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VOL. 11.
For the Banner of the South.
Cleopatra Dying,
BY HERMINE.
Glorious victim of my magic! '
Ruined bv my potent spell,
From the world’s imperial station,
Have I dragged thee down to Hell!
Fallen Chieftain! Unthroned Monarch!
Lost through doting love for me I
Fast, on shades of night eternal,
Wings my soul its flight to thee!
Cs sar shall not grace his triumph
With proud Egypt’s captive Queen !
Soothed to sleep by aspic hisses,
Soon my heart on thine shall lean;
Soon my life, like Lotus blossoms,
Swift shall glide on Charon's stream:
Clasped once more in thy embraces,
Love shall prove an endless dream!
Iras! Charmian ! Bind my tresses!
Place the crown above my brow!
Touch these hands, and take these kisses—
Antony reproves not now :
Gods! my lips breathe poisoned vapors!
They have struck my Charmian dead!
Foolish minion ! Durst precede me
Where my spirit’s Lord has fled?
None shall meet his smile before me,
None within his arms repose;
Be his heart’s impassioned fires,
Quenched upon my bosom’s snows!
None shall share his burning kisses,
Ere I haste me to his side !
Otavia’s tears may prove her widowed—
Cleopatra’s still his bride 1
See! My courage claims the title—
Closer press the aspic fangs ;
Memories of his quickening touches
Sweeten now these deadly pangs!
Honor, manhood, glory’s teachings,
All, he bartered for my smile,
Twined his heart-strings round my fingers
Vibrant to their touch the while,
Followed fast my silver rudder.
Fled from Cfesar’s scornful eye,
Heeded not his bleeding honor,
Glad upon my breast to lie!
Then I snared him in my meshes,
Bound him with my wily art,
From the head of conquering legions,
Snatched him captive to my heart,
Wild his soul at my caresses!
Weak his sw'ord at my commaud !
Home, with fury, saw her mightiest
Bowed beneath a woman’s hand!
Noblest of the noble Romans!
Greatest of the Emperors thee!
Thou didst fiing away Kingdom—
Egypt gives herself to thee!
Sweet as balm! Most soft and gentle
Drains the asp my failing breath :
Antony! My Lord l My Lover!
Stretch thine arms to me in death :
Guide me through these deepening shadows— *
Faint my heart, and weak my knee :
Glorious victim! Ruined hero!
Cleopatra dies for thee!
- • >*
For the Banner of the South.
THE LAST DAYS OFCABTHAGEi
OR
A SISTER OP FABIOLA.
AFTER THE MANNER OF THE FRENCH.
CHAPTER 11.
the family of vivia.
T ivia belonged to one of the most no
ble and ancient families of Carthage.
She was a descendant, on the mother’s
side, of the great Antilcar, that had car
ried terror and desolation into Italy, and
had saved his country from the invasion
ot the wild and ferocious Numidians.
He had landed on the shores of Spain,
and had founded Barcelona after a severe
contest with the different surrounding
tribes, llis son was the famous Hannibal,
who, though but a child, had sworn im
placable hatred to the Roman name
Hie child grew unto the maturity of
uninhood, and became a warrior as skill
llJi in the formation of schemes as he
was successful in their execution. He
crossed the Alps and Pyrenees with his
anny and came down like a torrent upon
jhe rich and smiling plains of Italy. The
banks of the Tessino and Trebia had wit
nessed the prowess of his arms, and at
Cannae the Roman legions commanded
by Paul Emilius and Yarro, fled before
bis troops in all the confusion and disor
der of an inglorious defeat. Rome, that
U; ui thought itself invincible, began to
ramble for its safety, and fancied that
every moment the stronghold of Romu
ms would become the degraded vassal of
; ts rival Carthage. But, suddenly, he
vVas recalled to Africa, and Rome was
saved. The tide of fortune now turned
against him, and he was conquered at
Afterwards he was driven forth
ilu!n Harthage as an exile, and dreading
to fall into the hands of the Romans, he
ended his days by drinking a deadly
poison.
The father of Vivia was a descendant
of the proud and barbarous Fanno, the
formidable enemy of Hannibal. They
were jealous of each other’s power and
influence, and their family quarrels had
more Ihan once gravely compromised
the interests of the republic and the
peace and quieness of the city.—
Afterward these animosities were forgot
ten, and a reconciliation was effected be
tween the two branches by the marriage
of the grand-child of Hanno with the
grand-daughter of Hannibal.
Hanno Vivius, was now advanced in
years. In his youth he had studied law
and eloquence, and had made considera
ble proficiency in the different sciences.
He was a man of high intellect, and was
endowed with a most retentive memory;
hut the sphere into which he had entered
was not sufficiently extended for those
noble triumphs to which he was led on
by the glowing ardor of his young and
fiery temperament. It was not in the
small enclosure of the Senate house that
he was to sustain the honor of his coun
try : nor could the art of speaking, no
matter bow eloquent he might become,
contribute anything to the glory of that
banner upon which was inscribed in such
glorious characters the noble deeds of his
ancestors. Besides, the times were too
stormy for a peaceful life. Savage hordes
from Numidia began to draw in close
proximity to Carthage, and threaten its
destruction. Pirates in large numbers
were either pillaging vessels on the
neighboring waters, or were landing on
their shores to plunder everything to
which they could get ready access.
Hanno accordingly’- entered the army.
His military genius and prudence was
appreciated, arid he rose to the command
of the forces, both on sea and land. For
fifteen years his expeditions were success
ful, and he was twice honored with the
glory of a triumph, and solemnly crowned
in the temple of the city. He had, how
ever, received many wounds, and this,
together with the increasing infirmities of
age, induced him to retire from public
life. The citizens offered him an asylum
in their midst, and testified their grati
tude for the services he had rendered
them by conferring upon him the digni
ty of the magisterial rank
Hanno had not inherited the proud
and disdainful character of his race. He
was frank, open and generous* He was
a soldier. When placed at the head of
the army, his justice and humanity com
manded the love and admiration of all
who served under him. In the Senate,
to which he had the right of admission
by birth, he acquitted himself nobly of
the duties which had devolved upon him,
and in the exercise of the most impor
tant charges which had been confided to
his care, he always showed himself inac
cessible to corruption, and the sincere
friend ot the people. He was of a gay
and joyous disposition, and rendered his
fireside the centre of domestic happiness
and comfort. It is true, he had the preju
dices ot his nation in reference to their
slaves, still, if they performed their tasks
aud behaved respectfully, they had no
reason to complain. This was a great
deal, for at that lime slaves were treated
inhumanly, and often, fora trifling fault,
were severely punished.
From his earliest years, and especially
since he had entered upon his political
career, Hanno had often heard of the
new religion. He had not, however,
studied its nature, and wbat he knew
about it was gathered from public rumor.
He had heard it said that Christians af
fected austerity in their manners, and led
a life of retirement; that they assembled
together in secret to celebrate their mys
teiies; that they rendered to each other
mutual assistance in times of povertv
and sickness; that once initiated by cer
tain immersions, they no longer fre
quented their temples, nor participated
AUGUSTA, GA, MARCH 27, 1869.
in their sacrifices, and that for them con
fiscation, exile, or even death, were pre
ferable to the worship of the gods of
Carthage. Nor did he think the report
untrue which represented them as hypo
crites and deceivers. Under the specious
pretext of performing their ceremonies
in secret, it was said that they sometime
assembled to commit the worst of crimes,
one of which was to gorge the palpitating
flesh of infants whom they had slain for
this nefarious purpose. It was by 7 in
stinct then that Hanno was led to look
upon the Nazarenes with feelings of
aversion and contempt. Nevertheless, as
they were regular in the payment of
their imposts, as they entered the army
and more than once proved themselves
valiant soldies, as they exercised profes
sions useful to society, and had always
showui themselves loyal to the state, he
thought it better not to persecute them
too cruelly, and especial!y to avoid pass
ing the sentence of death upon any that
might be brought before his high tribunal.
A man of this character could not he
said to be bad in the strictest sense of
the term. He was not given to sensuali
ty, nor did he fail to respect the honor of
bis family. His conduct was character
ized by a propriety and decorum which
were qualities rarely to be found in that
age of wickedness and corruption. But
this was his limit. What virtues he
possessed, were confined to those which
go to make up a good citizen, and if he
manifested anything above the common
it proceeded not from any 7 supernatural
motive, but from an instinctive sense of
honor, and from a desire to take an ele
vated rank in the esteem of those wdio
were around him.
The mother of Vi via had, of course,
been brought up in the Pagan religion,
but had nevertheless always shown, even
from her infancy, a detestation of its im
pure rites. She had ever been regarded
as a model of sweetness and virtue. The
licentious practices which were observed
in the temples and which were encouraged
in a still worse degree in the theatres, in
spired her with a disgust that saved her
from the seductions of the world, ller
natural instincts taught her that reserve
and modesty were qualities which belong
peculiarly to the female sex and consti
tute their charms. She knew that in
her tender years, her proper place was
under the protecting care of a mother,
and that in after years her duty was
to superintend the household and ren
der her companion happy by bestow
ing upon him all the sweetness of a
pure affection. For this reason, she
had purposely avoided the company of
persons in whom she might have no
ticed any lightness of behavior, or a
taste for the pleasures of worldly dissi
pation. She was rich, and withal en-
dowed with the graces of external ap
pearance, and nothing would have been
easier for her than to have attracted to
her house a host of fawning admirers.
But, to this she was averse. She re
ceived them with coldness, and spoke
to them with gravity, and when the oc
casion presented itself, she would retire
to her private apartments to occupy
herself with some useful work, or, per
haps, to exercise her skill on the harp
or guitar. Her reserved manner had
its effect, and her house never could be
regarded as the receptacle of giddy,
frivolous young men.
Her father had died when she was
very young. Her affections were ac
cordingly concentrated upon her mother
and upon a near relation by the name of
Potamiena. The latter was an orphan,
aod younger than herself by ten years.
This young child was the object of her
most tender solicitude. She had watched
over her from her cradle, and had con
soled her iu all her little troubles. She
had joined in her childish plays, and
had finally conceived such an affection
for her that she could not endure to be
separated from her even for an instant.
They often took walks together. One
day as they wpre taking one of their ac
customed walks, the orphan suddenly
disappeared. The grief of the family
was inexpressible. Every effort was
made to recover the lost child. Twenty
years passed by and still the mystery re
mained unsolved.
Julia, the name of Vivia's mother, was
now seventeen years of age, and in obe
dience to the desire of her mother, she
espoused Hanno Yivius. He was pos
sessed of an immense fortune, and bore
a good name, which he justly merited.
She was, however, still richer than he
was, and, in order to sustain their rank
in society, they undertook to live in a
style equal to that maintained by the
highest aristocracy of Carthage. They
received numerous visits from their
friends, but as the conversations rarely
turned upon subjects of an instructive
nature, but rather on those of an irreli
gious tendency—as everything sacred
was turned into ridicule and became the
object of the pungent sarcasm, such visi
tors found very little sympathy with her,
and it was with the greatest repugnance
that she consented to entertain them.
Julia had several children. Two,
however, died young, and a third was
taken off at the age of seven years by a
cancer that had horribly disfigured his
face. She mourned over the loss of this
young child in tears of bitterness, and
often went to visit the superb mausoleum
which she had caused to be erected at
great expense.
Poor mother! she had not yet expe
rienced the sweet consolations of prayer,
which assuages the most poignant grief
and whispers to the heart the mysterious
words of hope ! She did not know that
she could behold once more in the bosom
of the Divinity, and in all the glory of
immortality, that dead infant which had
been so suddenly taken from her arms.
Like those around her, she believed his
shade forever honored in the vicinity of
his tomb, and when, after spending hours
near it, she would rise to go, she would
cast a look behind and bid him an
eternal adieu.
But she had other children to live
for, and she was far from forgetting
that they likewise had a sacred right to
her affection. There were two sons who
had already made great advancement in
their studies at the schools of Carthage.
There was besides a daughter, a little
older than her brothers, and, in every re
spect, the perfect reflection of her
mother. She was affectionate and sub
missive, and devoted to her brothers.
To the slaves, she was always consider
ate and kind. She would not shrink
from aiding them when they happened
to have a pressure of work, and when
laboring under sickness, she was ever
at their side, giving them her greatest
care and attention. If by chance she
had given any of them offence, she
would afterwards ask their pardon and
redouble her kindness to compensate for
the pain she had given them.
Notwithstanding, it cannot be said
that Vivia was without a fault She
was somewhat sensitive, and could not
suffer the slightest contradiction. She
was talented, and this became to her the
occasion of developing her sentiments
of pride. She loved to attract attention
in conversation, and here she endea
vored to display to the greatest advantage
the brilliancy of her vivid imagination.
She inwardly rejoiced when she saw her
self admired, and she listened to words
of praise with anything but indifference.
In her character there was wanting
firmness and decision, nor could it be
said that she possessed sufficient energy.
Occasionally she would give evidence of
having come to a determined resolution,
and her enthusiasm would lead one to
suppose that she was then capable of the
greatest sacrifices. But soon her ardor
would grow cool. She would find that
her determination extended to things
which were above her strength, and she
would naturally fall back into her usual
vacillating state of mind. Her mother
had done all in her power to combat this
weakness, and when she found that her
efforts did not meet with success, she
grew alarmed at the evil consequences
which might possibly ensue in after years.
Vivia would listen to the wise counsels
of her mother and would openly admit
that she was wrong. She would even
promise to do better for the future, but
to effect a complete reform something
more was required than her own reflec
tions or the simple desire to please her
mother. It was necessary that she should
be subjected to the impulse of some su
pernatural motive, and this her own reli
gion was unable to supply.
Nature had favored her—she was
beautiful. To a noble extraction, and
distinguished acquirements, she added
remarkable powers of conversation. She
was universally known throughout Car
thage, and universally admired. The
germ of vanity began to develop under
these powerful influences, until she began
to employ artificial means to enhance the
charms of her fascinating beauty. She
wore diamonds of great value, and gold
bracelets always adorned her wrists.
Her robes were of the most costly mate
rial, and were ornamented with the most
elaborate embroiderings of gold and sil
ver. Notwithstanding all this, it must he
said to tier praise, that, up to the time of
her marriage, her life had always been
pure and chaste.
Such was the family of Yivia when an
event, such as no one can foresee, came
to introduce a material change into its
interior relations.
CHAPTER 111.
THE CHRISTIAN SLAVE.
Amongst the number of the slaves
which the mother of Julia had given her
on the occasion of her marriage with
Hanno, was one called Rufina, almost of
the same age as her young mistress. The
light complexion of her countenance dis
tinguished her from the African race,
and would indicate that she came from
some of the tribes of Europe. She was
grave, and even melancholy, though al
ways respectful and affable, according as
she found herself in the presence of her
superiors or in the company of her equals.
When she had any moments of leisure,
she would retire to her own room, or take
a walk in the gardens alone. Occasion
ally she would sing in some strange lan
guage, and though none around her could
understand what she was singing, still
her accent and voice was so sweet, and
so full of tenderness, that many would
stop to listen. Sometimes she could not
restrain her tears, and, overcome with
emotion, she would desist for a few mo
ments and cover her face with her hands!
as if to conceal her grief.
Her companions, as might he supposed,
were exceedingly curious to find*out the
cause of these mysterious scenes.
One of them remarked that she ap
peared to her to be a hypocrite, “for. at
her age, every one is natuially inclined
to pleasure. Everywhere youth is smi
ling and happy, and when one sees pre
mature gravity, it is a sure sign 1 hat the
predominant element in that character is
deception. Perhaps she thinks that by
acting thus she will please her young
mistress. Anyway, she has succeeded
pretty well.”
“ Perhaps she is some great princess,”
remarked another, while the others
seconded her sarcasm by a burst of mer
riment.
“ Perhaps she is the daughter of some
barbarous king who has been reduced to
slavery by some untoward event. She
appears humble in her present position.
Her pride keeps her reserved from our
society, and makes her shrink from the
work which she has to perform. I have
even seen her refuse presents which were
offered her.”
There was another amongst them who
pretended to solve every mystery, and,
according to her view, the young slave
No. 2.