cleopatra-第1章

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Cleopatra


by　H。　Rider　Haggard









DEDICATION



　　My　dear　Mother；



　　I　have　for　a　long　while　hoped　to　be　allowed　to　dedicate　some　book

　　of　mine　to　you；　and　now　I　bring　you　this　work；　because　whatever

　　its　shortcomings；　and　whatever　judgment　may　be　passed　upon　it　by

　　yourself　and　others；　it　is　yet　the　one　I　should　wish　you　to

　　accept。



　　I　trust　that　you　will　receive　from　my　romance　of　〃Cleopatra〃　some

　　such　pleasure　as　lightened　the　labour　of　its　building　up；　and　that

　　it　may　convey　to　your　mind　a　picture；　however　imperfect；　of　the

　　old　and　mysterious　Egypt　in　whose　lost　glories　you　are　so　deeply

　　interested。



Your　affectionate　and　dutiful　Son；

H。　Rider　Haggard。



January　21；　1889。









AUTHOR'S　NOTE



The　history　of　the　ruin　of　Antony　and　Cleopatra　must　have　struck　many

students　of　the　records　of　their　age　as　one　of　the　most　inexplicable

of　tragic　tales。　What　malign　influence　and　secret　hates　were　at　work；

continually　sapping　their　prosperity　and　blinding　their　judgment？　Why

did　Cleopatra　fly　at　Actium；　and　why　did　Antony　follow　her；　leaving

his　fleet　and　army　to　destruction？　An　attempt　is　made　in　this　romance

to　suggest　a　possible　answer　to　these　and　some　other　questions。



The　reader　is　asked　to　bear　in　mind；　however；　that　the　story　is　told；

not　from　the　modern　point　of　view；　but　as　from　the　broken　heart　and

with　the　lips　of　an　Egyptian　patriot　of　royal　blood；　no　mere　beast…

worshipper；　but　a　priest　instructed　in　the　inmost　mysteries；　who

believed　firmly　in　the　personal　existence　of　the　gods　of　Khem；　in　the

possibility　of　communion　with　them；　and　in　the　certainty　of　immortal

life　with　its　rewards　and　punishments；　to　whom　also　the　bewildering

and　often　gross　symbolism　of　the　Osirian　Faith　was　nothing　but　a　veil

woven　to　obscure　secrets　of　the　Sanctuary。　Whatever　proportion　of

truth　there　may　have　been　in　their　spiritual　claims　and　imaginings；　if

indeed　there　was　any；　such　men　as　the　Prince　Harmachis　have　been　told

of　in　the　annals　of　every　great　religion；　and；　as　is　shown　by　the

testimony　of　monumental　and　sacred　inscriptions；　they　were　not　unknown

among　the　worshippers　of　the　Egyptian　Gods；　and　more　especially　of

Isis。



Unfortunately　it　is　scarcely　possible　to　write　a　book　of　this　nature

and　period　without　introducing　a　certain　amount　of　illustrative

matter；　for　by　no　other　means　can　the　long　dead　past　be　made　to　live

again　before　the　reader's　eyes　with　all　its　accessories　of　faded　pomp

and　forgotten　mystery。　To　such　students　as　seek　a　story　only；　and　are

not　interested　in　the　faith；　ceremonies；　or　customs　of　the　Mother　of

Religion　and　Civilisation；　ancient　Egypt；　it　is；　however；　respectfully

suggested　that　they　should　exercise　the　art　of　skipping；　and　open　this

tale　at　its　Second　Book。



That　version　of　the　death　of　Cleopatra　has　been　preferred　which

attributes　her　end　to　poison。　According　to　Plutarch　its　actual　manner

is　very　uncertain；　though　popular　rumour　ascribed　it　to　the　bite　of　an

asp。　She　seems；　however；　to　have　carried　out　her　design　under　the

advice　of　that　shadowy　personage；　her　physician；　Olympus；　and　it　is

more　than　doubtful　if　he　would　have　resorted　to　such　a　fantastic　and

uncertain　method　of　destroying　life。



It　may　be　mentioned　that　so　late　as　the　reign　of　Ptolemy　Epiphanes；

pretenders　of　native　blood；　one　of　whom　was　named　Harmachis；　are　known

to　have　advanced　their　claims　to　the　throne　of　Egypt。　Moreover；　there

was　a　book　of　prophecy　current　among　the　priesthood　which　declared

that　after　the　nations　of　the　Greeks　the　God　Harsefi　would　create　the

〃chief　who　is　to　come。〃　It　will　therefore　be　seen　that；　although　it

lacks　historical　confirmation；　the　story　of　the　great　plot　formed　to

stamp　out　the　dynasty　of　the　Macedonian　Lagidae　and　place　Harmachis　on

the　throne　is　not　in　itself　improbable。　Indeed；　it　is　possible　that

many　such　plots　were　entered　into　by　Egyptian　patriots　during　the　long

ages　of　their　country's　bondage。　But　ancient　history　tells　us　little

of　the　abortive　struggles　of　a　fallen　race。




The　Chant　of　Isis　and　the　Song　of　Cleopatra；　which　appear　in　these

pages；　are　done　into　verse　from　the　writer's　prose　by　Mr。　Andrew　Lang；

and　the　dirge　sung　by　Charmion　is　translated　by　the　same　hand　from　the

Greek　of　the　Syrian　Meleager。











CLEOPATRA







INTRODUCTION



In　the　recesses　of　the　desolate　Libyan　mountains　that　lie　behind　the

temple　and　city　of　Abydus；　the　supposed　burying　place　of　the　holy

Osiris；　a　tomb　was　recently　discovered；　among　the　contents　of　which

were　the　papyrus　rolls　whereupon　this　history　is　written。　The　tomb

itself　is　spacious；　but　otherwise　remarkable　only　for　the　depth　of　the

shaft　which　descends　vertically　from　the　rock…hewn　cave；　that　once

served　as　the　mortuary　chapel　for　the　friends　and　relatives　of　the

departed；　to　the　coffin…chamber　beneath。　This　shaft　is　no　less　than

eighty…nine　feet　in　depth。　The　chamber　at　its　foot　was　found　to

contain　three　coffins　only；　though　it　is　large　enough　for　many　more。

Two　of　these；　which　in　all　probability　inclosed　the　bodies　of　the　High

Priest；　Amenemhat；　and　of　his　wife；　father　and　mother　of　Harmachis；

the　hero　of　this　history；　the　shameless　Arabs　who　discovered　them

there　and　then　broke　up。



The　Arabs　broke　the　bodies　up。　With　unhallowed　hands　they　tore　the

holy　Amenemhat　and　the　frame　of　her　who　had；　as　it　is　written；　been

filled　with　the　spirit　of　the　Hathorstore　them　limb　from　limb；

searching　for　treasure　amidst　their　bonesperhaps；　as　is　their

custom；　selling　the　very　bones　for　a　few　piastres　to　the　last　ignorant

tourist　who　came　their　way；　seeking　what　he　might　destroy。　For　in

Egypt　the　unhappy；　the　living　find　their　bread　in　the　tombs　of　the

great　men　who　were　before　them。



But　as　it　chanced；　some　little　while　afterwards；　one　who　is　known　to

this　writer；　and　a　doctor　by　profession；　passed　up　the　Nile　to　Abydus；

and　became　acquainted　with　the　men　who　had　done　this　thing。　They

revealed　to　him　the　secret　of　the　place；　telling　him　that　one　coffin

yet　remained　entombed。　It　seemed　to　be　the　coffin　of　a　poor　person；

they　said；　and　therefore；　being　pressed　for　time；　they　had　left　it

unviolated。　Moved　by　curiosity　to　explore　the　recesses　of　a　tomb　as

yet　unprofaned　by　tourists；　my　friend　bribed　the　Arabs　to　show　it　to

him。　What　ensued　I　will　give　in　his　own　words；　exactly　as　he　wrote　it

to　me：



〃I　slept　that　night　near　the　Temple　of　Seti；　and　started　before

daybreak　on　the　following　morning。　With　me　were　a　cross…eyed　rascal

named　AliAli　Baba　I　named　himthe　man　from　whom　I　got　the　ring

which　I　am　sending　you；　and　a　small　but　choice　assortment　of　his

fellow　thieves。　Within　an　hour　after　sunrise　we　reached　the　valley

where　the　tomb　is。　It　is　a　desolate　place；　into　which　the　sun　pours

his　scorching　heat　all　the　long　day　through；　till　the　huge　brown　rocks

which　are　strewn　about　become　so　hot　that　one　can　scarcely　bear　to

touch　them；　and　the　sand　scorches　the　feet。　It　was　already　too　hot　to

walk；　so　we　rode　on　donkeys；　some　way　up　the　valleywhere　a　vulture

floating　far　in　the　blue　overhead　was　the　only　other　visitortill　we

came　to　an　enormous　boulder　polished　by　centuries　of　action　of　sun　and

sand。　Here　Ali　halted；　saying　that　the　tomb　was　under　the　stone。

Accordingly；　we　dismounted；　and；　leaving　the　donkeys　in　charge　of　a

fellah　boy；　went　up　to　the　rock。　Beneath　it　was　a　small　hole；　barely

large　enough　for　a　man　to　creep　through。　Indeed　it　had　been　dug　by

jackals；　for　the　doorway　and　some　part　of　the　cave　were　entirely

silted　up；　and　it　was　by　means　of　this　jackal　hole　that　the　tomb　had

been　discovered。　Ali　crept　in　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　I　followed；

to　find　myself　in　a　place　cold　after　the　hot　outside　air；　and；　in

contrast　with　the　light；　filled　with　a　dazzling　darkness。　We　lit　our

candles；　and；　the　select　body　of　thieves　having　arrived；　I　made　an

examination。　We　were　in　a　cave　the　size　of　a　large　room；　and　hollowed

by　hand；　the　further　part　of　the　cave　being　almost　free　from　drift…

dust。　On　the　walls　are　religious　paintings　of　the　usual　Ptolemaic

character；　and　among　them　one　of　a　majestic　old　man　with　a　long　white

beard；　who　is　seated　in　a　carved　chair　holding　a　wand　in　his　hand。＇*＇

Before　him　passes　a　procession　of　priests　bearing　sacred　images。　In

the　right　hand　corner　of　the　tomb　is　the　shaft　of　the　mummy…pit；　a

square…mouthed　well　cut　in　the　black　rock。　We　had　brought　a　beam　of

thorn…wood；　and　this　was　now　laid　across　the　pit　and　a　rope　made　fast

to　it。　Then　Aliwho；　to　do　him　justice；　is　a　courageous　thieftook

hold　of　the　rope；　and；　putting　some　candles　into　the　breast　of　his

robe；　placed　his　bare　feet　against　the　smooth　sides　of　the　well　and

began　to　descent　with　great　rapidity。　Very　soon　he　had　vanished　into

blackness；　and　the　agitation　of　the　cord　alone　told　us　that　anything

was　going　on　below。　At　last　the　rope　ceased　shaking　and　a　faint　shout

came　rumbling　up　the　well；　announcing　Ali's　safe　arrival。　Then；　far

below；　a　tiny　star　of　light　appeared。　He　had　lit　the　candle；　thereby

disturbing　hundreds　of　bats　that　flitted　up　in　an　endless　stream　and

as　silently　as　spirits。　The　rope　was　hauled　up　again；　and　now　it　was

my　turn；　but；　as　I　declined　to　trust　my　neck　to　the　hand…over…hand

method　of　descent；　the　end　of　the　cord　was　made　fast　round　my　middle

and　I　was　lowered　bodily　into　those　sacred　depths。　Nor　was　it　a

pleasant　journey；　for；　if　the　masters　of　the　situation　above　had　made

any　mistake；　I　should　have　been　dashed　to　pieces。　Also；　the　bats

continually　flew　into　my　face　and　clung　to　my　hair；　and　I　have　a　great

dislike　of　bats。　At　last；　after　some　minutes　of　jerking　and　dangling；

I　found　myself　standing　in　a　narrow　passage　by　the　side　of　the　worthy

Ali；　covered　with　bats　and　perspiration；　and　with　the　skin　rubbed　off

my　knees　and　knuckles。　Then　another　man　came　down；　hand　over　hand　like

a　sailor；　and　as　the　rest　were　told　to　stop　above　we　were　ready　to　go

on。　Ali　went　first　with　his　candleof　course　we　each　had　a　candle

leading　the　way　down　a　long　passage　about　five　feet　high。　At　length

the　passage　widened　out；　and　we　were　in　the　tomb…chamber：　I　think　the

hottest　and　most　silent　place　that　I　ever　entered。　It　was　simply

stifling。　This　chamber　is　a　square　room　cut　in　the　rock　and　totally

devoid　of　paintings　or　sculpture。　I　held　up　the　candles　and　looked

round。　About　the　place　were　strewn　the　coffin　lids　and　the　mummied

remains　of　the　two　bodies　that　the　Arabs　had　previously　violated。　The

paintings　on　the　former　were；　I　noticed；　of　great　beauty；　though；

having　no　knowledge　of　hieroglyphics；　I　could　not　decipher　them。　Beads

and　spicy　wrappings　lay　around　the　remains；　which；　I　saw；　were　those

of　a　man　and　a　woman。＇＋＇　The　head　had　been　broken　off　the　body　of　the

man。　I　took　it　up　and　looked　at　it。　It　had　been　closely　shavedafter

death；　I　should　say；　from