Certaine small poems lately printed with the tragedie of Philotas. Written by Samuel Daniel.

The Argument.

AFter the death of Antonius, Cleo∣patra, (liuing still in the Monument she had caused to be built,) could not, by any meanes be drawne foorth, although Octauius Caesar very ear∣nestly laboured it: and sent Proculei∣us, to vse all dilligence to bring her vnto him: for that he thought it would bee a great Orna∣ment to his Triumphes, to get her aliue to Rome. But ne∣uer would she put her selfe into the hands of Proculeius, although on a time hee found the meanes, (by a window that was at the toppe of the Monument) to come downe vnto he•••• where hee perswaded her (all hee might) to yeelde her selfe to Caesars mercy. Which shee, (to be ridde of him,) cunningly seemed to grant vnto. After that, Oct∣auius in person went to visit her, to whom she excused her offence, laying all the fault vpon the greatnes, and feare she had of Antonius, and withall, seemed very tractable, and willing to be disposed of by him.

Wherevpon Octauius, (thinking himselfe sure) re∣solued presently to send her away to Rome. Whereof, Do∣labella, a fauourite of Caesars, (and one that was growne into some good liking of her ) hauing certified her, shee makes her humble petition to Caesar, that he would suffer

her to sacrifice to the ghost of Antonius: which being grā∣ted her, she was brought vnto his sepulchre, where, after her rites performed, she returned to the monument, and there dined with great magnific••nce. And in dinner time, came there one in the habite of a countr••man, with a bas∣ket of Figs vnto her, who (vnsuspected) was suffered to carry them in. And in that Basket (among the Figges) were conueyed the Aspickes wherewith she did her selfe to death. Dinner being ended, she dispatched Letters to Caesar, containing great lamentations•• with an earnest sup∣plication, that she might be intombed with Antonius. Whereupon Caesar knowing what she intended, sent pre∣sently with all speede, Messengers to haue preuented her death, which notwithstanding, before they came, was dis∣patched.

Caesario her sonne, which she had by Iulius Caesar (con∣••eyed before vnto India, out of the danger of the warres) was about the same time of her death, murthered at Rhodes: trained thither by the falshoode of his Tutor, corrupted by Caesar. And so, hereby came the race of the Prolomies to be wholy extinct, and the flourishing rich kingdome of Egypt vtterly ouerthrowne and subdued.