Jacob Abbott 
Cleopatra 
The Life and History of the Queen of Egypt

Cleopatra tells the story of the girl queen who inherited the richest empire in the world – one that stretched from the scorching deserts of lower Egypt to the shining Mediterranean metropolis of Alexandria. This story of Cleopatra starts with a brief history of Egypt and the illustrious Ptolemies. By the time Cleopatra came of age, her life was already full of danger and intrigue, even before her romantic encounter with Julius Caesar. Under the protection of Caesar she enjoyed a few years of security on the throne of Egypt, but the death of Caesar led her to seek protection from his successor, Mark Antony. Their tragic story is one of the most dramatic liaisons in history.