ANTONY. 225 And this epitaph was made by himself while yet alive ; that which is more generally known is by Calli- machus : — Timon, the misanthrope, am I below. Go, and revile me, traveller, only go. Thus much of Timon, of whom much more might be said. Canidius now came, bringing word in person of the loss of the army before Actium. Then he received news that Herod of JudoBa was gone over to Ctesar with some legions and cohorts, and that the other kings and princes were in like manner deserting him, and that, out of Egypt, nothing stood by him. All this, however, seemed not to disturb him, but, as if he were glad to put away all hope, that with it he might be rid of all care, and leaving his habitation by the sea, which he called the Timoneum, he was received by Cleopatra in the palace, and set the whole city into a course of feasting, drinking, and pres- ents. The son oi" CcsnT and Cleopatra was registered among the youths, and Antyllus, his own son by Fulvia, received the gown without the purple border, given to those that are come of age ; in honor of which the citi- zens of Alexandria did nothing but feast and revel for many days. They themselves broke up the Order of the Inimitable Livers, and constituted another in its place, not inferior in splendor, luxury, and sumptuosity, calling it that of the Diers together.* For all those that said they would die with Antony and Cleopatra gave in their names, for the present passing their time in all manner of pleasures and a regular succession of banquets. But Cleopatra was busied in making a collection of all varie- ties of poisonous drugs, and, in order to see which of them
- It was a name well known on poihnesl-ontes, and one of them had
the stage. There were two, if not been translated into Latin by Plan- three, comedies, called the Si/na- tus, as the Commorientes. VOL. v. 15
