The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan [83]
Cleopatra’s fate would now be inseparable from that of Marc Antony and his foe Octavian. Octavian wanted Egypt’s wealth, and he wanted Marc Antony’s power. Julius Caesar had named Octavian his legal heir before he died, but Octavian still feared that Caesarion (Caesar’s son with Cleopatra) would one day challenge him for the leadership of Rome.
Octavian and the Roman Senate declared war against Antony and Cleopatra. Octavian’s general Agrippa captured one of Antony’s Greek cities, Methone. On a September morning in 31 BC, Antony and Cleopatra commanded a flotilla of ships to arrive at the Gulf of Actium, on the western coast of Greece, to win the city back.
Egypt’s Last Queen
The battle would be a disaster for Cleopatra. Before day’s end she would turn her ships back to Alexandria, followed by Marc Antony, who had lost many ships and many men. Their day was over. Soon, Octavian’s forces threatened Alexandria. With Antony already dead by his own hand, Cleopatra chose to kill herself rather than be taken prisoner and displayed in Octavian’s triumphal march through the streets of Rome.
Still considering Caesarian a threat, Octavian had the twelve-year-old put to death. He brought Cleopatra’s three children with Marc Antony to Rome, where they were raised by Octavian’s sister Octavia, who had also been Antony’s Roman wife and was now his widow.
One era ended, and another began. Cleopatra was independent Egypt’s last Queen and reigning Pharaoh. Having defeated Cleopatra, Octavian declared Egypt a Roman province. He commandeered Egypt’s immense treasure to pay his soldiers. Having vanquished Marc Antony, Octavian ushered in the Pax Romana, or Roman Peace, and became the first Emperor of Rome.
Lemonade Stand
ALEMONADE STAND is a great way to earn a little spending money and meet your neighbors. What you need:
Lemonade, in a pitcher or large thermos
Ice (and a cooler to keep it frozen)
Snacks
Cups and napkins
Change box, or the cash register you played with in kindergarten, if your little sister hasn’t broken it
Folding card table
Big sign, most definitely, and a price list
Chairs or a bench, if you’d like
Optional: Music, or another way to call attention to the stand
Lemonade and brownies are a classic combination. Baking brownies from a box is quick work, and we’ve included recipes for other treats as well.
Crafts are good, too—perhaps friendship bracelets, which you can work on between customers. You might also devote half the table to a mini yard sale, and sell odds-and-ends you’ve outgrown. This is where the card table’s size comes in handy.
RECIPES FOR YOUR STAND
Lemonade
If you want to squeeze fresh lemons, here’s the basic recipe, which yields 4 cups. You can see that making enough fresh lemonade for your stand will entail much lemon-juicing time.
4 cups of water
Juice from 6 lemons
¾ cup of sugar, or more, depending on whether you prefer sweet or tart lemonade
Mix together by hand or in a blender, adjust sweetness, and serve over ice.
Alternately, you can make lemonade from frozen lemonade concentrate, available at the grocery, or from dry mix. There’s nothing wrong with these not-from-scratch options, especially if the idea is to get out to the street and sell some lemonade, not stand at the kitchen counter all morning juicing lemons. Follow the directions on the can or bag. You can always cut some thin lemon slices, and add one to each cup of lemonade you pour.
Lemon Candy Straw Treats
To make this old-fashioned treat, push a lemon candy stick (these are hollow inside) into the open side of a lemon that’s been cut in half. The combo of the tart lemon and the sweet stick is perfect. To make this treat from a whole lemon, use an apple corer, lemon juicer, or a sharp knife to make a hole for the candy straw. You can also use oranges or limes.
BAKED GOODS
Shortbread makes an excellent and unexpected addition to any full-service lemonade stand, as does fudge. Both recipes are incredibly easy, although fudge will take forethought,