made preparations at once for sending a very imposing embassage to Rome.  The deputation consisted of more than a hundred persons.  The object of Berenice’s government in sending so large a number was not only to evince their respect for the Roman people, and their sense of the magnitude of the question at issue, but also to guard against any efforts that Ptolemy might make to intercept the embassage on the way, or to buy off the members of it by bribes.  The number, however large as it was, proved insufficient to accomplish this purpose.  The whole Roman world was at this time in such a condition of disorder and violence, in the hands of the desperate and reckless military leaders who then bore sway, that there were everywhere abundant facilities for the commission of any conceivable crime.  Ptolemy contrived, with the assistance of the fierce partisans who had espoused his cause, and who were deeply interested in his success on account of the rewards which were promised them, to waylay and destroy a large proportion of this company before they reached Rome.  Some were assassinated; some were poisoned; some were tampered with and bought off by bribes.  A small remnant reached Rome; but they were so intimidated by the dangers which surrounded them, that they did not dare to take any public action in respect to the business which had been committed to their charge.  Ptolemy began to congratulate himself on having completely circumvented his daughter in her efforts to protect herself against his designs.

Instead of that, however, it soon proved that the effect of this atrocious treachery was exactly the contrary of what its perpetrators had expected.  The knowledge of the facts became gradually extended among the people of Rome and it awakened a universal indignation.  The party who had been originally opposed to Ptolemy’s cause seized the opportunity to renew their opposition; and they gained so much strength from the general odium which Ptolemy’s crimes had awakened, that Pompey found it almost impossible to sustain his cause.

At length the party opposed to Ptolemy found, or pretended to find, in certain sacred books, called the Sibylline Oracles, which were kept in the custody of the priests, and were supposed to contain prophetic intimations of the will of Heaven in respect to the conduct of public affairs, the following passage: 

    "If a king of Egypt should apply to you for aid, treat him in a
    friendly manner, but do not furnish him with troops; for if you
    do, you will incur great danger."

This made new difficulty for Ptolemy’s friends.  They attempted, at first, to evade this inspired injunction by denying the reality of it.  There was no such passage to be found, they said.  It was all an invention of their enemies.  This point seems to have been overruled, and then they attempted to give the passage some other than the obvious interpretation.  Finally they maintained that, although it prohibited