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FAMOUS AFFINITIES OF HISTORY
THE ROMANCE OF DEVOTION
Volumes 1-4, Complete
By Lyndon Orr
Contents
THE STORY OF ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
ABELARD AND HELOISE
QUEEN ELIZABETH AND THE EARL OF LEICESTER
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS AND LORD BOTHWELL
QUEEN CHRISTINA OF SWEDEN AND THE MARQUIS MONALDESCHI
KING CHARLES II. AND NELL GWYN
MAURICE OF SAXONY AND ADRIENNE LECOUVREUR
THE STORY OF PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD STUART
THE EMPRESS CATHARINE AND PRINCE POTEMKIN
MARIE ANTOINETTE AND COUNT FERSEN
THE STORY OF AARON BURR
GEORGE IV. AND MRS. FITZHERBERT
CHARLOTTE CORDAY AND ADAM LUX
NAPOLEON AND MARIE WALEWSKA
THE STORY OF PAULINE BONAPARTE
THE STORY OF THE EMPRESS MARIE LOUISE AND COUNT NEIPPERG
THE WIVES OF GENERAL HOUSTON
LOLA MONTEZ AND KING LUDWIG OF BAVARIA
LEON GAMBETTA AND LEONIE LEON
LADY BLESSINGTON AND COUNT D'ORSAY
BYRON AND THE COUNTESS GUICCIOLI
THE STORY OF MME. DE STAEL
THE STORY OF KARL MARX
FERDINAND LASSALLE AND HELENE VON DONNIGES
THE STORY OF RACHEL
DEAN SWIFT AND THE TWO ESTHERS
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY AND MARY GODWIN
THE STORY OF THE CARLYLES
THE STORY OF THE HUGOS
THE STORY OF GEORGE SAND
THE MYSTERY OF CHARLES DICKENS
HONORE DE BALZAC AND EVELINA HANSKA
CHARLES READE AND LAURA SEYMOUR
THE STORY OF ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
Of all love stories that are known to human history, the love storyof Antony and Cleopatra has been for nineteen centuries the mostremarkable. It has tasked the resources of the plastic and the graphicarts. It has been made the theme of poets and of prose narrators. It hasappeared and reappeared in a thousand forms, and it appeals as muchto the imagination to-day as it did when Antony deserted his almostvictorious troops and hastened in a swift galley from Actium in pursuitof Cleopatra.
The wonder of the story is explained by its extraordinary nature. Manymen in private life have lost fortune and fame for the love of woman.Kings have incurred the odium of their people, and have cared nothingfor it in comparison with the joys of sense that come from the lingeringcaresses and clinging kisses. Cold-blooded statesmen, such as Parnell,have lost the leadership of their party and have gone down in historywith a clouded name because of the fascination exercised upon them bysome woman, often far from beautiful, and yet possessing the mysteriouspower which makes the triumphs of statesmanship seem slight incomparison with the swiftly flying hours of pleasure.
But in the case of Antony and Cleopatra alone do we find a man flingingaway not merely the triumphs of civic honors or the headship of astate, but much more than these--the mastery of what was practically theworld--in answer to the promptings of a woman's will. Hence the storyof the Roman triumvir and the Egyptian queen is not like any otherstory that has yet been told. The sacrifice involved in it was sooverwhelming, so instantaneous, and so complete as to set this narrativeabove all others. Shakespeare's genius has touched it with the gloryof a great imagination. Dryden, using it in the finest of his plays,expressed its nature in the title "All for Love."
The distinguished Italian historian, Signor Ferrero, the author of manybooks, has tried hard to eliminate nearly all the romantic elementsfrom the tale, and to have us see in it not the triumph of love, butthe blindness of ambition. Under his handling it becomes almost a sordiddrama of man's pursuit of power and of woman's selfishness. Let usreview the story as it remains, even after we have taken full accountof Ferrero's criticism. Has the world for nineteen hundred years beenblinded by a show of sentiment? Has it so absolutely been misled bythose who lived and wrote in the days which followed closely on theevents that make up this extraordinary narrative?
In answering these questions we must consider, in the first place,the scene, and, in the second place, the psychology of the two centralcharacters who for so long a time have been regarded as the veryembodiment of unchecked passion.
As to the scene, it must be remembered that the Egypt of those dayswas not Egyptian as we understand the word, but rather Greek. Cleopatraherself was of Greek descent. The kingdom of Egypt had been created by ageneral of Alexander the Great after that splendid warrior's death.Its capital, the most brilliant city of the Greco-Roman world, had beenfounded by Alexander himself, who gave to it his name. With hisown hands he traced out the limits of the city and issued the mostperemptory orders that it should be made the metropolis of the entireworld. The orders of a king cannot give enduring greatness to a city;but Alexander's keen eye and marvelous brain saw at once that the siteof Alexandria was such that a great commercial community planted therewould live and flourish throughout out succeeding ages. He was right;for within a century this new capital of Egypt leaped to the forefrontamong the exchanges of the world's commerce, while everything that artcould do was lavished on its embellishment.
Alexandria lay upon a projecting tongue of land so situated that thewhole trade of the Mediterranean centered there. Down the Nile therefloated to its gates the barbaric wealth of Africa. To it came thetreasures of the East, brought from afar by caravans--silks from China,spices and pearls from India, and enormous masses of gold and silverfrom lands scarcely known. In its harbor were the vessels of everycountry, from Asia in the East to Spain and Gaul and even Britain in theWest.
When Cleopatra, a young girl of seventeen, succeeded to the throne ofEgypt the population of Alexandria amounted to a million souls. Thecustoms duties collected at the port would, in terms of modern money,amount each year to more than thirty million dollars, even though theimposts were not heavy. The people, who may be described as Greek atthe top and Oriental at the bottom, were boisterous and pleasure-loving,devoted to splendid spectacles, with horse-racing, gambling, anddissipation yet at the same time they were an artistic people, lovingmusic passionately, and by no means idle, since one part of the city wasdevoted to large and prosperous manufactories of linen, paper, glass,and muslin.
To the outward eye Alexandria was extremely beautiful. Through itsentire length ran two great boulevards, shaded and diversified bymighty trees and parterres of multicolored flowers, amid which fountainsplashed and costly marbles gleamed. One-fifth of the whole city wasknown as the Royal Residence. In it were the palaces of the reigningfamily, the great museum, and the famous library which the Arabs laterburned. There were parks and gardens brilliant with tropical foliage andadorned with the masterpieces of Grecian sculpture, while sphinxesand obelisks gave a suggestion of Oriental strangeness. As one lookedseaward his eye beheld over the blue water the snow-white rocks of thesheltering island, Pharos, on which was reared a lighthouse four hundredfeet in height and justly numbered among the seven wonders of the world.Altogether, Alexandria was a city of wealth, of beauty, of stirringlife, of excitement, and of pleasure. Ferrero has aptly likened it toParis--not so much the Paris of to-day as the Paris of forty years ago,when the Second Empire flourished in all its splendor as the home of joyand strange delights.
Over the country of which
Alexandria was the capital Cleopatra came toreign at seventeen. Following the odd custom which the Greek dynasty ofthe Ptolemies had inherited from their Egyptian predecessors, she wasbetrothed to her own brother. He, however, was a mere child of less thantwelve, and was under the control of evil counselors, who, in his name,gained control of the capital and drove Cleopatra into exile. Until thenshe had been a mere girl; but now the spirit of a woman who was wrongedblazed up in her and called out all her latent powers. Hastening toSyria, she gathered about herself an army and led it against her foes.
But meanwhile Julius Caesar, the greatest man of ancient times, hadarrived at Alexandria backed by an army of his veterans. Against himno resistance would avail. Then came a brief moment during which theEgyptian king and the Egyptian queen each strove to win the favor ofthe Roman imperator. The king and his advisers had many arts, and so hadCleopatra. One thing, however, she possessed which struck the balance inher favor, and this was a woman's fascination.
According to the story, Caesar was unwilling to receive her. There cameinto his presence, as he sat in the palace, a group of slaves bearinga long roll of matting, bound carefully and seeming to contain someprecious work of art. The slaves made signs that they were bearing agift to Caesar. The master of Egypt bade them unwrap the gift that hemight see it. They did so, and out of the wrapping came Cleopatra--aradiant vision, appealing, irresistible. Next morning it became knowneverywhere that Cleopatra had remained in Caesar's quarters through thenight and that her enemies were now his enemies. In desperation theyrushed upon his legions, casting aside all pretense of amity. Thereensued a fierce contest, but the revolt was quenched in blood.
This was a crucial moment in Cleopatra's life. She had sacrificed allthat a woman has to give; but she had not done so from any love ofpleasure or from wantonness. She was queen of Egypt, and she hadredeemed her kingdom and kept it by her sacrifice. One should notcondemn her too severely. In a sense, her act was one of heroism likethat of Judith in the tent of Holofernes. But beyond all question itchanged her character. It taught her the secret of her own great power.Henceforth she was no longer a mere girl, nor a woman of the ordinarytype. Her contact with so great a mind as Caesar's quickened herintellect. Her knowledge that, by the charms of sense, she had masteredeven him transformed her into a strange and wonderful creature. Shelearned to study the weaknesses of men, to play on their emotions, toappeal to every subtle taste and fancy. In her were blended mental powerand that illusive, indefinable gift which is called charm.
For Cleopatra was never beautiful. Signor Ferrero seems to think thisfact to be discovery of his own, but it was set down by Plutarch in avery striking passage written less than a century after Cleopatra andAntony died. We may quote here what the Greek historian said of her:
Her actual beauty was far from being so remarkable that none could becompared with her, nor was it such that it would strike your fancy whenyou saw her first. Yet the influence of her presence, if you lingerednear her, was irresistible. Her attractive personality, joined with thecharm of her conversation, and the individual touch that she gave toeverything she said or did, were utterly bewitching. It was delightfulmerely to hear the music of her voice, with which, like an instrument ofmany strings, she could pass from one language to another.
Caesar had left Cleopatra firmly seated on the throne of Egypt. Forsix years she reigned with great intelligence, keeping order in herdominions, and patronizing with discrimination both arts and letters.But ere long the convulsions of the Roman state once more caused herextreme anxiety. Caesar had been assassinated, and there ensued aperiod of civil war. Out of it emerged two striking figures which wereabsolutely contrasted in their character. One was Octavian, the adoptedson of Caesar, a man who, though still quite young and possessed ofgreat ability, was cunning, cold-blooded, and deceitful. The otherwas Antony, a soldier by training, and with all a soldier's bluntness,courage, and lawlessness.
The Roman world was divided for the time between these two men, Antonyreceiving the government of the East, Octavian that of the West. In theyear which had preceded this division Cleopatra had wavered between thetwo opposite factions at Rome. In so doing she had excited the suspicionof Antony, and he now demanded of her an explanation.
One must have some conception of Antony himself in order to understandthe events that followed. He was essentially a soldier, of excellentfamily, being related to Caesar himself. As a very young man he wasexceedingly handsome, and bad companions led him into the pursuit ofvicious pleasure. He had scarcely come of age when he found that he owedthe enormous sum of two hundred and fifty talents, equivalent to half amillion dollars in the money of to-day. But he was much more than a mereman of pleasure, given over to drinking and to dissipation. Men mighttell of his escapades, as when he drove about the streets of Rome in acommon cab, dangling his legs out of the window while he shouted forthdrunken songs of revelry. This was not the whole of Antony. Joining theRoman army in Syria, he showed himself to be a soldier of great personalbravery, a clever strategist, and also humane and merciful in the hourof victory.
Unlike most Romans, Antony wore a full beard. His forehead was large,and his nose was of the distinctive Roman type. His look was so bold andmasculine that people likened him to Hercules. His democratic mannersendeared him to the army. He wore a plain tunic covered with alarge, coarse mantle, and carried a huge sword at his side, despisingostentation. Even his faults and follies added to his popularity. Hewould sit down at the common soldiers' mess and drink with them, tellingthem stories and clapping them on the back. He spent money like water,quickly recognizing any daring deed which his legionaries performed. Inthis respect he was like Napoleon and, like Napoleon, he had a vein offlorid eloquence which was criticized by literary men, but which wentstraight to the heart of the private soldier. In a word, he was apowerful, virile, passionate, able man, rough, as were nearly all hiscountrymen, but strong and true.
It was to this general that Cleopatra was to answer, and with a firmreliance on the charms which had subdued Antony's great commander,Caesar, she set out in person for Cilicia, in Asia Minor, sailing upthe river Cydnus to the place where Antony was encamped with his army.Making all allowance for the exaggeration of historians, there can beno doubt that she appeared to him like some dreamy vision. Her barge wasgilded, and was wafted on its way by swelling sails of Tyrian purple.The oars which smote the water were of shining silver. As she drewnear the Roman general's camp the languorous music of flutes and harpsbreathed forth a strain of invitation.
Cleopatra herself lay upon a divan set upon the deck of the bargebeneath a canopy of woven gold. She was dressed to resemble Venus, whilegirls about her personated nymphs and Graces. Delicate perfumes diffusedthemselves from the vessel; and at last, as she drew near the shore, allthe people for miles about were gathered there, leaving Antony to sitalone in the tribunal where he was dispensing justice.
Word was brought to him that Venus had come to feast with Bacchus.Antony, though still suspicious of Cleopatra, sent her an invitationto dine with him in state. With graceful tact she sent him acounter-invitation, and he came. The magnificence of his receptiondazzled the man who had so long known only a soldier's fare, or atmost the crude entertainments which he had enjoyed in Rome. A marvelousdisplay of lights was made. Thousands upon thousands of candles shonebrilliantly, arranged in squares and circles; while the banquet itselfwas one that symbolized the studied luxury of the East.
At this time Cleopatra was twenty-seven years of age--a period of lifewhich modern physiologists have called the crisis in a woman's growth.She had never really loved before, since she had given herself toCaesar, not because she cared for him, but to save her kingdom. She nowcame into the presence of one whose manly beauty and strong passionswere matched by her own subtlety and appealing charm.
When Antony addressed her he felt himself a rustic in her presence.Almost resentful, he betook himself to the coarse language of the camp.Cleopatra, with marvelous adaptability, took her tone from his
, and thusin a moment put him at his ease. Ferrero, who takes a most unfavorableview of her character and personality, nevertheless explains the secretof her fascination:
Herself utterly cold and callous, insensitive by nature to the flame oftrue devotion, Cleopatra was one of those women gifted with an unerringinstinct for all the various roads to men's affections. She could be theshrinking, modest girl, too shy to reveal her half-unconscious emotionsof jealousy and depression and self-abandonment, or a woman carried awayby the sweep of a fiery and uncontrollable passion. She could tickle theesthetic sensibilities of her victims by rich and gorgeous festivals,by the fantastic adornment of her own person and her palace, or bybrilliant discussions on literature and art; she could conjure up alltheir grossest instincts with the vilest obscenities of conversation,with the free and easy jocularity of a woman of the camps.
These last words are far too strong, and they represent only Ferrero'spersonal opinion yet there is no doubt that she met every mood ofAntony's so that he became enthralled with her at once. No such woman asthis had ever cast her eyes on him before. He had a wife at home--a mostdisreputable wife--so that he cared little for domestic ties. Later,out of policy, he made another marriage with the sister of his rival,Octavian, but this wife he never cared for. His heart and soul weregiven up to Cleopatra, the woman who could be a comrade in the camp anda fount of tenderness in their hours of dalliance, and who possessed thekeen intellect of a man joined to the arts and fascinations of a woman.
On her side she found in Antony an ardent lover, a man of vigorousmasculinity, and, moreover, a soldier whose armies might well sustainher on the throne of Egypt. That there was calculation mingled with herlove, no one can doubt. That some calculation also entered into Antony'saffection is likewise certain. Yet this does not affect the truth thateach was wholly given to the other. Why should it have lessened her lovefor him to feel that he could protect her and defend her? Why should ithave lessened his love for her to know that she was queen of the richestcountry in the world--one that could supply his needs, sustain hisarmies, and gild his triumphs with magnificence?
There are many instances in history of regnant queens who loved and yetwhose love was not dissociated from the policy of state. Such were Anneof Austria, Elizabeth of England, and the unfortunate Mary Stuart. Such,too, we cannot fail to think, was Cleopatra.
The two remained together for ten years. In this time Antony wasseparated from her only during a campaign in the East. In Alexandria heceased to seem a Roman citizen and gave himself up wholly to the charmsof this enticing woman. Many stories are told of their good fellowshipand close intimacy. Plutarch quotes Plato as saying that there are fourkinds of flattery, but he adds that Cleopatra had a thousand. She wasthe supreme mistress of the art of pleasing.
Whether Antony were serious or mirthful, she had at the instant some newdelight or some new charm to meet his wishes. At every turn she was withhim both day and night. With him she threw dice; with him she drank;with him she hunted; and when he exercised himself in arms she was thereto admire and applaud.
At night the pair would disguise themselves as servants and wander aboutthe streets of Alexandria. In fact, more than once they were set upon inthe slums and treated roughly by the rabble who did not recognize them.Cleopatra was always alluring, always tactful, often humorous, and fullof frolic.
Then came the shock of Antony's final breach with Octavian. EitherAntony or his rival must rule the world. Cleopatra's lover once morebecame the Roman general, and with a great fleet proceeded to the coastof Greece, where his enemy was encamped. Antony had raised a hundred andtwelve thousand troops and five hundred ships--a force far superior tothat commanded by Octavian. Cleopatra was there with sixty ships.
In the days that preceded the final battle much took place which stillremains obscure. It seems likely that Antony desired to become againthe Roman, while Cleopatra wished him to thrust Rome aside and return toEgypt with her, to reign there as an independent king. To her Rome wasalmost a barbarian city. In it she could not hold sway as she couldin her beautiful Alexandria, with its blue skies and velvet turf andtropical flowers. At Rome Antony would be distracted by the cares ofstate, and she would lose her lover. At Alexandria she would have himfor her very own.
The clash came when the hostile fleets met off the promontory of Actium.At its crisis Cleopatra, prematurely concluding that the battle waslost, of a sudden gave the signal for retreat and put out to sea withher fleet. This was the crucial moment. Antony, mastered by hislove, forgot all else, and in a swift ship started in pursuit of her,abandoning his fleet and army to win or lose as fortune might decide.For him the world was nothing; the dark-browed Queen of Egypt, imperiousand yet caressing, was everything. Never was such a prize and neverwere such great hopes thrown carelessly away. After waiting seven daysAntony's troops, still undefeated, finding that their commander wouldnot return to them, surrendered to Octavian, who thus became the masterof an empire.
Later his legions assaulted Alexandria, and there Antony was twicedefeated. At last Cleopatra saw her great mistake. She had made herlover give up the hope of being Rome's dictator, but in so doing she hadalso lost the chance of ruling with him tranquilly in Egypt. She shutherself behind the barred doors of the royal sepulcher; and, lest sheshould be molested there, she sent forth word that she had died. Herproud spirit could not brook the thought that she might be seized andcarried as a prisoner to Rome. She was too much a queen in soul tobe led in triumph up the Sacred Way to the Capitol with golden chainsclanking on her slender wrists.
Antony, believing the report that she was dead, fell upon his sword; butin his dying moments he was carried into the presence of the woman forwhom he had given all. With her arms about him, his spirit passed away;and soon after she, too, met death, whether by a poisoned draught or bythe storied asp no one can say.
Cleopatra had lived the mistress of a splendid kingdom. She hadsuccessively captivated two of the greatest men whom Rome had ever seen.She died, like a queen, to escape disgrace. Whatever modern criticsmay have to say concerning small details, this story still remains thestrangest love story of which the world has any record.