[181] As, for instance, the repeated wedlock of brothers and sisters
  among the Ptolemies.

That Cornelia had been an intimate of the queen was perfectly well known in Alexandria.  In fact, Cleomenes himself was of sufficiently high rank to make any guest he might long entertain more or less of a public personage.  Cornelia was a familiar sight to the crowds, as she drove daily on the streets and attended the theatre.  Cleomenes began to entertain suspicions that the new government was not quite pleased to leave such a friend of Cleopatra’s at liberty; and Agias took pains to discover that Pratinas was deep in the counsels of the virtual regent—­Pothinus.  But Cornelia scoffed at any suggestions that it might be safer to leave the city and join Artemisia in the retreat up the Nile.  She had taken no part whatsoever in Egyptian politics, and she was incapable of assisting to restore Cleopatra.  As for the possible influence of Pratinas in court, it seemed to her incredible that a man of his caliber could work her any injury, save by the dagger and poison cup.  That an ignoble intriguer of his type could influence the policy of state she refused to believe.

Thus it came to pass that Cornelia had only herself to thank, when the blow, such as it was, fell.  The eunuch prime minister knew how to cover his actions with a velvet glove.  One evening a splendidly uniformed division of Macedonian guard, led by one of the royal somatophylakes,[182] came with an empty chariot to the house of Cleomenes.  The request they bore was signed with the royal seal, and was politeness itself.  It overflowed with semi-Oriental compliment and laudation; but the purport was clear.  On account of the great danger in the city to foreigners from riots—­ran the gist of the letter—­and the extremely disturbed condition of the times, the king was constrained to request Cornelia and Fabia to take up their residence in the palace, where they could receive proper protection and be provided for in a princely manner, as became their rank.

  [182] Commanders of the body-guard.

Cornelia had enough wisdom to see that only by taking the letter for the intentions written on its face could she submit to the implied command without loss of dignity.  She had much difficulty in persuading Fabia to yield; for the Vestal was for standing on her Roman prerogatives and giving way to nothing except sheer force.  But Cleomenes added his word, that only harm would come from resistance; and the two Roman ladies accompanied the escort back to the palace.  It was not pleasant to pass into the power of a creature like Pothinus, even though the smooth-faced eunuch received his unwilling guests with Oriental salaams and profuse requests to be allowed to humour their least desires.  But the restraint, if such it can be called, could hardly take a less objectionable form.  Monime and Berenice, as ladies whose father was known as a merchant prince of colourless politics,