antony-第6章

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　was　taken　off　by　his　readiness　to　submit　to　any　kind　of　repartee；　for　he　was　as　well　contented　to　be　rallied；　as　he　was　pleased　to　rally　others。　And　this　freedom　of　speech　was；　indeed；　the　cause　of　many　of　his　disasters。　He　never　imagined　those　who　used　so　much　liberty　in　their　mirth　would　flatter　or　deceive　him　in　business　of　consequence；　not　knowing　how　common　it　is　with　parasites　to　mix　their　flattery　with　boldness；　as　confectioners　do　their　sweetmeats　with　something　biting；　to　prevent　the　sense　of　satiety。　Their　freedoms　and　impertinences　at　table　were　designed　expressly　to　give　to　their　obsequiousness　in　council　the　air　of　being　not　complaisance；　but　conviction。　　　Such　being　his　temper；　the　last　and　crowning　mischief　that　could　befall　him　came　in　the　love　of　Cleopatra；　to　awaken　and　kindle　to　fury　passions　that　as　yet　lay　still　and　dormant　in　his　nature；　and　to　stifle　and　finally　corrupt　any　elements　that　yet　made　resistance　in　him　of　goodness　and　a　sound　judgment。　He　fell　into　the　snare　thus。　When　making　preparation　for　the　Parthian　war；　he　sent　to　command　her　to　make　her　personal　appearance　in　Cilicia；　to　answer　an　accusation　that　she　had　given　great　assistance；　in　the　late　wars；　to　Cassius。　Dellius；　who　was　sent　on　this　message；　had　no　sooner　seen　her　face；　and　remarked　her　adroitness　and　subtlety　in　speech；　but　he　felt　convinced　that　Antony　would　not　so　much　as　think　of　giving　any　molestation　to　a　woman　like　this；　on　the　contrary；　she　would　be　the　first　in　favour　with　him。　So　he　set　himself　at　once　to　pay　his　court　to　the　Egyptian；　and　gave　her　his　advice；　〃to　go；〃　in　the　Homeric　style；　to　Cilicia；　〃in　her　best　attire；〃　and　bade　her　fear　nothing　from　Antony；　the　gentlest　and　kindest　of　soldiers。　She　had　some　faith　in　the　words　of　Dellius；　but　more　in　her　own　attractions；　which；　having　formerly　recommended　her　to　Caesar　and　the　young　Cnaeus　Pompey；　she　did　not　doubt　might　prove　yet　more　successful　with　Antony。　Their　acquaintance　was　with　her　when　a　girl；　young　and　ignorant　of　the　world；　but　she　was　to　meet　Antony　in　the　time　of　life　when　women's　beauty　is　most　splendid；　and　their　intellects　are　in　full　maturity。　She　made　great　preparation　for　her　journey；　of　money；　gifts；　and　ornaments　of　value；　such　as　so　wealthy　a　kingdom　might　afford；　but　she　brought　with　her　her　surest　hopes　in　her　own　magic　arts　and　charms。　　　She　received　several　letters；　both　from　Antony　and　from　his　friends；　to　summon　her；　but　she　took　no　account　of　these　orders；　and　at　last；　as　if　in　mockery　of　them；　she　came　sailing　up　the　river　Cydnus；　in　a　barge　with　gilded　stern　and　outspread　sails　of　purple；　while　oars　of　silver　beat　time　to　the　music　of　flutes　and　fifes　and　harps。　She　herself　lay　all　along　under　a　canopy　of　cloth　of　gold；　dressed　as　Venus　in　a　picture；　and　beautiful　young　boys；　like　painted　Cupids；　stood　on　each　side　to　fan　her。　Her　maids　were　dressed　like　sea　nymphs　and　graces；　some　steering　at　the　rudder；　some　working　at　the　ropes。　The　perfumes　diffused　themselves　from　the　vessel　to　the　shore；　which　was　covered　with　multitudes；　part　following　the　galley　up　the　river　on　either　bank；　part　running　out　of　the　city　to　see　the　sight。　The　market…place　was　quite　emptied；　and　Antony　at　last　was　left　alone　sitting　upon　the　tribunal；　while　the　word　went　through　all　the　multitude；　that　Venus　was　come　to　feast　with　Bacchus；　for　the　common　good　of　Asia。　On　her　arrival；　Antony　sent　to　invite　her　to　supper。　She　thought　it　fitter　he　should　come　to　her；　so；　willing　to　show　his　good…humour　and　courtesy；　he　complied；　and　went。　He　found　the　preparations　to　receive　him　magnificent　beyond　expression；　but　nothing　so　admirable　as　the　great　number　of　lights；　for　on　a　sudden　there　was　let　down　altogether　so　great　a　number　of　branches　with　lights　in　them　so　ingeniously　disposed；　some　in　squares；　and　some　in　circles；　that　the　whole　thing　was　a　spectacle　that　has　seldom　been　equalled　for　beauty。　　　The　next　day；　Antony　invited　her　to　supper；　and　was　very　desirous　to　outdo　her　as　well　in　magnificence　as　contrivance；　but　he　found　he　was　altogether　beaten　in　both；　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'