Apollodorus the Sicilian

In 48 BC he is supposed to have enabled Cleopatra to get in the palace of Alexandria to Julius Caesar and in this way to strengthen decisively her position in the power struggle with her brother Ptolemy XIII.

Apollodorus was believed to have been originally a servant of Egyptian race of Cleopatra VII who gained her trust and rose to power to become her adviser as mentioned by historian Plutarch.

Cleopatra first sent negotiators to explain her point of view but, according to the historian Cassius Dio, she soon became convinced that if she came personally she could more easily win the Roman ruler over by her charm and beauty.

The Roman poet Lucan claims, that when Cleopatra arrived near the city she bribed a guardian to remove the defensive chains in the harbour of Pharus.

[6] According to Plutarch this happened in the twilight, and the Greek biographer adds that Cleopatra thought that her only chance to get to Caesar was to stretch herself at full length inside a bed-sack or carpet while Apollodorus tied it up with a cord and carried it past the guardians into the palace.