The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-25
SACRIFICES MEN MADE FOR WOMEN

save for the nobility OF feeling with
which she cultivated the sparse seeds OF
virtue planted in my heart"
Laura could not be Petrarch's. 1t is
supposed though not positively known,
that she was the wife OF another. AT any
rate. there was between them an insuper-
able bar. But he sang OF her 20 all the
world. without concealment or reserve,
and the love of her. for which he saeri-
feed every other hope and every worldly
ideal, made him great.
"CaIamity of the World"
But this is far from being the case
with the ordinary man when he falls into
the grasp OF love which exacts a sacri-
fee Of himself. In most cases he makes
the sacriice-and goes under. Even great
and powerful men have been utterly
ruined in life and fortune by their love
for a woman. This fate is so usual and
common that the Persians, who have a
great gift at summary Characterization,
call woman "Afti-jehan. or "the ca
lemity of the world" The ordinary mas
euline opinion on this subject Is repre-
scented by Thomas Otways quatrain:
Who lost Marc Antony the Wmldf A woman. 8
WHO Was the cause q long ten-years war.
And laid at last cd Troy 10 ASHES: Woman,
Destructive. daHaable, deceitful woman!
Marc Antony was the original Robert
Winthrop Chanler OF history: and the
usual notion Of Cleopatra his mistress,
makes her singulsrly like Lima Cavalieri.
at least In personal appearance.
Antony. an arisIocratic young man OF
Rome. became. by sheer force OF his
abilities and audaeities. the second fig
ure In the Roman empire after Julius
Caesar; and after Caesars death he re-
ceived the empire OF the East, and might
easily have become the master OF all the
world lie fell madly in love. however,
with that serpent OF the Nile" Cleo
patra, Queen OF Egypt HIS passion for
her made him completely her slave he
neglected his own and the public's bust
ness. paralyzed his powers Of action. and
at last fell a victim TO the might Of Oc-
tavianus Caesar Augustus. his inferior
in every point OF native ability.
Defeated at the battle Of Actlum. An
tony lied 10 Cleopatra arms, but was
followed M by Octavianus Like many
another eharmer IN a like situation Cleo
patra was willing 10 betrey her lover
now that she had ruined him At Octa-
vianus' suggestion, she entieed Antony
into mausoleum, where he and she
we're 10 die together" Antony carried
out his part OF the arrangement, and died
by his own hand IN his ffty-third year.
But Cleopatra basely took her departure.
Afterward however, when she found
that her Establishments did not prevail
with Octavianus as they had prevailed
with julius Caesar and with Antony. and
that he intended to take her 20 Rome
captive. she laid The poisonous asp on
her breast and died
Il IS undoubtedly the case that Antony
sacrificed The empire Of the world 20 his
infatuation for this woman lie was not
strong enough, as his master. julius
Caesar had been. 10 bend her 10 his own
purposes while enjoying her beauty. Cae-
sar had yielded 70 her fascinations before
Antony; but he had taken her 10 Rome
and successfully defed scandal. while ad-
the affairs Of the republic.
Antony was of more uncompromising
nature His surrender OF himself was
more absolute. And he fell al last, the
utter and hopeless victim Of his love.
SanSwei and slave.
The Roman world was not the only !
vast realm that has been laid on the
altar OF a wild. measureless fascina-
ton for woman China supplies the
story Of a sacrifice still more amazing
than that Of Antony The Western
world knows little Of this tale. but il has
been we'll told by RounsevIle WHdman