Caesar and Cleopatra: Fact or Fiction
A Comparison of How the Lives of Caesar and Cleopatra are Depicted in Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra and the Film Classic Cleopatra with the Actual Events that Transpired.
Cleopatra and Caesar: What Really Happened
Cleopatra was born in 69 B.C, she was one of four children at birth. However, her two older sisters
were assasinated leaving her to be the oldest with brother Ptolemy behind her. When she was 18, her
father died leaving the rule of Egypt to Cleopatra and her ten-year old brother Ptolemy. Soon, however,
a quarrel ensued between Cleopatra and her brother. Cleopatra eventually lost her throne, leaving Egypt
in the hands of her young brother.
In comes Caesar, traveling to Egypt in order to collect debts owed to him. Upon his arrival in Egypt,
Cleopatra feels she needs to speak to him. In order to do this secretly, Cleopatra has herself wrappedin
a rug and brought to Caesar. Caesar took a liking to young Cleopatra and a relationship developed
between the two. (Even though Caesar was already married) Caesar saw to it that Cleopatra regain her
rightful throne and she sat as ruler of Egypt due to Caesar's handiwork.
Cleopatra later bore a son, whom she named Ptolemy Caesarion. It is likely that the father was Caesar,
since he traveled with Cleopatra in the time of her pregnancy. Caesar, however, never admitted the son
to be his. (Cleopatra would later marry Mark Antony and with him bear three children.)
When Caesar died, Cleopatra was disappointed when, instead of naming Caesarion his heir, he named
his great nephew Octavian. Upon Ptolemy's death, Cleopatra named her son Caesarion as coruler of
Egypt. Cleopatra, in the end committed suicide in order to avoid being held under the thumb of
Octavian.