CHAPTER XIII.
Chariot after chariot hurried out of the great gate of the king's palaceand into the city, now sunk in slumber. All was still in the greatbanqueting-hall, and dark-hued slaves began with brooms and sponges toclean the mosaic pavement, which was strewed with rose leaves and withthose that had fallen from the faded garlands of ivy and poplar; whilehere and there the spilt wine shone with a dark gleam in the dim lightof the few lamps that had not been extinguished.
A young flute-player, overcome with sleep and wine, still sat in onecorner. The poplar wreath that had crowned his curls had slipped overhis pretty face, but even in sleep he still held his flute clasped fastin his fingers. The servants let him sleep on, and bustled about withoutnoticing him; only an overseer pointed to him, and said laughing:
"His companions went home no more sober than that one. He is a prettyboy, and pretty Chloes lover besides--she will look for him in vain thismorning."
"And to-morrow too perhaps," answered another; "for if the fat king seesher, poor Damon will have seen the last of her."
But the fat king, as Euergetes was called by the Alexandrians, and,following their example, by all the rest of Egypt, was not just thenthinking of Chloe, nor of any such person; he was in the bath attachedto his splendidly fitted residence. Divested of all clothing, he wasstanding in the tepid fluid which completely filled a huge basin ofwhite marble. The clear surface of the perfumed water mirrored statuesof nymphs fleeing from the pursuit of satyrs, and reflected theshimmering light of numbers of lamps suspended from the ceiling. At theupper end of the bath reclined the bearded and stalwart statue of theNile, over whom the sixteen infant figures--representing the number ofells to which the great Egyptian stream must rise to secure a favorableinundation--clambered and played to the delight of their noble fatherNile and of themselves. From the vase which supported the arm of thevenerable god flowed an abundant stream of cold water, which five prettylads received in slender alabaster vases, and poured over the head andthe enormously prominent muscles of the breast, the back and the arms ofthe young king who was taking his bath.
"More, more--again and again," cried Euergetes, as the boys began topause in bringing and pouring the water; and then, when they threw afresh stream over him, he snorted and plunged with satisfaction, anda perfect shower of jets splashed off him as the blast of his breathsputtered away the water that fell over his face.
At last he shouted out: "Enough!" flung himself with all his force intothe water, that spurted up as if a huge block of stone had been throwninto it, held his head for a long time under water, and then went up themarble steps of the bath shaking his head violently and mischievously inhis boyish insolence, so as thoroughly to wet his friends and servantswho were standing round the margin of the basin; he suffered himself tobe wrapped in snowy-white sheets of the thinnest and finest linen, tobe sprinkled with costly essences of delicate odor, and then he withdrewinto a small room hung all round with gaudy hangings.
There he flung himself on a mound of soft cushions, and said with adeep-drawn breath: "Now I am happy; and I am as sober again as a babythat has never tasted anything but its mother's milk. Pindar is right!there is nothing better than water! and it slakes that raging fire whichwine lights up in our brain and blood. Did I talk much nonsense justnow, Hierax?"
The man thus addressed, the commander-in-chief of the royal troops,and the king's particular friend, cast a hesitating glance at thebystanders; but, Euergetes desiring him to speak without reserve, hereplied:
"Wine never weakens the mind of such as you are to the point of folly,but you were imprudent. It would be little short of a miracle ifPhilometor did not remark--"
"Capital!" interrupted the king sitting up on his cushions. "You,Hierax, and you, Komanus, remain here--you others may go. But do notgo too far off, so as to be close at hand in case I should need you. Inthese days as much happens in a few hours as usually takes place in asmany years."
Those who were thus dismissed withdrew, only the king's dresser, aMacedonian of rank, paused doubtfully at the door, but Euergetes signedto him to retire immediately, calling after him:
"I am very merry and shall not go to bed. At three hours after sunriseI expect Aristarchus--and for work too. Put out the manuscripts that Ibrought. Is the Eunuch Eulaeus waiting in the anteroom? Yes--so much thebetter!
"Now we are alone, my wise friends Hierax and Komanus, and I mustexplain to you that on this occasion, out of pure prudence, you seem tome to have been anything rather than prudent. To be prudent is to havethe command of a wide circle of thought, so that what is close at handis no more an obstacle than what is remote. The narrow mind can commandonly that which lies close under observation; the fool and visionaryonly that which is far off. I will not blame you, for even the wisesthas his hours of folly, but on this occasion you have certainlyoverlooked that which is at hand, in gazing at the distance, and I seeyou stumble in consequence. If you had not fallen into that error youwould hardly have looked so bewildered when, just now, I exclaimed'Capital!'
"Now, attend to me. Philometor and my sister know very well what myhumor is, and what to expect of me. If I had put on the mask of asatisfied man they would have been surprised, and have scented mischief,but as it was I showed myself to them exactly what I always am and evenmore reckless than usual, and talked of what I wanted so openly thatthey may indeed look forward to some deed of violence at my hands buthardly to a treacherous surprise, and that tomorrow; for he who falls onhis enemy in the rear makes no noise about it.
"If I believed in your casuistry, I might think that to attack the enemyfrom behind was not a particularly fine thing to do, for even I wouldrather see a man's face than his rear--particularly in the case of mybrother and sister, who are both handsome to look upon. But what cana man do? After all, the best thing to do is what wins the victory andmakes the game. Indeed, my mode of warfare has found supporters amongthe wise. If you want to catch mice you must waste bacon, and if we areto tempt men into a snare we must know what their notions and ideas are,and begin by endeavoring to confuse them.
"A bull is least dangerous when he runs straight ahead in his fury;while his two-legged opponent is least dangerous when he does not knowwhat he is about and runs feeling his way first to the right and then tothe left. Thanks to your approval--for I have deserved it, and I hope tobe able to return it, my friend Hierax. I am curious as to your report.Shake up the cushion here under my head--and now you may begin."
"All appears admirably arranged," answered the general. "The flower ofour troops, the Diadoches and Hetairoi, two thousand-five hundred men,are on their way hither, and by to-morrow will encamp north of Memphis.Five hundred will find their way into the citadel, with the priestsand other visitors to congratulate you on your birthday, the other twothousand will remain concealed in the tents. The captain of your brotherPhilometor's Philobasilistes is bought over, and will stand by us;but his price was high--Komanus was forced to offer him twenty talentsbefore he would bite."
"He shall have them," said the king laughing, "and he shall keep themtoo, till it suits me to regard him as suspicious, and to reward himaccording to his deserts by confiscating his estates. Well! proceed."
"In order to quench the rising in Thebes, the day before yesterdayPhilometor sent the best of the mercenaries with the standards ofDesilaus and Arsinoe to the South. Certainly it cost not a little tobribe the ringleaders, and to stir up the discontent to an outbreak."
"My brother will repay us for this outlay," interrupted the king, "whenwe pour his treasure into our own coffers. Go on."
"We shall have most difficulty with the priests and the Jews. The formercling to Philometor, because he is the eldest son of his father, and hasgiven large bounties to the temples, particularly of Apollinopolis andPhilae; the Jews are attached to him, because he favors them more thanthe Greeks, and he, and his wife--your illustrious sister--troublethemselves with their vain religious squabbles; he disputes with themabout the doctrines contained in their bo
ok, and at table too prefersconversing with them to any one else."
"I will salt the wine and meat for them that they fatten on here," criedEuergetes vehemently, "I forbade to-day their presence at my table, forthey have good eyes and wits as sharp as their noses. And they are mostdangerous when they are in fear, or can reckon on any gains.
"At the same time it cannot be denied that they are honest andtenacious, and as most of them are possessed of some property theyrarely make common cause with the shrieking mob--particularly here inAlexandria.
"Envy alone can reproach them for their industry and enterprise, for theactivity of the Hellenes has improved upon the example set by them andtheir Phoenician kindred.
"They thrive best in peaceful times, and since the world runs morequietly here, under my brother and sister, than under me, they attachthemselves to them, lend my brother money, and supply my sister with cutstones, sapphires and emeralds, selling fine stuffs and other woman'sgear for a scrap of written papyrus, which will soon be of no more valuethan the feather which falls from the wing of that green screaming birdon the perch yonder.
"It is incomprehensible to me that so keen a people cannot perceivethat there is nothing permanent but change, nothing so certain as thatnothing is certain; and that they therefore should regard their god asthe one only god, their own doctrine as absolutely and eternally true,and that they contemn what other peoples believe.
"These darkened views make fools of them, but certainly good soldierstoo--perhaps by reason indeed of this very exalted self-consciousnessand their firm reliance on their supreme god."
"Yes, they certainly are," assented Hierax. "But they serve your brothermore willingly, and at a lower price, than us."
"I will show them," cried the king, "that their taste is a perverted andobnoxious one. I require of the priests that they should instruct thepeople to be obedient, and to bear their privations patiently; but theJews," and at these words his eyes rolled with an ominous glare, "theJews I will exterminate, when the time comes."
"That will be good for our treasury too," laughed Komanus.
"And for the temples in the country," added Euergetes, "for though Iseek to extirpate other foes I would rather win over the priests; andI must try to win them if Philometor's kingdom falls into my hands,for the Egyptians require that their king should be a god; and I cannotarrive at the dignity of a real god, to whom my swarthy subjects willpray with thorough satisfaction, and without making my life a burden tome by continual revolts, unless I am raised to it by the suffrages ofthe priests."
"And nevertheless," replied Hierax, who was the only one of Euergetes'dependents, who dared to contradict him on important questions,"nevertheless this very day a grave demand is to be preferred on youraccount to the high-priest of Serapis. You press for the surrender of aservant of the god, and Philometor will not neglect--"
"Will not neglect," interrupted Euergetes, "to inform the mightyAsclepiodorus that he wants the sweet creature for me, and not forhimself. Do you know that Eros has pierced my heart, and that I burn forthe fair Irene, although these eyes have not yet been blessed with thesight of her?
"I see you believe me, and I am speaking the exact truth, for I vow Iwill possess myself of this infantine Hebe as surely as I hope to win mybrother's throne; but when I plant a tree, it is not merely to ornamentmy garden but to get some use of it. You will see how I will win overboth the prettiest of little lady-loves and the high-priest who, to besure, is a Greek, but still a man hard to bend. My tools are all readyoutside there.
"Now, leave me, and order Eulaeus to join me here."
"You are as a divinity," said Komanus, bowing deeply, "and we but asfrail mortals. Your proceedings often seem dark and incomprehensible toour weak intellect, but when a course, which to us seems to lead to nogood issue, turns out well, we are forced to admit with astonishmentthat you always choose the best way, though often a tortuous one."
For a short time the king was alone, sitting with his black brows knit,and gazing meditatively at the floor. But as soon as he heard the softfoot-fall of Eulaeus, and the louder step of his guide, he once moreassumed the aspect of a careless and reckless man of the world, shouteda jolly welcome to Eulaeus, reminded him of his, the king's, boyhood,and of how often he, Eulaeus, had helped him to persuade his mother togrant him some wish she had previously refused him.
"But now, old boy," continued the king, "the times are changed, andwith you now-a-days it is everything for Philometor and nothing for poorEuergetes, who, being the younger, is just the one who most needs yourassistance."
Eulaeus bowed with a smile which conveyed that he understood perfectlyhow little the king's last words were spoken in earnest, and he said:
"I purposed always to assist the weaker of you two, and that is what Ibelieve myself to be doing now."
"You mean my sister?"
"Our sovereign lady Cleopatra is of the sex which is often unjustlycalled the weaker. Though you no doubt were pleased to speak in jestwhen you asked that question, I feel bound to answer you distinctly thatit was not Cleopatra that I meant, but King Philometor."
"Philometor? Then you have no faith in his strength, you regard me asstronger than he; and yet, at the banquet to-day, you offered me yourservices, and told me that the task had devolved upon you of demandingthe surrender of the little serving-maiden of Serapis, in the king'sname, of Asclepiodorus, the high-priest. Do you call that aiding theweaker? But perhaps you were drunk when you told me that?
"No? You were more moderate than I? Then some other change of views musthave taken place in you; and yet that would very much surprise me, sinceyour principles require you to aid the weaker son of my mother--"
"You are laughing at me," interrupted the courtier with gentlereproachfulness, and yet in a tone of entreaty. "If I took your side itwas not from caprice, but simply and expressly from a desire to remainfaithful to the one aim and end of my life."
"And that is?"
"To provide for the welfare of this country in the same sense as didyour illustrious mother, whose counsellor I was."
"But you forget to mention the other--to place yourself to the bestpossible advantage."
"I did not forget it, but I did not mention it, for I know how closelymeasured out are the moments of a king; and besides, it seems to me asself-evident that we think of our personal advantage as that when we buya horse we also buy his shadow."
"How subtle! But I no more blame you than I should a girl who standsbefore her mirror to deck herself for her lover, and who takes the sameopportunity of rejoicing in her own beauty.
"However, to return to your first speech. It is for the sake of Egyptas you think--if I understand you rightly--that you now offer me theservices you have hitherto devoted to my brother's interests?"
"As you say; in these difficult times the country needs the will and thehand of a powerful leader."
"And such a leader you think I am?"
"Aye, a giant in strength of will, body and intellect--whose desire tounite the two parts of Egypt in your sole possession cannot fail, if youstrike and grasp boldly, and if--"
"If?" repeated the king, looking at the speaker so keenly that his eyesfell, and he answered softly:
"If Rome should raise no objection."
Euergetes shrugged his shoulders, and replied gravely:
"Rome indeed is like Fate, which always must give the final decisionin everything we do. I have certainly not been behindhand in enormoussacrifices to mollify that inexorable power, and my representative,through whose hands pass far greater sums than through those of thepaymasters of the troops, writes me word that they are not unfavorablydisposed towards me in the Senate."
"We have learned that from ours also. You have more friends by the Tiberthan Philometor, my own king, has; but our last despatch is alreadyseveral weeks old, and in the last few days things have occurred--"
"Speak!" cried Euergetes, sitting bolt upright on his cushions. "Butif you are laying a trap for me, and if you are s
peaking now as mybrother's tool, I will punish you--aye! and if you fled to the uttermostcave of the Troglodytes I would have you followed up, and you should betorn in pieces alive, as surely as I believe myself to be the true sonof my father."
"And I should deserve the punishment," replied Eulaeus humbly. Then hewent on: "If I see clearly, great events lie before us in the next fewdays."
"Yes--truly," said Euergetes firmly.
"But just at present Philometor is better represented in Rome than hehas ever been. You made acquaintance with young Publius Scipio at theking's table, and showed little zeal in endeavoring to win his goodgraces."
"He is one of the Cornelii," interrupted the king, "a distinguishedyoung man, and related to all the noblest blood of Rome; but he is notan ambassador; he has travelled from Athens to Alexandria, in order tolearn more than he need; and he carries his head higher and speaks morefreely than becomes him before kings, because the young fellows fancy itlooks well to behave like their elders."
"He is of more importance than you imagine."
"Then I will invite him to Alexandria, and there will win him over inthree days, as surely as my name is Euergetes."
"It will then be too late, for he has to-day received, as I know forcertain, plenipotentiary powers from the Senate to act in their name incase of need, until the envoy who is to be sent here again arrives."
"And I only now learn this for the first time!" cried the king springingup from his couch, "my friends must be deaf, and blind and dull indeed,if still I have any, and my servants and emissaries too! I cannotbear this haughty ungracious fellow, but I will invite him tomorrowmorning--nay I will invite him to-day, to a festive entertainment, andsend him the four handsomest horses that I have brought with me fromCyrene. I will--"
"It will all be in vain," said Eulaeus calmly and dispassionately. "Forhe is master, in the fullest and widest meaning of the word, of thequeen's favor--nay--if I may permit myself to speak out freely--ofCleopatra's more than warm liking, and he enjoys this sweetest of giftswith a thankful heart. Philometor--as he always does--lets matters go asthey may, and Cleopatra and Publius--Publius and Cleopatra triumph evenpublicly in their love; gaze into each other's eyes like any pair ofpastoral Arcadians, exchange cups and kiss the rim on the spot where thelips of the other have touched it. Promise and grant what you will tothis man, he will stand by your sister; and if you should succeed inexpelling her from the throne he would boldly treat you as PopiliusLaenas did your uncle Antiochus: he would draw a circle round yourperson, and say that if you dared to step beyond it Rome would marchagainst you."
Euergetes listened in silence, then, flinging away the draperies thatwrapped his body, he paced up and down in stormy agitation, groaningfrom time to time, and roaring like a wild bull that feels itselfconfined with cords and bands, and that exerts all its strength in vainto rend them.
Finally he stood still in front of Eulaeus and asked him:
"What more do you know of the Roman?"
"He, who would not allow you to compare yourself to Alcibiades, isendeavoring to out-do that darling of the Athenian maidens; for heis not content with having stolen the heart of the king's wife, he isputting out his hand to reach the fairest virgin who serves thehighest of the gods. The water-bearer whom Lysias, the Roman's friend,recommended for a Hebe is beloved by Publius, and he hopes to enjoy herfavors more easily in your gay palace than he can in the gloomy templeof Serapis."
At these words the king struck his forehead with his hand, exclaiming:"Oh! to be a king--a man who is a match for any ten! and to be obligedto submit with a patient shrug like a peasant whose grain my horsemencrush into the ground!
"He can spoil everything; mar all my plans and thwart all mydesires--and I can do nothing but clench my fist, and suffocate withrage. But this fuming and groaning are just as unavailing as my ragingand cursing by the death-bed of my mother, who was dead all the same andnever got up again.
"If this Publius were a Greek, a Syrian, an Egyptian--nay, were he myown brother--I tell you, Eulaeus, he should not long stand in my way;but he is plenipotentiary from Rome, and Rome is Fate--Rome is Fate."
The king flung himself back on to his cushions with a deep sigh, andas if crushed with despair, hiding his face in the soft pillows; butEulaeus crept noiselessly up to the young giant, and whispered in hisear with solemn deliberateness:
"Rome is Fate, but even Rome can do nothing against Fate. Publius Scipiomust die because he is ruining your mother's daughter, and stands in theway of your saving Egypt. The Senate would take a terrible revenge ifhe were murdered, but what can they do if wild beasts fall on theirplenipotentiary, and tear him to pieces?"
"Grand! splendid!" cried Euergetes, springing again to his feet, andopening his large eyes with radiant surprise and delight, as if heavenitself had opened before them, revealing the sublime host of the godsfeasting at golden tables.
"You are a great man, Eulaeus, and I shall know how to reward you; butdo you know of such wild beasts as we require, and do they know how toconduct themselves so that no one shall dare to harbor even the shadowof a suspicion that the wounds torn by their teeth and claws wereinflicted by daggers, pikes or spearheads?"
"Be perfectly easy," replied Eulaeus. "These beasts of prey have alreadyhad work to do here in Memphis, and are in the service of the king--"
"Aha! of my gentle brother!" laughed Euergetes. "And he boasts of neverhaving killed any one excepting in battle--and now--"
"But Philometor has a wife," interposed Eulaeus; and Euergetes went on.
"Aye, woman, woman! what is there that a man may not learn from awoman?"
Then he added in a lower tone: "When can your wild beasts do theirwork?"
"The sun has long since risen; before it sets I will have made mypreparations, and by about midnight, I should think, the deed may bedone. We will promise the Roman a secret meeting, lure him out to thetemple of Serapis, and on his way home through the desert--"
"Aye, then,--" cried the king, making a thrust at his own breast asthough his hand held a dagger, and he added in warning: "But your beastsmust be as powerful as lions, and as cautious-as cautious, as cats. Ifyou want gold apply to Komanus, or, better still, take this purse. Isit enough? Still I must ask you; have you any personal ground of hatredagainst the Roman?"
"Yes," answered Eulaeus decisively. "He guesses that I know all abouthim and his doings, and he has attacked me with false accusations whichmay bring me into peril this very day. If you should hear that the queenhas decided on throwing me into prison, take immediate steps for myliberation."
"No one shall touch a hair of your head; depend upon that. I see that itis to your interest to play my game, and I am heartily glad of it, fora man works with all his might for no one but himself. And now for thelast thing: When will you fetch my little Hebe?"
"In an hour's time I am going to Asclepiodorus; but we must not demandthe girl till to-morrow, for today she must remain in the temple as adecoy-bird for Publius Scipio."
"I will take patience; still I have yet another charge to give you.Represent the matter to the high-priest in such a way that heshall think my brother wishes to gratify one of my fancies bydemanding--absolutely demanding--the water-bearer on my behalf. Provokethe man as far as is possible without exciting suspicion, and if I knowhim rightly, he will stand upon his rights, and refuse you persistently.Then, after you, will come Komanus from me with greetings and gifts andpromises.
"To-morrow, when we have done what must be done to the Roman, you shallfetch the girl in my brother's name either by cunning or by force; andthe day after, if the gods graciously lend me their aid in uniting thetwo realms of Egypt under my own hand, I will explain to Asclepiodorusthat I have punished Philometor for his sacrilege against his temple,and have deposed him from the throne. Serapis shall see which of us ishis friend.
"If all goes well, as I mean that it shall, I will appoint you Epitroponof the re-united kingdom--that I swear to you by the souls of mydeceased ancestors. I
will speak with you to-day at any hour you maydemand it."
Eulaeus departed with a step as light as if his interview with the kinghad restored him to youth.
When Hierax, Komanus, and the other officers returned to the room,Euergetes gave orders that his four finest horses from Cyrene should beled before noonday to his friend Publius Cornelius Scipio, in token ofhis affection and respect. Then he suffered himself to be dressed, andwent to Aristarchus with whom he sat down to work at his studies.