Her husband remonstrated with her against this atrocious proposal.

"It would be a wholly useless act of cruelty," said he, "to destroy her life.

She can do us no possible harm in the future progress of the war, while to murder her under these circumstances will only exasperate her husband and her friends, and nerve them with new strength for the remainder of the contest.

And then, besides, she has taken refuge in a temple; and if we violate that sanctuary, we shall incur, by such an act of sacrilege, the implacable displeasure of Heaven.

Consider, too, that she is your sister, and for you to kill her would be to commit an unnatural and wholly inexcusable crime." So saying, he commanded Tryphena to say no more upon the subject, for he would on no account consent that Cleopatra should suffer any injury whatever.
This refusal on the part of her husband to comply with her request only inflamed Tryphena's insane resentment and anger the more.