This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By Georg Ebers
The men sent by Archibius to obtain news had brought back no definiteinformation; but a short time before, a royal runner had handed him atablet from Iras, requesting him to visit her the next day. Disquieting,but fortunately as yet unverified tidings had arrived. The Regent wasdoing everything in his power to ascertain the truth; but he (Archibius)was aware of the distrust of the government, and everything connectedwith it, felt by the sailors and all the seafaring folk at the harbour.An independent person like himself could often learn more than the chiefof the harbour police, with all his ships and men.
The little tablet was accompanied by a second, which, in the Regent'sname, authorized the bearer to have the harbour chains raised anywhere,to go out into the open sea and return without interference.
The messenger, the overseer of Archibius's galley slaves, was anexperienced man. He undertook to have the "Epicurus"—a swift vessel,which Cleopatra had given to her friend—ready for a voyage to the opensea within two hours. The carriage should be sent for his master, thatno time might be lost.
When Archibius had returned to the ladies and asked whether it would bean abuse of their hospitality, if—it was now nearly midnight—he shouldstill delay his departure for a time, they expressed sincere pleasure,and begged him to continue his narrative.
"I must hasten," he hurriedly began, after eating the lunch whichBerenike had ordered while he was talking with the messenger, "but theevents of the next few years are hardly worth mentioning. Besides, mytime was wholly occupied by my studies in the museum.
"As for Cleopatra and Arsinoe, they stood like queens at the head of allthe magnificence of the court. The day on which they left our house wasthe last of their childhood.
"Who would venture to determine whether her father's restoration, or themeeting with Antony, had wrought the great change which took place atthat time in Cleopatra?
"Just before she left us, my mother had lamented that she must giveher to a father like the flute-player, instead of to a worthy mother; forthe best could not help regarding herself happy in the possession of sucha daughter. Afterwards her character and conduct were better suited todelight men than to please a mother. The yearning for peace of mindseemed over. Only the noisy festivals, the singing and music, of whichthere was never any cessation in the palace of the royal virtuoso, seemedto weary her and at such times she appeared at our house and spentseveral days beneath its roof. Arsinoe never accompanied her; her heartwas sometimes won by a golden-haired officer in the ranks of the Germanhorsemen whom Gabinius had left among the garrison of Alexandria,sometimes by a Macedonian noble among the youths who, at that time,performed the service of guarding the palace.
"Cleopatra lived apart from her, and Arsinoe openly showed her hostilityfrom the time that she entreated her to put an end to the scandal causedby her love affairs.
"Cleopatra held aloof from such things.
"Though she had devoted much time to the magic arts of the Egyptians, herclear intellect had rendered her so fa