A Broken Home: Caesar and Cleopatra's Affair at the Expense of Calphurnia
by Rick Jamgochian
Abstract
In the trailer to his 1934 film "Cleopatra", Cecil B. DeMille confidently suggests that the romance between the Queen of Egypt and Julius Caesar is one of history's grandest love affairs. Perhaps this statement is in a way true, but when buying into the tradition of this romance many disreputable elements of the affair are often overlooked. One such component of the romance that if looked upon with a critical eye can serve to lessen the grandeur of the affair is the ill treatment of Caesar's wife Calphurnia. However, audiences and artists alike often have little problem ignoring the plight of Calphurnia, and Caesar and Cleopatra are rarely ever referred to as adulterous individuals. Neglecting to remember how Calpurnia was virtually thrown to the wayside in the midst of Caesar and Cleopatra's extra-marital relationship is possibly a way of lessening the guilt felt by those who choose to become surrounded by the supposed splendor of Caesar's love affair with the Egyptian Queen. Those who choose to proclaim the glory of Caesar and Cleopatra must be cautioned to remember Calphurnia's situation as an abandoned and insulted wife. If attention is given to faithful Calphurnia's desertion by Caesar and inferior treatment by Cleopatra, it becomes evident that Calphurnia is deserving of sympathy while Caesar and Cleopatra's relationship is not so grand and sophisticated as many wish to think.
Faithful Calphurnia
History tells us that Calphurnia invested twelve years of her life in wedlock to Caesar. Although a political marriage, Calphurnia treated Caesar with a caring attitude and loving attachment which legitimizes their relationship and for which she deserves respect. The most telling times of Calphurnia's faithfulness toward her husband is her care for his safety in the final days before his assassination, regardless of her being aware of Caesar's adultery. According to Arthur Kahn's historical narrative The Education of Julius Caesar, Caesar had grown "gaunt and haggard" as he lost the support of his colleagues in the Roman Senate. In his final days he often stared into space and spoke with little coherence. In his time of need Calphurnia glued herself to his bedside and although Caesar could not make conversation with anyone, Calphurnia listened attentively as he recited Homer's poems of Odysseus after he had returned home to Penelope.1 This narrative illustrates the luxury Julius' had to depend on his dedicated Roman wife in times of need.
Consulting Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Calphurnia pleads with him not to attend the Senate for fear of his life. Calphurnia expresses a dream that spooked her:
This type of dream is clearly a symbol of Calphurnia's connection to her partner. She continues to highlight her care for him by crying at his feet asking him to remain with her:
These are the words of a woman genuinely concerned about the well being of her lover. In an 1898 review by Percy Simpson of a performance of Julius Caesar at Her Majesty's Theater, he describes Calphurnia as "a tragic character in her own right, a Cassandra-like figure who clearly foresees approaching disaster, but is powerless to prevent it."2 Simpson further describes Calphurnia's performance; "To her horror, Caesar demands his robe, Calphurnia kneels protesting, but to no avail. For the remainder of the scene she sits in the chair at LC, a terrified witness to her husband's folly."3 Again, Calphurnia presents herself as a woman who feels deep pain in witnessing her husband subject to such torment.
In his book The Structure of Julius Caesar, Adrien Bonjour further credits Calphurnia for her tact in not only attempting to protect Caesar, but in preventing him from loosing face in front of his colleagues. Bonjour writes, "Caesar has declared himself immovable. But Calphurnia, knowing her lord, offers him a way out: 'call it my fear that keeps you in this house', suggests the tactful wife, and Caesar complies imediately."4 This demonstrates Calphurnia's willingness to insult her own image in hopes of preserving her husband's.
It might be argued that as Cleopatra's desires for Caesar's well being were fueled by ulterior motives, so were Calphurnia's. However, in DeMille's film Calphurnia emphasizes her genuineness. After describing her premonition of dreaming Caesar's falling star, she cries for Caesar to stay at home stating, "not for myself, but for you." Regardless of Calphurnia's pleas, Caesar lets her fall to the floor as he storms out toward the Senate.
Caesar's Favoritism
Comparing Caesar's reactions to both Calphurnia and Cleopatra's pleas discouraging him not to attend the Senate reflects Caesar's differing attitudes toward the two women. In both DeMille's film and the 1963 film "Cleopatra" starring Elizabeth Taylor, Caesar shows little concern for Calphurnia's worrying, but does make an effort to deal with Cleopatra's concerns. However, in Julius Caesar, a play that exists without the presence of Cleopatra, Caesar offers Calpurnia more of his attention. This is an ironic allusion to the idea that Cleopatra's presence interferes with Calphurnia's and Caesar's relationship.
In Julius Caesar, Caesar actually shows some regard to the emotions of his wife. Bonjour examines Caesar's attention to Calphurnia after she affectionately appeals to him: "The human touch comes out when Calphurnia's entreaties create a real conflict in Caesar between matter's political and personal. When confronted with Calphurnia's passionate appeal, Caesar is persuaded that whatever danger lurks behind the ill omens, fear for his personal safety as a man must needs submit to the necessities of the political issue at stake in the Senate."5 Calphurnia's ability to evoke conflict in Caesar's heart is a sharp contrast from her lack of ability to effect Caesar in the "Cleopatra" films.
In DeMille's film, Calphurnia is rejected at the feet of Caesar as he blows her off and lets her fall to the floor. However, when Cleopatra expresses her fears to Caesar, he makes an added effort to console her. While Caesar rushed out of Calphurnia's presence pretending to be far to busy, with Cleopatra, Caesar spends added time embracing her remarking, "Oh, let the Senate wait." In the film starring Liz Taylor, Caesar tells Cleopatra about Calphurnia's nightmare, and asks Cleopatra not to tell him to stay away from the Senate. This implies that Caesar views Calphurnia as weak and worthless, but when it comes to Cleopatra, Caesar needs her support and strength. It is also interesting to note that although both films, as well as the ABC film "Cleopatra", all contain scenes focusing on Cleopatra's remorse following Caesar's death, but all the films fail to capture Calphurnia's emotions after her husband was assassinated. This neglect of Calphurnia implies that many artists do not wish to validate her relationship with Caesar, perhaps in attempts to keep the spotlight on Cleopatra without the interference of Calphurnia.
Calphurnia's Abandonment
Once establishing Calphurnia's devotion to Caesar, it follows that her abandonment by him should earn her sympathy. Mary Butts novel, Scenes from the Life of Cleopatra, presents a Caesar who is itching to find new romance. Butts detracts from Caesar's nobility by presenting him as a man who was not a helpless victim of Cleopatra's seduction, but rather was searching for love prior to even meeting the Egyptian Queen. On his journey to Egypt Caesar remarks to himself, "A nice young mistress is who I want, someone with a life before her. Someone to show ropes to, and get the best there is out of me."6 Butts is also guilty of attempting to rationalize Caesar's infidelity writing, "and Caesar's last work shall be his last women."7 This glorification of Caesar's affair is another means of lessening the guilt felt when subscribing to the grandeur of the tradition.
In certain works it appears that Caesar could barely remember that he still had a woman wife. In the ABC film, Caesar and Cleopatra are vacationing on the Nile and Cleopatra inquires about Calphurnia. Caesar looks surprised and exclaims that he has not seen her in years. Then Cleopatra uses this opening to highlight her great advantage over Calphurnia; Cleopatra's ability to bear children.
The Barren Rubicon vs. the Fertile Nile
Cleopatra's ability to bear children results in her superior attitude over Calphurnia, who has given Caesar no sons. In the Elizabeth Taylor film Cleopatra criticizes Calphurnia's inability to bear a son after twelve years of marriage. Cleopatra remarks, "A woman that cannot bear children is like a river that is dry. A woman must make the barren land fruitful, replenish the Nile, I am the Nile. I will bear many sons. My breasts are filled with love and life. My hips are round and well apart. Such women they say have sons." This brings the scene to a close as Caesar and Cleopatra embrace. The audience is meant to admire Cleopatra's fertility and in turn resent Calphurnia for her barrenness.
Butts continues to poke fun at Calphurnia's infertility having Iras defend Caesar's reluctance to return to Calphurnia remarking, "As though there might be a new infant Caesar when Calphurnia can't mange even one."8 Caesar also demonstrates emotion toward the misfortune's of childbirth. In the film starring Liz Taylor he laments the death of Pompey remembering how his only daughter lost her life trying to give Pompey a son. Also, when Cleopatra inquires if Brutus is Caesar's son, Caesar humbly confesses that he has no son. Caesar's misfortunate experiences with childbirth are another means of rationalizing his attraction to Cleopatra. Cleopatra's fertility leads to the birth of Caesar's son Caesarion, who proves to be the source of great embarrassment for Calphurnia.
Calphurnia's Embarrassment
In many of the works Calphurnia is subject to anguish as a result of Cleopatra. At first this anguish comes in the form of simple gossip such as when DeMille stages a Roman party where the guests are suspicious of Caesar's extended stay in Rome. Calpurnia is forced to play ignorant as gay partygoers remark behind her back phrases such as, "The wife is always the last one to know." Octavian also reminds Calphurnia that her husband has not written to her since he began his stay with Cleopatra. This mere gossip turns into public embarrassment as Cleopatra enters into Rome with her son Caesarion.
All three films deal in detail with Cleopatra's grand entrance into Rome, and Caesarion's significance in the Butts further torments a vulnerable Calphurnia. In the Elizabeth Taylor film, Calphurnia must watch as Cleopatra makes a well-received entrance with dancers, smokes, and an elaborate Spynx throne. The camera catches a disheartened Calphurnia as she is forced to respectfully stand as Cleopatra's throne is lowered. She must also watch as the crowd erupts at the moment Cleopatra and Caesarion are embraced by Caesar. At this point the viewer can't help but feel remorse for Calphurnia's humiliation. This woman is forced to stand by and watch with respect as this erotic queen who is stealing her husband is glorified by Caesar. In the DeMille film, even Calphurnia's maids are shameless enough to comment on Cleopatra's beauty right in front of Calphurnia.
By far, the most humiliating representation of Calphurnia takes place in the ABC film. Here Calphurnia is forced to welcome Cleopatra face to face in front of the Roman Court. The embarrassment must have been overwhelming, as Calphurnia must appear cordial to a woman in front of a group of distinguished people who are aware of Cleopatra's foul behavior with Caesar. To make matters worse Cleopatra lies down the infant Caesarion who Caesar embraces. This proves to be the last straw for Calphurnia as she breaks down in tears.
In the midst of all this humiliation, Calphurnia does have minor moments when she has an advantage over Cleopatra. In the ABC film Caesar asks the Roman crowd to hail the Egyptian Queen, but instead they reply by chanting "Caesar's hore". The crowd's insults lead Cleopatra to storm away and Calphurnia cracks a rare smile. Also in Butts, Cleopatra concedes an edge to Calphurnia as Cleopatra laments her ineffectiveness in caring for Caesar. Cleopatra highlights the value of being a Roman wife saying, "I thought I had better try to be like a Roman wife and I didn't do it well."9 Cleopatra's words imply that despite her appeal of power and eroticism, the most effective way to serve Caesar was imitating a Roman wife, which she still could not do as well as Calphurnia. Cleopatra's desire to act as a Roman wife leads into a significant question; how exactly is a wife defined and how did Caesar respect this definition?
Caesar's Concept of Marriage
Caesar's marriage to Calphurnia was political. In an attempt to make connections, Caesar married Calphurnia who was the daughter of Piso, a candidate for consulship. Later in his career Caesar considered divorcing Calphurnia in order to marry Pompey's daughter in hopes to establish better relations with Pompey. Although these political agendas lessen the sanctity of the Roman institution of marriage, it does not alter the fact that Calphurnia gave twelve years of her life as a devoted wife. Butts also highlights the respect which the Egyptians had for Caesar and Calphurnia's union. When conspiring to break up the marriage Iras contemplates, "it will not be easy, perhaps I dare not think how difficult, to get their marriage undone."10 This statement refutes the concept that a marriage could exist between Caesar and Cleopatra while Caesar was involved in a different type of marriage in Rome, for the Egyptians felt that the only way to win Caesar's hand for Cleopatra was to rid him Calphurnia.
Conclusion
The mere act of adultery should not alone harm the tradition of Caesar and Cleopatra. Adultery was not unheard of in Roman society, but perhaps Caesar took the affair to far. Examine both Calphurnia's and Cleopatra's position in society. While the Queen of Egypt had the authority to manipulate the world around her in attempts to create her desired reality, Calphurnia had little choice in the course of her life. Even with this advantage, Cleopatra still dishonored her character by exploiting Calphurnia's uncontrollable flaw of barrenness. Calphurnia could only respond to the situation she was placed in, and she did so with respect and devotion. Regardless of her efforts Caesar repaid her with insults and thanklessness. Although Caesar's ability to partake in the fruits which Egypt has to offer is enviable, he can not be admired for the agony that he caused his Roman wife.
End Notes
1. Kahn, Arthur. The Education of Julius Caesar, p.280
2. Ripley, John. Julius Caesar on the Stage in England and America, p.158
3. ibid, p.159
4. Bonjour, Adrien. The Structure of Julius Caesar, p.41
5. ibid, p.9
6. Butts, Mary, Scenes from the Life of Cleopatra, p.54
7. ibid, p.70
8. ibid, p.151
9. ibid, p.245
10. ibid, p.95
Works Cited
1. "Cleopatra", Paramount, Cecil B. DeMille,1934
2. "Cleopatra", 20th Century Fox, Joseph Mankiewicz, 1963
3. "Cleopatra", ABC Films, Franc Roddam, 1999
4. Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar, Cambridge Press, 1954
5. Kahn, Arthur. The Education of Julius Caesar, Schoken Books, 1986
6. Butts Mary, Scenes from the Life of Cleopatra, Sun & Moon Press, 1994
7. Bonjour, Adreien. The Structure of Julius Caesar, Liverpool Press, 1958
8. Ripley, John. Julius Caesar on Sage in England and America, Cambridge Press, 1980