You have had news which rouses your anxiety ?" "Worse than that," she answered in a low tone.
"Well ?" "Read!" gasped Iras, her lips and nostrils quivering as she handed Archibius a small tablet.

With a gesture of haste very unusual in him, he snatched it from her hand and, as his eyes ran over the words traced upon it, every vestige of colour vanished from his cheeks and lips.
They were written by Cleopatra's own hand, and contained the following lines: "The naval battle was lost--and by my fault.

The land forces might still save us, but not under his command.

He is with me, uninjured, but apparently exhausted; like a different being, bereft of courage, listless as if utterly crushed.

I foresee the beginning of the end.
As soon as this reaches you, arrange to have some unpretending litters ready for us every evening at sunset.