294 PEOSE HALIEUTIOS. 



into a passion of cmger. There was an end of one pearle ; bnt 

 the fame of the fellow thereof may goe with it ; for after that this 

 brave Queene, the winner of so great a wager, was taken pri- 

 soner, and deprived of her royal estate, that other pearle was cut 

 in twaine, that in memorial of that one halfe supper of theirs it 

 should remaine unto posteritie, hanging at both eares of Venus at 

 Home, in the temple Pantheon.* 



It is impossible to read the above recital without per- 

 ceiving that the great triumvir^s passion for the Egyp- 

 tian queen was somewhat interested. He loved her^ but 

 evidently considered her jewels as part of herself; and 

 therefore when he saw her making away with so much 

 of her attractiveness, fumed and feU into a passion. 

 Here Cleopatra might fairly have turned round upon 

 her mercenary knight, and twitted him as the lady did 

 Hudibras, for his hypocrisy : — 



"Tis not those orient pearls, my teeth, 

 That you are so transported with ; 

 But those I wear on ear and neck 

 Produce the amorous effect. 

 Each tender sigh and trickling tear 

 Longs for my million pounds a year ; 

 Your languishing transports axe fond 

 Of statute, mortgage, bill, and bond. 



* Holland's translation. 



