The Solar Eclipse was the big event of this section and forced Cleopatra to peruse many different prophecies. This is what she discovered

"The widow must be me, as Caesar's true widow. . .I felt shaken to read these lines. The Comet. . .Caesar. . .more war and disaster, than a woman ruling. . .the violent transfer of power from Rome to a leader of the East. No wonder this was forbidden, upon pain of death, to circulate in Rome!. . .The eclipse had given notice: the woman, the widow, was swoon to be called to her destiny. My hour had almost come. I had to be ready. The heavens were kind: they seek to prepare us, if we just hear their messages."

Back in Alexandria, Arsinoe is dead and the Ptolemy pretender killed, as well. Cleopatra realizes she has power over Antony. With Caesar, he had the power. Antony is able to be influenced unlike Caesar. This is a good sign, because she needs him for her long range plans.

Antony arrives in Alexandria and Cleopatra throws him an athletic contest for his birthday. Afterward, she disguises herself and they go out to Canopis and the Elysian pleasure fields where they bar hop. On the streets of Canopis, they purchase a love potion and make passionate love all night long. During his visit, Cleopatra often disguises herself to explore her city and begins to feel like a child again. Antony brings this out in her. Caesar brought out her maturity and common sense. With Antony, she can let loose and have fun. Caesar was too focused on his own agenda for that.It's almost as if Cleopatra is given back her childhood, because Antony encourages her to have fun and let things go. I believe at this point, she is truly happy for the first time in her life. I am happy for her. Love should be carefree and fun and with her Antony it is, so far.

When news arrives that Antony's wife Fulvia and Fulvia's brother Lucius are warring with Octavian in the city of Perusia, Antony is very angry and Cleopatra urges him to divorce her. That way they can marry. But he gives her the same reason Caesar did, that the marriage would not be recognized in Rome. This upsets her. She begins to wonder why she keeps picking men who refuse to marry her. She also realizes she is pregnant, but knows she will not tell him. A child will mean nothing to him. After all, it meant nothing to Caesar. But although she is keeping this secret, she cares for him because she is worried that Octavian will win and Antony will lose everything.

She takes Antony to see her tomb and he gets angry and accuses her of manipulating him. He claims that he doesn't want Egypt's treasures or riches. He only wants her. It is a misunderstanding, because he does not understand the Egyptian view of death. He begs for her forgiveness.

At this point, she is becoming skilled at manipulating him. Caesar had often manipulated her. But she will not be fooled by charming words, like she was with Caesar. She begins to despise Antony for turning away all her riches. She doesn't seem to realize that he only wants her love. However, love is not enough for her. In this way, she is like Caesar. Love was not enough for him either. She needs more. She needs the world at her feet and under her rule, power in Rome and in Egypt, and a large empire to pass on to her children. She is a typical Ptolemy in that way. They all wanted power and were willing to do anything to get it. She has definitely reached that point now, evidenced by ordering the death of her sister and her focus on establishing Caesarion as Caesar's true son and heir. She dreams of dethroning Octavian and I can't wait to see if she does. With Antony's help this is certainly plausible.

Meanwhile, Rome is in turmoil, Perusia fell, Octavian executed many people and burned several towns to the ground. He is missing Caesar's compassion. Lucius is captured by Fulvia and Gen. Planchus.

The day they sneak out to fish, Antony announces he must leave for Parthia, but he promises he will return. (I believe him, but Cleopatra is not sure. After all, Caesar promised to return and never did.). Antony prepares and everyone bids him goodbye.

Olympos is angry at the pregnancy and tries to convince her to abort it. But she wants her child, even if Antony doesn't. So she keeps it and keeps her condition secret by dressing in really baggy gowns. Incidentally also starting a new fashion movement.She begins to prepare her country for war with Parthia living every day waiting for news of Antony. Summer continues and there is a solar eclipse, so she pores over prophecies looking for signs and hidden meanings.

The day after the eclipse, she learns she is expecting twins, In addition, there is news from Rome and she learns Fulvia died and Antony remarried Octavia. She dreams that night of them consummating the marriage. This supports her decision to keep the pregnancy secret. He never did love her. This is the ultimate betrayal. Blinded by pain, it takes her some time before she realizes this is Octavian's doing. Antony's weakness is being easily manipulated and here he has fallen again despite Cleopatra's warnings about Octavian. In her mind, the responsibility for his marriage switches from Antony to Octavian. This deepens her hatred toward Caesar's heir. Cleopatra longs to be the only one who will manipulate him and is jealous of Octavian's persuasive power.

Antony, blinded by his love for Caesar seems to believe that he must work with Octavian to accomplish his revenge. He fails to see that Octavian is not avenging Caesar at all, but actually furthering his own agenda which has nothing to do with Caesar. I hope he comes around before too long, though.

She receives a personal letter from Antony stating that he is dismayed that she kept her pregnancy from him and that if he had known he would never have married Octavia. He feels betrayed. But now Octavia is pregnant, as well. Obviously, Cleopatra feels equally betrayed and does not regret her decision to keep the pregnancy from him. Octavia bears him two daughters. Cleopatra bears him a daughter and a son. She names them herself Cleopatra Selene and Ptolemy Philadelphos.

Upset at Antony, she accepts her destiny is to rule alone and places Caesar's pendant back around her neck. In her jealousy, she sends Olympos to Rome to study medicine and spy on Antony. She also sends an astrologer to befriend Antony and convince him to break all ties with Octavian. Olympos writes often, but Cleopatra remains miserable.She is grieving once again.

When Olympos returns, Caesarion writes him welcome back verses and Cleopatra awards him with a carving on the southwest corner of the Temple Dendera. Cleopatra is not frightened he is maturing, but grateful to have a blood heir. Caesar didn't. She is still in love with Caesar and I don't think that will ever change for her. Everyone always loves their first loves forever.

They celebrate the carving and Caesarion's 10^th birthday and Olympos' marriage. She is pleased her physician found love and isn't jealous at all. She believes that all of her employees should lead full and happy lives. She begs to meet the bride, but his wife is scholarly and shy.

Meanwhile, civil war breaks out in Rome and Sextus is starving the city with his ships. Grain has been stolen from Egypt off transport ships on their way to Rome. Octavian is fighting Sextus, but failing miserably. Antony goes to meet him, but Octavian had abandoned that plan and stood him up. Antony is incensed, but somehow Octavian gets him to sign a new pact for five years. Part of the pact involves Antony providing ships and troops, and in exchange Octavian will provide troops for Antony's Parthian campaign.

The action is heating up and so is the relationship between Antony and Cleopatra. During this section, Cleopatra discovers she is fascinated by military tactics. She believes she is a warrior in her own right. She also proves she is an excellent mother and always has been. She has a great responsibility as the only parent and she must live up to that. She has help, but takes a real hands on approach with the babies, breastfeeding them and not hiring nursemaids. She also takes an active role in Caesarion's studies. Assigning him projects and readings and hiring him new tutors. She also encourages his interests and shares a lot of things. She even reads him as bedtime stories. Epaphrodites, her financial advisor, is always giving her stories from his Jewish Bible and she and Caesarion really enjoy those.

When she's not being a hands on mother, she keeps herself abreast of all news in Rome, about Rome and in Egypt and about Egypt. She also continues to do her own studying. She is traveling more and beginning to see the world. This is something she has been curious about since her childhood. Her travels give her incentive to keep learning new languages. I have to give her props for this, too.

I welcome all criticisms, questions and comments. If you are reading this along with me, let mew know what you think and add your own personal knowledge to my own review. I can't wait to hear from you, so comment or contact me.

Let's get the discussion rolling. What do you think about her so far? Is she a good mother? Would you have made similar choices if you were her? Would you have loved Caesar? Would you have slept with married men to further your own agenda? Would you have allowed those men to manipulate her? What could she have done differently? What can we learn from her? How can we avoid similar mistakes? I want to know, so let me know. Buy the book and read it with me.