Synopsis The Cleopatras

1 synopsis

1.1 145 bc
1.2 128 bc
1.3 115 bc
1.4 100 bc
1.5 80 bc
1.6 51 bc
1.7 46 bc
1.8 36 bc

synopsis
145 bc

alexandria, 145 bc. upon death in battle of husband , brother king ptolemy vi, queen cleopatra ii has marry younger brother, ptolemy, remain on throne. ptolemy secretly orders murder of nephew , heir, eupator, son of wife , brother, late king, impregnates new wife new child (it turns out boy, whom call memphites), , seduces , rapes eupator s sister, step-daughter , niece cleopatra iii, wife s own daughter, becomes pregnant him, decides divorce mother , marries instead. rule uneasy triumvirate. ptolemy , cleopatra iii driven out of egypt mob. ptolemy takes revenge on sister cleopatra ii murdering son memphites, sister s male child , heir, , sending dismembered corpse birthday present.

128 bc

ptolemy , cleopatra iii re-invade egypt, banishing cleopatra ii syria, daughter cleopatra thea queen consort, displeased reign of incompetent husband, king demetrius. cleopatra seeks aid of demetrius in regaining throne, when fails, wife orders slaughter in temple has sought refuge. intention proclaim herself queen regnant, , favourite younger son grypus puppet co-ruler, forestalled elder son seleucus, proclaims himself king instead, allowing queen mother of syria. tries make puppet ruler of him instead, when resists influence poisons him @ dinner table. after death, grypus becomes king of syria, time comes dislike mother s increasing desire power , influence on him.

meanwhile, ptolemy announces sudden change of character - henceforth known ptolemy benign. makes sister cleopatra ii , allows return egypt syria , queen once more, dislike of wife , co-ruler, queen cleopatra iii, still sees mother rival. cleopatra iii , ptolemy s eldest son , daughter, chickpea , cleopatra iv, married, again cleopatra s great dislike (because in love each other, hates him because product of rape), , second daughter, cleopatra tryphaena, married cousin grypus, then, persuaded her, begins resist mother s influence, , kills her, poisoning @ dinner table, had poisoned late brother, when tried same him.

115 bc

finally, queen cleopatra ii dies peacefully in bed, , brother, king ptolemy, leaves on own deathbed designed cause mayhem among family. wife cleopatra iii named successor, chooses favourite younger son, alexander, share throne her. mob dislikes that, because alexander not eldest son, has no alternative proclaim elder son chickpea, whom loathes, king of egypt instead, proceeds divorce him eldest daughter cleopatra iv, whom has daughter, cleopatra berenike, , marry youngest daughter cleopatra selene him instead, making her, , not firstborn cleopatra iv, wife of king , queen consort of egypt. after exiles cleopatra iv, tries support younger brother alexander, governor of cyprus; when fails, goes court of cousin grypus , sister tryphaena, receives orders mother put cleopatra death. cleopatra doublecrosses grypus , uses army grypus s brother , rival throne, cyzicenus, marries , makes queen of syria, when civil war in syria takes turn, grypus , tryphaena capture cleopatra iv , tryphaena has killed. time later, war in syria again takes different turn, , queen cleopatra tryphaena gets captured brother-in-law cyzicenus, takes revenge upon killing wife, , , painfully kills her. in meanwhile, queen cleopatra iii , daughter, queen cleopatra selene, arrange chickpea driven out of kingdom angry mob, whom convince chickpea tried kill mother. chickpea flies egypt , goes cyprus, while alexander becomes mother s co-ruler, whom treats puppet. selene married widowed king grypus of syria, cousin , ex-brother-in-law, , cleopatra iii forces alexander marry niece cleopatra berenike, chickpea , cleopatra iv s young daughter. when hearing of this, secret wife in cyprus, whom had son, takes own life. when alexander receives news, stands mother , tries suffocate her, fails, helped young, ambitious cleopatra berenike, niece , chosen bride-to-be, wants above else become ruling queen of egypt, finishes grandmother off cushion.

100 bc

cleopatra berenike plots rid of alexander has turned drink. egypt s province of cyrenaica willed rome on death of apion, , alexander nothing against wishes of generals. army defies king, attempts raise new army of syrian mercenaries paid gold tomb of alexander great. when city outraged @ desecration of tomb, alexander flees pursued , killed. chickpea reclaims throne , cleopatra berenike s ambition realised when makes joint monarch. chickpea brings mistress irene , 3 children greece him. later decides concentrate on fulfilling role chief priest of egypt, leaving berenike run kingdom. on death, irene returns greece, leaving children in safe care of berenike. however, chickpea s death leaves dangerous power vacuum - , rome taking more friendly interest. rome installs berenike s nephew alexander ii new king, dismay; refuses consummate marriage. alexander accidentally kills while attempting rape her, , mob kills him in turn. chickpea s son fluter, grandson of cleopatra iii, made new king.

80 bc

fluter , sister cleopatra v tryphaena marry, while younger brother ptolemy given cyprus. fluter recognises rome true source of power , sets off on extended royal visit, spending lots of money bribe both caesar , senate recognise him true king of egypt. neglects include brother ptolemy of cyprus in arrangement; romans send army annex cyprus, , ptolemy, unwilling become client of rome, sinks royal treasury @ sea , commits suicide. fluter returns egypt people, , cleopatra, blame him loss of cyprus , death of ptolemy. fluter returns rome seek roman armed support , egyptians, furious @ subservience, depose him in absence , make wife, cleopatra tryphaena (cleopatra v tryphaena), , daughter, berenike (berenice iv), joint rulers. cleopatra keeps sending delegations rome press case , fluter keeps having them murdered. cleopatra tryphaena dies leaving berenike sole ruler. needs husband share rule, first candidate advisers find repulsive has him strangled. find young greek general, archelaus, liking. killed in battle, , berenike refuses flee , waits on throne confront father, fluter, has killed.

51 bc

fluter dies, leaving cleopatra vii, 18, joint ruler young brother ptolemy xiii. cleopatra makes clear brother s regents can advise him, not her. cleopatra, deceived brother s adviser pothinus, receives , charms pompey s son gnaus, has come seek egyptian support in father in civil war against caesar. enrages mob , cleopatra has flee, pothinus planned. defeated pompey allowed land ptolemy , advisers; kill him, expecting win pursuing caesar s approval. not work, caesar affronted treachery.

caesar demands ptolemy , cleopatra s presence. cleopatra, past ptolemy s troops, has herself smuggled caesar in carpet, , charms seduces caesar. caesar restores cleopatra throne jointly ptolemy, in accordance father s will, though neither 1 likes it.

caesar instructs ptolemy s general achillas disband army; instead, achillas goes army , marches on alexandria. cleopatra s sister arsinoe goes join achillas. deputation army arrives news arsinoe had achillas killed. ask king , caesar, acting on cleopatra s advice s worse tactician arsinoe, releases ptolemy them. cleopatra foresees ptolemy , arsinoe s defeat.

46 bc

ptolemy xiii has been killed , arsinoe captured. cleopatra tells caesar s pregnant son (caesarion). caesar invites cleopatra follow him rome. caesar decides publicly recognise caesarion son , puts statue of cleopatra in temple of venus genetrix.

caesar discusses being made king mark antony , cleopatra. tells cleopatra s going off fight parthians, in absence friend senna propose law allowing caesar have many wives wishes, can marry cleopatra , keep wife calpurnia.

but caesar assassinated. apparently never made new will, cleopatra not mentioned. cleopatra returns egypt younger brother ptolemy xiv. finds s unpopular , there movement depose in favour of ptolemy. promptly dies of stomach upset. cleopatra reigns jointly infant son caesarion (ptolemy xv).

cassius sends request egyptian against antony; having exhausted excuses, cleopatra agrees, fleet dallies until cassius has lost battle. mark antony, having, octavian, defeated brutus , cassius, invites cleopatra see him @ tarsus. ignores him persists; has heard of offered assistance cassius , wants explanation. cleopatra goes tarsus on royal barge , seduces mark antony.

36 bc

cleopatra asks mark antony kill sister arsinoe, has been granted sanctuary priestess @ ephesus. following tiff, cleopatra returns egypt. antony follows, knew would.

news arrives of parthian incursions, , antony s brother , antony s roman wife fulvia have taken arms against octavian. antony sees chance unseat octavian, cleopatra counsels caution. antony goes fight parthians, leaves army in syria , sails athens meet fulvia, dies of fever.

antony meets octavian , agree divide empire, antony east, octavian west. octavian suggests, seal deal, antony marry octavian s sister octavia. cleopatra furious @ news.

antony looks continue war against parthians, needs money finance it. leaves octavia in athens, , invites cleopatra antioch, resume affair. promises acknowledge 2 children cleopatra, alexander helios , cleopatra selene. in alexandria, antony publicly divides empire among caesarion, alexander helios , cleopatra selene, , , cleopatra s infant son ptolemy philadelphos.

he divorces octavia. octavian takes personal insult , reacts savagely, despite octavia (who still loves antony) pleading him moderation. senate, @ octavian s behest, divests mark antony of powers , declares war on cleopatra.

antony s friends begin desert him. , cleopatra s forces defeated octavian @ battle of actium , quarrel. decide not flee stay in alexandria await end. cleopatra fears antony harm in drunken rage, hides in tomb , sends word s dead. antony stabs himself. cleopatra has him brought tomb on litter, dies.

cleopatra receives octavian in throne room , begs him spare children, refuses. cleopatra kills herself asp, faithful maidservants, charmian , iras.