n. Not until after his arrival in Egypt did he learn how
Pompey had been received there. You know that he remained nine months.
How often I have heard it said that Cleopatra understood how to chain
him here! This is both true and false. He was obliged to stay half a
year; the following three months he did indeed give to the woman whom
he loved. Ay, the heart of the man of fifty-four had again opened to a
great passion. Like all wounds, those inflicted by the arrows of Eros
heal more slowly when youth lies behind the stricken one. It was
not only the eyes and the senses which attracted a couple so widely
separated by years, but far more the mental characteristics of both. Two
winged intellects had met. The genius of one had recognized that of the
other. The highest type of manhood had met perfect womanhood. They could
not fail to attract each other. I expected it; for Cleopatra had long
watched breathlessly the flight of this eagle who soared so far above
the others, and she was strong enough to keep at his side.

"We succeeded in joining Cleopatra, and heard that, spite of the
hostility of our citizens, Caesar had occupied the palace of the
Ptolemies and was engaged in restoring order.

"We knew in what way Pothinus, Achillas, and Arsinoe would seek to
influence him. Cleopatra had good reason to fear that her foes might
deliver Egypt unconditionally to Rome, if Caesar should leave the reins
of government in their hands and shut her out. She had cause to dread
this, but she also had the courage to act in person in her own behalf.

"The point now was to bring her into the city, the palace-nay, into
direct communication with the dictator. Children tell the tale of the
strong man who bore Cleopatra in a sack through the palace portals. It
was not a sack which concealed her, but a Syrian carpet. The strong man
was my brother Straton. I went first, to secure a free passage.

"Julius Caesar and she saw and found each other. Fate merely drew the
conclusion which must result from such premises. Never have I seen
Cleopatra happier, more exalted in mind and heart, yet she was menaced
on all sides by serious perils. It required all the military genius of
Caesar to conquer the fierce hostility which he encountered here. It was
this, not the thrall of Cleopatra, I repeat, which first bound him to
Egypt. What would have prevented him--as he did later--from taking the
object of his love to Rome, had it been possible at that time? But