ng more seems to have been added to them, though the Alexandrian
Jews continued to add new books to their Greek Bible, while cultivating
the Platonic philosophy with a success which made a change in their
religious opinions. It was in Alexandria, and very much by the help
of the Jews, that Eastern and Western opinions now met. Each made some
change in the other, and, on the union of the two, Alexandria gave to
the world a new form of philosophy. The vices and cruelty of Euergetes
called for more than usual skill in the minister to keep down the angry
feelings of the people. This skill was found in the general Hierax,
who was one of those men whose popular manners, habits of business,
and knowledge of war, make them rise over every difficulty in times
of trouble. On him rested the whole weight of the government; his wise
measures in part made up for the vices of his master; and, when the
treasure of the state had been turned to the king's pleasures, and the
soldiers were murmuring for want of pay, Hierax brought forward his own
money to quiet the rebellion. But at last the people could bear their
grievances no longer; the soldiers without pay, instead of guarding the
throne, were its greatest enemies, and the mob rose in Alexandria,
set fire to the palace, and Euergetes was forced to leave the city and
withdraw to Cyprus.

The Alexandrians, when free from their tyrant, sent for Cleopatra,
his sister and divorced queen, and set her upon the throne. Her son by
Philometor, in whose name she had before claimed the throne, had been
put to death by Euergetes; Memphites, one of her sons by Euergetes, was
with his father in the island of Cyprus; and Euergetes, fearing that his
first wife Cleopatra and her advisers might make use of his son's
name to strengthen her throne, had the child at once put to death.
The birthday of Cleopatra was at hand, and it was to be celebrated in
Alexandria with the usual pomp; and Euergetes, putting the head, hands,
and feet of his son Memphites into a box, sent it to Alexandria by a
messenger, who had orders to deliver it to Cleopatra in the midst of
the feast, when the nobles and ambassadors were making their accustomed
gifts. The grief of Cleopatra was only equalled by the anger of the
Alexandrians, who the more readily armed themselves under Marsyas to
defend the queen against the invasion for which Euergetes was then
making preparations.

The queen's forces shortly marched against the army of