ABSTRACT
Roman Histories of Lucius AIl11tBUS Florus 337 to plot a tyrannic, nor that covertly, but forgetting his countrey, his name, his gowne, his fasces, hee absolutely degenerated into no lesse a monster in his understanding, then he did in his affection, and fashion. hee went with a staffe of gold in his hand, a Persian sword by his side, a purple robe buttond with huge precious stones, and a diadem in readinesse, that a king might enjoy a Queene. At the first bruite of these stirres, ClEsar crosseth over from Brundisium, that hee might give warre the meeting; and, pitching his tents in Epi1'lls, did beset the iland Leucades, and the rocke Leucades, and the points or nesses of the Ambracian bay, with his ships of warre, hee had aboute foure hundred soule; the enemies not fewer then two hundred, but what they wanted in number, was made up in bulke: for they had from sixe to nine bankes of oares, besides that, their fights were raised so high with decks, and turrets, as they resembled castles, and cities, making the very sea grone under, & the windes out of breath to carry them: which hugenesse of theirs was it selfe their bane. ClEsar's navie had not in it any vessell but from three bankes of oares, to sixe, and nine above: therefore they are yare, & ready for all the needes of service, whether to charge, recharge, or turne about. Those of the other side were meere slugges, and unwieldie for all worke: upon every of which many of ours setting, and plying them what with darts; and all sorts of flingings, what with beak-heads, or prows, and castings of fire, scattred them all at pleasure. Nor did the greatnesse of the enemies preparations appeare at any time more then after the victorie: for the huge armada, bulged, & split in the fight, was carryed in the wracks thereof, up, and downe over the whole sea, containing the spoiles of Arabia, and Saba, and of thousand other nations of Asia, and the waves stirred with the winds, did daily belch up gold, and purple upon the shores. The first who led the way to running away, was the Queen, who in a galleon whose poope was of gold, and saile of purple, thrust into the deepes, Antonius forthwith following her: but ClEsar was at his heels. So that neither the preparations which he had made to fly into the Indian Ocean, nor Parastonium, and Pelusium, the two corner coasts of .£gypt, stuft by him with garrisons, stood him in any stead, all were so quickly seized. Antonius was the first of the two who slew himselfe. The Queene kneeling at the teete of Cesar, laid baits for his eyes; but in vaine; her beauties were beneath that princes chastitie. Nor was life her suit, for that was offered, but her care was for a part of the kingdome: which when she despaired to obtaine of the prince, and saw her selfe reserved for triumph, the guard put about her being negligent, she betooke herselfe to the Mausolie (so cal they the sepulchres of their kings) where attired in most pompous habit, as her custome was, shee seated herselfe in a throne, sweetned with
Ant01ry and Cleopatra rich perfumes, close to her Lord Antonius, and clapping serpents to her veines, died away in a slumber.
