V'adoro pupille

Cleopatra stood before a mirror, pulling her veil before her eyes. Egypt was in crisis, and with her brother Ptolemy XIII threatening her rule, she needed Julius Caesar's support. But instead of approaching him as queen, she chose a different strategy: disguise, charm and music.

She had herself smuggled into his quarters disguised as a noble lady. The room was carefully decorated: soft light, rich fabrics and musicians standing by. When Caesar arrived, Cleopatra spoke not-she sang.

"V'adoro, pupille"-I adore you, dear eyes... Although this aria was not composed by Handel until more than 1,700 years later for his opera Giulio Cesare (1724), it perfectly captures the mood of that historical moment: Cleopatra who managed to enchant Caesar with beauty and music.

It worked. Her voice, charisma and charm managed to turn a Roman general into an ally-and eventually, into much more.