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152
Hereditary Genius
VIII. married two of his own sisters consecutively; XII. and XIII. were
brothers, and both consecutively married their sister, the famous Cleopatra.
Thus there are no less than nine cases of close intermarriages distributed among the
thirteen Ptolemys. However, when we put them, as below, into the form of a
genealogical tree, we shall clearly see that the main line of descent was
untouched by these intermarriages, except in the two cases of III. and of VIII.
The personal beauty and vigour of Cleopatra, the last of the race, cannot
therefore be justly quoted in disproof of the evil effects of close breeding. On
the contrary, the result of Ptolemaic experience was distinctly to show that
intermarriages are followed by sterility.
Genealogical Tree of the Ptolemys.
I.
|
Niece. = II. = Sister.
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III. O
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IV.
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V.
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VI. = Sister. = VII. = To his niece (doubly).
| | |___________________
Dau. Marr. 1 son | | |
To her uncle, VIII. = Also to his 2 sisters
and mother of VIII. |
XI.
________|__________
| | |
XII. = Cleopatra. = XIII. (a mere boy)
| |
O O
SURNAMES OF THE PTOLEMYS.
I.
Soter.
VIII.
Soter II.
II.
Philadelphus.
IX.
Alexander.
III.
Euergetes.
X.
Alexander II.
IV.
Philopator.
XI.
Auletes.
V.
Epiphanes.
XII.
Dionysus.
VI.
Philometor.
XIII.
Murdered when a
boy.
VII.
Euergetes II.
(Physon.)
N. (Half-nephew.) Ptolemy Philadelphus, a man of feeble and sickly constitution,
but of great ability and energy. He cleared Egypt of marauding bands. He was
the first to
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