15.  In the mean time, Cleopa’tra, having heard of the present turn in her favour, resolved to depend on Caesar’s patronage for gaining the government, rather than on her own forces.  But no arts, as she justly conceived, were so likely to influence Caesar as the charms of her person, which were irresistible. 16.  She was now in the bloom of youth and beauty, while every feature borrowed grace from the lively turn of her temper.  To the most enchanting address she joined the most harmonious voice.  With all these accomplishments, she possessed a great share of the learning of the times, and could give audience to the ambassadors of seven different nations without an interpreter. 17.  The difficulty was, how to gain admission to Caesar, as her enemies were in possession of all the avenues that led to the palace.  For this purpose she went on board a small vessel, and, in the evening, landed near the palace; where, being wrapt up in a coverlet, she was carried as a bundle of clothes into the very presence of Caesar. 18.  Her address instantly struck him; her wit and understanding fanned the flame; but her affability entirely brought him over to second her claims.

19.  While Cleopa’tra was thus employed in forwarding her own views, her sister, Arsin’oe was also strenuously engaged in the camp, in pursuing a separate interest.  She had found means, by the assistance of one Gan’ymede, her confidant, to make a large division in the Egyptian army in her favour; and, soon after, by one of those sudden revolutions which are common in barbarian camps to this day, she caused Achil’las to be murdered, and Gan’ymede to take the command in his stead, and to carry on the siege with greater vigour than before. 20.  Gan’ymede’s principal effort was by letting in the sea upon those canals which supplied the palace with fresh water; but this inconvenience Caesar remedied by digging a great number of wells.  His next endeavour was to prevent the junction of Caesar’s twenty-fourth legion, which he twice attempted in vain.  He soon after made himself master of a bridge which joined the isle of Pha’ros to the continent, from which post Caesar was resolved to dislodge him. 21.  In the heat of the action, some mariners, partly through curiosity, and partly through ambition, came and joined the combatants; but, being seized with a panic, instantly fled, and spread a general terror through the army.  All Caeesar’s endeavours to rally his forces were in vain, the confusion was past remedy, and numbers were drowned or put to the sword in attempting to escape. 22.  Now, therefore, seeing the irremediable disorder of his troops, he fled to a ship, in order to get to the palace that was just opposite; but he was no sooner on board, than such crowds entered after him, that being apprehensive of the ship’s sinking, he jumped into the sea, and swam two hundred paces to the fleet which lay before the palace, all the time holding his Commentaries in his left hand above the water, and his coat of mail in his teeth.