ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 293 of his house,l who (as it is reported) went out of his house with all Antonius children, saving the eldest of them he had by Fulvia, who was with her father, bewailing and lamenting her cursed hap that had brought her to this, that she was accompted one of the chief est causes of this civill warre.2 The Romanes did pitie her, but much more Antonius, and those specially that had seene Cleopatra: who nether excelled Octavia in beawtie, nor yet in young yeares. Octavius Cresar understanding the sodain and wonderful great preparation of Antonius, he was not a lide astonied at it, (fearing he should be driven to fight that sommer) bicause he wanted many things, and the great and grievous exactions of money did sorely oppresse the people.3 For all manner of men els, were driven to pay the fourth part of their goods and revenue: but the Libertines, (to wete, those whose fathers or other predecessors had some time bene bond men) they were sessed to pay the eight part of all their goods at one payment. Hereuppon, there rose a wonderfull exclamation and great uprore all Italy over: so that among the greatest faults that ever Antonius committed, they blamed him most, for that he delayed to give Ccesar battell. For he gave Cresar leysure to make his preparacions, and also to appease the complaints of the people. When such a great summe of money was demaunded of them, they grudged at it, and grewe to mutinie upon it: but when they had once paied it, they remembred it no more. Furthermore, Titius and Plancus (two of Antonius chiefest friends and that had bene both of them Consuls) for the great injuries Cleopatra did them, bicause they hindered all they could, that she should not come to this warre: they went and yelded them selves unto Cresar, and tolde him where the testament was that Antonius had made, knowing perfidy what was in it.4 The will was in the custodie of the Vestall Nunnes: of whom Ccesar demaunded for it. They aunswered him, that they would not give it him: but if he would goe and take it, they would not hinder him. Thereuppon Cresar went thither, and having red it first to him self, he noted certaine places worthy of reproch: so assembling all the Senate, he red it before them all.5 Whereuppon divers were marvelously offended, and thought it a straunge matter that he being alive, should be punished for that he had appoynted by his will to be done after his death. Cresar chiefly tooke hold of this that he ordeyned touching his buriall: for he willed that his bodie, though he dyed at Rome, should be brought in funerall
294 Antony and Cleopatra pompe through the middest of the market place, and that it should be sent into Alexandria unto Cleopatra. Furthermore, among divers other faultes wherewith Antonius was to be charged, for Cleopatraes sake: Calvisius, one of Cresars friends reproved him, bicause he had franckly given Cleopatra all the libraries of the royall citie of Pergamum, in the which she had above two hundred thowsand bookes.1 Againe also, that being on a time set at the table, he sodainly rose from the borde, and trode upon Cleopatraes foote, which was a signe given betwene them, that they were agreed of. That he had also suffred the Ephesians in his presence to call Cleopatra, their soveraine Ladye. That divers times sitting in his tribunall and chayer of state, giving audience to all kings and Princes: he had received love letters from Cleopatra, written in tables of onyx or christall, and that he had red them, sitting in his imperial seate. That one day when Furnius, a man of great accompt, and the eloquentest man of all the Romanes, pleaded a matter before him: Cleopatra by chaunce comming through the market place in her litter where Furnius was pleading: Antonius straight rose out of his seate, and left his audience to followe her litter.2 This notwithstanding, it was thought Calvisius devised the most part of all these accusations of his owne head. Nevertheles they that loved Antonius, were intercessors to the people for him, and amongest them they sent one Geminius unto Antonius, to pray him he would take heede, that through his negligence his Empire were not taken from him, and that he should be counted an enemie to the people of Rome. 3 This Geminius being arrived in Grrece, made Cleopatra jelous straight of his comming: bicause she surmised that he came not but to speake for Octavia. Therefore she spared not to tawnt him all supper tyme, and moreover to spyte him the more, she made him be set lowest of all at the borde, the which he tooke paciently, expecting occasion to speake with Antonius. Now Antonius commaunding him at the table to tell him what wind brought him thither: he aunswered him, that it was no table talke, and that he would tell him to morrow morning fasting: but dronke or fasting, howsoever it were, he was sure of one thing, that all would not go well on his side, unles Cleopatra were sent backe into }Egypt. Antonius tooke these wordes in very ill part. Cleopatra on the other side aunswered him, Thou doest well Geminius, sayd she, to tell the truth before thou be compelled by torments: but within fewe dayes
after, Geminius stale away, and fled to Rome. The flatterers also to please Cleopatra, did make her drive many other of Antonius faith full servaunts and friends from him, who could not abide the injuries done unto them 1: amonge the which these two were chiefe, Marcus Syllanus, and Dellius the Historiographer: who wrote that he fled, bicause her Phisitian Glaucus tolde him, that Cleopatra had set some secretly to kill him. Furthermore he had Cleopatraes displeasure, bicause he sayde one night at supper, that they made them drinke sower wine, where Sarmentus at Rome drancke good wine of Falerna. This Sarmentus was a pleasaunt younge boye, such as the Lordes of Rome are wont to have about them to make them pastyme, which they call their joyes, and he was Octavius Ccesars boye. Nowe, after Ccesar had made sufficient preparation, he proclaymed open warre against Cleopatra, and made the people to abolishe the power and Empire of Antonius, bicause he had before given it uppe unto a woman.2 And Ccesar sayde furthermore, that Antonius was not Maister of him selfe, but that Cleopatra had brought him beside him selfe, by her charmcs and amorous poysons: and that they that should make warre with them should be Mardian the Euenuke, Photinus, and Iras, a woman of Cleopatraes bedchamber, that friseled her heare, and dressed her head, and Charmion, the which were those that ruled all the affaires of Antonius Empire.3 Before this warre, as it is reported, many signes and wonders fet out.4 First of all, the citie of Pisaurum which was made a colony to Rome, and replenished with people by Antonius, standing upon the shore side of the sea Adriatick, was by a terrible earthquake sonck into the ground.6 One of the images of stone which was set up in the honor of Antonius, in the citie of Alba, did sweate many dayes together: and though some wyped it away, yet it left not sweating still. In the citie of Patras, whilest Antonius was there, the temple of Hercules was burnt with lightning. And at the citie of Athens also, in a place where the warre of the gyants against the goddes is set out in imagerie: the statute of Bacchus with a terrible winde was throwen downe in the Theater. It was sayd that Antonius came of the race of Hercules, as you have heard before, and in the manner of his life he followed Bacchus: and therefore he was called the new Bacchus. Furthermore, the same blustering storme of wind, overthrew the great monstrous images at Athens, that were made
in the honor of Eumenes and Attalus, the which men had named and intituled, the Antonians, and yet they did hurt none of the other images which were many besides. The Admirall galley of Cleopatra, was called Antoniade, in the which there chaunced a marvelous ill signe. Swallowes had bred under the poope of her shippe,l and there came others after them that drave away the first, and plucked downe their neasts. Now when all things were ready, and that they drew neare to fight: it was found that Antonius2 had no lesse then five hundred good ships of warre, among the which there were many gallies that had eight and ten bancks of owers, the which were sumptuously furnished, not so meete for fight, as for triumphe: a hundred thowsand footemen, and twelve thowsand horsemen, and had with him to ayde him these kinges and subjects following: Bocchus king of Lybia, Tarcondemus king of high Cilicia, Archelaus king of Cappadocia, Philadelphus king of Paphlagonia, Mithridates king of Coma gena, and Adallas king ofThracia. All the which were there every man in person.3 The residue that were absent sent their armies, as Polemon king of Pont, Manchus kirig of Arabia, Herodes king of Jury: and furthermore, Amyntas king of Lycaonia, and of the Galatians: and besides all these, he had all the ayde the king of Medes sent unto him. Now for Cresar, he had two hundred and fifty shippes of warre, foure seore thowsand footemen, and well neare as many horsemen as his enemy Antonius.4 Antonius for his part, had all under his dominion from Armenia, and the river of Euphrates, unto the sea Ionium and Illyricum. 5 Octavius Cresar had also for his part, all that which was in our Hemisphrere, or halfe part of the world, from Illyria, unto the Oeeean sea upon the west: then all from the Oceean, unto Mare Siculum: and from Africk, all that which is against Italy, as GauIe, and Spayne.6 Furthermore, all from the province of Cyrenia, unto }Ethiopia, was subject unto Antonius. Now Antonius was made so subject to a womans will,7 that though he was a great deale the stronger by land, yet for Cleopatraes sake, he would needes have this battell tryed by seaB: though he sawe before his eyes, that for
