Cleopatra arrived in Tarsus in a splendid costume aboard a golden ship to meet Antony. Anthony was so impressed by her beauty that the two spent twelve years together in Tarsus. During this time, Cleopatra conceived three children for Antony, and the queen skillfully maintained the stability of her throne and the kingdom of Egypt.
After Caesar's death, Antony rose to prominence in Rome. At the Battle of Philippi, he successfully defeated the armies of the republican leaders Brutus and Cassius, and then, as agreed with Octavian, he toured the provinces of the East to raise funds. In 41 BC, he arrived at Tarsus in Silesia and sent an envoy to Egypt to invite Cleopatra VII to meet him. Cleopatra VII was well aware of the political situation and powerful figures in Rome, and she saw this as another rare opportunity, so she skillfully arranged the meeting.
Legend has it that Cleopatra VII sailed from Egypt on an lavishly decorated ship to Silesia and then to Tarsus via the River Hindnos. The cabins of this building are hung with purple canvas dyed with precious Tyre dye, while the aft building is decorated with gold flakes that sparkle with the blue waves as it sails. The queen is the goddess Venus, lying in a gauze tent strung with gold thread as thin as a cicada's wings, and beautiful children stand on either side, holding incense fans and swaying gently. And the maids, dressed as fairies of the sea, hold silver oars and row gracefully to the sound of drums. This grand scene attracted the attention of countless people, and the audience was flooded.
Antony was invited to board the ship for a banquet, and when he saw the charming demeanor and elegant speech of Cleopatra VII, he was immediately fascinated and in a trance. Not only did he forget to question Cleopatra VII's ambiguous attitude against the Republican War against the Triumvirate, but he did not hesitate to accede to all her demands, even agreeing to her killing the heir and contender for the throne of Egypt, his half-sister Arsinoy IV, who had taken refuge in Ephesus at the time. Soon after, the valiant warrior was completely taken prisoner and followed her on his way to Egypt. They spent the winter together in Egypt from 41 to 40 BC.