Octavianus was overjoyed at this acquisition. Ile or dered her to be watched with the strictest care, and at the same time to be treated with the greatest respect. He sent to her, to know if there was any favour which she had to ask. All that she requested was, that she might be permitted to bury Antony. This was readily granted ; and Antony's body was deposited, with every circumstance of funeral magnificence, in the burying place of the kings of Egypt. Her grief and her exer tions on this occasion brought on a fever, and, with the consent of her physicians, she resolved to abstain from food, and starve herself to death. This design being discovered, she was placed under the care of other phy sicians, and was induced by threats and promises to fol low their prescriptions.
After she was pretty well recovered, Octayianus sent to her, requesting an interview. She was delighted with this proposal, and prepared to play off all her arts. and all her charms, against her conqueror. But the cold blooded politician, though he was afterwards sufficiently notorious for his gallantries, had at present a different game to play ; he therefore kept his eyes fixed upon the ground during the whole conversation. and it was per haps not the least of Cleopatra's mortification., that nhe had now probably for the first time fruitlessly displayed her charms. She still, however, entertained th_ hope s. that she might avoid the ignominy of being led I', tri umph ; and with this view offered to give up all her moveables, treasures, and jewels: but Octavianus was deter mined that nothing should redeem her from this dreaded humiliation. But Cleopatra had succeeded bcz ter with Cornelius Dollabella, one of Octavianus's inti mate friends. This Roman was desperately in love with her ; and had engaged to give her timely intimation of his master's intentions : Accordingly he sent her word, that in three days she and her children were to be put on board a vessel, and conveyed to Rome. This deter mined her to put in execution the purpose which she had long formed, in contemplation of this event.
Finding it difficult to elude the vigilance of Epaphro ditus, who was appointed to watch her, she made a great entertainment, affected unusual gaiety, and in the midst of the general mirth, rose from table, and wrote a letter to Octavianus, which she requested Epaphroditus to de liver into his own hands, as it contained matters of im portance. As soon as he was gone, she withdrew with two of her maids, and calling for a basket of figs, which one of her servants had brought in the disguise of a pea sant, she applied to her arm an asp, which was purposely concealed among the figs. This is the common account ; but Plutarch, in Anton. says, that she had collected the poison beforehand, and introduced it into her arm, by tearing her flesh with her teeth. She soon expired, in
the arms of her maids. In her letter to Octavianus, she requested to be buried in the same tomb with Antony ; this leading him to suspect her intentions, he instantly dispatched some of his friends to prevent her attempt. They found her lying dead, on a golden bed, in her royal robes, with one of her maids likewise dead, and the other expiring beside her.
Thus ended the life of this celebrated queen, whose adventures are more like the fictions of romance, than the ordinary details of history. In her ended the line of Ptolemy Lagus, the founder of the Greek dynasty in Egypt, whose family had reigned from the death of Alexander, till its extinction in Cleopatra, 294 years. It is agreed on all hands, that she was very beautiful, very accomplished, and very unprincipled. Chastity was not a virtue that she aspired to, and her libertinism was too much even for an age, in which more than an ordi nary degree of profligacy was readily tolerated. And yet she generally bestowed her heart where she sur rendered her person, and continued to retain a tenderness for those who had once been the objects of her affection. Wonderful things are told of her acquirements in point of language ; and it is affirmed that she could converse with Ethiopians, Troglodytes, Jews, Arabians, Cyrians, Mcdes, and Persians, without an interpreter, and with as much ease, as if she had been a native of the countries whose language she adopted. Her death was a great disappointment to Octavianus, who caused her image to be led in triumph, since he could not obtain her person. Horace celebrates her death as a great piece of heroism.
rivers, one of which is called the Artier. The streets are• narrow, and the houses gloomy, but the promenades ant! public places are superb. Before the great altar of the cathedral there is a fine ancient sarcophagus. The princi pal articles of manufacture in this city are, fine ratecns, coarse serges, druggcts, linen cloth, ribbands, silk stock ings, candles, and paper. The preserved apricots of Cler mont have been long celebrated ; the cheese made in the neighbourhood, known by the name of the cheese of Au vergne, is reckoned particularly excellent. Within an en closure in the city, there is a petrifying spring, which has deposited across a garden, in the direction of its course, a wall 140 feet long, and in sonic places from 15 to 20 feet high. This brook is also said to have petrified a wooden bridge so completely, that carriages can pass over it. The town of Montferrand, from which Cler mont receives the addition to its name, forms one of the fauxbourgs of the city. Population 24,478. In the Al manac du Commerce for 1811, it is stated at 30,000. East Long. 3° 5' 17", North Lat. 45° 46' 44." (w)