As foon as Gabinius received advice of Antony's good fuccefs, he entered the heart of Egypt. It was in winter, when the waters of the Nile are very low, the propereft time in confequence for the conqueft of it. Archelaus, who was brave, able, and experienced, did all that could be done in his defence, and difputed his ground very well with the enemy. After he quitted the city, in order to march against the Romans, when it was neceffary to encamp, and break ground for the entrenchments, the Egyptians, accustomed to live an idle and voluptuous life, raifed an outcry, that Archelaus fhould employ the mercenaries in fuch work at the expence of the publick. What could be expected from fuch troops in a battle? They were, in effect, foon put to the route. Archelaus was killed, fighting valiantly. Antony, who had been his particular friend and gueft, having found his body upon the field of battle, adorned it in a royal manner, and folemnized his obfequies with great magnificence. By this action he left behind him a great name in Alexandria, and acquired amongst the Romans, who ferved with him in this war, the reputation of a man of fingular valour and exceeding generofity. Egypt was foon reduced, and obliged to receive Auletes, who took entire poffeffion of his dominions. In order to ftrengthen him in it, Gabinius left him fome Roman troops for the guard of his perfon. Those troops contracted at Alexandria the manners and cuftoms of the country, and gave into the luxury and effeminacy, which reigned there in almost every city. Auletes put his daughter Berenice to death, for having worn the crown during his exile and afterward got rid, in the fame man ner, ner, of all the rich perfons, who had been of the adverse party to him. He had occafion for those confifcations, to make up the fum he had promised to Gabinius, to whofe aid he was. indebted for his re-eftablishment. 74, 75. The Egyptians fuffered all thefe violences Diod. Sic. without murmuring. But fome days after, al. 1. p. Roman foldier having accidentally killed a cat; neither the fear of Gabinius, nor the authority of Ptolomy, could prevent the people from tearing him to pieces upon the fpot, to avenge the infult done to the gods of the country; for cats were of that number. Pofth. Nothing farther is known in relation to the Cic. pro life of Ptolomy Auletes, except that C. Rabi-Rabir. rius Pofthumus, who had either lent him, or caused to be lent him, the greatest part of the fums he had borrowed at Rome, having gone to him, in order to his being paid, when he was entirely reinstated; that prince gave him to understand, that he defpaired of fatisfying him, unless he would confent to take upon him the care of his revenues; by which means he might reimburse himself by little and little with his own hands. The unfortunate creditor having accepted that offer, out of fear of lofing his debt if he refused it, the king foon found a colour for caufing him to be imprisoned, tho' one of the oldest and dearest of Cæfar's friends; and though Pompey was in fome measure security for the debt; as the money was lent, and the obligations executed, in his prefence, and by his procurement, in a country-house of his, near Alba. Rabirius thought himself too happy in being able to escape from prifon and Egypt, more miferable than he went thither. To compleat his difgrace, he was profecuted in form as foon as A. M. as he returned to Rome, for having aided Ptolomy in corrupting the fenate, by the fums he had lent him for that ufe; of having dishonoured his quality of Roman knight, by the employment he had accepted in Egypt; and laftly, of having fhared in the money, which Gabinius brought from thence, with whom it was alledged, he had a fellow-feeling. Cicero's difcourfe in his defence, which we ftill have, is an eternal monument of the ingratitude and perfidy of this unworthy king. Ptolomy Auletes died in the peaceable poffeffion of the kingdom of Egypt, about four years after his re-establishment. He left two Cæfar de fons and two daughters. He gave his crown bello Civ. to the eldest fon and daughter, and ordered by 1. 3. 51. his will, that they fhould marry together, according to the custom of that house, and govern jointly. And because they were both very young (for the daughter, who was the eldeft, was only feventeen years of age,) he left them under the tuition of the Roman fenate. This was the famous Cleopatra, whofe history it reEutrop. mains for us to relate. We find the people appointed Pompey the young king's guardian, who fome years after fo bafely ordered him to be put to death. 1.6. SECT. SECT. II. Pothinus and Achillas, minifters of the young king, expel Cleopatra. She raises troops to reeftablish herself. Pompey, after having been overthrown at Pharfalia retires into Egypt. He is affaffinated there.. Cæfar, who pursued him, arrives at Alexandria, where he is informed of his death, which he seems to lament. He endeavours to reconcile the brother and fifter, and for that purpofe fends for Cleopatra, of whom he foon becomes enamoured. Great commotions arife at Alexandria, and feveral battles are fought between the Egyptians and Cæfar's troops, wherein the latter bave almost always the advantage. The king, having been drowned in flying after a, fea-fight, all Egypt fubmits to Cæfar. He fets Cleopatra, with her youngest brother, upon the throne, and returns to Rome. 48. LITTLE is known of the beginning of A. M. Cleopatra's and her brother's reign. That 3956. prince was a minor, under the tuition of Po- Ant. J. C. thinus the eunuch, and of Achillas the general plut. in of his army. Those two minifters, no doubt, Pomp. p. to engross all affairs to themselves, had deprived 659-662 Cleopatra, in the king's name, of the fhare in the fovereignty, left her by the will of Auletes. 731. Injured in this manner, fhe went into Syria App. de and Palestine, to raise troops in thofe countries, in order to affert her rights by force ofP: 480 arms. Id. inCæf P. 730, bell. civ. 484. Cæfar de 1. Dio. 1. 42. It was exactly at this conjuncture of the dif- bell. civ. ference between the brother and fifter, that Pompey, after having loft the battle of Phar-p. 200falia, fled to Egypt; conceiving, that he fhould 206. find there an open and affured afylum in his misfortunes. misfortunes. He had been the protector of Auletes, the father of the reigning king, and it was folely to his credit he was indebted for his re-establishment. He was in hopes of finding the fon grateful, and of being powerfully affifted by him. When he arrived, Ptolomy was upon the coaft with his army, between Pelufium and mount Cafius, and Cleopatra at no great distance, at the head of her troops alfo. Pompey, on approaching the coaft, fent to Ptolomy to demand permiffion to land, and enter his kingdom. The two minifters, Pothinus and Achillas, confulted with Theodotus, the rhetorician, the young king's præceptor, and with fome others, what answer they fhould make. Pompey, in the mean time, waited the refult of that council, and chofe rather to expofe himself to the decifion of three unworthy perfons, that governed the prince, than to owe his fafety to Cæfar, who was his father-in-law, and the greatest of the Romans. This council differed in opinion; fome were for receiving him, others for having him told to feek a retreat elfewhere. Theodotus approved neither of these methods, and difplaying all his eloquence, undertook to demonftrate, that there was no other choice to be made, than that of ridding the world of him. His reafons were, becaufe if they received him, Cæfar would never forgive the having affifted his enemy: If they fent him away without aid, and affairs should take a turn in his favour, he would not fail to revenge himfelf upon them for their refufal. That therefore there was no fecurity for them, but in putting him to death; by which means they would gain Cæfar's friendship, and prevent the other from ever doing them any hurt; for, faid he, according |