A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Octavius 455
Octavius was the son of the daughter of Caesar's sister.
He was appointed master of Cesar's horse for one year,
for Caesar at times made this a yearly office, passing it
round among his friends.
While still a young man, he was
sent by Caesar to ApoUonia on the Adriatic coast to be
educated and trained in the art of war, that he might accompany
Caesar on his expeditions. . . .
At the end of a six months' sojourn in Apollonia, he received
news one evening that Csesar had been killed in the
senate-house by those who were dearest to
the dictator,
and who were at the time the most powerful persons under
him.
^V^^^^^^^^"^
After the death of Cassius and Brutus, Octavius returned ^f^°^l^^^
to Italy. Antony proceeded to Asia, where he met Cleo
Appian, Civil
patra, queen of Egypt. . . . Wars, v I.
After his expedition against the Parthians, he was dis-
gusted with war and lived at ease.
In this period he fell in
love with Cleopatra, and as if his affairs were quite prosperous,
he enjoyed himself in the queen's company.
The Egyptian woman demanded of the drunken general,
as the price of her love, nothing less than '.he Roman em-
pire. This gift Antony promised her, as though the Romans
were easier to conquer than the Parthians. He therefore
aspired to the sovereignty, not secretly, but forgetting
his country, his name, toga, and fasces, and degenerating
wholly in thought, feeling, and dress, into a monster.
his hand was a golden sceptre, and a simitar by his side.
His robe was of purple clasped with enormous jewels; and
he wore a diadem that he might dally with the queen as
In
^i^^^^ iv. II.
(^^'q^P^^^^'^'
sword.)
a king.
At the first report of these proceedings, Caesar (Octa- J^\J^^^
vianus) had crossed the sea from Brundisium to meet the 31 B.C.
approaching war. ... We had more than four hundred
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