i Convinced that Octavianus would pursue her into Egypt, and sensible that she possessed no means of resistance, she ordered all her ships to be carried from the :Nlediter ranean into the Red Sea, across the isthmus of Suez, a distance of about seventy miles. Her object was to for sake Egypt, and go in search of some new settlement. The Arabs, however, at the instigation of one of Octa vianus's lieutenants, burnt all the ships that were carried over, as well as those that were in the Red Sea before, and the queen was obliged to desist from this romantic undertaking.
Nothing now remained but to await the approach of the conque ror. Antony and Cleopatra sent the most sub missive proposals to Octavianus, offering to live a private life at Athens, provided the crown or Egypt were reserv •d fur Clcopatra's children. This proposal was rejected : Cleopatra's ambassadors, however, were instructed by their mistress to treat privately for her own safety : as Octavianus was extremely anxious to get hold of her person, to adorn his triumph, and of her treasures, to defray the expences of the war, he dismissed the ambas sadors with many fair words and promises of kind inten tions towards their mistress, provided she would kill An tony. who was represented as the cause of all her mis fortunes. This she positively refused to do ; but en gaged to do what amounted to the same thing, to de liver him and her kingdom into the hands of Octavianus.
In conformity with this engagement, Pclusium, the key of Egypt on the cast, was delivered into his hands without resistance, though it was capable of sustaining a long siege. Antony was at this time employed on the opposite frontier ; and hearing of the rapid approach of the Roman army towards Alexandria, he hastened to the defence of the city. Cleopatra in the mean time, to pre vent Antony from suspecting any understanding between her and Octavianus, had retired into a high tower, where she collected her most valuable treasures, and materials for a funeral pile, giving it out, that she intended to con sume herself and her treasures together, should the town fall into the hands of the enemy. Antony, with that impe tuosity which distinguished him in Iva'', sallied out from the city, and falling unexpectedly on the cavalry of the enemy defeated them with great slaughter.
Encouraged by this success, he prepared next day to engage t':eir fleet ; but no sooner was the signal given, than Cleopatra's admiral, in compliance with her orders, went over to the enemy. Antony then hastened to his
land forces, but found to his astonishment that they had all to a man deserted to Octavianus. Ills el es were now opened to the perfidy of Cleopatra, whom, till that mo ment, all the remonstrances of his friends could near in duce him to suspect, and he flew to her palace in a pa roxysm of rage and despair to put her to eh Leh. She saved hers If by a timely flight, and took refuge with two of her maids in her inaccessible tower.
She now caused it to be given out that she had killed herself, to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy ; and Antony believing the talc, instantly passed from the ex treme of resentment to that of tenderness, and, in his despair, fell upon his sword, inflicting a wound which oc casioned his death.
As soon as Cleopatra heard of this tragical event, all her affection revived for a man whom her counsels had ruined, and at last her perfidy betrayed ; and learning that he was not yet quite dead, she ordered him to be raised up to her apartment in the tower, by means of putties which happened to be there at the tine, for the purpose of raising stones to the top of the monument. He was raised with difficulty by herself and her two maids, as she refused to open the gate to receive assis tance from below. She received him bathed in blood, and had the melancholy satisfaction of seeing him expire in her arms.
At the moment that Antony breathed his last, Pro culeins arrived from the camp of Octavianus, requiring Cleopatra, with many fair promises, to surrender her person. This, however, she obstinately refused to do, except on such terms as Octavianus was determined not to grant ; for his great ambition was to have such a cele brated personage to adorn his triumph, whilst she viewed this consummation of her sufferings with the greatest horror. To prevent her from taking any desperate step, Octavianus sent Cornelius Gallus, a man of great honour and eloquence, to converse with her. Whilst he was amusing her with fair speeches at the gate of the monu ment, Proculcius with two servants scaled the wall. and hastened down to secure her person. As soon as she saw herself within their power, she drew a dagger, which she always carried about her, and attempted to stab her self. But Proculeius springing forward, seized her it his arms, and wrested the dagger from her hands.