Sardou's Cleopatra — page 171: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

156 SARDOWS CLEOPATRA. weary of peace. He contemplates war. So be it. He will not find me unprepared !”’ At these words, Octavia threw herself on her knees beside her brother’s chair, seized his hand, and raising her tearful eyes to his, said in a trem- bling voice: ‘Between you both, you will immolate me on the altar of your barbarous pride. Brother, hear my prayer. Before moving against Antony, before judging him, wait, wait a little, Octavius, if you love me. Antony is my husband, and our eriefs are the same. ‘The blows you aim at him will fall upon me. Can you do him any harm that I shall not feel? What will become of me in the midst of your bloody conflicts? How will the gods comprehend my ever-varying prayers? If I go to implore their aid in your favor, alas! To pray for you is to pray against him. What- ever be the result, whatever arms are crowned with the laurels of victory, there is no hope for me, only a choice between tears and tears.” “Evil be to him,” cried Octavius, throwing his arm about her, ‘‘who causes tears to my sister, the only one that I love and honor!” And these were not idle words. Selfish and comicbooks.co a