Cleopatra Complete

This historical romance is about Egypt's last ruler, Cleopatra's life, desires, and love. None of the beautiful women of history has given the world such legends of her seductive charms as Cleopatra. She was the one who turned Rome's destiny and that of the world upside down because of her magnificence. Julius Caesar, whose corps crushed the conquered world from Canopus to the Thames, yielded to her, and Mark Antony threw away an empire and his honor to follow her to his destruction. At last, she took her own life by allowing an Egyptian Cobra to bite her. She took this bold step to avoid the dishonor of being paraded as a captive in a Roman triumph celebrating the victory of Octavian. It is a sensual and intellectual work that presents a beautiful and vivid picture of the time. German Egyptologist and novelist wrote it with a masterful eye for detail and archeological sense of historical accuracy. It gives a good glimpse into the lives of the people around Cleopatra.

Gorgias, the architect, had learned to bear the scorching sunbeams of the Egyptian noonday. Though not yet thirty, he had directed—first as his late father's assistant and afterwards as his successor—the construction of the huge buildings erected by Cleopatra in Alexandria. Now he was overwhelmed with commissions; yet he had come hither ere the hours of work were over, merely to oblige a youth who had barely passed the confines of boyhood. True, the person for whom he made this sacrifice was Caesarion, the son whom Cleopatra had given to Julius Caesar. Antony had honoured him with the proud title of "King of kings"; yet he was permitted neither to rule nor even to issue orders, for his mother kept him aloof from affairs of state, and he himself had no desire to hold the sceptre.

Like Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra is an archetypal love story but of more mature lovers. However, the play isnt only that; it is also an epic rife with political machinations. In addition it is a character study, revealing Antony beset by very human emotions and a tragic weakness, and Cleopatra, as a self-deluding, aging siren. Of course Antony pays for his weakness as does Cleopatra. Yet even in death they are united, buried together andlinked by scholars and lovers for all time.

Cleopatra VII Philopator was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, nominally survived as pharaoh by her son Caesarion. She was also a diplomat, naval commander, polyglot, and medical author. As a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder, Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great. Inside you’ll read about • Rome comes to Egypt • Sibling rivalry • Caesar and Cleopatra • Assassination • Antony and Cleopatra • An Alexandrian idyll • Dusk approaches And much more! Julius Caesar maintained a private affair with Cleopatra that produced a son, Caesarion (Ptolemy XV). When Caesar was assassinated Cleopatra attempted to have Caesarion named as his heir, but this fell instead to Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian. In the Liberators’ civil war Cleopatra sided with the Roman Second Triumvirate formed by Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Cleopatra had an affair with Antony that would eventually produce three children: Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene II, and Ptolemy Philadelphus. Octavian’s forces invaded Egypt and defeated those of Antony, leading to his suicide. When Cleopatra learned that Octavian planned to bring her to Rome for his triumphal procession, she committed suicide by poisoning, the popular belief being that she was bitten by an asp.