be discovered; though it is
hardly safe to assert that any thing was unknown to those ancient
Egyptians, for new discoveries amongst the remains of their ruined
cities are continually revealing some hitherto unimagined fact
regarding the knowledge and civilization of that strange and powerful
nation. After copies were made of all these valuable volumes, or
scrolls, the original was always kept in the Alexandrine museum and
library, while the copy was graciously returned to the owners, whether
individuals or nations. At length the library collected in the museum
increased to four hundred thousand volumes. No more could be stored in
the museum, and so a wonderful temple, called the Serapion, situated
in another part of the city, was used as a depository for additional
volumes. Three hundred thousand volumes were afterwards accumulated in
this temple. The strange history of this Serapion must not be omitted.
One of the ancient gods of the Egyptians was a deity named Serapis. He
was the particular divinity of seamen. A statue of this god existed in
the town of Sinope, in Asia Minor. The Ptolemy kings of Egypt were
desirous of making Alexandria the most important seaport and naval
station in the world, and they thought this could not be accomplished
without the presence of this sacred statue of the god Serapis, as his
worship would bring to their city all the seamen who made pilgrimages
to the shrine of their god. The king of Sinope was unwilling to part
with the statue, and refused all offers of the Egyptian king to
purchase this venerated image of the deity. At length, however, a
famine fell upon the land of Sinope, and the people in their distress
were forced to part with their sacred idol in order to obtain corn
from the Egyptians, who would furnish none without this condition. The
statue of the god Serapis was accordingly brought to Alexandria, where
a magnificent temple was erected to contain the idol. This temple was
called the Serapion.
It was owing to the desire of the Ptolemies to make the Alexandrine
library the wonder of the world, that the Old Testament of the
Scriptures came to be translated into Greek, which had previously been
written only in the Hebrew language, and was known only to the Jews.
This King Ptolemy having learned that the Jews at Jerusalem possessed
sacred writings which were guarded in their synagogue there, was very
anxious to obtain a copy of them. As the Egyptians then held many of
the Jews in slavery, who had been taken prisoners in war, Ptolemy
rightly imagined that it would be difficult to accomplish his purpose.
He accordingly first bought all the Jewish captives from their masters,
at a cost of six hundred thousand dollars, and sent the liberated Jews
home to Jerusalem. Deeming that he could now make his request of the
Jewish authorities with some hopes of success after this generous
treatment of their countrymen, Ptolemy sent a splendid embassage
to Jerusalem, with respectful letters to the high-priest, and very
magnificent presents. The request of Ptolemy was granted. The Jewish
priests made very fine copies of their sacred writings, illuminating
them with letters of gold. These were presented to Ptolemy, and
seventy-two learned Jews were chosen from the twelve tribes and sent
to Alexandria; and there they translated the Hebrew Scriptures into
Greek. This translation is called the Septuagint, from the Latin words,
_septuaginta duo_, meaning “seventy-two.” A copy of the Septuagint
Bible may now be obtained for two days’ wages of a common laborer;
but to secure the original translation the Egyptian king expended, it
is said, over a million of dollars. Thus an Egyptian king gave to the
world the first Greek translation of the Old Testament.
Having given this glimpse of Egyptian history as a background to our
picture, we will confine the remainder of this sketch to the immediate
history of Cleopatra and her family. Having shown the bright side
of the picture of the reign of the Ptolemies, we are forced to look
for a moment upon dark and bloody scenes. The early sovereigns in
the line of the Ptolemies were distinguished for wise government and
the advancement of their people in arts, sciences, and literature.
The first Ptolemy was Ptolemy Soter, who, together with his son and
successor, Ptolemy Philadelphus, were the most illustrious of the line.
So greatly was Ptolemy Soter, the founder of the dynasty, venerated
by his subjects, that divine honors were paid to his memory after
his death. But the succeeding Ptolemies grew more and more vicious,
weak, and sensuous, until the great-grandfather of Cleopatra stands
forth in history merely as a horrid monster of all vice and crime. He
was Ptolemy Physcon, the seventh in the line. The name Physcon was
given him in derision, on account of his grotesque appearance. Being
very small of stature, his gluttony and dissipation had increased his
rotundity of figure to enormous proportions, making him more of a
monster than man in appearance. His brother, who was king before him,
dying, left a wife, who was also his sister, named Cleopatra, this
name being common in the family of the Ptolemies. Queen Cleopatra had
a little son, and a daughter, also called Cleopatra, a beautiful girl
of about fifteen years of age. The son of this queen was really heir
to the throne; but the friends of Physcon succeeded in persuading
Queen Cleopatra to marry him, under the conditions that he should
be king, but that Cleopatra’s son, the child of Physcon’s brother,
should be heir to the throne. Physcon agreed to this; but no sooner
had he married the queen, who was also his sister, when he brutally
killed her son, while in her own arms, and upon the very bridal day.
This inhuman monster then fell in love with the young Cleopatra, his
niece, and soon divorced the queen and married her daughter. But so
great were his cruelties and crimes that the people rose against him,
and he was forced to flee for his life. He took with him a beautiful
boy, who was his own son, and also the child of the Queen Cleopatra
whom he had divorced. The people then reinstated Queen Cleopatra upon
the throne. When the queen’s birthday arrived, it was celebrated with
great magnificence, and many guests were assembled at the palace; at
which time a large box was brought in as a present to the queen. It
was opened in the presence of the guests, as all supposed that some
neighboring monarch had sent some costly gift. As the cover was
lifted, what was the horror of the queen and her friends to behold the
head and hands of her beautiful boy, whom Physcon had taken with him!
These bloody relics were placed amid a heap of the fragments of the
body in such manner that the mother might recognize her son, and the
fiend-like monster, in sending this ghastly gift, had commanded that it
should be presented to his former wife as a birthday token, and that
it should only be opened in the presence of her guests. Such were some
of the shocking deeds performed by members of the family of the famous
Cleopatra. No wonder that her nature, inherited from such inhuman
monsters, was not free from barbarous instincts.
The father of the illustrious Cleopatra was little better than his
revolting predecessors. Blood, murder, and intrigue, and all crimes
and vices formed his inheritance, handed down by his grandfather, the
fiendish Physcon. The younger Cleopatra, whom Physcon married for
his second wife, became such an inhuman being of atrocity and crime
that she was put to death by one of her sons, whose destruction she
had planned in order to seize the throne. The mother of Auletes, the
father of the great Cleopatra, was merciless and wicked, like the rest
of the line, disregarding every virtuous principle and family tie.
Her daughters were worthy followers of her atrocious example, and at
length one murdered the other in jealous hate. Such was the bloody and
shocking family record which the world-renowned Cleopatra inherited,
together with the throne of one of the most powerful and remarkable
nations of the earth. Her father followed in the same bloody footsteps.
Having been dethroned by his subjects, who hated him on account of
his atrocious vices,—for this Ptolemy Auletes was one of the most
dissipated and corrupt of all the sovereigns of that dynasty,—he fled
to Rome to obtain aid to recover his throne. The Egyptian people,
meanwhile, had made his eldest daughter, Berenice, queen. Auletes,
having at length raised an army with the help of Pompey, the Roman
general, who espoused his cause, returned to Alexandria, defeated the
Egyptians, and recovered his throne; and immediately thereupon put his
eldest daughter, Berenice, to death. When Cleopatra was about eighteen
years of age, her father died, having left a will by which the throne
of Egypt was to be held by Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy,
who were to marry each other and reign conjointly.
This terrible deed, which is regarded with just abhorrence as a
dreadful and revolting crime in our days, was a customary practice
among Egyptian monarchs; and in their mythology their gods and
goddesses were also represented as marrying brothers and sisters. As
both Cleopatra and her brother were too young to govern Egypt, they
only reigned in name, while the government was administered by two
ministers, named Pothinus and Achillas. As these statesmen, one of
whom was also general-in-chief of the army, desired to obtain complete
control of the empire, they espoused the cause of Ptolemy, Cleopatra’s
brother and so-called husband, who was so young that they imagined they
could manage him as they wished. They accordingly deposed Cleopatra,
placing Ptolemy alone on the throne; though in reality they were the
sovereigns themselves.
Cleopatra, who early displayed a dauntless courage and a resistless
self-reliance, fled to Syria to raise troops, that she might secure
by force her rightful inheritance. Cleopatra obtained an army, and
commenced her march back into Egypt. Pothinus and Achillas went
forth to meet her, accompanied by a large body of troops, taking the
young Ptolemy with them as the nominal sovereign. The two armies
encamped near Pelusium. But no battle was fought, owing to unexpected
circumstances.
It was at this time that the conflict was waging in Rome between Julius
Cæsar and Pompey. As Pompey had given aid to Ptolemy Auletes, the
father of Cleopatra, in recovering his throne, Pompey fled to Egypt,
hoping to find succor there. But he was treacherously invited to land
by the Egyptian ministers, Pothinus and Achillas, and then barbarously
murdered while stepping on shore. Julius Cæsar soon after arrived
at Alexandria; and when this news reached the camps of the Egyptian
armies, the two ministers, with the young king, Ptolemy, hastily
returned to Alexandria; and, hoping to propitiate Cæsar, they sent to
him the head of the murdered Pompey. Cæsar, far from being pleased, was
greatly shocked, and ordered the head of his late enemy to be buried
with imposing ceremonies.
Cæsar had landed at Alexandria with only a few troops, and had
established himself in the royal palace. He demanded the six thousand
talents which Ptolemy Auletes had promised for securing the alliance
of Rome, which had never been entirely paid. Cæsar also claimed that,
by the will of Auletes, the Roman people had been made his executors;
and he declared that, as consul of the Roman people, it was for him to
decide the dispute between Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy.
While matters were in this state, Cleopatra determined to use stratagem
in gaining her own cause.
She therefore sent a message to Cæsar, asking permission to appear
before him. Cæsar thereupon urged her to come.
Cleopatra then took a single boat, and with but few attendants left
the army secretly; and arriving at Alexandria, she waited until
nightfall, and then advanced with a single servant to the wall of the
citadel. This servant, named Apollodorus, at the bidding of Cleopatra,
rolled her up in a bundle of carpeting, and, covering the package in
such a manner as to resemble a bale of merchandise, he lifted it over
his shoulder and carried it into the city, and arrived unmolested
at the palace. In answer to the questions of the guards stationed
at the gates of the palace, he replied that he carried a present to
Cæsar. Whereupon he obtained access to Cæsar’s apartments; and when
his mysterious bundle was unrolled, even the stern Roman general was
fascinated by the vision of loveliness which met his wondering gaze.
Cleopatra was at this time about twenty-one years of age. She was of
slender and graceful form, and renowned, not so much for her regularity
of features, as for an indescribable charm and witchery of manner and
expression. As she pleaded her cause before the great conqueror, with
lively intelligence and quick wit and winning sweetness, the conqueror
became the conquered; and Julius Cæsar’s heart became a toy in the
hands of this fair young girl, and her wishes became his law. He who
had conquered the known world was led captive by the charms of this
wilful, fascinating, star-eyed beauty of the Nile.
Cæsar immediately espoused Cleopatra’s cause with great fervor. He
sent for the young king, Ptolemy, and urged upon him the expediency
of restoring Cleopatra to her rights as joint sovereign with himself.
But the young Ptolemy had now arrived at the age of wilfulness, and
refused to give his sister her place as queen. He was, moreover, very
much vexed that Cleopatra had delivered herself into the power of
Cæsar. He left the palace in a rage, tearing the diadem from his head,
in his indignation, and declaring to the people that he was betrayed.
Ptolemy and his officers did not have a large body of troops in the
city of Alexandria; for the main army was still stationed at Pelusium,
where Cleopatra’s army was also encamped.
The populace were so inflamed by the representations of Ptolemy and his
ministers, who declared that Cæsar had seized and imprisoned Cleopatra,
that the excited people rushed to make an attack upon the palace. Cæsar
had but a small force to guard the palace; but he boldly sent out a
detachment of his soldiers, with orders to seize Ptolemy, and bring
him as a prisoner. This was accomplished, to the great astonishment
of the people at such unheard-of daring. Then Cæsar mounted to a high
window in the tower, and made signs to the mob below that he wished to
speak with them. Quiet being restored, Cæsar told the people that, as
he was a representative of the Roman nation, whom Auletes had made the
executors of his will, he would endeavor to decide justly the questions
concerning Cleopatra and Ptolemy; and he recommended them to retire
without further riot. Accordingly the mob dispersed, and Ptolemy and
Cleopatra remained under Cæsar’s guardianship.
The next day an assembly of the chief men of Alexandria was convened
by Cæsar; and the will of Auletes having been publicly read in their
hearing, the decision announced by Cæsar, that Cleopatra was entitled
to reign with Ptolemy, was not openly opposed. Thereupon Cleopatra was
reinstated by Cæsar; and he proposed that her younger sister, Arsinoë,
with a still younger brother, also named Ptolemy, should receive the
island of Cyprus as a joint realm. Cyprus being at this time a Roman
possession, this provision would be a royal gift, which Cæsar thought
would help to appease the Egyptian people.
A grand festival was held to celebrate this reconciliation; and during
the feast one of the servants of Cæsar overheard some remarks, which
led to the discovery of a plot which had been formed against Cæsar by
the Egyptian ministers, Pothinus and Achillas. Cæsar being informed
of the plan, set a guard at the door where the feast was held, and
Pothinus was killed. Achillas fled to the Egyptian army, and assuming
command, he marched against Cæsar.
The war which now ensued is known as the Alexandrine war. Achillas
had at first the advantage in this contest, as his army was large,
while Cæsar had brought but few soldiers with him to Alexandria, and
his reinforcements had not arrived. Cæsar, knowing the importance of
holding control of all the approaches to the city by sea, sent out
an expedition to burn all the shipping in the harbor, and to take
possession of a fort upon the island of Pharos, which commanded the
entrance to the port. This undertaking was successful; but in its
accomplishment an irretrievable loss was sustained, not only by the
city of Alexandria, but by the entire world. This was the burning of
the famous library already described.
After various minor conflicts, a great battle was fought, in which
the Egyptians were defeated. Ptolemy, who had previously joined the
Egyptian army, was afterwards drowned in the Nile.
The younger sister of Cleopatra, Arsinoë, who had escaped from the
palace with her guardian, called Ganymedes, and had taken refuge with
the Egyptian army, was captured by Cæsar’s soldiers, and brought to him
as a prisoner. The war being ended by the victory of Cæsar, Cleopatra
was placed upon the throne of Egypt, in conjunction with her youngest
brother, Ptolemy, as the elder was dead; and after two years Cæsar
returned to Rome, taking Arsinoë with him as his prisoner. In his grand
triumphal celebrations this Egyptian princess was forced to walk before
the chariot of Cæsar, bound with golden chains. Cæsar had become so
infatuated with Cleopatra that he had taken her as his wife, while
in Egypt, although he was already married to a Roman lady. And after
Cæsar’s return to Rome, Cleopatra followed him with their infant son,
named Cæsario, and her younger brother, Ptolemy, who reigned with her
as king of Egypt.
Upon the death of Cæsar, which occurred about four years after,
Cleopatra endeavored to get her child acknowledged by the Roman senate
as her colleague on the throne of Egypt. She was living in Rome in
Cæsar’s villa when he met his death at the hands of the conspirators.
She thereupon applied to Cicero to use his influence in behalf of
her son Cæsario, and offered him some rare books and works of art.
But Cicero was offended at her haughtiness, and refused to espouse
her cause. Cleopatra, fearing that her own life was in danger,—for
the Roman people were much incensed against her on account of her
influence over Cæsar,—then fled secretly to Egypt with her son Cæsario.
As Ptolemy, her youngest brother, had now arrived at the age of
fifteen years, at which time he was allowed to assume all the royal
prerogatives of a sovereign, Cleopatra contrived to have him poisoned,
that she might reign sole monarch. She had then reigned four years with
her elder brother and four with the younger Ptolemy, and from that time
she reigned alone.
This shocking murder of her own brother reveals the savage instincts
which she had inherited from her ancestors, who were guilty of the
most atrocious crimes. She had seen her own father murder her eldest
sister out of cruel revenge, and her childhood had been passed amidst
scenes of profligacy and vice. For a time her nobler impulses had
obtained the ascendancy over her; but from this time forward all the
marvellous fascinations of mind and manner, which enslaved all who came
within their magic spell, were debased by evil motives, and became the
instruments of accomplishing the ruin of all who were so unfortunate
as to become infatuated with her alluring beauty, melodious voice, and
brilliant mind.
After the famous battle of Philippi and the death of Brutus and
Cassius, Octavius Cæsar and Mark Antony and a Roman general named
Lepidus formed the celebrated _triumvirate_, which continued for some
time afterwards to wield the supreme power over the Roman world. The
battle of Philippi established the ascendancy of Antony, and made him
the most conspicuous man, as Cleopatra was the most conspicuous woman,
in the world.
After the murder of Cæsar, Cleopatra did not openly declare herself
a partisan of either his friends or enemies. But as some suspicious
circumstances occurred, Antony afterwards summoned her to appear
before him on a charge of aiding Cassius. Antony was then at Tarsus,
and the famous sail of Cleopatra up the river Cydnus took place at
that time. The description of this gorgeous scene we have already
narrated. The name of the messenger sent by Antony to summon Cleopatra
to his presence was Dellius. This officer had proceeded to Egypt on
this errand, but having beheld the far-famed Egyptian queen, he was
so astonished at her beauty and captivated by her fascinations of
voice and manner, that he told her she need have no fears of Antony,
for he was sure her matchless charms would speedily overwhelm him. He
advised her to proceed to Tarsus with as much pomp and magnificence as
possible, arrayed in her best attire, and displaying all the gorgeous
luxury of her court.
Cleopatra was not slow to follow this advice, but she took her own
time in obeying Antony’s summons; thus already making him submit to
her own sweet will. “The great secret of Cleopatra’s power of winning
was the instinctive insight she possessed into men’s dispositions, and
her exquisite tact in discovering their vulnerable points. She won
Julius Cæsar by throwing herself into his power, and won Mark Antony
by exercising her power over him. She flattered Julius Cæsar’s love of
dominion by submitting herself to it; she swayed Mark Antony’s heart
by assuming rule there. She caused herself to be carried to Julius
Cæsar; she bade Mark Antony come to her. She behaved with humility
and deference to Julius; she treated Antony with gay despotism and
wayward playfulness. She derived her fortune and held her crown from
Julius Cæsar’s bestowal; she outvied Antony in costly display and
sumptuous entertainment. Her irresistible allurement lay in her faculty
of adapting herself to men’s peculiar tastes and predilections. She
followed Julius to Rome; she shared Antony’s wildest frolics. Antony’s
passion for Cleopatra was a luxurious intoxication.”
When the magnificent barge of Cleopatra landed at the city of Tarsus,
all the populace ran to the river-banks to behold the gorgeous sight.
Antony, who was then engaged at some tribunal, found himself completely
deserted, as every one had fled in haste to the river. When Cleopatra
landed, she ordered her tents to be immediately pitched upon the shore.
Antony sent a polite invitation to the Egyptian queen to dine with him;
but she courteously replied that it would be more pleasing to her to
receive him and his generals as her guests. And when Antony and his
officers entered her superb tents, the gorgeous magnificence everywhere
displayed with most lavish abundance astonished and bewildered them.
The dinner service was of gold set with precious stones, and the twelve
seats arranged for the guests were ornamented with purple and gold.
When Antony praised the splendor of the sight before him, Cleopatra
disdainfully replied that these were but trifles; but if the service
and ornaments pleased him, she begged him to accept them all as a
slight gift from her. The next day Cleopatra was invited to dine with
Antony; and although he endeavored in every manner possible to equal
the richness and splendor of her entertainment, he fell so far short,
that he acknowledged with chagrin his defeat. Again Antony and his
generals were feted in the tents of Cleopatra. This time the tables
were spread with a new service of gold and silver, more magnificent
than those beheld at the former feast. The rare jewels with which they
were adorned, and their unique and elegant workmanship, surprised her
guests into still warmer exclamations of wonder and delight. At the end
of the entertainment Cleopatra presented to each guest the gorgeous
chair in which he had reclined, and distributed amongst them all the
splendid service of gold and silver dishes, which were richly encrusted
with costly jewels.
Not only were the entertainments furnished by Cleopatra in honor
of Antony so very gorgeous, but her costumes were each day more
bewitching, and even her attendants were attired in rich and expensive
robes; while the tents and surrounding gardens and pavilions were
illuminated with innumerable lights, which were so ingeniously
disposed, some in squares, and some in circles, that the spectacle was
surprising in beauty. Antony was not only enchanted by the brilliancy
of these fairy-like scenes, but Cleopatra herself was irresistible. She
was not so remarkable for actual beauty, but her chief fascination was
the charming combination of face, form, and winning conversation, which
rendered her bewitching. Her voice has been compared to an instrument
of many strings, so melodious was it; and she spoke readily to every
ambassador in his own language, and was said to have been the only
sovereign of Egypt who understood the languages of all her subjects,
which included the Greek, Egyptian, Ethiopic, Troglodytic, Hebrew,
Arabic, and Syriac.
She was now twenty-five years of age. Her oriental beauty was at its
height of splendor. Her mind was mature, and her wit was unequalled.
These costly entertainments continued every day; and on one occasion,
when Antony playfully reproached her for her extravagance, and said
that it would not be possible to fare in a more costly manner,
Cleopatra laughingly declared that the dinner of the next day should
cost ten thousand sestertia, equal to three hundred thousand dollars.
Antony would not believe this surprising statement, and made a wager
with her that she could not fulfil her promise. When he arrived with
his generals the next day, he did not perceive any seeming added
magnificence; and when Antony laughingly told her, that according to
his reckoning of the cost of the viands and service, she had lost her
wager, she replied, that she should herself soon eat and drink the ten
thousand sestertia.
She wore in her ears two pearls, the largest known in the world, which
she had inherited with her crown and kingdom. These two pearls were
valued at two hundred and twenty-two thousand dollars apiece. Dryden,
alluding to these jewels of Cleopatra, wrote, “Each pendant in her ear
shall be a province.”
When the next course was served, a servant set before her a glass of
vinegar. She thereupon took one of the ear-rings from her ear, and
dropped it into the vinegar, and when the pearl was dissolved, she
drank the liquid.
As she was about to sacrifice also the other magnificent jewel, one of
the guests snatched it from her hand, exclaiming that she had won the
wager. This rescued pearl was afterwards taken to Rome, and there cut
in two and made into a pair of ear-rings for the statue of Venus in the
Pantheon at Rome. And the fame of the wager made the two half-pearls as
valuable as the two whole ones had been.
Cleopatra was also a beautiful singer, and she now employed all the
arts of her beauty and mind to the task of completely subduing the will
and the heart of the great Roman general, who was soon so entirely
ensnared by this enchanting sorceress, that he forgot all about his
wife, whom he had left in Rome, and also his duties of country, and
even his glories of war; and thus this old warrior became a willing
captive to the spell of Cleopatra, who persuaded him to follow her
to Alexandria, and there he gave himself up to every kind of idle
amusement and the most profligate dissipation.
Antony and Cleopatra had each a magnificent palace in Alexandria,
and they feted each other by turns. Philotas, a young physician who
was at that time pursuing his studies at Alexandria, related to
Plutarch’s grandfather some incidents of these extravagant feasts.
At one time Philotas entered Antony’s kitchen when eight wild boars
were being roasted whole. Upon expressing astonishment at the large
number of guests who must be expected, to require such a dinner, the
cook informed him that there would be none others but Antony’s usual
party of twelve; but as each dish must be served in perfection, and as
Antony and Cleopatra often became engaged in some new diversion just
as dinner was ready, and would thereupon give orders to have it wait
their pleasure, it was necessary to cook eight entire dinners, that
whichever one should suit their time to eat, it might be served without
the slightest signs of neglect in its preparation.
But the most costly of the luxuries then used in Egypt were the scents
and ointments. Many of these perfumes, such as the attar of roses, were
sold for four hundred denarii the pound.
Cleopatra endeavored by every art possible to so fascinate Antony that
he would not think of returning to Rome. Perceiving that Antony was
partial to gross and sensuous pleasures, and more given to feasting
than the polite arts and sciences, in which Cleopatra herself was
remarkably accomplished, she therefore cultivated only the coarser side
of her nature, and gave herself up to the most riotous amusements.
She played at dice with him, hunted by his side, was present at all
his military parades, and even joined him in his night revels in the
street, when Antony, disguising himself as a servant, and Cleopatra
dressed as a maid, accompanied by half-drunken companions, they went
through the streets of Alexandria, attended with boisterous musicians
and singers, and perpetrated all kinds of wild pranks.
Thus the elegant Cleopatra, who could charm Julius Cæsar with
the marvellous intelligence and keen wit of her conversation and
the graceful allurements of her refined beauty, when with the mad
Antony, who was more of a wild boar than statesman, laid aside her
bewitching loveliness of mind and manner, and condescended to join in
a wild revelry, as boisterous and undignified as his coarser nature
could enjoy. Yet even the witchery of her youth, beauty, wealth, and
gracefulness could not cloak the enormities of vice and crime. Her
first request of Antony was the death of her sister Arsinoë, who had
been living in exile in Asia since the time when she had been taken to
Rome as a prisoner by Julius Cæsar. Either from jealousy or ambition,
Cleopatra desired her to be put out of her way, and Antony caused her
to be killed in the temple of Diana, at Miletus, whither Arsinoë had
fled for refuge. Thus did Cleopatra continue her bloody work even in
the midst of her most gorgeous revels.
From henceforth in her history we can no longer think of her as the
lovely lotus of the Nile, the very flower of womanly loveliness, as she
appeared upon her enchanting barge, sailing in the glowing sunshine,
over the shining waters of the Cydnus; but she becomes more like a
beautiful tiger, or, as Shakespeare calls her, “that old serpent of the
Nile,” charming the unwary victims by her glistening eyes and alluring
wiles, only to crush them at last within the encircling coils of her
irresistible spell. Antony had sent for her as her master, but he was
now her slave.
One day the queen of Egypt accompanied him on a fishing excursion.
Antony, having caught nothing, was much chagrined; and to appear
successful in the eyes of Cleopatra, he ordered a fisherman to dive
beneath the water and fasten to his line one of the large fish which
the fisherman had just caught. This having been done, Antony drew in
his line with much satisfaction, and displayed the fine trophy he had
so skilfully ensnared. Cleopatra, however, was not ignorant of this
artifice, but she affected much admiration for Antony’s successful
angling, and she arranged for another fishing party the next day.
Accordingly, when they once again set sail in the fishing-boats, she
ordered one of her servants to dive below the water when Antony should
throw his line, and fasten to his hook a large salt fish which had
been brought from the province of Pontus. Again Antony drew in his
line in triumph, which was quickly changed to intense mortification as
he beheld the salt fish dangling from his hook. Amidst the uproarious
laughter which this amusing incident occasioned, Cleopatra exclaimed,
“Leave the line, good general, to us, the kings and queens of Pharos
and Canopus; your business is to fish for cities, kingdoms, and kings.”
While Antony thus amused himself with such sports, and much more
condemnatory pleasures, news reached him of trouble at Rome. His wife
Fulvia and his brother had been banished, and Octavius Cæsar declared
himself an open foe. Fulvia soon after died, and Antony returning to
Rome, was reconciled to young Cæsar by marrying his sister Octavia,
although Cleopatra already pretended to be his lawful wife; and in
order to appease her, Antony was obliged to make magnificent presents
to Cleopatra, consisting of the provinces of Phoenicia, the Lower
Syria, the Isle of Cyprus, with a great part of Cilicia. Cleopatra also
begged him to put to death Herod, king of Judea, and Malichus, king
of Arabia, who were her enemies. But Antony did not yield to these
bloody demands, and only gave her the balsam country around Jericho,
and a rent-charge of thirty thousand pounds a year on the revenues of
Judea. It is related that at a feast, when Cleopatra perceived Antony
to be under the influence of wine, she even presumed to ask him to
give her the Roman Empire, which he was not ashamed to promise her. On
receiving these large additions to her kingdom, Cleopatra, in honor of
Antony, dated the years of her reign anew, calling what was in reality
the sixteenth year of her reign over Egypt, the first, and thus she
reckoned them until her death. Antony also presented to her the large
library of Pergamus, which had fallen to his share in the spoils of
war. This library Eumenes and Attalus had hoped to make as famous as
the museum of Alexandria, which had perished in the flames of the
Alexandrine war. Cleopatra placed the two hundred thousand volumes thus
acquired, in the temple of Serapis, and once again Alexandria held the
largest library in the world, notwithstanding the destruction of the
far-famed museum. These royal gifts caused the Romans to entertain
bitter hatred against Antony, and especially against Cleopatra, whom
they blamed for her evil influence over their once illustrious general.
After Antony’s marriage to Octavia, he made several expeditions against
surrounding nations, and Octavia accompanied him into Greece. But open
hostilities having broken out between Octavius and Antony, Octavia
was sent to Rome to effect a reconciliation between her husband and
brother. This she partially accomplished; but Antony, again ensnared
by the enchantments of Cleopatra, forgot all his duties of state and
country, and again was lured to Alexandria, leaving Octavia in Rome.
This illustrious Roman lady displayed the most loyal devotion to her
husband and their children, and endeavored in every way to dissuade
her brother from taking up arms against Antony, whose cruel neglect
of his wife inflamed her brother, Octavius Cæsar, to the most intense
hatred, and a determination to avenge her wrongs, as well as assert his
own ambitious power.
Meanwhile, Antony was spending his time in Egypt. At length he
determined to undertake an expedition against the Parthians and
Armenians. While in Phœnicia, Cleopatra joined him, bringing him money
and clothes and food for his soldiers. Meanwhile Octavia had also
left Rome and reached Athens, on her way to Antony’s camp, to bring
him the supplies and money she had procured in Rome for his suffering
troops. Fearing that Octavia might win Antony from her side, Cleopatra
affected to die for love of him. She refrained from food, and was often
discovered by him in tears; and her attendants constantly reminded him
of her great grief, and declared that if he should leave her, she would
surely die. As Antony had married Octavia only for political power in
Rome, and as he did love Cleopatra more intensely than he had ever
loved any human being before, he sent word to Octavia to return to
Rome, and soon after sent deputies to Rome, to declare his divorce from
Octavia, and with orders to command her to leave his house, with all
her children.
Even this wicked and cruel indignity did not destroy the devoted love
of Octavia. She obeyed the outrageous summons, and continued to take
the most untiring care, not only of her own children, but of those of
Antony and his former wife, Fulvia. She also endeavored to appease the
indignation of the Roman people against him; but she could not lessen
the resentment of her brother Octavius, who now prepared for open war.
While the names of Antony and Cleopatra were held in abhorrence in
Rome, in Alexandria new and most gorgeous honors were accorded them.
In the magnificent palace of the Ptolemies a massive throne of gold was
erected, the ascent to which was by steps of solid silver. Upon this
glistening throne sat Antony and Cleopatra. He was arrayed in a superb
robe of purple, embroidered with gold, and buttoned with flashing
diamonds. On his side he wore a Persian scimitar, the handle and sheath
of which were encrusted with sparkling gems. His diadem glittered with
precious stones, and in his right hand he held a sceptre of gold. Thus
had he caused himself to be so gorgeously attired, in order, as he
said, “that in such royal equipage he might deserve to be the husband
of a queen.”
Upon his right side sat Cleopatra, costumed as the goddess Isis,
whose name and honors she assumed on public occasions of great pomp
and magnificence. She wore a shining robe of the precious linen set
apart for the service of that goddess, so fine and sheer that it
seemed to encase her graceful form in gleaming folds of shimmering
light. Upon her royal brow glistened most priceless jewels, while her
fair neck seemed almost weighted with its sparkling gem-encrusted
chains. She looked, in truth, a very goddess, this proud Egyptian
Queen, this gorgeous Lotus Blossom of the Nile, this most matchless
siren, most peerless Peri of the Orient! Never before had she
appeared more gloriously beautiful; though even now the black clouds
of disappointment and death were gathering thick around, soon to
overshadow herself and illustrious kingdom in irretrievable ruin. But
unmindful of the coming storm, the eyes of this Egyptian Isis, seated
in goddess-like magnificence upon her shining throne, flashed with
proud triumph and gratified ambition.
A little lower upon this gorgeous throne sat three children. The eldest
was Cæsario, the son of Cleopatra and Julius Cæsar; the two younger
were Alexander and Ptolemy, sons of Antony and Cleopatra. Cæsario was
dressed as a young Egyptian prince; while the younger boys wore the
costumes of the countries over which they were to reign. After the
people had assembled in the palace, by the command of Antony, heralds
proclaimed Cleopatra queen of Egypt, Cyprus, Libya, and Cœlosyria,
in conjunction with her son Cæsario. The young princes Alexander and
Ptolemy were also proclaimed “kings of kings”; and to Alexander, the
elder, Antony gave the kingdoms of Armenia and Media, with Parthia,
when Antony should have conquered it. To the younger, Ptolemy, the
kingdoms of Syria, Phoenicia, and Cilicia were given. After the
proclamation the three young princes knelt before Cleopatra and Antony,
and made them royal obeisance, kissing their hands. To each of them was
afterwards assigned a regiment of guards and a retinue of youths chosen
from the principal families in the several countries.
Cæsar now advanced with his army against Antony. Cleopatra, having
furnished him with troops and ships,—which, together with his own land
forces, formed a large army,—they departed to Ephesus, and thence to
Samos, where, notwithstanding their impending peril, they passed many
days in feasting and pleasure. The island became such a scene of riot
and revelry that the people exclaimed in astonishment, “If Antony
celebrates such festivities before going into battle, by what means
could he express his joy should he obtain the victory?”
Antony and Cleopatra, with a magnificent retinue, then went to Athens.
As Octavia had been formerly received by the Athenians with marked
attentions, Cleopatra determined that she would outvie her rival.
She accordingly lavished such costly gifts and immense sums of money
amongst the Athenians, that they were amazed, and decreed to her the
most exalted honors. They sent an imposing embassy to her, and Antony
himself, in the character of an Athenian citizen, was one of the
ambassadors.
It was during one of the gorgeous feasts celebrated at Samos that the
following incident is supposed to have occurred.
Notwithstanding Cleopatra’s professed fondness for Antony, he began
at length to fear that in some moment of anger or treachery she might
poison him. He therefore ordered that all of the viands served at
these banquets should be first tasted by one of his servants before he
partook of them. Cleopatra, perceiving this mistrust, determined to
teach him how completely he was in her power if she chose to do him
harm.
She therefore ordered the stems of the flowers to be poisoned, which
formed the wreaths worn by Antony and herself at table according to
the Egyptian custom, and in the midst of the feast she proposed that
they should pluck the flowers from their crowns and drink them in their
wine. Antony readily consented, and breaking off many of the blossoms
from his wreath, he threw them in his glass and raised it to his lips
to drink.
But Cleopatra quickly seized his uplifted arm and exclaimed: “I am the
poisoner against whom you take such mighty precautions. If it were
possible for me to live without you, judge now whether I wanted either
opportunity or reason for such action.” She thereupon immediately
ordered that a prisoner, already condemned to die, should be brought
into the apartment, and the cup which Antony had been about to taste
was given him, and Cleopatra commanded that he should drink its
contents; after taking which, the slave immediately expired.
At length Antony and Cleopatra set forth with their entire fleet to
meet their Roman foes. This fleet consisted of five hundred ships of
war of great size and peculiar construction; but they were illy manned,
as Antony was not able to secure mariners enough, and had been obliged
to employ husbandmen, artisans, muleteers, and even boys. On board the
fleet were two hundred thousand foot and twelve thousand horse. The
kings of many countries had joined their forces in behalf of Cleopatra,
and troops had been sent from Libya, Cappadocia, Paphlagonia, Comagena,
Thrace, Pontus, Judea, Lycaonia, Galatia, and Media. Though all the
ships were imposing, none equalled the magnificence of Cleopatra’s
galley with its purple sails glittering with gold; while flags and
banners floated in the breeze, and trumpets, drums, cymbals, and other
instruments filled the air with gay and inspiring strains of martial
music. Antony followed her in a galley little less splendid.
Cleopatra was flushed with triumph. Accompanied by one of the most
renowned generals of the world, she proudly threatened the powerful
Roman capital, and even dared to imagine that she could subdue the
world and reign sole mistress of the greatest kingdoms of the earth.
Octavius Cæsar had only two hundred and fifty ships, and eighty
thousand foot and twelve thousand horse. But his war-galleys were
perfectly manned with experienced seamen, and his troops were old
veterans in many illustrious wars.
By the advice of Cleopatra, Antony determined to risk all in a naval
battle rather than a land conflict. Had he chosen the latter, his
superior numbers might have turned the tide in his favor.
The important battle was fought upon the 2d of September, in the Gulf
of Ambracia, near the city of Actium. While the battle was raging, and
Antony’s chances of success were equal with those of Cæsar, Cleopatra
turned and fled in fright, drawing after her the entire Egyptian
squadron.
Antony, perceiving her flight, forgot everything in his wild impulse
to follow her; and turning his galley, he ignominiously pursued her,
leaving his soldiers to carry on the conflict. So bravely did they
fight, even after this shameful desertion of their leader, that Cæsar
with great difficulty gained the victory.
When Cleopatra perceived that Antony was following her, she commanded
her admiral to stop her galley until Antony reached its side, when
Antony was taken on board. But so great was his mortification and
remorse that he would neither see her nor speak to her for three days;
after which time she regained her old ascendancy, and they returned
to Alexandria, where they gave themselves up anew to pleasure and
feasting, even though they knew that Cæsar was already pursuing them.
Cleopatra now formed a very extraordinary design. She ordered that her
ships, which were in the Mediterranean Sea, should be carried over
the isthmus into the Red Sea; and she then determined to take all her
treasures, and escape beyond the reach of Cæsar. But the Arabians
having burned several of her ships, she abandoned the plan. She now
resolved to be treacherous to Antony, and to gain the favor of Cæsar.
Though she loved Antony to madness, her ambition was stronger than
her love. She thereupon persuaded Antony to send ambassadors to Cæsar
to sue for peace; and with them she sent officers of her own, who were
bribed to treat separately with Cæsar on her behalf. Octavius Cæsar
gave her reason to hope, if she would sacrifice Antony to him.
Now followed a time of vacillating love and ambition, despair and
dissimulation. To dispel Antony’s suspicions she increased her
caressing attentions, and spent her time in providing the most
extravagant banquets and amusements.
Meanwhile, with a presentiment of her impending doom, she made special
studies of all sorts of poisons, to discern, if possible, which would
occasion the most speedy and painless death. She also experimented
regarding the effects of the bites of the most poisonous reptiles
and insects, using for her victims animals or condemned prisoners.
At length she discovered that the asp was the only one whose bite
occasioned neither torture nor convulsions, the victim being speedily
stupefied, and dying in a seemingly painless sleep.
Antony and Cleopatra now formed a new compact, called
“Synapothanumenon,” signifying the order and agreement of those who
will die together, in substitution for their former order of existence,
called “Amimetobion,” meaning “no life comparable.”
News at length reached Alexandria that Cæsar had appeared before
Pelusium, and that the city had fallen into his hands. It is said
that this capture was obtained through the treachery of Cleopatra,
who sent secret word to her governor there to surrender the place.
Then, to clear herself from the rumors of this treason, she put the
wife and children of the governor into Antony’s hands that he might
revenge himself by putting them to death. Thus had vice and ambition
robbed this Egyptian queen of all the charms of innocence and womanly
tenderness, until she had become almost fiend-like in her cruelty and
selfishness. Thus can the spirit of selfish ambition become a serpent
in the heart, poisoning all its nobler aspirations. The beautiful,
fascinating Cleopatra was fast becoming as great a monster of crime as
her atrocious ancestors.
Adjoining the temple of Isis, Cleopatra had caused a magnificent tomb
to be built for herself, and thither she ordered all her most precious
treasures to be brought. She there stored her gold, silver, jewels,
ebony, ivory, and a large quantity of costly perfumes and aromatic
woods. She also sent to this mausoleum an immense quantity of flax,
tow, torches, and other combustibles, which she ordered stored in the
lower apartments of the tomb, that they might be in readiness should
she determine to destroy herself and treasures by fire rather than
allow them to fall into the hands of her enemies.
Cæsar, hearing of these preparations made by the Egyptian queen,
was fearful lest she might escape him, with all her treasures, and
constantly sent her messages offering her promises of generous
treatment when he should reach Alexandria.
Antony, knowing nothing of this double dealing, prepared for a good
defence. Cæsar had now advanced to the city, and encamped near the
Hippodrome. Antony made a vigorous sally; and having severely repulsed
the enemy, he returned victorious to the city. But this was the last
effort of his expiring valor. On the morrow, after spending the night
at a magnificent banquet provided by Cleopatra in honor of his recent
success, Antony resolved to attack Cæsar by sea and land. Having drawn
up his land force, he stood with them on an eminence, watching the
advance of his galleys, which were to make the first attack. What
was his horror and chagrin, however, to behold Cleopatra’s admiral
strike his flag, and go over with his entire fleet to the enemy. This
treason opened the eyes of Antony to the perfidy of the queen. With
one expiring impulse of warlike valor, he sent to challenge Cæsar to
single combat. But Cæsar sent answer, that if Antony was weary of life,
there were other ways to die. Finding himself thus ridiculed by Cæsar
and betrayed by Cleopatra, Antony rushed in wild rage to the palace
to avenge himself upon the perfidious woman for whom he had bartered
country and honor. Any excuse which we might have made for the actions
of Cleopatra heretofore, on the plea that she was impelled by her mad
love for Antony, can no longer shield her treachery and crime. It is
poor Antony now who, in spite of all his outrageous conduct, claims
our sympathy. He had bartered everything in life for the love of this
woman, only to find himself basely deserted by her in his hour of
greatest trouble. Her selfish ambition was paramount to her love, and
overshadows her last days with infamy.
Cleopatra, foreseeing that Antony would seek her in a rage, upon
discovering her treachery, had retired into her tomb, with two women
attendants, and caused Antony to be told that she had killed herself.
No sooner had Antony heard this news than his hate was again conquered
by his love, and lamenting her death with sobs and tears, he shut
himself up in his palace, with one slave, named Eros. He thereupon
commanded Eros to plunge his dagger into his heart, as he no longer
desired to live. But the faithful slave, unwilling to obey this
dreadful command, took the dagger, but stabbed himself with it, and
fell dead at his master’s feet. Antony then exclaimed, “Shall a slave
and a woman teach me how to die!” and immediately thrust his sword into
his side, and fell bleeding to the floor.
Just then an officer arrived, who had been sent by Cleopatra to inform
him that she was not dead, as reported. As soon as Antony heard the
beloved name of Cleopatra, he opened his dying eyes and begged to be
taken to her, that he might expire in her arms. Bleeding and dying, he
was carried to her tomb. Even then Cleopatra’s selfish fear overcame
her love, and she would not allow the doors to be opened, lest her
enemies might surprise her; but she appeared at a high window, from
which she let down ropes to draw him up. Antony was made fast to the
ropes by his attendants below, and then Cleopatra and her two women,
who were the only persons with her in the tomb, endeavored to draw up
the dying Antony. It was a piteous sight. With his eyes even now glazed
in death, Antony cast an imploring look upon the face of the woman
whom he loved more than life or earthly honors. The handsome face of
the Egyptian queen was distorted by her grief and her severe efforts
to draw up the bleeding body of the dying Antony. When they had lifted
him within the window, Cleopatra laid him on a bed, and bathed the
blood from his face, caressing him with fond kisses, and calling him
endearing names. While she thus wailed and mourned, she cut off his
hair, according to an Egyptian superstition that it afforded relief to
the dying. Antony, recovering consciousness for a few moments, sought
only to comfort her, telling her he died happy, as he was in her arms.
“And for thee, star-eyed Egyptian!
Glorious sorceress of the Nile,
Light the path to Stygian horrors
With the splendors of thy smile.
Give the Cæsar crowns and arches,
Let his brow the laurel twine;
I can scorn the Senate’s triumphs,
Triumphing in love like thine.
Isis and Osiris guard thee!
Cleopatra, Rome, farewell!”
Cæsar allowed Cleopatra to bury Antony with royal honors; and
afterwards he went himself to pay her a visit. He found Cleopatra
overwhelmed with grief. She had refused food, and endeavored to
starve herself to death; but Cæsar had sent her word that he would
put her children to death if she should harm herself, and so she had
reluctantly allowed herself to be ministered unto by her physician. But
she had bruised her face, arms, and breast in her paroxysms of grief,
and when Cæsar entered her apartment, he was shocked at her appearance.
Her hair was loose and disordered, her countenance wild and haggard,
and her arms and breast horribly disfigured with wounds and bruises,
while her former lustrous eyes were red and swollen by excessive
weeping.
At first, Cleopatra endeavored to vindicate her conduct; but finding
that Cæsar was not awed by her hitherto irresistible power, she broke
down completely, and with tears and lamentations sought to appeal to
his pity. Cæsar assured her that she would be treated with kindness and
generosity, and he left her, thinking that she desired to live, and
that his coming triumph would be graced by her presence.
“Octavius little knew the subtle intrigues of Cleopatra. She had
deluded him; not he, her. The waning charms of Cleopatra, dimmed by
grief and sorrow, might not appeal to the sensuous side of Octavius’s
nature, but he was not proof against the subtle and practised skill
of her mental abilities, by which she wielded the judgments of men
according to her will.”
Cleopatra now determined to destroy herself, that she might not have
to endure the ignominy of serving as an ornament to Cæsar’s triumphal
celebrations when he returned to Rome. Once before, Cæsar had sent a
messenger to speak with her at the door of her tomb, while a second
officer placed a ladder against the wall and entered her window, as he
had been ordered to search her apartment, lest she had some weapons
concealed with which she might harm herself. Whereupon, one of her
women cried out, “O unfortunate Cleopatra, you are taken!” Cleopatra,
seeing the officers, drew a dagger from her girdle, and was about to
stab herself, but the officer caught her arm and took from her the
weapon, and afterwards searched the room and shook her robes, lest
she should have concealed some other weapon or poison with which she
could destroy herself. A guard was then set in her tomb, to watch her
constantly. But with all these precautions, Cleopatra outwitted them.
She sent to Cæsar, and begged that he would allow her to go and pay the
last honors at the tomb of Antony and take her final leave of him.
Cæsar having granted this request, she went with her women, bearing
chaplets and wreaths of flowers, which they placed upon the tomb amidst
wailings and lamentations. When Cleopatra returned to her apartments
after this sad ceremony, she appeared more composed than usual. After
taking a bath, she arrayed herself with all her queenly magnificence;
and having ordered a sumptuous repast, served with the customary
splendor, she partook of it with seeming calmness.
Afterwards, ordering all attendants to retire from her presence, with
the exception of two trusty waiting-women, she wrote a letter to Cæsar,
and then asked for a basket of figs which a servant had just brought to
her.
When the guards stopped him at the door, he displayed the fruit, and
declared that the queen desired them for her dinner; and thus they were
allowed to be sent in.
After Cleopatra had examined the figs, she laid down upon her couch,
and soon after appeared to have fallen asleep. The poison from the bite
of the asp, which had been carefully hidden amongst the figs, and which
had stung her upon the arm, which she held to it for that purpose,
immediately reached her heart, and killed her almost instantly, and
without seeming pain.
When Cæsar received her letter, in which Cleopatra requested that she
might be buried by the side of Antony, his suspicions were aroused,
lest she contemplated killing herself, and he sent officers quickly to
her apartments. But when they opened the doors, they found Cleopatra
lying dead upon her bed of gold, arrayed in all her royal robes, and
one of her women already lying dead at her feet.
The other attendant, named Charmian, was arranging the diadem upon the
brow of her beloved mistress, and decking her form with flowers.