antony-第15部分

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e　Cleopatra；　you　are　taken　prisoner！〃　Upon　which　she　turned　quick；　and；　looking　at　Proculeius；　drew　out　her　dagger　which　she　had　with　her　to　stab　herself。　But　Proculeius　ran　up　quickly；　and　seizing　her　with　both　his　hands；　〃For　shame；〃　said　he；　〃Cleopatra；　you　wrong　yourself　and　Caesar　much；　who　would　rob　him　of　so　fair　an　occasion　of　showing　his　clemency；　and　would　make　the　world　believe　the　most　gentle　of　commanders　to　be　a　faithless　and　implacable　enemy。〃　And　so；　taking　the　dagger　out　of　her　hand；　he　also　shook　her　dress　to　see　if　there　were　any　poison　hid　in　it。　After　this；　Caesar　sent　Epaphroditus；　one　of　his　freedmen；　with　orders　to　treat　her　with　all　the　gentleness　and　civility　possible；　but　to　take　the　strictest　precautions　to　keep　her　alive。　　　In　the　meanwhile；　Caesar　made　his　entry　into　Alexandria；　with　Areius　the　philosopher　at　his　side；　holding　him　by　the　hand　and　talking　with　him；　desiring　that　all　his　fellow…citizens　should　see　what　honour　was　paid　to　him；　and　should　look　up　to　him　accordingly　from　the　very　first　moment。　Then；　entering　the　exercise　ground；　he　mounted　a　platform　erected　for　the　purpose；　and　from　thence　commanded　the　citizens　（who；　in　great　fear　and　consternation；　fell　prostrate　at　his　feet）　to　stand　up；　and　told　them　that　he　freely　acquitted　the　people　of　all　blame　first；　for　the　sake　of　Alexander；　who　built　their　city；　then　for　the　city's　sake　itself；　which　was　so　large　and　beautiful；　and；　thirdly；　to　gratify　his　friend　Areius。　　　Such　great　honour　did　Areius　receive　from　Caesar；　and　by　his　intercession　many　lives　were　saved；　amongst　the　rest　that　of　Philostratus；　a　man；　of　all　the　professors　of　logic　that　ever　were；　the　most　ready　in　extempore　speaking；　but　quite　destitute　of　any　right　to　call　himself　one　of　the　philosophers　of　the　Academy。　Caesar；　out　of　disgust　at　his　character；　refused　all　attention　to　his　entreaties。　So；　growing　a　long　white　beard；　and　dressing　himself　in　black；　he　followed　behind　Areius；　shouting　out　the　verse；

　　　　　　　　　〃The　wise；　if　they　are　wise；　will　save　the　wise。〃

Which　Caesar　hearing；　gave　him　his　pardon；　to　prevent　rather　any　odium　that　might　attach　to　Areius；　than　any　harm　that　Philostratus　might　suffer。　　　Of　Antony's　children；　Antyllus；　his　son　by　Fulvia；　being　betrayed　by　his　tutor；　Theodorus；　was　put　to　death；　and　while　the　soldiers　were　cutting　off　his　head；　his　tutor　contrived　to　steal　a　precious　jewel　which　he　wore　about　his　neck；　and　put　it　in　his　pocket；　and　afterwards　denied　the　fact；　but　was　convicted　and　crucified。　Cleopatra's　children；　with　their　attendants；　had　a　guard　set　on　them；　and　were　treated　very　honourably。　Caesarion；　who　was　reputed　to　be　the　son　of　Caesar　the　Dictator；　was　sent　by　his　mother；　with　a　great　sum　of　money；　through　Ethiopia；　to　pass　into　India；　but　his　tutor；　a　man　named　Rhodon；　about　as　honest　as　Theodorus；　persuaded　him　to　turn　back；　for　that　Caesar　designed　to　make　him　king。　Caesar　consulting　what　was　best　to　be　done　with　him；　Areius　we　are　told；　said；

　　　　　　　　〃Too　many　Caesars　are　not　well。〃

So；　afterwards；　when　Cleopatra　was　dead　he　was　killed。　　　Many　kings　and　great　commanders　made　petition　to　Caesar　for　the　body　of　Antony；　to　give　him　his　funeral　rites；　but　he　would　not　take　away　his　corpse　from　Cleopatra　by　whose　hands　he　was　buried　with　royal　splendour　and　magnificence；　it　being　granted　to　her　to　employ　what　she　pleased　on　his　funeral。　In　this　extremity　of　grief　and　sorrow；　and　having　inflamed　and　ulcerated　her　breasts　with　beating　them；　she　fell　into　a　high　fever；　and　was　very　glad　of　the　occasion；　hoping；　under　this　pretext；　to　abstain　from　food；　and　so　to　die　in　quiet　without　interference。　She　had　her　own　physician；　Olympus；　to　whom　she　told　the　truth；　and　asked　his　advice　and　help　to　put　an　end　to　herself；　as　Olympus　himself　has　told　us；　in　a　narrative　which　he　wrote　of　these　events。　But　Caesar；　suspecting　her　purpose；　took　to　menacing　language　about　her　children；　and　excited　her　fears　for　them；　before　which　engines　her　purpose　shook　and　gave　way；　so　that　she　suffered　those　about　her　to　give　her　what　meat　or　medicine　they　pleased。　　　Some　few　days　after；　Caesar　himself　came　to　make　her　a　visit　and　comfort　her。　She　lay　then　upon　her　pallet…bed　in　undress；　and；　on　his　entering；　sprang　up　from　off　her　bed；　having　nothing　on　but　the　one　garment　next　her　body；　and　flung　herself　at　his　feet；　her　hair　and　face　looking　wild　and　disfigured；　her　voice　quivering；　and　her　eyes　sunk　in　her　head。　The　marks　of　the　blows　she　had　given　herself　were　visible　about　her　bosom；　and　altogether　her　whole　person　seemed　no　less　afflicted　than　her　soul。　But；　for　all　this；　her　old　charm；　and　the　boldness　of　her　youthful　beauty；　had　not　wholly　left　her；　and；　in　spite　of　her　present　condition；　still　sparkled　from　within；　and　let　itself　appear　in　all　the　movements　of　her　countenance。　Caesar；　desiring　her　to　repose　herself；　sat　down　by　her；　and；　on　this　opportunity；　she　said　something　to　justify　her　actions；　attributing　what　she　had　done　to　the　necessity　she　was　under；　and　to　her　fear　of　Antony；　and　when　Caesar；　on　each　point；　made　his　objections；　and　she　found　herself　confuted；　she　broke　off　at　once　into　language　of　entreaty　and　deprecation；　as　if　she　desired　nothing　more　than　to　prolong　her　life。　And　at　last；　having　by　her　a　list　of　her　treasure；　she　gave　it　into　his　hands；　and　when　Seleucus；　one　of　her　stewards；　who　was　by；　pointed　out　that　various　articles　were　omitted；　and　charged　her　with　secreting　them；　she　flew　up　and　caught　him　by　the　hair；　and　struck　him　several　blows　on　the　face。　Caesar　smiling　and　withholding　her；　〃Is　it　not　very　hard；　Caesar；〃　said　she；　〃when　you　do　me　the　honour　to　visit　me　in　this　condition　I　am　in；　that　I　should　be　accused　by　one　of　my　own　servants　of　laying　by　some　women's　toys；　not　meant　to　adorn；　be　sure；　my　unhappy　self；　but　that　I　might　have　some　little　present　by　me　to　make　your　Octavia　and　your　Livia；　that　by　their　intercession　I　might　hope　to　find　you　in　some　measure　disposed　to　mercy？〃　Caesar　was　pleased　to　hear　her　talk　thus；　being　now　assured　that　she　was　desirous　to　live。　And；　therefore；　letting　her　know　that　the　things　she　had　laid　by　she　might　dispose　of　as　she　pleased；　and　his　usage　of　her　should　be　honourable　above　her　expectation；　he　went　away；　well　satisfied　that　he　had　overreached　her；　but；　in　fact；　was　himself　deceived。　　　There　was　a　young　man　of　distinction　among　Caesar's　companions　named　Cornelius　Dolabella。　He　was　not　without　a　certain　tenderness　for　Cleopatra　and　sent　her　word　privately；　as　she　had　besought　him　to　do；　that　Caesar　was　about　to　return　through　Syria；　and　that　she　and　her　children　were　to　be　sent　on　within　three　days。　When　she　understood　this；　she　made　her　request　to　Caesar　that　he　would　be　pleased　to　permit　her　to　make　oblations　to　the　departed　Antony；　which　being　granted；　she　ordered　herself　to　be　carried　to　the　place　where　he　was　buried；　and　there；　accompanied　by　her　women；　she　embraced　his　tomb　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　spoke　in　this　manner：　〃O；　dearest　Antony；〃　said　she；　〃it　is　not　long　since　that　with　these　hands　I　buried　you；　then　they　were　free；　now　I　am　a　captive；　and　pay　these　last　duties　to　you　with　a　guard　upon　me；　for　fear　that　my　just　griefs　and　sorrows　should　impair　my　servile　body；　and　make　it　less　fit　to　appear　in　their　triumph　over　you。　No　further　offerings　or　libations　expect　from　me；　these　are　the　last　honours　that　Cleopatra　can　pay　your　memory；　for　she　is　to　be　hurried　away　far　from　you。　Nothing　could　part　us　whilst　we　lived；　but　death　seems　to　threaten　to　divide　us。　You；　a　Roman　born；　have　found　a　grave　in　Egypt；　I；　an　Egyptian；　am　to　seek　that　favour；　and　none　but　that；　in　your　country。　But　if　the　gods　below；　with　whom　you　now　are；　either　can　or　will　do　anything　（since　those　above　have　betrayed　us）；　suffer　not　your　living　wife　to　be　abandoned；　let　me　not　be　led　in　triumph　to　your　shame；　but　hide　me　and　bury　me　here　with　you　since；　amongst　all　my　bitter　misfortunes；　nothing　has　afflicted　me　like　this　brief　time　that　I　have　lived　away　from　you。〃　　　Having　made　these　lamentations；　crowning　the　tomb　with　garlands　and　kissing　it；　she　gave　orders　to　prepare　her　a　bath；　and；　coming　out　of　the　bath；　she　lay　down　and　made　a　sumptuous　meal。　And　a　country　fellow　brought　her　a　little　basket；　which　the　guards　intercepting　and　asking　what　it　was　the　fellow　put　the　leaves　which　lay　uppermost　aside；　and　showed　them　it　was　full　of　figs；　and　on　their　admiring　the　largeness　and　beauty　of　the　figs；　he　laughed；　and　invited　them　to　take　some；　which　they　refused；　and；　suspecting　nothing；　bade　him　carry　them　in。　After　her　repast；　Cleopatra　sent　to　Caesar　a　letter　which　she　had　written　and　sealed；　and；　putting　everybody　out　of　the　monument　but　her　two　women；　she　shut　the　doors。　Caesar；　opening　her　letter；　and　finding　pathetic　prayers　and　entreaties　that　she　might　be　buried　in　the　same　tomb　with　Antony；　soon　guessed　what　was　doing。　At　first　he　was　going　himself　in　all　haste；　but；　changing　his　mind；　he　sent　others　to　see。　The　thing　had　been　quickly　done。　The　messengers　came　at　full　speed；　and　found　the　guards　apprehensive　of　nothing；　but　on　opening　the　doors　they　saw　her　stone…dead；　lying　upon　a　bed　of　gold；　set　out　in　all　her　royal　ornaments。　Iras；　one　of　her　women；　lay　dying　at　her　feet；　and　Charmion；　just　ready　to　fall；　scarce　able　to　hold　up　her　head；　was　adjusting　her　mistress's　diadem。　And　when　one　that　came　in　said　angrily；　〃Was　this　well　done　of　your　lady；　Charmion？〃　〃Extremely　well；〃　she　answered；　〃and　as　became　the　descendant　of　so　many　kings；〃　and　as　she　said　this；　she　fell　down　dead　by　the　bedside。　　　Some　relate　that　an　asp　was　brought　in　amongst　those　figs　and　covered　with　the　leaves；　and　that　Cleopatra　had　arranged　that　it　might　settle　on　her　before　she　knew；　but；　when　she　took　away　some　of　the　figs　and　saw　it；　she　said；　〃So　here　it　is；〃　and　held　out　her　bare　arm　to　be　bitten。　Others　say　that　it　was　kept　in　a　vase；　and　that　she　vexed　and　pricked　it　with　a　golden　spindle　till　it　seized　her　arm。　But　what　really　took　place　is　known　to　no　one；　since　it　was　also　said　that　she　carried　poison　in　a　hollow　bodkin；　about　which　she　wound　her　hair；　yet　there　was　not　so　much　as　a　spot　found；　or　any　symptom　of　poison　upon　her　body；　nor　was　the　asp　seen　within　the　monument；　only　something　li