Pompey, Cæsar's great antagonist, had been overcome and slain, and Cleopatra, confident that, by her power of fascination, she could at once obtain access to Cæsar (who had come to Alexandria), devised a bold and successful procedure to obtain a favorable decision with regard to her queenly claims. We cannot better tell the story than does the quaint Sir Thomas North in his "Plutarch."

"She, only taking Apollodorus of all friends, took a little boat, and went away with him in it in the night, and came and landed hard by the foot of the castle. Then having no other means to come into the court without being known, she laid herself down upon a mattress, or flock-bed, which Apollodorus, her friend, tied and bound up together like a bundle with a great leather thong; and so took her upon his back, and brought her thus hampered unto Cæsar in at the castle-gate. This was the first occasion (as it is reported) that made Cæsar to love her; but afterwards, when he saw her sweet conversation and pleasant entertainment, he fell into further liking with her, and did reconcile her again unto her brother the King, with condition that they should jointly reign together." But Julius Cæsar's decision was exceedingly distasteful to Cleopatra's kingly brother, who resisted it, and took up arms against the Roman power. But he was crushed, his power completely broken by Cæsar's victorious legions, and the vanquished and fugitive King drowned in an attempt to cross the river Nile. Cleopatra was now made Queen of Egypt by her infatuated adorer. She bore him a son, named Cæsarian, and on Cæsar's return to Rome the Queen followed him there. Cæsar showed her the fondest adulation, and gave great offence to the stately Romans by placing Cleopatra's golden statue beside that of Venus. She remained in Rome until Julius was assassinated, and then feeling her unpopularity, now that her great protector was no more, hastily quitted the eternal city and retired to her own country.

This drew upon her the unjust suspicion of being in sympathy with the conspirators, Brutus and Cassius; and it was afterwards, with the announced intention of inquiring into her behavior on this occasion, that Marc Antony, when marching against Parthia, sent orders for Cleopatra to appear before him and answer to this accusation. How the wily Queen brought by her seductions Marc Antony to her feet- conquering the conqueror — is again told by Plutarch. "She furnished herself with a world of gifts, store of gold and silver and of riches, and other sumptuous ornaments, as is credible enough she might bring from so great a house, and from so wealthy and rich a realm as Egypt was. But yet she carried nothing with her wherein she trusted more than in herself, and in the charms and enchantment of her passing beauty and grace. Therefore, when she was sent unto by divers letters, both from Antonius himself, and also from his friends, she made so light of it, and mocked Antonius so much, that she disdained to set forward otherwise, but to take her barge in the river of Cydnus, the poop whereof was of gold, the sails of purple, and the oars of silver, which kept stroke in rowing after the sound of the music of flutes, hautboys, zitherns, viols, and such other instruments. as they played upon the barge. And now for the person of herself: she was laid under a pavilion of gold tissue, attired like the goddess Venus, as commonly drawn in picture; and hard by her, on either hand of her, pretty, fair boys, apparelled as painters do set forth god Cupid, with little fans in their hands, with which they fanned wind upon her. Her ladies and gentlewomen, the fairest of them, were apparelled like the nymphs, nereids (which are the mermaids of the waters), and graces; some steering the helm, others tending the tackle and ropes of the barge, out of which there came a wonderful passing sweet savor of perfumes, that perfumed the wharf's side, pestered with innumerable multitudes of people. Some of them followed

the barge all along the river-side; others ran out of the city to see her coming in, so that in the end, there ran such multitudes of people, one after another, to see her, that Antonius was left almost alone in the market-place, in his imperial seat, to give audience."

This was a master-stroke of diplomacy in Cleopatra. The great triumvir, the summoning judge, left by himself to await her arrival, while the world flocked to see her, and gazed in magnetized bewilderment! Plutarch further goes on to say how the fascinater followed up her great advantage, and played her second winning card, as follows:

"When Cleopatra landed, Antonius sent to invite her to supper with him. But she sent him word again he should do better to come and sup with her. Antonius therefore, to show himself courteous unto her at her arrival, was contented to obey her, and went to supper with her; where he found such passing sumptuous fare that no tongue can express it." The delinquent entertaining her judge, whose invitation she carelessly sets aside to ask him to accept hers; establishing herself at once on the ground of easy witchery and playful intimacy with the Roman governor sent to take an account of her behavior. Plutarch goes on. "The next night, Antonius feasting her, contended to pass her in magnificence and fineness, but she overcame him in both. So that he himself began to scorn the gross service of his house, in respect of Cleopatra's sumptuousness and fineness. And when Cleopatra found Antonius' feasts to be gross and soldier-like, in plain manner, she gave it to him thoroughly." Antony, the judge, became a real prisoner himself, held in silken chains by the irresistible power of this woman's will.

Tradition does not paint this remarkable queen as surpassingly beautiful, and tradition is substantiated by the medals still extant of her. But everything tends to prove she possessed

an incomparable charm of face and form, an inexpressible grace of conversation and manner. Her demeanor was so wonderfully courteous, sweet, sportive, engaging, and varied, that we are told that a man could not possibly be but taken." "Furthermore," says Plutarch, "her voice and words were marvellous pleasant; for her tongue was an instrument of music, which she easily tuned into any language that pleased her."

Cleopatra had at her command a knowledge of several languages, which she spoke with equal grace, and seldom used an interpreter in speaking. Her taste for magnificence, too, combined with the cultivation and refinement acquired in her relations with Greece, united to make her all-powerful in seductive accomplishments.

Is it any wonder that, under the intoxicating influence of this siren, Marc Antony forgot all he should have held most dear,his devoted wife Fluvia, his home and country,— and given himself up to days, lengthening into months, of the voluptuous pleasures of the senses?

But at length ill news from Rome compelled Marc Antony to tear himself from Cleopatra's entwining arms, and return to Italy. Here his presence was urgently needed; but after Fluvia's death, the estrangement with Octavius Cæsar was adjusted, and the seeming reconcilement cemented by Marc Antony marrying Octavia, the sister of Octavius Cæsar. For some time, as if distrusting himself, Marc Antony withstood the temptation to trust himself again within the circle of the great sorceress' magic. But when in Syria, it seemed as if he was unable to resist longer her magnetism, and he sent messengers to Cleopatra to come to him, offering her as "a welcoming gift" the provinces of Phoenicia, parts of Arabia, Cilicia, lower Syria, and the island of Cyprus.

These magnificent gifts to an Egyptian greatly offended the Romans; and still further were they enraged by the names and

honors Antony caused to be paid to the twins (a son and a daughter) Cleopatra had brought him, whom he named the "Sun" and the "Moon." At Athens, in Armenia, or wherever his mistress might be, Marc Antony caused to be paid her immeasurable honors. Among the munificent presents he bestowed upon her was the famous library at Pergamus, consisting of more than two hundred thousand books, which was conveyed to Alexandria and given to the siren, to the unspeakable disgust of the Romans, who considered the prize rightly belonged to their own imperial city, as it was one of the spoils of victory.

Octavius Cæsar finally grew impatient, then indignant, at the neglect of his sister Octavia. The Roman dislike to Marc Antony was stirred to hatred. Antony bitterly denounced this, and both sides prepared for war. Cleopatra aided her lover by raising ships and money, but interfered with his plans by her inexperienced counsels. We need not follow the events of the war; but the time that should have been spent in disciplining his forces to meet the Roman legions, was largely occupied in banquets and riotous gaieties. The first battle-a sea-fight was lost by Marc Antony. Defeat after defeat followed, and Cleopatra busied herself with the gigantic project of transferring, by ships through the Red Sea, her treasures and herself to India. But the Arabs burned the ships, and the plan was abandoned.

Octavius Cæsar was rapidly gaining ground, and his armies overrunning the country, but Marc Antony repulsed him in his attack on Alexandria. This temporary defeat was speedily followed by Marc Antony's ruin, for he saw his disheartened men desert him in large numbers, and go over to his enemy; then erroneously believing that Cleopatra had betrayed him, Marc Antony broke out in wild fury against her. Cleopatra, alarmed at his vehemence, fled to a magnificent tomb she had built as