Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/289

Rh made her of Roman provinces, which he joined to her dominions, raised great murmurings at Rome, which Octavius Cæsar privately observed and encouraged; partly out of desire to reign alone, and partly from resentment at the wrongs of his sister Octavia, the wife of Antony; on these accounts, he wanted to break with him, and renew the war.

To pave the way to this, when Antony returned from his unfortunate expedition against the Parthians, Cæsar sent Octavia to meet him. He was then at Lucopolis, between Tyre and Sidon, where he waited for Cleopatra with great impatience. At length she came; and almost at the same instant, arrived a messenger of Octavia's from Athens. This was heavy news for Cleopatra, who had great reason to dread so powerful a rival. She feigned a deep melancholy; abstained almost entirely from food; and finally prevailed with Antony to desire Octavia would return to Rome, while he attended her rival to Alexandria, where he passed the winter in luxury and dissipation. Here, as if to irritate the Romans more, he disposed of the provinces in his share of the empire, to Cleopatra and her children.

Cæsar now thought it time to declare war, and preparations were made on both sides. Antony and Cleopatra went to Ephesus, where his lieutenants had got together eight hundred vessels. He was advised to send the queen back to Egypt, till the war was ended, and had resolved to do so; but fearing Octavia should come to her husband and make a peace, she queen [sic] over-ruled the project, and went on with him to Samos. Here, by way of prelude to so great an enterprise, they ordered, on the one hand, all the kings, princes, and nations, from Egypt to the Euxine sea, and from Armenia to Dalmatia, to send arms, provisions, and soldiers to Samos; on the