The Sisters, Complete

first she started, but then smiled with pleasure as she recognized her brother Euergetes, who, pu

always to be seen-by all your gentle virtues, Philometor, I believe you are trying to outdo the great Philadelphus or our Syrian uncle Antiochus, and to get up a most unique procession; and in my honor! Just so! I myself will take a part in the wonderful affair, and my sturdy person shall represent Eros with his quiver and bow. Som

d to him, he called one of the young Macedonians of noble birth who served at the feast as cup-bearers, had his cup filled once and again and yet a third time, drinking it off quickly and wi

u have had before I came.-A

er finger at him half in jest and half i

f they continue to increase so fast, must presently exclude the light, as the growth of the wood encloses a piece of money stuck into a rift in a tree-or as a shutter, when it is pushed to, closes up a window. With these hands and arms the fellow I see in the mirror there could, at need, choke a hippopotamus; the chain that is to deck this neck must be twice as long as that worn by a well-fed Egyptian priest. In this mirror I see a man, who is moulded out of a sturdy clay, baked out of more unctuous and solid stuff than other folks; and if the fine creature there on the bright surface wears a transparent robe, what

he raised the cup, looked into the wine with his twinkling eyes and lifted it slow

storians than when you criticise the drinking-maxims of a king. Subtle drinking is mere sipping, and sipping I leave to the bitt

subtle drinking I mean the drinking of choice wine, and did you ever taste anything more delicate than this juice of the vines of Anthylla that your il

ng her hands, "you here see, Publius, a proof

ears the masters of the Museum in Alexander's city, with Aristarchus at their he

hear our secret Euergetes, and mocked at my faithful Egyptians, in whose place I would gladly set fair Greeks if only Alexan

hours watching these empty pageants. On two conditions only can I declare myself ready and willing to remain quiet, and patiently to dawdle through almost half a day, like an ape in a cage: First, if it will give our Roman friend Publius Cornelius Scipio any pleasure to witne

ession need be arranged, particularly not such a

husband. "Well-arranged groups, and the populace p

ignificant objects, but millions of them together, forming the sea, the desert or the pyramids, constitute a sublime whole. One man alone, shouting for joy, is like a madman escaped from an asylum, but when thousands of men rejoice together it must have

circumstances that each man becomes the involuntary mimic and duplicate of his neighbor; while I love to make my

rable devil who can never catch sight of anything more than the nose or the tip of a hair or the broad back of those who take part in them, always longs for fresh pageants. As you hear, I need have no consideration for Publius

an creditable, I think,"

. "Since, besides being your brother, I am your rival, and

f regret in his soft voice. "We love you truly; we are ready to yield you your dominion side by s

from your dignity as a king and your f

f flute-playing women, with Aristarchus to play the part of Socrates. I have often been told that he and I

e had seen in the Ilissus, an ironical smile passed over his lips. It was not unobserved by Euergetes and it offended him, for there was nothing he liked better than to be compared to the nephew of Pericles; but he s

d, and in order to interrupt his further speech and to

ay. You, Lysias, must be experienced in such matters, for Publius tells me that you were the

ble slab of the little table at his side, between an oyster pasty and a dish of fr

nly yesterday-all kinds of scenes from the lives of the gods were represented before the people. Suppose we were to remain in this magnificent palace, and to repr

r there-the very son of Alcmene, as Lysippus has conceived and represented him? Let us then represent

edit for assuming the part, for the demi-god who strangled the snakes was lacking in the most important point, and it was not wi

ill you sit at my fe

s at once make further choice among the abundance of subjects offered to us

ell as to the ear," said Cleopatra. "But what is recog

of my father's house at Corinth, and was executed many centuries since by a great artist of the Peloponnesus. Publius was delighted with the work, and it is in fact beautiful beyond description. It is an exquisite rep

ather's house at Corinth to this place by to-morrow or next day? Such a group cannot be posed from memory without the original to guide

hich is altogether more magnificent than the old castle of King Gyges at Sardis-I had some gems engraved after this

en, leaning over towards the Roman

ing down at the ground, for it was most repugnant to his fe

"and I must hear more about her, for"-and she whispered the words an

has dropped her spear and carries her helmet in her hand; they are accompanied by his mother Alcmene, and are advancing towards the bride's train. This is headed by no less a personage than Apollo himself, singing the praises of Hymenaeus to a lute. With him walks his sister Artemis and behind them the mother of Hebe, accompanied by Hermes, the messenger of the gods, as the envoy of Zeus. Then follows the principal group, which is one of the most

?" asked

holds an unopened rose, as though she would say; 'Ah! let me be-I tremble at the man'-or ask: 'Would it not be better that I should re

tra. "But you said he

her feet in simple folds, while Peitho holds hers up saucily, between her forefinger and thumb, as if steal

e Corinthian. "Hebe is but a bud, an unopened blossom, while I am

en bud is as sweet to look upon as the rose, but he who loves not merely color but perfume too-I mean refreshment, emotion and edification of spirit-must turn to the full-blown flower; as the rose-growers of lake Moeris twine only the buds of th

eitho. My companion Zoe may take the part of Artemis, and her grave sister that of Pallas Athene. For the mother's part we have sever

getes. "That is also an attribu

t where are we to find such a Hebe as you have described, Lys

cedonian cup-bearers; he bowed deeply as he spoke, and modestly drew the queen's attention to his own daughter, a maiden of sixteen. Bu

n to Alexandria to command that some fair Greek girl should be sent by an express quadriga to Memphis-where th

ed with life and warmth and color by some god. Young, modest, rose and white, and just about as tall as Your Majesty. If you wil

ket at the bottom of my clothes-che

all curious to hear where in Memphis you di