Cleopatra

Abbott, Jacob, 1803-1879Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 361K words
Chapters: 37

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Cleopatra by Jacob AbbottAuthor: Abbott, Jacob, 1803-1879,Language: English, Class: DT: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Africa, Release Date: Feb 1, 2004

Editor's review

Jacob Abbott's Cleopatra is an English historical biography of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, made available as a free eBook by Project Gutenberg. Abbott was a prolific nineteenth-century writer of popular history known for fluent narrative aimed at general readers, and this book continues that storytelling approach, linking political struggles, court relationships, and the power dynamics of the Mediterranean world. Its value lies in offering an early example of popular historical narrative: it helps readers build a basic framework for Cleopatra's era and shows how the nineteenth-century English-speaking world told the story of an ancient female ruler. Note that the book was written long ago, and some of its selection of sources and judgments carry the limitations of its time; it should not be treated as the sole authority. It suits readers interested in ancient Egypt and the late Roman Republic who are willing to read it alongside modern scholarship.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in ancient Egypt and the late Roman Republic
Learners who want a narrative account of Cleopatra's life
History enthusiasts seeking accessible English popular history for reading practice
Researchers interested in nineteenth-century popular history writing style

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers needing the latest archaeological findings and rigorous scholarly annotation
Literary readers expecting fictionalized novelistic technique and emotional description
Beginners not yet fluent in English reading and unwilling to use reference tools

Reading tips

Before reading, clarify the timeline of Caesar, Antony, and Octavian to follow the political threads.
Mark the author's evaluative statements as you read, then compare them with modern historical views to identify period bias.
Read with a map to build a sense of space between the eastern Mediterranean and Rome.
Use this book as an introductory narrative, then choose a modern general history to supplement sources and contested issues.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a work of history?

It is a popular historical biography that narrates Cleopatra's life and times rather than a fictional novel. Abbott wrote for general readers in relatively accessible language, but the book's selection of sources and judgments of figures reflect a nineteenth-century perspective, so readers should stay discerning.

What historical background is needed to read this book?

It helps to have a basic understanding of the political landscape of the late Roman Republic, know the general relationships among Caesar, Pompey, Antony, and Octavian, and be familiar with the essentials of Egypt's Ptolemaic dynasty. If this background is unfamiliar, start with a concise timeline of the era before entering the book's narrative.

Are the book's views still reliable today?

As an early work of popular history, it has reference value for its factual framework, but some judgments are shaped by the ideas of its time, and its portrayal of Cleopatra may carry bias. Read it as one historical narrative while consulting modern scholarship and archaeological research to form your own judgment.

Comments

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About the author

Abbott, Jacob, 1803-1879 Author

Jacob Abbott (1803–1879) was an American author and educator best known for his historical and biographical works. The library holds 51 of his works, including Darius the Great, History of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, History of Julius Caesar, Richard II, Cyrus the Great, Pyrrhus, Cleopatra, and Peter the Great. Writing for young readers, he wove individual lives into the broader context of their times, narrating the rise and fall of rulers and figures in clear, accessible prose that made history both readable and instructive. His historical biographies circulated widely and helped popularize history reading. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so this profile focuses on the subjects and style of his works.