Greece -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
LIX. In most of these matters Calvisius[438] was supposed to be lying.
But the friends of Antonius going about in Rome entreated the people
for his sake, and they sent Geminius, one of their body, to entreat
Antonius not to be regardless about being deprived of his authority by a
vote and declared an enemy of the Romans. Geminius having sailed to
Greece became suspected by Cleopatra of acting on the behalf of Octavia,
and, though he was continually ridiculed at supper and insulted by
having unsuitable places at the feast assigned to him, he submitted to
this and waited for an opportunity of an interview; and when he was told
at supper to say what he had come about, he replied that all his
communication was to be made when he was sober, except one thing, which
he knew whether he was sober or drunk; and it was this, that all would
be well if Cleopatra would go off to Egypt. Antonius was irritated at
this, but Cleopatra said, "You have done well, Geminius, in having
confessed the truth without tortures." After a few days accordingly
Geminius made his escape to Rome. The flatterers of Cleopatra drove away
also many of the other friends of Antonius, who could not endure their
excesses over wine and their coarse behaviour; and among these were
Marcus Silanus and Dellius the historian. Dellius says that he was also
afraid of some design from Cleopatra, of which he had been informed by
Glaucus the physician. He had offended Cleopatra at supper by saying
that they had to drink vinegar, while Sarmentus[439] at Rome was
drinking Falernian. Now Sarmentus was a youth, one of Cæsar's
favourites, such as the Romans call Deliciæ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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