He pondered over the person to whom he should apply—­Mardion, the Regent, or the Keeper of the Seal?  No, they had planned the erection of the group of sculpture in the philosopher’s garden.  To Iras, his mother’s confidante?  Nay, last of all to her.  The cunning woman would have perceived his purpose and betrayed it to the Regent.  Ah, if Charmian, his mother’s other attendant, had been present! but she was with the fleet, which perhaps was even now engaged in battle with the enemy.

At this recollection his eyes again sought the ground—­he had not been permitted to take the place in the army to which his birth entitled him, while his mother and Charmian—­But he did not pursue this painful current of thought; for a serious reproach had forced itself upon him and sent the blood to his cheeks.  He wished to be considered a man, and yet, in these fateful days, which would determine the destiny of his mother, his native city, Egypt, and that Rome which he, the only son of Caesar, was taught to consider his heritage, he was visiting a beautiful woman, thinking of her, and of her alone.  His days and half the nights were passed in forming plans for securing her love, forgetful of what should have occupied his whole heart.

Only yesterday Iras had sharply admonished him that, in times like these, it was the duty of every friend of Cleopatra, and every foe of her foes, to be with the army at least in mind.

He had remembered this, but, instead of heeding the warning, the thought of her had merely recalled her uncle, Archibius, who possessed great influence, not merely on account of his wealth but because every one also knew his high standing in the regard of the Queen.  Besides, the clever, kindly man had always been friendly to him from childhood, and like a revelation came the idea of applying to him, and to the architect Gorgias, who had a voice in the matter, and by whom he had been strongly attracted during the period while he was rebuilding the wing assigned to the prince in the palace at Lochias.

So one of the attendants was instantly despatched with the little tablet which invited Gorgias to the interview at the Temple of Isis.

Then, in the afternoon, Caesarion went secretly in a boat to the little palace of Archibius, situated on the seashore at Kanopus, and now as the latter, with his friend, stood beside the carriage door, he explained to them that he was going with the architect to old Didymus to assure him of his assistance.

This was unadvisable in every respect, but it required all the weight of the older man’s reasons to induce the prince to yield.  The consequences which might ensue, should the populace discover that he was taking sides against the Regent, would be incalculable.  But submission and withdrawal were especially difficult to the young “King of kings.”  He longed to pose as a man in Dion’s presence, and as this could not be, he strove to maintain the semblance