The death of Cleopatra is shrouded in legend. We do know that it occurred after the defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s fleet at Actium in 31. Supposedly, Marc Antony fled the battle when he saw Cleopatra’s ship leaving the battle. He chased after his girlfriend, abandoning his fleet and causing his sailors’ morale to plummet, thus contributing to the loss. The lovers ended up in Alexandria with Octavian hot on their heels. Cleopatra, hoping to fool Octavian, started a rumor that she had committed suicide. When Marc Antony heard the rumor, he was heart broken and fell on his sword. Before dying, he learned that Cleopatra was still alive. According to Plutarch, the dying Marc Antony was carried to die in Cleopatra’s arms. Cleo postponed her own suicide until she could try her feminine charms on Octavian. However, when they met, Octavian proved immune to her charms and her future included being paraded in Rome as the main attraction in Ocravian’s triumph. That was something she would not permit. On August 10, 31, a poisonous asp (the symbol of Egyptian royalty) was smuggled to her in a basket of figs. In the mausoleum she had had constructed on the palace grounds, she allowed the snake to bite her. Her two female servants joined her in death. Modern historians question this narrative. Several have pointed out that the typical asp won’t fit in a basket. Also, an asp bite will kill you, but it will be slow and painful. Why would she go through that if she could take poison and die quickly and painlessly?
https://www.history.com/news/cleopatra-suicide-snake-bite
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Cleopatra
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