known to have advanced their claims to the throne of Egypt. Moreover,
there was a book of prophecy current among the priesthood which de-
clared that after the nations of the Greeks the God Harsefi would create
the "chief who is to come." It will therefore be seen that, although it lacks
historical confirmation, the story of the great plot formed to stamp out
the dynasty of the Macedonian Lagidae and place Harmachis on the
throne is not in itself improbable. Indeed, it is possible that many such
plots were entered into by Egyptian patriots during the long ages of their
country's bondage. But ancient history tells us little of the abortive
struggles of a fallen race.
The Chant of Isis and the Song of Cleopatra, which appear in these
pages, are done into verse from the writer's prose by Mr. Andrew Lang,
and the dirge sung by Charmion is translated by the same hand from the
Greek of the Syrian Meleager.
