Cleo opens with “Daughter of the Nile”, introducing Cleopatra as a young girl in 69 BCE and summarising her early life and upbringing. Upon her father’s death in 51 BCE, Cleopatra assumes the throne at 18 years old, ruling alongside her younger brother, Ptolemy XIII. However, at just 13 years old, Ptolemy XIII is heavily influenced by his advisors, who manipulate his rule for their own gain (“Puppet”). As tensions rise between Cleopatra and her brother, she flees Egypt and seeks support in Syria (“Night of a Thousand Lives”). Determined to reclaim her throne, Cleopatra returns to Egypt with an army, famously sneaking into the palace to meet Julius Caesar and gain his backing against Ptolemy XIII (“A Taste of Rome”). With Caesar’s support, Cleopatra emerges victorious in the civil war, leading to Ptolemy XIII's death and her restoration to the throne.
Cleopatra and Caesar’s political relationship soon evolves into a romantic entanglement, resulting in the birth of their son, Caesarion, in 47 BCE. However, while visiting Rome, Cleopatra realises she will always remain in its shadow and begins to reflect on her future prospects. During her stay, Caesar is assassinated in 44 BCE, leaving Cleopatra in a vulnerable political position (“The Ides of March”).
Following Caesar’s death, Cleopatra must reassert her authority and aligns politically with Mark Antony. They meet in Tarsus in 41 BCE and soon develop both a strategic and romantic relationship (“The Rebirth of a Queen”). Their alliance creates tensions with Octavian, particularly after Antony publicly declares his intention to divide Roman territories among his children with Cleopatra—Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene II, and Ptolemy Philadelphus. After several years without contact, Antony turns to Cleopatra for military support in his conflict with Octavian (“Cleopatra Thea Philopator”).
In 31 BCE, Antony and Cleopatra’s forces suffer a crushing defeat at the Battle of Actium, forcing them to retreat to Egypt ("Essence of Banality” & “We March On”). Facing inevitable defeat, they reflect on their impending loss—not only of their reign but, more importantly, their family (“Beauty in the Breaking”), before Antony takes his own life. As the fall of Alexandria marks the end of Cleopatra’s world (“World on Fire”), Octavian captures her with the intention of taking her to Rome. However, Cleopatra ultimately takes her own life, determined to leave behind a legacy as a symbol of female power and political acumen (“Legacy").
Cleo concludes with “Wild”, an elegy, a reflection on the life of Cleopatra and her enduring legacy.
