History has made famous that magic moment when beautiful young nymph Cleopatra first met Caesar. As young Queen of Egypt she had herself unrolled from that carpet. Old warrior Caesar was enchanted. He spent the afternoon with her on her glorious barge, and while he had planned to take her our to his ship she had laid out a more glorious feast than he had ever seen. And the slaves kept bringing more. It went on, beyond healthy lifestyles in their feasting, luxury, glorious rich Cleo luxurious beyond belief.
Cleopatra and Alexandria were overwhelming, first to Julius Caesar who came to demand her loyalty and was enchanted over to pledging his to her. Rome was still being created, and at this point in history, Rome had none of the Greek grandeur that Alexander had been inspired to create and oversee a greater Athens; finally, a great port for ancient Egypt so it could turn out to the world, rather than the inward life up and down the Nile that for thousands of years had served and fed the people with the lush fresh topsoil every floods of the seasons brought to the fortunate people of Egypt.
Egypt was truly a blessed land with never a cold season and crops to grow all the year through. The abundance of foods were a major source of essential food for growing Rome. Until Rome had fully conquered the navy of Egypt all Roman leaders were in awe of the glories and recognition of Egypt. Here was the known beginning of civilization as they were coming to understand. Culture and learning had seemed to come out of the hills and forests into becoming Egypt, then, Athens. And now, coming soon, was great Rome, the wind in her sails, the slaves stroking in harmony.
When Julius and later Mark Antony first met Cleopatra she saw to it they were dazzled and enchanted. Her golden barge would pull up at the wharf, the mighty Roman would be brought aboard to more splendor than he could ever have imagined: her resplendent with jewels, diamonds, necklace of intricate gold, and a feast of foods not grown near Rome.
Cleopatra won both hearts with her opulence and grandeur as never yet seen in more primitive growing Rome as they had never beheld before. Julius and Cleopatra lived as a couple for many weeks, his wife in Rome forgotten, his demands for the subservience of Egypt as well.
However back in Rome Cleopatra was not popular and soon Julius, knives in his Emperor back, was dead. Cleopatra had already departed on her golden ship back to Alexandria. Enough of Rome. She had been isolated, her vast riches resented, and she wanted to go home to civil behavior Cleopatra had seen enough of pagan Rome in contrast to when her mighty ancestor Alexander had believed in God and godly behavior, compared to these self indulgent vulgar new rich.
Soon, Rome reacted. As Mark Antony had been closest to Julius, he was made First of Three who would together rule Rome. It was he who would go to Alexandria and demand that this proud Greek Queen of Egypt pledge her alliance, and really, subservience to Rome. But even more than on Julius,
Cleopatra wove her feminine charms over Mark Antony until his demands for her loyalty had him pledging his loyalty to her. She was adorned, and adorned him with her finery and spices and silks from farther east than Romans could imagine. In Contrast to old worn out Julius, Cleo was at first madly in love with Mark Antony, until his battles made him old and ugly, wounded, bloated, taken too much to the wine.
But while it did last, this was a great true love relationship between Mark Antony, first of three of Rome, and the Queen of Egypt, Cleo. Alas, he should have stayed in Rome. Cleo charmed him, loved him, rejected him, drove him mad, died in his arms; and they had created Augustus Caesar, and now the Roman Empire. Quite an accomplished but reckless few years for a lady who died at 30, and who lives on in the minds of many.