supposed peasant was one of the queen's domestics, who had eluded the vigilance of the guards. She placed the basket by her, and a moment after lay down, as if she had fallen asleep; but this was the effect of the asp, which was concealed among the fruit, and had stung her in the arm, which she had held to it. The poison immediately communicated to the heart, and killed her without pain.

7. Thus died, in the thirty-ninth year of her age, this princess, whose wit and beauty had made so much noise in the world, after having reigned twenty-two years from the death of her father, twelve of which she passed with Antony. She was a woman of great parts, as well as of great wickedness; and spoke several languages with the utmost readiness. In her death ended the reign of the Ptolemies in Egypt, after it had continued from the death of Alexander, 294 years.

8. Cæsar, on the receipt of Cleopatra's letter, instantly despatched a messenger to her, who found her dead on a golden couch, dressed in royal robes, looking like one asleep, with one of her maids dead at her feet, and the other expiring. Cæsar was very much troubled at Cleopatra's death, as it robbed him of the noblest ornament of his triumph. He ordered her body to be buried near that of Antony, agreeably to her request, which was accordingly done with the greatest funeral pomp. Her women had also a pompous interment, in memory of their fidelity. After Cleopatra's death, Egypt was made a Roman province, and governed by a præfect sent from Rome for that purpose.

9. Cæsar having now greatly enlarged the Roman dominions, was received at Rome as a conqueror, who had put an end to the miseries and calamities of most nations. He triumphed three days successively, with extraordinary magnificence; first, for Illyricum; secondly, for the victory of Actium; and thirdly, for the conquest of Egypt. On this occasion, the temple of Janus was shut, which was the third time since the foundation of Rome, having stood open 205 years.

How did Cleopatra destroy her life?-What was her age when she destroyed herself?-How long had she reigned?-What reign ended with the death of Cleopatra?

THE CAPTIVE LADY,

RESTORED TO HER LOVER BY SCIPIO.

1. WHEN to his glorious first essay in war,
New Carthage fell, there all the flower of Spain
Were kept in hostage; a full field presenting
For Scipio's generosity to shine.-A noble virgin,
Conspicuous far o'er all the captive dames,

Was mark'd the gen'ral's prize. She wept and blush'd,
Young, fresh, and blooming like the morn.

An eye,
As when the blue sky trembles through a cloud
Of purest white.

A secret charm combin'd

Her features, and infus'd enchantment through them.
Her shape was harmony. But eloquence

Beneath her beauty fails; which seem'd on purpose
By nature lavish'd on her, that mankind
Might see the virtue of a hero try'd,

Almost beyond the stretch of human force.

2. Soft as she pass'd along, with downcast eyes,
Where gentle sorrow swell'd, and now and then
Dropp'd o'er her modest cheeks a trickling tear,
The Roman legions languish'd, and hard war
Felt more than pity; e'en their chief himself,
As on his high tribunal rais'd he sat,

Turn'd from the dang'rous sight; and, chiding, ask'd
His officers, if by this gift they meant

To cloud his glory in its very dawn.

3. She, questioned of her birth, in trembling accents, With tears and blushes, broken told her tale.

But when he found her royally descended;
Of her old captive parents the sole joy;
And that a hapless Celtiberian prince,
Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains,
His lost dominions, and for her alone
Wept out his tender soul-sudden the heart

Of this young, conquering, loving, godlike Roman,
Felt all the great divinity of virtue.

4. His wishing youth stood check'd; his tempting power, Restrain'd by kind humanity. At once,

He for her parents and her lover call'd.
The various scene imagine. How his troops
Look'd dubious on, and wonder'd what he meant ;
While stretch'd below, the trembling suppliant lay,
Rack'd by a thousand mingling passions-fear,
Hope, jealousy, disdain, submission, grief,
Anxiety, and love, in every shape.

To these, as different sentiments succeeded,
As mix'd emotions, when the man divine
Thus the dread silence to the lover broke-

5. “We both are young-both charm'd. The right of

war

Has put thy beauteous mistress in my power;
With whom I could, in the most sacred ties,
Live out a happy life. But know, that Romans,
Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer;
Then take her to thy soul, and with her, take
Thy liberty and kingdom. In return,

I ask but this-when you behold these eyes,
These charms, with transport, be a friend to Rome."
Ecstatic wonder held the lovers mute;

While the loud camp, and all the clust❜ring crowd
That hung aroung, rang with repeated shouts.
Fame took th' alarm, and through resounding Spain
Blew fast the fair report; which, more than arms,
Admiring nations to the Romans gain'd.

DEATH OF CESAR.

1. CESAR having been made perpetual dictator, and received from the senate accumulated honors, it began to be rumored that he intended to make himself king; and though in fact he was possessed of the power, the people, who had an utter aversion to the name, could not bear his assuming the title. Whether he really designed to assume that empty honor, must now for ever remain a secret; but certain it is, that the unsuspecting openness of his conduct marked something like a confidence in the innocence of his intentions.

2. When informed, by those about him, of the jealousie of many persons who envied his power, he was heard to say that he had rather die once by treason, than to live continu ally in apprehension of it. When advised by some to beware of Brutus, in whom he had for some time reposed the great est confidence, he opened his breast, all scarred with wounds saying, “Can you think Brutus cares for such poor pillage as this?" And being one night at supper, as his friends dis puted among themselves what death was easiest, he replied that which was most sudden and least foreseen. But to convince the world how little he had to apprehend from his enemies, he disbanded his company of Spanish guards, which facilitated the enterprise against his life.

3. A deep conspiracy was therefore laid against him, composed of no less than sixty senators. They were still the more formidable, as the generality of them were of his own party, who having been raised above other citizens, felt more strongly the weight of a single superior. At the head of this conspiracy were Brutus, whose life Cæsar had spared after the battle of Pharsalia, and Cassius, who was pardoned soon after, both prætors for the present year. Brutus made it his chief glory to have descended from that Brutus who first gave liberty to Rome. The passion for freedom seemed to have been transmitted with the blood of his ancestors down to him. But though he detested tyranny, yet he could not forbear loving the tyrant, from whom he had received the most signal benefits.

4. The conspirators, to give a color of justice to their proceedings, remitted the execution of their design to the ides of March, the day on which Cæsar was to be offered the crown. The augurs had foretold that this day would be fatal to him; and the night preceding, he heard his wife Calphurnia lamenting in her sleep; and being awakened, she con fessed to him that she dreamed of his being assassinated in her arms. These omens in some measure began to change his intentions of going to the senate, as he had resolved that day; but one of the conspirators coming in, prevailed upon him to keep his resolution, telling him of the reproach that would attend his staying at home till his wife had lucky

Of what was Cæsar warned to beware ?-Who engaged with Bru tus in a conspiracy to destroy Cæsar?

dreams, and of the preparations that were made for his appearance.

5. As he went along to the senate, a slave who hastened to him with information of the conspiracy, attempted to come near him, but could not for the crowd. Artemidorus, a Greek philosopher, who had discovered the whole plot, delivered him a memorial, containing the heads of the information; but Cæsar gave it, with other papers, to one of his secretaries, without reading, as was usual in things of this nature. Being at length entered the senate-house, where the conspirators were prepared to receive him, he met one Spurina, an augur, who had foretold this danger, to whom he said, smiling, "Well, Spurina, the ides of March are come.” "Yes," re

plied the augur, "but they are not yet over."

6. As soon as he had taken his place, the conspirators came near him, under pretence of saluting him; and Cimber, who was one of them, approached in a suppliant posture, pretending to sue for his brother's pardon, who had been banished by his order. All the conspirators seconded him with great earnestness; and Cimber, seeming to sue with still greater submission, took hold of the bottom of his robe, holding him so as to prevent his rising. This was the signal agreed on. Casca, who was behind, stabbed him, though slightly, in the shoulder. Cæsar instantly turned round, and with the steel of his tablet, wounded him in the arm.

7. However, all the conspirators were now alarmed; and enclosing him round, he received a second stab, from an unknown hand, in the breast, while Cassius wounded him in the face. He still defended himself with great vigor, rushing among them, and throwing down such as opposed him, till he saw Brutus among the conspirators, who, coming up, stuck his dagger into his thigh. From that moment Cæsar thought no more of defending himself; but looking upon this conspirator, cried out, " And you too, my son !"

Then

covering his head, and spreading his robe before him in order to fall with greater decency, he sunk down at the base of Pompey's statue, after receiving three-and-twenty wounds. from hands which he vainly supposed he had disarmed by his benefits.

8. Cæsar was killed in the fifty-sixth year of his

At what age was Cæsar assassinated?

age, and