Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-20
"Sad are the songs VIC sing, Tears that we shed; Empty the gifts we bring, Gifts to the dead.
An! for my flower, my love- HadeS hath taken! An! for the dust above,
 Scattered and shaken! " Mother of blade and grass, Earth in thy breast Lull her that gentlest was Gently to rest!'


 Gently to rest!"
 The music of her voice dled away, and so sweet and sad it was that Iras began to weep, and in Cleopatra's stormy eyes the bright tears stood. Only I wept not; my tears were dry.
 "'Tis heavy song of thine, Charmion," said the Queen. .sWell. as thou saidst, 'tis sad hour for song, and thy dirge is fitted to the hour. Sing it o'er me once again when lie dead, Charmion. And now fare well to music and on to the end. Olympus, take wonder parchment and write what shall say.'
 1 took the parchment and the reed, and thus l wrote in the Roman tongue:
 "Cleopatra to Octavianus. Greeting: This is the state of life. At length there comes an hour when, rather than endure those burdens that oerwhelm us, putting off the body we would take wing into forgetful- ness. Caesar, thou hast conquered; take l thou the spells of victory. But in thy tr. umph Cleopatra can not walk. When all is lost then must we go to seek the lost. Thus | In the desert of despair the brave do har vest resolution. Cleopatra hath been great as Antony was great, nor, in the manner of her end, shall her fame be mipshed. Slaves live to endure their wrong; bus Princes, treading with 8 firmer step, pass | through the gates of Wrong into the Roya; | dwellings of the dead. This only doth Egypt ask of Caesar, that he suffer her to 1 lie in the tomb of Antony. Farewell.'' This, therefore, I wrote, and having sealed it, Cleopatra bade me go find mes senger, dispatch it unto C9sar, and then return. So went, and at the door of tho tomb called soldier, who was not on duty, l and, giving him money, bade him take the | letter unto Caesar. Then 1 went back, and there in the chamber stood the three wom- | en Tn silence, Cleopatra clinging to the arm of Iras, and Charmion a little apart wa tch- | ing the twain.
 | "If indeed thou art minded to make au end, O Queen," I said, :'short is the time, for presently will Caesar send his servants in answer to thy letter." and drew forth the phial of white and deadly bane and set it upon t he board.
 She took it in her hand and gazed there- on. sHoW innocent it seems!'' she said and yet therein lies my death. 'Tia strange"
 Aye, Queen, and the death of ten other folk. No need to take so long draught" i"
 II fear," she gasped. '.How know that it will siay outright! I have seen SC | many die by poison and scarce one hath died outright. And some ah, can no1 think on them!'
 "Fear not" said, "I am a master of my craft Or if thou dost fear, cast this poison forth and live. In Rome maycst thou stil. find happiness; aye, in Rome, where thon shalt walk in Caesars triumph, ayhilc the | laughter of the hard-eyed Latin women shall chime down the music of thy golden chains"
 "Nay, I will die. Oh if one would but show the path''
 Then did Iras loose her hand and step for ward. "Give me the draught, plT,ir!an, . ISh a %N ,,1- ( Queen.l
 "'Fls Wel," l answered Ion thy own head be it!' and poured from the ph,al into 9 little golden goblet.
 She raised it, and low sao curisivI to Cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed her on the brow, and Charmion she also kissed This done, tarryins not and mal5. ing no prayer (for Iras d Grcck), she drank, and, putting her hand to her head instantly fell down and died.
 "Thou seest," said, breaking ill upon the silence, lit is swift''
 "Aye, Olympus; thine is master drug /! Comq poW, thirst; fill me the bowl, lest 1ras weary in waiting at the gatcsr:
 So poured afresh into the goblet; but this time. makin g pretense to rinse the cup, mixed g little water, for was not minded that she should dle before she knew me,
 Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the l heaven and cry aloud:
 70 ye Gods of Egypt! who have deserted me, to you no longer will I pray, for deaf i are your ears unto my crying, and blind your eyes unto my griefs! Therefore I make enIa4aty to that one friend whom the Gods, departing, leave to n4lplass man, o Royal Death! sweep hither on thy cloudy pinions, whose shadow circles all the earth, and give me earl Thou King of Kings who, will an s4uai hand, brin gest the fort unate head to one pillow with inc s!49e, and by thy icy breath dost wait the bubble of our life far from these fields of Earth, draw near and save! Hide me where winds blow not and waters cease to roll Hide me where E8sar's legions san not march, Fake me to a new dominion and ] crown me Queen of Sleepl am In labor of Soul See, 1t stands neWh born upon the edge of time! Now, now, go, Breathl Come, Death! Come, Antony!" And, with one glance to heaven, she drank and cast the goblet to the ground.
 Then at last came the moment of my pent-up vengeance, and of the vengeance of tsgypt's outraged Gods, and of the fall ing of the curse of Menka.ra.
 "What is this! she cried. II grow cold but die not. Thou dark physician, thou hast betrayed moi'i
 '.Peace, Gleopatral Presently shalt thou die and know the fury of the Gods The curse of Menka-ra hath failen! It is finished Look upon me, woman Look upon this marred face, this twisted form, this living mass of sorrow! Look! look! Who am I?'
 She stared upon me wildly.
 'Oh! oh!' she shrieked, throwing up her arms; ''at last know thee! By the Gods thou ant Harmaohisi Harmachis risen from the deadl''
 "Aye, Harmachis risen from the dead te drag thee down to death and agony eternal See thou, Cleopatra: I have ruined sAee as thou didst ruin me! |, worlsin g ip tho dark and helped of the angry Gods, have beer thy secret spring of wool filled thy hear, with fear at Actium, I held the Egyptians from thy aid, I sapped the strength o1 Antony, showed the portent of the Gods unto thy captains! By my hand at lengtf thou diest, for I am the instrument o1 Vengeance! Rum do I pay thee back fol ruin, treachery for treachery, death fol death! Come hither, Charmion, partner o1 my plots, who betrayed me, but, repenting art the sharer of my triumph, come watct this fallen wanton die!' Cleopatra heard and sank back upon the golden bed, grooming: "And thou, too Charmonr'
 A moment so she sat, then her Imperial spirit burnt up glorious before she died.