Antony and Cleopatra(Opus CCXLVI,1885) By Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Donald Ryan Ph D. colorfully describes Cleopatra’s life as a “soap opera” with marriages, births, deaths, liaisons, love affairs, political intrigue, and falling empires. Cleopatra Vll is undoubtedly the most famous personality in all of Egyptian history and has been portrayed in many stories, books, and movies over the years. She was articulate, educated, and beautiful, a winning combination for sure.
Cleopatra’s story takes place during the end of the Ptolemaic period, 332-30 BC, and she herself was not even Egyptian but a Greek. Ryan states her death “closed the curtain” on what we consider ancient Egypt. She was instrumental in the power struggles between the leaders of Rome, Julius Caesar, Pompey, Mark Antony, and Octavian.
In order to be queen Cleopatra married her much younger brother, her co-ruler, Ptolemy Xlll who was her political rival, and after he died in battle she married another younger brother Ptolemy XIV. During Julius Caesar’s trip to Egypt, she met and fell in love with him and gave birth to his child. After Caesar’s death she became romantically involved with Mark Antony who promised her Roman land. I think I am losing track here, anyway you get the picture.
Next, Mark Antony killed himself, Octavian arrived in Alexandria in 30 BC with no interest in Cleopatra. And as the famous soap opera story finally ended, she committed suicide with an asp. Whew!