We can not soften the picture which is exhibited to our view in the history of this celebrated family, by regarding the mother of Auletes, in the masculine and merciless trails and principles which she displayed so energetically throughout her terrible career, as an exception to the general character of the princesses who appeared from time to time in the line.  In ambition, selfishness, unnatural and reckless cruelty, and utter disregard of every virtuous principle and of every domestic tie, she was but the type and representative of all the rest.

She had two daughters, for example, who were the consistent and worthy followers of such a mother.  A passage in the lives of these sisters illustrates very forcibly the kind of sisterly affection which prevailed in the family of the Ptolemies.  The case was this: 

There were two princes of Syria, a country lying northeast of the Mediterranean Sea, and so not very far from Egypt, who, though they were brothers, were in a state of most deadly hostility to each other.  One had attempted to poison the other, and afterward a war had broken out between them, and all Syria was suffering from the ravages of their armies.  One of the sisters, of whom we have been speaking, married one of these princes.  Her name was Tryphena.  After some time, but yet while the unnatural war was still raging between the two brothers, Cleopatra, the other sister—­the same Cleopatra, in fact, that had been divorced from Lathyrus at the instance of his mother—­espoused the other brother.  Tryphena was exceedingly incensed against Cleopatra for marrying her husband’s mortal foe, and the implacable hostility and hate of the sisters was thenceforth added to that which the brothers had before exhibited, to complete the display of unnatural and parricidal passion which this shameful contest presented to the world.

In fact, Tryphena from this time seemed to feel a new and highly-excited interest in the contest, from her eager desire to revenge herself on her sister.  She watched the progress of it, and took an active part in pressing forward the active prosecution of the war.  The party of her husband, either from this or some other causes, seemed to be gaining the day.  The husband of Cleopatra was driven from one part of the country to another, and at length, in order to provide for the security of his wife, he left her in Antioch, a large and strongly-fortified city, where he supposed that she would be safe, while he himself was engaged in prosecuting the war in other quarters where his presence seemed to be required.