antony-第16节

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　should　tell　Antony　she　was　dead。　He；　believing　it；　cried　out；　〃Now；　Antony；　why　delay　longer？　Fate　has　snatched　away　the　only　pretext　for　which　you　could　say　you　desired　yet　to　live。〃　Going　into　his　chamber；　and　there　loosening　and　opening　his　coat　of　〃I　am　not；〃　said　he；　〃troubled；　Cleopatra；　to　be　at　present　bereaved　of　you；　for　I　shall　soon　be　with　you；　but　it　distresses　me　that　so　great　a　general　should　be　found　of　a　tardier　courage　than　a　woman。〃　He　had　a　faithful　servant；　whose　name　was　Eros；　he　had　engaged　him　formerly　to　kill　him　when　he　should　think　it　necessary；　and　now　he　put　him　to　his　promise。　Eros　drew　his　sword；　as　designing　to　kill　him；　but；　suddenly　turning　round；　he　slew　himself。　And　as　he　fell　dead　at　his　feet；　〃It　is　well　done；　Eros；〃　said　Antony；　〃you　show　your　master　how　to　do　what　you　had　not　the　heart　to　do　yourself；〃　and　so　he　ran　himself　into　the　belly；　and　laid　himself　upon　the　couch。　The　wound；　however；　was　not　immediately　mortal；　and　the　flow　of　blood　ceasing　when　he　lay　down；　presently　he　came　to　himself；　and　entreated　those　that　were　about　him　to　put　him　out　of　his　pain；　but　they　all　fled　out　of　the　chamber；　and　left　him　crying　out　and　struggling；　until　Diomede；　Cleopatra's　secretary；　came　to　him；　having　orders　from　her　to　bring　him　into　the　monument。　　　When　he　understood　she　was　alive；　he　eagerly　gave　order　to　the　servants　to　take　him　up；　and　in　their　arms　was　carried　to　the　door　of　the　building。　Cleopatra　would　not　open　the　door；　but；　looking　from　a　sort　of　window；　she　let　down　ropes　and　cords；　to　which　Antony　was　fastened；　and　she　and　her　two　women；　the　only　persons　she　had　allowed　to　enter　the　monument；　drew　him　up。　Those　that　were　present　say　that　nothing　was　ever　more　sad　than　this　spectacle；　to　see　Antony；　covered　all　over　with　blood　and　just　expiring；　thus　drawn　up；　still　holding　up　his　hands　to　her；　and　lifting　up　his　body　with　the　little　force　he　had　left。　As；　indeed；　it　was　no　easy　task　for　the　women；　and　Cleopatra；　with　all　her　force；　clinging　to　the　rope；　and　straining　with　her　head　to　the　ground；　with　difficulty　pulled　him　up　while　those　below　encouraged　her　with　their　cries；　and　joined　in　all　her　efforts　and　anxiety。　When　she　had　got　him　up；　she　laid　him　on　the　bed；　tearing　all　her　clothes；　which　she　spread　upon　him；　and；　beating　her　breast　with　her　hands；　lacerating　herself；　and　disfiguring　her　own　face　with　the　blood　from　his　wounds；　she　called　him　her　lord；　her　husband；　her　emperor；　and　seemed　to　have　pretty　nearly　forgotten　all　her　own　evils；　she　was　so　intent　upon　his　misfortunes。　Antony；　stopping　her　lamentations　as　well　as　he　could；　called　for　wine　to　drink；　either　that　he　was　thirsty；　or　that　he　imagined　that　it　might　put　him　the　sooner　out　of　pain。　When　he　had　drunk；　he　advised　her　to　bring　her　own　affairs；　so　far　as　might　be　honourably　done；　to　a　safe　conclusion；　and　that；　among　all　the　friends　of　Caesar；　she　should　rely　on　Proculeius；　that　she　should　not　pity　him　in　this　last　turn　of　fate；　but　rather　rejoice　for　him　in　remembrance　of　his　past　happiness；　who　had　been　of　all　men　the　most　illustrious　and　powerful；　and　in　the　end　had　fallen　not　ignobly；　a　Roman　by　a　Roman　overcome。　　　Just　as　he　breathed　his　last；　Proculeius　arrived　from　Caesar；　for　when　Antony　gave　himself　his　wound；　and　was　carried　in　to　Cleopatra；　one　of　his　guards；　Dercetaeus；　took　up　Antony's　sword　and　hid　it；　and；　when　he　saw　his　opportunity；　stole　away　to　Caesar；　and　brought　him　the　first　news　of　Antony's　death；　and　withal　showed　him　the　bloody　sword。　Caesar；　upon　this；　retired　into　the　inner　part　of　his　tent；　and　giving　some　tears　to　the　death　of　one　that　had　been　nearly　allied　to　him　in　marriage；　his　colleague　in　empire；　and　companion　in　so　many　wars　and　dangers；　he　came　out　to　his　friends；　and；　bringing　with　him　many　letters；　he　read　to　them　with　how　much　reason　and　moderation　he　had　always　addressed　himself　to　Antony；　and　in　return　what　overbearing　and　arrogant　answers　he　received。　Then　he　sent　Proculeius　to　use　his　utmost　endeavours　to　get　Cleopatra　alive　into　his　power；　for　he　was　afraid　of　losing　a　great　treasure；　and；　besides；　she　would　be　no　small　addition　to　the　glory　of　his　triumph。　She；　however；　was　careful　not　to　put　herself　in　Proculeius's　power；　but　from　within　her　monument；　he　standing　on　the　outside　of　a　door；　on　the　level　of　the　ground；　which　was　strongly　barred；　but　so　that　they　might　well　enough　hear　one　another's　voice；　she　held　a　conference　with　him；　she　demanding　that　her　kingdom　might　be　given　to　her　children；　and　he　binding　her　to　be　of　good　courage；　and　trust　Caesar　in　everything。　　　Having　taken　particular　notice　of　the　place；　he　returned　to　Caesar；　and　Gallus　was　sent　to　parley　with　her　the　second　time；　who；　being　come　to　the　door；　on　purpose　prolonged　the　conference；　while　Proculeius　fixed　his　scaling…ladders　in　the　window　through　which　the　women　had　pulled　up　Antony。　And　so　entering；　with　two　men　to　follow　him；　he　went　straight　down　to　the　door　where　Cleopatra　was　discoursing　with　Gallus。　One　of　the　two　women　who　were　shut　up　in　the　monument　with　her　cried　out；　〃Miserable　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　com