Cleopatra had herself smuggled secretly into the palace to meet with Julius Caesar. Plutarch in his "Life of Julius Caesar" gives a vivid description of how she entered past the guards rolled up in a carpet. Evidently their meeting was a friendly one; nine months later Cleopatra gave birth to their son, nicknamed Caesarion, "little Caesar."
(Also for Three Word Wednesday and ABC Wednesday: "O" is for "Owen")
I wrote the following scenelet, thinking it might remind you of a well-known historical event. What event?
“I’m sorry, Ted. You and I, we’ve been friends for a couple of
years and I love you – but not, if you see what I mean, in that way.
I hope we can stay friends.”
“Sure, Jen, no hard
feelings. I always thought we’d make a
great couple, but some things were just not meant to be. Anyway, I’ll always be there for you, if you
ever need my help.”
“Well, now that you mention it, there is something you could help me with. You might think it’s a bit silly, but I’d really like to meet Mr. Owen.”
"What!?"
“I thought you might react like that. I know, he’s the boss and I’m just an employee…”
“Jennifer, try to
clamber back aboard reality! Owen is the
CEO of one of the largest Fortune 500 corporations in the country. Your chance of ‘meeting’ him in some sort of
social situation is close to zero.”
“I know. But you know so many people in this firm, I
thought…”
“I don’t know Owen! He’s up there on the penthouse level and I’m
down here on the third floor. How did
you ever come up with the idea of meeting the big cheese anyway?”
“Well, I read that
after his divorce he’s now an eligible bachelor so I thought if he ever got to
know me, the real me, he might think I was just the kind of girl he’s looking
for.”
“I don’t think there’s
any evidence that he’s ‘looking for’ anyone.
Jen, don't go on the defensive; forget about the CEO. There’s a lot of nice guys on the staff here
– me, as one example – that you can meet a lot more easily than Herr Owen.”
“I know all that but I
can’t get him out of my mind.”
“But to get back to
your original question, how on earth could I
help you meet Owen?”
“Well Ted, you may not
be aware of it but there’s a general feeling in the department that you are a
guy with a fertile mind and a lot of good ideas. Some of
them are sort of wild and crazy, but often they seem to work.”
“So you want a wild and
crazy idea as to how to meet the top boss?”
“Exactly.”
“Well – you know… I do have an idea that just came to me. You'd have to be pretty needy to do this , but I think it would be wild and crazy enough for
anyone. He’s having his office remodeled
and I’m in charge of the new furniture, drapes, carpet and so on.”
“I’m listening.”
“Suppose – you did say
‘wild and crazy,’ right? Suppose we had
you rolled up in that huge new carpet, then when it’s delivered to his office
you pop out and say, ‘Hi, Mr. Owen! I’m Jennifer!”
“Wow. I’m afraid that’s a bit too much. That could never happen in reality.”
“But it did.”
(The
answer will be posted Saturday.)
26 comments:
Apollodorus helped Cleopatra get to meet Julius Caesar by rolling her in a carpet and taking her to him in that way. Julius and Cleo' got on very well together it appears - hence Caesarion!
Altonian, as he has done so well in the past, starts us off with the correct answer.
Antony and Cleopatra, but only in the film.
I meant Cleopatra sailing to Rome rolled in a carpet to meet Caesar.
I think it's how Cleopatra smuggled herself into Caeser's palace to meet him.
Three "winners"! Friko, ninotaziz and Kathe W, all with the right answer.
Marilyn Manson singing at the queen of englands birthday celebrations ???
The only positive example I can think of involved Cleopatra and Julius Caesar.
Roger Owen Green has just joined us with the correct answer.
Cleopatra meeting Julius Caesar. Very nice modernization.
Another right answer, this time from SilverGardenia.
Ah ha! Not in the recent future, but a bit farther back. When and how Cleopatra met Julius Caesar!
Congrats, Karen S, for another correct answer.
FINALLY - I'd been on a losing streak...
Thank you Berowne for keeping us On Our tOes....:-) Congrats Roger! :-)
A fascinating story, but I don't know the answer, I am afraid!
Have a great week!
Wil, ABCW Team
Caesar and Cleopatra.
News flash: oldegg has the right answer,
In the back of my mind is a shadow that says this is a story from Arabian Nights, about a girl smuggled in to the room of a nobleman, rolled in a carpet.
Ha - that's a very old carpet, and it's Cleopatra!
The correct answer has just popped up again, this time from Other Mary.
Blank, but will slap myself when the answer is revealed for not remembering.
Cleopatra ?
Di.x
abcw team.
Trubes has just coughed up the right answer.
Wow! Berowne....
Dare I boast and say that's three on a row for me!
I so enjoy your clever quizzes
Regards,
Di,
ABCW team,
Three in a row? That makes you eligible for the huge cash award - assuming I can find someone who'll put up some money. :-)
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