The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-12-18

still call me wifcl'n
Then no longer could Ibear her falsehood,
forI saw that she but played with me. Ana
| so spoke that which was In my heart,
'.Cleopatra,n 7 lcried, 'thou didst swear to
protect Egypt, and thou art about to betray
Egypt to the Romnni Thou didst swear TO
use the treasures that revealed to thee
for the service Of Egypt and thou art
about to use them TO be her means OF shame
Ito fashion them as fetters for her wristsl
Thou didst swear to wed me, who loved
thee, and for thee gave all, and thou dost
mock me and reiectl Therefore say
with the voice Of the dread Gods say it,
that on thee shall fail the curse Of Menkar
ra, whom thou hast robbed, indeedi Let
me 20 hence an work obt my doomi Let
me 20, @, thou fair shame thou living Llel
whom have loved to my doom, and'who
hast brought upon me the last curse Of
dooml Let me hide myself and see thy face
no moren IL
She rose IN her wrath, and terrible she
was To see.
NLet thee 60 to stir up evil against moi
Nay, Harmachls, thou shalt not go to build
new plots against my thronel ! say to thee
that thou, too, shalt come TO visit Antony
in Cllicia, and there, perchance, VIII iet
thee gor' And ere could answer, she had
struck upon the silver gong that hung nigh
to where she was.
Ere It's rich echo had died away there
entered from one door Charmion and the
waiting women, and from the other O file OF
guards-fo four OF them Of the Queens body
guard, mighty men, with winged helmets
and long, fair hair.
'Seize that traitorr' cried Cleopatra
pointing to me. The Captain Of the guart
| lit was Brennus--s -saluted and came towart
me with drawn sword.
But /, being mad and desperate, and littl'
caring II they slew me, few straight at hi
throat, and dealt him such q heavy blow
that the great man fell headlong and hi
armor clasbed upon the marble floor. Ant
as he fell seized his sword and target and
meeting the next, who rushed on me with
shout, caught bis blow upon the shield, ant
in answer smote with all my strength
The sword fell where the neck is se
into the shoulder and shearing through thI
Joints of his harness slew him, SO that hi
knees were loosened and he sank dow
dead. And the third, as he came
l caught upon the point Of m,
sword before he could strike, and !
pierced him and he died. Then the las
rushed on me with cry Of ''Taranisl' AM
/, too, rushed on him, for my blood wa
afame And the women sbrieked, onl,
Cleopatra said naught, but stood an'
watched the unequal fray We met and
struck with all my strength, and might.
blow IL was, for the sword shore througI
the iron shield and shattered there, leayinl
me weaponless. With shout OF trump
the guard swung up his sword and smot
down upon my head, but with my shield
caught the blow. Again he smote, and agai
parried; but when third time he raise
his sword saw this might not endure, 5
with cry hurled my buckler at his fact
CHANGING from his shield 1t struck him o
the breast and staggered him. Then, befor
he could regain his balance, rushed in b
tween his guard and gripped him round th
middle. For a full minute the tall man an
| struggled furlously, and then, so grea
was my strength In those days, lifted hii
like toy and dashed him down upon th
marble floor In such fashion that his bone
were shattered so that he spake no NOR,
But could not save myself and fell upo
him, aad as fell the Captain Brennui
whom had smitten 10 earth with my ds
having once more found his sense, came u
behind me and smote me sore upon th
head and shoulders with the sword Of on
Of those whom had slain. But being Q
the ground the blow fell not with all 4
weight, also my thick hair and broidert
cap broke its force; and thusi 1t came TO pa,
that, though sore wounded, the life was y,
whole In me. But no more could struggl
Then tho cowardly eunuchs, who had gat
cred at the sound Of blows, and stoc
huddled together like herd Of cattle, So
, Ing that l was spent, threw themselvt
| upon me, and would have slain me wit
|. their knives But Brennus, now that wa
down, would strike no more, but stoc
waiting. And the eunuchs had surel
! slain me, for Cleopatra stood like one wh
watches in dream and made no sign. A
ready was my head dragged back and the
knife points at my throat, when Charmioi
rushing forward, threw herself upon m