Queen Cleopatra

Queen Cleopatra

1. Background Knowledge

2. Text Analysis

3. Exercises

4. Questions For Discussion

Background Knowledge

Roman Empire (27 B.C. – 395 A.D.):

According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by the descendants of a Trojan prince. In 500B.C. the Romans set up an independent republic. Throughout the period of the republic (500-31 B.C.) warfare was almost continuous. At about 100 B.C. Rome began to move steadily toward dictatorship.

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In 60 B.C. the army leaders Pompey and Julius Caesar formed the first Triumvirate ( 三头政治 ) with Crassus because of his great wealth. After Caesar’s assassination and the avenging of his death by Mark Antony, his nephew Octavian defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra and became the first emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus, in 27 B.C.

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Cleopatra: Cleopatra became queen of Egypt in 51 B.C., after the death of her father, Ptolemy XII. She was then 17 years old and her 10-year-old brother became her co-ruler and husband. Marriage between a brother and a sister was a common practice in Egyptian royal families.

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Three years later (48 B.C.) the protectors of her husband seized power for him and drove her from the throne. At the same time, Julius Caesar arrived in Alexandria, Egypt’s capital. He came in pursuit of Pompey, a Roman general and rival in Caesar’s struggle to become the ruler of Rome. Caesar and Cleopatra met and fell in love. In 47 B.C. she gave birth to a boy, Caesarion, who she claimed was Caesar’s son.

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In 40 B.C. she gave birth to twins, Alexander Heios and Cleopatra Selene, fathered by Mark Antony. Antony loved Cleopatra, but political wisdom dictated that he marry Octavia, the sister of his co-ruler Octavian. He married Octavia, but missed Cleopatra so much that he left Octavia, and in 37 B.C. married Cleopatra. A year later, she had another son by him, Ptolemy Philandelphos.

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Cleopatra’s reputation in history comes largely from the view of Octavian, who described Antony as a love-struck victim of a wicked temptress. The Roman poets Virgil and Horace also adopted this version. Cleopatra’s story has been told many times in literature. It has been dramatized not only by Shakespeare, but also by John Dryden, “All for Love” (1677), and by George Bernard Shaw, “Caesar and Cleopatra” (1898).

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1. True/False Questions 2. Multiple-choice Questions 3. Translation

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True/False Questions

1.Cleopatra admired Caesar so much that she went to see him secretly.

2.Caesar helped Cleopatra to win back her power.

3.Caesar was murdered by his nephew Octavian.

4.Antony was defeated by Octavian mainly because the luxurious life had dulled his mind.

5.Antony died a hero.

6.Cleopatra killed herself in order to avoid public disgrace.

Answer


1.Cleopatra admired Caesar so much that she went to see him secretly. (F)

2.Caesar helped Cleopatra to win back her power.





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2.Caesar helped Cleopatra to win back her power. (T)





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3.Caesar was murdered by his nephew Octavian. (F)




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4.Antony was defeated by Octavian mainly because the luxurious life had dulled his mind. (T)



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5.Antony died a hero. (F)


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5.Antony died a hero. (F)

6.Cleopatra killed herself in order to avoid public disgrace. (T)

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Multiple-choice Questions

1. According to this article, Cleopatra was the most famous queen of Egypt because of .

A) her beauty

B) her wits and love stories

C) her power of mind to win back her power

D) her ability to speak eight languages

Answer


1. According to this article, Cleopatra was the most famous queen of Egypt because of . (B)

A) her beauty

B) her wits and love stories

C) her power of mind to win back her power

D) her ability to speak eight languages

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2. Cleopatra concealed herself in a carpet and was brought before Caesar so that .

A) she should escape her brother’s notice

B) she could win Caesar’s love

C) she could run away from exile

D) she could win Caesar’s help

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2. Cleopatra concealed herself in a carpet and was brought before Caesar so that . (D)

A) she should escape her brother’s notice

B) she could win Caesar’s love

C) she could run away from exile

D) she could win Caesar’s help

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3.Caesar invited Cleopatra to Rome because .

A) he wanted to make her Queen of the world

B) he wanted to form an alliance with Egypt

C) he came to love her

D) he needed her help to take the crown

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3.Caesar invited Cleopatra to Rome because . (C)

A) he wanted to make her Queen of the world

B) he wanted to form an alliance with Egypt

C) he came to love her

D) he needed her help to take the crown

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4. What made Cleopatra win the love of the two greatest Romans of their age?

A) Her personal charm.

B) Her quite pleasing features.

C) Her power of mind.

D) Her graceful manners.

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4. What made Cleopatra win the love of the two greatest Romans of their age? (C)

A) Her personal charm.

B) Her quite pleasing features.

C) Her power of mind.

D) Her graceful manners.

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5.Which of the following is the basic cause for Antony’s defeat?

A) He had been away from Rome for too long.

B) He had fallen into the habit of luxury.

C) He was thinking too much of Cleopatra.

D) He took too much pride in his fighting skills.

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5.Which of the following is the basic cause for Antony’s defeat? (B)

A) He had been away from Rome for too long.

B) He had fallen into the habit of luxury.

C) He was thinking too much of Cleopatra.

D) He took too much pride in his fighting skills.

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Translation

1.She might have remained in exile had it not been for Julius Caesar.

Answer

Translation

1.She might have remained in exile had it not been for Julius Caesar.

若不是尤利乌斯•凯撒，她或许仍流放在外。

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Translation

2.He liked her and, in time, would come to love her.

Answer

Translation

2.He liked her and, in time, would come to love her.

他喜欢她，总有一天会爱上她。

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Translation

3.Antony might have won against Octavian except for two things.

Answer

Translation

3.Antony might have won against Octavian except for two things.

若不是有两个原因，安东尼或许能战胜屋大维。

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Translation

4.Some say Antony had fallen into habits of luxury that dulled his mind.

Answer

Translation

4.Some say Antony had fallen into habits of luxury that dulled his mind.

有人说安东尼已养成奢侈享受的习惯，这削弱了他的智慧。

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Translation

5.Cleopatra quickly set up a meeting with Octavian.

Answer

Translation

5.Cleopatra quickly set up a meeting with Octavian.

克里奥佩特拉迅即安排了与屋大维的会面。

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Questions for Discussion

1. What is your impression of Cleopatra after reading the text? Can you find evidence in the text?

2. What kind of man was Antony? What lesson can we learn from his losing the battle?

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Text Analysis

Was it her wish to continue as queen or pure love that took Cleopatra to ancient Rome? Nobody really knows. But her interesting story has been passed down to the present.

Of all the queens of Egypt, the most famous was Cleopatra. She lived two thousand years ago, but her legend has never died.

Text Analysis

At the age of seventeen, Cleopatra became the Egyptian queen. She shared power with her younger brother, Ptolemy. But Ptolemy’s guardians plotted against her, took away her power, and forced her into exile.

She might have remained in exile had it not been for Julius Caesar. This famous Roman general had come to Egypt with an army. Cleopatra decided to go to Caesar and ask him to help her win back her power.

Text Analysis

Fearing that her brother’s soldiers might capture her before she could reach Caesar, she went to him secretly. Legend says that the youthful queen wrapped herself up in a carpet. Then she was carried before Caesar on the shoulders of a servant who pretended to be carrying a load of baggage. The story goes on to say that when Caesar saw what was in the “baggage”, he was much amused. He admired the cleverness of the young woman.

Text Analysis

Cleopatra told Caesar about the loss of her power. Caesar was charmed by her manner. He liked her and, in time, would come to love her. He promised to win her power back for her. Before long a battle was fought against Ptolemy’s forces, and Caesar’s soldiers won.

Text Analysis

Cleopatra greatly admired Caesar. When he asked her to visit Rome, she gladly accepted. She stayed in Rome until the fateful day when Caesar was killed. Fearing that Caesar would make himself king, assassins stabbed him to death as he entered the Roman senate one day.

Text Analysis

Some say that Cleopatra had hoped to become Caesar’s queen after he had taken the crown. Perhaps that was her plan. Perhaps she hoped to become “Queen of the World”. But with Caesar dead her hopes could not come true. She hurried back to Alexandria, in Egypt.

Text Analysis

Among the friends of Caesar was the general Marcus Antonius, or Mark Antony. He gave a speech condemning Caesar’s assassins and led an army against them. He became one of three men who shared power over the Roman empire after Caesar’s death. The others were Lepidus, a general, and Octavian, a nephew of Caesar.

Text Analysis

Military actions took Antony to Asia Minor shortly after Caesar’s death. While there, he sent word to Cleopatra that he would like to see her. The queen was not certain that Antony would prove friendly, but she sailed from Alexandria to see him. When she arrived, she asked Antony to dine with her aboard her ship.

Text Analysis

The purpose of their meeting was to see if Antony and Cleopatra could form an alliance against Octavian, whom they both feared. But we are told that the charming queen and the handsome general fell in love almost at once. In time they were married.

Text Analysis

How did Cleopatra win the love of the two greatest Romans of their age, first Caesar and then Antony? The few portraits that exist do not show her as a great beauty. But her features were not displeasing, and she was said to have much wit and personal charm. More important was the power of her mind. The historian Plutarch called her one of the most learned women of her time. He reported that she could speak eight languages.

Text Analysis

While Antony stayed with Cleopatra, Octavian was master of Italy. Letters passed between him and Antony, and the messages were not always friendly. At length war broke out — a civil war for mastery of the Roman empire.

Text Analysis

Antony had already proved himself the more skilful general. He might have won against Octavian except for two things. One trouble was that Antony had lost more than two-thirds of his soldiers while trying to conquer Parthia (now part of Iran). Also, some say he had fallen into habits of luxury that dulled his mind. When Octavian moved to attack him, Antony failed to show the sharp wits he had had in the past.

Text Analysis

The main battle took place near Actium, on the Mediterranean Sea. Both Antony and Cleopatra were there with their fleets, but the battle was lost. They ran back to Egypt. For a time they felt safe in Alexandria. Then Octavian came with his soldiers, surrounded and captured the city.

Text Analysis

Thousands of Antony’s soldiers went to the enemy side. Then false news reached him that Cleopatra had taken her own life. In despair, he fell upon his sword. Learning that Antony was badly wounded, though not yet dead, Cleopatra asked that he be brought to her. He was still alive when he reached her. He begged her to save herself, then died in her arms.

Text Analysis

Cleopatra quickly set up a meeting with Octavian. It is said that she tried to use her charms on him but had no success. She guessed that Octavian was planning to take her to Rome and march her through the streets in chains. Then, she believed, he would have her put to death.

Text Analysis

Asking for an hour to visit Antony’s grave, Cleopatra made ready to die by her own act. She arranged for a servant to bring her a basket of figs, but concealed among the figs was an asp — a small but deadly serpent. The queen drew the asp from the basket and let it sink its fangs into her flesh. When Roman soldiers came to seek her, they found her dead by Antony’s side.

Text Analysis

It is said that Octavian ordered a magnificent funeral at which the bodies of the two lovers were laid out side by side. So ended a story of love and war, a story that William Shakespeare later told in his famous play Antony and Cleopatra.

Simplified from Reading Laboratory, Power Builder, 2b-9.

Approximately 1000 words.

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legend[] n. 传说=an unverified story handed down from earlier times, especially one popularly believed to be historicale.g.The image of dragon often appears in legends.

传说中经常出现龙的形象。

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guardian[] n. 监护人=one that guards, watches over, or protectse.g.It is said that everyone has a guardian angel. 据说每人都有一个守卫天使。

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exile[] n. 流放=enforced removal from one's native countrye.g.He had been five years in exile. 他过流放生活已经五年了。

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capture[] vt. 捕获，俘获=to take captive, as by force or craft; seizee.g.The criminal was captured when trying to escape from the city. 罪犯在企图逃离这座城市时被捕获。

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carpet[] n. 毛毯，地毯=a thick, heavy covering for a floor, usually made of woven wool or synthetic fibers; a ruge.g.There is a carpet of leaves and pine needles on the forest floor. 森林中的地面上有一层厚厚的落叶和松针。 Return

amused []adj. 被逗乐（的）；表示愉快的=delightede.g.He felt amused at the baby’s naughty expression. 他被婴儿淘气的表情逗笑了。

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charm []vt. 迷住；吸引；=to attract or delight greatlye.g.We were charmed with the scenery. 我们陶醉在景色之中。 n. 魅力；妩媚=the power or quality of pleasing or delighting; attractivenesse.g.This town, clean and quiet, has a charm you couldn't find in a big city. 这个城镇既干净又安静 , 自有大城市里找不到的那种魅力。

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assassin[] n. 刺客；暗杀者=one who murders by surprise attack, especially one who carries out a plot to kill a prominent persone.g.He hired an assassin to kill his competitor. 他雇用了一名刺客去暗杀他的竞争者。

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senate[] n. （古罗马）元老院=the supreme council of state of the ancient Roman Republic and later of the Roman Empiree.g.In ancient Roman Empire, the senate had the right to decide life or death. 在古罗马，元老院有生杀大权。

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nephew[] n. 侄子；外甥=a son of one's brother or sister or the brother or sister of one's spousee.g.He didn’t forget to buy present for his nephew. 他没忘给侄子买礼物。

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alliance[] n. 联盟=a close association of nations or other groups, formed to advance common interests or causese.g.The two countries made an alliance. 两国结盟。

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portrait[] n. 人像，画像，肖像=a likeness of a person, especially one showing the face, that is created by a painter or photographer, for examplee.g.He painted a portrait of his daughter. 他画了一幅她女儿的像。

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personal[] adj. 个人的；私人的=of or relating to a particular person; privatee.g.Don't be too personal. 谈话不要过于涉及私事。

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civil []adj. 国内的；民用的；文明的 =within a countrye.g.The war between the north and the south is also called the American civil war. 南北战争也被称为美国内战。

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skilful []adj. 熟练的；有技术的 =proficiente.g.He is skilful in drawing. 他画画很有技巧。

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luxury[] n. 奢侈，奢侈的享受 =sumptuous living or surroundingse.g.They live in luxury in a very big house. 他们在一所很大的房子里过着奢侈的生活。

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despair[] n. 绝望=complete loss of hopee.g.He gave up the attempt in despair. 他失望地放弃尝试。

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conceal []vt. 隐藏=to keep from being seen, found, observed, or discovered; hidee.g.He concealed the sweets in his pocket.

他把糖果藏在口袋里。

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serpent[] n. 蛇= snakee.g.The serpent fascinated its prey. 蛇吓住了它要捕食的动物。

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magnificent []adj. 庄严的；宏大的= grand; splendid in appearancee.g.The magnificent scene of the waterfall is a perfect delight to the eye. 瀑布的宏伟景象真是好看极了。

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in time 迟早，最终；经过一段时间之后= sooner or later e.g.In time they came to accept the harsh facts. 他们最终接受了这个严酷的现实。

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before long 不久以后e.g.Before long, the noise dropped completely and the boat began to drift gently across the water. 不久 , 轰鸣声完全消失了 , 于是这只船开始慢悠悠地漂浮在水面上。

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come true 实现；成为现实e.g.If you hold on, your dream will come true one day. 只要你坚持，你的梦想终有一日会实现。

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break out （战争）爆发e.g.World War II broke out in 1939. 第二次世界大战是 1939 年爆发的。

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take one’s own life 自杀e.g.She took her own life because of despair. 她因绝望而自杀。

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lay out 为（尸体）做殡葬准备；摆出，展开e.g.Early in the morning, shopkeepers laid out their merchandises. 大清早店主们摆出了他们的货品。

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Cleopatra ([]) (69-30 B.C.): queen of Egypt

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take the crown: 继承王位

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Marcus Antonius ([]) or Mark Antony ([ ]): Roman general, friend of Caesar and one of the three men who ruled the Roman empire after Caesar died

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Lepidus ([]), a general: Roman politician

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Octavian ([]), a nephew of Caesar

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Asia Minor: large peninsula in West Asia, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean 小亚细亚

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Plutarch ([]) (46-120 A.D.):Greek biographer and moralist

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Parthia ([]) (now part of Iran):an ancient country in West Asia

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William Shakespeare (1564-1616): ([ ]) English poet, playwright and actor-manager, one of the giants of world literature

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Caesar was charmed by her manner.凯撒不禁被她的高贵气质所倾倒。

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He became one of three men who shared power over the Roman empire after Caesar’s death.在凯撒死后，安东尼成为统治罗马帝国的三头政治中的一员。

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Thousands of Antony’s soldiers went to the enemy side.数千名安东尼的士兵纷纷投向敌军。

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In despair, he fell upon his sword.在绝望中，安东尼拔剑自刎。

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It is said that she tried to use her charms on him but had no success.据说克里奥佩特拉曾试图对屋大维施展魅力，但没有成功。

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She might have remained in exile had it not been for Julius Caesar.若不是尤利乌斯•凯撒，她或许仍流放在外。had it not been for Julius Caesar: without the help of Julius Caesar If it were not for 这一结构用来表示一个特定的情况改变了一切，意即“倘没有，要不是”；有关过去的情况则用 if it had not been for ；倒装结构则为 Were it not for/Had it not been for：e.g. If it hadn’t been for your help, we had never finished it. 倘若没有你的帮助，我们永远也完不成。

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Of all the queens of Egypt, the most famous was Cleopatra. She lived two thousand years ago, but her legend has never died.埃及的所有女王中，最著名的当属克里奥佩特拉。虽然她生活在两千多年以前，但她的故事流传千古。but her legend has never died: the story about her has been passed down through the centuries

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The few portraits that exist do not show her as a great beauty. But her features were not displeasing, and she was said to have much wit and personal charm.从现存的为数不多的克里奥佩特拉的肖像来看，她并不是一个绝代佳人。但她的相貌还是惹人喜爱的，据说她智慧超人，具有一种独特的魅力。

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Antony failed to show the sharp wits he had had in the past.安东尼没有表现出以往战斗中的那种灵活机智。

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Asking for an hour to visit Antony’s grave, Cleopatra made ready to die by her own act.她请求给她一个小时去安东尼的墓地进行悼念，并作好了自杀的准备。Cleopatra made ready to die by her own act:

Cleopatra made up her mind to kill herself.

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She shared power with her younger brother, Ptolemy ([]): She ruled Egypt together with her younger brother.

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Cleopatra had taken her own life: Cleopatra had killed herself

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that he be brought to her: that he should be brought to her

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Have you heard of Cleopatra before? What do you know about her?

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What qualities in Cleopatra did Caesar and Antony admire?

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Why did Antony lose the battle?

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Did Antony die a hero?

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Queen Cleopatra