On page 23, while looking at the pyramids, Getafix says to Obelix: “20 centuries look down upon us.” This alludes to Napoleon, who told his soldiers in front of the pyramids, “40 centuries look down upon you.” On page 10, Edifis’s scribe says “anyone who can draw can write.” This is a reference to an advertising slogan of the ABC school of drawing and painting, “Si vous savez écrire, vous savez dessiner” (“If you can write, you can draw”), a joke about the graphical nature of Egyptian hieroglyphics. This is an allusion to the French philosopher Blaise Pascal, who had articulated the historical significance of Cleopatra’s beauty by saying in his Pensées that “Cleopatra’s nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed”. The book’s cover parodies the film’s poster.Ī running gag throughout the album (and also later albums) is Cleopatra’s beautiful nose, which is admired by everyone. However, the book itself is largely an extended parody of the then-recent film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The title alludes to William Shakespeare’s play Antony and Cleopatra. Edifis and Artifis reconcile and Cleopatra gives Getafix some papyrus manuscripts from the Library of Alexandria as a gift. Cleopatra wins her bet and covers Edifis with gold. Caesar’s legions are required to fix the damage they caused (without any magic potion to help them) and the palace is successfully completed on time. A furious Cleopatra then hurries to the construction site to berate Caesar. In desperation, Asterix and Dogmatix deliver the news to Cleopatra.

The Gauls fight off the Roman soldiers, but the commanding officer proceeds to shell the building with his catapults. Just before the palace is due to be completed, Caesar intervenes by sending legions to try and arrest the Gauls. He bribes the stone-delivery man to throw his quarry away, tries to lock the Gauls inside a pyramid, kidnaps Edifis and tries to frame the Gauls by sending a poisoned cake to Cleopatra. Thanks to Getafix and his magic potion, the work goes forward on schedule, despite multiple attempts by Edifis’s arch rival, Artifis, to sabotage the construction. She promises Edifis that if he builds the palace on time he will be covered with gold if he fails, he will be a meal for the sacred crocodiles.Ī worried Edifis enlists the help of the Gauls, Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, and Dogmatix.

Cleopatra summons Edifis, who claims to be the best architect in Egypt. Infuriated, Cleopatra makes a wager with Caesar promising to build a new palace in Alexandria within three months.

The book begins with an argument between Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, and Julius Caesar, in which Caesar belittles the accomplishments of the Egyptian people.

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