The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1894-09-12

l took the parchment and the reed, and
thus Iwrote in the Roman Tongues.
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 OF the
body we would take wing into forgetful-
ness. Caesar, thou hast conquered; take
thou the spoils OF victory. But in thy tri-
umph Cleopatra can not walk. When all is
lost, then must we so to seel; 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 miuished.
Slaves live to endure their wrong; but
Princes, treading with firmer step, pass
through the gates of Wrong into the Royal
dwellings of the dead This only doth
Egypt ask Of Caesar, that he suffer her to
lie in the tomb of Antony. Farewell"
This, therefore, I wrote, and having
sealed it, Cleopatra babe me go find a mes
senger, dispatch it unto Caesar, and then
return. So went, and at the door OF the
tomb called soldier, who was not on duty,
and, giving him money, babe him take the
letter unto Caesar. Then | Went back, and
there In the chamber stood the three wom-
en in silence, Cleopatra cinging TO the arm
of Iras, and Charmion little apart watch
ing the twain.
"lf indeed thou art minded to make an
end, Queen" l said, ''short is the time,
for presentlywill Caesar send his servants
in answer to thy letter." and drew forth
the phial Of white and deadly banc and set
it.upon the board.
She took it in her hand and gazed there
on. "How innocent it seemsl ~ she said;
land yet therein lies my death. IT'S
J strange"
AYE, Queen, and the death of ten other
folk. No need to take so long draught"
Il fear" she gaspcd. "How know l
that it will stay outright! I have seen so
many die bys poison and scarce one hath
died outright. And some an, can not
think on them"
'Fear not" / said, II am master of my
craft. Or, If thou dost fear, cast this poison
forth and live. In Rome maycst thou still
find happiness; aye, III Rome, where thou
shalt walk in Cesars triumph, while the
laughter of the hard-eycd Latin women
shall chime down the music of thy golden
chains"
may, 1 will die. Ga, if one would but
show the path"
Then did Iras loose her hand and step for
ward. "Givc me the draught, Physician
she said. VI go to make ready for my
Queen
"'rls WE'LL" l answered; 'on thy own
head be it!'' and l poured from the phial
into little golden goblet.
She raised it, and low she curtsied to
Cleopatra, then, coming forward, kissed
her on the brow, and Charmion she also
kissed. This done, tarrying not and max.
ing no prayer (or Iras was Creek, she
drank, and, putting her hand to her head,
inst ntly fell down and died.
Thou seest," | SAID, breaking in upon
the silence, sit is swift"
AYE, Olympus; thine is master drug
Come now, I thirst; fill me the bowl, lest
Iras weary in waiting at the gatesvi
So poured afresh into the go0et but
this time, making pretense to rinse the cup, l
mixed little water, for | was not minded
that she should die before she knew me.
Then did the royal Cleopatra, taking the
goblet in her hand, turn her lovely eyes to
heaven and cry aloud:
80 We Gods Of Egypt! who have deserted
me, to You no longer will l pray, for deaf
are Jour ears unto my crying, aud blind
your eyes unto my griefs! Therefore 1
make cntreaty to that one friend whom the
Gods, departing, leave to helpless man. o
Royal Death! sweep hither on thy cloudy
pinions, whose shadow circles all the earth,
and give me ear! Thou King of Kings
who, with an equal hand, bringest the fort
innate head to one pillow with the slave, and
by thy icy breath dost watt 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 Inc where Caesars legion5 can not
march! Take me to a new dominion and
crown me Queen of Steep am IN labor
of & Soul! See, it Stands new born upon the
edge of time! Now, how, 90, BREATH Come
Death! Come, Antonyn Aud, 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 Egypt's outraged Gods. and of tue fall
, ing OF the curse of Menkil-ra.
: "What is this! she cried. ~ grow cold
but die not Thou dark physician, thou
-! hast betrayed mer'
peace, Cleopatra! Presently shalt thol
die and know the fury Of the Gods en-
curse Of Meahd-rd hath ia lcnl 1t is flushed
Look upon me, womanl Look upon thi'
marred face, this twisted form, this Twin!
. mass of sorrow! Ions! iOoht Who an TYn
u She stared upon me wildly.
!, "Oh ohr she shrieled, throwing II,
Q her arms Sat last l know thee! BY tn,
Gods thou art Harmachis! Harmachi
0 risen from the deadln
n "Aye, larmachis risen from the dead t.
n m IA and 4
9 See thou, Cleopatra: 4 b we ruined thee a
$ thou didst ruin moi |, working in the dark
J, and helped of the angry Gods, have beel
I thy secret spring of woe | filed thy hear
!. with fear at Actium, held the Egyptian
from thy aid, l Slapped the strength o
Antony, I showed the portent of the God
: unto thy captains BY my hand at lengt
I thou diest, for l am the instrument o
n Vengeancel Rum do | pay thee back 70
o ruin, treachery for treachery, death TO
deathl Come hither Charmion, partner o
d my plots, who betrayed me, but, repenting
r art the sharer Of my triumph, come waite
y this fallen wanton die!
L Cleopatra heard, and sank back upon til
golden bed, groaniug And thou, toe
Charmionr
A moment SO she sat, then her lmperia
spirit burnt up glorious before she died.
She staggered from the bed, and, wit
arms outstretched, she cursed me.
"Oh, for one hour Of HEP she cried
tone short hour, that therein might max
thee die in such fashion as thou canst nc
dream, thou and that false paramour Q
thine, who betrayed both me and theei An
thou didst love mel All, there have the
stilll See, thou subtle. plotting priest!