Mark Antony being thus inclined, the last and extremest mischief of
all other (to wit, the love of Cleopatra) lighted on him, who did
waken and stir up many vices yet hidden in him, and were never seen to
any: and if any spark of goodness or hope of rising were left him,
Cleopatra quenched it straight, and made it worse than before. The
manner how he fell in love with her was this. Antony going to make war
with the Parthians, sent to command Cleopatra to appear personally
before him, when he came into Cilicia, to answer unto such accusations
as were laid against her, being this: that she had aided Cassius and
Brutus in their war against him. The messenger sent unto Cleopatra to
make this summons unto her, was called Dellius: who when he had
thoroughly considered her beauty, the excellent grace and sweetness of
her tongue, he nothing mistrusted that Antony would do any hurt to so
noble a lady, but rather assured himself, that within few days she
should be in great favour with him. Thereupon he did her great honour,
and persuaded her to come into Cilicia, as honourably furnished as she
could possible, and bade her not to be afraid at all of Antony, for he
was a more courteous lord, than any one that she had ever seen.
Cleopatra on the other side believing Dellius' words, and guessing by
the former access and credit she had with Julius Cæsar, and Cneius
Pompey (the son of Pompey the Great) only for her beauty: she began to
have good hope that she might more easily win Antony. For Cæsar and
Pompey knew her when she was but a young thing, and knew not then what
the world meant: but now she went to Mark Antony at the age when a
woman's beauty is at the prime, and she also of best judgement. So,
she furnished herself with a world of gifts, store of gold and silver,
and of riches and other sumptuous ornaments, as is credible enough she
might bring from so great a house, and from so wealthy and rich a
realm as Egypt was. But yet she carried nothing with her wherein she
trusted more than in her self, and in the charms and enchantment of
her passing beauty and grace.
Therefore when she was sent unto by divers letters, both from Antony
himself, and also from his friends, she made so light of it and mocked
Antony so much, that she disdained to set forward otherwise, but to
take her barge in the river of Cydnus, the poop whereof was of gold,
the sails of purple, and the oars of silver, which kept stroke in
rowing after the sound of the music of flutes, howboys, citherns,
viols, and such other instruments as they played upon in the barge.
And now for the person of her self: she was laid under a pavilion of
cloth of gold of tissue, apparelled and attired like the goddess
Venus, commonly drawn in picture: and hard by her, on either hand of
her, pretty fair boys apparelled as painters do set forth god Cupid,
with little fans in their hands, with the which they fanned wind upon
her. Her ladies and gentlewomen also, the fairest of them were
apparelled like the nymphs nereids (which are the mermaids of the
waters) and like the Graces, some steering the helm, others tending
the tackle and ropes of the barge, out of the which there came a
wonderful passing sweet savour of perfumes, that perfumed the wharf's
side, pestered with innumerable multitudes of people. Some of them
followed the barge all alongst the river-side: others also ran out of
the city to see her coming in. So that in the end, there ran such
multitudes of people one after another to see her, that Antony was
left post alone in the market-place, in his imperial seat to give
audience: and there went a rumour in the people's mouths, that the
goddess Venus was come to play with the god Bacchus, for the general
good of all Asia.[104] When Cleopatra landed, Antony sent to invite
her to supper to him. But she sent him word again, he should do better
rather to come and sup with her. Antony therefore to shew himself
courteous unto her at her arrival, was contented to obey her, and went
to supper to her: where he found such passing sumptuous fare, that no
tongue can express it.