beauty　of　Alexandria　poison　thy　sense；　for　in　their　deadly　air；　Faith
  perishes；　and　Religion　cannot　spread　her　heavenly　wings。　When　the　hour
  comes　for　thee　to　rule；　Harmachis；　cast　down　this　accursed　city　and；
  as　thy　fathers　did；　set　up　thy　throne　in　the　white　walls　of　Memphis。
  For　I　tell　thee　that；　for　Egypt；　Alexandria　is　but　a　splendid　gate　of
  ruin；　and；　while　it　endures；　all　nations　of　the　earth　shall　march
  through　it；　to　the　plunder　of　the　land；　and　all　false　Faiths　shall
  nestle　in　it　and　breed　the　overthrow　of　Egypt's　Gods。〃
  I　made　no　answer；　for　there　was　truth　in　his　words。　And　yet　to　me　the
  city　seemed　very　fair　to　look　on。　After　we　had　eaten；　my　uncle　told　me
  it　was　now　time　to　set　out　to　view　the　march　of　Cleopatra；　as　she　went
  in　triumph　to　the　Shrine　of　Serapis。　For　although　she　would　not　pass
  till　within　two　hours　of　the　midday；　yet　these　people　of　Alexandria
  have　so　great　a　love　of　shows　and　idling　that　had　we　not　presently　set
  forth；　by　no　means　could　we　have　come　through　the　press　of　the
  multitudes　who　were　already　gathering　along　the　highways　where　the
  Queen　must　ride。　So　we　went　out　to　take　our　places　upon　a　stand；　built
  of　timber；　that　had　been　set　up　at　the　side　of　the　great　road　which
  pierces　through　the　city；　to　the　Canopic　Gate。　For　my　uncle　had
  already　purchased　a　right　to　enter　there；　and　that　dearly。
  We　won　our　way　with　much　struggle　through　the　great　crowds　that　were
  already　gathered　in　the　streets　till　we　reached　the　scaffolding　of
  timber；　which　was　roofed　in　with　an　awning　and　gaily　hung　with　scarlet
  cloths。　Here　we　seated　ourselves　upon　a　bench　and　waited　for　some
  hours；　watching　the　multitude　press　past　shouting；　singing；　and
  talking　loudly　in　many　tongues。　At　length　soldiers　came　to　clear　the
  road；　clad；　after　the　Roman　fashion；　in　breast…plates　of　chain…armour。
  After　them　marched　heralds　enjoining　silence　（at　which　the　population
  sung　and　shouted　all　the　more　loudly）；　and　crying　that　Cleopatra；　the
  Queen；　was　coming。　Then　followed　a　thousand　Cilician　skirmishers；　a
  thousand　Thracians；　a　thousand　Macedonians；　and　a　thousand　Gauls；　each
  armed　after　the　fashion　of　their　country。　Then　passed　five　hundred　men
  of　those　who　are　called　the　Fenced　Horsemen；　for　both　men　and　horses
  were　altogether　covered　with　mail。　Next　came　youths　and　maidens
  sumptuously　draped　and　wearing　golden　crowns；　and　with　them　images
  symbolising　Day　and　Night；　Morning　and　Noon；　the　Heavens　and　the
  Earth。　After　these　walked　many　fair　women；　pouring　perfumes　on　the
  road；　and　others　scattering　blooming　flowers。　Now　there　rose　a　great
  shout　of　〃Cleopatra！　Cleopatra！〃　and　I　held　my　breath　and　bent　forward
  to　see　her　who　dared　to　put　on　the　robes　of　Isis。
  But　at　that　moment　the　multitude　so　gathered　and　thickened　in　front　of
  where　I　was　that　I　could　no　longer　clearly　see。　So　in　my　eagerness　I
  leapt　over　the　barrier　of　the　scaffolding；　and；　being　very　strong；
  pushed　my　way　through　the　crowd　till　I　reached　the　foremost　rank。　And
  as　I　did　so；　Nubian　slaves　armed　with　thick　staves　and　crowned　with
  ivy…leaves　ran　up；　striking　the　people。　One　man　I　noted　more
  especially；　for　he　was　a　giant；　and；　being　strong；　was　insolent　beyond
  measure；　smiting　the　people　without　cause；　as；　indeed；　is　the　wont　of
  low　persons　set　in　authority。　For　a　woman　stood　near　to　me；　an
  Egyptian　by　her　face；　bearing　a　child　in　her　arms；　whom　the　man；
  seeing　that　she　was　weak；　struck　on　the　head　with　his　rod　so　that　she
  fell　prone；　and　the　people　murmured。　But　at　the　sight　my　blood　rushed
  of　a　sudden　through　my　veins　and　drowned　my　reason。　I　held　in　my　hand
  a　staff　of　olive…wood　from　Cyprus；　and　as　the　black　brute　laughed　at
  the　sight　of　the　stricken　woman　and　her　babe　rolling　on　the　ground；　I
  swung　the　staff　aloft　and　smote。　So　shrewdly　did　I　strike；　that　the
  tough　rod　split　upon　the　giant's　shoulders　and　the　blood　spurted
  forth；　staining　his　trailing　leaves　of　ivy。
  Then；　with　a　shriek　of　pain　and　furyfor　those　who　smite　love　not
  that　they　be　smittenhe　turned　and　sprang　at　me！　And　all　the　people
  round　gave　back；　save　only　the　woman　who　could　not　rise；　leaving　us
  two　in　a　ring　as　it　were。　On　he　came　with　a　rush；　and；　as　he　came；
  being　now　mad；　I　smote　him　with　my　clenched　fist　between　the　eyes；
  having　nothing　else　with　which　to　smite；　and　he　staggered　like　an　ox
  beneath　the　first　blow　of　the　priest's　axe。　Then　the　people　shouted；
  for　they　love　to　see　a　fight；　and　the　man　was　known　to　them　as　a
  gladiator　victorious　in　the　games。　Gathering　up　his　strength；　the
  knave　came　on　with　an　oath；　and；　whirling　his　heavy　staff　on　high；
  struck　me　in　such　a　fashion　that；　had　I　not　avoided　the　blow　by
  nimbleness；　I　had　surely　been　slain。　But；　as　it　chanced；　the　staff　hit
  upon　the　ground；　and　so　heavily　that　it　flew　in　fragments。　Thereon　the
  multitude　shouted　again；　and　the　great　man；　blind　with　fury；　rushed　at
  me　to　smite　me　down。　But　with　a　cry　I　sprang　straight　at　his　throat
  for　he　was　so　heavy　a　man　that　I　knew　I　could　not　hope　to　throw　him　by
  strengthay；　and　gripped　it。　There　I　clung；　though　his　fists　battered
  me　like　bludgeons；　driving　my　thumbs　into　his　throat。　Round　and　round
  we　turned；　till　at　length　he　flung　himself　to　the　earth；　trusting　thus
  to　shake　me　off。　But　I　held　on　fast　as　we　rolled　over　and　over　on　the
  ground；　till　at　last　he　grew　faint　for　want　of　breath。　Then　I；　being
  uppermost；　drove　my　knee　down　upon　his　chest；　and；　as　I　believe；
  should　thus　have　slain　him　in　my　rage　had　not　my　uncle；　and　others
  there　gathered；　fallen　upon　me　and　dragged　me　from　him。
  And　meanwhile；　though　I　know　it　not；　the　chariot　in　which　the　Queen
  sat；　with　elephants　going　before　and　lions　led　after　it；　had　reached
  the　spot；　and　had　been　halted　because　of　the　tumult。　I　looked　up；　and
  thus　torn；　panting；　my　white　garments　stained　with　the　blood　that　had
  rushed　from　the　mouth　and　nostrils　of　the　mighty　Nubian；　I　for　the
  first　time　saw　Cleopatra　face　to　face。　Her　chariot　was　all　of　gold；
  and　drawn　by　milk…white　steeds。　She　sat　in　it　with　two　fair　girls；
  clad　in　Greek　attire；　standing　one　on　either　side；　fanning　her　with
  glittering　fans。　On　her　head　was　the　covering　of　Isis；　the　golden
  horns　between　which　rested　the　moon's　round　disk　and　the　emblem　of
  Osiris'　throne；　with　the　ur？us　twined　around。　Beneath　this　covering
  was　the　vulture　cap　of　gold；　the　blue　enamelled　wings　and　the　vulture
  head　with　gemmy　eyes；　under　which　her　long　dark　tresses　flowed　towards
  her　feet。　About　her　rounded　neck　was　a　broad　collar　of　gold　studded
  with　emeralds　and　coral。　Round　her　arms　and　wrists　were　bracelets　of
  gold　studded　with　emeralds　and　coral；　and　in　one　hand　she　held　the
  holy　cross　of　Life　fashioned　of　crystal；　and　in　the　other　the　golden
  rod　of　royalty。　Her　breast　was　bare；　but　under　it　was　a　garment　that
  glistened　like　the　scaly　covering　of　a　snake；　everywhere　sewn　with
  gems。　Beneath　this　robe　was　a　skirt　of　golden　cloth；　half　hidden　by　a
  scarf　of　the　broidered　silk　of　Cos；　falling　in　folds　to　the　sandals
  that；　fastened　with　great　pearls；　adorned　her　white　and　tiny　feet。
  All　this　I　discerned　at　a　glance；　as　it　were。　Then　I　looked　upon　the
  facethat　face　which　seduced　C？sar；　ruined　Egypt；　and　was　doomed　to
  give　Octavian　the　sceptre　of　the　world。　I　looked　upon　the　flawless
  Grecian　features；　the　rounded　chin；　the　full；　rich　lips；　the　chiselled
  nostrils；　and　the　ears　fashioned　like　delicate　shells。　I　saw　the
  forehead；　low；　broad；　and　lovely；　the　crisped；　dark　hair　falling　in
  heavy　waves　that　sparkled　in　the　sun；　the　arched　eyebrows；　and　the
  long；　bent　lashes。　There　before　me　was　the　grandeur　of　her　Imperial
  shape。　There　burnt　the　wonderful　eyes；　hued　like　the　Cyprian　violet
  eyes　that　seemed　to　sleep　and　brood　on　secret　things　as　night　broods
  upon　the　desert；　and　yet　as　the　night　to　shift；　change；　and　be
  illumined　by　gleams　of　sudden　splendour　born　within　their　starry
  depths。　All　those　wonders　I　saw；　though　I　have　small　skill　in　telling
  them。　But　even　then　I　knew　that　it　was　not　in　these　charms　alone　that
  the　might　of　Cleopatra's　beauty　lay。　It　was　rather　in　a　glory　and　a
  radiance　cast　through　the　fleshly　covering　from　the　fierce　soul
  within。　For　she　was　a　Thing　of　Flame　like　unto　which　no　woman　has　ever
  been　or　ever　will　be。　Even　when　she　brooded；　the　fire　of　her　quick
  heart　shone　through　her。　But　when　she　woke；　and　the　lightning　leapt
  suddenly　from　her　eyes；　and　the　passion…laden　music　of　her　speech
  chimed　upon　her　lips；　ah！　then；　who　can　tell　how　Cleopatra　seemed？　For
  in　her　met　all　the　splendours　that　have　been　given　to　woman　for　her
  glory；　and　all　the　genius　which　man　has　won　from　heaven。　And　with　them
  dwelt　every　evil　of　that　greater　sort；　which　fearing　nothing；　and
  making　a　mock　of　laws；　has　taken　empires　for　its　place　of　play；　and；
  smiling；　watered　the　growth　of　its　desires　with　the　rich　blood　of　men。
  In　her　breast　they　gathered；　together　fashioning　that　Cleopatra　whom
  no　man　may　draw；　and　yet　whom　no　man