I don't want to rain on anyone's parade but whilst it is interesting to discover that Cleopatra, famed for her ability to enthrall the hearts of the most powerful men of her age was "ugly" I think there are two things I feel I should point out.
One, Mark Anthony and Julius Caeser may have had naughty designs in her regard - but let's not entirely rule out these may have been political in nature rather than romantic. Perhaps it was her enormous tracts of lands that held some appeal.
Two, could these coins not just as easily show that coin designers weren't up to much back in the day. I mean I've got a picture of the Queen in my pocket which doesn't look very much like her, and if the likeness is inadequate with the aid of modern technology can we not entertain the thought that it is the image that is out of whack - not Cleopatra's face.
Personally, I think the two images on the coin (pictured) look like they could be the Grimm Brothers rather than lovers who made a "pair so famous".
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The ugly truth
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3 comments:
Three, what constitutes attractiveness now may not have held two thousand years ago. One common poetical description of attractive women was boöpis, usually rendered "ox-eyed" (more literally "cowface").
Good call phugebrins.
Four, and of course dfferent people have different tastes - who's to say what is objectively ugly and beautiful, not the tabloid press that's for sure.
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