---
title: "The Deified Julius · Divus Julius"
author: "Suetonius"
translator: "John C. Rolfe"
languages: [la, en]
shelf: "Classical Latin"
section: 52 of 89
url: https://scriptura.si/works/suetonius-divus-julius-rolfe-1914/52/
cite: "Suetonius, tr. John C. Rolfe, The Deified Julius · Divus Julius, section 52. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/suetonius-divus-julius-rolfe-1914/52/"
---

# The Deified Julius · Divus Julius

*Suetonius, tr. John C. Rolfe*

## 52. Chapter 52

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/suetonius-divus-julius-rolfe-1914/52/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/suetonius-divus-julius-rolfe-1914/52/#p-N

[¶0] He had love affairs with queens too, including Eunoe the Moor, wife of Bogudes, on whom, as well as on her husband, he bestowed many splendid presents, as Naso writes; but above all with Cleopatra, with whom he often feasted until daybreak, and he would have gone through Egypt with her in her state-barge almost to Aethiopia, had not his soldiers refused to follow him. Finally he called her to Rome and did not let her leave until he had ladened her with high honours and rich gifts, and he allowed her to give his name to the child which she bore.

> Latin: Dilexit et reginas, inter quas Eunoen Mauram Bogudis uxorem, cui maritoque eius plurima et immensa tribuit, ut NasoNaso, ϛ (Mancinellus); vasa, Ω (apparently corrected fromvasuinM ; vasas, G). scripsit; sed maxime Cleopatram, cum qua et convivia in primam lucem saepe protraxit et eadem nave thalamego paene Aethiopia tenus Aegyptum penetravit, nisi exercitus sequi recusasset, quam denique accitam in urbem non nisi maximis honoribus praemiisque auctam remisit filiumque natum appellare nomine suo passus est.

*Note: M. Actorius Naso; see chap. 9.3.*

[¶1] In fact, according to certain Greek writers, this child was very like Caesar in looks and carriage. Mark Antony declared to the senate that Caesar had really acknowledged the boy, and that Gaius Matius, Gaius Oppius, and other friends of Caesar knew this. Of these Gaius Oppius, as if admitting that the situation required apology and defence, published a book, to prove that the child whom Cleopatra fathered on Caesar was not his.

> Latin: Quem quidem nonnulli Graecorum similem quoque Caesari et forma et incessu tradiderunt. M. Antonius adgnitum etiam ab eo senatui adfirmavit, idqueidque, Modderman; the greater number of the mss. have que (= quae). scire C. Matium et C. Oppium reliquosque Caesaris amicos; quorum Gaius Oppius, quasi plane defensione ac patrocinio res egeret, librum edidit, non esse Caesaris filium, quem Cleopatra dicat.

[¶2] Helvius Cinna, tribune of the commons, admitted to several that he had a bill drawn up in due form, which Caesar had ordered him to propose to the people in his absence, making it lawful for Caesar to marry what wives he wished, and as many as he wished, for the purpose of begetting children. But to remove all doubt that he had an evil reputation both for shameless vice and for adultery, I have only to add that the elder Curio in one of his speeches calls him every woman’s man and every man’s woman.

> Latin: Helvius Cinna tr. pl. plerisque confessus est habuisse se scriptam paratamque legem, quam Caesar ferre iussisset cum ipse abesset, uti uxores liberorum quaerendorum causa quas et quot vellet ducere liceret. At ne cui dubium omnino sit et impudicitiae et adulteriorum flagrasse infamia, Curio pater quadam eum oratione omnium mulierum virum et omnium virorum mulierem appellat.

*Note: The words liberorum quaerendorum causa are a legal formula indicating that the purpose of marriage is to beget legal heirs.*