Cleopatra seduced the Romans with her irresistible . . . mind

The Times (U.K.) ^ | March 14, 2005 | Ben Hoyle

[El Gato]

she was not a great beauty by modern standards. Despite this she succeeded in seducing Caesar and his former ally Mark Antony, who left his Roman wife Octavia for her.

Modern standards don't count. Tastes change. Besides which their is much more to sexiness than great beauty.

[null and void]

Not that won't get me banned.

[FYREDEUS]

Why do you have difficulty believing Caesar would be attracted to a beautiful mind?

A woman with a great mind is a most wondrously attractive thing :-).

[SaltyJoe]

Thanks for correcting me. I had forgotten my History lesson. But isn't it interesting that human nature hasn't changed? Would it be plausible that Cleo's wealth and connections to wealth was the greater attraction for such ambitious men?

Suddenly I find myself thanking God that I don't have so much ambition. I mean, I honestly find Paris Hilton to be on the fair side of attraction, but I keep waiting for her to develop into a woman (like I'd really have a chance with her anyway LOL).

[Lijahsbubbe]

The Ancient Egyptian obelisk dates from 1600 B.C. and was a gift from Egypt. "Cleopatra's Needles" is the name given to two Egyptian obelisks, formerly at Alexandria, but one of which is now in New York, the other in London. They are made of the rosered granite of Syene, and were originally erected by the Egyptian king Thothmes III in front of the great temple of Heliopolis, where Moses was born. They were taken to Alexandria shortly before the commencement of the Christian era, and after the death of Cleopatra, but possibly in pursuance of a, design originated'by her. The NewYork obelisk was presented to America by the Rhedive of Egypt, and was set up in Central Park in 1881.

[Lijahsbubbe]

The original wardrobe malfunction

[The Great Yazoo]

And some say history lacks relevance or is boring. There is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9.

[Lijahsbubbe]

So Cleopatra was actually Lebanese?

You may be onto something.

[Thinkin' Gal]

The one in London is obscured by trees along the riverbank, across the river from the London Eye, "Don't run with that think kid you'll poke yer eye out".

[SaltyJoe]

My goodness, what an uncanny resemblance!

Many women with well endowed beak are quite photogenic. It's too bad they didn't have cameras back then. Cleo would have been as photographed as Princess Di.

[Salamander]

I thought they said she was actually Greek.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Lebanese<<<

Uh oh...

[The Great Yazoo]

I thought they said she was actually Greek.

No. That's only on her parents' side.

[Salamander]

Nice sculpture here;
http://www.touregypt.net/cleopatr.htm

[Salamander]

LOL!

[Lijahsbubbe]

LOL about the obelisk. Truly awesome though.

[expatguy]

Sounds like a PC rewrite of history if you ask me.

[FYREDEUS]

She was a ROYAL...so ANYONE having a relationship with her including C.I. Caesar or Marcus Antonius would have to understand that that would mean POLITICAL implications which would be beyond matters of mere 'wealth'...but why could it not be simply that strong men recognized an extraordinary woman and found the idea of a 'relationship of true equals' with her highly appealing?

The thought of what two strong minds might accomplish together in such a relationship would also have to be attractive would it not?

Especially in the case of Caesar and Cleopatra...if they could have begun a strong Julian/Ptolemaic dynasty ruling over a united Empire of Rome and Egypt for centuries...what marvels might have been...perhaps enough to cleanse Caesar's karma of the Greatest Crime?

...alas the Ides of March...-sigh-...

[FYREDEUS]

Maybe he just plain and simple Loved her eh?

[hleewilder]

Thanks for posting that...I knew of it in general terms, but not the meat and potatoes. Again, thanks!