Chapter
8
Of the Last Supper of Cleopatra; Of the Song of Charmion; Of the Drinking of the Draught of Death; Of the Revealing of Harmachis; Of the Summoning of the Spirits By Harmachis; And of the Death of CleopatraOn the morrow Cleopatra, having sought leave of Cæsar, visited the tomb of Antony, crying that the Gods of Egypt had deserted her. And when she had kissed the coffin and covered it with lotus-flowers she came back, bathed, anointed herself, put on her most splendid robes, and, together with Iras, Charmion, and myself, she supped. Now as she supped her spirit flared up wildly, even as the sky lights up at sunset; and once more she laughed and sparkled as in bygone years, telling us tales of feasts which she and Antony had eaten of. Never, indeed, did I see her look more beauteo
