John Collier: Death of Cleopatra
Cleopatra’s Final Days Were Far More Horrific Than History Admits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7v7GHzpZxg
Cleopatra VII, the last active pharaoh of ancient Egypt, died by suicide in August 30 BC in Alexandria, the capital of the Ptolemaic Kingdom (in modern-day Egypt).The exact date is uncertain due to the lack of precise contemporary records, but the two most commonly accepted possibilities among historians are August 10 or August 12, 30 BC.
This occurred shortly after the death of her consort Mark Antony and the arrival of Octavian's (future emperor Augustus) forces in Alexandria following their defeat at Actium
The solar annular eclipse on August 20, 31 BC (with the New Moon at approximately 24° Leo) occurred shortly before the Battle of Actium on September 2, 31 BC conjunct the star Denebola/ Avior/ Cor Caroli etc. In mundane astrology, eclipses—especially those conjunct prominent fixed stars—are often interpreted as markers of major turning points, crises, power shifts, or large-scale conflicts, particularly when tied to Leo (leadership, royalty, visibility, drama) or involving benefic/malefic stellar influences.
Diana K. Rosenberg, associated certain degrees around the star Denebola with themes of "great decisive historic battles", military crises, downfalls of leaders/kings, reversals of fortune, public scandals or exposures, and shifts in power—often involving naval or large-scale confrontations.
Denebola (the "lion's tail") traditionally carries Saturn-Venus or Mars-like qualities: criticism, disgrace, regret, but also vindication or decisive action after buildup; in mundane contexts, it marks endings of eras, betrayals, or turning-point defeats for those in power.This fits remarkably with the historical context:The eclipse preceded (by about 13 days) the Battle of Actium, a decisive historic naval battle that ended the Roman civil wars, defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra (royalty/leadership in Leo themes), and paved the way for Octavian's (Augustus's) sole rule and the Roman Empire's founding.
Antony's forces were already weakened; the battle marked a dramatic reversal (Antony/Cleopatra's flight, suicides soon after), aligning with Denebola's themes of "tail-end" downfall, exposure, and power transfer.
Eclipses in Leo often symbolize solar/kingly figures in crisis or eclipse (literally/metaphorically)—here, Cleopatra (as a queen/pharaoh) and Antony (as a triumvir/leader) were "eclipsed" by Octavian. Other stars einforce this:Avior (in Carina, sometimes linked to journeys, voyages, or watery/naval themes) and Cor Caroli (associated with heart-wrenching losses or chases/ hunts—fitting a naval pursuit and defeat). Conjunctions like those to Alkes (cup/bowl, Saturn/Mercury: poison, disgrace, or "drinking the cup" of defeat) or Merga add layers of tension, restriction, or fated outcomes.
In Rosenberg's framework (drawn from her vast historical database of events tied to stars), such an eclipse stellium in this area would flag a period primed for great decisive historic battles—especially naval/strategic ones involving empires/leaders. The timing aligns too closely with Actium to be coincidental in astrological interpretation; many mundane astrologers view pre-battle eclipses as omens or energetic setups for the conflict's outcome.This doesn't "predict" in a deterministic sense but highlights how the stars mirrored (or symbolically amplified) the era's massive geopolitical shift—from Republic to Empire, with immense consequences for the Mediterranean world.
The progressed solar eclipse chart (using the PSSR method—Progressed Solar Return) for August 12, 30 BC (one of the two most accepted dates for Cleopatra's suicide, alongside August 10) shows a highly symbolic activation: the Sun-Uranus square from the original eclipse chart (eclipse New Moon in Leo square Uranus at ~23° Scorpio) is brought to exact alignment with the meridian axis (MC/IC in the progressed frame). In mundane astrology:Eclipses (especially solar) often mark major endings, power shifts, or crises for leaders/royalty (Leo emphasis).
The square to Uranus introduces themes of sudden rupture, rebellion against containment, liberation through crisis, or shocking/irreversible events—often involving separation from power or life itself.
Progressing this to exact meridian contact amplifies it as a public culmination or fated peak: the eclipse's disruptive energy "peaks" visibly, aligning with Cleopatra's suicide as a deliberate, dramatic act to deny Octavian the spectacle of parading her in triumph, effectively ending Ptolemaic rule and her personal era.
Adding significant layers are the fixed star conjunctions to Uranus at ~23° Scorpio with Lesath (υ Scorpii, in the Sting of the Scorpion, often paired with Shaula at ~24° Sagittarius but influencing nearby degrees via orb/constellation themes): Traditionally of Mercury-Mars nature, and is explicitly connected with acid poisons, accidents, it's linked to poisonous stings/bites, toxicity, or self-destructive acts involving venom/poison. This resonates strongly with the legend (and likely reality) of Cleopatra's suicide by poison—possibly asp venom (a "sting" symbol), hemlock-like toxin, or self-administered substance to induce quick death.
And also conjunct Ras Alhague (α Ophiuchi, Head of the Serpent Bearer/Ophiuchus. it's tied to healing/medicine (via Asclepius, the serpent-handler who cures poisons) but also the darker side—misfortune through toxins, drugs, poisoning, infections. Ancient texts note protection from poisons for some, but death by snake bite/poison for others (especially if afflicted). In this context, it symbolizes Cleopatra's choice of a "poisoned" end as both lethal and symbolically regal/divine (asp as royal emblem, tied to Isis/rebirth myths—some scholars link her date to the "Birthday of Isis" for rebirth symbolism).
Uranus conjunct these stars adds an electric, revolutionary twist: sudden liberation via toxic means, a "sting" of fate. This PSSR trigger on August 12, 30 BC, provides a compelling astrological signature for why that date (or the close window) marked her suicide: the eclipse's disruptive promise (Leo New Moon square Uranus = eclipse of royal power via sudden break) is precisely activated on the angles, overlaid with poison-linked stars on the Uranus point. It mirrors the historical drama—Cleopatra's end as a shocking, self-orchestrated rupture that sealed Octavian's victory and shifted world history. In fixed-star mundane work (echoing Rosenberg's emphasis on decisive battles/crises in related areas), this setup underscores themes of toxic downfall, venomous resolution, and transformative crisis for a queen facing eclipse.
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