While This Essay Is Creative, You Completely Neglected To Do
While this essay is creative, you completely neglected to discuss the political situation in Egypt
While this essay is creative, you completely neglected to discuss the political situation in Egypt. In fact, you don’t even mention Rome, Julius Caesar, or Marc Antony. You need to discuss Cleopatra’s relationship with Rome and those rulers. Please see my comments. My name is Nour.
I was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt. We lived in a small mudbrick home and lived comfortably. We were not rich but we were not poor. My parents would both clean homes for a living, when I say homes, I mean the homes we could not afford, the royal homes. I was an only child so I would have to tag along with my mother.
I enjoyed coming to work with her because I did not get to spend much time with her since both my parents worked. It was the year 77 B.C. I would always come to this one particular house with my mother. It was beautiful and huge. I loved coming here because I would sit and imagine that this was my home.
There was a girl around my same age who lived here. Her name was Cleopatra. She was beautiful in my eyes. While my mom cleaned her home, she would signal for me to come and follow her, so I did. We would talk about many things.
She would share her food with me and let me play dress up in her clothes. Her clothes weren’t clothes that my parents could afford so I enjoyed the time I was able to wear them. She would tell me things about how hard her life was because it was not easy living in a royal family but all I could think to myself was “How lucky is she? She lives in this huge home, has people who cater to her, how can she not be happy?” Little did I know, her life was harder than I imagined. Cleopatra and her siblings would fight over who was going to take the royal throne after their father passes.
Cleopatra and I became really good friends. Sometimes I would wander away from home just to meet her. She was not allowed to come out of the gates of her home so we would sit and talk through the gates. I considered her my best friend. I was stunned when one day she told me I was her best friend as well. Years went by and my mom would still clean their home and I would still sneak away to spend time with her.
The kids back where I lived would tell me that Cleopatra was not a nice person but I would tell them that it isn’t true. The things they would say about her were not nice. They would tell me not to trust her but she was my best friend. I would go back and tell her the awful things the kids would tell me but she would just tell me that they were jealous of her. Cleopatra and I were spending time outside near the gate when she told me horrible news. She told me that her father had passed away and she was the one next in line to take the throne. I was shocked, she did not shed a tear as she was sharing the news. She simply brushed off her father’s death as if it were not a big deal. I thought to myself, “How come she is not crying? Is she not sad about her father’s death?” Cleopatra had lost her mother when she was younger and never spoke about it. Now she had lost her father and did not shed a tear.
She was right, she took the throne of her father. Cleopatra was only 18 years old when she took the throne. She was smart, powerful, a great leader as I can say. With her taking the throne, we did not get to see each other as much. She was too busy with other stuff that our times together were cut short.
Days I would wait for her by the gate and sometimes she would not show up. I was sure I lost my best friend. One day, my mother was very sick and asked me if I could take her place to clean her home of Cleopatra’s. I did not want to go because I had not spoken to her for a long time but I know my mother needed the help, so I agreed. I went to go do my duties and clean her home and as I did, I heard her voice. I poked my head out from the bathroom and saw Cleopatra talking to her brother, Ptolemy kiss!
I was in disbelief, I began to clean the bathroom again hoping that no one saw me. Due to my surprise, Cleopatra came in and said hello to me, and then walked away. I was no longer her friend, I was just someone who was cleaning her home. I spoke to some of the kids from near my home, and they also begin to share the news with me, that Cleopatra had married her brother. It all made sense to me now, when I saw them both kiss.
The girl that I had once knew was no longer the same person anymore. I decided to no longer look for her and hope to eventually forget her. I was hurt because we were once so close and sadly drifted apart. Within time, I would hear different news about Cleopatra. How her and her brother were no longer together. She eventually married her second brother. That marriage did not last as she married another man. She had children now too, as so did I. I always imagined our kids growing up together being the best of friends but life does not work out the way we think it will. Although, I had now come to the realization that Cleopatra was not a good friend. She was a great leader for our country. She proved that she was as strong as any other male leader during her time.
She made Egypt phosphorus with our riches supplied by the Nile. She built up the Egyptian economy and also established trade with different Arab nations. Cleopatra died August 30th B.C. She was 39 years old when she committed suicide. She allowed an Egyptian cobra to bite her. Growing up Cleopatra and I were the best of friends, and although, people would not talk good about her, I considered her a very good friend. The time that I did get to spend with her, I enjoyed it. Friends grow apart and we did, but I’ll cherish the great memories we did share together.
Paper For Above instruction
The story of Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, is deeply intertwined with the political landscape of Egypt and Rome during her reign. Her relationships with Roman leaders such as Julius Caesar and Mark Antony exemplify her strategic alliances and political acumen, which played crucial roles in shaping the history of Egypt and its interactions with the Roman Republic. To understand Cleopatra's political maneuvering, it is essential to examine her alliances with these Roman figures, her motives, and the broader geopolitical context of Egypt during her lifetime.
Cleopatra's alliance with Julius Caesar began in 48 B.C. amidst the chaos of Roman civil war. Her relationship with Caesar was both political and personal; it was instrumental in securing her position as the ruler of Egypt after the death of her father, Ptolemy XII. Cleopatra sought Caesar’s support to legitimize her claim to the Egyptian throne and to safeguard Egypt’s independence from external threats. This alliance proved fruitful, as Caesar's military and political backing helped her regain and maintain power. The alliance also allowed her to consolidate her influence within Egypt by portraying herself as a capable leader capable of navigating the turbulent political environment.
Following Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C., Cleopatra aligned herself with Mark Antony, one of the most powerful Roman generals and triumvirs. Her relationship with Antony was marked not only by personal affection but also by strategic political marriage. In 41 B.C., Cleopatra and Antony formed a political and romantic alliance that lasted until his defeat at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. This relationship was a significant factor in the Roman civil wars, as it pitted Egypt against Rome's rising imperial ambitions. Cleopatra aimed to maintain Egypt’s independence and prestige while gaining a powerful supporter in Antony.
Throughout her alliances with Caesar and Antony, Cleopatra employed her diplomatic skills to promote Egypt’s interests. She facilitated trade, promoted economic stability, and worked tirelessly to preserve Egypt’s sovereignty against Roman expansion. Her efforts included commissioning architectural projects, fostering cultural exchanges, and leveraging her relationships with Roman leaders to secure military and political support.
Her political association with Rome had lasting repercussions. Her involvement with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony ultimately contributed to her downfall, especially after Antony’s defeat and her subsequent suicide in 30 B.C. Her death marked the end of Ptolemaic rule and the annexation of Egypt into the Roman Empire. Nonetheless, Cleopatra’s strategic partnerships with Roman leaders highlight her leadership qualities, her political savvy, and her determination to preserve Egypt’s independence amidst the encroaching dominance of Rome.
In conclusion, Cleopatra’s relationships with Rome’s Julius Caesar and Mark Antony were fundamental to her political strategy. These alliances enabled her to assert her authority, bolster Egypt’s sovereignty, and navigate a complex geopolitical landscape. Her legacy as a leader is thus not only rooted in her personal charisma but also in her diplomatic skill and political alliances that significantly impacted Egyptian and Roman history.
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