ality of her ideas, and the point and pertinency of
her mode of expressing them, made her, independently of her personal
charms, an exceedingly entertaining and agreeable companion. She, in
fact, completely won the great conqueror's heart; and, through the
strong attachment to her which he immediately formed, he became wholly
disqualified to act impartially between her and her brother in regard to
their respective rights to the crown. We call Ptolemy Cleopatra's
brother; for, though he was also, in fact, her husband, still, as he was
only ten or twelve years of age at the time of Cleopatra's expulsion
from Alexandria, the marriage had been probably regarded, thus far, only
as a mere matter of form. Caesar was now about fifty-two. He had a wife,
named Calpurnia, to whom he had been married about ten years. She was
living, at this time in an unostentatious and quiet manner at Rome. She
was a lady of an amiable and gentle character, devotedly attached to her
husband, patient and forbearing in respect to his faults, and often
anxious and unhappy at the thought of the difficulties and dangers in
which his ardent and unbounded ambition so often involved him.

Caesar immediately began to take a very strong interest in Cleopatra's
cause. He treated her personally with the fondest attention, and it was
impossible for her not to reciprocate in some degree the kind feeling
with which he regarded her. It was, in fact, something altogether new to
her to have a warm and devoted friend, espousing her cause, tendering
her protection, and seeking in every way to promote her happiness. Her
father had all his life neglected her. Her brother, of years and
understanding totally inferior to hers, whom she had been compelled to
make her husband, had become her mortal enemy. It is true that, in
depriving her of her inheritance and expelling her from her native land,
he had been only the tool and instrument of more designing men. This,
however, far from improving the point of view from which she regarded
him, made him appear not only hateful, but contemptible too. All the
officers of government, also, in the Alexandrian court had turned
against her, because they had supposed that they could control her
brother more easily if she were away. Thus she had always been
surrounded by selfish, mercenary, and implacable foes. Now, for the
first time, she seemed to have a friend. A protector had suddenly arisen
to support and defend her,--a man of very a