9108calculated, would drive Antonyto suicide. She was right. But evena successful suicide was beyondAntony’s capabilities. Injured, hewas taken to Cleopatra, hauled upon a rope into her own half-finishedmausoleum, in which she hadtaken refuge. About what happenednext,we can but speculate.Tradition tells how, cradled inCleopatra’s arms, he died <strong>of</strong> his selfinflictedwounds. Perhaps he did.Yet she must have known that hewas now more valuable to her deadthan alive. For her to be found nursinga maimed, yet living, Antonywould have wrecked any chanceshe might yet have had to negotiatesuccessfully with Octavian. If,in <strong>the</strong> privacy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mausoleum,Cleopatra was moved to expediteher former lover’s death, shemay simply have believed herselfto be fulfilling <strong>the</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> a privateunderstanding with Octavian.To ‘keep her kingdom undisturbed’had, after all, been at <strong>the</strong> forefront<strong>of</strong> her policies all along.Whatever <strong>the</strong> truth, with Antonydisposed <strong>of</strong>, Cleopatra spent <strong>the</strong>next 10 days negotiating withOctavian. No records <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>irconversations remain, and <strong>the</strong>two accounts that have survived(by Plutarch and Dio) diverge sowildly from each o<strong>the</strong>r that it isnot unlikely that <strong>the</strong>y are both fictitious.No doubt Cleopatra tried towin Octavian over, as she had oncewon over Antony and Caesar beforehim; but <strong>the</strong> icy Octavian was altoge<strong>the</strong>rmore calculating than ei<strong>the</strong>r<strong>of</strong> those hot-blooded conquerorshad been. In <strong>the</strong> <strong>end</strong>, Cleopatra wasfound dead.How she died remains a mystery.Plutarch recounts several versions:‘It is said that, following Cleopatra’sinstructions, an asp was brought into her, hidden under <strong>the</strong> leaves ina basket <strong>of</strong> figs, so that <strong>the</strong> snakemight bite her without her knowing.O<strong>the</strong>rs say that <strong>the</strong> asp wascarefully enclosed in a water-jarand that, as Cleopatra provoked itwith a golden spindle, sprang upand fastened on her arm. No-onereally knows <strong>the</strong> truth: <strong>the</strong>re is evenano<strong>the</strong>r version that she carriedpoison with her in a hollow hairpinwhich she kept hidden in herhair.’ We do know that no rash or119. Pair <strong>of</strong> gold snakebracelets. 1st centuryBC-1st century AD.10 Ear<strong>the</strong>nware tileby John Moyr-Smith,showing Shakespeare’sAntony and Cleopatrac. 1875. H. 15cm. W. 15cm.11. Portrait <strong>of</strong> Antonyengraved on Romanred jasper intaglio setin a gold ring. Circa40-30BC. H. 1.4cm.Images on <strong>the</strong>se pagescourtesy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Trustees<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> British Museum.any o<strong>the</strong>r sign <strong>of</strong> poison showedon her body. As Plutarch says, ‘noonereally knows <strong>the</strong> truth’ – exceptperhaps Octavian. Cleopatra wouldnot be <strong>the</strong> last enemy <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> statewhose death would be less troublesomethan her continued living.Almost immediately <strong>the</strong> Romanpropaganda-machine went intooverdrive, painting Cleopatra asa wanton seductress, a witch whohad corrupted and ensnared Rome’sfine upstanding son, Mark Antony.As <strong>the</strong> years went by, romantic fictionswamped cold fact. Cleopatra,<strong>the</strong> brilliant politician, gave way toCleopatra, <strong>the</strong> scheming siren andso, in 1934, when Cecil B DeMille<strong>of</strong>fered Claudette Colbert <strong>the</strong> role<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> infamous Egyptian queen,he is said to have asked her: ‘Howwould you like to play <strong>the</strong> wickedestwoman in history?’ n• 31BC Antony, Cleopatra and<strong>the</strong> Fall <strong>of</strong> Egypt by David Stuttardand Sam Moorhead is published inpaperback by The British MuseumPress at £9.99.• Cleopatra: The Search for <strong>the</strong>Last Queen <strong>of</strong> Egypt is on showat <strong>the</strong> California Science Center(www.californiasciencecenter.org)until 31 December 2012.Minerva November/December 201221
12Carnarvon, Carter& <strong>the</strong> curse <strong>of</strong> TutankhamunLady Carnarvon talks to Lindsay Fulcher about her husband’s long family connectionswith Ancient Egypt and why she loves <strong>the</strong> country and its people3When Fiona, LadyCarnarvon goes onholiday, her poolsidereading is morelikely to be Gardiner’s EgyptianGrammar than a bestselling novel.She can actually decipher hieroglyphs– not all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, she is quickto point out, as she is still learning– but if she had more time, she tellsme, she would devote it to applyingherself more diligently to her linguistictask.‘I love old languages – learning<strong>the</strong>m is fun. The subtleties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>tenses in ancient Egyptian fascinateme. A language is extraordinarilyimportant in <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> a cultureand it throws up all sorts <strong>of</strong> philosophicalquestions about how wedeveloped and how human thoughthas evolved. It gives an insightinto <strong>the</strong> <strong>world</strong> view <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancientEgyptians. We have a lot to learnfrom <strong>the</strong>m. I feel humbled by what<strong>the</strong>y did and what <strong>the</strong>y wrote, especiallyabout <strong>the</strong> inclusive nature <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong>ir culture and <strong>the</strong>ir religion.’This interest is perhaps understandablewhen you learn that Lady1. The 5th Earl <strong>of</strong>Carnarvon painted byHoward Carter’sbro<strong>the</strong>r William, c1920.2. Portrait <strong>of</strong> HowardCarter, also by hisbro<strong>the</strong>r William, 1930.3. The 8th Earl andCountess <strong>of</strong> Carnarvonat Highclere Castle.4. Lord Porchester whobecame <strong>the</strong> 5th Earl)aged 10, far left,watches an excavationat Seven Barrows on<strong>the</strong> Highclere Estate.4Carnarvon’s husband, Geordie, is<strong>the</strong> great-grandson <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 5th Earl<strong>of</strong> Carnarvon who supported andworked with Howard Carter in <strong>the</strong>Valley <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Kings. When <strong>the</strong> couplemet, her love <strong>of</strong> ancient Egypt hadnot yet developed‘When I first met Geordie I hadbarely even heard <strong>of</strong> HowardCarter,’ she recalls.Things have certainly changed:Lady Carnarvon has done a greatdeal <strong>of</strong> research into her husband’sfamily history and has writtenseveral books, including Egyptat Highclere: The Path to <strong>the</strong>22Minerva November/December 2012