The Bombshell: Our Cleopatra Moment [ review of "Cleopatra: A Life" ]

Bookslut ^ | December 2010 | Jenny McPhee

[SunkenCiv]

“Is this some kind of bust?”

“Very impressive, yes.”

[ForGod'sSake]

Egad! Surely you jest...

;^)

[KC_Conspirator]

So Marc Antony was an eeeevviiillll smoker!

[dfwgator]

So Marc Antony was an eeeevviiillll smoker!

Didn't he marry J-Lo?

[wildbill]

Lets face it—or rather Caesar and Antony faced it—most coins and statues that are struck in honor of rulers show their best features.

If that’s true about Cleo, then you’d have to look elsewhere than her beauty to account for her popularity with her much older lovers. (Caesar in his 50s and she about 19 when they consumated their relationship).

Rumors in Rome were that she was very adept in exotic foreign sexual practices, most of which will get you arrested in Southern states, to snare them.

From looking at the images of Cleo, it’s also possible that Helen Thomas is a direct descendant.

[BenLurkin]

IIRC he hid out on a luxury island resort for a while but eventually he got Sopranoed.

[malkee]

Margaret George's Memoirs of Cleopatra is still the best book about the Egyptian queen.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks malkee. A novel, but might be fun.

[SunkenCiv]

The truth is, a lot of the coins struck back then were tiny — I think most have heard of the “widow’s mite” — and the visages were not that detailed. His coins (those I’ve seen) are noteworthy for the headgear (laurels), but are pretty accurate as to his profile, seen aging along with the great lover himself.

[SunkenCiv]

One vote for Theda Bara. ;’)