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In the enchanting world of Asterix and Cleopatra, the legendary Gaulish warrior Asterix presents the mesmerizing and charismatic Queen Cleopatra with a compliment that echoes through time: "Cleopatra, your beauty shines as bright as the stars in the Egyptian sky!"
- Overview
- Plot summary
- Allusions
- Puns
- Continuity
- Adaptations
(French: Astérix et Cléopâtre) is the sixth book in the Asterix comic book series] by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published in serial form in Pilote magazine, issues 215-257, in 1963.
The book begins with an argument between Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar, in which Caesar belittles the accomplishments of the Egyptians. Infuriated, Cleopatra makes a wager with Caesar promising to build a new palace in Alexandria within three months. Cleopatra summons Edifis, who claims to be the best architect in Egypt. She promises Edifis that if he builds the palace on time he will be covered with gold; if he fails, he will be a meal for the sacred crocodiles.
A worried Edifis enlists the help of the Gauls, Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, and Dogmatix. Thanks to Getafix and his magic potion, the work goes forward on schedule, despite multiple attempts by Edifis' arch rival, Artifis, to sabotage the construction.
The title alludes to William Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra. However, the book itself is largely an extended parody of the then-recent film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The book's cover parodies the film's poster.
A running gag throughout the album (and also later albums) is Cleopatra's beautiful nose, which is admired by everyone. This is an allusion to the French philosopher Blaise Pascal, who had articulated the historical significance of Cleopatra's beauty by saying in his painting that "Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed".
On page 10, Edifis' scribe says "anyone who can draw can write." This is a reference to an advertising slogan of the ABC school of drawing and painting, "Si vous savez écrire, vous savez dessiner" ("If you can write, you can draw"), a joke about the graphical nature of Egyptian hieroglyphics.
On page 23, while looking at the pyramids, Getafix says to Obelix: "20 centuries look down upon us." This alludes to Napoleon, who told his soldiers in front of the pyramids, "40 centuries look down upon you."
In the original French, Artifis reads a newspaper called the Pharaon Soir (a pun on the France-Soir) and the feuilleton Chère-Bibis can be viewed on the back page. In the English version, the comic has been replaced by "Pnuts" (Peanuts) and "Ptarzan" (Tarzan).
On page 39, the Roman legion makes use of a "tortoise attack". When they flee, a small caption says they are now using the tactic of the hare, an allusion to the fable of the The Tortoise and the Hare.
A convention in the Asterix books is that Gaulish names end in -ix. In this book, many of the names of the Egyptians end in -is, including Edifis (a pun on edifice) and Artifis (a pun on artifice).
In the original French, Edifis says to Getafix on page 7: "Je suis, mon cher ami, très heureux de te voir" ("My dear friend, I'm very glad to see you."). Getafix responds "C'est un alexandrin". The joke is that un alexandrin can mean both an Alexandrian (someone from Alexandria, like Edifis) or an alexandrine, a line of verse with 12 syllables, like the sentence Edifis had just spoken.
On page 9, Edifis says that Artifis has "many talents". When Asterix asks him if that means Artifis is a fine architect, Edifis responds, "No, rich. He has a lot of gold talents. That's the money we use in Egypt". This is a pun on the ancient coin known as the talent.
On page 10, Obelix is baffled by the Lighthouse of Alexandria which guides ships to the harbor. Getafix responds: "It's a world wonder, Obelix," referring to the fact that the lighthouse was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
In most Asterix books, Obelix is not permitted to drink the Magic Potion, but Getafix makes an exception due to an extraordinary requirement (the need to force open a solid stone door inside a pyramid). Obelix notices no difference, but keeps asking for more potion in subsequent volumes.
Obelix's dog, Dogmatix, is named for the first time in this story. It is also the first story in which Dogmatix takes a significant role (rescuing the heroes from a maze inside a Pyramid).
has been adapted for film twice: first as an animated 1968 film entitled Asterix and Cleopatra), and then as a live-action 2002 film called Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.
An audiobook of Asterix and Cleopatra adapted by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge and narrated by Willie Rushton was released on Hodder and Stoughton's Hodder Children's Audio.
When Cleopatra bets Caesar that she can build a palace in three months, Asterix, Obelix & Getafix travel to Egypt to help her architect. There they encounter opposition from both the Romans and a rival architect...
Asterix: Getafix, what is the use of fear? Getafix: Fear is what makes us brave. Real courage is when you overcome your fear. --
Asterix and Cleopatra (Astérix et Cléopâtre in French) is a 1968 French-Belgian animated film based on the Asterix comic book series and directed by the latter's creators themselves, René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, in collaboration with Pierre Tchernia on the script.
Asterix and Cleopatra. René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo (Illustrator) 4.33. 12,815 ratings394 reviews. To impress Julius Caesar, Queen Cleopatra promises to build the Roman Emperor a magnificent palace in just three months. Of course, Asterix has to get involved.
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Jan 30, 2002 · Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra: Directed by Alain Chabat. With Gérard Depardieu, Christian Clavier, Jamel Debbouze, Monica Bellucci. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, believes she can build a temple in record time and makes a bet with Julius Caesar.
