Cleopatras Initial Encounter With Caesar Essay -- Egypt History Paper

Cleopatra's Initial Encounter With Caesar Cleopatra is desperate-she needs to gain the throne of Egypt before her inadequate younger brother, Ptolemy, convinces Caesar to grant him full power. But alas, Cleopatra has been banished from Egypt by the ruthless Pothinus. Fortunately, the brilliant Cleopatra devises a plan to enter her Egyptian castle rolled up in a carpet, posing as a gift for the great Caesar. Her loyal servant, Apollodoros, carries her through a secret passageway and into the palace, where they are met by Caesar's guards. They continue into Caesar's quarters, where Apollodoros unrolls the carpet to reveal the stunning Cleopatra. Caesar is impressed not only by Cleopatra's intelligence, but also by her undeniable beauty, and pronounces Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt. Such is the story of the meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra as told by Plutarch and others that followed him. The extent of the story's truth remains a mystery, but it is likely that Plutarch included it in his account merely for entertainment value-it is only fitting that the alluring Cleopatra enters the castle with such a grand appearance. Because it is written in Plutarch's interpretation, many perceive the story as fact and include it in their own works. The scene, however-and the portrayal of Cleopatra within it-vary among different compositions. Regardless of the probable fictitious aspect of the scene, it is an important one, for it is in this scene that the level of Cleopatra's strength and power is revealed. INTELLIGENT YET INFERIOR Initially, it appears as though the rug scene is a display of Cleopatra's wit, for she uses her intelligence to devise a plan to enter the palace. In addition, it seems that Cleopatra has heightened ... ...lmi, Sr. With Billy Zane, Leonor Varela, and Timothy Dalton. ABC/Hallmark Entertainment, 1999. Cleopatra. Dir. Mankiewicz. With Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Rex Harrison. 20th Century Fox, 1963. Foreman, Laura. Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend. New York: Discovery Books, 1999. George, Margaret. The Memoirs of Cleopatra. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. Gerome, Jean Leon. Cleopatra and Caesar. Private Collection. Hamer, Mary. Signs of Cleopatra. New York: Routledge, 1993. Hughes-Hallet, Lucy. Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams, Distortions. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romanes [c. 100 C.E.]. Trans. Sir Thomas North (1579). Ed. Geoffrey Bullough, Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare. Vol. V. Columbia UP, 1964. Shaw, Bernard. Caesar and Cleopatra [1898]. New York: Penguin, 1957. Cleopatra's Initial Encounter With Caesar Essay -- Egypt History Paper Cleopatra's Initial Encounter With Caesar Cleopatra is desperate-she needs to gain the throne of Egypt before her inadequate younger brother, Ptolemy, convinces Caesar to grant him full power. But alas, Cleopatra has been banished from Egypt by the ruthless Pothinus. Fortunately, the brilliant Cleopatra devises a plan to enter her Egyptian castle rolled up in a carpet, posing as a gift for the great Caesar. Her loyal servant, Apollodoros, carries her through a secret passageway and into the palace, where they are met by Caesar's guards. They continue into Caesar's quarters, where Apollodoros unrolls the carpet to reveal the stunning Cleopatra. Caesar is impressed not only by Cleopatra's intelligence, but also by her undeniable beauty, and pronounces Cleopatra the sole ruler of Egypt. Such is the story of the meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra as told by Plutarch and others that followed him. The extent of the story's truth remains a mystery, but it is likely that Plutarch included it in his account merely for entertainment value-it is only fitting that the alluring Cleopatra enters the castle with such a grand appearance. Because it is written in Plutarch's interpretation, many perceive the story as fact and include it in their own works. The scene, however-and the portrayal of Cleopatra within it-vary among different compositions. Regardless of the probable fictitious aspect of the scene, it is an important one, for it is in this scene that the level of Cleopatra's strength and power is revealed. INTELLIGENT YET INFERIOR Initially, it appears as though the rug scene is a display of Cleopatra's wit, for she uses her intelligence to devise a plan to enter the palace. In addition, it seems that Cleopatra has heightened ... ...lmi, Sr. With Billy Zane, Leonor Varela, and Timothy Dalton. ABC/Hallmark Entertainment, 1999. Cleopatra. Dir. Mankiewicz. With Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Rex Harrison. 20th Century Fox, 1963. Foreman, Laura. Cleopatra's Palace: In Search of a Legend. New York: Discovery Books, 1999. George, Margaret. The Memoirs of Cleopatra. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997. Gerome, Jean Leon. Cleopatra and Caesar. Private Collection. Hamer, Mary. Signs of Cleopatra. New York: Routledge, 1993. Hughes-Hallet, Lucy. Cleopatra: Histories, Dreams, Distortions. New York: Harper & Row, 1990. Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romanes [c. 100 C.E.]. Trans. Sir Thomas North (1579). Ed. Geoffrey Bullough, Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare. Vol. V. Columbia UP, 1964. Shaw, Bernard. Caesar and Cleopatra [1898]. New York: Penguin, 1957.