The Princeton union., 1879-02-12
Cleopatra.
NNE cLAYBoURNE.,

Cleopatra, Queen OF Egypt, was one |
of the most brilliant and beautiful wom-
en- the world has ever known, but her
husband, Ptolemy Dionvsius, who was
her own brother, deprived her of her
share of the kingdom and drove her to
seek protection of the Romans. Caesar
was then emperor of Rome, and she used
her powers of fascination to win his favor,
and succeeded.
When Caesar was assassinated. she was
accused of having assented in the crime,
and was brought before Marc Antony for |
trial. Although coming to judgment,
she came in the pride of beauty and an
tlcipnted triumph. Her galley was bur-
ished With gold, its silken sails were
filled with odors, and the silver oars,
which were piled by tho most beautiful
maldens OF Egypt, moved to the sweet
sounds OF music. The lovely Cleopatra,
arrayed in slight drapery, reclined under
canopy on the deck, and appeared more
like the dream of some sculptor or paint
8 than like human being. .sz.-
Marc Antony was charmed with her
person and talents and became her lover.
neglecting his wife. But this woman of
splendid attractions, who could make
great men her slaves, and might have
welded an unlimited power for good,
was ambitious, extravagant and un-
prlncipled. After Caesars death, Antony
aspired to the head of the government,
but Octavius Augustus, grand nephew of
Caesar, opposed him; a battle was fought
for the sovereignty of the world at Actium
on the Mediterranean, west of Greece, at
which Cleopatra had sixty of her finest
vessels. Just as Antony was about to
gain the victory, Cleopatra, with her sixty
galleys, deserted him, and he, rashly
abandoning the conquest, followed her off
from the field of action.
She caused herself to be reported dead,
upon hearing which Antony besought his
faithful friend and servant, Erous, to kill
him. Erous pretended to consent, but
when Antony's face was turned away, he
killed himself instead. Antony was so
touched by this proof of his devotion,
that he took the sword and wounded him
self mortally, but lived long enough to
&c carried into the presence of Cleopatra.
Here we find him in magnificent apart
ment, its walls of purest alabaster, pol
ished like mirrors, and its columns of
gold, most delicateiy ornamented
Through the open windows are seen the
dark, glossy leaves of the fig, the b-oad
canopy of palms a hundred feet high,
pavements of milk-white marble, cool
as snow, and beautiful fountains of
sparkling water.
On a couch which glows with the pic
tured fabrics of Eastern looms lies Marc
Antony in almost superhuman majesty,
MS eyes closed, the curls parted from his
noble brow, but his face so natural that
but for the rigidity of limbs, one might
think he slept. Evidences of affection
are all around: perfumes literally sprink-
led upon his auburn locks, and garlands
Of freshest flowers upon his cold limbs.
Cleopatra sits beside him in speechless
woe, with fixed yet vacant gaze. Unlike
her regard for other heroes, she has loved
him for himself, and not for his fame or
power. Near them, on a table of the
richest porphyry, negligently strewn with
instruments of music, there stands plain
and common. looking basket, filed with
the G glossy leaves and purple fruit of the
tg; they look very tempting, but there
is slight rustling sound, at times, and a
movement of the leaves, not regular, as
if shaken by the breeze, but heaving up
at intervals, as if some living thing was
lurking underneath, and on close ex-
animation, deadly asps are found crawl
ing among the fruit; these serpants Cleo
patra has applied to her .osom, and
very tiny spot of blood shows where the
poison has been injected into her veins.
Octavius, the successor Of C@sor, has
conquered, and she will not be his pris-
oner; her hero is dead, and she will fol-
low him.
Octavous comes himself, with all the
mobiles of his court, and t1attered her with
honeyed words, but she rejects his
clemencY with naughty scorn. He says:
"We would have the beautiful Cleopatra
among our friends; she is queen of Egypt
STILL"
"By the great gods, am! Nor is it
in the power of all Rome to make me
otherl Free was born and royal; free
will I die and royall Caesar, 1 scorn your
mercies, as I defy your menaces! Nv
father left me crown, and crowned will
I 60 to my father!"
With this she flung her hand in defiance
toward tie victor, placed the antique
crown of the Ptolemies upon her raven
locks, and stretching herself upon the
couch by the side Of Antony, closed her
eyes, gave one long, convulsive shudder,
and Cleopatra the beautiful was no more.
Egypt never since has known y native
sovereign