Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/574

560, Herod commanded that she should dwell in the palace, and meddle no more with public affairs. He likewise placed spies around her, till she became impatient under these hardships, began thoroughly to hate him, wishing rather to undergo any thing than be deprived of the liberty of speech, and, under the notion of an honorary guard, to live always in a state of terror and constraint. She, therefore, again applied to Cleopatra, who advised her to flee with her son into Egypt. In order to do this, Alexandra had two coffins made, and directed some of her servants to carry them away in the night-time out of the city, in order to convey them to Egypt. But through the indiscretion of one of them the plan came to the ears of Herod, who suffered her to proceed in the plan that he might catch her in it. Yet still, fearful of the hatred of Cleopatra, who wished for his dominions, he dared not punish her as he desired, but made a show of generosity, and soon after contrived to have her son drowned, as it were by accident.—But Alexandra was not to be so deceived, her despair was so violent that the hopes of revenge alone prevented her laying violent hands upon herself, and in this hope she smothered the dark suspicions of her bosom. A magnificent funeral was prepared by Herod, who affected the most poignant sorrow; and when he saw the lifeless body of this beautiful young person, scarce eighteen years of age, he might in reality feel somethings like remorse. Alexandra again wrote to Cleopatra, who now urged Antony so warmly to revenge this young man's murder, that he summoned Herod to appear before him, and answer to the charge. Fancying that Antony was in love with his wife, from the