第88章

And I gave my mind to the study of simples， in which Atoua instructed me； and by lore and the weight of my thought I gained great skill in medicine， and healed many sick. And thus ever， as time went on， my fame was noised abroad； for it was said that I was also a magician and that in the tombs I had commune with the Spirits of the Dead. And this， indeed， I did--though it is not lawful for me to speak of these matters. Thus， then， it came to pass that no more need Atoua go forth to seek food and water， for the people brought it--more than was needful， for I would receive no fee. Now at first， fearing lest some in the hermit Olympus might know the lost Harmachis， I would only meet those who came in the darkness of the tomb. But afterwards， when I learned how it was held through all the land that Harmachis was certainly no more， I came forth and sat in the mouth of the tomb， and ministered to the sick， and at times calculated nativities for the great. And thus my fame grew continually， till at length folk journeyed even from Memphis and Alexandria to visit me； and from them I learned how Antony had left Cleopatra for a while， and， Fulvia being dead， had married Octavia， the sister of C？sar. Many other things I learned also.

And in the second year I did this： I despatched the old wife， Atoua， disguised as a seller of simples， to Alexandria， bidding her seek out Charmion， and， if yet she found her faithful， reveal to her the secret of my way of life. So she went， and in the fifth month from her sailing returned， bearing Charmion's greetings and a token. And she told me that she had found means to see Charmion， and， in talk， had let fall the name of Harmachis， speaking of me as one dead； at which Charmion， unable to control her grief， wept aloud. Then， reading her heart--for the old wife was very clever， and held the key of knowledge --she told her that Harmachis yet lived， and sent her greetings.

Thereon Charmion wept yet more with joy， and kissed the old wife， and made her gifts， bidding her tell me that she had kept her vow， and waited for my coming and the hour of vengeance. So， having learned many secrets， Atoua returned again to Tápé.

And in the following year messengers came to me from Cleopatra， bearing a sealed roll and great gifts. I opened the roll， and read this in it：

"Cleopatra to Olympus， the learned Egyptian who dwells in the Valley of Death by Tápé--"The fame of thy renown， O learned Olympus， hath reached our ears.

Tell thou， then， this to us， and if thou tellest aright greater honour and wealth shalt thou have than any in Egypt： How shall we win back the love of noble Antony， who is bewitched of cunning Octavia， and tarries long from us？"

Now， in this I saw the hand of Charmion， who had made my renown known to Cleopatra.

All that night I took counsel with my wisdom， and on the morrow wrote my answer as it was put into my heart to the destruction of Cleopatra and Antony. And thus I wrote：

"Olympus the Egyptian to Cleopatra the Queen--"Go forth into Syria with one who shall be sent to lead thee； thus shalt thou win Antony to thy arms again， and with him gifts more great than thou canst dream."

And with this letter I dismissed the messengers， bidding them share the presents sent by Cleopatra among their company.

So they went wondering.

But Cleopatra， seizing on the advice to which her passion prompted her， departed straightway with Fonteius Capito into Syria， and there the thing came about as I had foretold， for Antony was subdued of her and gave her the greater part of Cilicia， the ocean shore of Arabia Nabath？a， the balm-bearing provinces of Jud？a， the province of Ph？nicia， the province of C？le-Syria， the rich isle of Cyprus， and all the library of Pergamus. And to the twin children that， with the son Ptolemy， Cleopatra had borne to Antony， he impiously gave the names of "Kings， the Children of Kings"--of Alexander Helios， as the Greeks name the sun， and of Cleopatra Selene， the moon， the long-winged.

These things then came to pass.

Now on her return to Alexandria Cleopatra sent me great gifts， of which I would have none， and prayed me， the learned Olympus， to come to her at Alexandria； but it was not yet time， and I would not. But thereafter she and Antony sent many times to me for counsel， and I ever counselled them to their ruin， nor did my prophecies fail.