A SHATTERED ROMANCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 419, 30 January 1909, Page 11

A SHATTERED ROMANCE.

•-, CLEOPATRA'S,LOVE. STORY.. Tho love story of Antony and Cleopatra, which has.,fascinated the imagination of To many centuries and inspired so many poets and artiste, has been rudely., shattered • by Signor, Guglielinb - the .Italian historian. ■ In bis hands the romance of ;the Roman general and the Egyptiaa queen becomes merely an! "anti-feminist legend, illustrating how dangerous it- is to leave to women the government of public affairs.". : : In the relations to these, famous people he has discovered.''small place, and that only in the latter' part, for: the'.passion of love," while-for the fabled beauty, of the woman he finds little foundation in.iact. 'Archaeologists have unfortunately discovered portraits of; Cleopatra,, and they do. not show .' 'the countenance of \' enus, delicate, gracious, smiling, but a the French would say, bouffie, with, a .powerful aquiline nose; the face , of a:woman : on in'years, ambitious, imperious." -,•'■ . ■■■' ■.';'.■," : ..■'■ -Antony first -met Cleopatra , at Tarsus "at the end-of the:-year 41 ,8.0. fie.passed the winter with her, and, leaving in the spring of 40, : staved away for three long .years. -. '■"There is no proof,'. , , said Signor Ferrerp, "that, he' was 'sig'hirig;during this' time for the.Egyptian queen'. Instead,.<he ,was tendiiig with alacrity'to preparations fprtbe conquest- bf Persia, a great design; .which .bad been conceived "'■ by Caesar, who,saw 'that only a' great , success would-give him'and his party; the' ;authprity'.' and' 'money: necessary to establish ■■•; a ■ solid; gpverjlihent.'.." 'Antony was'.exceedihgly- busy.-in"these three years extracting from all .riarts.'any. money,-that might be : in .In the midst of this .work,'", without any, explanation,' be part's, for; An tioch- to meet Cleopatra:. Plutarch concluded .that he,had been-'bourn- by the; fiery,';'-untamed':';'course; °f his. own -pas-1 sion," and,' not .finding aloy.other,.explanation; • historians, ancient.-. and -inoderil,-... have accepted.this one'. .But.''a century, ago:, a Frenchman , jiamed: Letrpnne,' ; .cbinparihg''anr eient coins with, passaged from the historians hitherto obscure, -was ; able to demonstrate thai in 36 b.o. <&t 'Antioch Antony, married Cleopatra with • all' the • dynastic .ceremonies .of Egypt, ,'and' thereupon .became,: King 'of Egypt, but witHbut: daring to assume, the: title.'f,'; : ;, ■:'■'/', ;■;>;■..; '■'■,■■ -J .".:'■' This; marriage was' a political .one,; and .tHere'.'isio' doubt jUjat in contracting^.'.it; An-; tony- .was putting into, execution the ideas ':pf Caesar.. .'i'he object, .was ,te'gain jpo'sseesion; "of'.the,treasures of Egypt 'for the.'Persian campaign,' and Cleopatra. consented'te- -the', alliance' because ; she-..was -threatened by, in-: tbrn'al bpposdti jnjiand.wished te. gather, about her.the RomtA- legions.'? ""•'-.' '~* ' .■,.-'.■'-: : '.■■; This'was the .begintiing'of the .famous'ro-, .manoe; . Afterward Signor'Ferre'r'o admitted it jp'robably': grew v into-' something -:,mpre.' " .Whether' beautiful- .or ugly. ,, Cleopatra. >was a pUyer'wbnian,"M'rreeponairig'.i|i,tnose'.tini€flto. 'a'nipdern ;Parisienne of -ekganpe and'/culture.and'chann'," and:to''her"fascination,wa,s: tha't':'.'oi'''.Eg^t;;'m]:. , cpmparisoh , ;->':witk" which;ltaly- was 1 a- rude .and'barbarousi"couii- : tfyii ,; : ;.,'■■■. ; ./•■...'; : v ! i .;'.''Y*-'',:': '.',.?>-/•;;:■■'* ; i i >-';lt , >is::n6t i's'aid, Sjgnorl.Ferrerp,' :':'that..Antony.vwaß''fpplishlj , change that'tbok. place 5, in* him after : his' 'rdage with the'Queen'of, Egypti : B6rn|ih;.the< mbdeit'home':of;an-,impoverished'.'nbbleivhe: found himself Ibrd-'of.tthb of;..'■'the Ptolemies, -with .maryellbus, .collections •.to give'him pleasure and trains' of;servants.to

V.The'h'ats of the moment are without bandeaux; and sit, flat on the hair; as'depicted above.'' ,•■■••'.'■.■'■-'.■'•.; ■''..<;■:'■■_ ' .'■ ■'■/'■■.'.■ ;■'..''■'■-"' '■'■>■

gratify., his/every, wish.. The luxury gradur I'ally/ got', hold of his. mind,'and.when - Cleopatra- tried >to"persuade, him; not '.to.conquer. ,to.accept .openly the crown of Egypt, and 'join..with', her in. making- that ;power. v the ; first : in' Africa and,i Asia,' he, was; unable/toopppse a -resolute note; to; her. •, :■ ,:■.:■■'.' ,'.;•■ ■ final,,overthrow, came, riot because.he was"'soimad with loye^that'.he-'abandoned his, : .command; ; in' battle. ,but' bepause.'.nis: armies'', reyqlted ■ when .they: understood * that • he! .meant .to dismember , the >Em'pire J ,.of 'Rome ■and.to,createn now'.empire of.Alexandria.'. ~ ■■■■.• !■' Augustus understood the. situation .per;' -feotlyi , !.Signqr. Ferrero-concluded,, •an<J created the. story which:.-b.as. so .entertaine.d pdsterltyvfor'the benefit,-of , Bomani public,. which -believed it as posterity has;;beiieyed it."',-.<;.,,'''.'.? '.'.■■•.'';, •■■".V .•...':'.■ '••'...

,'■ The curious "fact, that since; Mile. ..Pallieres's. marriage -.there ;h'as.;been'no -piano 'at the President's .'/palace,,, the/Ely see, caused anv.embarrassing' 'scene one evening -.during' ■the:, King t of.';Sweden's':visit. ,VA;'well-known ibperatic.; star .had'!been ; .engaged to .sing',-' andMi, ; Mas'senetj "the,.' emjtie'nt ~oomposer,. had consented,'-' in. honour 'of .the. presence of -the' King, and, Queehi to/acoompany her.,, Sud-.. : ,denly it> was Temembered'.that , there.'.was- no fpianoin'.'the: palace; .'and , in 'a.'. great hurry .an instrument '■ wa:s. borrowed during, diriher.!' It proved: to.-..be a '.cheap'.instrument, 'ahd-.-M. Massenet disgustedly, refused-to play' onvit; , ; On this .'Mnie. Fallieres:.requested another well-knowns; musician.' who 'was 'present, Mi : Isidore de ! Xara; to, accompany the' singer,' ; arid -this he ; did as /the-.'theatrical' advertise-, •• me'nts;say,' "at''a-'moment's' notice." : ;' ["\