Cleopatra, page 17
Walker, Susan, and Peter Higgs. Cleopatra of Egypt: From History to Myth. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001.
Wanger, Walter. My Life with Cleopatra: The Making of a Hollywood Classic. New York: Vintage, 2013.
Wellendorf, Heather. “Ptolemy’s Political Tool: Religion.” Studia Antiqua 6, no. 1 (2008): 33–38.
Acknowledgments
I consulted several translations of Plutarch. The most recent and (for me) useful translation, and the one I quote from, is The Age of Caesar: Five Roman Lives, translated by Pamela Mensch and edited by James Romm, my friend and colleague at Bard College. I am grateful to him for inviting me to contribute to this series, and for giving me a reason to read not only Plutarch but Suetonius, Cassius Dio, Julius Caesar, Diodorus Siculus, and a few surviving Ptolemaic texts. With their quirks and prejudices, their gifts for storytelling and observation, these writers became my companions during the isolation imposed by Covid-19 and its long, snowy winter.
Index
Achillas, 39, 43, 45, 47, 60–61
and the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, 58–59, 60
Actium, Battle of, 4, 111–112, 114
Antony’s defeat at, 115
and expansion of the Roman Empire, 115
Alexander Helios, 91, 106, 138–139
Alexander the Great, 4, 9, 129
body of, 21
death of, 20
religious devotion to, 27
as ruler of Egypt, 19–20
tomb of, 25, 137
Alexandria: attractions of, 24–25
during the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, 58–59
founding of, 20
instability in, 41
lighthouse of, 24, 59, 66
Serapeum at, 22, 27
at war with Rome, 60–63. See also library of Alexandria
Alma-Tadema, Lawrence, The Meeting of Antony and Cleopatra, 41 BC, 87
Ammon, 19
temple of, 42
Antiochus III, 30
Antiphon, 88
Antony, Mark, 62
abandoning his soldiers, 113–114
and the Battle of Actium, 111–112
burial of, 129–130, 137
after Caesar’s assassination, 76
and Cicero, 69, 79, 81, 83, 84
and Cleopatra, 4, 6–7, 9–10, 11, 12, 13, 65, 66, 76, 78, 80, 83, 102–103
Cleopatra as bad influence on, 85
with Cleopatra in Egypt, 86–89
Cleopatra’s children with, 4, 66, 91, 96, 97
and Cleopatra’s pearl earring, 143–145
and Cleopatra’s soothsayer, 92
and conflict with Octavian, 95, 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107–108, 109, 110–111, 112–113, 124–125
damaging rumors directed at, 109–110
death of, 126–128
as depicted in art, 87, 135
deserted by his soldiers, 125–126
in despair following his defeat, 114–115, 116–117, 122
as Dionysus, 32–33, 86, 87, 93, 105, 125
in disguises, 81, 82, 89
family background of, 79
film depictions of, 165, 166, 174–176
and fixation on Cleopatra, 95–96, 97–98, 103, 109, 110, 113–114
and funeral oration for Caesar, 82
influences on, 79–80, 81
and love triangle with Cleopatra and Octavia, 1–2, 90–92, 102–103
as military leader, 80, 98–99, 100, 125–126
and Octavia, 1–2, 90–91, 92–93, 103–104
and Octavian, 92, 83, 88, 89–91, 92
and overtures to Octavian following his defeat, 122–123
and the Parthian campaigns, 1–2, 95–96, 97–98, 100–101, 126
Plutarch’s assessment of, 79–81, 83–85
posted to Egypt, 86–89
and rift with Cleopatra, 126
self-indulgence of, 82, 97, 108–109, 125
suicidal thoughts of, 116, 122, 126
suicide attempts by, 126
as tribune, 81
at war against Caesar’s assassins, 82
women in the life of, 99
Antony and Cleopatra (1972 film), 176
Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare), 2, 7, 12, 88, 89, 90, 102, 149–159
Antony as depicted in, 151–152, 154, 155–156
Berryman on, 151, 153
Cleopatra as depicted in, 149, 153, 154–155, 156–157
and Elizabeth I, 153
as inspiration for Dryden’s All for Love, 157–159
Octavia as depicted in, 150, 151, 153
Plutarch as source for, 152
structure of, 149–150
Antyllus, 122, 129, 137
Apis bull, 22, 42
Apollodorus the Sicilian, 49, 54, 55, 171
Arsinoe I, 26–27
Arsinoe II, 5, 27
Arsinoe IV, 38, 45, 57, 60–61, 70
death of, 62
painting of, 62
asp, 133
effects of the bite of, 120. See also Cleopatra VII: suicide of
Atticus, 69
Augustus, Emperor, Octavian named as, 123, 139. See also Octavian
Auletes. See Ptolemy XII
Bara, Theda, as Cleopatra, 161–163, 166–167
Berenice II, 28
Berenice IV, 34, 35, 37, 38, 80
Bernhardt, Sarah, 147
Berryman, John, on Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, 151, 153
Bibulus, Marcus Calpurnius, 43–44
Boccaccio: Cleopatra as described by, 11, 145, 164–165; On Famous Women, 135, 144
Boucicaut Master, 135
Bowles, Paul, 176
Brando, Marlon, 74
Brontë, Charlotte, Villette, 147, 152
Brutus, 72, 73, 83
Bucheum Stelae, 42
Buchis bull, 42
Buchis of Hermonthis, 42
bulls, Egyptians’ worship of, 42
Burton, Richard, 168
Cabanel, Alexandre, Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Condemned Prisoners, 9, 118–119, 120, 167
Caesar, Julius, 20, 121
aftermath of the assassination of, 75–76
Antony’s oration at funeral of, 82
assassination of, 67, 70–74
and the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, 47, 56–59, 60–63
and Cleopatra’s allure, 11, 13
Cleopatra’s children with, 66, 67, 107
Cleopatra’s first meeting with, 49–52, 54–55
and Cleopatra’s visit to Rome, 67–68
diverse accounts of his relationship with Cleopatra, 63–66
film depictions of, 52–56, 74, 100, 169, 172–174
and incursions into Alexandria, 61–63
as part of the First Triumvirate, 33, 44; and Pompey’s murder, 46–47
Trastevere villa of, 67
at war with Pompey, 44, 81
Caesar, Lucius, 83
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945 film), 52–56, 162, 167
Caesarion, 25, 65, 68, 72, 77, 78, 100, 106, 107, 175
execution of, 67, 129, 137
Caesar Must Die, 74
Caligula, 138, 140
Calpurnia, 72
Calvisius Sabinus, Gaius, 107
Cambyses, 42
Casca, 73
Cassius Dio, 39
on Antony and Octavian, 122
on the civil war between Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII, 56, 57; on Cleopatra’s first meeting with Caesar, 51–52
on Cleopatra’s relationship with Caesar, 64–65
on the murder of Pompey, 45–47
on Romans’ disapproval of Cleopatra, 68–69
Cassius Longinus, Gaius, 75, 78, 83
Charlesworth, M. P., 14; Octavian, Antony and Cleopatra, 99
Chauveau, Michel, 22–23
Chigi, Agostino, 68
Cicero, and Mark Antony, 69, 79, 81, 83, 84
Cleopatra (1917 film), 161–164
costumes in, 162
Cleopatra (1934 film), 164–168
Cleopatra (1963 film), 100, 157, 164, 165, 167, 168–176
budget for, 170
Cleopatra I, 30
Cleopatra III, 28
Cleopatra V Tryphaena, 38
Cleopatra VII, 34
accomplishments of, 5–6, 9, 13–15, 43–44, 77–78, 99–100
as adviser to Antony, 108, 111–112
and Antony, 1–2, 4, 6–7, 9–10, 11, 12, 13, 65, 66, 76, 78, 80, 83, 86–89
and Antony’s conflict with Octavian, 107–109, 112–113
and Antony’s death, 127–128
after Antony’s defeat at Actium, 111–112, 116–118
Antony’s fixation on, 95–96, 97–98, 103, 109, 110
as Antony’s lover, 90–92, 102–103, 105–106
appearance of, 12–13, 130–131
after the Battle of Actium, 115–116
burial of, 137
and Caesar’s assassination, 71, 74, 76, 77–78
Caesar’s attraction to, 4, 11, 13
children of, 4, 65, 66–67, 91, 97, 105–106, 137–140
and concerns for her children following Antony’s death, 130
death of, 4–5, 132–134
as depicted by classical authors, 9–12
as depicted in art, 9, 50, 87, 118–119, 134–136, 144–145
difficult choices faced by, 117–118
diverse accounts of her relationship with Caesar, 63–66
and the Donations of Alexandria, 105–107
and experimentation with poisons, 118–120
family background of, 4, 38–39
famine during reign of, 41–42, 77
as a feminist story, 5–7
film depictions of, 52–56, 161–177
and first meeting with Caesar, 49–52, 54–55
and the Gabiniani, 43–44
gods and goddesses worshipped by, 42
as Isis, 23–24, 42, 105, 131
legend of, after her death, 140, 176–177
and love triangle with Antony and Octavia, 1–2, 90–92, 102–103
Lucan’s portrayal of, 52
as a Macedonian Greek, 8
motivations of, quesioned by historians, 3
Octavian’s negotiations with, following Antony’s death, 130–132
Octavian’s overtures to, following Antony’s defeat, 123–124
pearl earring as focus of stories about, 143–145
Plutarch’s depiction of, 1–3, 6–7, 9–10, 12, 49, 50, 64–65, 79, 88
and Pompey, 44–45
as queen, 14–15, 38, 39, 42–44, 63, 96
and rift with Antony, 126
Romans’ antipathy toward, 105–107, 109
as seductress, 8–9, 11–13, 87, 91, 100, 102, 103
siblings of, 38–39
stories inspired by, 14, 143–147
suicide of, 120, 131–134
territory ceded to her by Antony, 96
as threat to the Roman Empire, 69
tombs and mausoleums built by, 66, 124
visit to Rome by, 67–70
at war with Ptolemy XIII, 47, 56–59
Cleopatra Selene, 91, 106, 139
Clodius Pulcher, Publius, 79–80
Colabella, 78
Colbert, Claudette, as Cleopatra, 165–168
Colette, 162
Collins, Joan, 170
Colossus of Rhodes, 24
Crassus, Marcus Licinius, 33, 40, 44
Crassus, Publius Canidius, 114
Curio, Gaius Scribonius, 79
Cyprus, 32, 57
Dante, 114
on Cleopatra, 145–146
Dellius, Quintus, 78, 86, 110
as source for Plutarch, 97
DeMille, Cecil B., 164, 167. See also Cleopatra (1934 film)
Dendera, temple at, 77
Dinocrates of Rhodes, 20
Dio Cassius. See Cassius Dio
Diodorus Siculus: on Alexander, 20
Egyptians as described by, 8, 29
Dionysus: cult of, 32–33
identified with Osiris, 32
Donations of Alexandria, 105–107
Donatus, Aelius, Life of Virgil, 138
Dowden, Edward, 155
Dryden, John: All for Love, 157–159
Plutarch as translated by, 88–89, 158
Edfu, temple at, 77
Edward VIII, 114
Egypt: under Alexander’s rule, 19–20
cult of Dionysus in, 32–33
famine in, 41–42
instability in, 39–41
and tensions with the Roman Empire, 30–31, 33–35. See also Cleopatra VII
Egyptian culture, and blending with Macedonian Greek culture, 19–24
Egyptians: familial violence associated with, 29
as portrayed by Roman writers, 7–8
Elizabeth I, Queen, 153
Eros, 126
Eurycles, 115
Exodus, book of, 92
Famine Stela, 41
female suicides, 132
Fielding, Sarah, Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia, 3
Fields, W. C., 26
film: Antony as depicted in, 174–176
Caesar as depicted in, 52–56, 74, 100, 169, 172–174
Cleopatra as depicted in, 52–56, 161–177. See also individual films
Fitz, Linda T., on male critics of Shakespeare’s Cleopatra, 155
Friedan, Betty, The Feminine Mystique, 171
Fulvia, 122, 137
as Antony’s first wife, 6–7, 80
death of, 90
and Octavian, 88, 89, 90
Gabiniani, 40–41, 43–44, 45, 58
Gabinius, Aulus, 35, 80
Gallus, Flavius, 98
Ganymedes, 61, 62
Gautier, Théophile, “One of Cleopatra’s Nights,” 146
Geminius, 110
Gérôme, Jean-Léon, Cleopatra Before Caesar, 50
Giampetrino, The Death of Cleopatra, 135–136
Gielgud, John, 74
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Younger), 44–45
Goddio, Franck, 25
Granger, Stewart, 54
Grant, Michael, 33, 38, 99, 131
Granville-Barker, Harley, 155
Gray, Andrew, 133–134
Gruen, Erich S., 50–51
Haggard, H. Rider: Cleopatra, 163–164; King Solomon’s Mines, 163
Harrison, Rex, 169
Hatshepsut, 5
Helen of Troy, 81
Hermonthis, temple at, 77
Herodotus, 20, 41, 42
Heston, Charlton, 176
Hirtius, Aulus, The Alexandrian War, 7–8, 60–62
Hitler, Adolf, 166
Homer, as represented in the library of Alexandria, 24, 25
Horace, Cleopatra as depicted by, 10–11
Isis, cult of, Cleopatra’s association with, 23–24, 42, 105, 131
Juba I, 139
Juba II, 139
Kurosawa, Akira, Kagemusha, 37
Leigh, Vivien, as Cleopatra, 52, 53, 162
Lepidus, Marcus Aemilius, 82, 83
Lepidus, Paulus, 83
Letters on the Infamous Libido of Cleopatra the Queen, 12
Lewis, Edmonia, 136
library of Alexandria, 20, 24, 25
burning of, 59–60, 172–173
decline of, 60
Lucan, 45
Cleopatra as depicted by, 11; Pharsalia, 11, 52
Lucian of Samosata, 24
Macedonian Greek culture, and blending with Egyptian culture, 19–24
Maratta, Carlo, Cleopatra as depicted by, 144–145
Marcellus, 138
Mason, James, 74
Million Dollar Legs, 26
Montu, 42
Mrabet, Mohammed, 176
Nero, 138
Nicarchus, 116
North, Thomas, 152
Octavia, 67
Antony’s mistreatment of, 103–104
as Antony’s wife, 90–91, 92, 101–102, 109
Cleopatra’s jealousy of, 2–3
and the Donations of Alexandria, 106–107
and love triangle with Antony and Cleopatra, 1–2, 90–92, 102–103
Plutarch as admirer of, 104, 138
as stepmother to Cleopatra’s children, 138
as sympathetic character, 102
and tensions between Antony and Octavian, 95
Octavian, 1, 4, 5, 10, 14, 66, 72, 78, 175
in Alexandria, 129
and Antony, 82, 83, 88, 89–90
after Antony’s defeat, 116
Antony’s overtures to, following his defeat, 121, 122–123
and Caesarion, 137
Cleopatra’s overtures to, following Antony’s defeat, 121, 123–124
concerns of, following his defeat of Antony, 121–123
and conflict with Antony, 92, 95, 101, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107–108, 109, 110–111, 112–113, 124–125
after the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra, 136–137
and efforts to entice Cleopatra to come to Rome, following
Octavian (continued) Antony’s death, 128–129
as Emperor Augustus, 72, 123, 139
and victory over Antony, 116
Olympias, 9
Omar (Muslim caliph), 60
Oppius, Gaius, 65
orientalism, as lens through which Cleopatra has been viewed, 9, 50, 87, 119, 143–144, 145, 162, 165–166, 167, 168
Osiris, 22, 23
and Dionysus, 32
Pan, Hermes, 173
Parthian campaign: and Antony and Cleopatra’s ongoing love affair, 1–2, 95–96, 97–98
challenges faced by Antony and his men, 100–101, 126
Pascal, Gabriel, 52, 53
pearl earring, Cleopatra’s, as inspiration for stories and paintings, 143–145
Perón, Eva, 21
Pharos (lighthouse of Alexandria), 24, 59, 66
Pharsalus, Battle of, 45, 81
Philadelphos, 27
Philippi, Battle of, 83
Philotas of Amphissa, as source for Plutarch, 84–85
Plancus, Lucius Munatius, 110, 143
Plath, Sylvia, 132
Pliny, Natural History, 143
Plutarch: on the aftermath of Caesar’s assassination, 75
on Antony’s character as described in his Life of Antony, 79–81, 83–85
on Antony’s desertion of his soldiers, 113
on Antony’s extravagance, 97, 108–109
on Antony’s fixation on Cleopatra, 95–96
on Antony’s meeting with Cleopatra in Egypt, 87–88
on the burning of the library of Alexandria, 59
on Caesar’s assassination, 70, 72–74
Cleopatra as described by, 1–3, 6–7, 9, 12, 33, 49, 50, 64–65, 79, 88, 100, 176
on Cleopatra’s death, 132–133, 134
