Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-11-17
/ GREAT LOVE
STORIES '
of HISTORY
By Albert Poyson Terhune
Antony and Cleopatra

The banks OF the River Cydnus. al
Tarsus, were lined with gaping
crowd one day IN IL b. c. All eyes
were centered on barge that slow
ly made its way upstream. This YES
sel's 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 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 merma;ds, 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. IL had now
long been a 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 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
., that wrecked all
Nes his sp | d
career. Cleopatra
queen OF Egypt, was accused OF hav-
ing aided Caesars slayers. Antony
at Tarsus, sent for her TO come 10
trial on that charge. Knowing An
tony's weakness where women were
concerned, she came. not like a pris-
oner, but as a goddess. AT sight of
her as she sailed up the Cydnus An
tony forgot his resentment. his Of
flee as judge, his hopes OF world mas
terry. From that moment he was the
red-haired queens AFFECT 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 a million-dollar pearl. They
wandered disguised as workman and
chambermaid) into the slums by
night. They pretended to be god
and goddess and made their fiatterers
adore thine as such. Antony's enc
mics at Rome, headed by Octavius.
made the most of all this to weaken
the former hero's power. Once or
twice Anthony was reused from his
Iethsrgy and. returning to Rome. tried
to forget Cleopatra. But always he
hurried back to her His wife was
dead and he married the sister of DC
tavius But he soon deserted her and
rejoined Cleopatra.
Finally Octavius, seeing that the
once mighty leader was no longer to
be feared, declared war on him and
Cleopatra Then for q moment An
tony's former martial genius fared
up. He met Octavius in a great sea
battle OF Actium. Cleopatra sailed out
to witness the fight AS the two
fleets clashed Antony's skfiful tactics
seemed about TO defeat his foes. But
suddenly Cleopatra. for a mere whim.
ordered her galley to leave the battle
as II she were in panic flight An
tony left his warships to take care OF
and hurried after her, fear
ing she might be wounded His feet.
being leaderless, was easily put 70
rout by Octavius- Antony last cnance
was gone. He realized what fool he
had made Of himself. For three days
he sat alone in despair. his head in hts
hands. and none dared come near him.
Then he crept once more to Cleopatra
for consolation
The nckle queen saw that Antony's
cause was lost. So she wrote TO DC
tavius secretly. Offering to make peace
with him. Octavius answered that
she could best please him by killing
Antony. She knew ABtony's character
and his Wild. weak worship FOR her
self So. instead Of numbering him
, outright. she had
word sent TO him
that she was dead
Antony has lost all for love OF her
- -. h~H fuaf her too