all the more
surprising, because most of the kings her predecessors scarcely gave
themselves the trouble to acquire the Egyptian tongue, and several of
them quite abandoned the Macedonian.

Antony was so captivated by her that, leaving his troops assembled in
Mesopotamia, and ready to enter Syria, he suffered himself to be carried
away by her to Alexandria, there to keep holiday, like a boy, in play
and diversion, squandering and fooling away in enjoyments that most
costly, as Antiphon says, of all valuable, time. They had a sort of
company, to which they gave a particular name, calling it that of the
"Inimitable Livers." The members entertained one another daily in turn,
with an extravagance of expenditure beyond measure or belief. Philotas,
a physician of Amphissa, who was at that time a student of medicine in
Alexandria, used to tell my grandfather, Lamprias, that, having some
acquaintance with one of the royal cooks, he was invited by him, being a
young man, to come and see the sumptuous preparations for supper. So he
was taken into the kitchen, where he admired the prodigious variety of
all things; but particularly, seeing eight wild boars roasting whole, he
exclaimed, "Surely you have a great number of guests." The cook laughed
at his simplicity, and told him there were not more than twelve to sup,
but that every dish was to be served up just roasted to a turn, and if
anything was but one minute ill-timed, it was spoiled; "And," said he,
"maybe Antony will sup just now, maybe not this hour, maybe he will call
for wine, or begin to talk, and will put it off. So that," he continued,
"not one, but many suppers must be had in readiness, as it impossible to
guess at his hour."

Plato admits four sorts of flattery, but Cleopatra had a thousand. Were
Antony serious or disposed to mirth, she had at any moment some new
delight or charm to meet his wishes. She played at dice with him, drank
with him, hunted with him; and when he exercised in arms, she was there
to see. At night she would go rambling with him to disturb and torment
people at their doors and windows, dressed like a servant-woman, for
Antony also went in servant's disguise, and from these expeditions
he often came home very scurvily answered, and sometimes even beaten
severely, though most people guessed who it was. It would be trifling
without end to be particular in his follies, but his fishing must not
be forgotten. He went out one day to angle with Cleopa