antony-第5章

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；　and　was　so　well　convinced　of　it　that　he　was　himself　the　first　to　jest　and　mock　at　his　poverty　of　wit　and　his　rustic　awkwardness。　She；　perceiving　that　his　raillery　was　broad　and　gross；　and　savoured　more　of　the　soldier　than　the　courtier；　rejoined　in　the　same　taste；　and　fell　into　it　at　once；　without　any　sort　of　reluctance　or　reserve。　For　her　actual　beauty；　it　is　said；　was　not　in　itself　so　remarkable　that　none　could　be　compared　with　her；　or　that　no　one　could　see　her　without　being　struck　by　it；　but　the　contact　of　her　presence；　if　you　lived　with　her；　was　irresistible；　the　attraction　of　her　person；　joining　with　the　charm　of　her　conversation；　and　the　character　that　attended　all　she　said　or　did；　was　something　bewitching。　It　was　a　pleasure　merely　to　hear　the　sound　of　her　voice；　with　which；　like　an　instrument　of　many　strings；　she　could　pass　from　one　language　to　another；　so　that　there　were　few　of　the　barbarian　nations　that　she　answered　by　an　interpreter；　to　most　of　them　she　spoke　herself；　as　to　the　Ethiopians；　Troglodytes；　Hebrews；　Arabians；　Syrians；　Medes；　Parthians；　and　many　others；　whose　language　she　had　learnt；　which　was　all　the　more　surprising　because　most　of　the　kings；　her　predecessors；　scarcely　gave　themselves　the　trouble　to　acquire　the　Egyptian　tongue；　and　several　of　them　quite　abandoned　the　Macedonian。　　　Antony　was　so　captivated　by　her　that；　while　Fulvia　his　wife　maintained　his　quarrels　in　Rome　against　Caesar　by　actual　force　of　arms；　and　the　Parthian　troops；　commanded　by　Labienus　（the　king's　generals　having　made　him　commander…in…chief）；　were　assembled　in　Mesopotamia；　and　ready　to　enter　Syria；　he　could　yet　suffer　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　her　to　Alexandria；　there　to　keep　holiday；　like　a　boy；　in　play　and　diversion；　squandering　and　fooling　away　in　enjoyments　that　most　costly；　as　Antiphon　says；　of　all　valuables；　time。　They　had　a　sort　of　company；　to　which　they　gave　a　particular　name；　calling　it　that　of　the　Inimitable　Livers。　The　members　entertained　one　another　daily　in　turn；　with　all　extravagance　of　expenditure　beyond　measure　or　belief。　Philotas；　a　physician　of　Amphissa；　who　was　at　that　time　a　student　of　medicine　in　Alexandria；　used　to　tell　my　grandfather　Lamprias　that；　having　some　acquaintance　with　one　of　the　royal　cooks；　he　was　invited　by　him；　being　a　young　man；　to　come　and　see　the　sumptuous　preparations　for　supper。　So　he　was　taken　into　the　kitchen；　where　he　admired　the　prodigious　variety　of　all　things；　but　particularly；　seeing　eight　wild　boars　roasting　whole；　says　he；　〃Surely　you　have　a　great　number　of　guests。〃　The　cook　laughed　at　his　simplicity；　and　told　him　there　were　not　above　twelve　to　sup；　but　that　every　dish　was　to　be　served　up　just　roasted　to　a　turn；　and　if　anything　was　but　one　minute　ill…timed；　it　was　spoiled；　〃And；〃　said　he；　〃maybe　Antony　will　sup　just　now；　maybe　not　this　hour；　maybe　he　will　call　for　wine；　or　begin　to　talk；　and　will　put　it　off。　So　that；〃　he　continued；　〃it　is　not　one；　but　many　suppers　must　be　had　in　readiness；　as　it　is　impossible　to　guess　at　his　hour。〃　This　was　Philotas's　story；　who　related　besides；　that　he　afterwards　came　to　be　one　the　medical　attendants　of　Antony's　eldest　son　by　Fulvia；　and　used　to　be　invited　pretty　often；　among　other　companions；　to　his　table；　when　he　was　not　supping　with　his　father。　One　day　another　physician　had　talked　loudly；　and　given　great　disturbance　to　the　company；　whose　mouth　Philotas　stopped　with　this　sophistical　syllogism：　〃In　some　states　of　fever　the　patient　should　take　cold　water；　every　one　who　has　a　fever　is　in　some　state　of　fever；　therefore　in　a　fever　cold　water　should　always　be　taken。〃　The　man　was　quite　struck　dumb；　and　Antony's　son；　very　much　pleased；　laughed　aloud；　and　said；　〃Philotas；　I　make　you　a　present　of　all　you　see　there；〃　pointing　to　a　sideboard　covered　with　plate。　Philotas　thanked　him　much；　but　was　far　enough　from　ever　imagining　that　a　boy　of　his　age　could　dispose　of　things　of　that　value。　Soon　after；　however；　the　plate　was　all　brought　to　him；　and　he　was　desired　to　get　his　mark　upon　it；　and　when　he　put　it　away　from　him；　and　was　afraid　to　accept　the　present。　〃What　ails　the　man？〃　said　he　that　brought　it；　〃do　you　know　that　he　who　gives　you　this　is　Antony's　son；　who　is　free　to　give　it；　if　it　were　all　gold？　but　if　you　will　be　advised　by　me；　I　would　counsel　you　to　accept　of　the　value　in　money　from　us；　for　there　may　be　amongst　the　rest　some　antique　or　famous　piece　of　workmanship；　which　Antony　would　be　sorry　to　part　with。〃　These　anecdotes；　my　grandfather　told　us；　Philotas　used　frequently　to　relate。　　　To　return　to　Cleopatra；　Plato　admits　four　sorts　of　flattery；　but　she　had　a　thousand。　Were　Antony　serious　or　disposed　to　mirth；　she　had　at　any　moment　some　new　delight　or　charm　to　meet　his　wishes；　at　every　turn　she　was　upon　him；　and　let　him　escape　her　neither　by　day　nor　by　night。　She　played　at　dice　with　him；　drank　with　him；　hunted　with　him；　and　when　he　exercised　in　arms；　she　was　there　to　see。　At　night　she　would　go　rambling　with　him　to　disturb　and　torment　people　at　their　doors　and　windows；　dressed　like　a　servant…woman；　for　Antony　also　went　in　servant's　disguise；　and　from　these　expeditions　he　often　came　home　very　scurvily　answered；　and　sometimes　even　beaten　severely；　though　most　people　guessed　who　it　was。　However；　the　Alexandrians　in　general　liked　it　all　well　enough；　and　joined　good…humouredly　and　kindly　in　his　frolic　and　play；　saying　they　were　much　obliged　to　Antony　for　acting　his　tragic　parts　at　Rome；　and　keeping　comedy　for　them。　It　would　be　trifling　without　end　to　be　particular　in　his　follies；　but　his　fishing　must　not　be　forgotten。　He　went　out　one　day　to　angle　with　Cleopatra；　and；　being　so　unfortunate　as　to　catch　nothing　in　the　presence　of　his　mistress；　he　gave　secret　orders　to　the　fishermen　to　dive　under　water；　and　put　fishes　that　had　been　already　taken　upon　his　hooks；　and　these　he　drew　so　fast　that　the　Egyptian　perceived　it。　But；　feigning　great　admiration；　she　told　everybody　how　dexterous　Antony　was；　and　invited　them　next　day　to　come　and　see　him　again。　So；　when　a　number　of　them　had　come　on　board　the　fishing…boats；　as　soon　as　he　had　let　down　his　hook；　one　of　her　servants　was　beforehand　with　his　divers　and　fixed　upon　his　hook　a　salted　fish　from　Pontus。　Antony；　feeling　his　line　give；　drew　up　the　prey；　and　when；　as　may　be　imagined；　great　laughter　ensued；　〃Leave；〃　said　Cleopatra；　〃the　fishing…rod；　general；　to　us　poor　sovereigns　of　Pharos　and　Canopus；　your　game　is　cities；　provinces；　and　kingdoms。〃　　　Whilst　he　was　thus　diverting　himself　and　engaged　in　this　boy's　play；　two　despatches　arrived；　one　from　Rome；　that　his　brother　Lucius　and　his　wife　Fulvia；　after　many　quarrels　among　themselves；　had　joined　in　war　against　Caesar；　and　having　lost　all；　had　fled　out　of　Italy；　the　other　bringing　little　better　news；　that　Labienus；　at　the　head　of　the　Parthians；　was　overrunning　Asia；　from　Euphrates　and　Syria　as　far　as　Lydia　and　Ionia。　So；　scarcely　at　last　rousing　himself　from　sleep；　and　shaking　off　the　fumes　of　wine；　he　set　out　to　attack　the　Parthians；　and　went　as　far　as　Phoenicia；　but；　upon　the　receipt　of　lamentable　letters　from　Fulvia；　turned　his　course　with　two　hundred　ships　to　Italy。　And；　in　his　way；　receiving　such　of　his　friends　as　fled　from　Italy；　he　was　given　to　understand　that　Fulvia　was　the　sole　cause　of　the　war；　a　woman　of　a　restless　spirit　and　very　bold；　and　withal　her　hopes　were　that　commotions　in　Italy　would　force　Antony　from　Cleopatra。　But　it　happened　that　Fulvia　as　she　was　coming　to　meet　her　husband；　fell　sick　by　the　way；　and　died　at　Sicyon；　so　that　an　accommodation　was　the　more　easily　made。　For　when　he　reached　Italy；　and　Caesar　showed　no　intention　of　laying　anything　to　his　charge；　and　he　on　his　part　shifted　the　blame　of　everything　on　Fulvia；　those　that　were　friends　to　them　would　not　suffer　that　the　time　should　be　spent　in　looking　narrowly　into　the　plea；　but　made　a　reconciliation　first；　and　then　a　partition　of　the　empire　between　them；　taking　as　their　boundary　the　Ionian　Sea；　the　eastern　provinces　falling　to　Antony；　to　Caesar　the　western；　and　Africa　being　left　to　Lepidus。　And　an　agreement　was　made　that　everyone　in　their　turn；　as　they　thought　fit；　should　make　their　friends　consuls；　when　they　did　not　choose　to　take　the　offices　themselves。　　　These　terms　were　well　approved　of；　but　yet　it　was　thought　some　closer　tie　would　be　desirable；　and　for　this；　fortune　offered　occasion。　Caesar　had　an　elder　sister；　not　of　the　whole　blood；　for　Attia　was　his　mother's　name；　hers　Ancharia。　This　sister；　Octavia；　he　was　extremely　attached　to；　as　indeed　she　was；　it　is　said；　quite　a　wonder　of　a　woman。　Her　husband；　Caius　Marcellus；　had　died　not　long　before；　and　Antony　was　now　a　widower　by　the　death　of　Fulvia；　for；　though　he　did　not　disavow　the　passion　he　had　for　Cleopatra；　yet　he　disowned　anything　of　marriage；　reason　as　yet；　upon　this　point；　still　maintaining　the　debate　against　the　charms　of　the　Egyptian。　Everybody　concurred　in　promoting　this　new　alliance；　fully　expecting　that　with　the　beauty；　honour；　and　prudence　of　Octavia；　when　her　company　should；　as　it　was　certain　it　would；　have　engaged　his　affections；　all　would　be　kept　in　the　safe　and　happy　course　of　friendship。　So；　both　parties　being　agreed；　they　went　to　Rome　to　celebrate　the　nuptials；　the　senate　dispensing　with　the　law　by　which　a　widow　was　not　permitted　to　marry　till　ten　months　after　the　death　of　her　husband。　　　Sextus　Pompeius　was　in　possession　of　Sicily；　and　with　his　ships；　under　the　command　of　Menas；　the　pirate；　and　Menecrates；　so　infested　the　Italian　coast　that　no　vessels　durst　venture　into　those　seas。　Sextus　had　behaved　with　much　humanity　towards　Antony；　having　received　his　mother　when　she　fled　with　Fulvia；　and　it　was　therefore　judged　fit　that　he　also　should　be　received　into　the　peace。　They　met　near　the　promontory　of　Misenum；　by　the　mole　of　the　port；　Pompey　having　his　fleet　at　anchor　close　by；　and　Antony　and　Caesar　their　troops　drawn　up　all　along　the　shore。　There　it　was　concluded　that　Sextus　should　quietly　enjoy　the　government　of　Sicily　and　Sardinia；　he　conditioning　to　scour　the　seas　of　all　pirates；　and　to　send　so　much　corn　every　year　to　Rome。　　　This　agreed　on；　they　invited　one　another　to　supper；　and　by　lot　it　fell　to　Pompey's　turn　to　give　the　first　entertainment；　and　Antony；　asking　where　it　was　to　be；　〃There；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　the　admiral…galley；　a　ship　of　six　banks　of　oars。　〃that　is　the　only　house　that　Pompey　is　heir　to　of　his　father's。〃　And　this　he　said；　reflecting　upon　Antony；　who　was　then　in　possession　of　his　father's　house。　Having　fixed　the　ship　on　her　anchors；　and　formed　a　bridgeway　from　the　promontory　to　conduct　on　board　of　her；　he　gave　them　a　cordial　welcome。　And　when　they　began　to　grow　warm；　and　jests　were　passing　freely　on　Antony　and　Cleopatra's　loves；　Menas；　the　pirate；　whispered　Pompey；　in　the　ear；　〃Shall　I；〃　said　he；　〃cut　the　cables　and　make　you　master　not　of　Sicily　only　and　Sardinia；　but　of　the　whole　Roman　empire？〃　Pompey；　having　considered　a　little　while；　returned　him　answer；　〃Menas；　this　might　have　been　done　without　acquainting　me；　now　we　must　rest　content；　I　do　not　break　my　word。〃　And　so；　having　been　entertained　by　the　other　two　in　their　turns；　he　set　sail　for　Sicily。　　　After　the　treaty　was　completed；　Antony　despatched　Ventidius　into　Asia；　to　check　the　advance　of　the　Parthians；　while　he；　as　a　compliment　to　Caesar；　accepted　the　office　of　priest