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    Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel
    Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel
    Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel
    Audiobook11 hours

    Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel

    Written by Michelle Moran

    Narrated by Wanda McCaddon

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time, a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony's vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their three orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome; only two-the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander-survive the journey. Delivered to the household of Octavian's sister, the siblings cling to each other and to the hope that they will return one day to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian's family and court, by the ever-present threat of slave rebellion, and by the longings and desires deep within their own hearts.

    The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra's Daughter. Recounted in Selene's youthful and engaging voice, it introduces a compelling cast of historical characters: Octavia, the emperor Octavian's kind and compassionate sister, abandoned by Marc Antony for Cleopatra; Livia, Octavian's bitter and jealous wife; Marcellus, Octavian's handsome, flirtatious nephew and heir apparent; Tiberius, Livia's sardonic son and Marcellus's great rival for power; and Juba, Octavian's watchful aide, whose honored position at court has far-reaching effects on the lives of the young Egyptian royals.

    Selene's narrative is animated by the concerns of a young girl in any time and place-the possibility of finding love, the pull of friendship and family, and the pursuit of her unique interests and talents. While coping with the loss of both her family and her ancestral kingdom, Selene must find a path around the dangers of a foreign land. Her accounts of life in Rome are filled with historical details that vividly capture both the glories and horrors of the times. She dines with the empire's most illustrious poets and politicians, witnesses the creation of the Pantheon, and navigates the colorful, crowded marketplaces of the city where Roman-style justice is meted out with merciless authority.

    Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra's Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and most tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateNov 30, 2009
    ISBN9781400184293
    Cleopatra's Daughter: A Novel
    Author

    Michelle Moran

    Michelle Moran is the internationally bestselling author of seven historical novels, including Rebel Queen, which was inspired by her travels throughout India. Her books have have been translated into more than twenty languages. A frequent traveler, Michelle currently resides with her husband and two children in the US. Visit her online at MichelleMoran.com.

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    Reviews for Cleopatra's Daughter

    4/5

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    • 5/5
      Historical not-so fictitious story about well, Cleopatra's daughter in Rome. Excellent period writing and very authentic.
    • 5/5
      The3 orphan children of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony are taken to Rome by Octavian. The ten year old twins Selene and Alexander survive to be paraded in chains through the streets of Rome for the triumph. As they grew they face dangers in a strange environment where personal ambitionsthreaten them.
    • 4/5
      I love historical fiction. It's so much more interesting than the history books and when it's well-written, you don't even realizing how much you're learning.Michelle Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter is the most recent historical fiction novel I've found that suits me. Not only do I love ancient Rome and Egypt, but I've always been interested in the lives of those who lived during that time. Cleopatra's Daughter is the story of Queen Cleopatra's twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, who are taken to Rome in chains after their mother and father, Marc Antony, committed suicide when they lost their kingdom to Octavian (later named Augustus). What do the children of the most powerful couple in history do when they are suddenly under the rule of the man who defeated them?Before the story begins, Moran provides a chronological list of details of the history of the time so we can get a sense of what's going on when the story kicks off, and in the Afterward she lets you know what happened to each of the main characters. I loved this, because I really felt like I knew what was happening and, after I'd grown attached to the characters, I was able to see how their lives played out.At some points I did feel as if Moran had written her descriptions for a younger audience. I know that she has to make it available to all readers; sometimes I just felt like I was reading a YA book.4 out of 5 stars. This is the best kind of historical fiction: the kind that makes you want to learn more.
    • 4/5
      Kleopatra Selene is the daughter of the famous Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, and her husband Marc Antony. When Antony's army is defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium and Cleopatra commits suicide, ten year-old Selene and her brothers are left orphaned. Octavian takes them back to Rome with him where they join the household of his sister Octavia. In this entertaining historical fiction novel by Michelle Moran, we find out what happens to Selene after her arrival in Rome.I confess that I don't know very much at all about Ancient Rome. It's not one of my favourite periods of history to read about and although I know there are lots of historical fiction novels out there about the Romans, I've read very few of them. However, this was a good thing because it meant that a lot of the information in Cleopatra's Daughter was new to me and I learned a lot of interesting facts. For example, I had never heard about the Columna Lactaria (Milk Column), a monument in Rome where mothers left their unwanted babies in the hope that someone would come and feed them.One thing that strikes me about the Romans is the huge difference between the sophistication and advancement of their culture and the barbarity of many of their customs. Michelle Moran does an excellent job of showing both the good side of Rome (the advanced technology, the architecture and the infrastructure of the city) and the bad side (the cruel treatment given to slaves by their masters, for example).I did find it difficult to keep the relationships straight between the large cast of characters. This was partly because so many of them had similar names and also because most of the adults had been married at least two or three times each with several children from each marriage. Obviously this wasn't the author's fault though, and I did find the character list at the front of the book very useful! There are also some maps, a timeline, a glossary and an afterword explaining the eventual fate of each of the characters. All of these things were extremely helpful to someone like myself, with very little knowledge of Ancient Rome!Although I did enjoy Cleopatra's Daughter, it felt a bit too light for me. The characters didn't have a lot of depth and the story didn't affect me emotionally the way it was probably intended to. With the teenage narrator and lively writing style, I think this book would appeal to younger readers as well as adults.
    • 5/5
      As I understand it, “Cleopatra’s Daughter” is geared towards Young Adults (YA) as well as adult readers. It can be difficult sometimes to successfully pull this off, but I think Michelle Moran did a good job doing so. When Egypt is over taken by Octavian and his Roman army, both Cleopatra and Antony commit suicide, leaving their twin son and daughter to survive in the long term. The ten-year-old twins, Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, are captured and brought to Rome. Known as Selene and Alexander, this book is a re-telling of their life stories in a historical fiction manner. Told through the point of view of Selene, this novel covers the next six years of Selene’s and Alexander’s lives; and includes many historical characters. The twins stay with Octavia, Octavian’s sister, and becomes friends with characters such as Julia and Marcellus. It’s complicated to explain who is who here. Fortunately, the book has a list of characters to refer to when I occasionally got confused at the beginning. Some issues are dealt with sensitively here — such as slavery in ancient Rome; homosexuality is also touched upon. There is a scene in the book where one of Selene’s friends must give up her new-born daughter simply because it was a girl — underscoring the second-class status women had then (and still have in some parts of the world).In real life, Selene eventually married Juba of Numidia, so Juba is a main character in this novel as well; as an important aide to Octavian. I enjoyed reading how their friendship developed throughout this story.In this novel, Selene has an interest in architecture and studies under Vitruvius, an engineer and architect. I appreciate reading depictions that make me feel like I’m actually there, such as this one of the Sea Palace:“It was magnificent. Heavy wooden shelves from ceiling to floor were crammed with scrolls. Seabirds had been carved into the wood of the ceiling and beautiful urns filled the niches. Vitruvius explained how the shelves had been built, then took us through the triclinium and the guest chambers, pointing out small features like fluted columns and barrel-vaulted spaces painted in sea green and gold. Every room we entered was richly furnished. ”“Cleopatra’s Daughter” is very good historical fiction, with realistically depicted characters and a storyline that moves along well and seamlessly.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable listen. I didn't know much about the Romans and Egyptians of that time.
    • 2/5
      Somebody finally wrote a historical novel about Romans and their lives without having them copulating in every other paragraph. Thumbs up to that. What has made this book less than enjoyable for me is the fact that the first three fourths of it is about a 12 year old. In the last few chapters, the heroine attains fifteen, but never grows older. Readers never meet Selene, the married woman or adult. Therefore, it felt like a young adult book. Upon the death of her parents and younger brother, the famed Cleopatra's daughter, Selene and her twin brother arrive in Rome as the "guests" of Octavian, the man who conquered Egypt. After an embarrassing parade and meeting both friends and enemies, Selene and her brother begin living a Roman life. To me this novel felt like a retelling of a Roman childhood following a group of friends that go to the circus, bet on the horses, attend school and every now and then hear about a slave revolt. In between, there were bits of Roman history and tidbits about the politics, customs, poets, buildings, and family tensions. In the afterword, the author tells us that Selene and the man she ends up marrying at the very end "became one of the greatest love stories to come out of Imperial Rome." Where is the love story? Lack of romance is my other complaint. Until the very end almost, there was nil. Selene and her husband ruled for twenty years and she rebuilt Alexandria. Now THAT is what I would like to read about. The love she had with her husband, the twenty years she ruled, and her life as an architect. That interests me so much more than her childhood. Another tantalizing tidbit in the afterword regards Julia, Selene's friend. Apparently, after two marriages and facing a third to her stepbrother, Julia rebelled and her own father had her arrested. I would rather read about the amazing women mentioned in the afterword, not a bunch of kids growing up in Rome.
    • 4/5
      Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran tells the story of Kleopatra Selene, the daughter of Marc Antony and Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. When Marc Antony is defeated in battle by Octavian and Cleopatra commits suicide, her children become wards of Rome. Selene and her twin brother Alexander are taken to Rome. They fear that they will be put to death or enslaved but instead they are housed with Octavia, the sister of Octavian and raised with her own children, although they are never totally comfortable or sure of what Octavian is going to do with them.This was an excellent historical story dealing as it does with Cleopatra’s children. Their daily lives in Rome is described, along with the politics of the day. Selene and Alexander are part of a social circle that includes Octavian’s daughter, Julia, his adopted son, Tiberius and his heir and sister’s son, Marcellus, and another young prince who’s kingdom was taken by Rome, Juba. These were all real people and it was interesting to find out what happened to each and everyone of them. Cleopatra’s Daughter is a spell-binding tale of love, intrigue and history. From the uprising of slaves, to the halls of the senate as Octavian is declared Emperor, this story brings ancient Rome and her citizens to life. Although the author is breaking no new ground here, I still found this to be a colourful story and a great window into the past.
    • 4/5
      Not having read much of Roman history, this book was a good introduction to some of the characters and events making up it's history. The main question of the book (the search to find the Red Eagle) was very thin, but the descriptions of the environment and fixtures of this time was well researched and credible. I will read more of this author.
    • 3/5
      During my recovery from knee replacement surgery, I took to some easy reading, something historical which required nothing of me, no intellectual stimulus, no literary demands, not particularly inspiring but rather something which would simply transport me to another place and time and allow the healing process to occur.So it was I discovered Michelle Moran. And I ready every available work in her canon.Cleopatra's Daughter, like most of Moran's work, is nicely researched, with enough detail to bring the past alive. Her characters are solid, albeit sometimes a bit modern. The plots, although predictable partly because their history is already written, are tense enough to carry a reader through. And thankfully Moran refrains from the usual torn garments, heaving bosoms, and panting assignations. She deals with the history.While not Pauline Gedge, Michelle Moran does a credible job of bringing the past to life in an entertaining manner. If you're looking for engaging escapism, this is your ticket.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. The writing is amazing. The characters and story line bring you into it. The love the characters have for one another is simple amazing. I was crying at the end of the book. The love that you find out is there in the story really makes your heart race. Great story. I will read this author again.
    • 3/5
      While I enjoyed this book, there were a few things that bugged me. But then I read that the author intended for this to be more of a young-adult book. In that light I have a little more patience and those things that bugged me made a little more sense. I think it would be interesting to read about the rest of Selene's years.
    • 4/5
      I love reading about the time period between the Caesars Julius and Augustus. I find the time and the people fascinating and while I’ve read many books on various people involved in those families and households, I’d never read one about Selene Kleopatra (daughter to Marc Antony and Cleopatra). I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how Selene and her twin brother came to Rome and how their lives unfolded in the following years. Selene was engaging and was easy to sympathise with, as was her brother. And while this is mainly Selene’s story, I was most taken with Alexander and felt so badly about his fate. I, like Selene, took that one hard to heart. The other characters that I knew well from the time were well rendered and I always enjoy seeing them from the perspective others. Selene’s was unique in that she was a Roman citizen but she was also in Caesar’s care due to his successful conquer of Egypt and her parents. An uneasy relationship and disquiet of position would be an understatement for anyone in such a household. I was glad when her fate was revealed and relieved. I also liked how the B-story of the Red Eagle mystery was woven throughout and resolved. It added very nice depth to the story. This was a good story telling of a not much covered woman of the ancient world. Definitely recommended and I'm glad I picked this one up at the library.
    • 5/5
      I had my reservations, but this was excellent!
    • 5/5
      An amazing historical fiction.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this story. It gave an excellent view of Ancient Rome through the eyes of an outsider. I liked the ups and downs woven in the storyline. Everything seemed to flow naturally. I'm definitely checking out more from this author.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this book, as I believe that the author was able to transport the reader to the time of the Roman empire (approximately 2000 years ago). The story line combined historical and cultural perspective to allow the reader to understand how the figures may have interacted and lived. I was also interested in the lives of Selene and Alexander. My compliments to Michelle Moran on another well written book. I liked this even better than her book about Madame Tussaud.
    • 4/5
      "We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I can honestly say that I wasn't expecting much from this book because I have read other books by Michelle Moran and haven't been the biggest fans of them. While I still didn't like (or at least didn't really want to follow) the main character, Selene, I was so interested in what was going on in the book that my disappointment with Selene didn't ruin the book for me.Selene disappointed me throughout this book. She had the makings to be a really strong and independent character but her little crush on Marcellus took over her story at times. I didn't like the almost love triangle (I say almost because it was really only a love triangle in her own mind). I know that this was most likely a YA book but I would have liked less of Selene's fascination with Marcellus (or at least I would have liked her to open her eyes to who truly was on her side before it was just thrown in at the end).I did not have much knowledge about Selene and the events in her life. What I have liked about Michelle Moran's books is that she does her research and when you read her books you are not only entertained but you are learning things as well. This book had made interested in learning more about the people of this time and I already have I Am Livia by Phyllis T. Smith in my tbr pile.
    • 5/5
      After the death of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, their children Selene and Alexander are taken by Octavian and marched through Rome in chains. Despite their fear, they are treated decently, and placed in the household of Octavia (Octavian's sister). Raised with the "royal" children, they are somewhat privileged and protected. While mourning the loss of their parents, the two find a life in Rome and grow into their own.I thought this was a fascinating, well written book. Selene and Alexander were both exotic yet relatable. I really wanted to read more, I just didn't want the book to end. Overall, highly recommended. I look forward to reading other books from this author.
    • 4/5
      Excellent story. It got a little predictable towards the end, but it was a good, mindless read. Great for (roughly) high school reading level or an older person looking to just enjoy a story, not necessarily looking for a challenging read.
    • 4/5
      A wonderful piece of historical fiction -- 95% of the characters existed and their roles in the story are chronicled in history! Starts with bloodshed and has incidents involving bloodshed throughout -- after all this was ancient Rome, where the struggle to attain and then to keep power was as transient a simple betrayal. This continues the story after Octavian captures Egypt, and Marc Antony and Cleopatra are both deceased. Their three children are taken captive and are taken to Rome. Only two survive the sea voyage, and this is their story. Will they be eventually be allowed to return to Egypt, or does Octavian (then, not yet, Caesar) have more sinister plans for them? Took a little while to get all the characters' names straight in my head, especially when they were spelled / read almost similarly. One cannot help but be transported back through time in this exquisite tale.
    • 4/5
      What happened to Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s children after their tragic deaths? Will they grow up and return to rule Egypt?Ten-year-old twins—Alexander and Selene—are taken to Rome at the request of Octavian, the new ruler of Rome, to live with his sister as a member of the family. Growing up surrounded by the children of Julius Caesar and Octavian, the twins struggle to fit in where they do not belong. Many of the capital’s slaves were once captives of war just like Alexander and Selene, but treated much less kind, so when Rome is on the brink of another slave rebellion the two have varied feelings. Independent Selene yearns for a day when she can return home but must keep her wishes unknown or suffer dire consequences. Alexander is more willing to forgive….Overall a very interesting read! It took me a bit to get used to the precocious ‘children’ in this story, had to remind myself that back then they grew up faster (in a different way than today). I knew of Marc Antony, Cleopatra and Octavian (Augustus) but never thought about the fate of their children. I was kept intrigued by the tale right up until the finish. I would recommend it to any historical fiction fan!
    • 4/5
      The novel opens during the final days of Queen Cleopatra, followed by her three children being taken to Rome by Octavian, later known as Augustus. The period covered is 30 BC-25 BC.The story is narrated by Cleopatra’s daughter, Selene, who is eleven years old at the beginning of the book. She and her twin, Alexander, are housed with Octavian’s sister, rather than be made prisoners, though they have to obey certain rules. Events and characters are predominantly based on historical accounts, though the author adds further dimensions to the tale by inventing the odd scene and a few characters, most notable being the Red Eagle, who stands up for the slaves and other mistreated people.I liked the pace of the narrative, most of the characters, and that the author kept the story moving forward. What I disliked was the overuse of adverbs. The dialogue attribution was irritating, distracting me from the story. The dialogue itself is fine, sounding natural, bringing the characters alive, but the example below illustrates how the dialogue attribution is a weak link in an otherwise good writer’s armour:“It’s just a few streets away,” Marcellus said eagerly. “Would you like to go?”“Absolutely not!” Gallia said sternly, giving me a dark look. “Caesar is waiting.”“But it’s on the way,” Marcellus protested.“So is the lupanar,” she said angrily. “Would you like to go there, too?”“I’ve never been inside the Temple of Isis,” Tiberius said suddenlyWe were taught at university to avoid adverbs in fiction and to never use them in dialogue attribution. As the above example demonstrates, the reader has just heard Marcellus say, “It’s just a few streets away,” yet if they haven’t imagined Marcellus speaking eagerly, the reader has to pause and adjust. Same applies to the rest of the section. It’s also an example of telling instead of showing. A good author should be able to portray a character’s eagerness, etc., with their body language or by the situation. The other annoyance with the dialogue attribution is the author’s need to use as many alternatives to ‘said’ as possible. There’s ‘protested’, listed above, as one example; below is another:“Then you must be careful,” Octavia cautioned.The above is giving the same info twice. If Octavia is telling someone to be careful, why say she ‘cautioned’ when it’s obvious? ‘said’ can slip by unnoticed, while ‘cautioned’, ‘protested’, etc., stick out, slowing down the narrative.The most annoying of all is this sort of thing:“Be careful,” Gallia warned us loudly.Surely ‘Gallia shouted’ would’ve been better. No need to say ‘warned’ when Gallia has said “Be Careful.” ‘said’ can slip by unnoticed, while ‘cautioned’, ‘protested’, etc., stick out, slowing down the narrative.As Steven King quotes in his book “On Writing” – ‘The road to Hell is paved with adverbs.’ He also discusses dialogue attribution and the merit of sticking with just ‘said’. One of my creative writing tutors (also a successful playwright) spoke of the same thing. If you can avoid explanation altogether, do so, otherwise stick to ‘said’ and it doesn’t distract the reader like ‘he demanded’, ‘she remarked’, etc., and never tag an adverb on to make the reader pause to rethink what they’ve just read in a different way. If you can’t portray how the character is speaking then at least present their emotion before the dialogue, though if the setting and character are well-developed, the reader shouldn’t need this pointing out anyway.Ms Moran is a good storyteller but she would be a better writer if she worked on her style. Story and style should complement each other. I was tempted to stop reading when all these evil adverbs started popping up early on but as said, the story itself is engaging throughout, hence my awarding this book 4 stars.Apologies if I’ve used too many adverbs in this review.
    • 4/5
      4.5 starsCleopatra, Queen of Egypt, had three kids with Marc Antony. When she killed herself after being invaded, Caesar Octavian took the kids back to Rome with him. Twins Selene and Alexander were 10 years old, and moved in with Octavian's sister, Octavia. But they were constantly in danger, not knowing what would happen with them next; would Octavian keep them around, or ultimately have them killed, too? In the meantime, there is someone, "Red Eagle", who is unhappy with the plight of the slaves in Rome and is protesting, so there is a hunt on to find out who Red Eagle actually is.This was really really good. I've never read anything (fiction or nonfiction) about this time period or place, but this story just drew me right in. I did have a bit of trouble figuring out who was who in some cases, and who was related to whom in what way(s), but I figured out enough of the main people that that didn't really bother me too much. I was able to lose myself in the story. I was very impressed with all the technological knowledge at the time. Wow, I had no idea. I think I'd heard some of it, but not to the extent it was portrayed here. Just an fyi that there is a glossary at the back (I had the ebook, so I didn't find it till I got to the end), and of course, a historical note from the author. This was so good!
    • 4/5
      Prior to reading Cleopatra's Daughter I had no idea that Cleopatra had any children except for Caeserion. It was enlightening to learn about the lives of her other children through this historical novel.

      Cleopatra's twins, Selene and Alexander, are taken from Egypt as prisoners and delivered to Rome. Surprisingly they are treated with kindness and given a home with their father's ex-wife. Even though they are not bound in chains, they are manipulated by those around them, and are faced with the constant fear of a dangerous political climate. (In other words, they were afraid that Caesar would kill them for his own political gain.)

      Michelle Moran does an excellent job of placing the reader in the midst of the turmoil with the characters, and gives a real sense of the dangers that Selene and Alexander must have face.

      The only criticism that I had was actually addressed by the author in the historical note at the end of the book. I was concerned that Selene seemed knowledgeable and capable far beyond what would be appropriate for her age. Michelle Moran states,

      If Selene and Alexander seem incredibly precocious for their ages, that is because they were extremely well-educated children of a queen considered to be one of the most learned women of her time. Like today's child actors, they would have been raised in an adult world with adult expectations. . ." Page 417


      Filled with rebellion, romance and intrigue, Cleopatra's Daughter is an excellent read throughout. I got so attached to the characters that I was misty-eyed when I read about their fates in the afterword.

      I recommend Cleopatra's Daughter to anyone who likes historical fiction about Egyptians or Rome.
    • 5/5
      I loved this book, I liked the history that was interwoven with the story of Selene. I always am amazed when an author can take history and weave a story through it, and Miss Moran dose an amazing job! Very good book!
    • 2/5
      This book was OK. It lacked much depth and I was disappointed to find that it only covered a few years of the life of Cleopatra Selene (daughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra). The book covers the time from when Octavius defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and they kill themselves to when she is married to Juba.

      I was hoping the story would cover more of her later life, when she was queen of Mauretania.
    • 5/5
      wasnt sure about this one at all although it intrigued mebecause of the historical base. i was really impressed with it. the story is quite heart wrenching at times and you really feel for the main character selene. its definately mde me want to read the other 2 titles by this author. she has a brilliant way of writing.
    • 4/5
      I admire author Michelle Moran greatly. She has a way of setting you immediately right into the time period she writes about. Many of the details about what happened to Cleopatra's children were fascinating. The characters in this book, however, seemed wooden to me. I thought Selene's outrage at the treatment of slaves odd, since she grew up in her mother's palace, filled with slaves.I look forward to Ms. Moran's next book.
    • 5/5
      To anyone who has read Margaret George's Cleopatra, read this book! If you got bogged down in George's detail- read this book! It's a lot shorter but just as good. Sort of like Cleopatra, part deux.I have always been fascinated by Cleopatra. I don't know why a story two thousand years old invokes sich ire and sadness and regret in me, but it does. I have been absolutely infuriated by the fate ofthe Pto9lemies since I first read George's book in junior high. I feel a personal desire to exact some sort of vengeance upon Octavian and it disgusts me that he is remembered as the first Emperor of Rome while Cleopatra is remembered by many as little more than a trollop. The woman spoke 9 languages and she is best remembered for rolling herself up in a carpet and trading her body for the freedom of Egypt.At any rate I have always wondered what happened to Selene. I knew that she alone of the children lived and it makes me rahter unreasonably happy to know that the last of the Ptolemy's found some measure of happiness in her life. I am in all likelyhood more than a little mad but knowing that she was able to not only keep from being killed but to, from appearences anyway, make a love match and have a good life makes me extremely happy- millenia ago or not.