Delaware gazette and American watchman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1828-1837, 1832-07-13
VIEW SERIES: vol. .xEEE. .NO. 1887

@AuAOH1 was sCdlCtiJ uedNa when 1rOCuIeluS
arrived from Octa,ius, with orders to take Cleo
patra alive, but she refused to yield, or to admit
the messenger into her presence, and would only
confer with him from window Procueius as
sured her of the favour of 0ttatius, and she re-
piled BY again demanding Es,p for her children;
she asked nothing for herself but permission 10
bury Antony.
Octavius, struck By this unexpected reserve, now
began to suspect her design. and az her. death
would have Disconnected all hi, hopes Of exhibiting
her in triumph at Rome, TO take her alive became
an object of almost feverish anxety. He succeed
ed BY the following stratagem : he sent Gallus to
confer with her at the gate Of the monument;
meanwhile Proculeis placed ladder At the win
dow, and when the queen was in deep CONVERSE
ton with Galus, he entered from behind. Thus
taken BY surprise, she turned, and instantly drew
her dagger, with intent to plunge il in her bosom;
but PrOcueius snatched it from her, and whilst
she struggled in ms arms, endcavoured to sooth
her by the most persuasive Arguments. He care
fully examined her dress, lest she should have
poison or weapons concealed about her, and then
hurried with the news of his success to 0ctavius,
who received it with exultaton.
The means Of self destruction being carefully
withheld, and guards posted day and night round
the monument, Cleopatra-~dpParently resigned
herself 10 a Fate which II was in vain to resist
Having obtIIped by her prayers the body os An.
tony, e~perlurmed the funeral rites herself with
| as wach pomp and magniicence as she could have
displayed in the days Of her power. Suon after
/ she was seized with violent indispositon, and
not only refused 10 take the remedies prescribed,
but with a sullen resolution obstinately rejected
food. Octavius became alarmed, and he had re.
course to cruel expedient to force her TO attend
to her health; all the children of Cleopatra we're
in his power, and he threatened to treat them
with the utmost severity unless she submitted to
the treatment OF her physicians. Maternal ten
4 r At
and the unieeling menace Of Octavius had its full
effect: she consented to takesmedcine and food,
and recovered.
| Octavius soon after paid.her visit in her mo.
nument, and she received her conqueror with all
that politeness that artificial grace for which she
was so remarkable. Her appearance was deplo-
rable, for her eyes were swelled with incessant
weeping, and her bosom disfigured by the blows
which she had inflicted on herself, according to
the Egyptian custom, when she had performed
the obsequies of Antony. Still she preserved her
presence ofmint, and her object was evidently to
blind and disarm Octavius by her apparent sub.
mission, rather than impose on him by assuming
any airs of dignity. She wcpt feigned tears, and
threw herself on the protection of Octavius, as
though she had not resolved TO die. She gave up
an inventory OF her treasures and when her trea-
surer Selucas accused her of keeping back some
articles Of value, she gave strong proof of the
natural violence OF her temper; she started up
with sudden passion, caught him by the hair, and
struck him several blows on the face. She assur-
ed Octayius that the jewels she had withheld
were not for herself but intended as presents to
Octavia and Lvia the sister and wife Of 0caviusl,
by whose good offices she hoped to win his favour.
octavus in return spared neither protestations nor
compliments; and after conference of some
length, the conqueror departed with the persua.
+ sion that her spirit was broken, and that she was
completely sublued TO his wshes-but he was
totally mistaken. Cleopatra, with as much sub
tlety, had far more penetration than the Roman ;
she had seen through his mean designs and deep
, DISCUSSES, and while he was exulting in the hope
of having deceived her, she trumphed in the GER
tainty of having cheated him. Her resolve was
hxed,--to die, rather than to be led in triumph
through the streets OF Rome a spectacle for the
l ferocious multitude; bu, timid by nature she
dreaded what she most wished, and feared the
q means of death more than death itself. For seve
. raj months and even long before the death Of An
:, tony, she had occupied herself in experiments or
the nature and operation of different posons, and
Il she found that the bite Of the asp, small veno
y nous serpent, was the least painful and the mos
rapid in its effects. She had prevailed on youns
Roman named DOlabella, to give her timely notice
- of the intentions of 0ctavus with respect to he
y future destination and he sent her word privatel,
i that in three days she would be despatched into
N Italy, with her children, to grace the triumph
v her cOnqueror.
IL On receiving this intelligence, Cleopatra sen
= message to Octavius, requesting that she nigh
be permitted to visit the tomb of Antony, and oife
e such obIations to the dead as were the custom o
d. her nation, This being granted her, she was car
IS ried (still surrounded by numerous guard) t
ID the monument Of her lover, and there, falling pros
a trate before it, and shedding floods of tears sh
n burst into the following lamentaton =" 1t is no
1. long my Antony, since with these hands buret
5, thee. Alas they were then free; but thy Cleo
n patra is now prisoner, attended by guard, lest
d in the transports of her grief she should dsfgur
this captive body, which is reserved to adurn thu
g triumph over thee. These are the last offerings
e the last honours she pay thee for she is nov
d to be conveyed to distant country. Nothin.
d could part us while we lived but in death we arr
e to be divided. Thou, though Roman, lies burie,
i, in Egypt; and ], an Egyptian must be interre,
in ltaly,-thc only favour shall receive from tn
!, country. Yet If the gods of Rome have power o
mercy left flor surely those of Egypt have forsake
us let them not suffer me to be led in living Fri
f umph to thy disgrace! No!-hide me, hide M