Cleopatra Selene

I took Latin in high school. I thought it could help me have an illustrious legal career later in life. I was sure knowing basic Latin would help me with the legal terms I was certain to encounter. Life doesn't always turn out as you plan. So instead of a legal career, I have a "Mommy where are my shoes?" career.

During that class we learned a bit about ancient Rome. It makes sense to teach in the context of a Latin class. I don't remember learning about Cleopatra. While she was not Roman, she had an impact on ancient Rome. I knew she hooked up with both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. What I did not know is that her union with Marc Antony created three children. The first two were twins. The son was named Alexander Helios (sun) and the daughter was named Cleopatra Selene (moon). The third was a boy named Ptolemy. When Octavian (later known as Caesar Augustus) captured Egypt, Cleopatra and Antony both, famously, committed suicide. I knew about their demise. I had not understood that they left behind three young kids. I can't imagine placing that burden on my children. Think of the therapy bills!

The book I just finished was: Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel by Michelle Moran. The novel tells the story of Selene and her brother's through Selene's voice. This made for a fascinating novel. I learned about ancient Egypt. I had known Alexandria had been a cultural and intellectual center of the ancient world. It wasn't until this novel that I understood the disparity between Alexandria and Rome.

The book was paced well. It was interesting to read. The characters were well developed and interesting. The history came alive. It is heartbreaking and full of hope. There is definitely some fiction in the book to help the story. However, since the players lived over two thousand years ago, there is much of their lives that has been lost anyway. The author does separate the truth from the fiction in the prologue. She also tells how each of the main character's lives play out. I was grateful she took the extra time to complete each character's story. It helped create closure.

While I probably should have taken Spanish, I do live in Texas, I am glad for the history I did learn in high school Latin. It helps give me a great context for books like this. While that was not the intended usage, it is enough for me.