Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-02-04
tConeludcd f.om tirst page.l

81 .-.--s 49, toOncludcd from first page.) ---
view On her golden couch lay tse deaf
majesty OF Egypt, arrayed in her roya
robes 1.-The wild, turbulent heart peaceful
and still at last. One of her women lay
dead at her feet, the other was fondly ca
ressing her mistress hair aud sirewint
wild flowers. "Charmian," cried one o.
the soldiers, angriIy, "was this well done?'
Perfectly well, ;" said she, "and worth,
the descendent Of the kings of Egypt y
saying which she fell dead also.
Caesar was greatly disappointed at be.
ing deprived of his triumph, but admired
her fortitude and caused her to be inferred
with great magnifcence beside Mark An.
tony. In vain they sought for the man
ner of her death and that of her women !;
no trace OF violence or poison was to be
found. Two small punctures on the arm
aud something like the shiny rack of rep
tile on the wall neal an open window IA
vored the impression that they had died
from the bite Of an asp, but the real truth
has forever been an impenetrabe mystery.
Cleopatra died at the age of thirty
eight. thirty years before the birth of
Crist; having reigned twenty-five years,
the last fourteen in conjunction with An.
tony.
So lived and SO died Cleopatra, the
beautiful but erring Queen of Egypt, and
with her passed away the dynasty of the
Ptolemics. We have called her beautl-
full for such is the accepted tradition
about her, but that she was classicaIy S.,
or even handsome, is untrue. Her most
ancient Oiographcrs declare her features
to have been anything bnt perfect, and
she was nothing to compare with her gen
tie rival the injured Octavia.
Authors have disputed as to the color
of her hair and eyes. She was probably
fair Egyptian, of tall commanding pres
ence, graceful carriage, and perfect form.
1t was the wondrous fascination of her
manners, her sweet melodious voice, her
witty conversation, and the intellectual
light taat played over her expressive
that rendered her far more
dangerous aud charming han the regular
passioress beauty Of her Roman rivals
Opinions are divided also as to her
character; some deemed her bad bold. c
woman, without any redeem $
ng point; others giving her credit for being /
better than she really was. t
Compared with selt-styled Christian c
queens, such as Catherine Of Russia, Jo- f
'nna Of Naples, or Catherine de Medicis f
cleopatra, as u heather, stands in favor. /,
ible contrast. The leading points Of her d
character are ambition and voluptuousnesS. q
n the midst OF her luxury and ex;rava- q
,aace there is g spleudor and grandeur :,
hat reiines them, and she had a great. ;,
less OF soul Octavius Caesar never knew. :
No vulgar amour disgracod her character;
Ter lovers were the greatest potentates Of ~
he world. Queens might have been for Il
1Son for loving Caesar, and princesseS
we're onl y too glad to see Mark Antony cl
t their feet la
Cleopatra certainly possessed the virtue 81
t fidcl ty, and there is 10 doubt she loved al
9th Caesar and Antony devotedy and ell
rnely, She had many opportunities OF g
etrayiDg Antony had she so chosen but d'
nc chung to the ruin she herself created h'
S the Ivy clings to the oak. Her mater 81
al affection was intense. Yet nothing or
an excuse her cruelty to her little broth. al
+ and her sister Arsinoe, nor the poor nc
aves whom she had poisoned before her
yes. Step by step She went to her fare. re-
wing life of splendid sin. u life ofsplen- ca
id misery. co
AS woman among women she was un. tn
'ubtedly bad; as a heather among to
hristaus the odds are in her favor. Ian
hat she might have been had she ived col
latter times, with the pure light ef the alt
ospcl shed over her life. and her wild. is
ldiscipincd nature brought into subjec. Us
IN TO the laws Of Christian morality and tb,
rtue, we can only surmise. Most prob GU
'ly she would have figured on the stage
life as one its greatest and grandest
loines, instead Of being, as she is now,
stain to the name of womanbood and a -.
OF on the page Of history. st