The Carpet Scene: Unraveling Cleopatra

by Edlyn Chao

"She took a small boat, and one only of her confidants, Apollodorus, the Sicilian, along with her, and in the dusk of the evening landed near the palace. She was at a loss how to get in undiscovered, till she thought of putting herself into the coverlet of a bed and lying at length, whilst Apollodorus tied up the bedding and carried it on his back through the gates to Caesar's apartment. Caesar was first captivated by this proof of Cleopatra's bold wit, and was afterwards so overcome by the charm of her society that he made a reconciliation between her and her brother, on the condition that she should rule as his colleague in the kingdom." (The Life of Julius Caesar, Plutarch; translation by Dryden)

Abstract

Whether Cleopatra rolls out of an ornate carpet as authorative and in control or as the more stereotypical image of a sensual temptress, the carpet scene functions as an introduction between Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. More importantly, the scene also provides valuable insight into Cleopatra's character. Plutarch's account of Cleopatra's first encounter with Julius Caesar inspired countless artists to recreate their own interpretations. First prose and narratives, the workings of creative imaginations, emerged. Soon, the stirring mental images are captured on canvas and eventually breathed into cinematography. With the advent of movie making multiple versions of Cleopatra and her legend were produced, each distinct in their own right. Each version retells the carpet scene differently, and offers a different Cleopatra. The first impression of Cleopatra is imprinted by the carpet scene and sheds light on who Cleopatra is in the respective narrative or film. If she tumbles out of the carpet in a revealing dress and jumps on Caesar, she is dramatically different from the Cleopatra in a flowy dress with a full skirt who jumps at the problem at hand concerning Egypt and the threat of civil war due to sibling rivalry for the throne. The Cleopatra from Fielding's The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia and George's The Memoirs of Cleopatra, and a collection of movies including, DeMille's "Cleopatra", Mankiewicz's "Cleopatra", and ABC's "Cleopatra", vary in the extent by which she utilizes her sexuality and intelligence to manipulate Julius Caesar.

Fielding's Cleopatra

Sarah Fielding's piece, The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia, published in 1757, describes the vilest and frighteningly manipulative Cleopatra who blatantly utilizes her sexuality to wreak havoc on men to achieve political gains. Fielding's Cleopatra adheres perfectly to the Cleopatra depicted by Roman propaganda. Her Cleopatra is as evil, conniving, and crafty as the Romans accused Cleopatra of.

Bound in a feather bed, Apollodorus carries her on his back into the palace. Fielding's piece lacks a vivid description of the unrolling of the carpet and simply states, "Caesar, pleased with the ingenuity of the contrivance, and charmed with the air in which I suddenly started up and presented myself in his sight, from that moment became my lover"(58). Her confidence grows from the power of her sexuality, as evident in the manner of her self-presentation to Caesar. With assurance she stands with poise for his observation.

In the piece, Cleopatra openly admits to her use of men, particularly Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, as well as her malicious nature. She says, "I contrived every thing as much as possible to weaken and enervate the mind, and to make wanton pleasures the most desirable"(Fielding, 61). Obviously, her sexuality is key to her schemes. Fielding's Cleopatra is intelligent in a crafty way and employs her sexuality as a weapon against Caesar.

Fielding's Cleopatra also possesses composed confidence in her charms on men. She flatly and coldly states, "Caesar and Pompey have indeed convinced me that the power of my own charms was sufficient"(Fielding, 60). Cleopatra refers to her men as prey to be conquered. Ironically, the conqueror of land and nations is conquered by the conqueror of men.

George's Cleopatra

Published in 1997, Margaret George's, Memoirs of Cleopatra, paints a different Cleopatra who is inexperienced yet insightful, forthright but insecure. Her self-doubt and perhaps inferiority stems from her perceptive acknowledgement that she has nothing to offer to Caesar.

Fastened within the rug she laboriously selected to please Caesar, Cleopatra feels, "imprisoned in the dark, faintly sweet-smelling, threaded prison"(George, 90). George provides a very detailed account of the carpet scene. Her Cleopatra feels suffocated, cramped and even passes out wrapped up in the rug. Feeling sick and disorientated, suddenly the "entire rug shot out from around [her], propelling her out and onto the slippery onyx floor"(George, 91). The details of Cleopatra's point of view from inside the carpet offer a touch of realism, and humanism to Cleopatra.

George's Cleopatra also feels intimidated and apprehensive. She slides and finally stops herself only to see "two lean and muscular legs, their feet encased in military boots"(George, 91). Lying at Caesar's feet places Cleopatra in a disadvantageous position. Cleopatra's lack of confidence due to her sexual inexperience is further compounded by Caesar's powerful presence and authority, as he "walked around [her] as though [she] were a tree, rooted and growing in his- [her]- chamber" (George, 92). He makes her feel as if she is "an intruder in [her] very own apartments"(George, 92). Unlike most portrayals, young and inexperienced Cleopatra by no means uses her sexuality to bait Caesar.

Quite the contrary, Cleopatra is hesitant to make use of her sexuality. She harbors feelings of fear, doubt, and anxiety. She asks herself, "Would I even be willing to give myself to him?…Could I allow a stranger to do so?"(George, 87). Only by remembering Egypt does she regain her strength, but still she says, "I [feel] like a human sacrifice"(George, 90). These words bestow her with more honorability as well.

Cleopatra's awareness of her limits further highlight her perceptiveness. She knows Caesar, "had only one weakness, …Caesar was partial to love affairs….to sex affairs"(George, 86). Unfortunately, Cleopatra is a virgin who "knew nothing of the refinements or even fundamentals of lovemaking"(George, 87). Although Cleopatra and Caesar do become lovers on the first night, her sexuality was not her tool, her insecurity would not allow for it.

DeMille's Cleopatra

In 1934 DeMille released his version of Cleopatra's legend starring Claudette Colbert in the movie, "Cleopatra", offering again the manipulative, seductive and sexual image of Cleopatra.

Rolled up in a Persian rug, Cleopatra is delivered and she immediately sits up proclaiming, "Greetings to Caesar from Egypt!" while saluting him. Her boldness demonstrates her confidence, most probably rooted in her sexuality and her skimpy outfit. DeMille's Cleopatra provides Caesar with ample time to observe and admire her scanty, tight, black, shiny dress revealing her full arms, abdomen, hips, back and legs where the large slits parted. A gold necklace polished her allure, by advertising Egypt's affluence.

Cleopatra's body language and clothing is obviously sexual. With her sleepy, alluring eyes she leans back and laughs seductively. DeMille's. She saunters as she walks in front of Caesar, she walks behind his seat and leans towards him, all the while smiling slyly as if she disclosed some little secret. Moreover, her lines drip with sexual innuendo. She tells Caesar when he discovers she is Cleopatra whom Pothinus conspired to get rid of by leaving her in the desert, "But nothing could keep me from greeting you", in a sexually suggestive tone. She also toys with him, "Seems strange to see you working, I've always pictured you fighting…[pause]…or loving".

With Caesar's full and undivided attention after mentioning India, Cleopatra continues to lure him with her body. At first she plays hard to get when he persists on the issue of India. She plays with her silky shawl and slowly walks away. When Caesar follows her, she pins herself between a column and Caesar's leaning body. A little later they sit on a couch with Caesar eagerly inclining towards her while she teasingly reclines. As she ends the conversation to be continued later when Caesar comes to her chambers upon her insistence she says, "Caesar takes what he wants", an obvious sexual connotation.

According to Dirks, Colbert effectively portrays Cleopatra as, "flirtious, scheming, [and] pampered", who "puts more warmth into the role than Elizabeth Taylor was capable of". Dirk also notes that, "sexually-suggestive costumes adorn most of the female characters", which applies to Cleopatra's scanty dress. Koller reinforces Dirk's interpretation by saying, "the legendary Egyptian Queen of the Nile princess/seductress, Cleopatra (Claudette Colbert) becomes the Queen and ruler of Egypt by her manipulative, wily, and seductive ways with the Roman men in her life". DeMille's Cleopatra shamelessly sells herself to win Caesar over.

Mankiewicz's Cleopatra

In 1963 Mankiewicz released his film, "Cleopatra", starring Elizabeth Taylor, portraying an assertive, perceptive and regal Cleopatra who employs little if any sexuality to entice Caesar. Mankiewicz's Cleopatra is much more concerned with the political patchwork of Egypt.

Although Mankiewicz's Cleopatra is unwrapped onto her stomach while the soft notes of a harp strums, she quickly stands to her feet fully composed and unruffled. Unlike DeMille's or Shaw's Cleopatra, she is simply dressed in an elegant, non-revealing orange dress with white pleats at the sides which flutter as she walk. Her hair is down and she's wearing no jewelry. She is not dressed to appeal to Caesar with her body or the wealth and fertility of Egypt.

Immediately she emits a commanding presence as she deftly floats to a table to pour herself a drink. She leaves little time for Caesar to observe or admire her. Then, when Caesar gives instructions to Apollodorus, she interrupts by saying to Apollodorus, "Stay where you are, have I dismissed you?". She continues by addressing Caesar, "This is my palace Caesar, all of it is available to me as I will. I'm not your prisoner, if anything you are my guest". Cleopatra quickly establishes her power as a queen before Caesar.

An interesting detail is that Mankiewicz's Cleopatra does not smile at Caesar. Her sobriety adds to her control of the situation as well as her personal power. Cleopatra also proves to be a skilled diplomat. She first demands that Caesar make her sole ruler of Egypt, then softens by flattering him, "You're not a fool…. you've seen my brother, and listened to him and the truly evil man to whom he belongs to". Cleopatra continues by perceptively striking the issue at heart, "Corn, grain, treasures….it's the old story….Roman greatness built on Egyptian riches…you shall have them….in peace….but there's only one way, my way…make me queen". Cleopatra's assertiveness once again reinforces her strength.

Mankiewicz's Cleopatra manages to provide an offer Caesar finds hard to refuse or refute without selling herself, her body, to him. Sexuality is not at work in this Cleopatra. If anything, Caesar stirs up the matter of sexuality. After Cleopatra remarks on the inferiority of Caesar's maps, again demonstrating her intelligence, she apologizes by saying in a serious, non-sexual tone, "We've gotten off on a bad start…I've done nothing but rub you the wrong way". In playful response Caesar says, "I'm not sure I want to be rubbed by you at all young lady".

Supporting my argument is Leyendecker's statement that, "probably no other present-day actress could equal the regal beauty and fiery dramatic talents of Elizabeth Taylor, who portrays Cleopatra, first as a vain tempestuous ruler". Mankiewicz's Cleopatra employs her wit and diplomatic proficiency to communicate with Caesar and not her sexuality as most other versions of Cleopatra do. The fact that Mankiewicz's Cleopatra and Caesar do not sleep together on the night they first meet is proof that her sexuality is not an instrument by which she influences men for her purposes.

ABC's Cleopatra

ABC released the most recent version of Cleopatra's legend in 1999 as a TV miniseries entitled "Cleopatra" starring Leonor Varela. Once again Cleopatra is portrayed as the seductive, sensual, and alluring Queen of Egypt.

With swirling exotic music, ABC's Cleopatra tumbles out of the carpet in slow motion. With each turn of the carpet the audience can faintly hear her breathing into the impact with the floor. Cleopatra sits up into a mermaid position and lingeringly tucks loose strands of her tousled hair behind her ear before looking at Caesar, whose face is stretched into a ridiculously large and silly smile. As he breaks into laughter Cleopatra smiles alluringly as if satisfied with his reaction, she had surprised and impressed him.

Caesar helps her up and as wispy music sounds he slowly circles her, carefully and eagerly examining her. Again, Cleopatra allows Caesar plenty of time to observe her. The camera captures her frontal view, then moves to her upper back and sexy disheveled hair, down to her breathing bosom, her profile then zooms into her face. As ABC's Cleopatra confidently stands, breathes, and maintains eye contact with Caesar, it becomes clear she is selling her sexuality.

Although ABC's Cleopatra is not scantily dressed as DeMille's Cleopatra was, her potent sexuality still emanates. She wears a sleeve-less, white-linen dress in Greek-style barely held up at the shoulders with little metal clips with edges, which seemed to have been ripped. Nevertheless, whatever she lacks in dress, Cleopatra makes up for in her blatant sexual lines.

There is unmistakably only one objective on Cleopatra's mind and that is to get Caesar into bed. Cleopatra backs herself up onto a wall and breathes heavily while saying, "There is only one bed that is safe for me…..yours…". She continues to lure him as she opens a secret passage and beckons to him. Although Caesar weakly resists, she sways him with her body language. She reclines onto the bed, giving him a lustful look and breathing heavily. Additionally, she says rather corny lines including, "I am Egypt… Egypt is yours for one night only". All the while as she speaks, she undulates with desire, taunting Caesar. ABC's Cleopatra utilizes her sexuality in the most obvious manner and minimal, if any, of her wit to influence Caesar.

Conclusion

The Cleopatra from two narratives, the works of Fielding and George, and a collection of movies, the film versions by DeMille, Mankiewicz and ABC, all diverge in the magnitude by which Cleopatra employs her sexuality and intelligence to influence Julius Caesar.

In all but George's work, Cleopatra is the manipulative and seductive temptress. George's Cleopatra is by far the most positive portrayal of Cleopatra among the works discussed. She is the only Cleopatra who minimizes the use of her sexuality to catch Caesar. Although she does sleep with him, her body language and lines in no way seeks to seduce him. On the contrary, she is intimidated and insecure, which reflects her low use of her sexuality.

Another slight exception is Mankiewicz's Cleopatra who engages in a much more regal and serious attitude and uses little, if any, of her sexuality to sway Caesar. Cleopatra is feisty in a politically aggressive manner, as opposed to a sexual manner.

DeMille's and ABC's Cleopatra most definitely utilizes her sexuality in the most obvious manner. By selling her sexuality, Cleopatra effectively wins over Caesar.

Although ABC's version of Cleopatra "is based on Margaret George's book…or so they say" as Bianco says, the two Cleopatras are dissimilar. George's Cleopatra is more perceptive and not nearly as eager to pull Caesar to bed. Additionally, Bianco comments, "Revisiting Cleopatra in a TV movie makes sense; remaking Taylor's Cleopatra most certainly doesn't". He claims Varela is a "fiery beauty" but harbors "no wit, no mystery, no royalty, no glamour". Bianco likens Varela's "charmless performance" to playing Cleopatra as a "small-town strumpet".

As generations pass, the image of Cleopatra transforms to suit the taste of the particular artist and time period. Cleopatra can be intelligent, authorative, seductive, manipulative, strong or weak, but always her sexuality is a prominent characteristic in which all artists deal with one way or the other. Despite the dynamism of Cleopatra's image, no matter how we unravel Cleopatra one aspect of Cleopatra holds a strand of her identity together, her sexuality.

Works Cited

Bianco, Robert, "A 'Cleopatra' like a tomb painting: Exotic but flat", USA Today, May 21, 1999, 11E.

Cleopatra. Dir. Cecil B. DeMille. With Claudette Colbert, Warren William and Henry Wilcoxen. Paramount, 1934.

Cleopatra. Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz. With Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton. 20th Century Fox, 1963.

Cleopatra. Dir. Robert Halmi Sr. With Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton and Billy Zane. ABC, 1999.

Dirks, Tim, "Greatest Films- Comprehensive Analysis of Classic US Films" (1996), URL: http://www.filmsite.org/cleo.html (12 Dec. 1999).

Fielding, Sarah, The Lives of Cleopatra and Octavia [1757], Lewisburg: Bucknell UP, 1994.

George, Margaret, The Memoirs of Cleopatra, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1997.

Koller, Brian, "Cleopatra (1937)", URL: http://us.imdb.com/Reviews/165/16511 (12 Dec. 1999).

Leyendecker, Frank, "Box Office On-line Review", (June 17, 1963), URL: http://www.boxoffice.com/classic.html (12 Dec. 1999).

Plutarch, "The Life of Julius Caesar", Trans. John Dryden.