CLEOPATRA: An Early Love Story
Alexander the Great was Macedonian & had freed Egypt from Persian rule. The people of Egypt were grateful and worshipped Alexander as a pharaoh. When he died in 336 B.C., he had divided the lands he controlled amongst his generals. One of these generals, Ptolemy became the ruler of Egypt and the first of the Ptolemaic dynasty. By Cleopatra’s father’s time (Ptolemy XII), 250 or more years of rule had eroded into the usual greed, corruption & hard times for the public at large.
While her father was jokingly referred to as the ‘flute player’, he did make sure that his many children were exposed to all the best that Egypt had to offer. Cleopatra made use of her many tutors and studied philosophy, literature, art, music, medicine, mathematics, astronomy and they say she was able to speak fluently in anywhere from six to nine languages! Needless to say, she became quite hip to what was going down at the time, which was a good thing considering how regularly royal husbands, wives & siblings experienced an early ‘demise’ in that era. Our girl chose to hit the books and learn all there was to know.
Now remember these were different times. When her father died in 51 B.C., he willed that 18 -year old Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, her 10-year old brother, would marry (talk about an arranged marriage, but again this was common amongst ruling families) and jointly share the throne of Egypt. Cleopatra pretty much did all the ruling, until her kid brother/husband (these arrangements did not involve sharing a bed, just something to keep the people happy), grew a little older and came under the influence of power hungry ‘advisors’, who weren’t too keen on a gal actually being in charge and calling the shots. Remember, she could speak easily to visitors from other countries in their own languages without going through ‘translators’. A power struggle ensued. Cleopatra was kicked out of the palace and Egypt. The generals made Ptolemy XIII sole ruler.
While Egypt had vast riches and resources built up, its power was not exactly in its prime, while Rome was going in the other direction and becoming the dominant force and influence. While Cleopatra bided her time and built a loyal army (she was the first of the Ptolemy line that actually spoke Egyptian, tell me that wasn’t lost on the Egyptians!), her poor kid brother made the mistake of trying to meddle in the affairs of Rome. Now of course, Rome was ruled by Caesar (give unto Caesar and hold the romaine) and he planned a little trip to end this nonsense in Egypt. Caesar had recently defeated Pompey (his rival, but old friend), who had fled to Egypt. Ptolemy, trying to kiss a little butt, had Pompey murdered and when Caesar arrived, delivered Pompey’s head to Caesar. Bad move, Caesar was choked that his old friend had not died honourably (he was stabled in the back), so he seized the capitol. He then ordered both siblings to the palace, so he could decide who was to rule Egypt under Roman influence. Of course, he also wanted to enrich his empire through taxes that would flow from Egypt to Rome & support Roman soldiers stationed in Egypt.
Now, our girl Cleopatra was no one’s fool. She knew that the odds of actually getting past her 
brother’s spies while still retaining a healthy glow were on the slim side, so she chose a trusted friend, dressed as a servant, to sail to the palace and deliver an exquisite oriental rug to Caesar in his chambers. When the rug was unrolled, the 22-year old Cleopatra tumbled out from the center of it! The 54-year old Julius Caesar was so enamored by her intelligence and charms, that he experienced a ‘some things just can’t wait’ evening. Oh, to have been a fly on the wall…
Meanwhile, poor young Ptolemy decided force was best and while fleeing after the resulting 6-month battle, drowned in the Nile. After having cleaned up the mess and returning Cleopatra to her throne (this involved marrying yet another younger brother), she & Caesar took a leisurely 2-month cruise down the Nile aboard a legendary boat filled with Egypt’s finest accessories. This was much more fun than Ptolemy’s experience in the river. Together they visited Dendara, where Cleopatra was being worshipped as a Pharaoh, which made quite the impression on him and generally, they had a swell time and spared no expense. As a result of their vacation, Cleopatra later bore Caesar a son, Caesarion (Little Caesar).
Like all great vacations, reality soon came knocking to end the idyll. Caesar left three Roman legions behind to help Cleopatra keep the peace in Alexandria and sailed for Rome. Together they formed an impressive power base. Missing her greatly, he invited Cleopatra & their son to visit him in Rome. She took her new husband/brother, Ptolemy XIV with her to ensure no such nonsense would happen again back home.
When Cleopatra arrived, she found that Caesar had erected a temple to the goddess Venus and he had a statue of her placed inside to honour her. While he was wildly popular in Rome for his victories & conquests, the Romans didn’t share his passion for a foreign woman, whom they saw as holding way too much sway over their emperor. They stayed in his villa near Rome for almost two years, as he showered her with gifts and titles. He was now given the title of dictator and she was his ‘new Isis’. Another little glitch was the fact that Caesar was married to a woman named Calpurnia at the time, which many saw as choosing an Egyptian woman over a nice Roman girl. Then word got out that he was planning to pass a law that would have him be able to marry Cleopatra as well and the rumour was that he was planning to make their son heir to the throne.
Cleopatra decided that it might be best to get back to Alexandria until things cooled down. They didn’t. Caesar won another battle over Munda, Pompey’s son and was planning another campaign, when several high ranking Romans in the senate (led by Brutus & Cassius), concerned over his plans to proclaim himself emperor, murdered him on the steps of the senate on the Ides of March, 44 B.C.
Back in Alexandria, Ptolemy XIV had mysteriously passed away. Cleopatra then made her son Caesarion her co-regent.
In Rome, power was split between Caesar’s great-nephew Octavian (later to become the emperor Augustus), Marcus Lepidus and Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony). After defeating the armies of Brutus and Cassius, the three spilt control of the empire between them. Egypt fell into Mark Anthony’s domain. In 42 B.C., he summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus (now Turkey) to decide whether she was still loyal to Rome knowing that Egypt’s riches could help finance his strong Roman army. Mark Antony could never have expected what happened next.
Before they met at sea, Cleopatra had adorned her barge with so many rose petals, that the Romans knew of her fragrance before they could see her ship. Once her ship, adorned with a gilded stern & silver oars, came into view, Mark Antony saw that it was being sailed by her maids dressed as sea nymphs and Cleopatra herself was reclined under a golden canopy dressed as Venus, the goddess of love. She was being fanned by boys in cupid costumes, while flutes & harps played softly in the back ground. Not being the type of guy to expect her to get off such a couch, Mark Antony (the most powerful of the three ruling the Roman Empire) boarded her barge for a meeting that lasted four days. Hmmm…
Forgetting his plans & responsibilities, he followed her to Alexandria and spent the winter there. Cleopatra helped him pass the time with magnificent banquets and experiences. At one lavish supper, she bet him that she could spend ten million sesterces on a single dinner. The next night she had a regular meal served, nothing special, then ordered a second course, which only consisted of a cup of strong vinegar for each of them. While he watched, she took off one of her priceless pearl earrings and dropped it into her vinegar. After it dissolved, she drank the mixture. She was able to go step-for-step with Mark Antony, she drank with him, gambled with him, dressed as servants and raised hell amongst the common folk. She even hunted with him, as she was a very capable rider as well. During the more serious moments, she agreed to finance his war against Parthia.
It’s funny how history works. Mark Antony was also married at the time & while he was in Egypt, his wife Fulvia and her brother Lucius, started a rebellion in Italy against Octavian (then the second most powerful of the three controlling the Roman Empire). When Mark Antony didn’t come and join in, Lucius was murdered & Fulvia was forced to flee to Greece. Upon hearing this, Antony sailed to Greece, where his wife died shortly after. Six months after he left, Cleopatra gave birth to their twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios. It would be four years before they would see their father.
Having had his wife rebel against Octavian and spent an entire winter carrying on in Egypt, Mark Antony had settle the differences with Octavian by signing the Treaty of Brundisuim and to prove his loyalty, married Octavian’s half-sister, Octavia. (In case you’re still keeping score, they had two daughters, both named Antonia.) Needless to say, Cleo was pissed! She waited for him to return to her and ruled without interference, bringing stability to Egypt. She was a compassionate ruler who lowered taxes, which increased food production and was popular with her people. During this time she took the role of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of the heavens & continued to speak to the people in their own native tongue. She often dressed as Isis and visited the temples regularly. Talk about a diva popstar!
In 37 B.C. while finally getting around to waging war on Parthia, Mark Antony enjoyed (after she agreed to forgive him) another rendezvous with Cleopatra. He hurried through his campaign in Parthia, then raced back to Alexandria & made Egypt his home from then on. In 36 B.C. he married Cleopatra and she bore him another child, Ptomemy Philadelphus. Antony also cemented the relationship by making the “Donations of Alexandria” between Rome and Egypt, a new agreement, giving away many territories of the Roman East to Cleopatra and her children. This gave her the largest domain in Egypt’s history, as well as declaring Caesarian Caesar’s legal heir & formally divorcing Octavia.
Back in Rome, all this was getting to be a bit too much. He had jilted Octavian’s half-sister (his other wife), given away lands to Cleopatra and was under no circumstances leaving her side. Something had to give. In 31 B.C., Octavian convinced the senate to wage war against Egypt, declaring Cleopatra a sorceress & an enemy of Rome. Antony’s forces met the Romans naval fleet off the coast of Actium. Seeing that the superior Roman vessels overpowering Antony’s ships, Cleopatra, who had brought her own fleet, retreated and Anthony soon abandoned the losing battle to follow her.
Octavian then invaded Egypt in 30 B.C. As his large Roman army marched closer to Alexandria, Mark Antony made overtures to settle their differences by him simply becoming a citizen of Egypt or Greece. Octavian was more interested in Cleopatra becoming his ‘slave’, so he could demonstrate his power and superiority to the public back in Rome. She played along for a while, but had no such interest in ending her life that way.
As the Roman troops encircled Alexandria, Antony’s troops deserted to Octavian. Meanwhile Cleopatra locked herself in her mausoleum with her most cherished treasures & personal assistants. While Antony watched the Roman armies march closer, word arrived that Cleopatra had committed suicide. He cried out: “Now Antony, why delay any longer? Fate has snatched away your only reason for living.” While he had been willing to give his life for her, with his lover gone, Mark Antony ordered his servant Eros to kill him, but Eros killed himself instead with Antony’s sword. Antony then stabbed himself in his stomach and awaited death until Cleopatra’s secretary arrived and let him know that she was still alive. He pleaded to be taken to her and when they did, the women laid him on Cleopatra’s bed. As Cleopatra cried out in sorrow, Antony told her not to pity him, but to remember their past happiness, then he died in her arms. What a great chick flick.
Cleopatra then negotiated with Octavian to arrange for a proper funeral for Antony in exchange for her surrender. He was buried with royal splendor. From then on she was kept under heavy guard to keep her alive for her humiliating trip back to Rome. After visiting Antony’s tomb one last time, Cleopatra returned to her mausoleum, took a bath and ordered one final feast. Hidden inside a basket of figs was an asp, an Egyptian cobra, which was a symbol of divine royalty to the Egyptians, so by having the asp bite her, Cleopatra is said to have become immortal. Once again, she had slipped away from the destiny that Rome had in mind for her. Octavian instead had her buried as a queen next to Mark Antony, to keep her adoring subjects happy. Those poor Romans never managed to ‘up’ our girl.
So there you have it. One amazing woman who ruled from Alexandria, the most cosmopolitan, multicultural, rich and sophisticated city of its time. Cleopatra had embraced all that she had learned, celebrated with the finest the world had to offer and ruled over more territory than any Pharaoh. That girl was a powerhouse, which, of course pissed off the up and coming Romans, who were male chauvinists and feared the ‘Orient’ in her…intriguing, entrapping and dangerous. They resented that she had seemed to lead two of their most powerful rulers astray. Cleo was an early modern woman…she more than held her own with the most powerful men in the world and still had time for milk bathes, luxury cruises down the Nile and legendary feasts.
When she died in 30 B.C. she was the last Pharaoh of Egypt, the last of the Ptolemaic dynasty and oh-so-close to being queen of the world. The riches that Rome took from Egypt dropped interest rates drastically & instantly. Egypt became a Roman province and the age of Roman Emperors began in earnest. One woman who almost changed the history of the world. Now personally, that seems like a little too much effort, but the girl sure knew how to throw a party!
Hope you enjoyed this little tale. ~ Miss Wild Garlic
