Cleopatra: Part 15

Cleopatra’s arrival at Tarsus is one of the most famous encounters in ancient history. In the novel, the Egyptian ruler’s arrival at Tarsus is not presented as a romantic meeting but as a calculated display of power. Rather than submitting to Mark Antony’s summons, Cleopatra reverses the power dynamic and turns the encounter into a political triumph.

From the outset, the novel begins not with romance but with a political interruption. Cleopatra is shown in a domestic setting when the summons from Mark Antony arrives. Rather than appearing threatened or intimidated, she immediately assesses the situation in practical terms.

Historically, Cleopatra is said to have asked, ‘What does he like?’ The novel emphasises this approach, presenting her not as a woman captivated by Antony but as a ruler calculating how best to secure Egypt’s interests. Egypt needs stability, Roman support and protection for its sphere of influence. Antony is valuable because of his power in the East, not because of any romantic attraction.

A Queen, Not a Supplicant

Furthermore, the novel consistently portrays Cleopatra as the dominant figure in their initial encounter. Antony summons her to answer accusations regarding her conduct, yet she transforms the meeting into one in which she controls the terms. This is an important inversion of the traditional narrative. Cleopatra is not a subject appearing before a superior. She is the sovereign ruler of Egypt, while Antony is merely a Roman aristocrat and general. She arrives because it suits her interests to do so, not because she fears him.

Tarsus and the Art of Negotiation

As a result, Cleopatra’s famous arrival at Tarsus is presented as a calculated performance designed to overwhelm Antony and establish her authority. The spectacle is not simply an act of seduction but a demonstration of wealth, confidence and political power. More importantly, Cleopatra quickly uses the encounter to achieve a concrete objective. She negotiates for the death of her younger sister Arsinoe, whom she views as a continuing dynastic threat despite her exile in Ephesus. The novel therefore presents Tarsus as a diplomatic victory rather than a romantic triumph.

Power Through Seduction

Crucially, the novel makes a significant point of emphasising that Cleopatra beds Antony rather than the other way around. This distinction reinforces her agency throughout the narrative. She has already obtained what she wants politically before entering the sexual relationship. The act is therefore portrayed less as surrender to passion and more as another means of securing influence. Cleopatra remains the active party, directing events according to her own goals.

Cleopatra’s Political Education

Moreover, the novel situates Antony within Cleopatra’s broader experience of survival. By this stage she has already escaped Egypt, raised an army and fought her way back to the throne. She has learned how power operates in the Roman world and understands that alliances are essential. Her relationship with Antony is therefore a continuation of long-established Ptolemaic policy. Her father bribed Rome to preserve his rule. Cleopatra used Julius Caesar to regain her throne. Following Caesar’s death, Antony becomes the next logical Roman ally.

Egypt’s Interests Before Romance

Throughout these events, the novel portrays Cleopatra as motivated primarily by political necessity. She comes to Antony not out of love but because Egypt’s security depends upon maintaining favourable relations with Rome. Every decision is measured against the needs of the kingdom. This interpretation challenges later traditions that reduce Cleopatra’s actions to emotional or sexual motives.

Creating the Perfect Antony

Consequently, once Antony winters in Alexandria, Cleopatra begins constructing an environment perfectly suited to his tastes. She understands that he enjoys drinking, feasting, entertainment and public displays. Antony’s vanity and love of excess are not weaknesses she condemns but characteristics she exploits. By encouraging the activities he enjoys, she strengthens her influence over him and creates conditions in which business becomes easier.

The Inimitable Livers Club

The novel’s depiction of the Inimitable Livers Club illustrates Cleopatra’s political intelligence. Rather than simply indulging Antony, she creates a social world tailored to his desires. The club is filled with drinking parties, feasts and practical jokes, all activities associated with Antony. At first glance these episodes seem light-hearted, yet they reveal Cleopatra’s determination to maintain Antony’s affection and attention. Pleasure becomes a form of political strategy.

Shared Pleasures and Political Advantage

In addition, Antony was known for disguising himself and mingling with ordinary people. According to the novel, Cleopatra actively encourages these adventures in Alexandria. She joins him in activities he enjoys because shared experiences help build intimacy and trust. The relationship is therefore presented as carefully managed. Cleopatra understands that personal closeness can translate into political advantage.

Mark Antony’s well-documented fondness for wine also plays a role in the novel’s depiction of the relationship. Indeed, the only book he is known to have written concerned wine and drunkenness. Cleopatra recognises these tastes and accommodates them. Rather than condemning Antony’s excesses, she incorporates them into the world she creates around him, ensuring that Alexandria becomes a place where he wishes to remain.

Performance, Spectacle and Power

Likewise, the novel includes scenes based on historical sources in which Antony appears publicly as Dionysus. Cleopatra participates in these displays alongside him. Such scenes demonstrate her willingness to embrace theatrical political symbolism. She understands the value of spectacle and uses it to strengthen both her own position and Antony’s attachment to Alexandria.

Playing at Being Commoners

Similarly, another memorable episode shows Antony and Cleopatra disguising themselves as ordinary citizens and wandering through the city. The Alexandrians recognise them but largely tolerate their behaviour. These scenes reveal Cleopatra’s skill as a performer. She is willing to participate in almost any role if doing so serves a political purpose. The queen is simultaneously ruler, actress and strategist.

Cleopatra the Pragmatist

Importantly, the novel is careful not to portray Cleopatra as a reckless party-goer or a woman driven by uncontrolled desire. Instead, it presents her as a pragmatist willing to use every available tool to secure power. Her participation in Antony’s entertainments is neither frivolous nor immoral. It is calculated and purposeful. As a Ptolemy, she understands that survival requires adaptability.

There is nothing she will not do to secure power, but the novel does not frame this as a character flaw. Rather, it reflects the realities of ruling a vulnerable kingdom in the shadow of Roman expansion. Cleopatra’s actions are best understood as those of a monarch fighting for survival.

A Relationship Built on Mutual Benefit

By this point, the novel presents Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship as a mutually beneficial alliance. Antony gains wealth, luxury and companionship. Cleopatra gains political protection and influence within the Roman world. Their partnership is founded upon shared interests long before it becomes associated with love.

Furthermore, Cleopatra is fully aware that Antony is married and maintains relationships with other women. The novel suggests that this fact does not particularly trouble her. What matters is not exclusivity but usefulness. Antony remains politically valuable, and that value outweighs any expectation of conventional romantic commitment.

Children and the Question of Attachment

However, the most intriguing complication arises from the birth of Cleopatra’s three children by Antony. From one perspective, these children serve a dynastic purpose by providing potential heirs and strengthening Egypt’s future. Cleopatra ultimately has four children in total, three sons and a daughter, and succession is a constant concern for any ruler.

Nevertheless, the existence of three children by Antony raises questions about the emotional dimensions of their relationship. While it would be dangerous to assume modern expectations about love and family, the repeated decision to have children with the same man suggests a bond that may extend beyond political convenience. The novel does not provide a definitive answer, but it invites the question.

Ultimately, the novel rejects the conventional image of Antony and Cleopatra as lovers overwhelmed by passion. Instead, it portrays a partnership grounded in politics, survival and mutual advantage. Cleopatra is the architect of the relationship from the beginning. She determines the terms of their first meeting, secures political concessions, shapes Antony’s environment and uses intimacy as an extension of statecraft.

The Novel’s Treatment of Antony and Cleopatra’s Relationship

Therefore, any romantic attachment that develops later is built upon a foundation of political calculation rather than replacing it. The novel’s Cleopatra is first and foremost a ruler. She is unafraid, ambitious, pragmatic and exceptionally intelligent. Antony is not the great love who changes her life but a powerful Roman whom she successfully incorporates into her plans for Egypt’s survival. That genuine affection may eventually emerge does not alter the novel’s central argument: the relationship begins as an exercise in power, and Cleopatra remains firmly in control of the game.

Further Reading

Readers interested in learning more about Cleopatra VII, the Ptolemaic dynasty, and the Roman figures who shaped her world may find the following references useful.

Historical Resources

Plutarch, Life of Antony
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Antony*.html

Cassius Dio, Roman History
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html

Strabo, Geographica (Geography)
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/home.html

Historical References

• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt
• World History Encyclopedia: Cleopatra VII Philopator
• World History Encyclopedia: Mark Antony
• World History Encyclopedia: Arsinoe IV
• World History Encyclopedia: Cleopatra’s Meeting with Antony
• https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ptol/hd_ptol.htm

Recommended Non-Fiction Books

• Adrian Goldsworthy, Antony and Cleopatra
• Duane W. Roller, Cleopatra: A Biography
• Stacy Schiff, Cleopatra: A Life
• Diana E. E. Kleiner, Cleopatra and Rome
• Richard A. Billows, Before and After Cleopatra: The Ancient World in Transition
• Barry Strauss, The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium
• Pat Southern, Mark Antony: A Life
• Plutarch, The Fall of the Roman Republic (Penguin Classics)

Recommended Historical Fiction

• Colleen McCullough, The October Horse
• Colleen McCullough, Antony and Cleopatra
• Margaret George, The Memoirs of Cleopatra
• Michelle Moran, Cleopatra’s Daughter
• Stephanie Dray, Lily of the Nile
• Allan Massie, Antony
• Mika Waltari, The Egyptian