A. M.

3961.

Ant. J. C.

43

SECT. III.

Cleopatra caufes her young brother to be put to death, and reigns alone. The death of Julius Cæfar, having made way for the Triumvirate formed between Antony, Lepidus, and young Cafar, called alfo Octavius, Cleopatra declares berfelf for the Triumvirs. She goes to Antony at Tarfus, gets an abfolute afcendant over him, and brings him with her to Alexandria. Antony goes to Rome, where he effouses Octavia. He abandons himself again to Cleopatra, and after fome expeditions returns to Alexandria, which he enters in triumph. He there celebrates the coronation of Cleopatra and her children. Open rupture between Cæfar and Antony. The latter repudiates Octavia. The two fleets put to fea. Cleopatra determines to follow Antony. Battle of Altium. Cleopatra flies, and draws Antony. after her. Cafar's victory is compleat. He advances fome time after against Alexandria, which makes no long refiftance. Tragical death of Antony and Cleopatra. Egypt is reduced into a province of the Roman empire.

ÆSAR, after the war of Alexandria,

had fet Cleopatra upon the throne, and for form only, had made her brother her companion, who at that time was only eleven years of age. During his minority, all power was in her hands. When he attained his fifteenth

year, which was the time, when, according to the laws of the country, he was to govern for Jofeph. himself, and have a fhare in the royal authority, Antiq. fhe poifoned him, and remained fole queen of Porphyr. Egypt.

XV. 4.

P. 226.

In this interval Cæfar had been killed at Rome by the confpirators, at the head of which were Brutus and Caffius; the Triumvirate between Antony, Lepidus, and Octavius Cæfar, was then formed, to avenge the death of Cæfar.

4,

Cleopatra declared herself, without hesitation, Appian. for the Triumvirs. She gave Albienus, the con-1. 3. P. ful Dolabella's lieutenant, four legions; which 576. 1. p. 623. were the remains of Pompey's and Craffus's ar-1.5.p.675, mies, and were part of the troops Cæfar had left with her for the guard of Egypt. She had alfo a fleet in readiness for failing; but prevented by storms from fetting out. Caffius A. M. made himself master of those four legions, and 3962. Ant. J. C. frequently follicited Cleopatra for aid, which fhe as often refufed. She failed fome time after with a numerous fleet, to join Antony and Octavius. A violent ftorm occafioned the lofs of a great number of her fhips, and falling fick, she was obliged to return into Egypt.

42.

41.

Diod. 1.

Antony, after the defeat of Brutus and Caf- A. M. fius in the battle of Philippi, having paffed 3963., over into Afia, in order to establish the autho- Ant. J. C. rity of the Triumvirate there, the kings, princes, Plut. in and ambaffadors of the Eaft, came thither in Anton. p. throngs to make their court to him. He was 926, 927. informed, that the governours of Phoenicia, 48. p 371. which was in the dependance of the kingdom App. de of Egypt, had fent Caffius aid against Dola-bell. civil. bella. He cited Cleopatra before him, to an-15.p.671. fwer for the conduct of her governors; and fent one of his lieutenants to oblige her to come to. him in Cilicia, whether he was going to affem'ble the ftates of that province. That step became very fatal to Antony in its effects, and occafioned his ruin. His love for Cleopatra, having awakened paffions in him, till then con

cealed

cealed or asleep, enflamed them even to madnefs, and finally deadened and extinguished the few fparks of honour and virtue, he might perhaps still retain.

Cleopatra, affured of her charms, by the proof fhe had already fo fuccefsfully made of them upon Julius Cæfar, was in hopes, that she could also very easily captivate Antony : and the more, because the former had known her only when she was very young, and had no experience of the world; whereas fhe was going to appear before Antony at an age, wherein women, with the bloom of their beauty, unite the whole force of wit to treat and conduct the greatest affairs. Cleopatra was at that time five and twenty years old. She provided herself therefore with exceeding rich prefents, great fums of money, and efpecially the most magnificent habits and ornaments; and with ftill higher hopes in her attractions, and the graces of her perfon, more powerful than dress, or even gold, fhe began her voyage.

Upon her way the received several letters from Antony, who was at Tarfus, and from his friends, preffing her to haften her journey; but the only laughed at their inftances, and ufed never the more diligence for them. After having croffed the fea of Pamphylia, fhe entered the Cydnus, and going up that river, landed at Tarfus. Never was more fplendid or magnificent equipage feen than hers. The whole poop of her fhip flamed with gold, the fails were purple, and the oars inlaid with filver. A pavillion of cloth of gold was raised upon the deck, under which appeared that queen, habited like Venus, and furrounded with the moft beautiful virgins of her court, of whom some represented the Nereids, and others the

Graces.

Graces. Instead of trumpets, were heard flutes, haut-boys, harps, and other fuch inftruments-of mufick, warbling the fofteft airs, to which the oars kept time, and rendered the harmony more agreeable. Perfumes burnt on the deck, which fpread their odours to a great diftance upon the river, and on each fide of its banks, covered with an infinitude of people, whom the novelty of the fpectacle had drawn thither.

As foon as her arrival was known, the whole people of Tarfus went out to meet her; fo that Antony, who at that time was giving audience, faw his tribunal abandoned by all the world, and not a fingle perfon with him, but his lictors and domefticks. A rumour was fpread, that it was the goddefs Venus, who came in mafquerade, to make Bacchus a vifit for the good of Afia.

She was no fooner landed, than Antony fent to compliment and invite her to fupper. But The answered his deputies, that she should be very glad to regale him herself, and that she would expect him in the tents fhe had caused to be got ready upon the banks of the river. He made no difficulty in going thither, and found the preparations of a magnificence not to be expreffed. He admired particularly the beauty of the branches, which had been difpofed with abundance of art, and were fo luminous, that they made midnight seem an agreeable day.

Antony invited her, in his turn, for the next day. But whatever efforts he had ufed to exceed her in his entertainment, he confeffed himfelf overcome, as well in the fplendor as difpofition of the feaft, and was the firft to railly the parfimony and plainnefs of his own, in comparifon with the fumptuofity and elegance of VOL. X. Cleopatra's.

Athen 1.4. p. 147

148.

patra's. The queen finding nothing but what was grofs in the pleafantries of Antony, and more expreffive of the foldier than the courtier, repaid him in his own coin; but with so much wit and grace, that he was not in the leaft of fended at it. For the beauties and charms of her converfation attended with all poffible fweetness and gaiety, had attractions in them ftill more irrefiftible than her form and feature, and left fuch incentives in the heart, the very foul, as were not easily conceivable. She charmed whenever fhe but spoke, fuch mufick and harmony were in her utterance, and the found of her voice.

Little or no mention was made of the complaints againft Cleopatra, which were, befides, without foundation. She ftruck Antony fo violently with her charms, and got fo abfolute an afcendant over him, that he could refufe her nothing. It was at this time he caufed Arfinoe her fifter to be put to death, who had taken refuge in the temple of Diana at Melitus, as in a fecure afylum.

Great feafts were made every day. Some new banquet ftill out-did that which preceded it, and the feemed to ftudy to excel herself. Antony, in a feaft which fhe made, was aftonifhed at feeing the riches difplayed on all fides, and efpecially at the great number of gold cups enriched with jewels, and wrought by the most excellent workmen. She told him, with a dif dainful air, that thofe were but trifles, and made him a prefent of them. The next day the banquet was ftill more fuperb. Antony, according to cuftom, had brought a good number of guests along with him, all officers of rank and diftinction. She gave them all the

veffels