on a bed, she threw her clothes upon him, and making the most mournful exclamations, cut off his hair, according to the superstition of the pagans, that that was a relief to those who died a violent death. Her cries recalling his fainting spirits, and seeing the affliction she was in, he told her, with a view to comfort her, that he should die in peace, since he would expire in her arms; and that he did not blush at his defeat, since he had been vanquished by Romans. Having thus spoken, he expired, being then in the fifty-third year of his age. His death put an end to all civil wars, and gave Cæsar an opportunity of completing his ambitious designs.

DEATH OF CLEOPATRA.

1. JUST about the time that Antony breathed his last, Proculeius, who had received particular orders to seize Cleopatra, arrived from Cæsar. He could not refrain from shedding tears on this melancholy occasion, which was aggravated by the bloody sword that was presented to him. The queen refused to go with him, but permitted him to speak to her from without.

2. Proculeius, after having observed the situation of the sepulchre, went and informed Cæsar of his observations. Cæsar then sent Gallus to speak with her, which he did in the same manner as Proculeius. In the mean time, the latter, bringing a ladder, and being followed by two officers, got in at the window, where Antony had been drawn up, and went to the gate, where Cleopatra was talking with Gallus. One of her female attendants, seeing him, shrieked and cried, "Ill-fated princess, thou art taken!" Cleopatra had raised a dagger to stab herself, when Proculeius, catching her in his arms, thus addressed her--" You injure both Cæsar and yourself, in attempting to deprive him of so noble an opportunity to exert his clemency." He seized her dagger, and shook her robes, to discover if any poison was concealed under them. Cæsar then sent a freed-man to

Who received orders from Cæsar to seize Cleopatra ?-Did he succeed in seizing her?-Who was then sent by Cæsar to take her '— What did she attempt doing, when taken?

guard Cleopatra, ordering him to use her like a queen, but to prevent her from laying violent hands upon herself.

3. Cæsar then entered Alexandria without further opposition, and gave Cleopatra fair hopes of the kindest treatment; though he intended only to pervert her treasures to his own purposes, and reserve her person to grace his triumph. But when he had both in his power, he disregarded her, and she found she had no other means of avoiding the disgrace of adding to the glory of his triumph, than by putting a period to her life.

4. Cæsar went and paid her a visit, when she endeavored to captivate this young conqueror, as she had before captivated Julius Cæsar and Antony. But alas, the charm was now broken! Cæsar, with the utmost coolness, only advised her not to despond, declaring that he would treat her with all possible tenderness.

5. He permitted her to dispose of her jewels as she thought proper; and, after giving her the kindest assurances, he left her. Cæsar imagined he had artfully over-reached Cleopatra, by inspiring her with a love of life, which he, in fact, wished to prolong, only for the sake of his triumph; but herein he soon found his mistake. Cæsar had before given Cleopatra leave to bury Antony, which she did with the utmost magnificence. According to the custom of Egypt, she caused his body to be embalmed with the most exquisite perfumes of the east, and placed it among the tombs of the Egyptian kings.

6. Cleopatra hearing that Cæsar intended to send her away within three days, conjured him to let her pay her last obligations to the remains of Antony, which he granted. She then visited Antony's tomb, strewing it with flowers, and watering it with tears. She then returned to her chamber, went into a bath, and from thence to the table, where a splendid entertainment was prepared. When she arose from table, she wrote a letter to Cæsar, wherein she earnestly desired to be laid in the same tomb with Antony; and having made all leave her chamber, except her two women, she shut the door, sat down upon the bed, and asked for a basket of figs, which a peasant had lately brought. This

What were Cæsar's designs in regard to Cleopatra and her trea sures? What did she aim to do when visited by Cæsar?

supposed peasant was one of the queen's domestics, who had eluded the vigilance of the guards. She placed the basket by her, and a moment after lay down, as if she had fallen asleep; but this was the effect of the asp, which was concealed among the fruit, and had stung her in the arm, which she had held to it. The poison immediately communicated to the heart, and killed her without pain.

7. Thus died, in the thirty-ninth year of her age, this princess, whose wit and beauty had made so much noise in the world, after having reigned twenty-two years from the death of her father, twelve of which she passed with Antony. She was a woman of great parts, as well as of great wickedness; and spoke several languages with the utmost readiness. In her death ended the reign of the Ptolemies in Egypt, after it had continued from the death of Alexander, 294 years.

8. Cæsar, on the receipt of Cleopatra's letter, instantly despatched a messenger to her, who found her dead on a golden couch, dressed in royal robes, looking like one asleep, with one of her maids dead at her feet, and the other expiring. Cæsar was very much troubled at Cleopatra's death, as it robbed him of the noblest ornament of his triumph. He ordered her body to be buried near that of Antony, agreeably to her request, which was accordingly done with the greatest funeral pomp. Her women had also a pompous interment, in memory of their fidelity. After Cleopatra's death, Egypt was made a Roman province, and governed by a præfect sent from Rome for that purpose.

9. Cæsar having now greatly enlarged the Roman dominions, was received at Rome as a conqueror, who had put an end to the miseries and calamities of most nations. He triumphed three days successively, with extraordinary magnificence; first, for Illyricum; secondly, for the victory of Actium; and thirdly, for the conquest of Egypt. On this occasion, the temple of Janus was shut, which was the third time since the foundation of Rome, having stood open 205 years.

How did Cleopatra destroy her life?-Wht was her age when she destroyed herself?-How long had she reigned?What reign ended with the death of Cleopatra?

THE CAPTIVE LADY,

RESTORED TO HER LOVER BY SCIPIO.

1. WHEN to his glorious first essay in war,
New Carthage fell, there all the flower of Spain
Were kept in hostage; a full field presenting
For Scipio's generosity to shine.-A noble virgin,
Conspicuous far o'er all the captive dames,

Was mark'd the gen'ral's prize. She wept and blush'd,
Young, fresh, and blooming like the morn.

An eye,

As when the blue sky trembles through a cloud
Of purest white. A secret charm combin'd

Her features, and infus'd enchantment through them.
Her shape was harmony. But eloquence
Beneath her beauty fails; which seem'd on purpose
By nature lavish'd on her, that mankind
Might see the virtue of a hero try'd,

Almost beyond the stretch of human force.

2. Soft as she pass'd along, with downcast eyes,
Where gentle sorrow swell'd, and now and then
Dropp'd o'er her modest cheeks a trickling tear,
The Roman legions languish'd, and hard war
Felt more than pity; e'en their chief himself,
As on his high tribunal rais'd he sat,

Turn'd from the dang'rous sight; and, chiding, ask'd
His officers, if by this gift they meant

To cloud his glory in its very dawn.

3. She, questioned of her birth, in trembling accents,
With tears and blushes, broken told her tale.
But when he found her royally descended;
Of her old captive parents the sole joy;
And that a hapless Celtiberian prince,
Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains,
His lost dominions, and for her alone
Wept out his tender soul-sudden the heart

Of this young, conquering, loving, godlike Roman,
Felt all the great divinity of virtue.

4. His wishing youth stood check'd; his tempting power, Restrain'd by kind humanity. At once,

He for her parents and her lover call'd.
The various scene imagine. How his troops
Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant ;
While stretch'd below, the trembling suppliant lay,
Rack'd by a thousand mingling passions-fear,
Hope, jealousy, disdain, submission, grief,
Anxiety, and love, in every shape.

To these, as different sentiments succeeded,
As mix'd emotions, when the man divine
Thus the dread silence to the lover broke-

5. "We both are young-both charm'd. The right of

war

Has put thy beauteous mistress in my power;
With whom I could, in the most sacred ties,
Live out a happy life. But know, that Romans,
Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer;
Then take her to thy soul, and with her, take
Thy liberty and kingdom. In return,

I ask but this-when you behold these eyes,
These charms, with transport, be a friend to Rome."
Ecstatic wonder held the lovers mute;

While the loud camp, and all the clust'ring crowd
That hung aroung, rang with repeated shouts.
Fame took th' alarm, and through resounding Spain
Blew fast the fair report; which, more than arms,
Admiring nations to the Romans gain'd.

DEATH OF CESAR.

1. CESAR having been made perpetual dictator, and received from the senate accumulated honors, it began to be rumored that he intended to make himself king; and though in fact he was possessed of the power, the people, who had an utter aversion to the name, could not bear his assuming the title. Whether he really designed to assume that empty honor, must now for ever remain a secret; but certain it is, that the unsuspecting openness of his conduct marked something like a confidence in the innocence of his intentions.

What first caused a jealousy against Cæsar ?