Adversary To Roman Imperial Rule: Cleopatra

RENI, Guido
The Death of Cleopatra
1625-30

Because of it, sad Cleopatra weeps
still; as she fled that standard, from the asp
she drew a sudden and atrocious death.
Paradiso vi


Short history on one of those enemies to the Roman Imperial Rule who met with a tragic end:

Toynbee "Cleopatra"
Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy XI Auletes, celebrated for her beauty. At the death of her father (51 B.C.) she became joint sovereign with her brother Ptolemy XII, but was expelled from the throne by the guardians of the latter. Replaced upon the throne by Julius Caesar, she did not occupy it, but joined him in Rome (46-44 B.C.), where she had a son, Caesarion. Caesar died in 44 B.C.; after Philippi (42), she met Antony in Cilicia and became his mistress; he deserted her (40), but she rejoined him at Antioch (36), and was present with him at the Battle of Actium, where he was defeated by Octavianus (Augustus). She then fled to Alexandria, and Antony followed her; having heard a false report of her death, he stabbed himself; failing to gain the love of Augustus, and seeing that he was determined to carry her captive to Rome, Cleopatra put an end to her life with the poison of an asp (30 B.C.). The dynasty of the Ptolemies thus came to an end, and Egypt became a Roman province.

With the suicides of both of these adversaries to Roman Imperial Rule (Cleopatra & Antony ) Octavianus Augustus was made the master of the whole world, there was Universal Peace and the gates of Janus were now closed . The fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons. This is the victory of the Roman Eagle. The Standard of the Roman Imperial Eagle advanced to help bring about the salvation of men. Many of you forget this and instead would rather behave like Cleopatra & Antony and hinder the advancement of Standard of the Roman Imperial Eagle. If you follow in the footsteps of Cleopatra & Antony you will meet with the same end.

Now you can judge those I condemned above,
and judge how such men have offended, have
become the origin of all your evils.
For some oppose the universal emblem
with yellow lilies; others claim that emblem
for party: it is hard to see who is worse
Paradiso VI