722 to a Year of declare him a publick enemy; because all that were Rome, with him would have been involved in the fame danger; but they gave a promife of pardon, and approbation, that fhould defert him. They proclaimed war against Cleopatra, with all the folemnities used by the Romans on fuch occafions: which was in effect declaring war against Anthony himself, who had united with her in a manner fcandalous to the Roman name. The greatest preparations for war were made on both fides that had. ever been known: and many nations came in as auxiliaries. All Italy, Gaul, Spain, Illyricum, and part of Africa, Sardinia, Sicily, and the neighbouring iflands came in to Caefar's affiftance, On Anthony's part appeared thofe regions of Afia, and Thrace, which were fubject to the Romans, Greece, Macedon, Egypt, Cyrenaica, and the neighbour ing iflands, with most of the kings, and princes, who bordered on the Roman Empire. At this time Virgil feems to have written, thefe lines, at the lat ter end of the firft Georgick; 723. Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc Germania bellum; Anthony was fo far fuperior in the number of his forces, that he made no doubt of fubduing Caefar: he endeavoured alfo, to draw his foldiers from him by the largenefs of his bribes, which he diftributed not only in Italy, but even in Rome itself. It was toward the latter end of the following year, that the navies of thefe two mighty rivals met at Actium, a promontory of Epirus, where they came to a decifive engagement. Virgil has reprefented Rome.. 723, fented this fight, in his defcription of the celeftial Year of Hinc Auguftus agens Italos in praelia Caefar, Stans celfa in puppi; geminas cui tempora flammas But he fets forth the barbarous aids of Anthony at T Hinc ope barbarica variifque Antonius armis Victor, ab Aurorae populis et littore rubro Aegyptum virefque Orientis, et ultima fecum, Bactra vehit: fequiturque nefas! Aegyptia conjux, He gives a fine description of the rushing of the hips against each other, and compares them to floating mountains. He reprefents the queen, as placed in the middle of her fleet, and encouraging her men with the tinkling noife of the Egyptian fiftrum: and beautifully introduces the monstrous gods of Egypt, as vainly oppofing themselves to the powerful gods of Rome; Neptune, Venus, and Minerva and describes Mars raging in the midst (9) Aen. VIII. ver. 678, &c.(r) Ibid, ver, 685, &c. of Year of of the fight, attended by the Furies, Difcord, and Rome Bellona (3): shoot r 723 Una omnes ruere, ac totum fpumare reductis Londonnervam ed Tela tenent faevit medio in certamine Mavors When the fight had continued a long time, and Actius haec cernens arcum intendebat Apollo (t) Ibid. ver. 704, &c. : Vela dare, et laxos jam jamque immittere funes. Illam inter caedes, pallentem morte futura, Fecerat ignipotens undis et Japyge ferri: This great victory, whereby Caefar obtained the fole command of the Roman Empire, was obtained on the fecond day of September (u): and on that very day he dedicated one fhip of each rate, that had been taken from the enemy, to Apollo, who was worshipped at Actium, Anthony and Cleopatra made their efcape to Egypt; where the Poet represents the river Nile to mourn, and open his bofom to receive them (x): Contra autem magno moerentem corpore Nilum, Pandentemque finus, et tota vefte vocantem. Coeruleum in gremium latebrofaque flumina victos. Caefar having ftaid a fhort time, to fettle his affairs in those parts, made hafte into Italy, to receive his fourth Confulfhip, in conjunction with Marcus Licinius Craffus. Having ftaid only a month in Italy, he went with all poffible expedition against Anthony and Cleopatra: and caufing his fhips to be hauled over the Peloponnefian Ifthmus, he came fo fuddenly into Afia, that the news of his arrival came into Egypt, at the fame time with the account of his being retired to Italy. Cornelius Gallus, the friend of Virgil, to whom the tenth Eclogue is dedicated, had before. this quitted his poetical retirement. We have feen already, that he was in arms, when that Eclogue was written; and it is not improbable that he was engaged in the fea fight at Actium: for we now find him at the head of an army, befieging Parae(u) Dio, lib. 51. (x) Aen. VIII. ver. 711, 712, 713. tonium. Year of Rome 723 724. Year of tonium. Anthony went against him, but in vain : Rome for Gallus, having, by a ftratagem, drawn his hips 724 into the port, burned fome, and funk the reft, In the mean time Caefar affaulted Pelufium, and took it by the treachery of Cleopatra; who ordered her forces to retire before him, placing more hopes of conqueft in the charms of her perfon,, than in the courage of her foldiers. Anthony being informed that Caefar had taken Pelufium, left Paraetonium, and meeting Caefar, who was fatigued with his march, engaged his horfe before Alexandria, and defeated them. This victory fo increased the confidence of Anthony, that he foon came to an engagement with the foot, in which he was entirely overthrown. Cleopatra retired into her fepulchre, pretending to be afraid of Caefar, but defigning in reality to get Anthony to be fhut up with her, or to destroy himself. She caufed a report to be spread of her own death, which Anthony hearing fell upon his fword. But when he heard that the was alive, he caufed himself to be carried into the fepulchre to her, and expired in her arms. Cleopatra kept herself within the fepulchre, which was ftrongly defended, being in hopes of getting the better of Caefar by her female arts. But when the found her wiles were all in vain, the killed herself, and thereby difappointed Caefar of the principal ornament of his triumph. Egypt, being now made tributary, was put under the government of Gallus, who had contributed very much to the conqueft of it. Caefar, being now abfolute lord of all, marched through Syria into Afia, where he wintered, and compofed the differences among the Parthians for Tiridates had raised an infurrection against Phraates, the king of that country. In this year |