her partner in the government. To the two children, which he had by her himfelf, he gave the title of King of Kings, with very extenfive dominions; and, to crown his abfurdities, he next fent a minute account of his proceedings to the two confuls at Rome, One folly is generally the parent of many more. As he became a God it was now neceffary to act up to his imaginary dignity; new luxuries and pageantries were therefore ftudied, and new modes of profufion found out. No lefs a fum than fixty thousand pounds of our money was lavished upon one fingle entertainment. It is faid, upon this occafion that Cleopatra diffolved a pearl of great value into vinegar, and drank it off. Yet, however high wrought their entertainments might be, they wanted that delicacy which gives the fineft relifh to all fenfual happiness. Antony, as we are told, was but a coarfe and inelegant foldier, who mistook obfcenity for wit, and profufion for magnificence. Cleopatra who was naturally more refined, was yet obliged to comply with his difpofition, and to bear with his debaucheries, rather than fhare them. But we are told of one circumftance that might well reprefs their delights, and teach mankind to relish the beverage of virtue, however fimple, above their most zefted enjoyments. He was fufpicious of being poifoned in every meal; he feared Cleopatra whom he fo much loved, and would eat nothing, without having it previously tafted by one of his attendants. The behaviour of Antony to the fifter of Octavius, broke off all appearance of agreement between them, Antony complained that his colleague had feized upon Sicily, without affording him a fhare; and that he had divided all Italy among his own foldiers, leaving nothing to recompence thofe in Afia. To this complaint Octavius was contented to make a farcastic anfwer, implying, that it was abfurd to complain of his diftribution of a few trifling diftricts in Italy; when Antony, having conquered Parthia, might now reward his foldiers with cities and provinces. This farcafin upon Antony's misfortunes in Parthia, fo provoked him, that he ordered Canidius, who commanded his army, to march without delay into Europe, while he and Cleopatra followed to Samos, in order to prepare for carrying on the war with vigour. When arrived there it was ridiculous enough to behold the odd mixture of preparations for pleafure and for war. On one fide, all the kings and princes from Egypt to the Euxine fea had orders to fend him thither fupplies both of men, provifions, and arms; on the other fide, all the comedians, dancers, buf P 3 foons, foons, and musicians of Greece, were ordered to attend him, Thus, frequently, when a fhip was thought to arrive laden with foldiers, arms, and ammunition, it was found only filled with players and theatrical machinery. When news was expected of the approach of an army, meffengers only arrived with tidings of a fresh quantity of venifon. In this manner he laboured to unite incompatible purfuits. The kings who attend, ed him endeavoured to gain his favour more by their `entertainments than their warlike preparations. The provinces ftrove rather to please him by facrificing to his divinity, than by their alacrity in his defence; fo that fome were heard to fay, "What rejoicings would not this man make for a vic tory, when he thus triumphs at the eve of a dangerous "war!" In short, his best friends now began to forfake his interefts, which is generally the cafe with all thofe who first forfake themselves, His delay at Samos, and afterwards at Athens, where he carried Cleopatra, to receive new honours, was extremely favourable to the arms of Auguftus. At length the war was begun, and the armies of each general were fuitable to the greatness of the empire they contended for. The one was followed by all the forces of the Eaft; the other drew after him all the ftrength of the Weft to fupport his pretenfions. Antony's force compofed a body of an hundred thousand foot, and twelve thousand horfe; while his fleet amounted to five hundred fhips of war. The army of Auguftus muftered but eighty thousand foot, but equalled his adverfary's in number of cavalry. His fleet was but half as numerous as Antony's; his hips, however, were better built, and manned with better foldiers. Such forces on both fides may excite our wonder, but not our intereft and approbation. Neither of them had a good caufe to fupport. The contention of both was only like that of two robbers, who quarrel in the divifion of their plunder. The great decifive engagement, which was a naval one, was fought near Actium, a city of Epirus, at the entrance of the gulf of Ambracia. Octavius was triumphant, and Antony retired into Egypt, where he killed himfelf. Cleopatra alfo foon after put an end to her life, and Egypt became a new addition to the empire of Rome. The manner of Cleopatra's death was as follows: Being informed, that Octavius, intended her as an ornament in his triumph, fhe entreated permiffion to pay her laft oblations at Antony's tomb. This requeft being granted her, fhe was carried, with her two female attendants, to the ftately monu ment ment where he was laid. There she threw herself upon his coffin, bewailed her captivity, and renewed her proteftations not to furvive him. She then crowned the tomb with garlands of flowers; and having kiffed the coffin a thousand times, the returned home, to execute her fatal refolution. Having bathed, and ordered a fumptuous banquet, fhe attired herself in the moft fplendid manner; and after the feast, ordered all but her two attendants, Charmion and Iris, to leave the room. Having previously ordered an afp to be fecretly conveyed to her in a basket of fruit, fhe fent a letter to Octavius, informing his of her fatal purpofe, and defiring to be buried in the fame tomb with Antony. Octavius, upon receiving this letter, inftantly dispatched meffengers to ftop her intentions, but they arrived too late. Upon entering the chamber they beheld Cleopatra lying dead upon a gilded couch, arrayed in her royal robes. Near her, Iris,one of her faithful attendants, was ftretched lifelefs at the feet of her miftrefs; and Charmion herself almoft expiring, was fettling the diadem upon Cleopatra's head. "Alas!" cried one of the meffengers, "was this well done, Charmion?"-"Yes," replied the, "it is well done, fuch a death becomes a queen, defcended "from a race of glorious ancestors." On pronouncing thefe words fhe fell down, and died with her much-loved mistress. There are fome circumftances in the death of this celebrated woman, which intereft our affections, contrary to the dictates of our reafon. Though with scarce any valuable talent but that of cunning, and fearce any other ornament but that of beauty, yet we pity her fate, and fympathife with her diftreffes. She died at the age of thirty-nine, after having reigned twenty-two years. Her death put an end to the monarchy in Egypt, which had flourished there for immemorial ages. CHA P. XL. Auguftus Cæfar-Reafons why Julius Cæfar failed in his attempt to make a Revolution in the Government, whilft Auguftus fucceeded-Moderation of Auguftus-His Death. THE HE battle of Actium decided the fate of liberty and of Rome. Octavius, who now affumed the title of Auguftus, was become compleat mafter of the Roman world, and at the head of the most extensive empire that mankind had ever beheld. By the advice of Agrippa and Mæcenas, he new-modelled the form of government, and declined the title of king. After securing, by his mild and prudent behaviour, the adherents of Antony, he gained the affections of the fenators and chief magiftrates, by the moft fumptuous entertainments, and a promise to refign the fovereign power at the end of five years, or as foon as he had restored peace, and quiet to the state. He exhibited public fhows, and, by an artful conduct, quieted the minds of the people, who with joy faw the gates of the temple of Janus fhut, after they had been open two hundred and seventeen years. * It is very remarkable, that during the long contentions of the Romans among themselves, and the horrid devaftations. by civil war, the state was daily growing formidable and powerful, and completed the deftruction of all the kings who prefumed to oppose it. A modern politician pretends to prove, upon principle, that this must be the cafe in every ftate long harraffed by civil war. "In fuch a feafon," fays he, "the nobility, the citizens, the artizans, the peasants, in "fhort, the whole body of the people, become foldiers; and "when peace has united all the contending parties, this "ftate enjoys great advantages over others, whofe subjects "are generally citizens. Befides civil wars always produce great men; as then is the feafon when merit is fought for, "and talents became confpicuous.' However this may be, there never was a time when Rome was fo magnificent, populous, and refined. The revenues of the empire, have been computed to be about forty millions of our money., The number of citizens amounted to four millions and fixty-three men, women, and children; a number more than double that of London, at present the most populous city in the world. Rome and its fuburbs, hiftorians tell us, were, at this time, fifty miles in compass. The greatest events in hiftory proceed from a mixture of defign and accident, and partly arife from the character of individuals, partly from the fituation in which they are placed. When Cæfar attempted to make a revolution in the government, the Romans had not forgot their ancient freedom. Sentiments of liberty were fo univerfal as to pervade even the army, who were the engines of its deftruction. The great men who had beheld the republic, and felt their confequence under the old conftitution, refused to descend from the rank of equals to Cæfar, to be the fubjects of the dictator. When Auguftus began his reign, a different fituation of affairs took place. After long and bloody wars, peace was proclaimed; and the people, entertained at feafts, and with fhews, forgot their ancient freedom, or never remembered it without the concomitant ideas of civil wars, profcriptions, and maffacres. Many of the moft noble families were extinct; and the republicans of spirit and zeal had perished by the fword. 1 When Cæfar became mafter of the republic, he displayed that ambition which he was formerly careful to conceal. He fought the oftentation as well as the poffeffion of power. He defpifed established forms, and could not conceal his contempt of the fenate, and of the people. His virtues too, his magnanimity, and his clemency, tended to accelerate his fate. The death of Cæfar was a warning to his fucceffor. He refpected, or feemed to refpect the fenate; preferved the ancient forms of the commonwealth; refufed the dictatorship and the title of Lord, and endeavoured to perfuade the people that they were free. His vices concurred with his good fortune in raifing him to greatnefs. The adoption of Cæfar had infpired him with ambition, the name of Cæfar had given him the legions; his cunning and flattery, unfufpected in youth, procured him the influence and eloquence of Cicero; his cruelty and avarice confented to the horrible profcriptions which exterminated the moft eminent or formidable Romans. We must add, however, in juftice to his fame, that, though feeble in the field, he was hardy in the cabinet; that he took advantage of all those circumftances which fortune presented; that he made a wife choice of his minifters, and governed the Roman empire with prudence and moderation*. The Romaps became fond of his government, and in full fenate gave him the title of Father of his country. Several very wholesome edicts were paffed by his command, tending * Univerfal History. to |