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all；　that　Cleopatra　is　one　with　whom　it　is　well　to　play　the　traitor？

Be　warned　by　this　Roman's　fate！〃







Then　a　great　silence　of　fear　fell　upon　the　company；　and　Antony　sat

also　silent。







CHAPTER　VI



OF　THE　WORKINGS　OF　THE　LEARNED　OLYMPUS　AT　MEMPHIS；　OF　THE

POISONINGS　OF　CLEOPATRA；　OF　THE　SPEECH　OF　ANTONY　TO　HIS

CAPTAINS；　AND　OF　THE　PASSING　OF　ISIS　FROM　THE　LAND　OF　KHEM



Now　I；　Harmachis；　must　make　speed　with　my　task；　setting　down　that

which　is　permitted　as　shortly　as　may　be；　and　leaving　much　untold。　For

of　this　I　am　warned；　that　Doom　draws　on　and　my　days　are　wellnigh　sped。

After　the　drawing　forth　of　Antony　from　the　Timonium　came　that　time　of

heavy　quiet　which　heralds　the　rising　of　the　desert　wind。　Antony　and

Cleopatra　once　again　gave　themselves　up　to　luxury；　and　night　by　night

feasted　in　splendour　at　the　palace。　They　sent　ambassadors　to　C？sar；

but　C？sar　would　have　none　of　them；　and；　this　hope　being　gone；　they

turned　their　minds　to　the　defence　of　Alexandria。　Men　were　gathered；

ships　were　built；　and　a　great　force　was　made　ready　against　the　coming

of　C？sar。



And　now；　aided　by　Charmion；　I　began　my　last　work　of　hate　and

vengeance。　I　wormed　myself　deep　into　the　secrets　of　the　palace；

counselling　all　things　for　evil。　I　bade　Cleopatra　keep　Antony　gay；

lest　he　should　brood　upon　his　sorrows：　and　thus　she　sapped　his

strength　and　energy　with　luxury　and　wine。　I　gave　him　of　my　draughts

draughts　that　sank　his　soul　in　dreams　of　happiness　and　power；　leaving

him　to　wake　to　a　heavier　misery。　Soon；　without　my　healing　medicine　he

could　not　sleep；　and　thus；　being　ever　at　his　side；　I　bound　his

weakened　will　to　mine；　till　at　last　he　would　do　little　if　I　said　not

〃It　is　well。〃　Cleopatra；　also　grown　very　superstitious；　leaned　much

upon　me；　for　I　prophesied　falsely　to　her　in　secret。



Moreover；　I　wove　other　webs。　My　fame　was　great　throughout　Egypt；　for

during　the　long　years　that　I　had　dwelt　in　Tápé　it　had　spread　through

all　the　land。　Therefore　many　men　of　note　came　to　me；　both　for　their

health's　sake　and　because　it　was　known　that　I　had　the　ear　of　Antony

and　the　Queen；　and；　in　these　days　of　doubt　and　trouble；　they　were　fain

to　learn　the　truth。　All　these　men　I　worked　upon　with　doubtful　words；

sapping　their　loyalty；　and　I　caused　many　to　fall　away；　and　yet　none

could　bear　an　evil　report　of　what　I　had　said。　Also；　Cleopatra　sent　me

to　Memphis；　there　to　move　the　Priests　and　Governors　that　they　should

gather　men　in　Upper　Egypt　for　the　defence　of　Alexandria。　And　I　went

and　spoke　to　the　priests　with　such　a　double　meaning　and　with　so　much

wisdom　that　they　knew　me　to　be　one　of　the　initiated　in　the　deeper

mysteries。　But　how　I；　Olympus　the　physician；　came　thus　to　be　initiated

none　might　say。　And　afterwards　they　sought　me　secretly；　and　I　gave

them　the　holy　sign　of　brotherhood；　and　thereunder　bade　them　not　to　ask

who　I　might　be；　but　send　no　aid　to　Cleopatra。　Rather；　I　said；　must

they　make　peace　with　C？sar；　for　by　C？sar's　grace　only　could　the

worship　of　the　Gods　endure　in　Khem。　So；　having　taken　counsel　of　the

Holy　Apis；　they　promised　in　public　to　give　help　to　Cleopatra；　but　in

secret　sent　an　embassy　to　C？sar。



Thus；　then；　it　came　to　pass　that　Egypt　gave　but　little　aid　to　its

hated　Macedonian　Queen。　Thence　from　Memphis　I　came　once　more　to

Alexandria；　and；　having　made　favourable　report；　continued　my　secret

work。　And；　indeed；　the　Alexandrians　could　not　easily　be　stirred；　for；

as　they　say　in　the　marketplace；　〃The　ass　looks　at　its　burden　and　is

blind　to　its　master。〃　Cleopatra　had　oppressed　them　so　long　that　the

Roman　was　like　a　welcome　friend。



Thus　the　time　passed　on；　and　every　night　found　Cleopatra　with　fewer

friends　than　that　which　had　gone　before；　for　in　evil　days　friends　fly

like　swallows　before　the　frost。　Yet　she　would　not　give　up　Antony；　whom

she　loved；　though　to　my　knowledge　C？sar；　by　his　freedman；　Thyreus；

made　promise　to　her　of　her　dominions　for　herself　and　for　her　children

if　she　would　but　slay　Antony；　or　even　betray　him　bound。　But　to　this

her　woman's　heartfor　still　she　had　a　heartwould　not　consent；　and；

moreover；　we　counselled　her　against　it；　for　of　necessity　we　must　hold

him　to　her；　lest；　Antony　escaping　or　being　slain；　Cleopatra　might　ride

out　the　storm　and　yet　be　Queen　of　Egypt。　And　this　grieved　me；　because

Antony；　though　weak；　was　still　a　brave　man；　and　a　great；　and；

moreover；　in　my　own　heart　I　read　the　lesson　of　his　woes。　For　were　we

not　akin　in　wretchedness？　Had　not　the　same　woman　robbed　us　of　Empire；

Friends；　and　Honour？　But　pity　has　no　place　in　politics；　nor　could　it

turn　my　feet　from　the　path　of　vengeance　it　was　ordained　that　I　should

tread。　C？sar　drew　nigh；　Pelusium　fell；　the　end　was　at　hand。　It　was

Charmion　who　brought　the　tidings　to　the　Queen　and　Antony；　as　they

slept　in　the　heat　of　the　day；　and　I　came　with　her。



〃Awake！〃　she　cried。　〃Awake！　This　is　no　time　for　sleep！　Seleucus　hath


surrendered　Pelusium　to　C？sar；　who　marches　straight　on　Alexandria！〃



With　a　great　oath；　Antony　sprang　up　and　clutched　Cleopatra　by　the　arm。



〃Thou　hast　betrayed　meby　the　Gods　I　swear　it！　Now　thou　shalt　pay　the

price！〃　And　snatching　up　his　sword　he　drew　it。



〃Stay　thy　hand；　Antony！〃　she　cried。　〃It　is　falseI　know　naught　of

this！〃　And　she　sprang　upon　him；　and　clung　about　his　neck；　weeping。　〃I

know　naught；　my　Lord。　Take　thou　the　wife　of　Seleucus　and　his　little

children；　whom　I　hold　in　guard；　and　avenge　thyself。　O　Antony；　Antony！

why　dost　thou　doubt　me？〃



Then　Antony　threw　down　his　sword　upon　the　marble；　and；　casting　himself

upon　the　couch；　hid　his　face；　and　groaned　in　bitterness　of　spirit。



But　Charmion　smiled；　for　it　was　she　who　had　sent　secretly　to　Seleucus；

her　friend；　counselling　him　to　surrender　forthwith；　saying　that　no

fight　would　be　made　at　Alexandria。　And　that　very　night　Cleopatra　took

all　her　great　store　of　pearls　and　emeraldsthose　that　remained　of　the

treasure　of　Menkau…raall　her　wealth　of　gold；　ebony；　ivory；　and

cinnamon；　treasure　without　price；　and　placed　it　in　the　mausoleum　of

granite　which；　after　our　Egyptian　fashion；　she　had　built　upon　the　hill

that　is　by　the　Temple　of　the　Holy　Isis。　These　riches　she　piled　up　upon

a　bed　of　flax；　that；　when　she　fired　it；　all　might　perish　in　the　flame

and　escape　the　greed　of　money…loving　Octavianus。　And　she　slept

henceforth　in　this　tomb；　away　from　Antony；　but　in　the　daytime　she

still　saw　him　at　the　palace。



But　a　little　while　after；　when　C？sar　with　all　his　great　force　had

already　crossed　the　Caponic　mouth　of　the　Nile　and　was　hard　on

Alexandria；　I　came　to　the　palace；　whither　Cleopatra　had　summoned　me。

There　I　found　her　in　the　Alabaster　Hall；　royally　clad；　a　wild　light　in

her　eyes；　and；　with　her；　Iras　and　Charmion；　and　before　her　guards；　and

stretched　here　and　there　upon　the　marble；　bodies　of　dead　men；　among

whom　lay　one　yet　dying。



〃Greeting；　thou　Olympus！〃　she　cried。　〃Here　is　a　sight　to　glad　a

physician's　heartmen　dead　and　men　sick　unto　death！〃



〃What　doest　thou；　O　Queen？〃　I　said　affrighted。



〃What　do　I？　I　wreak　justice　on　these　criminals　and　traitors；　and；

Olympus；　I　learn　the　ways　of　death。　I　have　caused　six　different

poisons　to　be　given　to　these　slaves；　and　with　an　attentive　eye　have

watched　their　working。　That　man；〃　and　she　pointed　to　a　Nubian；　〃he

went　mad；　and　raved　of　his　native　deserts　and　his　mother。　He　thought

himself　a　child　again；　poor　fool！　and　bade　her　hold　him　close　to　her

breast　and　save　him　from　the　darkness　which　drew　near。　And　that　Greek；

he　shrieked；　and；　shrieking；　died。　And　this；　he　wept　and　prayed　for

pity；　and　in　the　end；　like　a　coward；　breathed　his　last。　Now；　note　the

Egyptian　yonder；　he　who　still　lives　and　groans；　first　he　took　the

draughtthe　deadliest　draught　of　all；　they　sworeand　yet　the　slave

so　dearly　loves　his　life　he　will　not　leave　it！　See；　he　yet　strives　to

throw　the　poison　from　him；　twice　have　I　given　him　the　cup　and　yet　he

is　athirst。　What　a　drunkard　we　have　here！　Man；　man；　knowest　thou　not

that　in　death　only　can　peace　be　found？　Struggle　no　more；　but　enter

into　rest。〃　And　even　as　she　spoke；　the　man；　with　a　great　cry；　gave　up

the　spirit。



〃There！〃　she　cried；　〃at　length　the　farce　is　playedaway　with　those

slaves　whom　I　have　forced　through　the　difficult　gates　of　Joy！〃　and　she

clapped　her　hands。　But　when　they　had　borne　the　bodies　thence　she　drew

me　to　her；　and　spoke　thus：



〃Olympus；　for　all　thy　prophecies；　the　end　is　at　hand。　C？sar　must

conquer；　and　I　and　my　Lord　Antony　be　lost。　Now；　therefore；　the　play

being　wellnigh　done；　I　must　make　ready　to　leave　this　stage　of　earth　in

such　fashion　as　becomes　a　Queen。　For　this　cause；　then；　I　do　make　trial

of　these　poisons；　seeing　that　in　my　person　I　must　soon　endure　those

agonies　of　death　that　to…day　I　give　to　others。　These　drugs　please　me

not；　some　wrench　out　the　soul　with　cruel　pains；　and　some　too　slowly

work　their　end。　But　thou　art　skilled　in　the　medicines　of　death。　Now；

do　thou　prepare　me　such　a　draught　as　shall；　pangless；　steal　my　life

away。〃



And　as　I　listened　the　sense　of　triumph　filled　my　bitter　heart；　for　I

knew　now　that　by　my　own　hand　should　this　ruined　woman　die　and　the

justice　of　the　Gods　be　done。



〃Spoken　like　a　Queen；　O　Cleopatra！〃　I　said。　〃Death　shall　cure　thy

ills；　and　I　will　brew　such　a　wine　as　shall　draw　him　down　a　sudden

friend　and　sink　thee　in　a　sea　of　slumber　whence；　upon　this　earth；　thou

shalt　never　wake　again。　Oh！　fear　not　Death：　Death　is　thy　hope；　and；

surely；　thou　shalt　pass　sinless　and　pure　of　heart　into　the　dreadful

presence　of　the　Gods！〃



She　trembled。　〃And　if　the　heart　be　not　altogether　pure；　tell　methou

dark　manwhat　then？　Nay；　I　fear　not　the　Gods！　for　if　the　Gods　of　Hell

be　men；　there　I　shall　Queen　it　also。　At　the　least；　having　once　been

royal；　royal　I　shall　ever　be。〃



And；　as　she　spoke；　suddenly　from　the　palace　gates　came　a　great

clamour；　and　the　noise　of　joyful　shouting。



〃Why；　what　is　this？〃　she　said；