esar was very glad to receive the
pair and learned from them about Antony's condition, what he was doing,
what he had in mind, what was written in his will, and the name of the
man that had it; for they had taken part in sealing it. He became still
more violently enraged from this cause and did not shrink from searching
for the document, seizing it, and then carrying it into the senate and
subsequently the assembly, and reading it. The clauses contained in it
were of such a nature that his most lawless behavior brought upon him
no reproach from the citizens. The writer had asseverated the fact that
Caesarion was truly sprung from Caesar, had given some enormous presents to
his children by the Egyptian queen, who were being reared by him, and had
ordered that his body be buried in Alexandria and by her side.

[-4-] This made the Romans in their indignation believe that the other
reports circulated were also true,--viz., that if Antony should prevail,
he would bestow their city upon Cleopatra and transfer the seat of power
to Egypt. And thereat they became so angry that all, not only such as
disliked him or were indifferent to the two men, censured him, but even
his most intimate friends did so severely. For in consternation at what
was read and eager to relieve themselves of the suspicion felt toward
them by Caesar, they said the same as the rest. They deprived him of the
consulship, to which he had been previously elected, and of all his
remaining authority. They did not declare him an enemy in so many words,
because they feared its effect on his adherents, since it would be
necessary that they also be held in the position of enemies in case they
should not abandon him; but by action they showed their attitude as
plainly as possible. For they voted to the men arrayed on his side pardon
and praise if they would abandon him, and declared war outright upon
Cleopatra, put on their military cloaks as though he were close at hand,
and went to the temple of Bellona where they performed through Caesar as
_fetialis_ all the rites preliminary to war in the customary fashion.
These were stated to refer to Cleopatra, but their real bearing was on
Antony. [-5-] She had enslaved him so absolutely that she persuaded him
to act as gymnasiarch[58] to the Alexandrians; and she was saluted by him
as "queen" and "mistress," had Roman soldiers in her body-guard, and all
of these inscribed her name upon their shields. She used to frequent the