pointed to a place in her service, loyally aided her. At that time
she was a beautiful and lovable girl, but the spell exerted by the Queen
fettered her like chains and bonds. She voluntarily resigned the love of
a noble man--he afterwards became your husband, Berenike--in order not
to leave her royal friend at a time when she so urgently needed her.
Since then my sister has shut her heart against love. It belonged to
Cleopatra. She lives, thinks, cares for her alone. She is fond of you,
Barine, because your father was so dear to her. Iras, whose name is so
often associated with hers, is the daughter of my oldest sister, who was
already married when the King entrusted the princesses to our father's
care. She is thirteen years younger than Cleopatra, but her mistress
holds the first place in her heart also. Her father, the wealthy Krates,
made every effort to keep her from entering the service of the Queen,
but in vain. A single conversation with this marvellous woman had bound
her forever.

"But I must be brief. You have doubtless heard how completely Cleopatra
bewitched Pompey's son during his visit to Alexandria. She had not been
so gracious to any man since her meeting with Antony, and it was not
from affection, but to maintain the independence of her beloved native
land. At that time the father of Gnejus was the man who possessed the
most power, and statecraft commanded her to win him through his son.
The young Roman also took his leave 'full of her,' as the Egyptians say.
This pleased her, but the visit greatly aided her foes. There was no
slander which was not disseminated against her. The commanders of the
body-guard, whom she had always treated as a haughty Queen, had seen
her associate with Pompey's son in the theatre as if he were a friend of
equal rank; and on many other occasions the Alexandrians saw her repay
his courtesies in the same coin. But in those days hatred of Rome
surged high. The regents, leagued with Arsinoe, spread the rumour that
Cleopatra would deliver Egypt up to Pompey, if the senate would secure
to her the sole sovereignty of the new province, and leave her free to
rid herself of her royal brother and husband.

"She was compelled to fly, and went first to the Syrian frontier,
to gain friends for her cause among the Asiatic princes. My brother
Straton--you remember the noble youth who won the prize for wrestling at
Olympia, Berenike--and I were commissioned to carry the treasure to her.
We