WIVES OF THE C^ESARg. 597 



to repair misfortune with a noble energy. When Antony, dejected 

 by reverses, joined her at Alexandria, she was gallantly attempting 

 to transport her gallies from the Egyptian to the Erythraean sea. 

 Her daring and enthusiastic mind conceived the project of abandon- 

 ing her country and of seeking out a distant shore, where love and 

 sovereignty might yet prevail beyond the arms of Caesar. And yet 

 she was prepared to end them at the frown of destiny ; and had de- 

 vised, from the result of several poisonous experiments, the easy 

 means of self-extinction. Is it likely that a woman, thus fraught with 

 all the fire of love and heroism, would secretly concede Pelusium to 

 the Roman arms a city of enormous wealth and strength, which 

 gave possession of the Delta, and opened a communication with the 

 rest of Egypt ? or was it likely to have fallen by the treason of Se- 

 leucus ? Afterwards, at least, he was a traitor to his queen ; and the 

 wretch that could betray his sovereign's confidence, when danger 

 and distress beset her, deserves the worst conjectures of mankind. 

 Caesar was inexorable to the prayers of Antony ; his promises to 

 Cleopatra were specious but indefinite. He was recalled to Rome by 

 the entreaties of Agrippa, but resumed hostilities in the ensuing 

 spring. Had Antony been capable of permanent exertions ; had he 

 even caught the energy of her by whom he was enslaved, he might, 

 before the fatal cession of Pelusium, have starved the Roman capitol, 

 and given law to his victorious enemy. On two occasions he exem- 

 plified the conduct of a hero ; it was however followed by such in- 

 termissions of effeminacy, that it conduced but little to reanimate a 

 sinking cause. He is said to have defied Octavius to a single combat; 

 but the latter coldly answered, '' Anthony might think of many 

 other ways to end his life."* Treachery and desertion followed on 

 reverses. When information was -conveyed to him of Cleopatra's 

 death, he put his sword into the hand of Eros, exposed his breast, 

 and bade him strike ; but the faithful servant, reverencing the person, 

 and overwhelmed with the misfortunes of his master, dealt the blow 

 upon himself and perished at his feet. This solitary instance of <\e- 

 votion, in the midst of infidelity, dissolved him into tears. " If thy 

 heart revolted from the killing of thy master, thou has taught me, 

 faithful friend," said Antony, " to act by thy example ;" when he 

 plunged his weapon in a vital part. The wound did not produce 

 immediate death, and he in vain solicited the standers by to consum- 

 mate his end ; but they forsook him to a man. Cleopatra, when she 

 heard the cries of anguish, and recognized the voice of Antony, de- 

 spatched a messenger to bid him join her in her tower, a monument 

 to which she had retreated near the shrine of Isis. Antony, pale and 

 bleeding, was raised into the tower by a rope. The wretched 

 Cleopatra saw him in the agonies of death. She soothed him with 

 the fondest cares affection could suggest, and as she wiped away the 

 blood, still ebbing from his wound, she called him " Emperor, and 

 husband \" The dying triumvir, though speechless, could evince his 

 sensibility to her endearments ; and while she held him in her arms, 

 Mark Antony breathed his last upon the lips of Cleopatra. A scene 



* Plutarch in Anton. 



