Pages Through History : Queen of De Nile
In Cleopatra: A Life, author Stacy Schiff explores the question of the queen’s allure, and the paradoxes of being a strong ruler in an environment so set against powerful women. Some questions you may want to keep in mind as you get ready for the next Pages Through History discussion:
- Do we remember Cleopatra solely based on her beauty, or is it the power of her presence? Was her charisma physical, or was it found in her personality – the way she carried herself, expressed herself, and showed her intelligence?
- Was her place on the throne due only to her birth, or was it merely the inevitable result of a lifetime of grooming, based on an intense education provided by some of the ancient world’s greatest scholars?
- What was it about Cleopatra that frightened men? Why do you think ancient (and modern) historians have tried to deny her these attributes?
Print This Post













