Cleopatra And Cleopatra

Register to read the introduction… Caesar arrived in Egypt in search of his rival Pompey. A civil war occurred between the two Roman men. Cleopatra soon realized the need to cooperate with Rome to gain beneficial aid in regaining her throne (Nardo 24). After a long power conflict, Caesar defeated his opponent Pompey in a major battle. When Cleopatra discovered that Caesar was in her capital, she had one of her attendants take her to him rolled up in a rug and offered as a gift (Krapp 615). Caesar was overcome by Cleopatra’s charm, and the two quickly became lovers. She was twenty-one, and he was fifty-two at the time. Cleopatra and Caesar both intended to use one another. Caesar needed money to pay for his campaigns and claimed that Cleopatra owed it to him “ for the expenses of her father’s restoration” (“Cleopatra VII” 377). Cleopatra sought power and wanted to restore the glories of the first Ptolemie’s dominions. Caesar later demanded that Cleopatra marry her younger brother Ptolemy XIV and rule Egypt with him (Nardo 29). Cleopatra gave birth to Caesar’s son, Caesarion in 47 B.C. Throughout Cleopatra’s marriage with Ptolemy IV, she lived with Caesar in Egypt as his “Mistress” (Krapp 616). When Caesar returned to Egypt, he requested Helivus Cinna to propose a law to the Senate allowing Cleopatra and Caesar to marry and for Caesarion to …show more content…
Antony invited Cleopatra to Tarsus, located in Asia Minor to discuss charges that she assisted his enemies. After a short delay to “heighten Antony’s expectation,” she traveled to Tarsus on a grand river barge (“Cleopatra VII” 377). Within a few weeks Antony and Cleopatra became lovers. Antony was forty-one, and Cleopatra was twenty-eight (Nardo 40). Antony followed Cleopatra back to Alexandria forgetting his wife Fulvia in Italy. Fulvia had formed an army against Octavius requiring Antony to leave Alexandria in 40 B.C. Cleopatra had recently given birth to twins, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene (Sinnigen 663). One year later Fulvia died, and Antony married Octavia, the sister of his co-ruler Octavian. Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship resumed in 37 B.C. when Antony summoned Cleopatra to Laodicea to supply his army with weaponry. He promised to marry her in return for her loyalty (Krapp 616). Antony was focusing all of his attention on Cleopatra and neglecting his affairs in Rome. Octavian took this opportunity to become the sole ruler of Rome by declaring war on Antony in 32 B.C. Cleopatra spread a false report that she had committed suicide which drove Antony to his death (Sinnigen 663). Cleopatra attempted to make peace with Octavian but failed. In despair, she killed herself by placing and asp, “a symbol of divine royalty” on herself (“Cleopatra VII”