“Beware, then, of those witches of Alexandria, lest, like a worm, some one of them creep into my heart and eat its secret.” – Shakespeare

Cleopatra VII (69 – 30 B.C.) was one of the most famous female rulers in all of history, and the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt. She is also the first ruler to declare the worm sacred in ancient Egypt, to be honored and protected by all her subjects.

Cleopatra is said to have made a royal decree that removal of earthworms from Egypt was punishable by death for fear of offending the god of fertility.

The Father of Biology, Aristotle had said earthworms are the ‘soil’s entrails.’

Shakespeare had written about worms in Antony and Cleopatra, Act 5, Scene 2, Page 14;

CLEOPATRA

Remember’st thou any that have died on ’t?

COUNTRYMAN

Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday—a very honest woman, but something given to lie, as a woman should not do but in the way of honesty—how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt. Truly, she makes a very good report o’ th’ worm. But he that will believe all that they say shall never be saved by half that they do. But this is most falliable, the worm’s an odd worm.

CLEOPATRA

Get thee hence, farewell.

COUNTRYMAN

I wish you all joy of the worm.

CLEOPATRA

Farewell.

COUNTRYMAN

You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

CLEOPATRA

Ay, ay. Farewell.

COUNTRYMAN

Look you, the worm is not to be trusted but in the keeping of wise people, for indeed there is no goodness in the worm.

CLEOPATRA

Take thou no care. It shall be heeded.

COUNTRYMAN

Very good. Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding.

CLEOPATRA

Will it eat me?

COUNTRYMAN

You must not think I am so simple but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman. I know that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women, for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five.

Moe

Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.