Yet Iras knew how to profit by her mistress’s sleep and the absence of her aunt.  She had learned that she would be shut out of her apartments, and therefore from Barine also.  Ere any step could be taken against the prisoner, she must first arrange the necessary preliminaries with Alexas.  The failure of her expectation of seeing her rival trampled in the dust had transformed her jealous resentment into hatred, and though she was her niece, she even transferred a portion of it to Charmian, who had placed herself between her and her victim.

She had sent for the Syrian, but he, too, had gone to rest at a late hour and kept her waiting a long time.  The reception which the impatient girl bestowed was therefore by no means cordial, but her manner soon grew more friendly.

First Alexas boasted of having induced the Queen to commit Barine’s fate to him.  If he should try her at noon and find her guilty, there was nothing to prevent him from compelling her to drink the poisoned cup or having her strangled before evening.  But the matter would be dangerous, because the singer’s friends were numerous and by no means powerless.  Yet, in the depths of her heart, Cleopatra desired nothing more ardently than to rid herself of her dangerous rival.  But he knew the great ones of the earth.  If he acted energetically and brought matters to a speedy close, the Queen, to avoid evil gossip, would burden him with her own act.  Antony’s mood could not be predicted, and the Syrian’s weal or woe depended on his favour.  Besides, the execution of the singer at the last Adonis festival might have a dangerous effect upon the people of Alexandria.  They were already greatly excited, and his brother, who knew them, said that some were overwhelmed with sorrow, and others ready, in their fury, to rise in a bloody rebellion.  Everything was to be feared from this rabble, but Philostratus understood how to persuade them to many things, and Alexas had just secured his aid.

Alexas had really succeeded in the work of reconciliation.  During the orator’s married life with Barine she had forbidden her brother-in-law the house, and her husband had quarrelled with the brother who sought his wife.  But after the latter had risen to a high place in Antony’s favour, and been loaded with gold by his lavish hand, Philostratus had again approached him to claim his share of the new wealth.  And the source from which Alexas drew flowed so abundantly that his favourite did not find it difficult to give.  Both men were as unprincipled as they were lavish, and experience taught them that base natures always have at their disposal a plank with which to bridge chasms.  If it is of gold, it will be crossed the more speedily.  Such was the case here, and of late it had become specially firm; for each needed the other’s aid.