surrendered　Pelusium　to　C？sar；　who　marches　straight　on　Alexandria！〃
  With　a　great　oath；　Antony　sprang　up　and　clutched　Cleopatra　by　the　arm。
  〃Thou　hast　betrayed　meby　the　Gods　I　swear　it！　Now　thou　shalt　pay　the
  price！〃　And　snatching　up　his　sword　he　drew　it。
  〃Stay　thy　hand；　Antony！〃　she　cried。　〃It　is　falseI　know　naught　of
  this！〃　And　she　sprang　upon　him；　and　clung　about　his　neck；　weeping。　〃I
  know　naught；　my　Lord。　Take　thou　the　wife　of　Seleucus　and　his　little
  children；　whom　I　hold　in　guard；　and　avenge　thyself。　O　Antony；　Antony！
  why　dost　thou　doubt　me？〃
  Then　Antony　threw　down　his　sword　upon　the　marble；　and；　casting　himself
  upon　the　couch；　hid　his　face；　and　groaned　in　bitterness　of　spirit。
  But　Charmion　smiled；　for　it　was　she　who　had　sent　secretly　to　Seleucus；
  her　friend；　counselling　him　to　surrender　forthwith；　saying　that　no
  fight　would　be　made　at　Alexandria。　And　that　very　night　Cleopatra　took
  all　her　great　store　of　pearls　and　emeraldsthose　that　remained　of　the
  treasure　of　Menkau…raall　her　wealth　of　gold；　ebony；　ivory；　and
  cinnamon；　treasure　without　price；　and　placed　it　in　the　mausoleum　of
  granite　which；　after　our　Egyptian　fashion；　she　had　built　upon　the　hill
  that　is　by　the　Temple　of　the　Holy　Isis。　These　riches　she　piled　up　upon
  a　bed　of　flax；　that；　when　she　fired　it；　all　might　perish　in　the　flame
  and　escape　the　greed　of　money…loving　Octavianus。　And　she　slept
  henceforth　in　this　tomb；　away　from　Antony；　but　in　the　daytime　she
  still　saw　him　at　the　palace。
  But　a　little　while　after；　when　C？sar　with　all　his　great　force　had
  already　crossed　the　Caponic　mouth　of　the　Nile　and　was　hard　on
  Alexandria；　I　came　to　the　palace；　whither　Cleopatra　had　summoned　me。
  There　I　found　her　in　the　Alabaster　Hall；　royally　clad；　a　wild　light　in
  her　eyes；　and；　with　her；　Iras　and　Charmion；　and　before　her　guards；　and
  stretched　here　and　there　upon　the　marble；　bodies　of　dead　men；　among
  whom　lay　one　yet　dying。
  〃Greeting；　thou　Olympus！〃　she　cried。　〃Here　is　a　sight　to　glad　a
  physician's　heartmen　dead　and　men　sick　unto　death！〃
  〃What　doest　thou；　O　Queen？〃　I　said　affrighted。
  〃What　do　I？　I　wreak　justice　on　these　criminals　and　traitors；　and；
  Olympus；　I　learn　the　ways　of　death。　I　have　caused　six　different
  poisons　to　be　given　to　these　slaves；　and　with　an　attentive　eye　have
  watched　their　working。　That　man；〃　and　she　pointed　to　a　Nubian；　〃he
  went　mad；　and　raved　of　his　native　deserts　and　his　mother。　He　thought
  himself　a　child　again；　poor　fool！　and　bade　her　hold　him　close　to　her
  breast　and　save　him　from　the　darkness　which　drew　near。　And　that　Greek；
  he　shrieked；　and；　shrieking；　died。　And　this；　he　wept　and　prayed　for
  pity；　and　in　the　end；　like　a　coward；　breathed　his　last。　Now；　note　the
  Egyptian　yonder；　he　who　still　lives　and　groans；　first　he　took　the
  draughtthe　deadliest　draught　of　all；　they　sworeand　yet　the　slave
  so　dearly　loves　his　life　he　will　not　leave　it！　See；　he　yet　strives　to
  throw　the　poison　from　him；　twice　have　I　given　him　the　cup　and　yet　he
  is　athirst。　What　a　drunkard　we　have　here！　Man；　man；　knowest　thou　not
  that　in　death　only　can　peace　be　found？　Struggle　no　more；　but　enter
  into　rest。〃　And　even　as　she　spoke；　the　man；　with　a　great　cry；　gave　up
  the　spirit。
  〃There！〃　she　cried；　〃at　length　the　farce　is　playedaway　with　those
  slaves　whom　I　have　forced　through　the　difficult　gates　of　Joy！〃　and　she
  clapped　her　hands。　But　when　they　had　borne　the　bodies　thence　she　drew
  me　to　her；　and　spoke　thus：
  〃Olympus；　for　all　thy　prophecies；　the　end　is　at　hand。　C？sar　must
  conquer；　and　I　and　my　Lord　Antony　be　lost。　Now；　therefore；　the　play
  being　wellnigh　done；　I　must　make　ready　to　leave　this　stage　of　earth　in
  such　fashion　as　becomes　a　Queen。　For　this　cause；　then；　I　do　make　trial
  of　these　poisons；　seeing　that　in　my　person　I　must　soon　endure　those
  agonies　of　death　that　to…day　I　give　to　others。　These　drugs　please　me
  not；　some　wrench　out　the　soul　with　cruel　pains；　and　some　too　slowly
  work　their　end。　But　thou　art　skilled　in　the　medicines　of　death。　Now；
  do　thou　prepare　me　such　a　draught　as　shall；　pangless；　steal　my　life
  away。〃
  And　as　I　listened　the　sense　of　triumph　filled　my　bitter　heart；　for　I
  knew　now　that　by　my　own　hand　should　this　ruined　woman　die　and　the
  justice　of　the　Gods　be　done。
  〃Spoken　like　a　Queen；　O　Cleopatra！〃　I　said。　〃Death　shall　cure　thy
  ills；　and　I　will　brew　such　a　wine　as　shall　draw　him　down　a　sudden
  friend　and　sink　thee　in　a　sea　of　slumber　whence；　upon　this　earth；　thou
  shalt　never　wake　again。　Oh！　fear　not　Death：　Death　is　thy　hope；　and；
  surely；　thou　shalt　pass　sinless　and　pure　of　heart　into　the　dreadful
  presence　of　the　Gods！〃
  She　trembled。　〃And　if　the　heart　be　not　altogether　pure；　tell　methou
  dark　manwhat　then？　Nay；　I　fear　not　the　Gods！　for　if　the　Gods　of　Hell
  be　men；　there　I　shall　Queen　it　also。　At　the　least；　having　once　been
  royal；　royal　I　shall　ever　be。〃
  And；　as　she　spoke；　suddenly　from　the　palace　gates　came　a　great
  clamour；　and　the　noise　of　joyful　shouting。
  〃Why；　what　is　this？〃　she　said；　springing　from　her　couch。
  〃Antony！　Antony！〃　rose　the　cry；　〃Antony　hath　conquered！〃
  She　turned　swiftly　and　ran；　her　long　hair　streaming　on　the　wind。　I
  followed　her；　more　slowly；　down　the　great　hall；　across　the　courtyards；
  to　the　palace　gates。　And　here　she　met　Antony；　riding　through　them；
  radiant　with　smiles　and　clad　in　his　Roman　armour。　When　he　saw　her　he
  leapt　to　the　ground；　and；　all　armed　as　he　was；　clasped　her　to　his
  breast。
  〃What　is　it？〃　she　cried；　〃is　C？sar　fallen？〃
  〃Nay；　not　altogether　fallen；　Egypt：　but　we　have　beat　his　horsemen　back
  to　their　trenches；　and；　like　the　beginning；　so　shall　be　the　end；　for；
  as　they　say　here；　'Where　the　head　goes；　the　tail　will　follow。'
  Moreover；　C？sar　has　my　challenge；　and　if　he　will　but　meet　me　hand　to
  hand；　the　world　shall　soon　see　which　is　the　better　man；　Antony　or
  Octavian。〃　And　even　as　he　spoke　and　the　people　cheered　there　came　the
  cry　of　〃A　messenger　from　C？sar！〃
  The　herald　entered；　and；　bowing　low；　gave　a　writing　to　Antony；　bowed
  again；　and　went。　Cleopatra　snatched　it　from　his　hand；　broke　the　silk
  and　read　aloud：
  〃C？sar　to　Antony；　greeting。
  〃This　answer　to　thy　challenge：　Can　Antony　find　no　better　way　of
  death　than　beneath　the　sword　of　C？sar？　Farewell！〃
  And　thereafter　they　cheered　no　more。
  The　darkness　came；　and　before　it　was　midnight；　having　feasted　with　his
  friends　who　to…night　went　over　his　woes　and　to…morrow　should　betray
  him；　Antony　went　forth　to　the　gathering　of　the　captains　of　the　land…
  forces　and　of　the　fleet；　attended　by　many；　among　whom　was　I。
  When　all　were　come　together；　he　spoke　to　them；　standing　bareheaded　in
  their　midst；　beneath　the　radiance　of　the　moon。　And　thus　he　most　nobly
  spoke：
  〃Friends　and　companions　in　arms！　who　yet　cling　to　me；　and　whom　many　a
  time　I　have　led　to　victory；　hearken　to　me　now；　who　to…morrow　may　lie
  in　the　dumb　dust；　disempired　and　dishonoured。　This　is　our　design：　no
  longer　will　we　hang　on　poised　wings　above　the　flood　of　war；　but　will
  straightway　plunge；　perchance　thence　to　snatch　the　victor's　diadem；
  or；　failing；　there　to　drown。　Be　now　but　true　to　me；　and　to　your
  honour's　sake；　and　you　may　still　sit；　the　most　proud　of　men；　at　my
  right　hand　in　the　Capitol　of　Rome。　Fail　me　now；　and　the　cause　of
  Antony　is　lost　and　so　are　ye。　To…morrow's　battle　must　be　hazardous
  indeed；　but　we　have　stood　many　a　time　and　faced　a　fiercer　peril；　and
  ere　the　sun　had　sunk；　once　more　have　driven　armies　like　desert　sands
  before　our　gale　of　valour　and　counted　the　spoil　of　hostile　kings。　What
  have　we　to　fear？　Though　allies　be　fled；　still　is　our　array　as　strong
  as　C？sar's！　And　show　we　but　as　high　a　heart；　why；　I　swear　to　you；　upon
  my　princely　word；　to…morrow　night　I　shall　deck　yonder　Canopic　gate
  with　the　heads　of　Octavian　and　his　captains！
  〃Ay；　cheer；　and　cheer　again！　I　love　that　martial　music　which　swells；
  not　as　from　the　indifferent　lips　of　clarions；　now　'neath　the　breath　of
  Antony　and　now　of　C？sar；　but　rather　out　of　the　single　hearts　of　men
  who　love　me。　Yetand　now　I　will　speak　low；　as　we　do　speak　o'er　the
  bier　of　some　beloved　deadyet；　if　Fortune　should　rise　against　me　and
  if；　borne　down　by　the　weight　of　arms；　Antony；　the　soldier；　dies　a
  soldier's　death；　leaving　you　to　mourn　him　who　ever　was　your　friend；
  this　is　my　will；　that；　after　our　rough　fashion　of　the　camp；　I　here
  declare　to　you。　You　know　where　all　my　treasure　lies。　Take　it；　most
  dear　friends；　and；　in　the　memory　of　Antony；　make　just　division。　Then
  go　to　C？sar　and　speak　thus：　'Antony；　the　dead；　to　C？sar；　the　living；
  sends　greeting；　and；　in　the　name　of　ancient　fellowship　and　of　many　a
  peril　dared；　craves　this　boon：　the　safety　of　those　who　clung　to　him
  and　that　which　he　hath　given　them。'
  〃Nay；　let　not　my　tearsfor　I　must　weepoverflow　your　eyes！　Why；　it
  is　not　manly；　'tis　most　womanish！　All　men　must　die；　and　death　were
  welcome　were　it　not　so　lone。　Should　I　fall；　I　leave　m