3. However, Antony seemed quite regardless of contempt: alive only to
pleasure, and totally disregarding the business of the state, he spent
his whole time in the company of Cleopatra, who studied every art to
increase his passion and vary his entertainments. 4. Few women have
been so much celebrated for the art of giving novelty to pleasure, and
making trifles important. Still ingenious in filling up the time with
some new strokes of refinement, she was at one time a queen, then a
_bac'chanal_, and sometimes a huntress. 5. Not contented with sharing
with her all the delights which Egypt could afford, Antony was
resolved to enlarge his sphere of luxury, by granting her some of
those kingdoms which belonged to the Roman empire. He gave her all
Pheni'cia, Celo-Syria, and Cy'prus, with a great part of Cili'cia,
Ara'bia, and Jude'a, gifts which he had no right to bestow, but which
he pretended to grant in imitation of Hercules. 6. This complication
of vice and folly at last totally exasperated the Romans, and
Augus'tus, willing to take the advantage of their resentment, took
care to exaggerate all his defects.
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