The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-04
GREAT LOVE
STORIES
of HISTORY
Antony and Cleopatra
Copyright. by the Author.)
BY Albert Payson Terhune

ly made Its way upstream. This yes.
sells like had never been seen. The
hull was covered with beaten gold.
The oars were Of silver, and swayed
in time to the soft throb of music.
The sails were of purple silk and so
richly perfumed that their fragrance
reached the shore. On a divan. under
cloth-of-gold canopy that covered
part OF the deck, lay a woman, red.
haired, decked out in priceless jewels
and arrayed to represent Venus. Boys,
dressed as cupids, famed her. On
either side of her divan reclined cour-
tiers, apparelled like mermaids, demi-
gods and other mythical personages
The red-haired beauty on the divan
was Cleopatra. Queen of Egypt. She
was sailing to Tarsus to confront a
stern judge-Mark Antony, ruler Of
half the world.
Rome had grown nightly since the
days OF the early kings. 1t had now
long been republic. julius Caesar
had strengthened and enlarged the
state, making himself dictator of most
OF the civilized earth. He had been
slain by assassins. Mark Antony,
his closest friend, had formed a league
with Octavius Caesars nephew, and
together they had punished the assas-
sins and made themselves masters of
Rome. Antony, the stronger of the
two, seemed about to GUST the young
Octavius and seize the reins of world
empire for himself. But while he
was in the east something happened
Tn. "tud,., that wrecked all
rurrs a. his p | n d d
career. Cleopatra
queen of Egypt, was accused of hav-
ing aided Caesars slayers. Antony,
at Tarsus, sent for her to come to
trial on that charge. Knowing An
tony's weakness where women we're
concerned, she came, not like a pris-
oner, but as goddess. At sight of
her as she sailed up the Cydnus An
tony forgot his resentment, his Of
nee as judge, his hopes of world mas
terry. From that moment he was the
red-haired queens abject slave. Turn
ing his back on Rome, he went with
her to Egypt
There the man who had won death
less renown as general, statesman
and orator entered on a life of lux
ury and wild extravaganza. He not
only pardoned Cleopatra, but pro-
claimed her his wife despite the fact
that he already had a wife at Rome).
lavished his fortune upon her, and
gave her rich provinces and kingdoms
that belonged by right to the Roman
republic. The two lovers held feasts
that were the scandal of the world.
At one of these Cleopatra dissolved
and drank million-dollar pearl They
wandered disguised as workman and
into the slums by
light. They pretended to be a god
md goddess and made their fatterers
ldore thine as such. Antonys enc
MES at Rome, headed by Octavius,
made the most of all this to weaken
he former hero's power. Once or
vice Anthony was reused from his
ethargy and, returning to Rome, tried
o forget Cleopatra. But always he
lead and he married the sister of o.
avius. But he soon deserted her and
ejoined Cleopatra.
Finally Octavius, seeing that the
nee mighty leader was no longer to
re feared, declared war on him and
cleopatra. Then for moment An
ony's former martial genius flared
p. He met Octavius in great sea
attic off Actium. Cleopatra sailed out
o witness the fight. AS the two
eets clashed Antony's skilful tactics
eemed about to defeat his foes But
uddenly Cleopatra, for a mere within,
rdered her galley to leave the battle
S If she were in panic flight. An
ony left his warships to take care of |
and hurried after her, fear. |
ng she might be wounded. His fleet,
eing leaderless, was easily put to
out by Octavius. Antony's last chance
'as gone. He realized what fool he |
ad made of himself For three days |
e sat alone in despair, his head in his |
ands. and none dared come near him. |
hen he crept once more to Cleopatra
Or consolation.
The tickle queen saw that Antony's
ause was lost So she wrote to o.
avius secretly, offering to make peace
nth him. Octavius answered that
he could best please him by killing
ntony. She knew Antony's character
nd his wild, weak worship for her
elf So, instead of numbering him
Antonv,. outright, she had
su,.iJ. word sent to him
that she was dead.
ntony has lost all for love of her.
low he thought he had lost her, too.
o he stabbed himself. Dying, he was
arried to Cleopatra and breathed his
ist in her arms, whispering vows of
-ernal devotion. Cleopatra tried next
} capture Octavius' heart. But Gaze
'r's nephew was shrewd and cold.
CODED. The charms that had SO cas-.
y won Antony had no effect on him.
e declared he would make Cleopatra
ak In chains behind his chariot
rough Rome. Sooner than do this