Love & Death of Cleopatra(PART 2)

Love & Death of Cleopatra




　　　(PART 2)

Cleopatra was a language genius, wasn't she?







Yes, indeed.



But Greek and Roman historians wrote a lot of bad things about Cleopatra.



Like what?



For example, the Jewish historian Josephus wrote about Cleopatra in the first century AD as follows:

This greedy and ambitious queen killed her relatives in a cruel way, and if one of them survived, she turned her violent rage to other people.

So, do you think that I'm greedy and cruel woman?







No, not really. But I don't think Cleopatra was a 100%-flawless women, either.



You know, Kato, history is written by the winner.



Yeah, that's absolutely right. I know the winner sometimes wrote the history to his advantage.



The Greek and Roman historians described Antony and me as the indecent enemy---worse than necessary---of the fisrt Roman Emperor Augustus (Octavian) so that they could praise the performance of the winner.



Yes, I know.



But even the harsh critique, Dio Cassius (the Roman historian;circa 235 ー 150 AD), wrote about me as follows:

She was brilliant to look upon and to listen to,



with the power to subjugate every one,



even Julius Caesar, a love-sated man already past his prime.



She also possessed a most charming voice



and a knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to every one.



Her seductiveness, the ancients tell us, lay not only in her voice,



but in her vivacity and intelligence.



However, she also knew how to make the most of clothing, perfumes and jewels.

So, Dio Cassius actually praised you.







You're telling me, Kato.



But, Plutarch wrote, "Her actual beauty...was not in itself so remarkable that none could be compared with her, or that no one could see her without being struck by it."



Well, since nobody is perfect, no judgement is perfect. One could praise me, and another would disgrace me. But look at me, Kato. What do you think of me?



Listen, lady! Plutarch also wrote, "Cleopatra had the strange ability to attract people. The contact of her presence was irresistible, and the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation, and the character that attended all she said or did, was something bewitching. When she spoke, her grace in conversation, the sweetness and kindness of her nature, seasoned everything she said or did."



So, Kato, can you believe Plutarch?



Well, taking into consideration the education she received, I would say that Cleopatra attracted men not by her beauty, but rather by her character and intelligence.



I'm glad to hear that, Kato.



Look, lady! Tell me the most memorable words you said to a man you loved so much in the past?



I don't like to disclose that kind of secret, but you don't seem to believe that I'm the reborn Cleopatra. So, I'll tell you this. First of all, Antony was an obstacle and nuisance in the eyes of Augustus, who had told me that, if I would kill Antony, he would save my life.



Oh, really? But I hear that Cleopatra refused his offer. Is that right?



Yes, I refused it.



Home come...? Everybody thinks his or her life is the most important thing in this world. If I were you, I would have definitely killed Antony to live the rest of my life.



I remember that you wrote, "To live is to love."



How do you know?



I read the following articles:







■"Do you wanna love to live?"



『生きることって愛すること？』

(December 18, 2010)



■"I'm loving to live"



『生きることって愛することだよね』

(December 26, 2010)







Yes, yes..., I wrote the above two articles.







Do you still believe that to live is to love?



Yes, of course, I believe it.



That's why I've disclosed what Augustus told me.



Then, What happened between you and Anthony?



Antony might have known about Augustus's offer through the rumor.



But Cleopatra decisively rejected the offer of Augustus. Right?



Yes, I did. But Antony was an incredulous man---just like you, Kato. Hu, hu, hu...



So...?



I wanted Antony to know the truth in my heart---my real intention.



So what did you do?



A week later after Augustus's offer, I dressed myself to sit at the supper table.



To dine with Antony?



Yes, that's right. Saying "I'm thirsty", Antony took a glass of wine in hand. And to attract his attention, I talked about a well-trained pet lion.



So...?



Antony listened to me with a touch of interest. Then, I picked up a flower from my tiara and put it into Antony's glass.



Why...?



The flower was sprinkled with poison.



That is, Antony's wine got mixed up with poison. Is that it?



Yes, his wine was mixed with poison. When I was finished with the lion story, Antony was about to drink his wine.



So, did you watch Antony drink his wine?



No, of course not. I grabbed his glass from his hand.



How come...?



I told the lady-in-waiting, Charmion, to bring one of the prisoners in death row.



A prisoner in death row? Why...?



I handed his glass over to the prisoner and told the prisoner to drink it.



Then the prisoner must have died. Did he?



Yes, he died. The prisoner was to be killed sooner or later. Drinking wine, he sank into a happy death---better than thirsting himself to death, I suppose.



So...?



I told Antony. "If I could live without you, I wouldn't have grabbed the wine glass from your hand."



I see. So, Antony got to know your true heart, and he began to love you more than ever before? Is that it?



Hu, hu, hu,... Eventually, you seem to understand that I'm the reborn Cleopatra, don't you?

---

SOURCE:

"Cleopatra's most memorable words"

『クレオパトラの殺し文句』

(January 27, 2011)

Interesting!...an interesting story, Kato.







Do you really think so, Diane?



Yes, I do, but you told me earlier, Kato, you would tell me a story based on the brochure I'd handed out to you.



Yes, I did.



Then tell me what part has something to do with the above story?



That part is as follows:

The pain of our neighbours is our pain too. When neighbours suffer, neighbours must respond. In this way we build a better world. We dignify humanity. We overcome what we have not caused. Even now as we in Canada breathe the air flowing to us from Fukushima (in Japan), we are reminded we are connected to each other. Our lives are interwined on the same planet, the same ecosystems, the same humanity. Perhaps God has created such a world in order to perfect our humanity. With the promise that death is not the end of life.

I see. So, the death of Cleopatra is not the end of her life, is it?







No, it isn't. The pain of Cleopatra is our pain too. Our loves and lives are interwined on the same planet at present as well as in the past. Cleopatra indeed lived and will live to the future, not poisoning Antony but saving his life, to tell us to perfect our humanity.



Amazing!... so, Kato, you actually attended the service at the church with me on March 20, 2011, didn't you?



Yes, I did as an invisible man. He, he, he,...

【Himiko's Monologue】







Wow! Very thought-provoking!

I don't believe in eternal life, but it would be nice for me to be remembered as the eternal Himiko in the future.



Certainly everybody knows Cleopatra.

In this sense, she still lives now, and will live forever, I suppose.



I wish I would be like Cleopatra.



Anyway, peace is one thing; and romance is another.

Well, come to think of it, I've never met a decent man in my life.

How come I'm always a loner?

I wish I could meet a nice gentleman at the library in my town as Kato met Diane.

Well, they say, there is a way where there is a will.



Have a nice day!

Bye bye ...

ィ～ハァ～♪～!



メチャ面白い、



ためになる関連記事








■　『きれいになったと感じさせる



下着・ランジェリーを見つけませんか？』



■　『ちょっと変わった　新しい古代日本史』



■　『面白くて楽しいレンゲ物語』







■　『カナダのバーナビーと軽井沢に



別荘を持つことを夢見る小百合さんの物語』



■　『今すぐに役立つホットな情報』



■　『　○　笑う者には福が来る　○　』







■『夢とロマンの横浜散歩』



■『愛とロマンの小包』



■『下つきだねって言われて…』







■『銀幕の愛』



■『パリの空の下で』



■『夢の中華パン』



■『愛の進化論』







■『漫画家と平和（２０１１年３月６日）』



■『漫画家の壁（２０１１年３月１０日）』



■『漫画家と奴隷（２０１１年３月１２日）』







■『畳の上の水練（２０１１年３月１５日）』



■『パール判事とゴーマン（２０１１年３月１８日）』



■『軍隊のない国（２０１１年３月２１日）』



■『士風と「葉隠」（２０１１年３月２３日）』



■『アナクロニズム（２０１１年３月２７日）』








こんにちは。ジューンです。



あなたはバレンタインデーに贈り物をしましたか？



それとも贈り物をもらいましたか？



たまたま日本の英和辞典を引いたらば



次のように出ていましたわ。

Valentine



①男の名前；　聖ヴァレンチノ　（３世紀ローマのキリスト教殉教者）



②ヴァレンチノ祭に選んだ恋人；　同日異性に送るカード・手紙・贈り物など



St. Valantine's Day



聖ヴァレンチノ祭（２月１４日）に恋人同士が贈り物・手紙などを交換する風習がある。

---

三省堂『最新コンサイス英和辞典』より

そうなのですわ。



２月１４日には男女にかかわらず



恋人同士が贈り物や手紙を交換する



習慣があるのですわ。



ところで、日本では３月１４日がホワイトデーです。



バレンタインデーにチョコレートなどをもらった男性が、



そのお返しにホワイトチョコレートなどを女性へ贈ります。



だから、この習慣は日本・韓国・台湾・中国の一部など



東アジア特有のものです。



欧米ではこういった習慣はありません。



なぜなら、バレンタインデーに恋人同士が



贈り物や手紙を交換するからです。



わたしはデンマンさんにGODIVAの



チョコレートを上げようとしたのです。



そうしたらロブソンストリートのGODIVAのお店が



無くなっていたのですわ。



仕方ないのでピカチューのお弁当を作って



デンマンさんにプレゼントしたのですわ。











ええっ。。。デンマンさんはどのようなプレゼントを



くれたのかってぇ～？



それが、次のようなホットパンツだったのですわ。



うふふふふふ。。。







ところで、卑弥子さんが面白い記事をまとめました。



寒さを笑って吹き飛ばしたかったら



ぜひ読んでみてくださいね。



■　『笑って幸せな気分になれるサイト』







では、今日も一日楽しく愉快に



ネットサーフィンしましょうね。



じゃあね。