The ancient lifes

p The ancient lifes

Book Report

Product Details

Author : Michael Grant : Book : Cleopatra

back : 320 pages

Publisher : Phoenix Press New Ed edition (October 2000

Language : English

ISBN-10 : 1X

ISBN-13 : 16 Introduction

Cleopatra had all the qualities that make a woman extra- famous . They say , some are born great , some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them . Cleopatra was lucky on all these three counts . She was a complete personality blessed with inborn talents clubbed with acquired knowledge ! She was a patron of arts and

learning , a crafty politician mastered several languages and above all she possessed the most important asset for a woman-- the killing beauty ! She was known as the sex-kitten ! Even though she was the most hated and condemned of all Rome 's enemies in history , Grant disbelieves this . He is on a reformation and rehabilitation program as for Cleopatra and cautions the readers not to project her intensely personal issues as historical events .His reasoning on this issue is not the one that can be swept below the carpet

Cleopatra-from the perspective of Michael Grant

When an author mentions the words like research and evidence , the readers need to remember that it is his research and his evidence as interpreted by him . For every argument , there is a counter-argument Historians may not like criticism but they can not avoid well-meaning criticism backed up by facts . The truth as seen by them is subject to scrutiny , but that does not mean that whatever they say is correct Several of his theories and assertions are contentious . He argues that Octavian wished Cleopatra to commit suicide because he feared that Romans would want to free her . He gives a similar example about her sister Arsinoe . To compare the two , is ludicrous according to Grant 's critics , because it is done on a faulty base . Arsinoe defied Julius Caesar , but this action does not take her on par with Cleopatra . That would be like comparing the gentle breeze with a mighty , destructive gale ! She had ruined the lives of Rome 's two best men-the sterling personalities ! How could Grant assume that the fierce Romans , who were after her blood , would change their stand so suddenly ! How Grant could afford to play such a joke on his thoughtful readers , is the tangible question ! But even when one has disagreement about his theories , credit for the research can not be denied to Grant . He gives justification for the new material that he has put forth before the readers . The book peeps back , makes study about Cleopatra 's fore bearers and gives valid reasons for inevitability of Cleopatra 's loss . But for this incident the course of history of Rome might well have taken a different course according to Grant

Grant becomes the prime witness in the clean acquittal of Cleopatra and takes the stand of proverbial `three monkeys ' -hear no evil , speak no evil , and talk no evil , about Cleopatra ! According to him she is the lotus blooming in the pond filled...