CLEOPATRA

Cleopatra VII ruled ancient Egypt as co-regent (first with her two younger brothers and then with her
son) for almost three decades. She became the last in a dynasty of Macedonian rulers founded by
Ptolemy, who sered as general under !le"ander the #reat during his con$uest of Egypt in %%& '.C.
(ell-educated and cleer, Cleopatra could spea) arious languages and sered as the dominant ruler
in all three of her co-regencies. *er romantic liaisons and military alliances with the +oman leaders
,ulius Caesar and -ar) !ntony, as well as her supposed exotic beauty and powers of seduction,
earned her an enduring place in history and popular myth.
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6ince no contemporary accounts e"ist of Cleopatra7s life, it is difficult to piece together her
biography with much certainty. -uch of what is )nown about her life comes from the wor) of #reco-
+oman scholars, particularly Plutarch. 'orn in 89 or :; '.C., Cleopatra was a dauhter of Ptolemy
!"" #Auletes$% *er mother was belieed to be Cleopatra V 0ryphaena, the )ing7s wife (and possibly
his half-sister). In <= '.C., upon the apparently natural death of !uletes, the Eyptian throne passed
to &'(year(old Cleopatra and her &)(year(old brother* Ptolemy !"""%
5id 2ou >now?
In the days between Cleopatra@s death and /ctaian@s formal anne"ation of Egypt, her &+(year(
old son Caesarion was officially sole ruler. *e had no way of ta)ing power, howeer, and was
captured and e"ecuted shortly after his mother@s suicide.
6oon after the siblings7 ascension to the throne, Ptolemy,s ad-isers acted aainst Cleopatra* who
was forced to flee Eypt for Syria in ./ 0%C% 6he raised an army of mercenaries and returned the
following year to face her brother7s forces at Pelusium, on Egypt7s eastern border. -eanwhile, after
allowing the +oman general Pompey to be murdered, Ptolemy AIII welcomed the arrial of Pompey7s
rial, ,ulius Caesar, to !le"andria. In order to help her cause, Cleopatra sought Caesar7s support,
reportedly smuggling herself into the royal palace to plead her case with him.
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3or his part, Caesar needed to fund his own return to power in +ome, and needed Egypt to repay
the debts incurred by !uletes. !fter four months of war between Caesar7s outnumbered forces and
those of Ptolemy AIII, +oman reinforcements arriedB Ptolemy was forced to flee Alexandria* and
was belie-ed to ha-e drowned in the 1ile Ri-er% Entering !le"andria as an unpopular con$ueror,
Caesar restored the throne to the e$ually unpopular Cleopatra and her younger brother Ptolemy AIV
(then =% years old). Caesar remained in Eypt with Cleopatra for a time* and around .2 0%C% she
a-e birth to a son* Ptolemy Caesar% 3e was belie-ed to be Caesar,s child* and was 4nown by
the Eyptian people as Caesarion* or Little Caesar%
6ometime in C:-C< '.C., Cleopatra tra-eled with Ptolemy !"5 and Caesarion to +ome to isit
Caesar, who had returned earlier. After Caesar was murdered in March .. '.C%* Cleopatra went
bac4 to Eypt6 Ptolemy AIV died soon after, and the three-year-old Caesarion was named co-regent
with his mother, as Ptolemy AV. 0y this point* Cleopatra had stronly identified herself with the
oddess "sis* the sister(wife of Osiris and mother of 3orus. (0his was consistent with the ancient
Egyptian tradition of associating royalty with diinity in order to reinforce the position of )ings and
$ueens. Cleopatra III had also claimed to be associated with Isis, and Cleopatra VII was referred to as
the D4ew Isis.E)
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(ith her infant son as co-regent, Cleopatra7s hold on power in Egypt was more secure than it had
eer been. 6till, unreliable flooding of the 4ile resulted in failing crops, leading to inflation and
hunger. -eanwhile, a conflict was raging in +ome between a second trium-irate of Caesar7s allies
#Mar4 Antony* Octa-ian and Lepidus$ and his assassins, 'rutus and Cassius. 'oth sides as)ed for
Egyptian support, and after some stalling Cleopatra sent four +oman legions stationed in Egypt by
Caesar to support the triumirate. In C& '.C., after defeating the forces of 'rutus and Cassius in the
battles of Philippi, -ar) !ntony and /ctaian diided power in +ome.
Mar4 Antony soon summoned Cleopatra to the Cicilian city of Tarsus #south of modern
Tur4ey$ to e"plain the role she had played in the complicated aftermath of Caesar7s assassination.
!ccording to the story recorded by Plutarch (and later dramatiGed famously by (illiam 6ha)espeare),
Cleopatra sailed to 0arsus in an elaborate ship, dressed in the robes of Isis. !ntony, who associated
himself with the #ree) deity 5ionysus, was seduced by her charms. *e agreed to protect Egypt and
Cleopatra7s crown, pledging support for the remoal of her younger sister and rial !rsinoe, then in
e"ile. Cleopatra returned to Egypt, followed shortly thereafter by !ntony, who left behind his third
wife, 3ulia, and their children in +ome. *e spent the winter of C=-C9 '.C. in !le"andria, during
which he and Cleopatra famously formed a drin)ing society called D0he Inimitable .iers.E In C9
'.C., after !ntony7s return to +ome, Cleopatra gae birth to twins, !le"ander *elios (sun) and
Cleopatra 6elene (moon).
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After 7ul-ia too4 ill and died* Antony was forced to pro-e his loyalty to Octa-ian by ma4in
a diplomatic marriae with Octa-ian,s half(sister Octa-ia. Egypt grew more prosperous under
Cleopatra7s rule, and in %8 '.C. !ntony again met with Cleopatra to obtain funds for his long-delayed
military campaign against the )ingdom of Parthia. In e"change, he agreed to return much of Egypt7s
eastern empire, including Cyprus, Crete, Cyrenaica (.ibya), ,ericho and large portions of 6yria and
.ebanon. 0hey again became loers, and Cleopatra gae birth to another son, Ptolemy Philadelphos,
in %: '.C.
!fter a humiliating defeat in Parthia, !ntony publicly reHected his wife /ctaia7s efforts to reHoin
him and instead returned to Egypt and Cleopatra. In a public celebration in %C '.C. )nown as the
D5onations of !le"andria,E !ntony declared Caesarion as Caesar7s son and rightful heir (as opposed
to his adopted son, /ctaian) and awarded land to each of his children with Cleopatra. 0his began a
war of propaganda between him and the furious /ctaian, who claimed that !ntony was entirely
under Cleopatra7s control and would abandon +ome and found a new capital in Egypt. In late %& '.C.,
the +oman 6enate stripped !ntony of all his titles, and /ctaian declared war on Cleopatra.
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/n 6eptember &, %= '.C., /ctaian7s forces soundly defeated those of !ntony and Cleopatra in
the 'attle of !ctium. Cleopatra7s ships deserted the battle and fled to Egypt, and !ntony soon
managed to brea) away and follow her with a few ships. (ith !le"andria under attac) from
/ctaian7s forces, !ntony heard a rumor that Cleopatra had committed suicide. *e fell on his sword,
and died Hust as news arried that the rumor had been false.
/n !ugust =&, %9 '.C., after burying !ntony and meeting with the ictorious /ctaian, Cleopatra
closed herself in her chamber with two of her female serants. 0he means of her death is uncertain,
but Plutarch and other writers adanced the theory that she used a poisonous sna)e )nown as the asp,
a symbol of diine royalty. !ccording to her wishes, Cleopatra7s body was buried with !ntony7s,
leaing /ctaian (later Emperor !ugustus I) to celebrate his con$uest of Egypt and his consolidation
of power in +ome.
Plot8Summary of Cleopatra
In CI '.C., Caesar pursues Pompey from Pharsalia to Egypt. Ptolemy, now supreme ruler after
deposing his older sister, Cleopatra, attempts to gain faor with Caesar by presenting the con$uerer
with the head of Pompey, borne by his goernors, Pothinos and !chillas. 0o win Caesar@s support
from her brother, Cleopatra hides herself in a rug, which !pollodorus, her serant, presents to Caesar.
0he +oman is immediately infatuatedB banishing Ptolemy, he declares Cleopatra Egypt@s sole ruler
and ta)es her as his mistress. ! son, Caesarion, is born of their union. Caesar, howeer, must return to
Italy. !lthough he is briefly reunited with Cleopatra during a magnificent reception for the $ueen in
+ome, Caesar is assassinated shortly thereafter, and Cleopatra returns to Egypt. (hen -ar) !ntony,
Caesar@s protJgJ, beholds Cleopatra aboard her elaborate barge at 0arsus some years later, he is
smitten and becomes both her loer and military ally. 0heir liaison notwithstanding, !ntony, to
consolidate his position in +ome, marries /ctaia, sister of the ambitious /ctaian. 0he marriage
satisfies no one. Cleopatra is infuriated, and !ntony, tiring of his +oman wife, returns to Egypt. 0here
he flaunts his liaison by marrying Cleopatra in a public ceremony. 6ensing !ntony@s wea)ness,
/ctaian attac)s and defeats his forces at !ctium. !larmed, Cleopatra withdraws her fleet and see)s
refuge in her tomb.
1 - Written by alfiehitchie
0he story of Kueen Cleopatra VII of Egypt who wants to stabiliGe her power by using the tensions in
the +oman Empire. Caesar isits Egypt, has an affair with her, and returns to +ome. 6he bears his
child and isits +ome to claim her place at Caesar@s side. *e is murdered before this can happen. 6he
returns to Egypt leaing +ome in turmoil. -ar) !ntony follows her to Egypt and they fall in loe.
*oweer, /ctaian defeats !nthony in battle.
2 - Written by Simon Hedges
Epic saga of the legendary Kueen@s reign from the time ,ulius Caesar arried in Egypt until her death
some =I years later. Cleopatra is portrayed as a schemer, firstly to gain control oer the Egyptian
)ingdom from her brother with whom she ruled Hointly. *aing gained the confidence of Caesar, they
become loers and she bears him the son he neer had. *er attempts at ensuring that the boy ta)es his
rightful place in +ome are thwarted when Caesar is assassinated and she flees bac) to Egypt. -any
years later -arc !ntony, now responsible for the eastern half of the +oman Empire, see)s an alliance
with Egypt. *e and Cleopatra become loers and form a military alliance but are forced to retreat
after losing a maHor naal encounter at !ctium. 'oth eentually ta)e their own lies.
3 - Written by garykmcd
A1TO19 A1: CLEOPATRA
(illiam 6ha)espeare
-ar) !ntony, one of the three rulers of the +oman Empire, spends his time in Egypt, liing a life of
decadence and conducting an affair with the country7s beautiful $ueen, Cleopatra. (hen a message
arries informing him that his wife, 3ulia, is dead and that Pompey is raising an army to rebel
against the triumirate, !ntony decides to return to +ome. In !ntony7s absence, /ctaius Caesar and
.epidus, his fellow triumirs, worry about Pompey7s increasing strength. Caesar condemns !ntony
for neglecting his duties as a statesman and military officer in order to lie a decadent life by
Cleopatra7s side.
0he news of his wife7s death and imminent battle pric)s !ntony7s sense of duty, and he feels
compelled to return to +ome. Fpon his arrial, he and Caesar $uarrel, while .epidus ineffectually
tries to ma)e peace. +ealiGing that an alliance is necessary to defeat Pompey, !ntony and Caesar
agree that !ntony will marry Caesar7s sister, /ctaia, who will solidify their loyalty to one another.
Enobarbus, !ntony7s closest friend, predicts to Caesar7s men that, despite the marriage, !ntony will
surely return to Cleopatra.
In Egypt, Cleopatra learns of !ntony7s marriage and flies into a Healous rage. *oweer, when a
messenger deliers word that /ctaia is plain and unimpressie, Cleopatra becomes confident that
she will win !ntony bac). 0he triumirs meet Pompey and settle their differences without going to
battle. Pompey agrees to )eep peace in e"change for rule oer 6icily and 6ardinia. 0hat eening, the
four men drin) to celebrate their truce. /ne of Pompey7s soldiers discloses to him a plan to
assassinate the triumirs, thereby deliering world power into Pompey7s hands, but Pompey dismisses
the scheme as an affront to his honor. -eanwhile, one of !ntony7s -generals wins a ictory oer the
)ingdom of Parthia.
!ntony and /ctaia depart for !thens. /nce they are gone, Caesar brea)s his truce, wages war
against Pompey, and defeats him. !fter using .epidus7s army to secure a ictory, he accuses .epidus
of treason, imprisons him, and confiscates his land and possessions. 0his news angers !ntony, as do
the rumors that Caesar has been spea)ing out against him in public. /ctaia pleads with !ntony to
maintain a peaceful relationship with her brother. 6hould !ntony and Caesar fight, she says, her
affections would be painfully diided. !ntony dispatches her to +ome on a peace mission, and
$uic)ly returns to Egypt and Cleopatra. 0here, he raises a large army to fight Caesar, and Caesar,
incensed oer !ntony7s treatment of his sister, responds in )ind. Caesar commands his army and nay
to Egypt. Ignoring all adice to the contrary, !ntony elects to fight him at sea, allowing Cleopatra to
command a ship despite Enobarbus7s strong obHections. !ntony7s forces lose the battle when
Cleopatra7s ship flees and !ntony7s follows, leaing the rest of the fleet ulnerable.
!ntony despairs, condemning Cleopatra for leading him into infamy but $uic)ly forgiing her. *e
and Cleopatra send re$uests to their con$ueror1 !ntony as)s to be allowed to lie in Egypt, while
Cleopatra as)s that her )ingdom be passed down to her rightful heirs. Caesar dismisses !ntony7s
re$uest, but he promises Cleopatra a fair hearing if she betrays her loer. Cleopatra seems to be giing
thought to Caesar7s message when !ntony barges in, curses her for her treachery, and orders the
innocent messenger whipped. (hen, moments later, !ntony forgies Cleopatra, Enobarbus decides
that his master is finished and defects to Caesar7s camp.
!ntony meets Caesar7s troops in battle and scores an une"pected ictory. (hen he learns of
Enobarbus7s desertion, !ntony laments his own bad fortune, which he beliees has corrupted an
honorable man. *e sends his friend7s possessions to Caesar7s camp and returns to Cleopatra to
celebrate his ictory. Enobarbus, undone by shame at his own disloyalty, bows under the weight of his
guilt and dies. !nother day brings another battle, and once again !ntony meets Caesar at sea. !s
before, the Egyptian fleet proes treacherousB it abandons the fight and leaes !ntony to suffer defeat.
Coninced that his loer has betrayed him, !ntony ows to )ill Cleopatra. In order to protect herself,
she $uarters herself in her monument and sends word that she has committed suicide. !ntony, rac)ed
with grief, determines to Hoin his $ueen in the afterlife. *e commands one of his attendants to fulfill
his promise of un$uestioned serice and )ill him. 0he attendant )ills himself instead. !ntony then
falls on his own sword, but the wound is not immediately fatal. *e is carried to Cleopatra7s
monument, where the loers are reunited briefly before !ntony7s death. Caesar ta)es the $ueen
prisoner, planning to display her in +ome as a testament to the might of his empire, but she learns of
his plan and )ills herself with the help of seeral poisonous sna)es. Caesar has her buried beside
!ntony.