LPosse1’s review of Cleopatra: Her History, Her Myth > Likes and Comments
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Great review. I also enjoyed 'Cleopatra, A Life' by Stacy Schiff - also cited by Francine Prose.
Adrianne- so good to hear from you. I have Schiff on my shelf and in time I will crack it open. Thanks for the recommendation
Thanks Linda- it’s a good April springboard into Cleopatra and the slim book has unexpected depths. Happy reading Linda
Larry, this is exactly the Cleopatra problem that drives me mad. She can be a ruler, a strategist, a mother trying to secure a future for her children, and somehow history still manages to flatten all of that into the woman who seduced Caesar and Antony. As if beauty and sexuality cancel out intelligence or political ambition. I always feel like she’s been forced to carry a story that men wrote about her rather than one she was allowed to own herself.
This was an especially good one from Yale University Press's Ancient Lives series! Great review Larry!
Pia- I agree with you. This is because of sources. Much of what is in books about Cleopatra is from writings made centuries after she lived. Those sources were translated by folks centuries after their writing. It’s not going to portray Cleopatra in a true and honest light. She will subjugated into a concubine at best. Check out the Netflix documentary. I hope it’s still on.
Alan- as you know, these Yale press books can be a bit hit or miss In my opinion they are better and more detailed then the Princeton press series. I agree, the Cleopatra book is one of the best in the collection
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Arianne
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Oct 01, 2026 05:10PM
Great review. I also enjoyed 'Cleopatra, A Life' by Stacy Schiff - also cited by Francine Prose.
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Adrianne- so good to hear from you. I have Schiff on my shelf and in time I will crack it open. Thanks for the recommendation
Thanks Linda- it’s a good April springboard into Cleopatra and the slim book has unexpected depths. Happy reading Linda
Larry, this is exactly the Cleopatra problem that drives me mad. She can be a ruler, a strategist, a mother trying to secure a future for her children, and somehow history still manages to flatten all of that into the woman who seduced Caesar and Antony. As if beauty and sexuality cancel out intelligence or political ambition. I always feel like she’s been forced to carry a story that men wrote about her rather than one she was allowed to own herself.
This was an especially good one from Yale University Press's Ancient Lives series! Great review Larry!
Pia- I agree with you. This is because of sources. Much of what is in books about Cleopatra is from writings made centuries after she lived. Those sources were translated by folks centuries after their writing. It’s not going to portray Cleopatra in a true and honest light. She will subjugated into a concubine at best. Check out the Netflix documentary. I hope it’s still on.
Alan- as you know, these Yale press books can be a bit hit or miss In my opinion they are better and more detailed then the Princeton press series. I agree, the Cleopatra book is one of the best in the collection