govern the kingdom of Egypt. They were both very young, Cleopatra the eldest being only seventeen, and, therefore, he committed them to the tuition of the Roman Senate. They could not, however, agree either to be married or to reign together, and the cause was brought before Julius Cæsar, who, in pursuit of Pompey, had, at that time, come to Alexandria.

Advocates were appointed, on both sides, to plead the matter before him; but Cleopatra, hearing that Cæsar was unboundedly fond of women, laid a plot to attach him first to her person and next to her cause; for she made no scruple of prostituting herself for lust or for interest, according as she was actuated by either of those passions. Sending to Cæsar, therefore, she desired that she might be permitted to plead her cause before him in person. This request being complied with, Cæsar was too sensible of the charms of beauty not to be touched with those of Cleopatra. She was then in the prime of her youth, about the 20th year of her age, and one of those perfect beauties, whose every feature has its particular charm, all which was seconded by an admirable wit, commanding address, and withal a voice so harmonious and bewitching, that, it is said, that single perfection, without the help of her eyes, than which nothing could be finer, was enough to soften the most obdurate heart. In short, Cæsar, the mighty conqueror of the world, was instantaneously subdued, by the graces of this bewitching woman, and is supposed to have had a son by her, who was, afterwards, from his name, called Cæsarion.

On the morning after their first interview, Cæsar sent for Ptolemy, and pressed him to receive his sister, on her own terms: but Ptolemy perceiving, that instead of a judge, he was become her advocate, appealed to the people, and put the whole city in an uproar. A war commenced, and the matter being soon determined by a battle, in which Cæsar came

off conqueror, Ptolemy, on his endeavouring to escape, over the Nile, was drowned.

Upon this, Cæsar setled the kingdom upon Cleopatra, and her younger brother, which was in effect, to put the whole into her own hands, as he was, at that time, only eleven years old, and, of course, incapable of interfering in the affairs of state; and that he never might interfere, Cleopatra made away with him by poison, as soon as he arrived at his fif teenth year. Cleopatra had also a sister named Arsinoe, who, siding in the war with her elder brother Ptolemy, was taken prisoner by Cæsar, and carried to Rome, in order to grace his triumph. She was afterwards dismissed by him; but not being suffered to return to Egypt, lest she should excite new troubles against Cleopatra, she settled in Asia. There Antony found her, after the battle of Philippi; and, at the request of Cleopatra, caused her to be put to death. It was for the sake of this lewd woman, that Cæsar made this infamous war, which was, likewise, exceedingly dangerous, because a very small part of his forces had arrived, and his wanton dalliances with her detained him longer in Egypt, than the state of his affairs could well admit.

Cleopatra followed Cæsar to Rome, and was there when he was killed in the senate house; but being terrified by that accident, and the subsequent disorders of the city, she ran away presently with great precipitation. After the battle of Philippi, Cleopatra was summoned by Antony to answer the accusation against her, as if she had favoured the interest of Crassus. She had, indeed, done so, in some measure, and she well knew, that this had not been very pleasant to the triumviri. She depended, however, on her wit and beauty; and persuaded herself that those charms, with which she had conquered Cæsar's heart, were still powerful enough to conquer Antony's, for she was not yet above twenty-six years of age. Full of these assurances, she went to AnVol. II. No. 9. F

tony, and by her arts, and the charms of her per son, drew him into those snares, which held him enslaved as long as he lived, and, finally, caused his death. For the present, she accompanied him as far as Tyre, and there taking leave of him, returned to Egypt, firmly persuaded, that he could not stay long behind her. Antony soon followed her, and spent the winter with her, in scenes of the utmost dissipation and extravagance, which she, every day, contrived to vary. In short, she was probably the most voluptuous, as well as the most profuse woman, that history has recorded.

The passion of Antony for Cleopatra, however, and the gifts he daily made her of Roman provinces, raised great murmurings at Rome, which Octavius privately abetted and encouraged; because he partly out of a desire to reign alone, and partly to resent the ill usage of his sister Octavia, whom Antony had married, wanted much to break with him. To pave the way for this, when Antony returned from his unfortunate expedition against the Parthians, he sent Octavia to meet him. Antony was then at Leucopo lis, where he waited for Cleopatra with great impati ence. She came at length, as did almost, at the same time, a messenger from Octavia, who staid at Athens. This was very unpleasant news for Cleopatra, who had great reason to dread so powerful a rival. She, therefore, immediately betook herself to those parts, which she had, all her life, practised with so great success; she feigned a deep melancholy, almost entirely abstained from food, and when she was near Antony, she beheld him in the most languishing manner, let fall tears, in his presence, and turned away her face, as if she desired to hide from him those marks of grief. Half of this would have been sufficient to have overcome Antony's weakness, who, after he had sent word to Octavia to return to Rome, waited upon Cleopatra back to Alexandria, where he passed the winter along with her in riot and debauchery;

and, as if he had meant to vex the Roman people, he, in a solemn manner, disposed of all those provinces, which fell to his share, in the division of the empire, in favour of Cleopatra and her children.

On this, Octavius thought proper to declare against him, and a war commenced, which was for some time carried on with great vigour on both sides. It would be foreign to our purpose to give an account of the different engagements, which was fought between them; but it is well known, that the battle of Actium determined the victory in favour of Octavius, where Cleopatra flying first, Antony hastened after her. Upon this occasion, however, he conceived great displeasure against Cleopatra, and continued three days without seeing he but, afterwards recovering his usual humour, he again devoted himself to pleasure. After they had returned to Egypt, and found themselves abandoned by all their allies, they sent to make proposals to Octavius. Cleopatra asked the kingdom of Egypt for her children, and Antony desired he might be permitted to live as a private man at Athens, if Octavius was not willing he should tarry in Egypt. Octavius absolutely rejected Antony's proposal, and sent to Cleopatra, that he would refuse her nothing, which was reasonable, if she would only drive Antony out of her kingdom. She refused to act openly against Antony, but betrayed him in every offer, which he made, till she obliged him to put an end to his own life, for fear of falling into Octavius' hands.

When Antony was dead, Cleopatra most passionately bemoaned his loss: however upon Octavius' approach to Alexandria, she was quite attentive to her own security. Near the temple of Isis, she had raised a stately building, which she designed for her sepulchre, into which she now retired carrying along with her all her immense treasures. It was filled, besides, with torches, faggots and other combustible matter, so that Octavius, fearing lest, if driven to des

pair, she should burn herself with these vast riches, contrived to give her hopes, that she might expect the best usage from his esteem. The truth is, Octavius earnestly desired to expose this queen, in his triumph to the Romans; and with this view sent Proculus, to employ all his address to seize her. It was, for some time, impracticable to execute his design, but he, at last stole in at a window with two others, which Cleopatra perceiving drew out a dagger, with a view to stab herself. The Roman, on seeing this, caught hold of her arm, saying, "will you, madam, injure both yourself and Octavius, by depriving him of the most illustrious testimony he can give of his generosity, and make the gentlest of princes pass for cruel." He then took the dagger from her, and carefully searched her, lest she should conceal any poison about her.

Octavius was greatly rejoiced at having this lofty woman in his power, who had lifted the crown of Egypt, above the Roman empire, yet commanded her to be treated, in all respects, like a queen. She, however, became so inconsolable for the loss of her liberty, that she resolved to starve herself to death; but her children being threatened with destruction, in case of her adherence to her resolution, she was obliged to desist.

Octavius, at length resolved to see her. He found her in bed; but as soon as she saw him, she rose in her shift, and threw herself at his feet. Octavius civilly lifted her up, and sat down by her bedside. She began to justify her; but the proofs against her being too notorious, she turned her justification inte prayers, and put into his hand an inventory of her treasure and jewels. Seleucus, her treasurer had followed Octavius, and, by a barbarous ingratitude, affirmed, that his mistress had concealed many things, which were not in that account. Upon this, Cleopatra's choler arose: she threw herself out of bed, and running to this perfidious officer, seized him by the