Cleopatra: Chapters 7–9

by Susan Blackaby
This biography explores the ascension and reign of Cleopatra, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Introduction–Chapter 3, Chapters 4–6, Chapters 7–9, Chapters 10–12, Chapters 13–15
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. lavish
    characterized by extravagance and profusion
    When Mark Antony and his men boarded the barge that evening, they found a lavish banquet arrayed before them.
    "Lavish" also means "very generous"--both definitions fit (see "extravagant" in the list for Chapters 4-6). The generous and wasteful banquet was given to both win Mark Antony over and show off Egypt's wealth. The Old French "lavasse" means "downpour"--this root evokes an image of drinks, foods, and gifts pouring out of Cleopatra's hands.
  2. astonished
    filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise
    He was even more astonished when Cleopatra told him that every luxurious item, chosen especially for his pleasure, was his to keep.
  3. festivity
    any joyous diversion
    On the third night, Cleopatra once again hosted the evening’s festivities.
  4. prestige
    a high standing achieved through success or influence
    These generous gifts were a small price to pay for the respect and prestige they could bring the giver.
  5. anticipate
    realize beforehand
    Cleopatra anticipated this discussion, and she undoubtedly had her version of events eloquently prepared so that she could give compelling answers to all of Mark Antony’s questions.
    With her education and intelligence, Cleopatra would not have had difficulty being eloquent ("expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively") and compelling ("tending to persuade by forcefulness of argument"), but her anticipation of the questions gave her time to strengthen her answers.
  6. beneficial
    promoting or enhancing well-being
    She reminded Mark Antony of the long and mutually beneficial relationship the Ptolemies and Rome enjoyed.
  7. incalculable
    not capable of being computed or enumerated
    As predicted, Cleopatra’s overpowering personality, incalculable wealth, and persuasive speech put Mark Antony’s fears to rest and captured his heart.
  8. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
    Each day they hosted banquets for one another at which they squandered unbelievable sums.
  9. inimitable
    matchless
    Shortly after Mark Antony’s arrival, he and Cleopatra formed a club called “The Order of the Inimitable Life.”
  10. diversion
    an activity that amuses or stimulates
    During the day, Cleopatra arranged all kinds of activities and diversions meant to keep Mark Antony amused, and she never left his side for a moment.
    Compare with "festivity" in this list--the words are synonymous, but the example sentences suggest the differences that can be traced to the words' roots: the Italian "festa" means "feast" and the Latin "vertere" means "to turn." In diverting Antony with amusing activities and flavorful feasts, Cleopatra also turned his attention away from the military goal of conquering Parthia.
  11. jovial
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
    Alexandrians easily recognized their queen and her jovial companion.
  12. manipulate
    influence or control shrewdly or deviously
    To outsiders—especially Romans—it seemed likely that Cleopatra manipulated Mark Antony in order to keep him under her closely supervised control.
  13. contempt
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    Mark Antony’s behavior in Alexandria stirred up Rome’s long-standing contempt for Cleopatra and her exotic ways.
  14. scorn
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
    The soft, pleasure-seeking lifestyle favored by the people of the east inspired widespread distrust and scorn.
    Compare with "contempt" in this list--the synonyms refer to the attitudes of many Romans towards Cleopatra, her lifestyle, and her influence on Mark Antony. Both words are used as nouns in their example sentences, but "scorn" can also be a verb.
  15. cunning
    crafty artfulness, especially in deception
    Moreover, it was no secret that Cleopatra had ruthless cunning and superior intelligence.
  16. inflexible
    incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances
    Once he arrived in Athens, Mark Antony found out how it happened that his inflexible and overbearing wife, Fulvia, had started a war on his behalf
  17. destiny
    a course of events that will inevitably happen in the future
    From Cleopatra’s point of view, only Octavian stood in the way of Ptolemy XV Caesar’s destiny as Caesar’s heir.
  18. kinship
    relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
    The queen believed that kinship would strengthen their bond and ensure Mark Antony’s devotion to her cause.
  19. legacy
    a gift of personal property by will
    Cleopatra saw the future unfolding before her, a thrilling legacy of power.
    Although the legacy of Cleopatra's power would've included an abundance of personal property that she could've passed on to her children, here, the word seems less focused on physical possessions and more on a long-lasting glory that power and wealth could make possible.
  20. accord
    a written agreement between two states or sovereigns
    To seal the accord with Octavian and prove his loyalty to Rome, Mark Antony—who was newly and conveniently single—agreed to marry Octavian’s sister, Octavia.
Created on Wed Jul 30 22:03:58 EDT 2014 (updated Mon Aug 20 15:17:45 EDT 2018)

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