--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From every ancient source, we have…" description: "\"From every ancient source, we have testimony to Cleopatra's irresistible charm, as Plutarch has it, to her ability to speak many languages including, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png" --- # From every ancient source, we have testimony to… ![“From every ancient source, we have testimony to Cleopatra's irresistible charm, as Plutarch has it, to her ability to speak many languages including, as he puts it, the language of flattery and essentially, to be able to turn people to her will - really a great political genius, in that respect.” quote by Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png) > “From every ancient source, we have testimony to Cleopatra's irresistible charm, as Plutarch has it, to her ability to speak many languages including, as he puts it, the language of flattery and essentially, to be able to turn people to her will - really a great political genius, in that respect.” [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage highlights Cleopatra's political skill, noting her multilingual ability and talent for flattery, which allowed her to influence others effectively. **In simple terms:** Cleopatra used language and charm to wield power. Key Takeaway Leverage communication skills to influence. Themes politics communication leadership history Mood analytical critical Type historical observational When to use this quote - diplomacy - negotiation - public speaking - political strategy Key Concepts rhetoric soft power Questions to Reflect On - What ethical limits exist in using charm for persuasion? - How can one balance authenticity with strategic communication? A Different Perspective Relying on flattery can erode trust; influence may be superficial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Charm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/) [Charm Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm-plutarch-2052937/) [Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleopatra/) [Cleopatra Irresistible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleopatra-irresistible-2052934/) [Essentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentially/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Flattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flattery/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Her](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/her/) [Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including/) [Irresistible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresistible/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Languages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/languages/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plutarch Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plutarch-ability-2052936/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Puts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puts/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Testimony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testimony/) [Testimony Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testimony-cleopatra-2052935/) [Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Here you have an incredibly ambitious, accomplished woman who comes up against some of the same problems that women in power come up against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/here-you-have-an-incredibly-ambitious-accomplished-woman-who-comes-up/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [In 'Plutarch,' her voice begins to come out; there are actual 2,000-year-old quotes from Cleopatra, and they are sly and saucy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/in-plutarch-her-voice-begins-to-come-out-there-are-actual-2-000-year/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [ “\[Cleopatra's\] power has been made to derive from her sexuality, for obvious reason; as one of Caesar's murderers had noted, 'How much more attention… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-s-power-has-been-made-to-derive-from-her-sexuality-for/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“While it is unclear who had done so, someone had produced a heroine. Cleopatra's was an honorable death, a dignified death, an exemplary death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/while-it-is-unclear-who-had-done-so-someone-had-produced-a-heroine/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [By the time Florence Nightingale got her neurotic hands on Cleopatra, she had been mangled beyond recognition by both history and literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/by-the-time-florence-nightingale-got-her-neurotic-hands-on-cleopatra/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [I once interviewed David Herbert Donald, the Lincoln historian, and we talked about how one deals with the secondary sources and the previous biographies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/i-once-interviewed-david-herbert-donald-the-lincoln-historian-and-we/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Plutarch clearly notes that her beauty “was not in itself so remarkable that none could be compared with her, or that no one could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/plutarch-clearly-notes-that-her-beauty-was-not-in-itself-so/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [You have to scuba dive in the Alexandrian harbor if you want to see what remains of the lighthouse of Cleopatra's day, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/you-have-to-scuba-dive-in-the-alexandrian-harbor-if-you-want-to-see/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“History existed to be retold, with more panache but not necessarily greater accuracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/history-existed-to-be-retold-with-more-panache-but-not-necessarily/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Against a powerful enchantress there is no contest. Against a woman who ensnares a man in the coils of her serpentine intelligence - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/against-a-powerful-enchantress-there-is-no-contest-against-a-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“The personal inevitably trumps the political, and the erotic trumps all: We will remember that Cleopatra slept with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-personal-inevitably-trumps-the-political-and-the-erotic-trumps/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) ## More by Stacy Schiff > [As always, an educated woman was a dangerous woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/as-always-an-educated-woman-was-a-dangerous-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Recently a study proved that working from a larger, less cluttered computer screen increases concentration. I could have told them that. And yes, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/recently-a-study-proved-that-working-from-a-larger-less-cluttered/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“She did not believe Fate as painstaking as her husband; she was more inclined to take matters into her own hands. She had ample…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/she-did-not-believe-fate-as-painstaking-as-her-husband-she-was-more/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Against a powerful enchantress there is no contest. Against a woman who ensnares a man in the coils of her serpentine intelligence - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/against-a-powerful-enchantress-there-is-no-contest-against-a-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Motherhood is always an act of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/motherhood-is-always-an-act-of-courage/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Nabokov complained he was afflicted with total recall, an affliction of which he could be miraculously cured by the presence of a biographer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/nabokov-complained-he-was-afflicted-with-total-recall-an-affliction/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“History existed to be retold, with more panache but not necessarily greater accuracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/history-existed-to-be-retold-with-more-panache-but-not-necessarily/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Véra assumed her married name almost as a stage name; rarely has matrimony so much represented a profession. It was one of the ironies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/v-ra-assumed-her-married-name-almost-as-a-stage-name-rarely-has/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [When a woman teams up with a snake a moral storm threatens somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/when-a-woman-teams-up-with-a-snake-a-moral-storm-threatens-somewhere/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [parenting is an exercise in unintended consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/parenting-is-an-exercise-in-unintended-consequences/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Strangely enough, politics may just be the one realm in which having kids imposes no penalty on women. Kids are practically a necessity. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/strangely-enough-politics-may-just-be-the-one-realm-in-which-having/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) [Explore all 86 Stacy Schiff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "From every ancient source, we have testimony to Cleopatra's irresistible charm, as Plutarch has it, to her ability to speak many languages including, as he puts it, the language of flattery and essentially, to be able to turn people to her will - really a great political genius, in that respect.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stacy Schiff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testimony-to-cleopatra-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testimony-to-cleopatra-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/787/stacy-schiff-7881_ability_from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testim_2614021.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“From every ancient source, we have testimony to Cleopatra's irresistible charm, as Plutarch has it, to her…” — Stacy Schiff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stacy Schiff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "From every ancient source, we have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testimony-to-cleopatra-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/from-every-ancient-source-we-have-testimony-to-cleopatra-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```