faithful

HEN Antony knew that there was now no more chance of defending himself against his rival, Octavius; and when he received the news, false though it was, of Cleopatra's death, it seemed that life had for him no further charm. True it is that Cleopatra soon sent a message to him, telling him that she was yet alive and waited for him; but this message arrived too late. Antony, on being informed of the death of his mistress, had in broken exclamations declared that, having lost the only object for which he had cherished life, he had no more business in the world. Having thus said, he commanded Eros, a faithful servant from whom he had extorted a vow to put an end to his existence whenever his misfortunes should become irremediable, now to fulfil his engagement. Eros, to evade his promise, chose rather to die in the presence of his beloved master, who, following the example given him by his servant, plunged his sword in his breast and sunk beside him. At this instant the messenger from the queen of Egypt arrived; Antony, raising himself, and reviving at the intelligence brought to him, eagerly desired to be taken to the monument. The entrance having been fastened to prevent surprise, he was drawn up through the window with cords, by the queen and two female attendants, the only persons whom she dared to trust. The spectators melted into tears when they beheld the dying Antony, covered with blood, stretching out his hands to Cleopatra, and raising his body as if to aid her efforts: even

the callous heart of the queen was at length touched for the fate of a hero, whose passion for her had proved his destruction; having placed him on a bed in the monument, she wept over him with unfeigned and impassioned sorrow, while her soul was rent by a too late remorse. Generous even in death, Antony seemed to have lost in his efforts to console her the sense of her guilt and of his own condition, while, without uttering either reproach or complaint, he exhorted her to use every means for her security; and, among the friends of Octavius, to trust only Proculeius. Calling for wine, he implored his mistress rather to rejoice in the recollection of his past felicity, than to afflict herself with the present reverse of his fortunes. His speech failing him, he grasped the hand of Cleopatra in his, and fixing his eyes tenderly on hers, while death seemed deprived by love of its pangs, he gently breathed his last.

As for Cleopatra herself, doubtful of the success of her intrigues with the conqueror, she determined to be prepared for their failure; and, rather than swell the Roman triumph, to perish by a voluntary death. With this view, she caused experiments of every species of vegetable or animal poison to be made on criminals, the consequences of which she personally witnessed, to ascertain the speediest and least painful death. Among these the venom of the asp obtained the suffrage, the effects of which was to operate as a narcotic, without spasm or apparent pain. She likewise ordered to be constructed, adjoining to the temple of Isis, several tombs and monuments of stupendous height and exquisite workmanship; to these she removed her treasures, consisting of gold and silver, emeralds, pearls, ebony,

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ivory, and cinnamon; to which was. added, by her order, a considerable quantity of aromatic wood, flax, and torches.

Still, she determined to do what she could to soften Octavius Cæsar, and having procured an interview, she addressed him by the title of her lord and master, and implored his compassion in a speech prepared for the occasion, reminded him of his predecessor, the great Cæsar, to whom she owed her crown and dignity, lamented the loss of his protection, and flattered herself with seeing him restored in his adopted son and successor. Octavius listened with downcast eyes, while, essaying every art to move him, she affected to excuse her conduct towards Antony on the plea of constraint and fear. Her justification being interrupted by her guest, whose patience began to be exhausted, she had recourse to submission, prayers, and tears, offering to put into his hands an inventory of her treasures, and to throw herself entirely on his mercy. One of her treasurers, present at this interview, accused her, with a view of making court to the victor, of having secreted many of her most valuable jewels. Thrown off her guard by a temerity to which she had been so little accustomed, she seized the treasurer by the hair, and repeatedly struck him in the face. Octavius, smiling at her transport, endeavoured to pacify her, when, recollecting herself, and apologising for her vehemence, she added meanness to duplicity, and protested that she had reserved only some female ornaments, as presents to his wife and sister Octavia, through whose intercession she hoped to receive clemency. Persuaded from this circumstance that she had relinquished any design against her life, Octavius sought

to soothe and encourage her, by declaring that whatever she had thought proper to reserve, should be left to her discretion, and that she might assure herself of honourable treatment. He then departed, pleased with the interview, and persuaded that he had imposed on the discernment, and quieted the apprehensions, of his captive.

Cleopatra, feeling herself less satisfied, suspected the sincerity of her visitor; shortly after she received a new intimation from Dolabella, an officer of Octavius, that his master, about to return into Syria, proposed to send her before him, accompanied by her children. The dread of being led in triumph to Rome again seized her, and once more she determined to die. Having requested to be allowed to make a last oblation at the tomb of Antony, her demand was complied with, and she was conducted with her women to the place of his interment, where, having made a theatrical show of sorrow, and adorned the monument with garlands, she ordered a bath to be prepared and a splendid supper. After the entertainment, one of her domestics, disguised as a countryman, obtained leave of the guards to present to her a basket of figs, under the leaves of which an asp was concealed. Cleopatra received the fruit, rewarded the bearer, addressed a letter to Octavius, containing an entreaty to be interred with Antony, and applied the asp to her veins.

Thus perished in her fortieth year, twenty-two years after her elevation to the throne, a woman who, perverting the bounties of nature, found in an inordinate selfishness the destruction she laboured to avert, and received, in the consequences of her duplicity and perfidy, the just recompense of her crimes.

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