antony-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ntony；　that　he　would　on　her　account　let　it　alone；　it　would　be　intolerable　to　have　it　said　of　the　two　greatest　commanders　in　the　world　that　they　had　involved　the　Roman　people　in　a　civil　war；　the　one　out　of　passion　for；　the　other　out　of　resentment　about；　a　woman。　And　her　behaviour　proved　her　words　to　be　sincere。　She　remained　in　Antony's　house　as　if　he　were　at　home　in　it；　and　took　the　noblest　and　most　generous　care；　not　only　of　his　children　by　her；　but　of　those　by　Fulvia　also。　She　received　all　the　friends　of　Antony　that　came　to　Rome　to　seek　office　or　upon　any　business；　and　did　her　utmost　to　prefer　their　requests　to　Caesar；　yet　this　her　honourable　deportment　did　but；　without　her　meaning　it；　damage　the　reputation　of　Antony；　the　wrong　he　did　to　such　a　woman　made　him　hated。　Nor　was　the　division　he　made　among　his　sons　at　Alexandria　less　unpopular；　it　seemed　a　theatrical　piece　of　insolence　and　contempt　of　his　country。　For　assembling　the　people　in　the　exercise　ground；　and　causing　two　golden　thrones　to　be　placed　on　a　platform　of　silver；　the　one　for　him　and　the　other　for　Cleopatra；　and　at　their　feet　lower　thrones　for　their　children；　he　proclaimed　Cleopatra　Queen　of　Egypt；　Cyprus；　Libya；　and　Coele…Syria；　and　with　her　conjointly　Caesarion；　the　reputed　son　of　the　former　Caesar；　who　left　Cleopatra　with　child。　His　own　sons　by　Cleopatra　were　to　have　the　style　of　king　of　kings；　to　Alexander　he　gave　Armenia　and　Media；　with　Parthia；　so　soon　as　it　should　be　overcome；　to　Ptolemy；　Phoenicia；　Syria；　and　Cilicia。　Alexander　was　brought　out　before　the　people　in　Median　costume；　the　tiara　and　upright　peak；　and　Ptolemy；　in　boots　and　mantle　and　Macedonian　cap　done　about　with　the　diadem；　for　this　was　the　habit　of　the　successors　of　Alexander；　as　the　other　was　of　the　Medes　and　Armenians。　And　as　soon　as　they　had　saluted　their　parents；　the　one　was　received　by　a　guard　of　Macedonians；　the　other　by　one　of　Armenians。　Cleopatra　was　then；　as　at　other　times　when　she　appeared　in　public；　dressed　in　the　habit　of　the　goddess　Isis；　and　gave　audience　to　the　people　under　the　name　of　the　New　Isis。　　　Caesar；　relating　these　things　in　the　senate；　and　often　complaining　to　the　people；　excited　men's　minds　against　Antony；　and　Antony　also　sent　messages　of　accusation　against　Caesar。　The　principal　of　his　charges　were　these：　first；　that　he　had　not　made　any　division　with　him　of　Sicily；　which　was　lately　taken　from　Pompey；　secondly；　that　he　had　retained　the　ships　he　had　lent　him　for　the　war；　thirdly；　that；　after　deposing　Lepidus；　their　colleague；　he　had　taken　for　himself　the　army；　governments；　and　revenues　formerly　appropriated　to　him；　and　lastly；　that　he　had　parcelled　out　almost　all　Italy　amongst　his　own　soldiers；　and　left　nothing　for　his。　Caesar's　answer　was　as　follows：　that　he　had　put　Lepidus　out　of　government　because　of　his　own　misconduct；　that　what　he　had　got　in　war　he　would　divide　with　Antony；　so　soon　as　Antony　gave　him　a　share　of　Armenia；　that　Antony's　soldiers　had　no　claims　in　Italy；　being　in　possession　of　Media　and　Parthia；　the　acquisitions　which　their　brave　actions　under　their　general　had　added　to　the　Roman　empire。　　　Antony　was　in　Armenia　when　this　answer　came　to　him；　and　immediately　sent　Canidius　with　sixteen　legions　towards　the　sea；　but　he；　in　the　company　of　Cleopatra；　went　to　Ephesus；　whither　ships　were　coming　in　from　all　quarters　to　form　the　navy；　consisting；　vessels　of　burden　included；　of　eight　hundred　vessels；　of　which　Cleopatra　furnished　two　hundred；　together　with　twenty　thousand　talents；　and　provision　for　the　whole　army　during　the　war。　Antony；　on　the　advice　of　Domitius　and　some　others；　bade　Cleopatra　return　into　Egypt；　there　to　expect　the　event　of　the　war；　but　she；　dreading　some　new　reconciliation　by　Octavia's　means；　prevailed　with　Canidius；　by　a　large　sum　of　money；　to　speak　in　her　favour　with　Antony；　pointing　out　to　him　that　it　was　not　just　that　one　that　bore　so　great　a　part　in　the　charge　of　the　war　should　be　robbed　of　her　share　of　glory　in　the　carrying　it　on；　nor　would　it　be　politic　to　disoblige　the　Egyptians；　who　were　so　considerable　a　part　of　his　naval　forces；　nor　did　he　see　how　she　was　inferior　in　prudence　to　any　of　the　kings　that　were　serving　with　him；　she　had　long　governed　a　great　kingdom　by　herself　alone；　and　long　lived　with　him；　and　gained　experience　in　public　affairs。　These　arguments　（so　the　fate　that　destined　all　to　Caesar　would　have　it）　prevailed；　and　when　all　their　forces　had　met；　they　sailed　together　to　Samos；　and　held　high　festivities。　For；　as　it　was　ordered　that　all　kings；　princes；　and　governors；　all　nations　and　cities　within　the　limits　of　Syria；　the　Maeotid　Lake；　Armenia；　and　Illyria；　should　bring　or　cause　to　be　brought　all　munitions　necessary　for　war；　so　was　it　also　proclaimed　that　all　stage…players　should　make　their　appearance　at　Samos；　so　that；　while　pretty　nearly　the　whole　world　was　filled　with　groans　and　lamentations；　this　one　island　for　some　days　resounded　with　piping　and　harping；　theatres　filling；　and　choruses　playing。　Every　city　sent　an　ox　as　its　contribution　to　the　sacrifice；　and　the　kings　that　accompanied　Antony　competed　who　should　make　the　most　magnificent　feasts　and　the　greatest　presents；　and　men　began　to　ask　themselves；　what　would　be　done　to　celebrate　the　victory；　when　they　went　to　such　an　expense　of　festivity　at　the　opening　of　the　war。　　　This　over；　he　gave　Priene　to　his　players　for　a　habitation；　and　set　sail　for　Athens；　where　fresh　sports　and　play…acting　employed　him。　Cleopatra；　jealous　of　the　honours　Octavia　had　received　at　Athens　（for　Octavia　was　much　beloved　by　the　Athenians）；　courted　the　favour　of　the　people　with　all　sorts　of　attentions。　The　Athenians；　in　requital；　having　decreed　her　public　honours；　deputed　several　of　the　citizens　to　wait　upon　her　at　her　house；　amongst　whom　went　Antony　as　one；　he　being　an　Athenian　citizen；　and　he　it　was　that　made　the　speech。　He　sent　orders　to　Rome　to　have　Octavia　removed　out　of　his　house。　She　left　it；　we　are　told；　accompanied　by　all　his　children；　except　the　eldest　by　Fulvia；　who　was　then　with　his　father；　weeping　and　grieving　that　she　must　be　looked　upon　as　one　of　the　causes　of　the　war。　But　the　Romans　pitied；　not　so　much　her；　as　Antony　himself；　and　more　particularly　those　who　had　seen　Cleopatra；　whom　they　could　report　to　have　no　way　the　advantage　of　Octavia　either　in　youth　or　in　beauty。　　　The　speed　and　extent　of　Antony's　preparations　alarmed　Caesar；　who　feared　he　might　be　forced　to　fight　the　decisive　battle　that　summer。　For　he　wanted　many　necessaries；　and　the　people　grudged　very　much　to　pay　the　taxes；　freemen　being　called　upon　to　pay　a　fourth　part　of　their　incomes；　and　freed　slaves　an　eighth　of　their　property；　so　that　there　were　loud　outcries　against　him；　and　disturbances　throughout　all　Italy。　And　this　is　looked　upon　as　one　of　the　greatest　of　Antony's　oversights；　that　he　did　not　then　press　the　war。　For　he　allowed　time　at　once　for　Caesar　to　make　his　preparations　and　for　the　commotions　to　pass　over。　For　while　people　were　having　their　money　called　for；　they　were　mutinous　and　violent；　but；　having　paid　it；　they　held　their　peace。　Titius　and　Plancus；　men　of　consular　dignity　and　friends　to　Antony；　having　been　ill…used　by　Cleopatra；　whom　they　had　most　resisted　in　her　design　of　being　present　in　the　war；　came　over　to　Caesar　and　gave　information　of　the　contents　of　Antony's　will；　with　which　they　were　acquainted。　It　was　deposited　in　the　hands　of　the　vestal　virgins；　who　refused　to　deliver　it　up；　and　sent　Caesar　word；　if　he　pleased；　he　should　come　and　seize　it　himself；　which　he　did。　And；　reading　it　over　to　himself；　he　noted　those　places　that　were　most　for　his　purpose；　and；　having　summoned　the　senate；　read　them　publicly。　Many　were　scandalized　at　the　proceeding；　thinking　it　out　of　reason　and　equity　to　call　a　man　to　account　for　what　was　not　to　be　until　after　his　death。　Caesar　specially　pressed　what　Antony　said　in　his　will　about　his　burial；　for　he　had　ordered　that　even　if　he　died　in　the　city　of　Rome；　his　body；　after　being　carried　in　state　through　the　forum；　should　be　sent　to　Cleopatra　at　Alexandria。　Calvisius；　a　dependant　of　Caesar's；　urged　other　charges　in　connection　with　Cleopatra　against　Antony；　that　he　had　given　her　the　library　of　Pergamus；　containing　two　hundred　thousand　distinct　volumes；　that　at　a　great　banquet；　in　the　presence