Then I no longer could bear her falsehood, for I saw that she but played with me.  And so I spoke that which was in my heart: 

“Cleopatra!” I cried, “thou didst swear to protect Egypt, and thou art about to betray Egypt to the Roman!  Thou didst swear to use the treasures that I revealed to thee for the service of Egypt, and thou art about to use them to be her means of shame—­to fashion them as fetters for her wrists!  Thou didst swear to wed me, who loved thee, and for thee gave all, and thou dost mock me and reject me!  Therefore I say—­with the voice of the dread Gods I say it!—­that on thee shall fall the curse of Menkau-ra, whom thou hast robbed indeed!  Let me go hence and work out my fate!  Let me go, O thou fair Shame! thou living Lie! whom I have loved to my doom, and who hast brought upon me the last curse of doom!  Let me hide myself and see thy face no more!”

She rose in her wrath, and she was terrible to see.

“Let thee go to stir up evil against me!  Nay, Harmachis, thou shalt not go to build new plots against my throne!  I say to thee that thou, too, shalt come to visit Antony in Cilicia, and there, perchance, I will let thee go!” And ere I could answer, she had struck upon the silver gong that hung near her.

Before its rich echo had died away, Charmion and the waiting-women entered from one door, and from the other, a file of soldiers—­four of them of the Queen’s bodyguard, mighty men, with winged helmets and long fair hair.

“Seize that traitor!” cried Cleopatra, pointing to me.  The captain of the guard—­it was Brennus—­saluted and came towards me with drawn sword.

But I, being mad and desperate, and caring little if they slew me, flew straight at his throat, and dealt him such a heavy blow that the great man fell headlong, and his armour clashed upon the marble floor.  As he fell I seized his sword and targe, and, meeting the next, who rushed on me with a shout, caught his blow upon the shield, and in answer smote with all my strength.  The sword fell where the neck is set into the shoulder, and, shearing through the joints of his harness, slew him, so that his knees were loosened and he sank down dead.  And the third, as he came, I caught upon the point of my sword before he could strike, and it pierced him and he died.  Then the last rushed on me with a cry of “Taranis!” and I, too, rushed on him, for my blood was aflame.  Now the women shrieked—­only Cleopatra said nothing, but stood and watched the unequal fray.  We met, and I struck with all my strength, and it was a mighty blow, for the sword shore through the iron shell and shattered there, leaving me weaponless.  With a shout of triumph the guard swung up his sword and smote down upon my head, but I caught the blow with my shield.  Again he smote, and again I parried; but when he raised his sword a third time I saw this might not endure, so with a cry I hurled my buckler at his face.  Glancing from his shield it struck him on the breast and staggered him.  Then, before he could gain his balance, I rushed in beneath his guard and gripped him round the middle.