It resulted, in the first instance, as she had anticipated. Achillas and his army received her with acclamations. Under Ganymede's influence they decided that, as all the other members of the royal family were in durance, being held captive by a foreign general, who had by chance obtained possession of the capital, and were thus incapacitated for exercising the royal power, the crown devolved upon Arsinoë; and they accordingly proclaimed her queen.
Every thing was now prepared for a desperate and determined contest for the crown between Cleopatra, with Caesar for her minister and general, on the one side, and Arsinoë, with Ganymede and Achillas for her chief officers, on the other. The young Ptolemy, in the mean time, remained Caesar's prisoner, confused with the intricacies in which the quarrel had become involved, and scarcely knowing now what to wish in respect to the issue of the contest. It was very difficult to foresee whether it would be best for him that Cleopatra or that Arsinoë should succeed.
The Alexandrine war.--Forces of Caesar.--The Egyptian army.--Fugitive slaves.--Dangerous situation of Caesar.--Presence of Caesar.--Influence of Cleopatra.--First measures of Caesar.--Caesar's stores.--Military engines.--The mole.--View of Alexandria.--Necessity of taking possession of the mole.--Egyptian fleet.--Caesar burns the shipping.--The fort taken.--Burning of Alexandria.--Achillas beheaded.--Plans of Ganymede.--His vigorous measures.--Messengers of Ganymede.--Their instructions.--Ganymede cuts off Caesar's supply of water.--Panic of the soldiers.--Caesar's wells.--Arrival of the transports.--The transports in distress.--Lowness of the coast.--A combat.--Caesar successful. --Ganymede equips a fleet.--A naval conflict.--Caesar in danger. --Another victory.--The Egyptians discouraged.--Secret messengers. --Dissimulation of Ptolemy--Arrival of Mithradates.--Defeat of Ptolemy. --Terror and confusion.--Death of Ptolemy.--Cleopatra queen.--General disapprobation of Caesar's course.--Cleopatra's son Caesarion.--Public opinion of her conduct.--Caesar departs for Rome.--He takes Arsinoë with him.
The war which ensued as the result of the intrigues and maneuvers described in the last chapter is known in the history of Rome and Julius Caesar as the Alexandrine war. The events which occurred during the progress of it, and its termination at last in the triumph of Caesar and Cleopatra, will form the subject of this chapter.