Cleopatra, being an account of the fall and vengeance of Harmachis, the royal Egyptian, as set forth by his own hand . H OF THE OLD WIFE,ATOUA. after these things Ptolemy the Pipertroubled us no more, nor did heagain send his soldiers to Abouthisto seek for him of whom it was pro-phesied that he should be the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by theeunuch as he sat in his palace of marbleat Alexandria, flushed with Cyprianwine, and played upon the flute beforehis women. And at his bidding theeunuch lifted up the head by the hair forhim to look on. Then he lau
Cleopatra, being an account of the fall and vengeance of Harmachis, the royal Egyptian, as set forth by his own hand . H OF THE OLD WIFE,ATOUA. after these things Ptolemy the Pipertroubled us no more, nor did heagain send his soldiers to Abouthisto seek for him of whom it was pro-phesied that he should be the head of the child, my foster-brother, was brought to him by theeunuch as he sat in his palace of marbleat Alexandria, flushed with Cyprianwine, and played upon the flute beforehis women. And at his bidding theeunuch lifted up the head by the hair forhim to look on. Then he laughed and smote it on the cheekwith his sandal, bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh withflowers. And he bowed the knee, and mocked the head ofthe innocent child. But the girl, who was sharp of tongue—for all of this I heard in after years—said to him that hedid well to bow the knee, for this child was indeed Pharaoh,the greatest of Pharaohs, and his name was the Osiris and histhrone was Death. Auletes was much troubled at these words, and trembled,for, being a wicked man, he greatly feared the entering into. 22 CLEOPA TRA Amenti. So he caused the girl to be slain because of the evilomen of her saying ; crying that he would send her to worshipthat Pharaoh whom she had named. And the other womenhe sent away, and played no more upon the flute till he wasonce again drunk on the morrow. But the Alexandriansmade a song on the matter, which is still sung about thestreets. And this is the beginning of it— Ptolemy the Piper played Over dead and dying;Piped and played he well. Sure that flute of his was madeOf the dank reed sighing Oer the streams of Hell. There beneath the shadows grey- With the sisters three,Shall he pipe for many a day. May the Frog his butler be ! And his wine the water of that countrie—Ptolemy the Piper! After this the years passed on, nor did I, being very little,know anything of the great things that came to pass in Egypt;nor is it my purpose to set them
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1894
