A real Cleopatra

Author: (German) Emil Ludwig
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-31
Features: Reasons to Read This Book: The author, Emil Ludwig, is a renowned German biographer considered to have reached the level of a "Renaissance man." He spent thirty years conceptualizing this book to portray this "incomparable" woman, sweeping away two millennia of misinterpretations about the "Queen of the Nile." In world history, there are three heavyweight Romans—Caesar, Antony, and Octavian—all of whose lives are inextricably intertwined with that of this "Queen of the Nile." This book weaves that extraordinary period of history into a "romantic journey" between the heroine and three Romans, and even a "journey of the human spirit"—a truly innovative approach. It is a masterpiece that is both profound yet accessible, deeply researched yet effortlessly executed, imbued with Ludwig's lifelong experiences. We recommend this book to the following audiences: biographical literature scholars or enthusiasts, women's literature scholars or enthusiasts, admirers or critics of power, scholars or enthusiasts of Egyptian and Roman cultures, lovers or detractors of the "lover, mother, warrior, queen" archetype, and students at all levels.
Cleopatra VII, the famous Egyptian queen, Caesar's lover, and Antony's wife. She lived for only 39 years but reigned for 22. Her ambition and charm significantly influenced Roman politics at critical moments. Shakespeare described her as a "rivalrous queen, whatever you do is so graceful—whether blaming, laughing, or crying; every emotion you express is fully aimed at being beautiful and captivating." Cleopatra, this incomparable "Queen of the Nile," is no longer just a legendary embodiment of a great lover in this work but also a mother, warrior, queen, and lover. This heart-wrenching masterpiece, conceived over thirty years by the renowned German biographer Emil Ludwig, completely dispels two millennia of misinterpretations about the "Queen of the Nile."