Cleopatra

Author: (German) Rute
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: Cleopatra, meaning "Glory of the Race" in Greek. She is a lover, a mother, a warrior, and more importantly, a queen. As the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, this unparalleled woman knew how to leverage her beauty and wisdom to pursue ambitious political goals—preserving the independence of Egypt, recreating the glory of Alexander the Great, and striving tirelessly. Weaving a new and stronger imperial model with the Roman chain—born from a pair of lovers, a world conqueror, and a queen's dream, a new Egypt emerges. On the Nile River, which is hailed as the "Mother of Egypt," I saw her for the last time. She still yearned for the distant north. In her heart, Egypt was almost a foreign land. The Mediterranean was her home. For every story of hers, the sea breeze would sigh softly. She was an "unparalleled woman"; she possessed more feminine charm than most women, and greater strength and determination than most men. She was called "the Queen of Egypt," yet she had no Egyptian bloodline; she was a descendant of Macedonians. A lover, a mother, a warrior, a queen—none of these roles were mutually exclusive for her. She was a mortal on earth, yet she seemed to move in the world in accordance with the rhythm of the heavens. She was the most intelligent and capable ruler of the ancient Egyptian kingdom. She had clear and resolute goals: she was the successor of Alexander, and she sought to rebuild the Egyptian kingdom with the power of Rome. But she was not limited to the ambition of restoring the dynasty; she also carried an "immortal demand." That was her belief that she was a guardian of an ancient culture, and without her, this culture was destined to perish. Alexandria, the capital of Egypt nearly 50 years before Christ, with its lighthouse, library, and museum. And its young queen. Cleopatra was not only beautiful; she also loved politics. Through her love for the Roman masters—first Caesar, then Antony—she defended her country and made it prosperous. Using the Roman chain to weave a new and stronger imperial model—born from a pair of lovers, a world conqueror, and a queen's dream, a new Egypt emerges.