LOC16:47
13:47 GMT
CLEOPATRA WAS "SHORT, FAT, UGLY" - REPORT
LONDON, MARCH 25 (KUNA) -- CLEOPATRA, THE QUEEN OF ANCIENT EGYPT, WHO WAS
FAMOUS FOR HER IRRESISTIBLE BEAUTY, HAS BEEN REVEALED AS SHORT, FAT AND UGLY,
ACCORDING TO A NEW EXHIBITION TO BE OPENED HERE SHORTLY.
THE LEGENDARY ATTRACTIVE QUEEN, WHO RULED IN THE FIRST CENTURY BC, HAS BEEN
PLAYED ON THE SCREEN BY A NUMBER OF STARS, INCLUDING ELIZABETH TAYLOR, ALL OF
WHOM PORTRAYED HER AS "A DARK BEAUTY WHO DROVE MEN TO COMMITTING SUICIDE", THE
SUNDAY TIMES NEWSPAPER POINTED OUT IN A FRONT PAGE STORY TODAY.
THE PAPER QUOTED DR SUSAN WALKER, THE CURATOR OF THE CLEOPATRA EXHIBITION,
WHICH OPENS HERE ON APRIL 12, AS SAYING THAT THE COMMON IDEA THAT CLEOPATRA
WAS A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL QUEEN HAS NOW PROVED TO BE A "MYTH" AND PROBABLY
MOSTLY NONSENSE.
ELEVEN STATUES OF CLEOPATRA THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN THOUGHT TO PORTRAY
OTHER QUEENS WILL BE DISPLAYED TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE PAPER SAID.
THEY SHOW THE QUEEN AS PLAIN-LOOKING, VERY SHORT, QUITE PLUMP AND APPEARS
IN NEED OF A GOOD DENTIST.
CLEOPATRA'S FIRST LANGUAGE WAS GREEK, BUT SHE ALSO SPOKE LATIN, HEBREW,
ARAMAIC, AND EGYPTIAN, THE SUNDAY TIMES ADDED. (END)
HE.BS
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