Cleopatra. Queen of Egypt, wife of Ptolemy Dionysius.
She was driven from her throne, but re-established by Julius Caesar, 47 B.C. Antony, captivated by her, repudiated his wife, Octavia, to live with the fascinating Egyptian. After the loss of the battle of Actium, Cleopatra killed herself by an asp. She is the heroine of many tragedies, of which the most notable in English are Shakespeare Antony and Cleopatra ( 1608) Dryden All for Love or the World Well Lost ( 1682) and Shaw Caesar and Cleopatra ( 1908). There is an Italian tragedy by Alfieri ( 1773), and French tragedies by E. Jodelle, Cléopatre captive ( 1550); Jean Mairet, Cléopatre ( 1630); Isaac de Benserade ( 1670), J. F. Marmontel ( 1750), and Mde. de Girardin ( 1847). Rider Haggard has a romance called Cleopatra ( 1889).
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