Tragedy by Pierre Corneille, first performed 1645, and remarkable for its powerful, if melodramatic, portrait of moral evil. The central character, Cléopâtre, queen of Syria, will sacrifice anything to retain power. Only she can decide between the rival claims of her twin sons, Antiochus and Séleucus, to inherit the throne; she promises her voice to whichever of the two will rid her of Rodogune, princess of Parthia, whose hand is destined to the new king. Both princes love Rodogune, but she confronts them with a terrible dilemma by promising love to whichever kills his mother. In desperation Cléopâtre kills Séleucus, the weaker of the twins, and prepares a poisoned cup for the wedding of Antiochus and Rodogune, but is forced into drinking it herself, and dies defiant.

[Peter France]