The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-02-18
CLEOPATRA.
Story of the Fair But Wicked
Queen.
Chas. w. Seymour Portrays the Life OF
the Notorious Egyptian Monarch
in Vivid COl0ring.


the thing that is most dangerous to
his peace is beautiful woman with
a wicked heart These were the
opening words of Chas. w. Seymour
in his great lecture on cleopatra, "
delivered at Normal hall Monday
before large and appreciative audi
ence. The speaker has an impressive
style of oratory and remarkable
descriptive power that holds the
closest attention of his hearers.
The subject of the lecture was
Cleopatra vi. The lecturer said that
as a child she possessed some secret
power over men, so that they would
even lay down their lives for her.
Her beauty came from her Greek
parentage and her form was as per-
feet as her features, and every part
most delicately moulded. Her eyes
were large and dark, and flashed or
melted with every changing mood.
This was the mere bud that was to
open later, the mere promise of the
beauty that was to so dazzle the
world.
The lecturer reviewed the histori-
cal events of that day, how defea ted
Pompey was slain by the Alexan"
drians, who played fast and loose
with both sides, how julius Caesar
landed soon afterwards and was at
tackled by the offended populace and
barely escaped, how he burned his
fleet and the flames spread to the city
and burned the great AleXa ndrian
library, with its 100000 volumes. He
told how, previous to the bursting of
this tempest in teapot" Appoli
dorus the Cicilian, acting the part of
merchant, had brought Cleopatra to
Caesar, rolled up in some goods, how
she conquered Caesar with her ravish-
ing smiles and outstretched dimpled
hands and put him in leading strings.
Caesar remained in Alexandria six
months without sending word back 20
Rome, as he was ashamed to have it
said that so great man had lost his
head. When he did return and had
his four triumphs, he lead Cleopatra's
hated sister, Arsinoe, the little Egyp-
tian mink, in chains.
The speaker told of Cleopatra's visit
to Rome to get the Senate to make
Cesarian her colleague, of Caesars
death and her return to AleXand ria,
where she brought about the change
she desired by having her lit
tie brother poisoned and Caesars son
made her colleague. In the civil
war that followed Caesars death,
Cleopatra saw that her field of action
lay in the heart of the military lea
der of Rome, whoever ne should be,
and she held aloof from the struggle.
She mastered every language in her
kingdom, being & the first of the
Ptolomies to do so. She was then
twenty-five years old and the promise
of her beauty was then more than ful-
filed. She used every means to en-
nance it and mastered the science of
how to conquer hearts. She had an
excellent memory, and stored it with
songs, tests and anecdotes, and learn
ed to play and dance some of the en-
trancing measures known only to the
Egyptians. The Egyptians possessed
the lost art of perfume, and had per-
fumes so volatile that they were stor-
ed in Theoretically sealed stone TASKS,
and the perfumes reached the sense
through the pores. Some of these
perfumes were worth more than their
weight in rubies. Cleopatra became
a master at jugglery, and acquired
immense riches. Although the
Ptolomies were extravaganza, they
had been 1nisers Of jewelry.
The speaker told how Cleopatra
visited Tarsus in response to sum-
mons from Mark Anthony. The day
she approached, there was a rumor
that Venus herself was coming up the
river. The air was filled with per-
fume as of spring, and with the dis
tant sound of music. The last galley
was miracle of beauty such as the
earth has never seen but once. 1t
was covered with gold plates, and the
oars with silver plates, and the sails
were purple embroidered. The sailors
were beautiful young girls, represent
ing nymphs and naiads, pouring per-
fume into the water from jars. The
deck was covered with cushions Of
rich stuff and there was every effect
of oriental luxury. In the midst OF
these pillewy pillows reclined Venus,
covered with sjewels. Venus arose
and stepped ashore, and Cleopatra
= stood in Tarsus.
Cleopatra bang tied Anthony and
his Roman Bourbon friends seven