178 ANT(^'Y. contrary, she would be the first in favor with him. So he set himself at once to pay his court to the Egyptian, and gave her his advice, " to go," in the Homeric style, to Ciiicia, '■ in her best attire," * and bade her fear nothing from Antony, the gentlest and kindest of soldiers. She had some faith in the words of Dellius, but more in her own attractions, which, having formerly recommended her to Ctesar and the young Cnaeus Pompey, she did not doubt might prove yet more successful with Antony. Their acquaintance was with her when a girl, young, and igno- rant of the world, but she was to meet Antony in the time of life when women's beauty is most s^ilendid, and their intellects are in full maturity.-}- She made great preparation for her journey, of money, gifts, and orna- ments of value, such as so wealthy a kingdom might afford, but she brought with her her surest hopes in her own magic arts and charms. She received several letters, both from Antony and from his friends, to summon her, but she took no account of these orders ; and at last, as if in mockery of them, she came sailing up the river Cydnus, in a barge with gilded stern and outspread sails of purple, while oars of silver beat time to the music of flutes and fifes and harps. She herself lay all along, under a canopy of cloth of gold, dressed as Venus in a picture, and beautiful young boys, like painted Cupids, stood on each side to fan her. Her maids were dressed like Sea Nymphs and Graces, some steering at the rudder, some working at the ropes. The perfumes dif- fused themselves from the vessel to the shore, which was covered with multitudes, part following the galley up
- " To go to Ida in her best at- setting forth to beguile Jupiter from
tire " is the verse, in which Plu- his watch on Mount Ida, while tarch merely substitutes Ciiicia for Neptune shall check the Trojans. Ida. See the Iliad, Book XIV. t She was now about t.wenty- 162, where Juno is described as eight years old.
