Caesar and Cleopatra

When Julius Caesar arrives in Egypt and finds Cleopatra in hiding, he encourages her to return to the palace and embrace her role as queen. Shaw depicts an unlikely pair that bond over a common goal.

As Roman forces invade Egypt, Julius Caesar stumbles across a young Cleopatra hiding amongst the statues. He initially conceals his identity, as the queen expresses concern over Caesar and his impending army. When he convinces her to return to the palace, she soon discovers his true name. Following a brief exchange, the young woman is relieved as Caesar has quelled her worst fears. Yet, in the midst of a Roman occupation, Cleopatra and her brother Ptolemy engage in a bitter battle for the Egyptian throne.

In Caesar and Cleopatra, George Bernard Shaw explores the unique dynamic between two of history's most notable figures. It's a cynical but entertaining view of the political warfare that ravaged Ancient Egypt. With his sharp prose, Shaw revitalizes the classic story and its infamous characters.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Caesar and Cleopatra is both modern and readable.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) was born into a lower-class family in Dublin, Ireland. During his childhood, he developed a love for the arts, especially music and literature. As a young man, he moved to London and found occasional work as a ghostwriter and pianist. Yet, his early literary career was littered with constant rejection. It wasn't until 1885 that he'd find steady work as a journalist. He continued writing plays and had his first commercial success with Arms and the Man in 1894. This opened the door for other notable works like The Doctor's Dilemma and Caesar and Cleopatra.