-Bocchus of
Africa, Tarcondimotus of Cilicia, Mithridates of Commagene, Adallas of
Thrace, Philadelphus of Paphlagonia, Archelaus of Cappadocia, Herod
of Judaea, Amyntas of Galatia, Polemon of Pontus, and Malchus of
Arabia--all, all have fled or bid their generals fly back to whence they
came; and already their ambassador's crave cold Caesar's clemency."

"Hast done thy croakings, thou raven in a peacock's dress, or is there
more to come?" asked the smitten man, lifting his white and trembling
face from the shelter of his hands. "Tell me more; say that Egypt's dead
in all her beauty; say that Octavianus lowers at the Canopic gate; and
that, headed by dead Cicero, all the ghosts of Hell do audibly shriek
out the fall of Antony! Yea, gather up every woe that can o'erwhelm
those who once were great, and loose them on the hoary head of him
whom--in thy gentleness--thou art still pleased to name 'the noble
Antony'!"

"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, he
would, indeed, have slain himself had I not sprung forward and grasped
his hand. For it was not my purpose that he should die as yet; since had
he died at that hour Cleopatra had made her peace with Caesar, who rather
wished the death of Antony than the ruin of Egypt.

"Art mad, Antony? Art, indeed, a coward?" cried Charmion, "that thou
wouldst thus escape thy woes, and leave thy partner to face the sorrow
out alone?"

"Why not, woman? Why not? She would not be long alone. There's Caesar
to keep her company. Octavianus loves a fair woman in his cold way, and
still is Cleopatra fair. Come now, thou Olympus! thou hast held my hand
from dealing death upon myself, advise me of thy wisdom. Shall I, then,
submit myself to Caesar, and I, Triumvir, twice Consul, and aforetime
absolute Monarch of all the East, endure to follow in his triumph along
those Roman ways where I myself have passed in triumph?"

"Nay, Sire," I answered. "If thou dost yield, then art thou doomed. All
last 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; but
when it passes from his radiance, then bright and big it shines, equal
in glory to his own. All is not lost, and while some part remains,
everything may be regained. Egypt can yet be held, armies can still
be raised. Caesar has withdrawn him