to　drink　a　cup　with　her；　to　the　success　of　this　new　scheme；　bidding
  him；　as　she　did　so；　steep　his　wreath　of　roses　in　the　wine；　and　make
  the　draught　more　sweet。　This；　then；　he　did；　and　it　being　done；　she
  pledged　him。　But　when　he　was　about　to　pledge　her　back；　she　caught　his
  hand；　crying　〃/Hold！/〃　whereat　he　paused；　wondering。
  Now；　among　the　servants　of　Cleopatra　was　one　Eudosius；　a　steward；　and
  this　Eudosius；　seeing　that　the　fortunes　of　Cleopatra　were　at　an　end；
  had　laid　a　plan　to　fly　that　very　night　to　C？sar；　as　many　of　his
  betters　had　done；　taking　with　him　all　the　treasure　in　the　palace　that
  he　could　steal。　But　this　design　being　discovered　to　Cleopatra；　she
  determined　to　be　avenged　upon　Eudosius。
  〃Eudosius；〃　she　cried；　for　the　man　stood　near；　〃come　hither；　thou
  faithful　servant！　Seest　thou　this　man；　most　noble　Antony；　through　all
  our　troubles　he　has　clung　to　us　and　been　of　comfort　to　us。　Now；
  therefore；　he　shall　be　rewarded　according　to　his　deserts　and　the
  measure　of　his　faithfulness；　and　that　from　thine　own　hand。　Give　him
  thy　golden　cup　of　wine；　and　let　him　drink　a　pledge　to　our　success；　the
  cup　shall　be　his　guerdon。〃
  And　still　wondering；　Antony　gave　it　to　the　man；　who；　stricken　in　his
  guilty　mind；　took　it；　and　stood　trembling。　But　he　drank　not。
  〃Drink！　thou　slave；　drink！〃　cried　Cleopatra；　half　rising　from　her　seat
  and　flashing　a　fierce　look　on　his　white　face。　〃By　Serapis！　so　surely
  as　I　yet　shall　sit　in　the　Capitol　at　Rome；　if　thou　dost　thus　flout　the
  Lord　Antony；　I'll　have　thee　scourged　to　the　bones；　and　the　red　wine
  poured　upon　thy　open　wounds　to　heal　them！　/Ah！/　at　length　thou
  drinkest！　Why；　what　is　it；　good　Eudosius？　art　sick？　Surely；　then；　this
  wine　must　be　as　the　water　of　jealousy　of　those　Jews；　that　has　power　to
  slay　the　false　and　strengthen　the　honest　only。　Go；　some　of　you；　search
  this　man's　room；　methinks　he　is　a　traitor！〃
  Meanwhile　the　man　stood；　his　hands　to　his　head。　Presently　he　began　to
  tremble；　and　then　fell；　clutching　at　his　bosom；　as　though　to　tear　out
  the　fire　in　his　heart。　He　staggered；　with　livid；　twisted　face　and
  foaming　lips；　to　where　Cleopatra　lay　watching　him　with　a　slow　and
  cruel　smile。
  〃Ah；　traitor！　thou　hast　it　now！〃　she　said。　〃Prithee；　is　death　sweet？〃
  〃Thou　wanton！〃　yelled　the　dying　man；　〃thou　hast　poisoned　me！　Thus
  mayst　thou　also　perish！〃　and　with　one　shriek　he　flung　himself　upon
  her。　She　saw　his　purpose；　and　swift　and　supple　as　a　tiger　sprang　to
  one　side；　so　that　he　did　but　grasp　her　royal　cloak；　tearing　it　from
  its　emerald　clasp。　Down　he　fell　upon　the　ground；　rolling　over　and　over
  in　the　purple　chiton；　till　presently　he　lay　still　and　dead；　his
  tormented　face　and　frozen　eyes　peering　ghastly　from　its　folds。
  〃Ah！〃　said　the　Queen；　with　a　hard　laugh；　〃the　slave　died　wondrous
  hard；　and　fain　would　have　drawn　me　with　him。　See；　he　has　borrowed　my
  garment　for　a　pall！　Take　him　away　and　bury　him　in　his　livery。〃
  〃What　means　Cleopatra？〃　said　Antony；　as　the　guards　dragged　the　corpse
  away；　〃the　man　drank　of　my　cup。　What　is　the　purpose　of　this　most　sorry
  jest？〃
  〃It　serves　a　double　end；　noble　Antony！　This　very　night　that　man　would
  have　fled　to　Octavianus；　bearing　of　our　treasure　with　him。　Well；　I
  have　lent　him　wings；　for　the　dead　fly　fast！　Also　this：　thou　didst　fear
  that　I　should　poison　thee；　my　Lord；　nay；　I　know　it。　See　now；　Antony；
  how　easy　it　were　that　I　should　slay　thee　if　I　had　the　will。　That
  wreath　of　roses　which　thou　didst　steep　within　the　cup　is　dewed　with
  deadly　bane。　Had　I；　then；　a　mind　to　make　an　end　of　thee；　I　had　not
  stayed　thy　hand。　O　Antony；　henceforth　trust　me！　Sooner　would　I　slay
  myself　than　harm　one　hair　of　thy　beloved　head！　See；　here　come　my
  messengers！　Speak；　what　did　ye　find？〃
  〃Royal　Egypt；　we　found　this。　All　things　in　the　chamber　of　Eudosius　are
  made　ready　for　flight；　and　in　his　baggage　is　much　treasure。〃
  〃Thou　hearest？〃　she　said；　smiling　darkly。　〃Think　ye；　my　loyal　servants
  all；　that　Cleopatra　is　one　with　whom　it　is　well　to　play　the　traitor？
  Be　warned　by　this　Roman's　fate！〃
  Then　a　great　silence　of　fear　fell　upon　the　company；　and　Antony　sat
  also　silent。
  CHAPTER　VI
  OF　THE　WORKINGS　OF　THE　LEARNED　OLYMPUS　AT　MEMPHIS；　OF　THE
  POISONINGS　OF　CLEOPATRA；　OF　THE　SPEECH　OF　ANTONY　TO　HIS
  CAPTAINS；　AND　OF　THE　PASSING　OF　ISIS　FROM　THE　LAND　OF　KHEM
  Now　I；　Harmachis；　must　make　speed　with　my　task；　setting　down　that
  which　is　permitted　as　shortly　as　may　be；　and　leaving　much　untold。　For
  of　this　I　am　warned；　that　Doom　draws　on　and　my　days　are　wellnigh　sped。
  After　the　drawing　forth　of　Antony　from　the　Timonium　came　that　time　of
  heavy　quiet　which　heralds　the　rising　of　the　desert　wind。　Antony　and
  Cleopatra　once　again　gave　themselves　up　to　luxury；　and　night　by　night
  feasted　in　splendour　at　the　palace。　They　sent　ambassadors　to　C？sar；
  but　C？sar　would　have　none　of　them；　and；　this　hope　being　gone；　they
  turned　their　minds　to　the　defence　of　Alexandria。　Men　were　gathered；
  ships　were　built；　and　a　great　force　was　made　ready　against　the　coming
  of　C？sar。
  And　now；　aided　by　Charmion；　I　began　my　last　work　of　hate　and
  vengeance。　I　wormed　myself　deep　into　the　secrets　of　the　palace；
  counselling　all　things　for　evil。　I　bade　Cleopatra　keep　Antony　gay；
  lest　he　should　brood　upon　his　sorrows：　and　thus　she　sapped　his
  strength　and　energy　with　luxury　and　wine。　I　gave　him　of　my　draughts
  draughts　that　sank　his　soul　in　dreams　of　happiness　and　power；　leaving
  him　to　wake　to　a　heavier　misery。　Soon；　without　my　healing　medicine　he
  could　not　sleep；　and　thus；　being　ever　at　his　side；　I　bound　his
  weakened　will　to　mine；　till　at　last　he　would　do　little　if　I　said　not
  〃It　is　well。〃　Cleopatra；　also　grown　very　superstitious；　leaned　much
  upon　me；　for　I　prophesied　falsely　to　her　in　secret。
  Moreover；　I　wove　other　webs。　My　fame　was　great　throughout　Egypt；　for
  during　the　long　years　that　I　had　dwelt　in　Tápé　it　had　spread　through
  all　the　land。　Therefore　many　men　of　note　came　to　me；　both　for　their
  health's　sake　and　because　it　was　known　that　I　had　the　ear　of　Antony
  and　the　Queen；　and；　in　these　days　of　doubt　and　trouble；　they　were　fain
  to　learn　the　truth。　All　these　men　I　worked　upon　with　doubtful　words；
  sapping　their　loyalty；　and　I　caused　many　to　fall　away；　and　yet　none
  could　bear　an　evil　report　of　what　I　had　said。　Also；　Cleopatra　sent　me
  to　Memphis；　there　to　move　the　Priests　and　Governors　that　they　should
  gather　men　in　Upper　Egypt　for　the　defence　of　Alexandria。　And　I　went
  and　spoke　to　the　priests　with　such　a　double　meaning　and　with　so　much
  wisdom　that　they　knew　me　to　be　one　of　the　initiated　in　the　deeper
  mysteries。　But　how　I；　Olympus　the　physician；　came　thus　to　be　initiated
  none　might　say。　And　afterwards　they　sought　me　secretly；　and　I　gave
  them　the　holy　sign　of　brotherhood；　and　thereunder　bade　them　not　to　ask
  who　I　might　be；　but　send　no　aid　to　Cleopatra。　Rather；　I　said；　must
  they　make　peace　with　C？sar；　for　by　C？sar's　grace　only　could　the
  worship　of　the　Gods　endure　in　Khem。　So；　having　taken　counsel　of　the
  Holy　Apis；　they　promised　in　public　to　give　help　to　Cleopatra；　but　in
  secret　sent　an　embassy　to　C？sar。
  Thus；　then；　it　came　to　pass　that　Egypt　gave　but　little　aid　to　its
  hated　Macedonian　Queen。　Thence　from　Memphis　I　came　once　more　to
  Alexandria；　and；　having　made　favourable　report；　continued　my　secret
  work。　And；　indeed；　the　Alexandrians　could　not　easily　be　stirred；　for；
  as　they　say　in　the　marketplace；　〃The　ass　looks　at　its　burden　and　is
  blind　to　its　master。〃　Cleopatra　had　oppressed　them　so　long　that　the
  Roman　was　like　a　welcome　friend。
  Thus　the　time　passed　on；　and　every　night　found　Cleopatra　with　fewer
  friends　than　that　which　had　gone　before；　for　in　evil　days　friends　fly
  like　swallows　before　the　frost。　Yet　she　would　not　give　up　Antony；　whom
  she　loved；　though　to　my　knowledge　C？sar；　by　his　freedman；　Thyreus；
  made　promise　to　her　of　her　dominions　for　herself　and　for　her　children
  if　she　would　but　slay　Antony；　or　even　betray　him　bound。　But　to　this
  her　woman's　heartfor　still　she　had　a　heartwould　not　consent；　and；
  moreover；　we　counselled　her　against　it；　for　of　necessity　we　must　hold
  him　to　her；　lest；　Antony　escaping　or　being　slain；　Cleopatra　might　ride
  out　the　storm　and　yet　be　Queen　of　Egypt。　And　this　grieved　me；　because
  Antony；　though　weak；　was　still　a　brave　man；　and　a　great；　and；
  moreover；　in　my　own　heart　I　read　the　lesson　of　his　woes。　For　were　we
  not　akin　in　wretchedness？　Had　not　the　same　woman　robbed　us　of　Empire；
  Friends；　and　Honour？　But　pity　has　no　place　in　politics；　nor　could　it
  turn　my　feet　from　the　path　of　vengeance　it　was　ordained　that　I　should
  tread。　C？sar　drew　nigh；　Pelusium　fell；　the　end　was　at　hand。　It　was
  Charmion　who　brought　the　tidings　to　the　Queen　and　Antony；　as　they
  slept　in　the　heat　of　the　day；　and　I　came　with　her。
  〃Awake！〃　she　cried。　〃Awake！　This　is　no　time　for　sleep！　Seleucus　hath
  surrendered　Pelusium　to　C？sar；　who　marches　straight　on　Alexandria！〃
  With