"Since, besides being your brother, I am your rival, and we would sooner see our rivals lower themselves than rise." "Do not try to justify yourself by such words," interrupted the king evasively, and with a tone of regret in his soft voice.

"We love you truly; we are ready to yield you your dominion side by side with ours, and I beg you to avoid such speeches even in jest, so that bygones may be bygones." "And," added Cleopatra, "not to detract from your dignity as a king and your fame as a sage by any such fool's pranks." "Madam teacher, do you know then what I had in my mind?
I would appear as Alcibiades, followed by a train of flute-playing women, with Aristarchus to play the part of Socrates.

I have often been told that he and I resemble each other--in many points, say the more sincere; in every point, say the more polite of my friends." At these words Publius measured with his eye the frame of the royal young libertine, enveloped in transparent robes; and recalling to himself, as he gazed, a glorious statue of that favorite of the Athenians, which he had seen in the Ilissus, an ironical smile passed over his lips.

It was not unobserved by Euergetes and it offended him, for there was nothing he liked better than to be compared to the nephew of Pericles; but he suppressed his annoyance, for Publius Cornelius Scipio was the nearest relative of the most influential men of Rome, and, though he himself wielded royal power, Rome exercised over him the sovereign will of a divinity.
Cleopatra noticed what was passing in her brother's mind, and in order to interrupt his further speech and to divert his mind to fresh thoughts, she said cheerfully: "Let us then give up the procession, and think of some other mode of celebrating your birthday.

You, Lysias, must be experienced in such matters, for Publius tells me that you were the leader in all the games of Corinth.