ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 3 I I could possible to get Cleopatra alive, fearing least otherwise all the treasure would be lost: and furthermore, he thought that if he could take Cleopatra, and bring her alive to Rome, she would marvelously beawtifie and sette out his triumphe.1 But Cleopatra would never put her selfe into Proculeius handes, although they spake together. For Proculeius came to the gates that were very thicke and strong, and surely barred, but yet there were some cranewes through the which her voyce might be heard, and so they without understoode, that Cleopatra demaunded the kingdome of /Egypt for her sonnes: and that Proculeius aunswered her, that she should be of good cheere, and 110t be affrayed to referre all unto Cresar. After he had viewed the place verie well, he came and reported her aunswere unto Cresar. Who immediatly sent Gallus to speake once againe with her, and bad him purposely hold her with talke, whilest Proculeius did set up a ladder against that high windowe, by the which Antonius was trised up, and came downe into the monument with two of his men hard by the gate, where Cleopatra stoode to heare what Gallus sayd unto her.2 One of her women which was shut in her monuments with her, saw Proculeius by chaunce as he came downe, and shreeked out: 0, poore Cleopatra, thou art taken. 3 Then when she sawe Proculeius behind her as she came from the gate, she thought to have stabbed her selfe in with a short dagger she ware of purpose by her side. But Proculeius came sodainly upon her, and taking her by both the hands,4 said unto her: Cleopatra, first thou shalt doe thy selfe great wrong, and secondly unto Cresar: to deprive him of the occasion and oportunitie, openly to shew his bountie and mercie, and to geve his enemies cause to accuse the most curteous and noble Prince that ever was, and to appeache him, as though he were a cruell and mercielesse man, that were not to be trusted. So even as he spake the word, he tooke her dagger from her, and shooke her clothes for feare of any poyson hidden about her. Afterwardes Cresar sent one of his infranchised men called Epaphroditus, I; whom he straightly charged to looke well unto her, and to beware in any case that she made not her selfe away: and for the rest, to use her with all the curtesie possible. And for him selfe, he in the meane time entred the citie of Alexandria, and as he went, talked with the Philosopher AlTius, and helde him by the hande, to the end that his contrie men should reverence him the more, bicause
3 they saw C<esar so highly esteeme and honor him.1 Then he went into the show place of exercises, and so up to his chaire of state which was prepared for him of a great height: and there according to his commaundement, all the people of Alexandria were assembled, who quaking for feare, fell downe on their knees before him, and craved mercie. C<esar bad them all stande up, and told them openly that he forgave the people, and pardoned the felonies and offences they had committed against him in this warre. First, for the founders sake of the same citie, which was Alexander the great: secondly, for the beawtie of the citie, which he muche esteemed and wondred at: thirdly, for the love he bare unto his verie frend Arrius. Thus did C<esar honor An'ius, who craved pardon for him selfe and many others, and specially for Philostratus, the eloquentest man of all the sophisters and Orators of his time, for present and sodaine speech: howbeit he falsly named him selfe an Academicke Philosopher. a Therefore, C<esar that hated his nature and condicions, would not heare his sute. Thereupon he let his gray beard grow long, and followed Arrius steppe by steppe in a long mourning gowne, still bussing in his eares this Greeke verse:
A wise man if that he be wise in deede, May by a wise man have the better speede.
