{"product_id":"2940013233881","title":"Quicklet on Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra: A Life (Summary Of The Book)","description":"Hi readers!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe recently underwent an overhaul of our Quicklets to focus on commentary, analysis, and criticism from our expert writing team.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn addition, our Quicklets include an overall summary, brief chapter summaries, a description of key characters and themes, fun trivia, and a selection of great online readings.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThanks!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e= = = = = \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eABOUT THE BOOK\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe all know about Cleopatra VII, her seductive ways, her wanton affairs with two of the mightiest men of Rome and her demise by an asp bite. We picture her as Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960’s eponymous flop and think of Mark Antony as Richard Burton. We know all about her. Or do we?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAccording to biographer Stacy Schiff, we do not even know what Cleopatra looked like. We’ve seen some coins and sculptures purporting to be Cleopatra. We do know that she ruled in Egypt for 22 tumultuous years, trying to keep her kingdom from being absorbed by the rapacious, provincial Romans. She had a child by Julius Ceasar and three more children by Mark Antony. But who was this remarkable last Pharaoh of Egypt?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEXCERPT FROM THE BOOK\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the age of eighteen, until her death twenty-two years later at thirty-nine, Cleopatra VII Philopator was the acknowledged ruler of Egypt. For several years, she was exiled within her country by her brother Ptolemy XIII’s advisers and forced to raise her own army. Cleopatra was more than up to the challenge and at age 21, smuggled herself (either in a bag or a rug, depending on which historian you read) into the palace where Julius Caesar was living and presented herself to him. This audacious act typified how Cleopatra reigned and attempted to keep her kingdom as an ally of Rome, rather than a province.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen you strip away all the Roman propagandizing and vilifying of this powerful woman, you find that Cleopatra was a savvy, intelligent, highly educated ruler with a clear vision of the practical politics of her day. Since histories are written by the victors, and ultimately the Romans conquered Egypt, they were given free reign to belittle everything about her accomplishments. Sadly, this is the picture, thanks to Plutach, Dio, Appian and others, who worked for the conquerors, is the one that has come down signifying that she was the wickedest woman in the world.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK OUTLINE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e+About the Book\u003cbr\u003e+About the Author\u003cbr\u003e+Synopsis\u003cbr\u003e+Key Terms and Definitions\u003cbr\u003e+Chapter-By-Chapter Commentary \u0026amp; Summary\u003cbr\u003e+Additional Resources","brand":"Hyperink","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47082351263984,"sku":"2940013233881","price":4.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013233881_p0.jpg?v=1763589850","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013233881","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}