Cleopatra

Her History, Her Myth

De: Francine Prose

Narrado por: Katherine Fenton

A feminist reinterpretation of the myths surrounding Cleopatra casts new light on the Egyptian queen and her legacy

The siren passionately in love with Mark Antony, the seductress who allegedly rolled out of a carpet she had herself smuggled in to see Caesar, Cleopatra is a figure shrouded in myth. Beyond the legends immortalized by Plutarch, Shakespeare, George Bernard Shaw, and others, there are no journals or letters written by Cleopatra herself. All we have to tell her story are words written by others.

What has it meant for our understanding of Cleopatra to have had her story told by writers who had a political agenda, authors who distrusted her motives, and historians who believed she was a liar? Francine Prose delves into ancient Greek and Roman literary sources, as well as modern representations of Cleopatra in art, theater, and film. She challenges the common narratives driven by orientalism and misogyny and offers a new interpretation of Cleopatra’s history from the lens of our own era.

©2022 Francine Prose (P)2022 Yale Press Audio

Excellent new perspective on Cleopatra

I have a soft spot for Cleopatra—and yes, I’ve been accused of having a bit of a crush on this 2,000-year-old queen. I plead guilty.

Frances Prose has written a concise, engaging, and refreshingly modern book on one of history’s most misunderstood figures. At under 225 pages, this biography never feels bloated or overworked. Instead, it offers a focused and thoughtful reexamination of Cleopatra that stands apart from many earlier treatments I’ve read.

What I appreciated most is Prose’s feminist perspective. She is unapologetically dismissive of the long tradition of objectifying Cleopatra—reducing her to seductress or spectacle rather than treating her as a capable ruler navigating an impossible political landscape. Prose reminds us that Cleopatra was not simply reacting to powerful men; she was actively shaping events in a brutal, male-dominated world.

As a classics professor at Bard College—and a colleague of James Romm—Prose brings scholarly credibility, but she writes with clarity and restraint. I came away with new insights into Cleopatra’s relationships with Caesar and Antony, especially her fierce commitment to securing the future of her children. Her hope that Caesarion might one day rule as a Roman emperor or Egyptian king was tragic and ultimately doomed—but Prose makes clear that Cleopatra pursued that goal with intelligence, resolve, and maternal devotion. She truly gave it her best shot.

An interesting side note: this book was used as a source in the making of the Netflix Cleopatra series, which speaks to its accessibility and modern framing.

That said, this is not a perfect book. Its brevity comes at a cost. At times it lacks depth, and I felt Prose leaned too heavily on Plutarch, a familiar and problematic source, without always balancing him with enough critical distance or alternative voices.

Still, if you’re interested in Cleopatra but don’t want to commit to a 400–500 page tome, this is an excellent choice. It’s smart, readable, and humane—and it left me admiring Cleopatra not as a myth or a caricature, but as a mother, ruler, and political survivor facing the end of a world.

Highly recommended for readers who want a thoughtful introduction—or a fresh reconsideration—of Egypt’s last queen.