So once more I came and went about the Court, though but sparingly, formy heart was full of shame and terror, and on every face I feared to seethe scorn of those who knew me for what I was. But I saw nothing, forall those who had knowledge of the plot had fled, and Charmion hadspoken no word, for her own sake. Also, Cleopatra had put it about thatI was innocent. But my guilt lay heavy on me, and made me thin and woreaway the beauty of my countenance. And though I was free in name, yet Iwas ever watched; nor might I stir beyond the palace grounds.
And at length came the day which brought with it Quintus Dellius, thatfalse Roman knight who ever served the rising star. He bore lettersto Cleopatra from Marcus Antonius, the Triumvir, who, fresh from thevictory of Philippi, was now in Asia wringing gold from the subjectkings with which to satisfy the greed of his legionaries.
Well I mind me of the day. Cleopatra, clad in her robes of state,attended by the officers of her Court, among whom I stood, sat inthe great hall on her throne of gold, and bade the heralds admit theAmbassador of Antony, the Triumvir. The great doors were thrown wide,and amidst the blare of trumpets and salutes of the Gallic guards theRoman came in, clad in glittering golden armour and a scarlet cloak ofsilk, and followed by his suite of officers. He was smooth-faced andfair to look upon, and with a supple form; but his mouth was cold, andfalse were his shifting eyes. And while the heralds called out his name,titles, and offices, he fixed his gaze on Cleopatra--who sat idly on herthrone all radiant with beauty--as a man who is amazed. Then whenthe heralds had made an end, and he still stood thus, not stirring,Cleopatra spoke in the Latin tongue:
"Greeting to thee, noble Dellius, envoy of the most mighty Antony, whoseshadow lies across the world as though Mars himself now towered up aboveus petty Princes--greeting and welcome to our poor city of Alexandria.Unfold, we pray thee, the purpose of thy coming."
Still the crafty Dellius made no answer, but stood as a man amazed.
"What ails thee, noble Dellius, that thou dost not speak?" askedCleopatra. "Hast thou, then, wandered so long in Asia that the doors ofRoman speech are shut to thee? What tongue hast thou? Name it, and Wewill speak in it--for all tongues are known to Us."
Then at last he spoke in a soft full voice: "Oh, pardon me, most lovelyEgypt, if I have thus been stricken dumb before thee: but too greatbeauty, like Death himself, doth paralyse the tongue and steal our senseaway. The eyes of him who looks upon the fires of the mid-day sun areblind to all beside, and thus this sudden vision of thy glory, royalEgypt, overwhelmed my mind, and left me helpless and unwitting of allthings else."
"Of a truth, noble Dellius," answered Cleopatra, "they teach a prettyschool of flattery yonder in Cilicia."
"How goes the saying here in Alexandria?" replied the courtly Roman:"'The breath of flattery cannot waft a cloud,'[*] does it not? But tomy task. Here, royal Egypt, are letters under the hand and seal ofthe noble Antony treating of certain matters of the State. Is it thypleasure that I should read them openly?"
[*] In other words, what is Divine is beyond the reach of human praise.--Editor.
"Break the seals and read," she answered.
Then bowing, he broke the seals and read:
"The _Triumviri Reipublicae Constituendae_, by the mouth of MarcusAntonius, the Triumvir, to Cleopatra, by grace of the Roman People Queenof Upper and Lower Egypt, send greeting. Whereas it has come to ourknowledge that thou, Cleopatra, hast, contrary to thy promise and thyduty, both by thy servant Allienus and by thy servant Serapion, theGovernor of Cyprus, aided the rebel murderer Cassius against the armsof the most noble Triumvirate. And, whereas it has come to our knowledgethat thou thyself wast but lately making ready a great fleet to thisend. We summon thee that thou dost without delay journey to Cilicia,there to meet the noble Antony, and in person make answer concerningthese charges which are laid against thee. And we warn thee that if thoudost disobey this our summons it is at thy peril. Farewell."
The eyes of Cleopatra flashed as she hearkened to these high words, andI saw her hands tighten on the golden lions' heads whereon they rested.
"We have had the flattery," she said; "and now, lest we be cloyed withsweets, we have its antidote! Listen thou, Dellius: the charges in thatletter, or, rather, in that writ of summons, are false, as all folk canbear us witness. But it is not now, and it is not to thee, that Wewill make defence of our acts of war and policy. Nor will We leave ourkingdom to journey into far Cilicia, and there, like some poor suppliantat law, plead our cause before the Court of the Noble Antony. If Antonywould have speech with us, and inquire concerning these high matters,the sea is open, and his welcome shall be royal. Let him come thither!That is our answer to thee and to the Triumvirate, O Dellius!"
But Dellius smiled as one who would put away the weight of wrath, andonce more spoke:
"Royal Egypt, thou knowest not the noble Antony. He is stern on paper,and ever he sets down his thoughts as though his stylus were a speardipped in the blood of men. But face to face with him, thou, of all theworld, shalt find him the gentlest warrior that ever won a battle. Beadvised, O Egypt! and come. Send me not hence with such angry words, forif thou dost draw Antony to Alexandria, then woe to Alexandria, to thepeople of the Nile, and to thee, great Egypt! For then he will comearmed and breathing war, and it shall go hard with thee, who dost defythe gathered might of Rome. I pray thee, then, obey this summons.Come to Cilicia; come with peaceful gifts and not in arms. Come in thybeauty, and tricked in thy best attire, and thou hast naught to fearfrom the noble Antony." He paused and looked at her meaningly; while I,taking his drift, felt the angry blood surge into my face.
Cleopatra, too, understood, for I saw her rest her chin upon her handand the cloud of thought gathered in her eyes. For a time she sat thus,while the crafty Dellius watched her curiously. And Charmion, standingwith the other ladies by the throne, she also read his meaning, forher face lit up, as a summer cloud lights in the evening when the broadlightning flares behind it. Then once more it grew pale and quiet.
At length Cleopatra spoke. "This is a heavy matter," she said, "andtherefore, noble Dellius, we must have time to let our judgment ripen.Rest thou here, and make thee as merry as our poor circumstances allow.Thou shalt have thy answer within ten days."
The envoy thought awhile, then replied smiling: "It is well, O Egypt; onthe tenth day from now I will attend for my answer, and on the eleventhI sail hence to join Antony my Lord."
Once more, at a sign from Cleopatra, the trumpets blared, and hewithdrew bowing.
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