cleopatra-第57章

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Divine　Rameses　sleeps；　and　saw　the　mystic　paintings　on　the　walls：　the

symbol　of　the　Snake　unending；　the　symbol　of　Ra　resting　upon　the

Scarab？us；　the　symbol　of　Ra　resting　upon　Nout；　the　symbol　of　the

Headless　men；　and　many　others；　whereof；　being　initiated；　well　I　read

the　mysteries。　And　opening　from　the　long　descending　passage　I　found

chambers　in　which　were　paintings　beautiful　to　behold；　and　of　all

manner　of　things。　For　beneath　each　chamber　is　entombed　the　master　of

the　craft　of　which　the　paintings　tell；　he　who　was　the　chief　of　the

servants　of　that　craft　in　the　house　of　this　Divine　Rameses。　And　on　the

walls　of　the　last　chamberon　the　left…hand　side；　looking　toward　the

Hall　of　the　Sarcophagusare　paintings　exceedingly　beautiful；　and　two

blind　harpers　playing　upon　their　bent　harps　before　the　God　Mou；　and

beneath　the　flooring　these　harpers；　who　harp　no　more；　are　soft　at

sleep。　Here；　then；　in　this　gloomy　place；　even　in　the　tomb　of　the

Harpers　and　the　company　of　the　dead；　I　took　up　my　abode；　and　here　for

eight　long　years　I　worked　out　my　penance　and　made　atonement　for　my

sin。　But　Atoua；　because　she　loved　to　be　near　the　light；　abode　in　the

chamber　of　the　Boatsthat　is；　the　first　chamber　on　the　right…hand

side　of　the　gallery　looking　toward　the　Hall　of　the　Sarcophagus。



And　this　was　the　manner　of　my　life。　On　every　second　day　the　old　wife；

Atoua；　went　forth　and　brought　water　from　the　city　and　such　food　as　is

necessary　to　keep　the　life　from　failing；　and　also　tapers　made　from

fat。　And　one　hour　at　the　time　of　sunrise　and　one　hour　at　the　time　of

sunset　I　did　go　forth　also　to　wander　in　the　valley　for　my　health's

sake　and　to　save　my　sight　from　failing　in　the　great　darkness　of　the

tomb。　But　the　other　hours　of　the　day　and　night；　except　when　I　climbed

the　mountain　to　watch　the　course　of　the　stars；　I　spent　in　prayer　and

meditation　and　sleep；　till　the　cloud　of　sin　lifted　from　my　heart　and

once　more　I　drew　near　to　the　Gods；　though　with　Isis；　my　heavenly

Mother；　I　might　speak　no　more。　And　I　grew　exceedingly　wise　also；

pondering　on　all　those　mysteries　to　which　I　held　the　key。　For

abstinence　and　prayer　and　sorrowful　solitude　wore　away　the　grossness

of　my　flesh；　and　with　the　eyes　of　the　Spirit　I　learned　to　look　deep

into　the　heart　of　things　till　the　joy　of　Wisdom　fell　like　dew　upon　my

soul。



Soon　the　rumour　was　wafted　about　the　city　that　a　certain　holy　man

named　Olympus　abode　in　solitude　in　the　tombs　of　the　awful　Valley　of

the　Dead；　and　hither　came　people　bearing　sick　that　I　might　cure　them。

And　I　gave　my　mind　to　the　study　of　simples；　in　which　Atoua　instructed

me；　and　by　lore　and　the　weight　of　my　thought　I　gained　great　skill　in

medicine；　and　healed　many　sick。　And　thus　ever；　as　time　went　on；　my

fame　was　noised　abroad；　for　it　was　said　that　I　was　also　a　magician　and

that　in　the　tombs　I　had　commune　with　the　Spirits　of　the　Dead。　And

this；　indeed；　I　didthough　it　is　not　lawful　for　me　to　speak　of　these

matters。　Thus；　then；　it　came　to　pass　that　no　more　need　Atoua　go　forth

to　seek　food　and　water；　for　the　people　brought　itmore　than　was

needful；　for　I　would　receive　no　fee。　Now　at　first；　fearing　lest　some

in　the　hermit　Olympus　might　know　the　lost　Harmachis；　I　would　only　meet

those　who　came　in　the　darkness　of　the　tomb。　But　afterwards；　when　I

learned　how　it　was　held　through　all　the　land　that　Harmachis　was

certainly　no　more；　I　came　forth　and　sat　in　the　mouth　of　the　tomb；　and

ministered　to　the　sick；　and　at　times　calculated　nativities　for　the

great。　And　thus　my　fame　grew　continually；　till　at　length　folk

journeyed　even　from　Memphis　and　Alexandria　to　visit　me；　and　from　them

I　learned　how　Antony　had　left　Cleopatra　for　a　while；　and；　Fulvia　being

dead；　had　married　Octavia；　the　sister　of　C？sar。　Many　other　things　I

learned　also。



And　in　the　second　year　I　did　this：　I　despatched　the　old　wife；　Atoua；

disguised　as　a　seller　of　simples；　to　Alexandria；　bidding　her　seek　out

Charmion；　and；　if　yet　she　found　her　faithful；　reveal　to　her　the　secret

of　my　way　of　life。　So　she　went；　and　in　the　fifth　month　from　her

sailing　returned；　bearing　Charmion's　greetings　and　a　token。　And　she

told　me　that　she　had　found　means　to　see　Charmion；　and；　in　talk；　had

let　fall　the　name　of　Harmachis；　speaking　of　me　as　one　dead；　at　which

Charmion；　unable　to　control　her　grief；　wept　aloud。　Then；　reading　her

heartfor　the　old　wife　was　very　clever；　and　held　the　key　of　knowledge

she　told　her　that　Harmachis　yet　lived；　and　sent　her　greetings。

Thereon　Charmion　wept　yet　more　with　joy；　and　kissed　the　old　wife；　and

made　her　gifts；　bidding　her　tell　me　that　she　had　kept　her　vow；　and

waited　for　my　coming　and　the　hour　of　vengeance。　So；　having　learned

many　secrets；　Atoua　returned　again　to　Tápé。



And　in　the　following　year　messengers　came　to　me　from　Cleopatra；

bearing　a　sealed　roll　and　great　gifts。　I　opened　the　roll；　and　read

this　in　it：



　〃Cleopatra　to　Olympus；　the　learned　Egyptian　who　dwells　in　the

　　Valley　of　Death　by　Tápé



　〃The　fame　of　thy　renown；　O　learned　Olympus；　hath　reached　our　ears。

　　Tell　thou；　then；　this　to　us；　and　if　thou　tellest　aright　greater

　　honour　and　wealth　shalt　thou　have　than　any　in　Egypt：　How　shall　we

　　win　back　the　love　of　noble　Antony；　who　is　bewitched　of　cunning

　　Octavia；　and　tarries　long　from　us？〃



Now；　in　this　I　saw　the　hand　of　Charmion；　who　had　made　my　renown　known

to　Cleopatra。



All　that　night　I　took　counsel　with　my　wisdom；　and　on　the　morrow　wrote

my　answer　as　it　was　put　into　my　heart　to　the　destruction　of　Cleopatra

and　Antony。　And　thus　I　wrote：



　〃Olympus　the　Egyptian　to　Cleopatra　the　Queen



　〃Go　forth　into　Syria　with　one　who　shall　be　sent　to　lead　thee；　thus

　　shalt　thou　win　Antony　to　thy　arms　again；　and　with　him　gifts　more

　　great　than　thou　canst　dream。〃



And　with　this　letter　I　dismissed　the　messengers；　bidding　them　share

the　presents　sent　by　Cleopatra　among　their　company。



So　they　went　wondering。



But　Cleopatra；　seizing　on　the　advice　to　which　her　passion　prompted

her；　departed　straightway　with　Fonteius　Capito　into　Syria；　and　there

the　thing　came　about　as　I　had　foretold；　for　Antony　was　subdued　of　her

and　gave　her　the　greater　part　of　Cilicia；　the　ocean　shore　of　Arabia

Nabath？a；　the　balm…bearing　provinces　of　Jud？a；　the　province　of

Ph？nicia；　the　province　of　C？le…Syria；　the　rich　isle　of　Cyprus；　and　all

the　library　of　Pergamus。　And　to　the　twin　children　that；　with　the　son

Ptolemy；　Cleopatra　had　borne　to　Antony；　he　impiously　gave　the　names　of

〃Kings；　the　Children　of　Kings〃of　Alexander　Helios；　as　the　Greeks

name　the　sun；　and　of　Cleopatra　Selene；　the　moon；　the　long…winged。



These　things　then　came　to　pass。



Now　on　her　return　to　Alexandria　Cleopatra　sent　me　great　gifts；　of

which　I　would　have　none；　and　prayed　me；　the　learned　Olympus；　to　come

to　her　at　Alexandria；　but　it　was　not　yet　time；　and　I　would　not。　But

thereafter　she　and　Antony　sent　many　times　to　me　for　counsel；　and　I

ever　counselled　them　to　their　ruin；　nor　did　my　prophecies　fail。







Thus　the　long　years　rolled　away；　and　I；　the　hermit　Olympus；　the

dweller　in　a　tomb；　the　eater　of　bread　and　the　drinker　of　water；　by

strength　of　the　wisdom　that　was　given　me　of　the　avenging　Power；　became

once　more　great　in　Khem。　For　I　grew　ever　wiser　as　I　trampled　the

desires　of　the　flesh　beneath　my　feet　and　turned　my　eyes　to　heaven。



At　length　eight　full　years　were　accomplished。　The　war　with　the

Parthians　had　come　and　gone；　and　Artavasdes；　King　of　Armenia；　had　been

led　in　triumph　through　the　streets　of　Alexandria。　Cleopatra　had

visited　Samos　and　Athens；　and；　by　her　counselling；　the　noble　Octavia

had　been　driven；　like　some　discarded　concubine；　from　the　house　of

Antony　at　Rome。　And　now；　at　the　last；　the　measure　of　the　folly　of

Antony　was　full　even　to　the　brim。　For　this　Master　of　the　World　had　no

longer　the　good　gift　of　reason；　he　was　lost　in　Cleopatra　as　I　had　been

lost。　Therefore；　in　the　event；　Octavianus　declared　war　against　him。



And　as　I　slept　upon　a　certain　da