"Haggard, H Rider- Cleopatra" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haggard H. Rider)

truth there may have been in their spiritual claims and imaginings, if
indeed there was any, such men as the Prince Harmachis have been told
of in the annals of every great religion, and, as is shown by the
testimony of monumental and sacred inscriptions, they were not unknown
among the worshippers of the Egyptian Gods, and more especially of
Isis.

Unfortunately it is scarcely possible to write a book of this nature
and period without introducing a certain amount of illustrative
matter, for by no other means can the long dead past be made to live
again before the reader's eyes with all its accessories of faded pomp
and forgotten mystery. To such students as seek a story only, and are
not interested in the faith, ceremonies, or customs of the Mother of
Religion and Civilisation, ancient Egypt, it is, however, respectfully
suggested that they should exercise the art of skipping, and open this
tale at its Second Book.

That version of the death of Cleopatra has been preferred which
attributes her end to poison. According to Plutarch its actual manner
is very uncertain, though popular rumour ascribed it to the bite of an
asp. She seems, however, to have carried out her design under the
advice of that shadowy personage, her physician, Olympus, and it is
more than doubtful if he would have resorted to such a fantastic and
uncertain method of destroying life.

It may be mentioned that so late as the reign of Ptolemy Epiphanes,
pretenders of native blood, one of whom was named Harmachis, are known
to have advanced their claims to the throne of Egypt. Moreover, there
was a book of prophecy current among the priesthood which declared
that after the nations of the Greeks the God Harsefi would create the
"chief who is to come." It will therefore be seen that, although it
lacks historical confirmation, the story of the great plot formed to
stamp out the dynasty of the Macedonian Lagidae and place Harmachis on
the throne is not in itself improbable. Indeed, it is possible that
many such plots were entered into by Egyptian patriots during the long
ages of their country's bondage. But ancient history tells us little
of the abortive struggles of a fallen race.

The Chant of Isis and the Song of Cleopatra, which appear in these
pages, are done into verse from the writer's prose by Mr. Andrew Lang,
and the dirge sung by Charmion is translated by the same hand from the
Greek of the Syrian Meleager.





CLEOPATRA