no
good-will to Cleopatra, as knowing that she was a woman irksome to all;
and at that time he thought her particularly worthy of his hatred, if
this attempt proceeded out of lust; he had also thought of preventing
her intrigues, by putting her to death, if such were her endeavors.
However, he refused to comply with her proposals, and called a counsel
of his friends to consult with them whether he should not kill her, now
he had her in his power; for that he should thereby deliver all those
from a multitude of evils to whom she was already become irksome, and
was expected to be still so for the time to come; and that this very
thing would be much for the advantage of Antony himself, since she would
certainly not be faithful to him, in case any such season or necessity
should come upon him as that he should stand in need of her fidelity.
But when he thought to follow this advice, his friends would not let
him; and told him that, in the first place, it was not right to attempt
so great a thing, and run himself thereby into the utmost danger; and
they laid hard at him, and begged of him to undertake nothing rashly,
for that Antony would never bear it, no, not though any one should
evidently lay before his eyes that it was for his own advantage; and
that the appearance of depriving him of her conversation, by this
violent and treacherous method, would probably set his affections more
on a flame than before. Nor did it appear that he could offer any thing
of tolerable weight in his defense, this attempt being against such a
woman as was of the highest dignity of any of her sex at that time
in the world; and as to any advantage to be expected from such an
undertaking, if any such could be supposed in this case, it would appear
to deserve condemnation, on account of the insolence he must take upon
him in doing it: which considerations made it very plain that in so
doing he would find his government filled with mischief, both great and
lasting, both to himself and his posterity, whereas it was still in his
power to reject that wickedness she would persuade him to, and to
come off honorably at the same time. So by thus affrighting Herod, and
representing to him the hazard he must, in all probability, run by
this undertaking, they restrained him from it. So he treated Cleopatra
kindly, and made her presents, and conducted her on her way to Egypt.

3. But Antony subdued Armenia, and sent Artabazes, the son of Tigranes,
in bonds,