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Not to be confused with "Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile" (film).

"It is most urgent that I record the troubling events of this week. Father has gone into hiding, having fled for his life. Through it is the twenty-third year of his reign, he is in danger of losing his throne. He is, of course, King Ptolemy Auletes, honored pharaoh of Egypt."
Cleopatra VII[2]

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile is a fictional diary written by Kristiana Gregory. The book was published in September 1999 as part of Scholastic's The Royal Diaries. It was the second book in the series and followed by Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles. Cleopatra was adapted into a television film in 2000. The book has also been republished and translated several different times.

The young princess of Egypt, Cleopatra VII, travels to Rome with her father, King Ptolemy Auletes.

Dedication[]

"Dedicated with much love to my father, Hal Gregory, whose appreciation of ancient literature gave me the courage to peek at Plutarch and all the rest."

Book description[]

"3 Januarius, Morning
I could feel my insides shaking. Would this sister try to poison me? Yes, I believe so. As for my other older sister, Berenice—never! She and I adore each other even though I am eight years younger.
I took the cup and raised it toward Tryphaena as if toasting her, but really I was watching the liquid, looking for oil floating on its surface, or powder sticking to the sides of the cup. If I suspected poison and tossed it into the pool, she would have her guards behead me on the spot. If it was indeed poison, one sip and I could die....
My eyes closed as I took the first sip, as if savoring such an excellent taste, but really my thought was.
O Isis, I am afraid.... My stomach turned with nervousness, or was it from a fearsome death beginning in me?"

"It's 57 BC, and Princess Cleopatra's father, the Pharaoh, has gone into hiding after an attempt on his life. Even his children don't know where he is. But Cleopatra fears that the assassin will eventually succeed–she must be ready to take the throne. She wants to be the best Pharaoh Egypt has ever known..."

"Partage le journal intime de Cléopâtre, et vis avec elle le destin captivant d'une jeune princesse égyptienne.
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
"27 février. La nouvelle est arrivée. Le messager était un petit garçon éthiopien qui et s'est écroulé à mes pieds. J'ai gardé ma distance de princesse, mais je lui ai souri quand il a levé les yeux.
J'ai porté la tablette jusqu'à la fenêtre, à la lumière. J'ai brisé le sceau, défait la ficelle et lu le message. Mon père qui se cache depuis des semaines se trouve au port, prêt à embarquer pour Rome."
"

"«Princesse Cléopâtre, a dit le messager en lisant un rouleau de parchemin, votre soeur Tryphaéna souhaite que vous sachiez qu'étant donné que vous et votre père naviguez vers Rome, elle est maintenant reine et pharaon. Si l'un de vous remet jamais le pied en Égypte, il sera exécuté sur-le-champ.»
Partage le journal intime de Cléopâtre, et découvre le destin fascinant d'une future reine d'Egypte.
En fin d'ouvrage, un supplément historique sur Cléopâtre et la vie des pharaons dan l'Antiquité.
"

"Partage le journal intime de Cléopâtre, et vis le destin captivant d'une jeune princesse égyptienne.'
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
3 Janvier, 57 Avant J.-C.
«J'ai senti mes entrailles se tordre. Ma soeur essaierait-elle de m'empoisonner? Oui, je le crois... J'ai pris la coupe et l'ai levée vers Tryphaéna comme pour l'honorer, mais en réalité, je scrutais le liquide à la recherche de traces d'huile à la surface ou de trainées de poudre sur les parois. Si je jetais le contenu de mon verre dans le bassin, elle me ferait décapiter sur-le-champ par ses gardes. S'il s'gissait bien de poison, une seule gorgée, et c'était la mort.»
"

Plot[]

Cleopatra, princess of Egypt, lives in Alexandria with her father, Ptolemy Auletes, three sisters, Tryphaena, Berenice, and Arsinoë, and two brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV. One day, the king flees the palace, after a poisonous snake is found in his bedchamber. Cleopatra, fearing that her eldest sister may kill her, boards her father's ship to find assistance in Rome. In the meantime, Tryphaena crowns herself queen of Egypt.

In Rome, Cleopatra and her father stay with a wealthy citizen named Tullus Atticus and meet with several Roman officials, including Pompey the Great. Cleopatra dislikes Rome and becomes homesick, though she perks up when Tullus invites her to his summer villa. There Cleopatra spends time with her new friend, Julia, Pompey's wife and Julius Caesar's daughter. Unfortunately, King Auletes squanders his time and forgoes meeting with officials during Cleopatra's summer away.

In February 56 B.C., Cleopatra meets Cicero, a Roman orator and lawyer. The two are fast friends, until he offends her by arguing against helping King Auletes at the Senate. This delays their departure again, because the Senate must hear all the legal complaints. Meanwhile, Cleopatra grows closer to Marc Antony, the chief cavalry officer, who will lead the soldiers to Alexandria.

The following winter, Cleopatra meets Cicero unexpectedly at Saturnalia. Cleopatra effectively rebukes him for his argument against her father. Some time later, Cicero withdraws his complaints, which finally allows King Auletes to leave with Roman support. Back home in Egypt, Auletes reclaims his throne and beheads his daughter for crowning herself queen. Cleopatra, secretly preparing herself to become queen, decides to learn more about the Egyptians and travels up the Nile with her father's permission.

Epilogue[]

Historical Note[]

Characters[]

Main article: List of Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile characters
  • Cleopatra VII, the eponymous daughter of the Nile. She travels to Rome with her father to seek support, after a threat is made on his life.
  • Ptolemy Auletes, flees his palace in Alexandria, when a deadly snake almost kills him. In his absence, two of his daughters betray him and crown themselves queen.

Adaptation[]

Cleopatra-film

Cleopatra movie on VHS

Main article: Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile (film)

Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile was adapted into a short television film in 2000. The movie was released on video tape the same year and on DVD in 2008. It starred Elisa Moolecherry as Cleopatra.

Author[]

Main article: Kristiana Gregory

Kristiana Gregory is an American children's author. She has written five books in Dear America, three in The Royal Diaries, and three in My America. In the "About the Author" section, Gregory wrote about studying Cleopatra in the fifth grade, picturing her with "beautiful clothes and jewels and [...] floating down the river in a fancy boat". She enjoyed researching Cleopatra and had never imagined "that she was so intelligent and could speak several languages."

Editions[]

Cleopatra-Read180
  • Narrator: Unknown
  • Publisher: Scholastic
  • Published: January 2002[16]
  • No. of discs: Unknown
  • ISBN: 9780439732482
  • Note: Published as a part of Scholastic's READ 180 program.[17]

Cleopatra-audio-book
  • Narrator: Josephine Bailey
  • Publisher: Tantor Media
  • Published: June 1, 2006[18][19]
  • Running time: 3 hours and 37 minutes
  • No. of discs: 3
  • ISBN: 9781400102433

Notes[]

  • The illustration on the cover of the original edition was done by American artist Tim O'Brien.
  • The cover of the My Royal Story edition was illustrated by Richard Jones.

References[]

  1. https://www.amazon.com/Cleopatra-VII-Daughter-Egypt-Diaries/dp/0590819755/
  2. Cleopatra VII: Daughter of the Nile, Kristiana Gregory, page 3
  3. https://www.amazon.it/dp/8845125513 (Italian)
  4. https://www.amazon.com/Cleopatra-VII-Hija-Nilo-Spanish/dp/8478886850
  5. http://www.e-shop.gr/kleopatra-i-kori-toy-neiloy-p-BKS.0161278 (Greek)
  6. https://lubimyczytac.pl/ksiazka/52642/kleopatra-vii-corka-nilu (Polish)
  7. https://www.amazon.fr/Cléopâtre-fille-Nil-princesse-égyptienne/dp/2070511553/ (French)
  8. https://www.phanpha.com/item/บันทึกราชนารี-คลีโอพัตราที่-7-ธิดาแห่งแม่น้ำไนล์ (Thai)
  9. https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/74464
  10. https://booktabmarket.com/کلئوپاترا-دختر-نیل-دفتر-خاطرات-شاهزاده-مصر (Persian)
  11. https://www.fadakbook.ir/product/10799/کلئوپاترا-دختر-نیل-اثر-کریستینا-گرگوری-ترجمه-سحرهدایتی-فر (Persian)
  12. https://www.amazon.fr/Cléopâtre-fille-Nil-princesse-égyptienne/dp/2070587061/ (French)
  13. https://book.douban.com/subject/27047692/ (Chinese)
  14. https://www.gallimard-jeunesse.fr/9782075109321/cleopatre-fille-du-nil.html (French)
  15. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IZCODEY/
  16. https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Cleopatra-Daughter-Enterprise-Audiobook/dp/0439732484
  17. http://teacher.scholastic.com/read180/about/audio_highs.htm (archive)
  18. https://www.amazon.com/Anastasia-Grand-Duchess-Royal-Diaries/dp/1400102448
  19. http://www.tantor.com/BookDetail.asp?Product=0243_Cleopatra (archive)

See also[]

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