our for song, and thy dirge is fitted to the hour.
Sing it over me once again when I lie dead, Charmion. And now farewell
to music, and on to the end. Olympus, take yonder parchment and write
what I shall say."

I took the parchment and the reed, and wrote thus in the Roman tongue:

"Cleopatra to Octavianus, greeting.

"This is the state of life. At length there comes an hour when, rather
than endure those burdens that overwhelm us, putting off the body we
would take wing into forgetfulness. Caesar, thou hast conquered: take
thou the spoils of victory. But in thy triumph Cleopatra cannot walk.
When all is lost, then we must go to seek the lost. Thus in the desert
of Despair the brave do harvest Resolution. Cleopatra hath been great
as Antony was great, nor shall her fame be minished in the manner of
her end. Slaves live to endure their wrong; but Princes, treading with a
firmer step, pass through the gates of Wrong into the royal Dwellings of
the Dead. This only doth Egypt ask of Caesar--that he suffer her to lie
in the tomb of Antony. Farewell!"

This I wrote, and having sealed the writing, Cleopatra bade me go find a
messenger, despatch it to Caesar, and then return. So I went, and at the
door of the tomb I called a soldier who was not on duty, and, giving him
money, bade him take the letter to Caesar. Then I went back, and there in
the chamber the three women stood in silence, Cleopatra clinging to the
arm of Iras, and Charmion a little apart watching the twain.

"If indeed thou art minded to make an end, O Queen," I said, "the time
is short, for presently Caesar will send his servants in answer to thy
letter," and I drew forth the phial of white and deadly bane and set it
upon the board.

She took it in her hand and gazed thereon. "How innocent it seems!" she
said; "and yet therein lies my death. 'Tis strange."

"Ay, Queen, and the death of ten other folk. No need to take so long a
draught."

"I fear," she gasped--"how know I that it will slay outright? I have
seen so many die by poison and scarce one has died outright. And
some--ah, I cannot think on them!"

"Fear not," I said, "I am a master of my craft. Or, if thou dost
fear, cast this poison forth and live. In Rome thou mayst still find
happiness; ay, in Rome, where thou shalt walk in Caesar's triumph, while
the laughter of the hard-eyed Latin women shall chime down the music of
thy golden chains."

"Nay, I will die, Olympus. Oh, if one would but sho