By Mursi Saad El-Din Julia Samson wrote about Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. I would like to expound the author's theory about writing history. Historians, she says, have always seen biography as part of history. History is a mixture of environmental, economic, political, social and religious factors, but also personal character, talent, intellect or actions may play a role, sometimes a vital role, in past events. Unfortunately for those who write about ancient times, there is very little if any information about the personality even of the most important actors in the drama. Cleopatra has, of course, attracted constant attention since the Renaissance; her particular role in roman history, her famed relation with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, her suicide, have made her the subject of every kind of poetry, drama, myth and history. Shakespeare, Dryden, Shaw and the Egyptian poet laureate Ahmed Shawky had her as the heroine of their works. So there is no lack of information about Cleopatra, and classical literature does not lack an account of her life and role. The author describes Cleopatra as the King of Egypt yet her first chapter is called "Cleopatra Queen of Kings". There is evidence, the author says, that the fascination by which Cleopatra held people was not that of beauty alone, but her grace of body and charm, great intelligence and companionship. She believes that the Queen had a clear, olive complexion, rather than the fair blond image created by some modern artists. Not only did she have the Greek blood from Macedonia, but possibly also Iranian and even Syrian blood from ancestral Ptolemaic marriages with ruling royalties in the Middle East. This seems to be a new theory, but the author gives proof of it. Still, in spite of this mixed blood, Cleopatra's regality stemmed from the Greek conqueror, Alexander the Great, who rescued Egypt from the domination of the Persians, and who was followed on the throne of Egypt by 12 Greek kings named Ptolemy. The author attributes great intelligence to Cleo, which made her fully capable of understanding the significance of the changing world in which she matured; the age of the expanding Roman Empire. This empire had already spread over Asia Minor, and into the Near East. Egypt's turn came next. Cleopatra was far-sighted and all her moves and actions showed this. She was the only one of the Ptolemites who mastered the language of the land she ruled. In this way the Egyptians never looked upon her as an alien ruler, but as an Egyptian queen. In fact, according to Plutarch, the Greek historian, Cleopatra spoke several African and Eastern languages including Hebrew and Aramaic. She perfected according to him eight languages besides her own, Greek. This shows that Cleopatra had expansionist ambitions and she was looking further than the shores of Egypt. Trying to trace the childhood and adolescence of Cleopatra, the author gives only a few insights, indeed very few, because, she says, "It is difficult to see this woman other than as a ruler, who, from then on became inevitably entangled in world politics." The author in spite of the abundance of material about Cleopatra finds it difficult to maintain a balance between the histories written over the ages, and the fiction. Some artists, she says, have idealised here beauty, which was possibly one of her lesser attractions. Others have portrayed her as kittenish and coy, which does not fit in with the strength of her nature. Others believe that she was fighting for her security and that of her children. But there is no doubt that she took great pride in her appearance and her use of cosmetics. Like Hatschepsut and Nefertiti, Cleopatra was named "Lady of the Two Lands". She wore the vulture head dress of a royal "Heiress" and she very closely and increasingly associated herself with the goddess Isis. She stressed the wife, and later the mother appeal of this Goddess, mother of Horus. Thus the Egyptians could identify her with their past religion and royalty. She diplomatically associated herself with her father's restoration of a number of Egyptian temples including the temple of Denderra of Hathor.
