Cleopatra

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Of all the beautiful women of history, none has left us such convincing proofs of her charms as Cleopatra, for the tide of Rome's destiny, and, therefore, that of the world, turned aside because of her beauty. Julius Caesar, whose legions trampled the conquered world from Canopus to the Thames, capitulated to her, and Mark Antony threw a fleet, an empire and his own honor to the winds to follow her to his destruction. Disarmed at last before the frigid Octavius, she found her peerless body measured by the cold eye of her captor only for the triumphal procession, and the friendly asp alone spared her Rome's crowning ignominy.

ILLUSTRATIONS

CLEOPATRA

MEETING OF CLEOPATRA AND ANTONY

CLEOPATRA TESTING THE POISON UPON THE SLAVES

[Illustration: Map-'Scene of CLEOPATRA'S HISTORY']

The parentage and birth of Cleopatra.-Cleopatra's residence in Egypt.-Physical aspect of Egypt.-The eagle's wings and science.-Physical peculiarities of Egypt connected with the laws of rain.-General laws of rain.-Causes which modify the quantity of rain.-Striking contrasts.-Rainless regions.-Great rainless region of Asia and Africa.-The Andes.-Map of the rainless region.-Valley of the Nile.-The Red Sea.-The oases.-Siweh.-Mountains of the Moon.-The River Nile.-Incessant rains.-Inundation of the Nile.-Course of the river.-Subsidence of the waters.-Luxuriant vegetation.-Absence of forests.-Great antiquity of Egypt.-Her monuments.-The Delta of the Nile.-The Delta as seen from the sea.-Pelusiac mouth of the Nile.-The Canopic mouth.-Ancient Egypt.-The Pyramids.-Conquests of the Persians and Macedonians.-The Ptolemies.-Founding of Alexandria.-The Pharos.

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