CHAPTER V
OF THE DRAWING FORTH OF ANTONY FROM THE TIMONIUM BACK TO CLEOPATRA; OFTHE FEAST MADE BY CLEOPATRA; AND OF THE MANNER OF THE DEATH OF EUDOSIUSTHE STEWARD
Ere it was yet dawn Charmion came again, and we walked to the privateharbour of the palace. There, taking boat, we rowed to the island mounton which stands the Timonium, a vaulted tower, strong, small, and round.And, having landed, we twain came to the door and knocked, till atlength a grating was thrown open in the door, and an aged eunuch,looking forth, roughly asked our business.
"Our business is with the Lord Antony," said Charmion.
"Then it is no business, for Antony, my master, sees neither man norwoman."
"Yet will he see us, for we bring tidings. Go tell him that the LadyCharmion brings tidings from the army."
The man went, and presently returned.
"The Lord Antony would know if the tidings be good or ill, for, if ill,then will he none of it, for with evil tidings he has been overfed oflate."
"Why--why, it is both good and ill. Open, slave, I will make answer tothy master!" and she slipped a purse of gold through the bars.
"Well, well," he grumbled, as he took the purse, "the times are hard,and likely to be harder; for when the lion's down who will feed thejackal? Give thy news thyself, and if it do but draw the noble Antonyout of this hall of Groans, I care not what it be. Now the palace dooris open, and there's the road to the banqueting-chamber."
We passed on, to find ourselves in a narrow passage, and, leaving theeunuch to bar the door, advanced till we came to a curtain. Through thisentrance we went, and found ourselves in a vaulted chamber, ill-lightedfrom the roof. On the further side of this rude chamber was a bed ofrugs, and on them crouched the figure of a man, his face hidden in thefolds of his toga.
"Most noble Antony," said Charmion drawing near, "unwrap thy face andhearken to me, for I bring thee tidings."
Then he lifted up his head. His face was marred by sorrow; his tangledhair, grizzled with years, hung about his hollow eyes, and white on hischin was the stubble of an unshaven beard. His robe was squalid, andhis aspect more wretched than that of the poorest beggar at the templegates. To this, then, had the love of Cleopatra brought the glorious andrenowned Antony, aforetime Master of half the World!
"What will ye with me, Lady," he asked, "who would perish here alone?And who is this man who comes to gaze on fallen and forsaken Antony?"
"This is Olympus, noble Antony, that wise physician, the skilled inauguries, of whom thou hast heard much, and whom Cleopatra, ever mindfulof thy welfare, though but little thou dost think of hers, has sent tominister to thee."
"And, can thy physician minister to a grief such as my grief? Can hisdrugs give me back my galleys, my honour, and my peace? Nay! Awaywith thy physician! What are thy tidings?--quick!--out with it! HathCanidius, perchance, conquered Caesar? Tell me but that, and thou shalthave a province for thy guerdon--ay! and if Octavianus be dead, twentythousand sestertia to fill its treasury. Speak--nay--speak not! I fearthe opening of thy lips as never I feared an earthly thing. Surely thewheel of fortune has gone round and Canidius has conquered? Is it notso? Nay--out with it! I can no more!"
"O noble Antony," she said, "steel thy heart to hear that which I needsmust tell thee! Canidius is in Alexandria. He has fled far and fast, andthis is his report. For seven whole days did the legions wait the comingof Antony, to lead them to victory, as aforetime, putting aside theoffers of the envoys of Caesar. But Antony came not. And then it wasrumoured that Antony had fled to Taenarus, drawn thither by Cleopatra.The man who first brought that tale to the camp the legionaries criedshame on--ay, and beat him to the death! But ever it grew, until atlength there was no more room to doubt; and then, O Antony, thy officersslipped one by one away to Caesar, and where the officers go therethe men follow. Nor is this all the story; for thy allies--Bocchus ofAfrica, Tarcondimotus of Cilicia, Mithridates of Commagene, Adallas ofThrace, Philadelphus of Paphlagonia, Archelaus of Cappadocia, Herodof Judaea, Amyntas of Galatia, Polemon of Pontus, and Malchus ofArabia--all, all have fled or bid their generals fly back to whence theycame; and already their ambassador's crave cold Caesar's clemency."
"Hast done thy croakings, thou raven in a peacock's dress, or is theremore to come?" asked the smitten man, lifting his white and tremblingface from the shelter of his hands. "Tell me more; say that Egypt's deadin all her beauty; say that Octavianus lowers at the Canopic gate; andthat, headed by dead Cicero, all the ghosts of Hell do audibly shriekout the fall of Antony! Yea, gather up every woe that can o'erwhelmthose who once were great, and loose them on the hoary head of himwhom--in thy gentleness--thou art still pleased to name 'the nobleAntony'!"
"Nay, my Lord, I have done."
"Ay, and so have I done--done, quite done! It is altogether finished,and thus I seal the end," and snatching a sword from the couch, hewould, indeed, have slain himself had I not sprung forward and graspedhis hand. For it was not my purpose that he should die as yet; since hadhe died at that hour Cleopatra had made her peace with Caesar, who ratherwished the death of Antony than the ruin of Egypt.
"Art mad, Antony? Art, indeed, a coward?" cried Charmion, "that thouwouldst thus escape thy woes, and leave thy partner to face the sorrowout alone?"
"Why not, woman? Why not? She would not be long alone. There's Caesarto keep her company. Octavianus loves a fair woman in his cold way, andstill is Cleopatra fair. Come now, thou Olympus! thou hast held my handfrom dealing death upon myself, advise me of thy wisdom. Shall I, then,submit myself to Caesar, and I, Triumvir, twice Consul, and aforetimeabsolute Monarch of all the East, endure to follow in his triumph alongthose Roman ways where I myself have passed in triumph?"
"Nay, Sire," I answered. "If thou dost yield, then art thou doomed. Alllast night I questioned of the Fates concerning thee, and I saw this:when thy star draws near to Caesar's it pales and is swallowed up; butwhen it passes from his radiance, then bright and big it shines, equalin glory to his own. All is not lost, and while some part remains,everything may be regained. Egypt can yet be held, armies can stillbe raised. Caesar has withdrawn himself; he is not yet at the gates ofAlexandria, and perchance may be appeased. Thy mind in its fever hasfired thy body; thou art sick and canst not judge aright. See, here, Ihave a potion that shall make thee whole, for I am well skilled in theart of medicine," and I held out the phial.
"A potion, thou sayest man!" he cried. "More like it is a poison, andthou a murderer, sent by false Egypt, who would fain be rid of me nowthat I may no more be of service to her. The head of Antony is the peaceoffering she would send to Caesar--she for whom I have lost all! Give methy draught. By Bacchus! I will drink it, though it be the very elixirof Death!"
"Nay, noble Antony; it is no poison, and I am no murderer. See, I willtaste it, if thou wilt," and I held forth the subtle drink that has thepower to fire the veins of men.
"Give it me, Physician. Desperate men are brave men. There!----Why, whatis this? Yours is a magic draught! My sorrows seem to roll away likethunder-clouds before the southern gale, and the spring of Hope bloomsfresh upon the desert of my heart. Once more I am Antony, and once againI see my legions' spears asparkle in the sun, and hear the thunderousshout of welcome as Antony--beloved Antony--rides in pomp of war alonghis deep-formed lines! There's hope! there's hope! I may yet seethe cold brows of Caesar--that Caesar who never errs except frompolicy--robbed of their victor bays and crowned with shameful dust!"
"Ay," cried Charmion, "there still is hope, if thou wilt but play theman! O my Lord! come back with us; come back to the loving arms ofCleopatra! All night she lies upon her golden bed, and fills the hollowdarkness with her groans for 'Antony!' who, enamoured now of Grief,forgets his duty and his love!"
"I come! I come! Shame upon me, that I dared to doubt her! Slave, bringwater, and a purple robe: not thus can I be seen of Cleopatra. Even nowI come."
In this fashion, then, did we draw Antony back to Cleopatra, that theruin of the twain might be made
sure.