How the attributes of Cleopatra VII changed over time

• Authors: Lucyna Kostuch

Abstracts

EN

The legend of Cleopatra VII in Western culture is a frequently researched topic. However, little thought is devoted to the Queen’s attributes which, as centuries passed, underwent frequent metamorphoses. In art and literature, the attributes and motifs associated with Cleopatra are mainly the crocodile, the pearl, the snake and the cat (the panther, the lion and the sphinx). These royal symbols seem to have lived their own “lives” and form an interesting linear pattern. Furthermore, their history is full of paradox. The crocodile, although probably attributed to Cleopatra by the Romans, never became Cleopatra’s perennial symbol. The famous cobra, initially huge and multiplied, was reduced over time to the size of a bracelet and was eventually replaced by the cat. The latter, undeniably an ancient animal, became Cleopatra’s symbol only in the nineteenth century. Moreover, most probably, the snake was not linked to Cleopatra because of the erotic association, neither was the cat assigned to her because she was a voluptuous witch. Modern representations of Cleopatra with African animals are not necessarily a misunderstanding.

Keywords

EN

Cleopatra VII; Attributes; Ancient tradition; Western culture

• Publisher: Instytut Studiów Międzynarodowych i Edukacji Humanum
• Journal: Społeczeństwo i Edukacja. Międzynarodowe Studia Humanistyczne
• Year: 2016
• Issue: 3(22)
• Pages: 112-122

Dates

published

2016

Contributors

author

Lucyna Kostuch

Identifiers

Biblioteka Nauki

2157830