Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/228

 220 ANTONY. and the battle equal, when on a sudden Cleopatra's sixty ships were seen hoisting sail and making out to sea in full flight, right through the ships that were engaged. For they were placed behind the great ships, which, in breaking through, they put into disorder. The enemy was astonished to see them sailing off with a fair wind towards Peloponnesus. Here it was that Antony showed to all the world that he was no longer actuated by the tlioughts and motives of a commander or a man, or indeed by his own judgment at all, and what was once said as a jest, that the soul of a lover lives in some one else's body, he proved to be a serious truth. For, as if he had been born part of her, and must move with her wheresoever she went, as soon as he saw her ship sailing awaj^, he aban- doned all that were fighting and spending their lives for him, and put himself aboard a galley of five ranks of oars, taking with him only Alexander of Syria and Scel- lias, to follow her that had so well begun his ruin and would hereafter accomplish it. She, perceiving him to follow, gave the signal to come aboard. So, as soon as he came up with them, he was taken into the ship. But without seeing her or letting himself be seen by her, he went forwai'd by himself, and sat alone, without a word, in the ship's prow, covering his face with his two hands. In the meanwhile, some of Cassar's light Liburnian ships, that were in pursuit, came in sight. But on Antony's commanding to face about, they all gave back except Eui'ycles the Laconian, who pressed on, shaking a lance from the deck, as if he meant to hurl it at him. Antony, standing at the prow, de- manded of him, " Who is this that pursues Antonj' ? " " I am," said he, " Eurycles, the son of Lachares, armed with CjEsar's fortune to revenge my father's death." Lachares had been condemned for a robbery, and be- headed by Antony's orders. However, Eurycles did not