When Caesar Came to Egypt
Recently I read a book (supposedly) on Cleopatra by Jacob Abbott. I say “supposedly” because the book is about far more things than just that one queen. In an earlier series of blogs on ancient Rome, I had written of Julius Caesar’s rise to power and his clash with the general Pompey during that struggle. Pompey fled to Egypt with Caesar in hot pursuit. This put the ruler of Alexandria in a fix. Here is how the book describes it: “If they were to receive Pompey, they reasoned, Caesar would be made their enemy; if they refused to receive him, Pompey himself would be offended, and they did not know which of the two it would be safe to displease.” Their solution was well thought out… and horrifying: they beheaded Pompey when he landed. The book describes their reasoning: “’But by killing Pompey,” they said, “we will be sure to please Caesar and Pompey himself will lie still.” But if they thought presenting Pompey’s head on a platter would please Caesar, they were in fo...