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 In
a room in the palace of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, two Roman
officers were talking quietly. Their names were Philo and
Demetrius. They were both in the army of the great general,
Antony, who at that time was one of the three Leaders of the
Roman world. Demetrius had only just arrived in Egypt, so Philo
was telling him what had been happening.
Our general is going too far in
his love for the Egyptian queen he was saying. Don't you
remember how those good eyes of his were always bright when they
look at his mistress. And that great Roman heart of his, which
was sometimes so full of courage that it almost burst, now
serves the Queen of Egypt.
Demetrius was about to ask a
question, but at that moment the room began to fill with people.
Cleopatra came in with all her servants, courtiers and friends Antony among them.
Cleopatra was standing in the
middle of the room, with Antony quite close to her. She turned
to him, with a mischievous look on her face. How much do you
love me, then? she asked. If you really love me, as you say you
do, tell me how much. She spoke loudly enough for everyone to
hear.
If I could tell you how much, then
my love would be far too little Antony replied.
All the courtiers smiled. They
waited to hear what would be said next.
Well said Cleopatra, If you only
loved me half as much as you say you do, how much love would
that be?
We would have to find a new world
to live in and a new heaven too. There is not enough room in
this whole universe for even part of the love I have for
Cleopatra!''
 Philo
looked at Demetrius and was about to say something when a
servant hurried past. The servant went straight to Antony and
knelt down in front of him.s
some messengers have arrived with news from
Rome my good lord, he said.
Not now, said Antony impatiently.
Let us hear them, Antony interrupted
Cleopatra Perhaps your good wife, Fulvia is angry with you or
perhaps young Caesar has some important orders for you. They
will say you must do this or that, or Caesar will punish you if
you disobey.
My love? perhaps but I think it must be
certain, Cleopatra continued. This news will be that you must
not stay here any longer. Caesar says you must leave Egypt. Or
Fulvia says so- or both of them! So let us hear what news the
messengers have brought.
Antony began to look uncomfortable.
You are blushing, Antony I see your blood
is still loyal to Caesar. Or else your red cheek shows how
ashamed you are when sharp-tongued Fulvia scolds you! Tell the
messengers to come in. Let's hear the news fom Rome!
Oh Rome! I hope Rome falls into the River
Tiber and is washed away, said Antony. It doesn't matter to me
even if this great wide Roman world falls to pieces. My place is
here and the most noble thing in life is to do this...He put his
arm round Cleopatra and kissed her.
Lier! she said and turned to some of the
other courtiers. Why did Antony marry Fulvia, I wonder if he
didn't love her? she asked them.
Antony looked at her smiling for the ask of
love let us not waste our time quarrelling. We shouldn't let
even a minute of our lives pass without some pleasure. Come what
shall we do this evening?
Hear the messengers!''
Quarrelsome queen! Antony had almost
shouted at her with impatience, but he quickly stopped himself.
Now listen to me. The only messengers I want to hear this
evening are the ones you send to me. Then later on, we will go
out and just wander through the streets and watch the people.
Come my queen last night you said that is what you wanted to do.
Antony took Cleopatra's hands. She saw that
he would not bother with the news from Rome that evening,
which was exactly what she wanted. Happily she allowed him to
lead her out of the room.
Demetrius was amazed at what he had seen
and heard. Does Antony really think so little of Caesar? he
asked Philo.
Sometimes he is completely different to the
Antony we used to know said Philo.
Well I am sorry to see it. In Rome people
are saying that he has given himself up to the love of this
queen. It seems they are right. Let us hope he comes to his
senses before much longer.
 Philo
and Demetrius had good reason to worry. Antony was no ordinary
man, and Rome was no ordinary place.
By the time Julius Caesar died, the Roman
world-the Roman Empire as it would soon be known-was already
very large. Slowly but surely Rome's power was spreading further
and the further, even into the ancient. mysterious land of
Egypt. People began to think that the Romans would soon be
masters of the whole world.
Although the Romans were strong they often
fought among themselves and they found it different people
peacefully. From time to time there were terrible civil wars,
when one Roman leader would send his armies against another.
After the death of Julius Caesar
Antony Lipids and the young OOctavius Caesar who was the nephew
of Julius ruled the Roman world together. These three were the
most powerful men at the time. So long as they agreed with one
another and worked together, the Roman world would enjoy peace.
Disagreements, however were likely to cause terrible trouble.
Egypt at this time was still an independent
country, but it was slowly falling into the hands of the Romans. The Queen,
Cleopatra, was unmarried, and ruled alone. Her great beauty and intelligence
were famous throughout the world, and it was said that any man who met her would
fall in love with her immediately. powerful men who fall in love with such a
beautiful woman will obey her, and because of that the Romans thought Cleopatra
might be dangerous. Antony had therefore gone to Egypt to meet her and to try to
discover if she was plotting against the Romans.
When Antony first saw Cleopatra, she was on a
beautiful sailing ship made of gold. The oars were of silver and moved in time
to music. The sails were purple and gave out a sweet scent. Cleopatra herself
lay on a golden couch. Above her, to protect her from the sun, was a large cloth
of gold, and at her side were boys with fans to keep her cool. Antony was
overcome by this amazing sight. Like others before him, he fell in love with
Cleopatra when they met face to face. Cleopatra fell in love with Antony, too.
He was as famous for his success in war and his political power as Cleopatra was
for her beauty. Cleopatra wanted him to live with her in Egypt for the rest of
their lives together.
So Antony stayed in Egypt, enjoying the rich,
lazy life that Cleopatra and her friends enjoyed. He tried to forget what was
happening in Rome and his real purpose in coming to Egypt.
The news that had come from Rome was very
serious. When Antony at last decided to hear the messengers, he was very
shocked. He began to realize how weak and stupid he had been.
First he heard that Fulvia, his wife, had
used her wealth and power to start a war against his brother Lucius. The two had
soon made up their quarrel, and then joined forces against Octavius Caesar. In
the battle that followed, they had lost, and Caesar had forced them to leave
Italy. This was very bad news for Antony. He and Octavius Caesar were supposed
to be friends, yet Antony's wife and brother had attacked him.
Worse was to come. In the eastern part of the
Empire, not far from Egypt, the persian king had sent armies into the three
Roman provinces of Syria, Lydia and lonia. These were all rich lands controller
by the Romans. Antony had been nearby at the time, but had done nothing to
prevent the attack.
Last of all, another messenger brought news
of the death of Fulvia. After being driven from Italy with Lucius, she had
fallen ill and died.
Antony Knew that much of this trouble
was caused by his own bad behaviour. He was needed in Rome to help fight enemies
who were moving ever closer. he decided that he must leave Egypt.
Cleopatra had suspected that something was
wrong, Antony was quite happy at the beginning of the day, she told Iras, one og
her serving women, but suddenly a ''Roman'' thought struck him, and since then
he had been quite serious.
When Antony hurried into her room, she
pretended to be ill.
'I am sorry to have to tell you...' began
Antony. He Knew that she would not like what he was going to say. 'Help me, dear
Charmian,' Cleopatra cried out. She held onto the arm of her other servant. 'I
am feeling faint and shall fall down.' She allowed Charmian to place her on a
couch. Slowly, she settled down, looking very weak. 'Now, my dearest Queen...'
said Antony.
'please, do not stand so close,' CIeopatra
said to Charmian. She pretended she could not breathe easily. She also pretended
she was not interested at all in anything Antony had to say.
'What is the matter?' Antony was becoming
worried. 'Oh, nothing! Take notice. I can see from the look on your face that
you have heard some good news. So? What does your wife have to say? You may go
back to her, you know. Truly, I wish she had never let you come! I hope she does
not say that I am keeping you here. I have no power over you. You are hers.'
'The gods Know best...' Antony began
importantly. 'Oh, never was a queen so greatly betrayed,' Cleopatra sighed. 'Yet
I cannot say I am surprised. Why should I think Antony could be true to me, when
he is so false to Fulvia?' 'Most sweet Queen...'
'No, please. There is no need to make
excuses. Just say goodbye, and go. When you prayed to me to allow you to stay,
that was the time for words. There was no talk of going away then. Our eyes and
lips were all for love, and nothing else. Every part of us was a piece of
Heaven. It must still be true, I suppose-or else you, the greatest soldier in
the world, have become the greatest liar!'
'What?' Antony was becoming angry.
The two stared at each other for a moment.
Then Antony began again. There was no point, he could see, in being gentle. In a
plain simple manner, he quickly told the Queen what he had heard, including the
news of the death of his wife, Fulvia.
'Then how false you are! Your wife, whom you
love so much, is dead, So where are your tears? Oh, I can see from this how much
the news of my own death would affect you!' said Cleopatra.
Antony refused to quarrel. Instead he told
her how much he loved her, and that although he had to leave, his heart would
always be in Egypt, with her.
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