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Roll Me Out Into Your Arms

Cleopatra quickly ordered her servants roll her up in Persian carpet ordering them to present the carpet as a gift to Julius Caesar. When the carpet was unfurled before the Roman Emperor out rolled Queen Cleopatra! Caesar was touched by her amusing gesture and so commenced a torrid affair. After several months and a baby, Julius realised that by restoring Cleopatra to the Egyptian Throne he could rule so much more effectively over Egypt. Now, Cleopatra was restored to Alexandria, as Pharaoh of all Egypt, under her lover’s iron fist.

Caesareon, my son

Don’t forget Cleopatra bore a child to Julius, nicknamed, “Caesareon.” Queen Cleopatra was hungry for Julius to name this boy her successor to the throne of Egypt, but Julius Caesar named instead his grand nephew, Octavian, as the future king. The reason? The citizens Rome regarded the liaison between Queen Cleopatra and Julius Caesar as dirty. Why their Caesar was already married to his legitimate wife, Calpurnia. Caesar was not going to give his paramour as much free reign as she would have liked. Queen Cleopatra was not only ravishing she was also cunning and perhaps this clouded decisions that were drawn around her. Nevertheless, Julius Caesar greeted his foreign Queen with great pomp and circumstance when she undertook her first state visit to Rome since her restoration. At this time, so inflamed were sentiments surrounding Caesar, that he was stabbed on the steps of his Senate during Cleopatra’s visit. It seemed the final straw to Romans, the way he greeted this adulterous foreign Queen and their bastard son, Caesareon.

Mark Anthony, my lust

The assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC left a power-vacuum in Rome.  It was filled by several men, one being Mark Anthony. In 41 BC he summoned Cleopatra to Rome to test her loyalty. She arrived in her inimitable style – grand, beautiful and regal. Mark was smitten and the pair now become locked in a year-long lust-play that was to determine the course of history. Cleopatra again demonstrated her loyalty to Rome by ordering any contenders to her rule murdered. Unfortunately, it was her baby-sister, Arsinoe, who had supported her in her exile to Rome several years prior. No matter that icy-hearted Cleopatra had her killed on the steps of the Holy Temple of Artemis, where the poor lass had taken up a religious life amongst the vestal-virgins of that sacred-sanctuary, at Ephesus. It was Cleopatra’s way of saying, “Thank-you,” and skillfully eliminating all opposition to her absolute rule. It truly disgusted the Romans who held every shrine holy ground. Now, Cleopatra was free to give issue to successors via Mark Anthony cementing the future with two children by him.

Six  Golden Years

Queen Cleopatra VII, ruler of all Egypt. Events for now had settled and period of calm, or “a Golden Age,” ensued. She was ensconced with Mark Anthony, leading to a sort of, “co-rule.” at Alexandria. However, back in Rome, conflict was again brewing as a new contender, a new Emperor Octavian, was challenging these men who had killed Julius Caesar six years before. Events were to come to a head with Octavian raising an army against Mark Anthony, Cleopatra and their cosy-arrangement on the Nile. It was 31BC – Anthony’s forces now faced new invaders from Rome. At the Battle of Actium Mark Anthony was defeated. He fled Cleopatra, Alexandria and his illicit family on the Nile.

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Asp of the Everlasting

Now, the new Roman Emperor Octavian’s armies entered Alexandria, crushing everything in its path. Cleopatra’s demise is told in many ways but the most common is that she brushed an Egyptian Asp (snake) against her heaving, troubled bosom. The serpent then pumped its sleep-inducing death juices deep into her heart. Whether this is true, or whether she simply ate poison, no-one will ever really know. One thing is sure though, Cleopatra VII, Pharaoh of all Egypt, was one of the most ravishing, tantalising women of all time.

Conclusion

Queen Cleopatra’s wild story is important today for several reasons:

·      Her life marked the end of the Hellenic (Greek) Period in Mediterranean History and the start of the Roman Period

·      She used her feminine allure for absolute power, riches and war

·      She evokes passions even to this day that many find difficult to forget.

Other Famous Women from History by this Author:

St. Joan of Arc – Centenary of Beatification – 1909 – 2009

Vale Diana! Princess of Wales