Cleopatra's asp | |
---|---|
Goldie as Cleopatra's asp | |
Cameo information | |
Birth name | Unknown |
Nickname(s) | Cleopatra's asp |
Physical description | |
Hair | None |
Eyes | Black |
Based on | |
Appearance information | |
Appeared in | Cleopatra vs Marilyn Monroe |
During | Cleopatra's first verse |
Location(s) | Egyptian art |
Cleopatra's asp made a cameo appearance in Cleopatra vs Marilyn Monroe. She was portrayed by Goldie.
Information on the cameo[]
An asp is a venomous snake related to the cobra and found in many regions of Africa, including Egypt. It was a symbol of royalty in Ancient Egypt, being worn on the crowns of Egyptian pharaohs as the Uraeus. According to many ancient historians, Cleopatra committed suicide by letting an asp bite her on the breast after learning that her lover Marc Antony had also committed suicide after losing the Battle of Actium. It is said that this asp was concealed in a basket of figs that was brought to her by a rustic, and, finding it after eating a few figs, she held out her arm for it to bite.
As recently as 2010, however, German historian Christoph Schaefer and toxicologist Dietrich Mebs may have discovered that Cleopatra was not bitten by an asp and instead ingested a poison cocktail mixed of hemlock, wolfsbane and opium. Their hypothesis is supported by the facts that other Roman historians like Strabo, Plutarch, and Cassius Did have also have claimed self-poisoning rather than a snakebite killed Cleopatra.
Appearance in the rap battle[]
The asp appeared at the start of Cleopatra's first verse, clutched in her hand. It was then mentioned by Marilyn Monroe's second verse during the line, "I got an ass that won't quit! You got an asp and got bit on the tit!"
Trivia[]
- Cleopatra's asp is the first living animal cameo.
- Although an average asp can grow to be over 25 inches long, the one in the battle is much smaller than the one believed to have killed Cleopatra. This is due to the snake portraying it being a corn snake, which is a different, smaller, and non-venomous species, in addition to the snake's age.