El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-17

reasons, being kept strictly within the
limits Of The family, it was handed
I down from generation to generation
! Several Cle0patraS actually occupied
[ the throne OF Egypt at one time or an
other, as VIII presently be seen, and
Z controlled affairs with an iron rule
which paused not at ruthless massa-
( ere, nor yet at the murder of their
nearest relatives. Cleopatra. a great
grandmother Of the Serpent Of the Nile
was accused OF poisoning her mother
before she herself was put TO death by
her younger son, ftOIeIny Alexander.
The first PtOlemy died at 81 years Of
age, and was succeeded by his son
[ FtOlemy Philadelphus, who ENCOURAGED
commerce and the liberal arts. By main
I tanning two powerful fleets, one in the
Mediterranean and the other in the Red
Sea. he made Egypt the mart Of the
world. His standing army comprised
2OO. 600 foot soldiers, 10000 cavalry, 800
elephants and 2OO0 armed chariOts He
was the richest. monarch OF his ge. and
when he died he left in his treasury
$50 600 Egyptian talents, equivalent TO
$1,000, 0OO0 OO0 of our money.
Violence Follows Third Of Name.
This. however, is not a story Of the
PtOlemy dynasty, but OF the Cleo
patraS. The wife Of the fifth PtOiemy
bore that name, and likewise did the
spouse OF the sixth of the line The
latter king was succeeded on the throne
by his brother, PtOlemy the "Evil-dOer,"
who was otherwise known as the
arity due to lntemperance. The BlOated.
having married the newly widowed
queen, celebrated the wedding day by
numbering her infant son, his nephew,
in her arms. Later on he divorced her
and took to wife her daughter. CleOpa-
ira Then, for mere amusement, he or
gained a series Of massacres which
literally depOpulated Alexandria, most
of the surviving citizens seeking refuge
in neighbOring countries; and finally. as
a result OF a rebellion. he was driven
into exile
The divorced Cleopatra then assembled !
the throne, which vas OCcupied in later :
years by her daughter, Cleopatra, joint
~ with the latter son, known as
PtOlemy Of the Bean, on account OF a
peculiar eNcreScence on mis- nose. The I
wife of PtOlemy Of the Bean was also 4
called Cleopatra and when she became Z
MS widow she raised her son, Alexander |
Ptolemy- to the rulership, which she /
shared with him he manifested his 4
Ilna4 appreciation by putting her 70 I
But it is at this stage that the storv /
becomes really interesting. for present
" We find an Hlegitimate son of PtOl- 4
envy OF the Bean elevated TO the mon 1
arcny-the most disreputable Of all his I
line This graCeleSs bastard. called /
contemptuOusly Auletes, or the Flute
Flayer, because Of an accomplishment in /
v hIcn he took great pride. was the
IaIner OF little girl then two years .
Old named leopatra-deStined to be Z
known as the Serpent Of the Nile, and /
die as queen. the last OF the dynasty OF 1
the PtOlemiesi
The Serpent was born in the year GO /
b c Her father had hardly begun 10 i
reign when ne was driven out Of Egypt
by q rebellion. leaving her and her
elder sister, Berenice. behind y re-
genCy was established. Berenice NOM
ina1I,- occ71ry-iT1e. az tbr1,1H- - 10
-ears later the Flute Player regained his
Nominions by force Of arms. and the
Lirst thing he did was TO have Bere-
Cleopatra was then II years old.
Three years later when her father =
died. he left the throne Jointly to her
and her younger brother, PtOlemy
Llonysus, recommending the two chill
dren TO the protection and paternal
care OF the Romans Egypt by this
time had practically lost its indepen-
denee as state, and had become a
mere vassal of Rome
Soon after Cleopatra began TO reign.
there came TO Alexandria a very at
tractive. young man, handsome. and
accomplished. whose name was Cueaus
Pcmpey. He was the eldest son OF
POmpey the Great. who had been ap-,
pointed guardian of little PtOlemy and
MS sister by the Roman senate, and
his Crrcnd vas to collect ships, men,
and supplies for his father-the lat
ter beng about to undertake the
struggle against Julius Caesar. which
VAS destined to prove so disastrous
- himself
Naturally, under the circumstances, !
young Pcmpey was received with open
arms and it is understood that he be-
came the lover OF Cleopatra. But not
Tor Ions. Duty called him to Spain \
where he was to perish not lOnS
afterwards while fighting against Z
Caesar. and he soon sailed away with
so armed galleys, which the young I
queen cent him.
Receives POmpey's Head.
Now. PtOlemy DiOnysus had tutor
lemed POthinus, who being bold as
Well as interruptions. persuaded him {
10 drive his sister Cleopatra out Of the
country. in order that he might seize
-Or himself the undivided power OF the