Cleopatra: Goddess of Egypt, Enemy of Rome [Library Binding]

Polly Schoyer Brooks (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up

"For her actual beauty was not itself remarkable . . . but the contact of her presence . . . was irresistible; the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation . . . was something bewitching. it was a pleasure merely to hear her voice, with which, like an instrument Of many strings, she could pass from one language to another."--Plutarch

CLEOPATRA, last of the Ptolemy rulers of Egypt and mother to both Julius Caesar's and Mark Antony's children, inspired countless myths and legends as well as the greatest poets and dramatists throughout the ages. Intriguing both to her admirers and to her critics, Cleopatra's sheer presence and inimitable actions elicited passionate responses from the moment she was smuggled inside her own palace to meet Caesar to her debut as a warrior queen at the illfated battle of Actium. An educated woman and politically savvy ruler, she wisely encouraged her subjects to worship her as the Egyptian goddess Isis, even as she traced her own ancestry back to a Macedonian Greek, Alexander the Great. Her Roman enemies tried to ruin her by casting her as a dangerous and immoral foreign queen, "the serpent of the Nile," but even they respected her courage when she took her own life rather than be taken prisoner to Rome.

Throughout her reign, Cleopatra was such a powerful force in the struggle between East and West for control of the Mediterranean world that no one ever dared ignore or underestimate her.

Polly Schoyer Brooks's fascinating portrait of this vital young queen will leave readers speculating whether the history of the Western world would have been different had Cleopatra succeeded in her dream of an empire ruled jointly by Rome and the Ptolemies of Alexandria.

‘In this lively and entertaining biography, Brooks does an admirable job of presenting a well-rounded picture of the most famous queen of all time. . . . Short and straightforward enough for a middle-schooler, this biography is also complete and complex enough to satisfy any reader interested in the time period.'VOYA.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Brooks (Queen Eleanor: Independent Spirit of the Medieval World) argues eloquently, and with a dash of feminist zeal, that Cleopatra's long-standing image as seductress and "wicked, lustful manipulator" springs from the volumes of vituperative Roman propaganda written during her lifetime and ignores the few extant records of the queen's "true accomplishments." Accordingly, the rich, action-filled portrait that emerges here of the last Ptolomeic ruler of Egypt is an admiring one: she is charming and erudite, multilingual, a brave warrior, a savvy politician and, above all, a beloved queen dedicated to maintaining Egypt's independence from Rome. Her relationship with Julius Caesar is portrayed as motivated by personal attraction, not political expediency; with Mark Antony, mutual need is said to have led to affection. Avoiding the temptation to tell too much, Brooks demonstrates a keen eye for recognizing the essential components of a compelling narrative. Maps and photographs of statues, paintings and ancient artifacts are included. Ages 11-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10?This biography, with its dramatic cover and intriguing subtitle, is immediately appealing to readers. The text is engaging and well written (though a bit casual in tone). The illustrations are pertinent, and there are several maps. Unfortunately, Brooks makes major errors. She states that Cleopatra's grandfather willed Egypt to Rome, but the culprit was her father's cousin. Brooks never refers to Cleopatra's father by his common Greek nickname Auletes, and dates his birth at 80 B.C., making him 11 years old when Cleopatra (his third child) was born. (He ascended the throne in 80 B.C.) The author describes Caesar, in 48 B.C., viewing a new temple "graced by two ancient obelisks," Cleopatra's Needles; the obelisks, however, weren't moved to this site until 13 B.C. Finally, she claims that Octavius wanted Cleopatra to commit suicide, a point of view unsubstantiated by Plutarch (on whom she otherwise relies heavily) and modern biographers. Both here, and elsewhere in the book, Brooks resorts to fictionalizing; Octavius "knew," "remembered," "thought," and "dared," while Cleopatra "found," "vowed," "wanted" and, in the worst case, "shuddered at the thought." Due to these problems, Cleopatra is unacceptable as good biography. Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler's Cleopatra (Chelsea, 1987), though less interesting, is far more accurate and is preferred for this age group.?Ann W. Moore, Guilderland Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Library Binding: 160 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen; 1s ted edition (November 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060236086
• ISBN-13: 978-0060236083
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,154,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Egypt vs Rome, March 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cleopatra: Goddess of Egypt, Enemy of Rome (Library Binding)

If I don't like a book than I just don't like it. I won't read it and no one can make me. With a book I like you can't get it away from me. I don't know how many times I've been up to 2:00 am reading under the covers. With this book I was up till 4:00 am reading under the covers because I couldn't wait to turn the page and see what was going to happen next. This book takes a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it. It tells you with wonderful adjectives how she got those ambitions fufilled and what happened after that. It takes a historical event and puts it in one of the lines in the story. So please take my avice and read about the goddess of Egypt and the enemy of Rome.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!, April 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Cleopatra: Goddess of Egypt, Enemy of Rome (Library Binding)

I am in middle school, and I was doing a report on Cleopatra and this was the most helpful book that I found, and not only was it imformative, but it was fun to read. So, not only was this one of the most imformative books I have read, but it is also a good book. I loved this book and would reccommand it to any one at all.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Book, December 12, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Cleopatra: Goddess of Egypt, Enemy of Rome (Library Binding)

Cleopatra, a historical fiction book written by Polly Schoyer Brooks tells the story of how the beautiful, Egyptian queen Cleopatra used her elegance to pursue two powerful Roman leaders into helping her regain lost land and conquer more land for her Egyptian kingdom.

When I started reading this book I thought it would be more factual than was my liking. As the book went on it grew more and more exciting until at times I could not put it down. I enjoyed reading about Julius Caesars relationship with Cleopatra. It was depressing though when Caesar was stabbed by some of his own subjects. After Caesars death Cleopatra was greatly depressed until Mark Antony, one of Caesars friends, came to her. She fell in love with him and they ruled Rome and Egypt together.

One of the most interesting parts was went Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Cleopatras other powerful husband, were in battle against Octavius and his fleet. While some of their ships were on fire they secretly escaped on Cleopatras royal barge and fled back to Alexandria.

The book got boring when Antony was off at battle and there was nothing for Cleopatra to do. It picked up pace though when Antony stabbed himself because Octavius had taken all his army. When Cleopatra heard that her beloved had killed himself she planned her own death. But did she follow out with this plan or did she meet another powerful Roman lover. You will have to read the book to find out.

This book is great for young or old to read. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about history but thinks those text books lack action and are way to boring.