. . . Plutarch assures us that she entgertained no fears, although they would have warranted; others were p;unished for their lack of cooperation. Instead he wrote the delay down to strategy. Cleopatra believed Delliusus’ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quintus_Dellius reassuring reports but had greater faith yet in her pwn powers. They had now blossomed. Caesar “had known her when she was still a girl and inexperienced in affairs,” asserts Plutarch, “but she was going to visit Antony at the very time when women have most brilliant beauty and are at the acme of intellectual power”. . . .
. . . . It was as if she knew she was playing not only to Mark Antony but far beyond him as well. Certainly she had heard of elaborate scenes that had greeted Antony elsewhere. Incense and entertainment had followed him across the continent. In Ephesus the women of the town had met him dressed as bacchantes, the men as fauns and satyrs. Singing his Dionysian praises, they had led him into the city, full of ivy-wrapped wands, resonant with pipes and flutes and harps and sprouts of acclaim. The invitations poured in; all Asia paid tribute and vied for his favor.
The queen of Egypt’s presence was always an occasion, Cleopatra saw to it that this was a special one. In a semi literate world, the imagery mattered. She floated up the bright, crystalline river, through the plains, in a blinding explosion of color, sound, and smell. She had no need for magic arts and charms given her barge with gilded stern and soaring purple sails, this was not the way Romans traveled. . . . dressed as Venus in a painting, while beautiful young boys, like painted Cupids, stood at her sides and fanned her. Her fairest maids were likewise dressed as sea nymphs and graces, some steering at the rudder, some working at the ropes. Wondrous odors from countless incense-offerings discussed themselves along the river-banks.” she out did even the Homeric inspiration ~ Page 159/160
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Dinesh said:
. . . . It was as if she knew she was playing not only to Mark Antony but far beyond him as well. Certainly she had heard of elaborate scenes that had greeted Antony elsewhere. Incense and entertainment had followed him across the continent. In Ephesus the women of the town had met him dressed as bacchantes, the men as fauns and satyrs. Singing his Dionysian praises, they had led him into the city, full of ivy-wrapped wands, resonant with pipes and flutes and harps and sprouts of acclaim. The invitations poured in; all Asia paid tribute and vied for his favor.
The queen of Egypt’s presence was always an occasion, Cleopatra saw to it that this was a special one. In a semi literate world, the imagery mattered. She floated up the bright, crystalline river, through the plains, in a blinding explosion of color, sound, and smell. She had no need for magic arts and charms given her barge with gilded stern and soaring purple sails, this was not the way Romans traveled. . . . dressed as Venus in a painting, while beautiful young boys, like painted Cupids, stood at her sides and fanned her. Her fairest maids were likewise dressed as sea nymphs and graces, some steering at the rudder, some working at the ropes. Wondrous odors from countless incense-offerings discussed themselves along the river-banks.” she out did even the Homeric inspiration ~ Page 159/160
Dinesh said:
Dinesh said:
Dinesh said: