Chapter 1138: Proper Name
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Whether it was Gao Ke and the rest or Jack, the name of Arsinoe II was so strange that none of them had heard of it.
“Jeff, Arsi... How do I pronounce the word ‘nuo’ for Egyptian?” Jack asked. “I don’t know how to translate it.”
“Arsinoe II, that is, Arsinoe the second—this pronunciation, I’m not sure if it’s accurate or not, but it’s this meaning,” Zhang Zian said.
Jack translated his words for the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper shook his head like a rattle drum. “If you’re kidding, distinguished Chinese guest, this joke is not funny at all—I’ve never heard the name of Arsinoe II, let alone confused her with Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt.”
When Zhang Zian spoke, he had already searched for the owner of the name on his mobile phone and said, “This person lived 200 years earlier than Cleopatra, a queen in the early Ptolemaic dynasty. She is not famous, but she does exist in history. This full-body statue is based on her.”
“What evidence do you have?” The shopkeeper frowned, finally leaving out the ‘distinguished guest’ term.
Zhang Zian pointed at the three fierce cobras at the front of the crown of the figure. “Pharaohs and queens in ancient Egyptian history would wear cobra crowns, but there was only one cobra in the early stage, two in the middle stage, and three in the Ptolemaic dynasty,” he said. “So we can judge that the real body of this must be a female emperor or queen of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which is the scope. It’s much smaller.”
“Besides, Cleopatra looks like this.” He pointed to the fourth plaster head. “Although she is not the most beautiful woman imaginable, she has nothing in common with the third body image. The head of Arsinoe II is printed on some gold coins. If you compare them slightly, you can find that the facial outline of Arsinoe II coincides with the third full body statue.”
Everyone had smartphones. They could find relevant information about Arsinoe II on the Internet. They could compare the gold coin with the plaster body image. As Zhang Zian had said, Arsinoe II’s broad and flat face was far from Cleopatra VII’s three-dimensional face and closer to the plaster full body statue.
Xiao Tianyu sighed. “So if ancient Egypt had not perished, the queen would have become Medusa—a head full of cobras!”
Fina listened to Zhang Zian’s words and nodded slightly. It felt that this servant was not humiliating it. When it heard Xiao Tianyu’s nonsensical speech, it turned its head and stared at him fiercely, angered at him for talking too much.
As a matter of fact, the shopkeeper was silent at last. Although the Egyptians had many shortcomings, and they liked all kinds of tricks, such as kidnapping tourists in pits and cheating money and people to have s*x with them, they still loved face, and they would not randomly say these things in this kind of situation.
“Ha ha! Honorable guest, you are so knowledgeable! As a native Egyptian, I was taught a lesson by you instead! As a thank you, I’d like to sell you the gypsum head you see at the most favorable price!”
The shopkeeper caught sight of a white European couple walking to the door of the shop. They seemed to have the intention to go shopping. He wanted to send Zhang Zian and the rest away sooner. Otherwise, it would affect business too much. After all, European people were the real main force of consumption here.
Zhang Zian did not believe half a word that this unscrupulous Arabian merchant had said. Although the shopkeeper had repeatedly claimed that it was the most favorable price, he still adhered to the principle of halving the price when bargaining, otherwise he would not leave.
The shop was narrow, their group plus a cat and a dog blocked inside. Outside, the white couple simply could not enter, and the shopkeeper had no choice but to admit his bad luck. He pinched his nose and agreed.
Because of the fragility of the plaster figurine, it needed to be shipped back, and so Zhang Zian let the shopkeeper use double-layer packaging, in which sponges and waste newspapers were stuffed to absorb the impact. He left after that in satisfaction.
“I did not make you buy it. Don’t say that I forced you to buy it,” Fina said, humming.
Zhang Zian held the heavy box and expressed that he had been with it for so long. If he could not figure out what it meant, then what was he doing? Since it was eyeing this plaster head figure and refusing to leave, he must buy it. The difference was whether he wanted to buy it on his own initiative or if he wanted it to open its mouth. It was better to choose the former, of course.
Of course, it was impossible for him to admit his indignation. He only said, “I have long felt that even after the renovation of the shop, there has still been a lack of finishing touches. In other words, the plaster head should be enough to solve this problem and attract more young bourgeois-aura girls!”
Fina was satisfied with the answer and glanced at him. “Do you think she’s not as beautiful as she thought? And doesn’t fit the definition of beauty for humans?”
Zhang Zian’s heart felt cold. It was a question that would get him in trouble either way!
If he just went with the flow and admitted that Cleopatra VII was not very beautiful, just randomly picking a beauty on TikTok who could totally win over her, not to mention the 361-degree Sihwa without a bad angle, it was estimated that he would not be able to return to his country alive...
However, if he flattered her without thinking, praising her as the first beautiful woman in the world, it was estimated that his fate would not be better.
“Gah! Why is your face so black?” Richard asked, gloating at the situation. “You’re even sweating so much behind your back!”
He had quick wits in an emergency and said, “In terms of appearance alone, in terms of modern aesthetics, Cleopatra VII can only be regarded as someone whose looks are slightly higher than average...”
Fina’s face became cold.
He dared not keep the listeners in suspense. “But unlike in the Hollywood movies and the rumors, her outstanding charm did not come entirely from her appearance, but more from her profound knowledge and wisdom,” he added. “It is said that she had extensive knowledge of philosophy, mathematics, architecture, and alchemy, and that she was also proficient in nine languages as head of state. Whether Caesar or Anthony, they were both heroes. They were never stunned by women. They never lacked beautiful women. If she was just a beautiful vase, how could she turn those two Roman figures upside down?”
“Gah? Are you speaking carelessly, idiot? She really knew nine languages?” cried Richard.
“It’s true. She not only knew nine languages, but she could also switch among them freely in conversation, any of which could rival her native Greek,” Zhang Zian said truthfully. “In addition, she was supported and loved by the people of ancient Egypt at that time because she was the only person who could use the ancient Egyptian language among the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty for more than a dozen generations, which was quite powerful.”
Cleopatra of Egypt, the word ‘gorgeous’, causing her to suffer a lot of misunderstandings and mockery.
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