The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-14
THE EVIDENCE.

Antony. Octaylus and cleopatra iut"
ish the best OF evidence OF her 1'''os-
10 the Roman. A.. octavfts
,.nn}d begin a war because Antony, nl5
brothar-iu-law was living III LsyPI wv"
a woman not his vie .....,,, ~, would
No but IL does stand 10 reason Hr ~
bepin a war because Antony "aS tnS
husband of Cleopatra. anu hd1c Lis
and with her, Egyptian I9tT IS,,o' and
interest, to the detrlment OF Rome anu
1 view at the two characters furnishes
still more proof. Antony was q WIZ an
reckless man; all his life. he hai b5e zen
used to war His love affairs e1ie'u ND
from Sicily 10 Germany. lie was biS 3uu
strong, and debauch agreed WIN m,ll,;
lie loved women and VINE, aui aiitr,jTn,t
women 20 love him because ne ~, GA
help t. Fulvia was jealous OK nm az
1000 times His bringing up. his ne, nI'
religion. all tended 20 laXity IN mdtrlIH"-
NAL and love affairs. The Romans "elJ
used 10 his love aualrs at holle ~
abroad IT was only when they hhe" t"'S
he had made his home in Egypt, Ihttl.su
Cleopatra. and raised a family, 70 whonH
he bequeathed the provinces ana Cou.t
tries he had conquered that they ps1s"
a Virtuous cry of shame against MN
Now Cieopatra's character, bringing UP
and religion, and surroundings We're
entirely different. Egypt Is the country
whence comes the code OF morals on
which society of to-day Is built. ESSpO
is the country which produced the man
who made the Mosaic laws. Egypt Is Inc
country in which the lsrdelltes gam
their wisdom. on whose laws they loIIltu
their laws, and this wisdom we kno" ~
be the acutest. and these laws We know
to be the strictest and most secureN
founded. Cleopatra was daughter or
Egypt, in her was embodlsd the wisIolu,
the grace and that regard for marriage
morals which Is to-day so strong a char
acteristic Of the Hebraic race, and which
through all these centuries mas made that
race, buffetted as ii has been from one
country 70 another. Immaculate and in
tact those marriage morals which have
preserved. the Hebraic race.
Now, then, could this daughter OF
people declared 1t legal for sisters, broth
ers relatives, the populace, 10 stone TO
death the woman who was no longer
pure, could this Cleopatra live unmoved
with a foreigner in her own home in the
royal balls Of royal Egypt, among a peo-
pie who had such a sense OF moral right?
or course not. 1t Is impossible; II Is pre-
posterous.
wsoSGED BY HISTORY.
History has wronged her. Cleopatra
was a good woman. Such Is my concep-
ton Of her, full of humanity and woman
ly love, "A good wife, noble woman, a
loving mother.
The characters Shakespeare placed
around Cleopatra are without exception
drawn 10 the life; exec 1tihS Antony. Re
Is too noble: ne Is too vicious; he =
too just and TOO unjust, tut the dignity of
the man H. always retained, ana at Is
more than any other writer has Teen
able 20 accomplish; with thtt Yong Ere,
brand who over julius CaA5lrs dead
body raised a revolution which rsde
him the Antony, who cohd compel
serious thought from the noble Cleopatra?
Octavius Caesar Is majestic charac-
ter and spendl1ly defined.
The wit OF Enobarbus Is irrepreSsibie.
No matter what the occasion. * will
come up. The great beauty Of character
ization is In the Roman and Egyptian
characters. Each Roman mas an air OF
foreigner about him. while ne eats and
drinks the good things OF Egypt and
also that air OF the Invading victorious
soldier.
How different are the Egyptian eharac-
ters-the loyalty and love OF CHAIRMAN
and Iras are as fixed and permanent as
the sphinx, which, cold and austere.
silent and immovable. surrounded by
her companions. the pyramids. dispas-
slonately looks upon the flight OF years
and remains unchanged and Interchangeable
loyal 10 her home amid the simoons of
the desert and the foods and GIBBS OF
Nile. LILLIAN LEWIS.