Chap. II. of the Has 
Commodities of Europe exchanged, at a very high Rate* 
ap-ainft the richeft Goods brought from the Countries on 
both Sides the Ganges. For the Indians had now fettled at 
Patiala •, improved the Haven which Alexander had made 
there * and, having got a Relifh for Trade, exported, in 
their own Bottoms, the valuable Commodities of their 
fruitful Regions. Yet, there might be, alfo, fomwehat of 
Policy in this ; for the Indians , dreading all Intercourfe 
with Strangers, ill their own Country, might take up this 
Commerce, that by carrying all the Riches of the Eaft, 
thus, to the Doors of the Egyptians , they might prevent 
their making long Voyages, and keep them at a Diftance 
from their own Coafts ; in which, in a great meafure, they 
fucceeded . 
Bur, on the other hand, while the Ptolemies built new 
Cities, and extended their Dominions on the Weft Side of 
the 'Red Sea , the Arabians , on the Eaft Coaft, recovered 
their former Freedom ; and, with it, their accuftomed 
Itch to Piracy, which they praCtifed very fuccefsfully ; and, 
Very probably, might, in time, have rendered the Com- 
merce of the Red Sea altogether impracticable, if .it had 
not fallen into the Hands of fuch, as knew better how to 
fuppoit it, than a Race of Female, or, which was worfe, 
effeminate Princes, incapable of taking right Meafures 
themfelves •, and, who were often put, by the Parafites 
they had about them, on Meafures much worfe than they 
would otherwife have taken. This Mifchief, however, 
mu ft have lafted fome Ages before it could have increafed 
to fuch a Height ; ftnce it is evident, that, at the De- 
llruCtion of the Kingdom, their Affairs were in a tolerable 
Pcfture on this Side ; many new Cities ereCted on the 
Coaft of the Red Sea •, the Canal to Berenice kept in good 
Repair; and, fuch other Steps taken, as might conduce 
to prderve fo valuable a Branch of the Revenue. 
14. The true Source of the Declenfion of the Power of 
Egypt was, the ill Management of that immenfe Wealth, 
which, otherwife, muft have turned to fo great Advantage. 
The Maxims of Ptolemy Philadelphia were buried in 
Oblivion ; their Dominions, on the other Side the Medi- 
terranean, , negleded, and loft by Degrees •, their military 
and naval Eftablifhments much leffened ; thofe that were 
kept up, rather maintained for Shew and Ornament, than 
for any real Service •, all Ranks and Degrees of People 
corrupted in their Morals ; fo that the Courtiers ftudied 
only how to opprefs, with Safety ; and the People, hav- 
ing wholly extinguifhed all Principles of Loyalty, obeyed 
no longer than an Opportunity offered of Rebelling. The 
Kingdom had, undoubtedly, been conquered more than 
Once by the Syrian Monarchs ; particularly, by Antiochus 
the Great, if it had not been proteded by the Romans 
who, certainly, afforded them thefe Succours, rather from 
Maxims of Policy, than Magnanimity •, and, by fending 
fometimes Tutors, at others, Embaffadors, and, very 
frequently, Bodies of Troops, into Egypt , acquired a per- 
fed Knowledge of the Country, the Temper and Manners 
of the People, the Nature of their Commerce, and the 
Means of getting all into their own Hands. Upon the 
AcCeffion of Ptolemy Lathyrus , they had a fair Opportunity 
of feizing the Kingdom •, which they omitted, becaufe the 
Syrians were then powerful ; and the Romans very wifely 
judged it requifite to be rid of that Enemy firft, well 
knowing, that the Diftradions in Egypt would continue ; 
and that future Opportunities would not be wanting, after 
their Redudion of the belt Part of Afia , to feize Egypt , 
when they fhould be in a better Condition to keep it. Some 
ot the Mmifters under the Ptolemies were fenfible enough of 
this Defign, and would have taken Meafures to prevent it, 
by reftoring the old (Economy •, and, as they never wanted 
the Hearn of raffing Armies, that is. Money, they would 
have foon put their Matters into a Condition of being in- 
dependent of the Romans , if thofe Princes, who were in- 
tirely given up to Luxury and Pleafure, had not oppofed 
inch an Application of their Wealth, as contrary to their 
own Inclinations, which were to fquander it away in the 
molt fool i Iff and profufe Manner ; and often removed thefe 
Minifters by Poifon, that they might not be troubled 
4 
t Indies. 41I 
with Advices, with which they were deterffiined hot 
comply \ 
Cleopatra , the laft Queen of Egypt , and whoft Namh 
makes fuch a Figure in the Roman Fliftories, though a 
very lewd, was far from being a weak W oman. She was* 
at the Deceafe of her father, about feventeen and her 
Brother Ptolemy, to whom fhe was married, much younger ; 
fo that file had the whole Power in her Hands ; and, being 
in Poffeffion, not only of Egypt , but cf the. Remains of 
the Empire of Ptolemy Philadelphia in other Countries* 
ihe took care to acquire their Languages ; and, befides 
Greek , which was her Mother-Tongue* and Latin , in 
which fine was early inftruCted, fhe was able to convcrfe 
with the Ethiopians , Troglodytes , Jews , Arabians , Syrians , 
and Perfians , without the Help of an Interpreter ; fo, 
that if her Virtues had correfponde.d, in any Degree, with 
her Parts, fine might have preserved, and been a Bkfling 
to her Country b . 
At her Acceflion to the Throne, fhe was under the 
Guardianfliip of the Romans , and had actually a Body of 
their Forces about her Perfon •, but the Confufions that 
arofe in that Republic, from the Bifputes between Pom - 
pey and Csefar, might have afforded her an Opportunity 
of rendring Egypt independent, if fhe had known how 
to ufe it : But fhe was wholly intent on what fhe con- 
fidered, as her private Intereft, which was, the ruling with- 
out a Companion, and keeping Ptolemy as much in Sub- 
jection, when he grew up, as while he was a Child. This 
produced a Civil War ; and Ptolemy and Cleopatra were, 
each of them, at the Head of an Army, when Pompey , 
after the fatal Battel of Pharfalia , endeavoured to take 
Refuge in Egypt , where Ptolemy , who had nobody to 
advife him but the Eunuch who had bred him up, and 
the Pedant who was his Prasceptor, took the vile Refo- 
lution of making his Court to Ccefar, by murdering that 
great Man in his Diftrefs, which was accordingly per- 
formed c . Soon after this Ccefar arrived at Alexandria , with 
no greater Force than 8ooHorfe, and 3200 Foot; his Errand 
thither was Money ; for, as we obferved before, Ptolemy 
Auletcs was his Client, had given him 6000 Talents in 
Hand, to procure the Romans Confent, that he fhould re- 
main King, and a Bond for 4000 more, with Money he 
now came to receive ; and, accordingly, it was collected 
for him : And Pothinus , the Eunuch, Ptolemy's firft Mi- 
nifter, had a mind to have been rid of him too ; and, in 
order to exafperate the Egyptians to fuch an Height, as might 
ferve his Purpofe, he not only ftripped the Temples, but 
obliged the King, and all the great Officers of the Court* 
to drink out of earthen V effels, pretending that ail the Plate 
was melted to pay Cafar's Debt. But Cafar himfelf took a 
Step, which provoked the Egyptians more than all this ; 
for, as foon as he came to Alexandria , he fent his Refcripts 
to Ptolemy and Cleopatra , commanding them to disband 
their Armies, and fubmit their Difputes to his Decifion, 
which was a Strain of Authority that equally furprized and 
inraged the Egyptians. Yet Coe far, as foon as he knew it, 
found Means to quiet them, by declaring, that he did not 
do this from any Power in himfelf, but from the Title he 
derived under the Will of Ptolemy Auletes , who leaving 
his Children to the Guardianfliip of the Romans , and 
he being then their Conful that Truft devolved upon 
him. Cleopatra , being informed of Ca far's Character, 
quitted her Army, came privately in a little Boat to Alex- 
andria, there caufed herfelf to be packed up in her Bed- 
ding ; and, being carried on the Back of one of her Ser- 
vants, was introduced into Cafar's Apartment, and laid 
down at his Feet. Pie was much moved by her Tears and 
Intreaties, but much more by her Beauty •, and fhe was fo 
complaifant to him, that this Interview produced a Son, 
which fecured her his Intereft fo effectually, that, inftead 
of aCting as a Judge, he became apparently an Advocate 
for Cleopatra ; which induced Ptolemy , though in the 
Hands of C re far, to fend Orders to Achillas , who com- 
manded his Army near Pelufmm , to advance towards 
Alexandria , and attack the Romans ; which was accordingly 
done. But though they were five to one, they failed in 
3 Diodor. Siciil, in excerfiis ValeJU t p, 294. 
£i-vil/bus Ub. ii. 
Numb. 29. 
Ptolem. in Canone. Plutarch* in Antoni*, '“Plutarch, in Pcmpeio. Jpfian. de Beilis 
5 ? 
\ 
