Cleopatra was born in 69 BC, in Alexandria, Egypt. Despite what most think today, she was not a glamorous and beautiful queen, she was actually far from it. However, the queen of Egypt was one of the greatest romantic heroines of all time.
Cleopatra, shown on ancient coins, had a long hooked nose with masculine features. Although she was not beautiful, she was clearly a very seductive woman and used that to further her power. The queen was believed to be highly intelligent, speaking nine different languages. She was the first Ptolemy pharaoh that took the time to actually learn the Egyptian language. Cleopatra was a member of the Ptolemy dynasty, a family that took over Egypt around 300 BC. The Ptolemys were not of Egypt heritage-their blood was …show more content…
It is unknown the number of asp, also known as the Egyptian cobra, was used but it is recorded that she attached one to her arm and one to her breast. (Kinghorn, 105.) The Egyptian religion declared that death by snakebite would secure immortality, making Cleopatra unforgettable. According to her wishes, Cleopatra was buried with Antony’s remain, leaving Octavian to be the sole ruler over Egypt and Rome. Caesarian was later strangled to death by Octavian and Cleopatra’s other children were raised by Antony’s other wife, Octavia, Octavian’s sister. Cleopatra’s death marked the end of the Egyptian Monarchs, which made her the last Pharaoh of Egypt.
Works Cited
Frost, Bob. "Cleopatra." Biography 6.11 (2002): 86. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 June
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Highet, Juliet. "Cleopatra an Enigmatic Icon." Middle East 426 (2011): 60-63. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 June 2013.
Kinghorn, A.M. "`All Joy O ' the Worm ' or, Death by Asp or Asps Unknown In Act V of Antony and Cleopatra." English Studies 75.2 (1994): 104.Academic Search Premier. Web. 11
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