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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was produced by Eve Sobol, South Bend, Indiana, USA + + + + + +CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA + +GEORGE BERNARD SHAW + + + + +ACT I + +An October night on the Syrian border of Egypt towards the end of +the XXXIII Dynasty, in the year 706 by Roman computation, +afterwards reckoned by Christian computation as 48 B.C. A great +radiance of silver fire, the dawn of a moonlit night, is rising +in the east. The stars and the cloudless sky are our own +contemporaries, nineteen and a half centuries younger than we +know them; but you would not guess that from their appearance. +Below them are two notable drawbacks of civilization: a palace, +and soldiers. The palace, an old, low, Syrian building of +whitened mud, is not so ugly as Buckingham Palace; and the +officers in the courtyard are more highly civilized than modern +English officers: for example, they do not dig up the corpses of +their dead enemies and mutilate them, as we dug up Cromwell and +the Mahdi. They are in two groups: one intent on the gambling of +their captain Belzanor, a warrior of fifty, who, with his spear +on the ground beside his knee, is stooping to throw dice with a +sly-looking young Persian recruit; the other gathered about a +guardsman who has just finished telling a naughty story (still +current in English barracks) at which they are laughing +uproariously. They are about a dozen in number, all highly +aristocratic young Egyptian guardsmen, handsomely equipped with +weapons and armor, very unEnglish in point of not being ashamed +of and uncomfortable in their professional dress; on the +contrary, rather ostentatiously and arrogantly warlike, as +valuing themselves on their military caste. + +Belzanor is a typical veteran, tough and wilful; prompt, capable +and crafty where brute force will serve; helpless and boyish when +it will not: an effective sergeant, an incompetent general, a +deplorable dictator. Would, if influentially connected, be +employed in the two last capacities by a modern European State on +the strength of his success in the first. Is rather to be pitied +just now in view of the fact that Julius Caesar is invading his +country. Not knowing this, is intent on his game with the +Persian, whom, as a foreigner, he considers quite capable of +cheating him. + +His subalterns are mostly handsome young fellows whose interest +in the game and the story symbolizes with tolerable completeness +the main interests in life of which they are conscious. Their +spears are leaning against the walls, or lying on the ground +ready to their hands. The corner of the courtyard forms a +triangle of which one side is the front of the palace, with a +doorway, the other a wall with a gateway. The storytellers are on +the palace side: the gamblers, on the gateway side. Close to the +gateway, against the wall, is a stone block high enough to enable +a Nubian sentinel, standing on it, to look over the wall. The +yard is lighted by a torch stuck in the wall. As the laughter +from the group round the storyteller dies away, the kneeling +Persian, winning the throw, snatches up the stake from the +ground. + +BELZANOR. By Apis, Persian, thy gods are good to thee. + +THE PERSIAN. Try yet again, O captain. Double or quits! + +BELZANOR. No more. I am not in the vein. + +THE SENTINEL (poising his javelin as he peers over the wall). +Stand. Who goes there? + +They all start, listening. A strange voice replies from without. + +VOICE. The bearer of evil tidings. + +BELZANOR (calling to the sentry). Pass him. + +THE SENTINEL. (grounding his javelin). Draw near, O bearer of +evil tidings. + +BELZANOR (pocketing the dice and picking up his spear). Let us +receive this man with honor. He bears evil tidings. + +The guardsmen seize their spears and gather about the gate, +leaving a way through for the new comer. + +PERSIAN (rising from his knee). Are evil tidings, then, +honorable? + +BELZANOR. O barbarous Persian, hear my instruction. In Egypt the +bearer of good tidings is sacrificed to the gods as a thank +offering but no god will accept the blood of the messenger of +evil. When we have good tidings, we are careful to send them in +the mouth of the cheapest slave we can find. Evil tidings are +borne by young noblemen who desire to bring themselves into +notice. (They join the rest at the gate.) + +THE SENTINEL. Pass, O young captain; and bow the head in the +House of the Queen. + +VOICE. Go anoint thy javelin with fat of swine, O Blackamoor; for +before morning the Romans will make thee eat it to the very butt. + +The owner of the voice, a fairhaired dandy, dressed in a +different fashion to that affected by the guardsmen, but no less +extravagantly, comes through the gateway laughing. He is somewhat +battlestained; and his left forearm, bandaged, comes through a +torn sleeve. In his right hand he carries a Roman sword in its +sheath. He swaggers down the courtyard, the Persian on his right, +Belzanor on his left, and the guardsmen crowding down behind him. + +BELZANOR. Who art thou that laughest in the House of Cleopatra +the Queen, and in the teeth of Belzanor, the captain of her +guard? + +THE NEW COMER. I am Bel Affris, descended from the gods. + +BELZANOR (ceremoniously). Hail, cousin! + +ALL (except the Persian). Hail, cousin! + +PERSIAN. All the Queen's guards are descended from the gods, O +stranger, save myself. I am Persian, and descended from many +kings. + +BEL AFFRIS (to the guardsmen). Hail, cousins! (To the Persian, +condescendingly) Hail, mortal! + +BELZANOR. You have been in battle, Bel Affris; and you are a +soldier among soldiers. You will not let the Queen's women have +the first of your tidings. + +BEL AFFRIS. I have no tidings, except that we shall have our +throats cut presently, women, soldiers, and all. + +PERSIAN (to Belzanor). I told you so. + +THE SENTINEL (who has been listening). Woe, alas! + +BEL AFFRIS (calling to him). Peace, peace, poor Ethiop: destiny +is with the gods who painted thee black. (To Belzanor) What has +this mortal (indicating the Persian) told you? + +BELZANOR. He says that the Roman Julius Caesar, who has landed on +our shores with a handful of followers, will make himself master +of Egypt. He is afraid of the Roman soldiers. (The guardsmen +laugh with boisterous scorn.) Peasants, brought up to scare crows +and follow the plough. Sons of smiths and millers and tanners! +And we nobles, consecrated to arms, descended from the gods! + +PERSIAN. Belzanor: the gods are not always good to their poor +relations. + +BELZANOR (hotly, to the Persian). Man to man, are we worse than +the slaves of Caesar? + +BEL AFFRIS (stepping between them). Listen, cousin. Man to man, +we Egyptians are as gods above the Romans. + +THE GUARDSMEN (exultingly). Aha! + +BEL AFFRIS. But this Caesar does not pit man against man: he +throws a legion at you where you are weakest as he throws a stone +from a catapult; and that legion is as a man with one head, a +thousand arms, and no religion. I have fought against them; and I +know. + +BELZANOR (derisively). Were you frightened, cousin? + +The guardsmen roar with laughter, their eyes sparkling at the +wit of their captain. + +BEL AFFRIS. No, cousin; but I was beaten. They were frightened +(perhaps); but they scattered us like chaff. + +The guardsmen, much damped, utter a growl of contemptuous +disgust. + +BELZANOR. Could you not die? + +BEL AFFRIS. No: that was too easy to be worthy of a descendant of +the gods. Besides, there was no time: all was over in a moment. +The attack came just where we least expected it. + +BELZANOR. That shows that the Romans are cowards. + +BEL AFFRIS. They care nothing about cowardice, these Romans: they +fight to win. The pride and honor of war are nothing to them. + +PERSIAN. Tell us the tale of the battle. What befell? + +THE GUARDSMEN (gathering eagerly round Bel Afris). Ay: the tale +of the battle. + +BEL AFFRIS. Know then, that I am a novice in the guard of the +temple of Ra in Memphis, serving neither Cleopatra nor her +brother Ptolemy, but only the high gods. We went a journey to +inquire of Ptolemy why he had driven Cleopatra into Syria, and +how we of Egypt should deal with the Roman Pompey, newly come to +our shores after his defeat by Caesar at Pharsalia. What, think +ye, did we learn? Even that Caesar is coming also in hot pursuit +of his foe, and that Ptolemy has slain Pompey, whose severed head +he holds in readiness to present to the conqueror. (Sensation +among the guardsmen.) Nay, more: we found that Caesar is already +come; for we had not made half a day's journey on our way back +when we came upon a city rabble flying from his legions, whose +landing they had gone out to withstand. + +BELZANOR. And ye, the temple guard! Did you not withstand these +legions? + +BEL AFFRIS. What man could, that we did. But there came the sound +of a trumpet whose voice was as the cursing of a black mountain. +Then saw we a moving wall of shields coming towards us. You know +how the heart burns when you charge a fortified wall; but how if +the fortified wall were to charge YOU? + +THE PERSIAN (exulting in having told them so). Did I not say it? + +BEL AFFRIS. When the wall came nigh, it changed into a line of +men--common fellows enough, with helmets, leather tunics, and +breastplates. Every man of them flung his javelin: the one that +came my way drove through my shield as through a papyrus--lo +there! (he points to the bandage on his left arm) and would have +gone through my neck had I not stooped. They were charging at the +double then, and were upon us with short swords almost as soon as +their javelins. When a man is close to you with such a sword, you +can do nothing with our weapons: they are all too long. + +THE PERSIAN. What did you do? + +BEL AFFRIS. Doubled my fist and smote my Roman on the sharpness +of his jaw. He was but mortal after all: he lay down in a stupor; +and I took his sword and laid it on. (Drawing the sword) Lo! a +Roman sword with Roman blood on it! + +THE GUARDSMEN (approvingly). Good! (They take the sword and hand +it round, examining it curiously.) + +THE PERSIAN. And your men? + +BEL AFFRIS. Fled. Scattered like sheep. + +BELZANOR (furiously). The cowardly slaves! Leaving the +descendants of the gods to be butchered! + +BEL AFFRIS (with acid coolness). The descendants of the gods did +not stay to be butchered, cousin. The battle was not to the +strong; but the race was to the swift. The Romans, who have no +chariots, sent a cloud of horsemen in pursuit, and slew +multitudes. Then our high priest's captain rallied a dozen +descendants of the gods and exhorted us to die fighting. I said +to myself: surely it is safer to stand than to lose my breath and +be stabbed in the back; so I joined our captain and stood. Then +the Romans treated us with respect; for no man attacks a lion +when the field is full of sheep, except for the pride and honor +of war, of which these Romans know nothing. So we escaped with +our lives; and I am come to warn you that you must open your +gates to Caesar; for his advance guard is scarce an hour behind +me; and not an Egyptian warrior is left standing between you and +his legions. + +THE SENTINEL. Woe, alas! (He throws down his javelin and flies +into the palace.) + +BELZANOR. Nail him to the door, quick! (The guardsmen rush for +him with their spears; but he is too quick for them.) Now this +news will run through the palace like fire through stubble. + +BEL AFFRIS. What shall we do to save the women from the Romans? + +BELZANOR. Why not kill them? + +PERSIAN. Because we should have to pay blood money for some of +them. Better let the Romans kill them: it is cheaper. + +BELZANOR (awestruck at his brain power). O subtle one! O +serpent! + +BEL AFFRIS. But your Queen? + +BELZANOR. True: we must carry off Cleopatra. + +BEL AFFRIS. Will ye not await her command? + +BELZANOR. Command! A girl of sixteen! Not we. At Memphis ye deem +her a Queen: here we know better. I will take her on the crupper +of my horse. When we soldiers have carried her out of Caesar's +reach, then the priests and the nurses and the rest of them can +pretend she is a queen again, and put their commands into her +mouth. + +PERSIAN. Listen to me, Belzanor. + +BELZANOR. Speak, O subtle beyond thy years. + +THE PERSIAN. Cleopatra's brother Ptolemy is at war with her. Let +us sell her to him. + +THE GUARDSMEN. O subtle one! O serpent! + +BELZANOR. We dare not. We are descended from the gods; but +Cleopatra is descended from the river Nile; and the lands of our +fathers will grow no grain if the Nile rises not to water them. +Without our father's gifts we should live the lives of dogs. + +PERSIAN. It is true: the Queen's guard cannot live on its pay. +But hear me further, O ye kinsmen of Osiris. + +THE GUARDSMEN. Speak, O subtle one. Hear the serpent begotten! + +PERSIAN. Have I heretofore spoken truly to you of Caesar, when +you thought I mocked you? + +GUARDSMEN. Truly, truly. + +BELZANOR (reluctantly admitting it). So Bel Affris says. + +PERSIAN. Hear more of him, then. This Caesar is a great lover of +women: he makes them his friends and counselors. + +BELZANOR. Faugh! This rule of women will be the ruin of Egypt. + +THE PERSIAN. Let it rather be the ruin of Rome! Caesar grows old +now: he is past fifty and full of labors and battles. He is too +old for the young women; and the old women are too wise to +worship him. + +BEL AFFRIS. Take heed, Persian. Caesar is by this time almost +within earshot. + +PERSIAN. Cleopatra is not yet a woman: neither is she wise. But +she already troubles men's wisdom. + +BELZANOR. Ay: that is because she is descended from the river +Nile and a black kitten of the sacred White Cat. What then? + +PERSIAN. Why, sell her secretly to Ptolemy, and then offer +ourselves to Caesar as volunteers to fight for the overthrow of +her brother and the rescue of our Queen, the Great Granddaughter +of the Nile. + +THE GUARDSMEN. O serpent! + +PERSIAN. He will listen to us if we come with her picture in our +mouths. He will conquer and kill her brother, and reign in Egypt +with Cleopatra for his Queen. And we shall be her guard. + +GUARDSMEN. O subtlest of all the serpents! O admiration! O +wisdom! + +BEL AFFRIS. He will also have arrived before you have done +talking, O word spinner. + +BELZANOR. That is true. (An affrighted uproar in the palace +interrupts him.) Quick: the flight has begun: guard the door. +(They rush to the door and form a cordon before it with their +spears. A mob of women-servants and nurses surges out. Those in +front recoil from the spears, screaming to those behind to keep +back. Belzanor's voice dominates the disturbance as he shouts) +Back there. In again, unprofitable cattle. + +THE GUARDSMEN. Back, unprofitable cattle. + +BELZANOR. Send us out Ftatateeta, the Queen's chief nurse. + +THE WOMEN (calling into the palace). Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta. +Come, come. Speak to Belzanor. + +A WOMAN. Oh, keep back. You are thrusting me on the spearheads. + +A huge grim woman, her face covered with a network of tiny +wrinkles, and her eyes old, large, and wise; sinewy handed, very +tall, very strong; with the mouth of a bloodhound and the jaws of +a bulldog, appears on the threshold. She is dressed like a person +of consequence in the palace, and confronts the guardsmen +insolently. + +FTATATEETA. Make way for the Queen's chief nurse. + +BELZANOR. (with solemn arrogance). Ftatateeta: I am Belzanor, the +captain of the Queen's guard, descended from the gods. + +FTATATEETA. (retorting his arrogance with interest). Belzanor: I +am Ftatateeta, the Queen's chief nurse; and your divine ancestors +were proud to be painted on the wall in the pyramids of the kings +whom my fathers served. + +The women laugh triumphantly. + +BELZANOR (with grim humor) Ftatateeta: daughter of a +long-tongued, swivel-eyed chameleon, the Romans are at hand. (A +cry of terror from the women: they would fly but for the spears.) +Not even the descendants of the gods can resist them; for they +have each man seven arms, each carrying seven spears. The blood +in their veins is boiling quicksilver; and their wives become +mothers in three hours, and are slain and eaten the next day. + +A shudder of horror from the women. Ftatateeta, despising them +and scorning the soldiers, pushes her way through the crowd and +confronts the spear points undismayed. + +FTATATEETA. Then fly and save yourselves, O cowardly sons of the +cheap clay gods that are sold to fish porters; and leave us to +shift for ourselves. + +BELZANOR. Not until you have first done our bidding, O terror of +manhood. Bring out Cleopatra the Queen to us and then go whither +you will. + +FTATATEETA (with a derisive laugh). Now I know why the gods have +taken her out of our hands. (The guardsmen start and look at one +another). Know, thou foolish soldier, that the Queen has been +missing since an hour past sun down. + +BELZANOR (furiously). Hag: you have hidden her to sell to Caesar +or her brother. (He grasps her by the left wrist, and drags her, +helped by a few of the guard, to the middle of the courtyard, +where, as they fling her on her knees, he draws a murderous +looking knife.) Where is she? Where is she? or-- (He threatens to +cut her throat.) + +FTATATEETA (savagely). Touch me, dog; and the Nile will not rise +on your fields for seven times seven years of famine. + +BELZANOR (frightened, but desperate). I will sacrifice: I will +pay. Or stay. (To the Persian) You, O subtle one: your father's +lands lie far from the Nile. Slay her. + +PERSIAN (threatening her with his knife). Persia has but one god; +yet he loves the blood of old women. Where is Cleopatra? + +FTATATEETA. Persian: as Osiris lives, I do not know. I chide her +for bringing evil days upon us by talking to the sacred cats of +the priests, and carrying them in her arms. I told her she would +be left alone here when the Romans came as a punishment for her +disobedience. And now she is gone--run away--hidden. I speak the +truth. I call Osiris to witness. + +THE WOMEN (protesting officiously). She speaks the truth, +Belzanor. + +BELZANOR. You have frightened the child: she is hiding. Search-- +quick--into the palace--search every corner. + +The guards, led by Belzanor, shoulder their way into the palace +through the flying crowd of women, who escape through the +courtyard gate. + +FTATATEETA (screaming). Sacrilege! Men in the Queen's chambers! +Sa-- (Her voice dies away as the Persian puts his knife to her +throat.) + +BEL AFFRIS (laying a hand on Ftatateeta's left shoulder). Forbear +her yet a moment, Persian. (To Ftatateeta, very significantly) +Mother: your gods are asleep or away hunting; and the sword is at +your throat. Bring us to where the Queen is hid, and you shall +live. + +FTATATEETA (contemptuously). Who shall stay the sword in the hand +of a fool, if the high gods put it there? Listen to me, ye young +men without understanding. Cleopatra fears me; but she fears the +Romans more. There is but one power greater in her eyes than the +wrath of the Queen's nurse and the cruelty of Caesar; and that is +the power of the Sphinx that sits in the desert watching the way +to the sea. What she would have it know, she tells into the ears +of the sacred cats; and on her birthday she sacrifices to it and +decks it with poppies. Go ye therefore into the desert and seek +Cleopatra in the shadow of the Sphinx; and on your heads see to +it that no harm comes to her. + +BEL AFFRIS (to the Persian). May we believe this, O subtle one? + +PERSIAN. Which way come the Romans? + +BEL AFFRIS. Over the desert, from the sea, by this very Sphinx. + +PERSIAN (to Ftatateeta). O mother of guile! O aspic's tongue! You +have made up this tale so that we two may go into the desert and +perish on the spears of the Romans. (Lifting his knife) Taste +death. + +FTATATEETA. Not from thee, baby. (She snatches his ankle from +under him and flies stooping along the palace wall vanishing in +the darkness within its precinct. Bel Affris roars with laughter +as the Persian tumbles. The guardsmen rush out of the palace with +Belzanor and a mob of fugitives, mostly carrying bundles.) + +PERSIAN. Have you found Cleopatra? + +BELZANOR. She is gone. We have searched every corner. + +THE NUBIAN SENTINEL (appearing at the door of the palace). Woe! +Alas! Fly, fly! + +BELZANOR. What is the matter now? + +THE NUBIAN SENTINEL. The sacred white cat has been stolen. Woe! +Woe! (General panic. They all fly with cries of consternation. +The torch is thrown down and extinguished in the rush. Darkness. +The noise of the fugitives dies away. Dead silence. Suspense. +Then the blackness and stillness breaks softly into silver mist +and strange airs as the windswept harp of Memnon plays at the +dawning of the moon. It rises full over the desert; and a vast +horizon comes into relief, broken by a huge shape which soon +reveals itself in the spreading radiance as a Sphinx pedestalled +on the sands. The light still clears, until the upraised eyes of +the image are distinguished looking straight forward and upward +in infinite fearless vigil, and a mass of color between its great +paws defines itself as a heap of red poppies on which a girl +lies motionless, her silken vest heaving gently and regularly +with the breathing of a dreamless sleeper, and her braided hair +glittering in a shaft of moonlight like a bird's wing. + +Suddenly there comes from afar a vaguely fearful sound (it +might be the bellow of a Minotaur softened by great distance) and +Memnon's music stops. Silence: then a few faint high-ringing +trumpet notes. Then silence again. Then a man comes from +the south with stealing steps, ravished by the mystery of the +night, all wonder, and halts, lost in contemplation, opposite the +left flank of the Sphinx, whose bosom, with its burden, is hidden +from him by its massive shoulder.) + +THE MAN. Hail, Sphinx: salutation from Julius Caesar! I have +wandered in many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my +birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures +such as I myself. I have found flocks and pastures, men and +cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred +to me, none who can do my day's deed, and think my night's +thought. In the little world yonder, Sphinx, my place is as high +as yours in this great desert; only I wander, and you sit still; +I conquer, and you endure; I work and wonder, you watch and wait; +I look up and am dazzled, look down and am darkened, look round +and am puzzled, whilst your eyes never turn from looking out--out +of the world--to the lost region--the home from which we have +strayed. Sphinx, you and I, strangers to the race of men, are no +strangers to one another: have I not been conscious of you and of +this place since I was born? Rome is a madman's dream: this is my +Reality. These starry lamps of yours I have seen from afar in +Gaul, in Britain, in Spain, in Thessaly, signalling great secrets +to some eternal sentinel below, whose post I never could find. +And here at last is their sentinel--an image of the constant and +immortal part of my life, silent, full of thoughts, alone in the +silver desert. Sphinx, Sphinx: I have climbed mountains at night +to hear in the distance the stealthy footfall of the winds that +chase your sands in forbidden play--our invisible children, O +Sphinx, laughing in whispers. My way hither was the way of +destiny; for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol: part +brute, part woman, and part God--nothing of man in me at all. +Have I read your riddle, Sphinx? + +THE GIRL (who has wakened, and peeped cautiously from her nest to +see who is speaking). Old gentleman. + +CAESAR (starting violently, and clutching his sword). Immortal +gods! + +THE GIRL. Old gentleman: don't run away. + +CAESAR (stupefied). "Old gentleman: don't run away!!!" This! To +Julius Caesar! + +THE GIRL (urgently). Old gentleman. + +CAESAR. Sphinx: you presume on your centuries. I am younger than +you, though your voice is but a girl's voice as yet. + +THE GIRL. Climb up here, quickly; or the Romans will come and eat +you. + +CAESAR (running forward past the Sphinx's shoulder, and seeing +her). A child at its breast! A divine child! + +THE GIRL. Come up quickly. You must get up at its side and creep +round. + +CAESAR (amazed). Who are you? + +THE GIRL. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. + +CAESAR. Queen of the Gypsies, you mean. + +CLEOPATRA. You must not be disrespectful to me, or the Sphinx +will let the Romans eat you. Come up. It is quite cosy here. + +CAESAR (to himself). What a dream! What a magnificent dream! Only +let me not wake, and I will conquer ten continents to pay for +dreaming it out to the end. (He climbs to the Sphinx's flank, and +presently reappears to her on the pedestal, stepping round its +right shoulder.) + +CLEOPATRA. Take care. That's right. Now sit down: you may have +its other paw. (She seats herself comfortably on its left paw.) +It is very powerful and will protect us; but (shivering, and with +plaintive loneliness) it would not take any notice of me or keep +me company. I am glad you have come: I was very lonely. Did you +happen to see a white cat anywhere? + +CAESAR (sitting slowly down on the right paw in extreme +wonderment). Have you lost one? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes: the sacred white cat: is it not dreadful? I +brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx; but when we got +a little way from the city a black cat called him, and he jumped +out of my arms and ran away to it. Do you think that the black +cat can have been my great-great-great-grandmother? + +CAESAR (staring at her). Your great-great-great-grandmother! +Well, why not? Nothing would surprise me on this night of nights. + +CLEOPATRA. I think it must have been. My great-grandmother's +great-grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white cat; and +the river Nile made her his seventh wife. That is why my hair is +so wavy. And I always want to be let do as I like, no matter +whether it is the will of the gods or not: that is because my +blood is made with Nile water. + +CAESAR. What are you doing here at this time of night? Do you +live here? + +CLEOPATRA. Of course not: I am the Queen; and I shall live in the +palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother, who drove me +out of it. When I am old enough I shall do just what I like. I +shall be able to poison the slaves and see them wriggle, and +pretend to Ftatateeta that she is going to be put into the fiery +furnace. + +CAESAR. Hm! Meanwhile why are you not at home and in bed? + +CLEOPATRA. Because the Romans are coming to eat us all. YOU are +not at home and in bed either. + +CAESAR (with conviction). Yes I am. I live in a tent; and I am +now in that tent, fast asleep and dreaming. Do you suppose that I +believe you are real, you impossible little dream witch? + +CLEOPATRA (giggling and leaning trustfully towards him). You are +a funny old gentleman. I like you. + +CAESAR. Ah, that spoils the dream. Why don't you dream that I am +young? + +CLEOPATRA. I wish you were; only I think I should be more afraid +of you. I like men, especially young men with round strong arms; +but I am afraid of them. You are old and rather thin and stringy; +but you have a nice voice; and I like to have somebody to talk +to, though I think you are a little mad. It is the moon that +makes you talk to yourself in that silly way. + +CAESAR. What! you heard that, did you? I was saying my prayers to +the great Sphinx. + +CLEOPATRA. But this isn't the great Sphinx. + +CAESAR (much disappointed, looking up at the statue). What! + +CLEOPATRA. This is only a dear little kitten of the Sphinx. Why, +the great Sphinx is so big that it has a temple between its paws. +This is my pet Sphinx. Tell me: do you think the Romans have any +sorcerers who could take us away from the Sphinx by magic? + +CAESAR. Why? Are you afraid of the Romans? + +CLEOPATRA (very seriously). Oh, they would eat us if they caught +us. They are barbarians. Their chief is called Julius Caesar. His +father was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain; and his +nose is like an elephant's trunk. (Caesar involuntarily rubs his +nose.) They all have long noses, and ivory tusks, and little +tails, and seven arms with a hundred arrows in each; and they +live on human flesh. + +CAESAR. Would you like me to show you a real Roman? + +CLEOPATRA (terrified). No. You are frightening me. + +CAESAR. No matter: this is only a dream-- + +CLEOPATRA (excitedly). It is not a dream: it is not a dream. See, +see. (She plucks a pin from her hair and jabs it repeatedly into +his arm.) + +CAESAR. Ffff--Stop. (Wrathfully) How dare you? + +CLEOPATRA (abashed). You said you were dreaming. (Whimpering) I +only wanted to show you-- + +CAESAR (gently). Come, come: don't cry. A queen mustn't cry. (He +rubs his arm, wondering at the reality of the smart.) Am I awake? +(He strikes his hand against the Sphinx to test its solidity. It +feels so real that he begins to be alarmed, and says perplexedly) +Yes, I--(quite panicstricken) no: impossible: madness, madness! +(Desperately) Back to camp--to camp. (He rises to spring down +from the pedestal.) + +CLEOPATRA (flinging her arms in terror round him). No: you shan't +leave me. No, no, no: don't go. I'm afraid--afraid of the Romans. + +CAESAR (as the conviction that he is really awake forces itself +on him). Cleopatra: can you see my face well? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes. It is so white in the moonlight. + +CAESAR. Are you sure it is the moonlight that makes me look +whiter than an Egyptian? (Grimly) Do you notice that I have a +rather long nose? + +CLEOPATRA (recoiling, paralyzed by a terrible suspicion). Oh! + +CAESAR. It is a Roman nose, Cleopatra. + +CLEOPATRA. Ah! (With a piercing scream she springs up; darts +round the left shoulder of the Sphinx; scrambles down to the +sand; and falls on her knees in frantic supplication, shrieking) +Bite him in two, Sphinx: bite him in two. I meant to sacrifice +the white cat--I did indeed--I (Caesar, who has slipped down from +the pedestal, touches her on the shoulder) Ah! (She buries her +head in her arms.) + +CAESAR. Cleopatra: shall I teach you a way to prevent Caesar from +eating you? + +CLEOPATRA (clinging to him piteously). Oh do, do, do. I will +steal Ftatateeta's jewels and give them to you. I will make the +river Nile water your lands twice a year. + +CAESAR. Peace, peace, my child. Your gods are afraid of the +Romans: you see the Sphinx dare not bite me, nor prevent me +carrying you off to Julius Caesar. + +CLEOPATRA (in pleading murmurings). You won't, you won't. You +said you wouldn't. + +CAESAR. Caesar never eats women. + +CLEOPATRA (springing up full of hope). What! + +CAESAR (impressively). But he eats girls (she relapses) and cats. +Now you are a silly little girl; and you are descended from the +black kitten. You are both a girl and a cat. + +CLEOPATRA (trembling). And will he eat me? + +CAESAR. Yes; unless you make him believe that you are a woman. + +CLEOPATRA. Oh, you must get a sorcerer to make a woman of me. Are +you a sorcerer? + +CAESAR. Perhaps. But it will take a long time; and this very +night you must stand face to face with Caesar in the palace of +your fathers. + +CLEOPATRA. No, no. I daren't. + +CAESAR. Whatever dread may be in your soul--however terrible +Caesar may be to you--you must confront him as a brave woman and +a great queen; and you must feel no fear. If your hand shakes: if +your voice quavers; then--night and death! (She moans.) But if he +thinks you worthy to rule, he will set you on the throne by his +side and make you the real ruler of Egypt. + +CLEOPATRA (despairingly). No: he will find me out: he will find +me out. + +CAESAR (rather mournfully). He is easily deceived by women. Their +eyes dazzle him; and he sees them not as they are, but as he +wishes them to appear to him. + +CLEOPATRA (hopefully). Then we will cheat him. I will put on +Ftatateeta's head-dress; and he will think me quite an old woman. + +CAESAR. If you do that he will eat you at one mouthful. + +CLEOPATRA. But I will give him a cake with my magic opal and +seven hairs of the white cat baked in it; and-- + +CAESAR (abruptly). Pah! you are a little fool. He will eat your +cake and you too. (He turns contemptuously from her.) + +CLEOPATRA (running after him and clinging to him). Oh, please, +PLEASE! I will do whatever you tell me. I will be good! I will be +your slave. (Again the terrible bellowing note sounds across the +desert, now closer at hand. It is the bucina, the Roman war +trumpet.) + +CAESAR. Hark! + +CLEOPATRA (trembling). What was that? + +CAESAR. Caesar's voice. + +CLEOPATRA (pulling at his hand). Let us run away. Come. Oh, come. + +CAESAR. You are safe with me until you stand on your throne to +receive Caesar. Now lead me thither. + +CLEOPATRA (only too glad to get away). I will, I will. (Again the +bucina.) Oh, come, come, come: the gods are angry. Do you feel +the earth shaking? + +CAESAR. It is the tread of Caesar's legions. + +CLEOPATRA (drawing him away). This way, quickly. And let us look +for the white cat as we go. It is he that has turned you into a +Roman. + +CAESAR. Incorrigible, oh, incorrigible! Away! (He follows her, +the bucina sounding louder as they steal across the desert. The +moonlight wanes: the horizon again shows black against the sky, +broken only by the fantastic silhouette of the Sphinx. The sky +itself vanishes in darkness, from which there is no relief until +the gleam of a distant torch falls on great Egyptian pillars +supporting the roof of a majestic corridor. At the further end of +this corridor a Nubian slave appears carrying the torch. Caesar, +still led by Cleopatra, follows him. They come down the corridor, +Caesar peering keenly about at the strange architecture, and at +the pillar shadows between which, as the passing torch makes them +hurry noiselessly backwards, figures of men with wings and hawks' +heads, and vast black marble cats, seem to flit in and out of +ambush. Further along, the wall turns a corner and makes a +spacious transept in which Caesar sees, on his right, a throne, +and behind the throne a door. On each side of the throne is a +slender pillar with a lamp on it.) + +CAESAR. What place is this? + +CLEOPATRA. This is where I sit on the throne when I am allowed to +wear my crown and robes. (The slave holds his torch to show the +throne.) + +CAESAR. Order the slave to light the lamps. + +CLEOPATRA (shyly). Do you think I may? + +CAESAR. Of course. You are the Queen. (She hesitates.) Go on. + +CLEOPATRA (timidly, to the slave). Light all the lamps. + +FTATATEETA (suddenly coming from behind the throne). Stop. (The +slave stops. She turns sternly to Cleopatra, who quails like a +naughty child.) Who is this you have with you; and how dare you +order the lamps to be lighted without my permission? (Cleopatra +is dumb with apprehension.) + +CAESAR. Who is she? + +CLEOPATRA. Ftatateeta. + +FTATATEETA (arrogantly). Chief nurse to-- + +CAESAR (cutting her short). I speak to the Queen. Be silent. (To +Cleopatra) Is this how your servants know their places? Send her +away; and you (to the slave) do as the Queen has bidden. (The +slave lights the lamps. Meanwhile Cleopatra stands hesitating, +afraid of Ftatateeta.) You are the Queen: send her away. + +CLEOPATRA (cajoling). Ftatateeta, dear: you must go away--just +for a little. + +CAESAR. You are not commanding her to go away: you are begging +her. You are no Queen. You will be eaten. Farewell. (He turns to +go.) + +CLEOPATRA (clutching him). No, no, no. Don't leave me. + +CAESAR. A Roman does not stay with queens who are afraid of their +slaves. + +CLEOPATRA. I am not afraid. Indeed I am not afraid. + +FTATATEETA. We shall see who is afraid here. (Menacingly) +Cleopatra-- + +CAESAR. On your knees, woman: am I also a child that you dare +trifle with me? (He points to the floor at Cleopatra's feet. +Ftatateeta, half cowed, half savage, hesitates. Caesar calls to +the Nubian) Slave. (The Nubian comes to him.) Can you cut off a +head? (The Nubian nods and grins ecstatically, showing all his +teeth. Caesar takes his sword by the scabbard, ready to offer the +hilt to the Nubian, and turns again to Ftatateeta, repeating his +gesture.) Have you remembered yourself, mistress? + +Ftatateeta, crushed, kneels before Cleopatra, who can hardly +believe her eyes. + +FTATATEETA (hoarsely). O Queen, forget not thy servant in the +days of thy greatness. + +CLEOPATRA (blazing with excitement). Go. Begone. Go away. +(Ftatateeta rises with stooped head, and moves backwards towards +the door. Cleopatra watches her submission eagerly, almost +clapping her hands, which are trembling. Suddenly she cries) Give +me something to beat her with. (She snatches a snake-skin from +the throne and dashes after Ftatateeta, whirling it like a +scourge in the air. Caesar makes a bound and manages to catch her +and hold her while Ftatateeta escapes.) + +CAESAR. You scratch, kitten, do you? + +CLEOPATRA (breaking from him). I will beat somebody. I will beat +him. (She attacks the slave.) There, there, there! (The slave +flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes. She throws the +snake-skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms +waving, crying) I am a real Queen at last--a real, real Queen! +Cleopatra the Queen! (Caesar shakes his head dubiously, the +advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point +of view of the general welfare of Egypt. She turns and looks at +him exultantly. Then she jumps down from the step, runs to him, +and flings her arms round him rapturously, crying) Oh, I love you +for making me a Queen. + +CAESAR. But queens love only kings. + +CLEOPATRA. I will make all the men I love kings. I will make you +a king. I will have many young kings, with round, strong arms; +and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death; but you +shall always be my king: my nice, kind, wise, proud old king. + +CAESAR. Oh, my wrinkles, my wrinkles! And my child's heart! You +will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conguests. + +CLEOPATRA (appalled). Caesar! I forgot Caesar. (Anxiously) You +will tell him that I am a Queen, will you not? a real Queen. +Listen! (stealthily coaxing him) let us run away and hide until +Caesar is gone. + +CAESAR. If you fear Caesar, you are no true Queen; and though you +were to hide beneath a pyramid, he would go straight to it and +lift it with one hand. And then--! (He chops his teeth together.) + +CLEOPATRA (trembling). Oh! + +CAESAR. Be afraid if you dare. (The note of the bucina +resounds again in the distance. She moans with fear. Caesar +exalts in it, exclaiming) Aha! Caesar approaches the throne of +Cleopatra. Come: take your place. (He takes her hand and leads +her to the throne. She is too downcast to speak.) Ho, there, +Teetatota. How do you call your slaves? + +CLEOPATRA (spiritlessly, as she sinks on the throne and cowers +there, shaking). Clap your hands. + +He claps his hands. Ftatateeta returns. + +CAESAR. Bring the Queen's robes, and her crown, and her women; +and prepare her. + +CLEOPATRA (eagerly--recovering herself a little). Yes, the Crown, +Ftatateeta: I shall wear the crown. + +FTATATEETA. For whom must the Queen put on her state? + +CAESAR. For a citizen of Rome. A king of kings, Totateeta. + +CLEOPATRA (stamping at her). How dare you ask questions? Go and +do as you are told. (Ftatateeta goes out with a grim smile. +Cleopatra goes on eagerly, to Caesar) Caesar will know that I am +a Queen when he sees my crown and robes, will he not? + +CAESAR. No. How shall he know that you are not a slave dressed up +in the Queen's ornaments? + +CLEOPATRA. You must tell him. + +CAESAR. He will not ask me. He will know Cleopatra by her pride, +her courage, her majesty, and her beauty. (She looks very +doubtful.) Are you trembling? + +CLEOPATRA (shivering with dread). No, I--I--(in a very sickly +voice) No. + +Ftatateeta and three women come in with the regalia. + +FTATATEETA. Of all the Queen's women, these three alone are left. +The rest are fled. (They begin to deck Cleopatra, who submits, +pale and motionless.) + +CAESAR. Good, good. Three are enough. Poor Caesar generally has +to dress himself. + +FTATATEETA (contemptuously). The Queen of Egypt is not a Roman +barbarian. (To Cleopatra) Be brave, my nursling. Hold up your +head before this stranger. + +CAESAR (admiring Cleopatra, and placing the crown on her head). +Is it sweet or bitter to be a Queen, Cleopatra? + +CLEOPATRA. Bitter. + +CAESAR. Cast out fear; and you will conquer Caesar. Tota: are +the Romans at hand? + +FTATATEETA. They are at hand; and the guard has fled. + +THE WOMEN (wailing subduedly). Woe to us! + +The Nubian comes running down the hall. + +NUBIAN. The Romans are in the courtyard. (He bolts through the +door. With a shriek, the women fly after him. Ftatateeta's jaw +expresses savage resolution: she does not budge. Cleopatra can +hardly restrain herself from following them. Caesar grips her +wrist, and looks steadfastly at her. She stands like a martyr.) + +CAESAR. The Queen must face Caesar alone. Answer "So be it." + +CLEOPATRA (white). So be it. + +CAESAR (releasing her). Good. + +A tramp and tumult of armed men is heard. Cleopatra's terror +increases. The bucina sounds close at hand, followed by a +formidable clangor of trumpets. This is too much for Cleopatra: +she utters a cry and darts towards the door. Ftatateeta +stops her ruthlessly. + +FTATATEETA. You are my nursling. You have said "So be it"; and if +you die for it, you must make the Queen's word good. (She hands +Cleopatra to Caesar, who takes her back, almost beside herself +with apprehension, to the throne.) + +CAESAR. Now, if you quail--! (He seats himself on the throne.) + +She stands on the step, all but unconscious, waiting for death. +The Roman soldiers troop in tumultuously through the corridor, +headed by their ensign with his eagle, and their bucinator, a +burly fellow with his instrument coiled round his body, its +brazen bell shaped like the head of a howling wolf. When they +reach the transept, they stare in amazement at the throne; dress +into ordered rank opposite it; draw their swords and lift them in +the air with a shout of HAIL CAESAR. Cleopatra turns and +stares wildly at Caesar; grasps the situation; and, with a great +sob of relief, falls into his arms. + + + +ACT II + +Alexandria. A hall on the first floor of the Palace, ending in a +loggia approached by two steps. Through the arches of the loggia +the Mediterranean can be seen, bright in the morning sun. The +clean lofty walls, painted with a procession of the Egyptian +theocracy, presented in profile as flat ornament, and the absence +of mirrors, sham perspectives, stuffy upholstery and textiles, +make the place handsome, wholesome, simple and cool, or, as a +rich English manufacturer would express it, poor, bare, +ridiculous and unhomely. For Tottenham Court Road civilization is +to this Egyptian civilization as glass bead and tattoo +civilization is to Tottenham Court Road. + +The young king Ptolemy Dionysus (aged ten) is at the top of the +steps, on his way in through the loggia, led by his guardian +Pothinus, who has him by the hand. The court is assembled to +receive him. It is made up of men and women (some of the women +being officials) of various complexions and races, mostly +Egyptian; some of them, comparatively fair, from lower Egypt; +some, much darker, from upper Egypt; with a few Greeks and Jews. +Prominent in a group on Ptolemy's right hand is Theodotus, +Ptolemy's tutor. Another group, on Ptolemy's left, is headed by +Achillas, the general of Ptolemy's troops. Theodotus is a little +old man, whose features are as cramped and wizened as his limbs, +except his tall straight forehead, which occupies more space than +all the rest of his face. He maintains an air of magpie keenness +and profundity, listening to what the others say with the +sarcastic vigilance of a philosopher listening to the exercises +of his disciples. Achillas is a tall handsome man of thirty-five, +with a fine black beard curled like the coat of a poodle. +Apparently not a clever man, but distinguished and dignified. +Pothinus is a vigorous man of fifty, a eunuch, passionate, +energetic and quick witted, but of common mind and character; +impatient and unable to control his temper. He has fine tawny +hair, like fur. Ptolemy, the King, looks much older than an +English boy of ten; but he has the childish air, the habit of +being in leading strings, the mixture of impotence and petulance, +the appearance of being excessively washed, combed and dressed by +other hands, which is exhibited by court-bred princes of all +ages. + +All receive the King with reverences. He comes down the steps to +a chair of state which stands a little to his right, the only +seat in the hall. Taking his place before it, he looks nervously +for instructions to Pothinus, who places himself at his left +hand. + +POTHINUS. The King of Egypt has a word to speak. + +THEODOTUS (in a squeak which he makes impressive by sheer +self-opinionativeness). Peace for the King's word! + +PTOLEMY (without any vocal inflexions: he is evidently repeating +a lesson). Take notice of this all of you. I am the firstborn son +of Auletes the Flute Blower who was your King. My sister Berenice +drove him from his throne and reigned in his stead but--but (he +hesitates)-- + +POTHINUS (stealthily prompting).--but the gods would not suffer-- + +PTOLEMY. Yes--the gods would not suffer--not suffer (he stops; +then, crestfallen) I forget what the gods would not suffer. + +THEODOTUS. Let Pothinus, the King's guardian, speak for the King. + +POTHINUS (suppressing his impatience with difficulty). The King +wished to say that the gods would not suffer the impiety of his +sister to go unpunished. + +PTOLEMY (hastily). Yes: I remember the rest of it. (He resumes +his monotone). Therefore the gods sent a stranger, one Mark +Antony, a Roman captain of horsemen, across the sands of the +desert and he set my father again upon the throne. And my father +took Berenice my sister and struck her head off. And now that my +father is dead yet another of his daughters, my sister Cleopatra, +would snatch the kingdom from me and reign in my place. But the +gods would not suffer (Pothinus coughs admonitorily)--the gods-- +the gods would not suffer-- + +POTHINUS (prompting).--will not maintain-- + +PTOLEMY. Oh yes--will not maintain such iniquity, they will give +her head to the axe even as her sister's. But with the help of +the witch Ftatateeta she hath cast a spell on the Roman Julius +Caesar to make him uphold her false pretence to rule in Egypt. +Take notice then that I will not suffer--that I will not suffer-- +(pettishly, to Pothinus)--What is it that I will not suffer? + +POTHINUS (suddenly exploding with all the force and emphasis of +political passion). The King will not suffer a foreigner to take +from him the throne of our Egypt. (A shout of applause.) Tell the +King, Achillas, how many soldiers and horsemen follow the Roman? + +THEODOTUS. Let the King's general speak! + +ACHILLAS. But two Roman legions, O King. Three thousand soldiers +and scarce a thousand horsemen. + +The court breaks into derisive laughter; and a great chattering +begins, amid which Rufio, a Roman officer, appears in the loggia. +He is a burly, black-bearded man of middle age, very blunt, +prompt and rough, with small clear eyes, and plump nose and +cheeks, which, however, like the rest of his flesh, are in +ironhard condition. + +RUFIO (from the steps). Peace, ho! (The laughter and chatter +cease abruptly.) Caesar approaches. + +THEODOTUS (with much presence of mind). The King permits the +Roman commander to enter! + +Caesar, plainly dressed, but, wearing an oak wreath to conceal +his baldness, enters from, the loggia, attended by Britannus, his +secretary, a Briton, about forty, tall, solemn, and already +slightly bald, with a heavy, drooping, hazel-colored moustache +trained so as to lose its ends in a pair of trim whiskers. He +is carefully dressed in blue, with portfolio, inkhorn, and reed +pen at his girdle. His serious air and sense of the importance +of the business in hand is in marked contrast to the kindly +interest of Caesar, who looks at the scene, which is new to him, +with the frank curiosity of a child, and then turns to the King's +chair: Britannus and Rufio posting themselves near the steps at +the other side. + +CAESAR (looking at Pothinus and Ptolemy). Which is the King? The +man or the boy? + +POTHINUS. I am Pothinus, the guardian of my lord the King. + +Caesar (patting Ptolemy kindly on the shoulder). So you are the +King. Dull work at your age, eh? (To Pothinus) your servant, +Pothinus. (He turns away unconcernedly and comes slowly along the +middle of the hall, looking from side to side at the courtiers +until he reaches Achillas.) And this gentleman? + +THEODOTUS. Achillas, the King's general. + +CAESAR (to Achillas, very friendly). A general, eh? I am a +general myself. But I began too old, too old. Health and many +victories, Achillas! + +ACHILLAS. As the gods will, Caesar. + +CAESAR (turning to Theodotus). And you, sir, are--? + +THEODOTUS. Theodotus, the King's tutor. + +CAESAR. You teach men how to be kings, Theodotus. That is very +clever of you. (Looking at the gods on the walls as he turns away +from Theodotus and goes up again to Pothinus.) And this place? + +POTHINUS. The council chamber of the chancellors of the King's +treasury, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Ah! That reminds me. I want some money. + +POTHINUS. The King's treasury is poor, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Yes: I notice that there is but one chair in it. + +RUFIO (shouting gruffly). Bring a chair there, some of you, for +Caesar. + +PTOLEMY (rising shyly to offer his chair). Caesar-- + +CAESAR (kindly). No, no, my boy: that is your chair of state. Sit +down. + +He makes Ptolemy sit down again. Meanwhile Rufio, looking about +him, sees in the nearest corner an image of the god Ra, +represented as a seated man with the head of a hawk. Before +the image is a bronze tripod, about as large as a three-legged +stool, with a stick of incense burning on it. Rufio, with Roman +resourcefulness and indifference to foreign superstitions, +promptly seizes the tripod; shakes off the incense; blows away +the ash; and dumps it down behind Caesar, nearly in the middle of +the hall. + +RUFIO. Sit on that, Caesar. + +A shiver runs through the court, followed by a hissing whisper of +Sacrilege! + +CAESAR (seating himself). Now, Pothinus, to business. I am badly +in want of money. + +BRITANNUS (disapproving of these informal expressions). My master +would say that there is a lawful debt due to Rome by Egypt, +contracted by the King's deceased father to the Triumvirate; and +that it is Caesar's duty to his country to require immediate +payment. + +CAESAR (blandly). Ah, I forgot. I have not made my companions +known here. Pothinus: this is Britannus, my secretary. He is an +islander from the western end of the world, a day's voyage from +Gaul. (Britannus bows stiffly.) This gentleman is Rufio, my +comrade in arms. (Rufio nods.) Pothinus: I want 1,600 talents. + +The courtiers, appalled, murmur loudly, and Theodotus and +Achillas appeal mutely to one another against so monstrous a +demand. + +POTHINUS (aghast). Forty million sesterces! Impossible. There is +not so much money in the King's treasury. + +CAESAR (encouragingly). ONLY sixteen hundred talents, Pothinus. +Why count it in sesterces? A sestertius is only worth a loaf of +bread. + +POTHINUS. And a talent is worth a racehorse. I say it is +impossible. We have been at strife here, because the King's +sister Cleopatra falsely claims his throne. The King's taxes have +not been collected for a whole year. + +CAESAR. Yes they have, Pothinus. My officers have been collecting +them all the morning. (Renewed whisper and sensation, not without +some stifled laughter, among the courtiers.) + +RUFIO (bluntly). You must pay, Pothinus. Why waste words? You are +getting off cheaply enough. + +POTHINUS (bitterly). Is it possible that Caesar, the conqueror of +the world, has time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our +taxes? + +CAESAR. My friend: taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of +the world. + +POTHINUS. Then take warning, Caesar. This day, the treasures of +the temples and the gold of the King's treasury will be sent to +the mint to be melted down for our ransom in the sight of the +people. They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinking +from wooden cups. And their wrath be on your head, Caesar, if you +force us to this sacrilege! + +CAESAR. Do not fear, Pothinus: the people know how well wine +tastes in wooden cups. In return for your bounty, I will settle +this dispute about the throne for you, if you will. What say you? + +POTHINUS. If I say no, will that hinder you? + +RUFIO (defiantly). No. + +CAESAR. You say the matter has been at issue for a year, +Pothinus. May I have ten minutes at it? + +POTHINUS. You will do your pleasure, doubtless. + +CAESAR. Good! But first, let us have Cleopatra here. + +THEODOTUS. She is not in Alexandria: she is fled into Syria. + +CAESAR. I think not. (To Rufio) Call Totateeta. + +RUFIO (calling). Ho there, Teetatota. + +Ftatateeta enters the loggia, and stands arrogantly at the top of +the steps. + +FTATATEETA. Who pronounces the name of Ftatateeta, the Queen's +chief nurse? + +CAESAR. Nobody can pronounce it, Tota, except yourself. Where is +your mistress? + +Cleopatra, who is hiding behind Ftafateeta, peeps out at them, +laughing. Caesar rises. + +CAESAR. Will the Queen favor us with her presence for a moment? + +CLEOPATRA (pushing Ftatateeta aside and standing haughtily on the +brink of the steps). Am I to behave like a Queen? + +CAESAR. Yes. + +Cleopatra immediately comes down to the chair of state; seizes +Ptolemy and drags him out of his seat; then takes his place in +the chair. Ftatateeta seats herself on the step of the loggia, +and sits there, watching the scene with sybilline intensity. + +PTOLEMY (mortified, and struggling with his tears). Caesar: this +is how she treats me always. If I am a King why is she allowed to +take everything from me? + +CLEOPATRA. You are not to be King, you little cry-baby. You are +to be eaten by the Romans. + +CAESAR (touched by Ptolemy's distress). Come here, my boy, and +stand by me. + +Ptolemy goes over to Caesar, who, resuming his seat on the +tripod, takes the boy's hand to encourage him. Cleopatra, +furiously jealous, rises and glares at them. + +CLEOPATRA (with flaming cheeks). Take your throne: I don't want +it. (She flings away from the chair, and approaches Ptolemy, who +shrinks from her.) Go this instant and sit down in your place. + +CAESAR. Go, Ptolemy. Always take a throne when it is offered to +you. + +RUFIO. I hope you will have the good sense to follow your own +advice when we return to Rome, Caesar. + +Ptolemy slowly goes back to the throne, giving Cleopatra a +wide berth, in evident fear of her hands. She takes his place +beside Caesar. + +CAESAR. Pothinus-- + +CLEOPATRA (interrupting him). Are you not going to speak to me? + +CAESAR. Be quiet. Open your mouth again before I give you leave; +and you shall be eaten. + +CLEOPATRA. I am not afraid. A queen must not be afraid. Eat my +husband there, if you like: he is afraid. + +CAESAR (starting). Your husband! What do you mean? + +CLEOPATRA (pointing to Ptolemy). That little thing. + +The two Romans and the Briton stare at one another in amazement. + +THEODOTUS. Caesar: you are a stranger here, and not conversant +with our laws. The kings and queens of Egypt may not marry except +with their own royal blood. Ptolemy and Cleopatra are born king +and consort just as they are born brother and sister. + +BRITANNUS (shocked). Caesar: this is not proper. + +THEODOTUS (outraged). How! + +CAESAR (recovering his self-possession). Pardon him. Theodotus: +he is a barbarian, and thinks that the customs of his tribe and +island are the laws of nature. + +BRITANNUS. On the contrary, Caesar, it is these Egyptians who are +barbarians; and you do wrong to encourage them. I say it is a +scandal. + +CAESAR. Scandal or not, my friend, it opens the gate of peace. +(He rises and addresses Pothinus seriously.) Pothiuus: hear what +I propose. + +RUFIO. Hear Caesar there. + +CAESAR. Ptolemy and Cleopatra shall reign jointly in Egypt. + +ACHILLAS. What of the King's younger brother and Cleopatra's +younger sister? + +RUFIO (explaining). There is another little Ptolemy, Caesar: so +they tell me. + +CAESAR. Well, the little Ptolemy can marry the other sister; and +we will make them both a present of Cyprus. + +POTHINUS (impatiently). Cyprus is of no use to anybody. + +CAESAR. No matter: you shall have it for the sake of peace. + +BRITANNUS (unconsciously anticipating a later statesman). +Peace with honor, Pothinus. + +POTHINUS (mutinously). Caesar: be honest. The money you demand is +the price of our freedom. Take it; and leave us to settle our own +affairs. + +THE BOLDER COURTIERS (encouraged by Pothinus's tone and Caesar's +quietness). Yes, yes. Egypt for the Egyptians! + +The conference now becomes an altercation, the Egyptians +becoming more and more heated. Caesar remains unruffled; but +Rufio grows fiercer and doggeder, and Britannus haughtily +indignant. + +RUFIO (contemptuously). Egypt for the Egyptians! Do you forget +that there is a Roman army of occupation here, left by Aulus +Gabinius when he set up your toy king for you? + +ACHILLAS (suddenly asserting himself). And now under my command. +I am the Roman general here, Caesar. + +CAESAR (tickled by the humor of the situation). And also the +Egyptian general, eh? + +POTHINUS (triumphantly). That is so, Caesar. + +CAESAR (to Achillas). So you can make war on the Egyptians in the +name of Rome and on the Romans--on me, if necessary--in the name +of Egypt? + +ACHILLAS. That is so, Caesar. + +CAESAR. And which side are you on at present, if I may presume to +ask, general? + +ACHILLAS. On the side of the right and of the gods. + +CAESAR. Hm! How many men have you? + +ACHILLAS. That will appear when I take the field. + +RUFIO (truculently). Are your men Romans? If not, it matters not +how many there are, provided you are no stronger than 500 to ten. + +POTHINUS. It is useless to try to bluff us, Rufio. Caesar has +been defeated before and may be defeated again. A few weeks ago +Caesar was flying for his life before Pompey: a few months hence +he may be flying for his life before Cato and Juba of Numidia, +the African King. + +ACHILLAS (following up Pothinus's speech menacingly). What can +you do with 4,000 men? + +THEODOTUS (following up Achillas's speech with a raucous squeak). +And without money? Away with you. + +ALL THE COURTIERS (shouting fiercely and crowding towards +Caesar). Away with you. Egypt for the Egyptians! Begone. + +Rufio bites his beard, too angry to speak. Caesar sits on +comfortably as if he were at breakfast, and the cat were +clamoring for a piece of Finnan-haddie. + +CLEOPATRA. Why do you let them talk to you like that Caesar? Are +you afraid? + +CAESAR. Why, my dear, what they say is quite true. + +CLEOPATRA. But if you go away, I shall not be Queen. + +CAESAR. I shall not go away until you are Queen. + +POTHINUS. Achillas: if you are not a fool, you will take that +girl whilst she is under your hand. + +RUFIO (daring them). Why not take Caesar as well, Achillas? + +POTHINUS (retorting the defiance with interest). Well said, +Rufio. Why not? + +RUFIO. Try, Achillas. (Calling) Guard there. + +The loggia immediately fills with Caesar's soldiers, who stand, +sword in hand, at the top of the steps, waiting the word to +charge from their centurion, who carries a cudgel. For a moment +the Egyptians face them proudly: then they retire sullenly to +their former places. + +BRITANNUS. You are Caesar's prisoners, all of you. + +CAESAR (benevolently). Oh no, no, no. By no means. Caesar's +guests, gentlemen. + +CLEOPATRA. Won't you cut their heads off? + +CAESAR. What! Cut off your brother's head? + +CLEOPATRA. Why not? He would cut off mine, if he got the chance. +Wouldn't you, Ptolemy? + +PTOLEMY (pale and obstinate). I would. I will, too, when I grow +up. + +Cleopatra is rent by a struggle between her newly-acquired +dignity as a queen, and a strong impulse to put out her tongue at +him. She takes no part in the scene which follows, but watches it +with curiosity and wonder, fidgeting with the restlessness of a +child, and sitting down on Caesar's tripod when he rises. + +POTHINUS. Caesar: if you attempt to detain us-- + +RUFIO. He will succeed, Egyptian: make up your mind to that. We +hold the palace, the beach, and the eastern harbor. The road to +Rome is open; and you shall travel it if Caesar chooses. + +CAESAR (courteously). I could do no less, Pothinus, to secure the +retreat of my own soldiers. I am accountable for every life among +them. But you are free to go. So are all here, and in the palace. + +RUFIO (aghast at this clemency). What! Renegades and all? + +CAESAR (softening the expression). Roman army of occupation and +all, Rufio. + +POTHINUS (desperately). Then I make a last appeal to Caesar's +justice. I shall call a witness to prove that but for us, the +Roman army of occupation, led by the greatest soldier in the +world, would now have Caesar at its mercy. (Calling through the +loggia) Ho, there, Lucius Septimius (Caesar starts, deeply +moved): if my voice can reach you, come forth and testify before +Caesar. + +CAESAR (shrinking). No, no. + +THEODOTUS. Yes, I say. Let the military tribune bear witness. + +Lucius Septimius, a clean shaven, trim athlete of about 40, with +symmetrical features, resolute mouth, and handsome, thin Roman +nose, in the dress of a Roman officer, comes in through the +loggia and confronts Caesar, who hides his face with his robe for +a moment; then, mastering himself, drops it, and confronts the +tribune with dignity. + +POTHINUS. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius. Caesar came hither in +pursuit of his foe. Did we shelter his foe? + +LUCIUS. As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore, his head +fell by the stroke of my sword. + +THEODOTUS (with viperish relish). Under the eyes of his wife and +child! Remember that, Caesar! They saw it from the ship he had +just left. We have given you a full and sweet measure of +vengeance. + +CAESAR (with horror). Vengeance! + +POTHINUS. Our first gift to you, as your galley came into the +roadstead, was the head of your rival for the empire of the +world. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius: is it not so? + +LUCIUS. It is so. With this hand, that slew Pompey, I placed his +head at the feet of Caesar. + +CAESAR. Murderer! So would you have slain Caesar, had Pompey been +victorious at Pharsalia. + +LUCIUS. Woe to the vanquished, Caesar! When I served Pompey, I +slew as good men as he, only because he conquered them. His turn +came at last. + +THEODOTUS (flatteringly). The deed was not yours, Caesar, but +ours--nay, mine; for it was done by my counsel. Thanks to us, you +keep your reputation for clemency, and have your vengeance too. + +CAESAR. Vengeance! Vengeance!! Oh, if I could stoop to vengeance, +what would I not exact from you as the price of this murdered +man's blood. (They shrink back, appalled and disconcerted.) Was +he not my son-in-law, my ancient friend, for 20 years the master +of great Rome, for 30 years the compeller of victory? Did not I, +as a Roman, share his glory? Was the Fate that forced us to fight +for the mastery of the world, of our making? Am I Julius Caesar, +or am I a wolf, that you fling to me the grey head of the old +soldier, the laurelled conqueror, the mighty Roman, treacherously +struck down by this callous ruffian, and then claim my gratitude +for it! (To Lucius Septimius) Begone: you fill me with horror. + +LUCIUS (cold and undaunted). Pshaw! You have seen severed heads +before, Caesar, and severed right hands too, I think; some +thousands of them, in Gaul, after you vanquished Vercingetorix. +Did you spare him, with all your clemency? Was that vengeance? + +CAESAR. No, by the gods! Would that it had been! Vengeance at +least is human. No, I say: those severed right hands, and the +brave Vercingetorix basely strangled in a vault beneath the +Capitol, were (with shuddering satire) a wise severity, a +necessary protection to the commonwealth, a duty of +statesmanship--follies and fictions ten times bloodier than +honest vengeance! What a fool was I then! To think that +men's lives should be at the mercy of such fools! (Humbly) Lucius +Septimius, pardon me: why should the slayer of Vercingetorix +rebuke the slayer of Pompey? You are free to go with the rest. Or +stay if you will: I will find a place for you in my service. + +LUCIUS. The odds are against you, Caesar. I go. (He turns to go +out through the loggia.) + +RUFIO (full of wrath at seeing his prey escaping). That means +that he is a Republican. + +LUCIUS (turning defiantly on the loggia steps). And what are you? + +RUFIO. A Caesarian, like all Caesar's soldiers. + +CAESAR (courteously). Lucius: believe me, Caesar is no Caesarian. +Were Rome a true republic, then were Caesar the first of +Republicans. But you have made your choice. Farewell. + +LUCIUS. Farewell. Come, Achillas, whilst there is yet time. + +Caesar, seeing that Rufio's temper threatens to get the worse of +him, puts his hand on his shoulder and brings him down the hall +out of harm's way, Britannus accompanying them and posting +himself on Caesar's right hand. This movement brings the three in +a little group to the place occupied by Achillas, who moves +haughtily away and joins Theodotus on the other side. Lucius +Septimius goes out through the soldiers in the loggia. Pothinus, +Theodotus and Achillas follow him with the courtiers, very +mistrustful of the soldiers, who close up in their rear and go +out after them, keeping them moving without much ceremony. The +King is left in his chair, piteous, obstinate, with twitching +face and fingers. During these movements Rufio maintains an +energetic grumbling, as follows:-- + +RUFIO (as Lucius departs). Do you suppose he would let us go if +he had our heads in his hands? + +CAESAR. I have no right to suppose that his ways are any baser +than mine. + +RUFIO. Psha! + +CAESAR. Rufio: if I take Lucius Septimius for my model, and +become exactly like him, ceasing to be Caesar, will you serve me +still? + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: this is not good sense. Your duty to Rome +demands that her enemies should be prevented from doing further +mischief. (Caesar, whose delight in the moral eye-to-business of +his British secretary is inexhaustible, smiles intelligently.) + +RUFIO. It is no use talking to him, Britannus: you may save your +breath to cool your porridge. But mark this, Caesar. Clemency is +very well for you; but what is it for your soldiers, who have to +fight tomorrow the men you spared yesterday? You may give what +orders you please; but I tell you that your next victory will be +a massacre, thanks to your clemency. I, for one, will take no +prisoners. I will kill my enemies in the field; and then you can +preach as much clemency as you please: I shall never have to +fight them again. And now, with your leave, I will see these +gentry off the premises. (He turns to go.) + +CAESAR (turning also and seeing Ptolemy). What! Have they left +the boy alone! Oh shame, shame! + +RUFIO (taking Ptolemy's hand and making him rise). Come, your +majesty! + +PTOLEMY (to Caesar, drawing away his hand from Rufio). Is he +turning me out of my palace? + +RUFIO (grimly). You are welcome to stay if you wish. + +CAESAR (kindly). Go, my boy. I will not harm you; but you will be +safer away, among your friends. Here you are in the lion's mouth. + +PTOLEMY (turning to go). It is not the lion I fear, but (looking +at Rufio) the jackal. (He goes out through the loggia.) + +CAESAR (laughing approvingly). Brave boy! + +CLEOPATRA (jealous of Caesar's approbation, calling after +Ptolemy). Little silly. You think that very clever. + +CAESAR. Britannus: Attend the King. Give him in charge to that +Pothinus fellow. (Britannus goes out after Ptolemy.) + +RUFIO (pointing to Cleopatra). And this piece of goods? What is +to be done with HER? However, I suppose I may leave that to you. +(He goes out through the loggia.) + +CLEOPATRA (flushing suddenly and turning on Caesar). Did you mean +me to go with the rest? + +CAESAR (a little preoccupied, goes with a sigh to Ptolemy's +chair, whilst she waits for his answer with red cheeks and +clenched fists). You are free to do just as you please, +Cleopatra. + +CLEOPATRA. Then you do not care whether I stay or not? + +CAESAR (smiling). Of course I had rather you stayed. + +CLEOPATRA. Much, MUCH rather? + +CAESAR (nodding). Much, much rather. + +CLEOPATRA. Then I consent to stay, because I am asked. But I do +not want to, mind. + +CAESAR. That is quite understood. (Calling) Totateeta. + +Ftatateeta, still seated, turns her eyes on him with a sinister +expression, but does not move. + +CLEOPATRA (with a splutter of laughter). Her name is not +Totateeta: it is Ftatateeta. (Calling) Ftatateeta. (Ftatateeta +instantly rises and comes to Cleopatra.) + +CAESAR (stumbling over the name). Ftatafeeta will forgive the +erring tongue of a Roman. Tota: the Queen will hold her state +here in Alexandria. Engage women to attend upon her; and do all +that is needful. + +FTATATEETA. Am I then the mistress of the Queen's household? + +CLEOPATRA (sharply). No: I am the mistress of the Queen's +household. Go and do as you are told, or I will have you thrown +into the Nile this very afternoon, to poison the poor crocodiles. + +CAESAR (shocked). Oh no, no. + +CLEOPATRA. Oh yes, yes. You are very sentimental, Caesar; but you +are clever; and if you do as I tell you, you will soon learn to +govern. + +Caesar, quite dumbfounded by this impertinence, turns in his +chair and stares at her. + +Ftatateeta, smiling grimly, and showing a splendid set of teeth, +goes, leaving them alone together. + +CAESAR. Cleopatra: I really think I must eat you, after all. + +CLEOPATRA (kneeling beside him and looking at him with eager +interest, half real, half affected to show how intelligent she +is). You must not talk to me now as if I were a child. + +CAESAR. You have been growing up since the Sphinx introduced us +the other night; and you think you know more than I do already. + +CLFOPATRA (taken down, and anxious to justify herself). No: that +would be very silly of me: of course I know that. But, (suddenly) +are you angry with me? + +CAESAR. No. + +CLEOPATRA (only half believing him). Then why are you so +thoughtful? + +CAESAR (rising). I have work to do, Cleopatra. + +CLEOPATRA (drawing back). Work! (Offended) You are tired of +talking to me; and that is your excuse to get away from me. + +CAESAR (sitting down again to appease her). Well, well: another +minute. But then--work! + +CLFOPATRA. Work! What nonsense! You must remember that you are a +King now: I have made you one. Kings don't work. + + +CAESAR. Oh! Who told you that, little kitten? Eh? + +CLEOPATRA. My father was King of Egypt; and he never worked. But +he was a great King, and cut off my sister's head because she +rebelled against him and took the throne from him. + +CAESAR. Well; and how did he get his throne back again? + +CLEOPATRA (eagerly, her eyes lighting up). I will tell you. A +beautiful young man, with strong round arms, came over the desert +with many horsemen, and slew my sister's husband and gave my +father back his throne. (Wistfully) I was only twelve then. Oh, I +wish he would come again, now that I am a Queen. I would +make him my husband. + +CAESAR. It might be managed, perhaps; for it was I who sent that +beautiful young man to help your father. + +CLEOPATRA (enraptured). You know him! + +CAESAR (nodding). I do. + +CLEOPATRA. Has he come with you? (Caesar shakes his head: she is +cruelly disappointed.) Oh, I wish he had, I wish he had. If only +I were a little older; so that he might not think me a mere +kitten, as you do! But perhaps that is because YOU are old. He is +many, MANY years younger than you, is he not? + +CAESAR (as if swallowing a pill). He is somewhat younger. + +CLEOPATRA. Would he be my husband, do you think, if I asked him? + +CAESAR. Very likely. + +CLEOPATRA. But I should not like to ask him. Could you not +persuade him to ask me--without knowing that I wanted him to? + +CAESAR (touched by her innocence of the beautiful young +man's character). My poor child! + +CLEOPATRA. Why do you say that as if you were sorry for me? Does +he love anyone else? + +CAESAR. I am afraid so. + +CLEOPATRA (tearfully). Then I shall not be his first love. + +CAESAR. Not quite the first. He is greatly admired by women. + +CLEOPATRA. I wish I could be the first. But if he loves me, I +will make him kill all the rest. Tell me: is he still beautiful? +Do his strong round arms shine in the sun like marble? + +CAESAR. He is in excellent condition--considering how much he +eats and drinks. + +CLEOPATRA. Oh, you must not say common, earthly things about him; +for I love him. He is a god. + +CAESAR. He is a great captain of horsemen, and swifter of foot +than any other Roman. + +CLEOPATRA. What is his real name? + +CAESAR (puzzled). His REAL name? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes. I always call him Horus, because Horus is the +most beautiful of our gods. But I want to know his real name. + +CAESAR. His name is Mark Antony. + +CLEOPATRA (musically). Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony! +What a beautiful name! (She throws her arms round Caesar's neck.) +Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! Did you +love my father very much? + +CAESAR. No, my child; but your father, as you say, never worked. +I always work. So when he lost his crown he had to promise me +16,000 talents to get it back for him. + +CLEOPATRA. Did he ever pay you? + +CAESAR. Not in full. + +CLEOPATRA. He was quite right: it was too dear. The whole world +is not worth 16,000 talents. + +CAESAR. That is perhaps true, Cleopatra. Those Egyptians who work +paid as much of it as he could drag from them. The rest is still +due. But as I most likely shall not get it, I must go back to my +work. So you must run away for a little and send my secretary to +me. + +CLEOPATRA (coaxing). No: I want to stay and hear you talk about +Mark Antony. + +CAESAR. But if I do not get to work, Pothinus and the rest of +them will cut us off from the harbor; and then the way from Rome +will be blocked. + +CLEOPATRA. No matter: I don't want you to go back to Rome. + +CAESAR. But you want Mark Antony to come from it. + +CLEOPATRA (springing up). Oh yes, yes, yes: I forgot. Go quickly +and work, Caesar; and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark +Antony. (She runs out through the loggia, kissing her hand to +Mark Antony across the sea.) + +CAESAR (going briskly up the middle of the hall to the loggia +steps). Ho, Britannus. (He is startled by the entry of a wounded +Roman soldier, who confronts him from the upper step.) What now? + +SOLDIER (pointing to his bandaged head). This, Caesar; and two of +my comrades killed in the market place. + +CAESAR (quiet but attending). Ay. Why? + +SOLDIER. There is an army come to Alexandria, calling itself the +Roman army. + +CAESAR. The Roman army of occupation. Ay? + +SOLDIER. Commanded by one Achillas. + +CAESAR. Well? + +SOLDIER. The citizens rose against us when the army entered the +gates. I was with two others in the market place when the news +came. They set upon us. I cut my way out; and here I am. + +CAESAR. Good. I am glad to see you alive. (Rufio enters the +loggia hastily, passing behind the soldier to look out through +one of the arches at the quay beneath.) Rufio, we are +besieged. + +RUFIO. What! Already? + +CAESAR. Now or tomorrow: what does it matter? We SHALL be +besieged. + +Britannus runs in. + +BRITANNUS. Caesar-- + +CAESAR (anticipating him). Yes: I know. (Rufio and Britannus come +down the hall from the loggia at opposite sides, past Caesar, who +waits for a moment near the step to say to the soldier.) Comrade: +give the word to turn out on the beach and stand by the boats. +Get your wound attended to. Go. (The soldier hurries out. Caesar +comes down the hall between Rufio and Britannus) Rufio: we have +some ships in the west harbor. Burn them. + +RUFIO (staring). Burn them!! + +CAESAR. Take every boat we have in the east harbor, and seize the +Pharos--that island with the lighthouse. Leave half our men +behind to hold the beach and the quay outside this palace: that +is the way home. + +RUFIO (disapproving strongly). Are we to give up the city? + +CAESAR. We have not got it, Rufio. This palace we have; and--what +is that building next door? + +RUFIO. The theatre. + +CAESAR. We will have that too: it commands the strand, for the +rest, Egypt for the Egyptians! + +RUFIO. Well, you know best, I suppose. Is that all? + +CAESAR. That is all. Are those ships burnt yet? + +RUFIO. Be easy: I shall waste no more time. (He runs out.) + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: Pothinus demands speech of you. It's my +opinion he needs a lesson. His manner is most insolent. + +CAESAR. Where is he? + +BRITANNUS. He waits without. + +CAESAR. Ho there! Admit Pothinus. + +Pothinus appears in the loggia, and comes down the hall very +haughtily to Caesar's left hand. + +CAESAR. Well, Pothinus? + +POTHINUS. I have brought you our ultimatum, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Ultimatum! The door was open: you should have gone out +through it before you declared war. You are my prisoner now. (He +goes to the chair and loosens his toga.) + +POTHINUS (scornfully). I YOUR prisoner! Do you know that you are +in Alexandria, and that King Ptolemy, with an army outnumbering +your little troop a hundred to one, is in possession of +Alexandria? + +CAESAR (unconcernedly taking off his toga and throwing it on the +chair). Well, my friend, get out if you can. And tell your +friends not to kill any more Romans in the market place. +Otherwise my soldiers, who do not share my celebrated clemency, +will probably kill you. Britannus: Pass the word to the guard; +and fetch my armor. (Britannus runs out. Rufio returns.) Well? + +RUFIO (pointing from the loggia to a cloud of smoke drifting +over the harbor). See there! (Pothinus runs eagerly up the steps +to look out.) + +CAESAR. What, ablaze already! Impossible! + +RUFIO. Yes, five good ships, and a barge laden with oil grappled +to each. But it is not my doing: the Egyptians have saved me the +trouble. They have captured the west harbor. + +CAESAR (anxiously). And the east harbor? The lighthouse, Rufio? + +RUFIO (with a sudden splutter of raging ill usage, coming down to +Caesar and scolding him). Can I embark a legion in five minutes? +The first cohort is already on the beach. We can do no more. If +you want faster work, come and do it yourself? + +CAESAR (soothing him). Good, good. Patience, Rufio, patience. + +RUFIO. Patience! Who is impatient here, you or I? Would I be +here, if I could not oversee them from that balcony? + +CAESAR. Forgive me, Rufio; and (anxiously) hurry them as much +as-- + +He is interrupted by an outcry as of an old man in the extremity +of misfortune. It draws near rapidly; and Theodotus rushes in, +tearing his hair, and squeaking the most lamentable exclamations. +Rufio steps back to stare at him, amazed at his frantic +condition. Pothinus turns to listen. + +THEODOTUS (on the steps, with uplifted arms). Horror unspeakable! +Woe, alas! Help! + +RUFIO. What now? + +CAESAR (frowning). Who is slain? + +THEODOTUS. Slain! Oh, worse than the death of ten thousand men! +Loss irreparable to mankind! + +RUFIO. What has happened, man? + +THEODOTUS (rushing down the hall between them). The fire has +spread from your ships. The first of the seven wonders of the +world perishes. The library of Alexandria is in flames. + +RUFIO. Psha! (Quite relieved, he goes up to the loggia and +watches the preparations of the troops on the beach.) + +CAESAR. Is that all? + +THEODOTUS (unable to believe his senses). All! Caesar: will you +go down to posterity as a barbarous soldier too ignorant to know +the value of books? + +CAESAR. Theodotus: I am an author myself; and I tell you it is +better that the Egyptians should live their lives than dream them +away with the help of books. + +THEODOTUS (kneeling, with genuine literary emotion: the passion +of the pedant). Caesar: once in ten generations of men, the world +gains an immortal book. + +CAESAR (inflexible). If it did not flatter mankind, the common +executioner would burn it. + +THEODOTUS. Without history, death would lay you beside your +meanest soldier. + +CAESAR. Death will do that in any case. I ask no better grave. + +THEODOTUS. What is burning there is the memory of mankind. + +CAESAR. A shameful memory. Let it burn. + +THEODOTUS (wildly). Will you destroy the past? + +CAESAR. Ay, and build the future with its ruins. (Theodotus, in +despair, strikes himself on the temples with his fists.) But +harken, Theodotus, teacher of kings: you who valued Pompey's head +no more than a shepherd values an onion, and who now kneel to me, +with tears in your old eyes, to plead for a few sheepskins +scrawled with errors. I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of +water just now; but you shall pass freely out of the palace. Now, +away with you to Achillas; and borrow his legions to put out the +fire. (He hurries him to the steps.) + +POTHINUS (significantly). You understand, Theodotus: I remain a +prisoner. + +THEODOTUS. A prisoner! + +CAESAR. Will you stay to talk whilst the memory of mankind is +burning? (Calling through the loggia) Ho there! Pass Theodotus +out. (To Theodotus) Away with you. + +THEODOTUS (to Pothinus). I must go to save the library. (He +hurries out.) + +CAESAR. Follow him to the gate, Pothinus. Bid him urge your +people to kill no more of my soldiers, for your sake. + +POTHINUS. My life will cost you dear if you take it, Caesar. (He +goes out after Theodotus.) + +Rufio, absorbed in watching the embarkation, does not notice the +departure of the two Egyptians. + +RUFIO (shouting from the loggia to the beach). All ready, there? + +A CENTURION (from below). All ready. We wait for Caesar. + +CAESAR. Tell them Caesar is coming--the rogues! (Calling) +Britannicus. (This magniloquent version of his secretary's name +is one of Caesar's jokes. In later years it would have meant, +quite seriously and officially, Conqueror of Britain.) + +RUFIO (calling down). Push off, all except the longboat. Stand by +it to embark, Caesar's guard there. (He leaves the balcony and +comes down into the hall.) Where are those Egyptians? Is this +more clemency? Have you let them go? + +CAESAR (chuckling). I have let Theodotus go to save the library. +We must respect literature, Rufio. + +RUFIO (raging). Folly on folly's head! I believe if you could +bring back all the dead of Spain, Gaul and Thessaly to life, you +would do it that we might have the trouble of fighting them over +again. + +CAESAR. Might not the gods destroy the world if their only +thought were to be at peace next year? (Rufio, out of all +patience, turns away in anger. Caesar suddenly grips his +sleeve, and adds slyly in his ear.) Besides, my friend: every +Egyptian we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to +guard him. Eh? + +RUFIO. Agh! I might have known there was some fox's trick behind +your fine talking. (He gets away from Caesar with an ill-humored +shrug, and goes to the balcony for another look at the +preparations; finally goes out.) + +CAESAR. Is Britannus asleep? I sent him for my armor an hour ago. +(Calling) Britannicus, thou British islander. Britannicus! + +Cleopatra, runs in through the loggia with Caesar's helmet and +sword, snatched from Britannus, who follows her with a cuirass +and greaves. They come down to Caesar, she to his left hand, +Britannus to his right. + +CLEOPATRA. I am going to dress you, Caesar. Sit down. (He obeys.) +These Roman helmets are so becoming! (She takes off his wreath.) +Oh! (She bursts out laughing at him.) + +CAESAR. What are you laughing at? + +CLEOPATRA. You're bald (beginning with a big B, and ending with a +splutter). + +CAESAR (almost annoyed). Cleopatra! (He rises, for the +convenience of Britannus, who puts the cuirass on him.) + +CLEOPATRA. So that is why you wear the wreath--to hide it. + +BRITANNUS. Peace, Egyptian: they are the bays of the conqueror. +(He buckles the cuirass.) + +CLEOPATRA. Peace, thou: islander! (To Caesar) You should rub your +head with strong spirits of sugar, Caesar. That will make it +grow. + +CAESAR (with a wry face). Cleopatra: do you like to be reminded +that you are very young? + +CLEOPATRA (pouting). No. + +CAESAR (sitting down again, and setting out his leg for +Britannus, who kneels to put on his greaves). Neither do I like +to be reminded that I am--middle aged. Let me give you ten of my +superfluous years. That will make you 26 and leave me only--no +matter. Is it a bargain? + +CLEOPATRA. Agreed. 26, mind. (She puts the helmet on him.) Oh! +How nice! You look only about 50 in it! + +BRITANNUS (Looking up severely at Cleopatra). You must not speak +in this manner to Caesar. + +CLEOPATRA. Is it true that when Caesar caught you on that island, +you were painted all over blue? + +BRITANNUS. Blue is the color worn by all Britons of good +standing. In war we stain our bodies blue; so that though our +enemies may strip us of our clothes and our lives, they cannot +strip us of our respectability. (He rises.) + +CLEOPATRA (with Caesar's sword). Let me hang this on. Now you +look splendid. Have they made any statues of you in Rome? + +CAESAR. Yes, many statues. + +CLEOPATRA. You must send for one and give it to me. + +RUFIO (coming back into the loggia, more impatient than ever). +Now Caesar: have you done talking? The moment your foot is aboard +there will be no holding our men back: the boats will race one +another for the lighthouse. + +CAESAR (drawing his sword and trying the edge). Is this well set +to-day, Britannicus? At Pharsalia it was as blunt as a +barrel-hoop. + +BRITANNUS. It will split one of the Egyptian's hairs to-day, +Caesar. I have set it myself. + +CLEOPATRA (suddenly throwing her arms in terror round Caesar). +Oh, you are not really going into battle to be killed? + +CAESAR. No, Cleopatra. No man goes to battle to be killed. + +CLEOPATRA. But they DO get killed. My sister's husband was killed +in battle. You must not go. Let HIM go (pointing to Rufio. They +all laugh at her). Oh please, PLEASE don't go. What will happen +to ME if you never come back? + +CAESAR (gravely). Are you afraid? + +CLEOPATRA (shrinking). No. + +CAESAR (with quiet authority). Go to the balcony; and you shall +see us take the Pharos. You must learn to look on battles. Go. +(She goes, downcast, and looks out from the balcony.) That is +well. Now, Rufio. March. + +CLEOPATRA (suddenly clapping her hands). Oh, you will not be able +to go! + +CAESAR. Why? What now? + +CLEOPATRA. They are drying up the harbor with buckets--a +multitude of soldiers--over there (pointing out across the sea to +her left)--they are dipping up the water. + +RUFIO (hastening to look). It is true. The Egyptian army! +Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts. (With +sudden anger he strides down to Caesar.) This is your accursed +clemency, Caesar. Theodotus has brought them. + +CAESAR (delighted at his own cleverness). I meant him to, Rufio. +They have come to put out the fire. The library will keep them +busy whilst we seize the lighthouse. Eh? (He rushes out buoyantly +through the loggia, followed by Britannus.) + +RUFIO (disgustedly). More foxing! Agh! (He rushes off. A shout +from the soldiers announces the appearance of Caesar below). + +CENTURION (below). All aboard. Give way there. (Another shout.) + +CLEOPATRA (waving her scarf through the loggia arch). Goodbye, +goodbye, dear Caesar. Come back safe. Goodbye! + + + +ACT III + +The edge of the quay in front of the palace, looking out west +over the east harbor of Alexandria to Pharos island, just +off the end of which, and connected with it by a narrow mole, +is the famous lighthouse, a gigantic square tower of white +marble diminishing in size storey by storey to the top, on which +stands a cresset beacon. The island is joined to the main land +by the Heptastadium, a great mole or causeway five miles long +bounding the harbor on the south. + +In the middle of the quay a Roman sentinel stands on guard, pilum +in hand, looking out to the lighthouse with strained attention, +his left hand shading his eyes. The pilum is a stout wooden shaft +41 feet long, with an iron spit about three feet long fixed in +it. The sentinel is so absorbed that he does not notice the +approach from the north end of the quay of four Egyptian market +porters carrying rolls of carpet, preceded by Ftatateeta and +Apollodorus the Sicilian. Apollodorus is a dashing young man of +about 24, handsome and debonair, dressed with deliberate +astheticism in the most delicate purples and dove greys, with +ornaments of bronze, oxydized silver, and stones of jade and +agate. His sword, designed as carefully as a medieval cross, has +a blued blade showing through an openwork scabbard of purple +leather and filagree. The porters, conducted by Ftatateeta, pass +along the quay behind the sentinel to the steps of the palace, +where they put down their bales and squat on the ground. +Apollodorus does not pass along with them: he halts, amused by +the preoccupation of the sentinel. + +APOLLODORUS (calling to the sentinel). Who goes there, eh? + +SENTINEL (starting violently and turning with his pilum at the +charge, revealing himself as a small, wiry, sandy-haired, +conscientious young man with an elderly face). What's this? +Stand. Who are you? + +APOLLODORUS. I am Apollodorus the Sicilian. Why, man, what are +you dreaming of? Since I came through the lines beyond the +theatre there, I have brought my caravan past three sentinels, +all so busy staring at the lighthouse that not one of them +challenged me. Is this Roman discipline? + +SENTINEL. We are not here to watch the land but the water. Caesar +has just landed on the Pharos. (Looking at Ftatateeta) What have +you here? Who is this piece of Egyptian crockery? + +FTATATEETA. Apollodorus: rebuke this Roman dog; and bid him +bridle his tongue in the presence of Ftatateeta, the mistress of +the Queen's household. + +APOLLODORUS. My friend: this is a great lady, who stands high +with Caesar. + +SENTINEL (not at all impressed, pointing to the carpets). And +what is all this truck? + +APOLLODORUS. Carpets for the furnishing of the Queen's apartments +in the palace. I have picked them from the best carpets in the +world; and the Queen shall choose the best of my choosing. + +SENTINEL. So you are the carpet merchant? + +APOLLODORUS (hurt). My friend: I am a patrician. + +SENTINEL. A patrician! A patrician keeping a shop instead of +following arms! + +APOLLODORUS. I do not keep a shop. Mine is a temple of the arts. +I am a worshipper of beauty. My calling is to choose beautiful +things for beautiful Queens. My motto is Art for Art's sake. + +SENTINEL. That is not the password. + +APOLLODORUS. It is a universal password. + +SENTINEL. I know nothing about universal passwords. Either give +me the password for the day or get back to your shop. + +Ftatateeta, roused by his hostile tone, steals towards the edge +of the quay with the step of a panther, and gets behind him. + +APOLLODORUS. How if I do neither? + +SENTINEL. Then I will drive this pilum through you. + +APOLLODORUS. At your service, my friend. (He draws his sword, and +springs to his guard with unruffled grace.) + +FTATATEETA (suddenly seizing the sentinel's arms from behind). +Thrust your knife into the dog's throat, Apollodorus. (The +chivalrous Apollodorus laughingly shakes his head; breaks ground +away from the sentinel towards the palace; and lowers his point.) + +SENTINEL (struggling vainly). Curse on you! Let me go. Help ho! + +FTATATEETA (lifting him from the ground). Stab the little Roman +reptile. Spit him on your sword. + +A couple of Roman soldiers, with a centurion, come running along +the edge of the quay from the north end. They rescue their +comrade, and throw off Ftatateeta, who is sent reeling away on +the left hand of the sentinel. + +CENTURION (an unattractive man of fifty, short in his speech and +manners, with a vine wood cudgel in his hand). How now? What is +all this? + +FTATATEETA (to Apollodorus). Why did you not stab him? There was +time! + +APOLLODORUS. Centurion: I am here by order of the Queen to-- + +CENTURION (interrupting him). The Queen! Yes, yes: (to the +sentinel) pass him in. Pass all these bazaar people in to the +Queen, with their goods. But mind you pass no one out that you +have not passed in--not even the Queen herself. + +SENTINEL. This old woman is dangerous: she is as strong as three +men. She wanted the merchant to stab me. + +APOLLODORUS. Centurion: I am not a merchant. I am a patrician and +a votary of art + +CENTURION. Is the woman your wife? + +APOLLODORUS (horrified). No, no! (Correcting himself politely) +Not that the lady is not a striking figure in her own way. But +(emphatically) she is NOT my wife. + +FTATATEETA (to the Centurion). Roman: I am Ftatateeta, the +mistress of the Queen's household. + +CENTURION. Keep your hands off our men, mistress; or I will have +you pitched into the harbor, though you were as strong as ten +men. (To his men) To your posts: march! (He returns with his men +the way they came.) + +FTATATEETA (looking malignantly after him). We shall see whom +Isis loves best: her servant Ftatateeta or a dog of a Roman. + +SENTINEL (to Apollodorus, with a wave of his pilum towards the +palace). Pass in there; and keep your distance. (Turning +to Ftatateeta) Come within a yard of me, you old crocodile; and I +will give you this (the pilum) in your jaws. + +CLEOPATRA (calling from the palace). Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta. + +FTATATEETA (Looking up, scandalized). Go from the window, go from +the window. There are men here. + +CLEOPATRA. I am coming down. + +FTATATEETA (distracted). No, no. What are you dreaming of? O ye +gods, ye gods! Apollodorus: bid your men pick up your bales; and +in with me quickly. + +APOLLODORUS. Obey the mistress of the Queen's household. + +FTATATEETA (impatiently, as the porters stoop to lift the bales). +Quick, quick: she will be out upon us. (Cleopatra comes from the +palace and runs across the quay to Ftatateeta.) Oh that ever I +was born! + +CLEOPATRA (eagerly). Ftatateeta: I have thought of something. I +want a boat--at once. + +FTATATEETA. A boat! No, no: you cannot. Apollodorus: speak to the +Queen. + +APOLLODORUS (gallantly). Beautiful Queen: I am Apollodorus the +Sicilian, your servant, from the bazaar. I have brought you the +three most beautiful Persian carpets in the world to choose from. + +CLEOPATRA. I have no time for carpets to-day. Get me a boat. + +FTATATEETA. What whim is this? You cannot go on the water except +in the royal barge. + +APOLLODORUS. Royalty, Ftatateeta, lies not in the barge but in +the Queen. (To Cleopatra) The touch of your majesty's foot on +the gunwale of the meanest boat in the harbor will make it royal. +(He turns to the harbor and calls seaward) Ho there, boatman! +Pull in to the steps. + +CLEOPATRA. Apollodorus: you are my perfect knight; and I will +always buy my carpets through you. (Apollodorus bows joyously. An +oar appears above the quay; and the boatman, a bullet-headed, +vivacious, grinning fellow, burnt almost black by the sun, comes +up a flight of steps from the water on the sentinel's right, oar +in hand, and waits at the top.) Can you row, Apollodorus? + +APOLLODORUS. My oars shall be your majesty's wings. Whither shall +I row my Queen? To the lighthouse. Come. (She makes for the +steps.) + +SENTINEL (opposing her with his pilum at the charge). Stand. You +cannot pass. + +CLEOPATRA (flushing angrily). How dare you? Do you know that I am +the Queen? + +SENTINEL. I have my orders. You cannot pass. + +CLEOPATRA. I will make Caesar have you killed if you do not obey +me. + +SENTINEL. He will do worse to me if I disobey my officer. Stand +back. + +CLEOPATRA. Ftatateeta: strangle him. + +SENTINEL (alarmed--looking apprehensively at Ftatateeta, and +brandishing his pilum). Keep off there. + +CLEOPATRA (running to Apollodorus). Apollodorus: make your slaves +help us. + +APOLLODORUS. I shall not need their help, lady. (He draws his +sword.) Now soldier: choose which weapon you will defend yourself +with. Shall it be sword against pilum, or sword against sword? + +SENTINEL. Roman against Sicilian, curse you. Take that. (He hurls +his pilum at Apollodorus, who drops expertly on one knee. The +pilum passes whizzing over his head and falls harmless. +Apollodorus, with a cry of triumph, springs up and attacks the +sentinel, who draws his sword and defends himself, crying) Ho +there, guard. Help! + +Cleopatra, half frightened, half delighted, takes refuge near the +palace, where the porters are squatting among the bales. The +boatman, alarmed, hurries down the steps out of harm's way, but +stops, with his head just visible above the edge of the quay, to +watch the fight. The sentinel is handicapped by his fear of an +attack in the rear from Ftatateeta. His swordsmanship, which is +of a rough and ready sort, is heavily taxed, as he has +occasionally to strike at her to keep her off between a blow and +a guard with Apollodorus. The Centurion returns with several +soldiers. Apollodorus springs back towards Cleopatra as this +reinforcement confronts him. + +CENTURION (coming to the sentinel's right hand). What is this? +What now? + +SENTINEL (panting). I could do well enough for myself if it +weren't for the old woman. Keep her off me: that is all the help +I need. + +CENTURION. Make your report, soldier. What has happened? + +FTATATEETA. Centurion: he would have slain the Queen. + +SENTINEL (bluntly). I would, sooner than let her pass. She wanted +to take boat, and go--so she said--to the lighthouse. I stopped +her, as I was ordered to; and she set this fellow on me. (He goes +to pick up his pilum and returns to his place with it.) + +CENTURION (turning to Cleopatra). Cleopatra: I am loath to offend +you; but without Caesar's express order we dare not let you pass +beyond the Roman lines. + +APOLLODORUS. Well, Centurion; and has not the lighthouse been +within the Roman lines since Caesar landed there? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes, yes. Answer that, if you can. + +CENTURION (to Apollodorus). As for you, Apollodorus, you may +thank the gods that you are not nailed to the palace door with a +pilum for your meddling. + +APOLLODORUS (urbanely). My military friend, I was not born to be +slain by so ugly a weapon. When I fall, it will be (holding up +his sword) by this white queen of arms, the only weapon fit for +an artist. And now that you are convinced that we do not want to +go beyond the lines, let me finish killing your sentinel and +depart with the Queen. + +CENTURION (as the sentinel makes an angry demonstration). Peace +there. Cleopatra. I must abide by my orders, and not by the +subtleties of this Sicilian. You must withdraw into the palace +and examine your carpets there. + +CLEOPATRA (pouting). I will not: I am the Queen. Caesar does not +speak to me as you do. Have Caesar's centurions changed manners +with his scullions? + +CENTURION (sulkily). I do my duty. That is enough for me. + +APOLLODORUS. Majesty: when a stupid man is doing something he is +ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty. + +CENTURION (angry). Apollodorus-- + +APOLLODORUS (interrupting him with defiant elegance). I will make +amends for that insult with my sword at fitting time and place. +Who says artist, says duelist. (To Cleopatra) Hear my counsel, +star of the east. Until word comes to these soldiers from Caesar +himself, you are a prisoner. Let me go to him with a message from +you, and a present; and before the sun has stooped half way to +the arms of the sea, I will bring you back Caesar's order of +release. + +CENTURION (sneering at him), And you will sell the Queen the +present, no doubt. + +APOLLODORUS. Centurion: the Queen shall have from me, without +payment, as the unforced tribute of Sicilian taste to Egyptian +beauty, the richest of these carpets for her present to Caesar. + +CLEOPATRA (exultantly, to the Centurion). Now you see what an +ignorant common creature you are! + +CENTURION (curtly). Well, a fool and his wares are soon parted +(He turns to his men). Two more men to this post here; and see +that no one leaves the palace but this man and his merchandize. +If he draws his sword again inside the lines, kill him. To your +posts. March. + +He goes out, leaving two auxiliary sentinels with the other. + +APOLLODORUS (with polite goodfellowship). My friends: will you +not enter the palace and bury our quarrel in a bowl of wine? (He +takes out his purse, jingling the coins in it.) The Queen has +presents for you all. + +SENTINEL (very sulky). You heard our orders. Get about your +business. + +FIRST AUXILIARY. Yes: you ought to know better. Off with you. + +SECOND AUXILIARY (looking longingly at the purse--this sentinel +is a hooknosed man, unlike his comrade, who is squab faced). Do +not tantalize a poor man. + +APOLLODORUS (to Cleopatra). Pearl of Queens: the Centurion is at +hand; and the Roman soldier is incorruptible when his officer is +looking. I must carry your word to Caesar. + +CLEOPATRA (who has been meditating among the carpets). Are these +carpets very heavy? + +APOLLODORUS. It matters not how heavy. There are plenty of +porters. + +CLEOPATRA. How do they put the carpets into boats? Do they throw +them down? + +APOLLODORUS. Not into small boats, majesty. It would sink them. + +CLEOPATRA. Not into that man's boat, for instance? (Pointing to +the boatman.) + +APOLLODORUS. No. Too small. + +CLEOPATRA. But you can take a carpet to Caesar in it if I send +one? + +APOLLODORUS. Assuredly. + +CLEOPATRA. And you will have it carried gently down the steps and +take great care of it? + +APOLLODORUS. Depend on me. + +CLEOPATRA. Great, GREAT care? + +APOLLODORUS. More than of my own body. + +CLEOPATRA. You will promise me not to let the porters drop it or +throw it about? + +APOLLODORUS. Place the most delicate glass goblet in the palace +in the heart of the roll, Queen; and if it be broken, my head +shall pay for it. + +CLEOPATRA. Good. Come, Ftatateeta. (Ftatateeta comes to her. +Apollodorus offers to squire them into the palace.) No, +Apollodorus, you must not come. I will choose a carpet for +myself. You must wait here. (She runs into the palace.) + +APOLLODORUS (to the porters). Follow this lady (indicating +Ftatateeta); and obey her. + +The porters rise and take up their bales. + +FTATATEETA (addressing the porters as if they were vermin). +This way. And take your shoes off before you put your feet on +those stairs. + +She goes in, followed by the porters with the carpets. Meanwhile +Apollodorus goes to the edge of the quay and looks out over the +harbor. The sentinels keep their eyes on him malignantly. + +APOLLODORUS (addressing the sentinel). My friend-- + +SENTINEL (rudely). Silence there. + +FIRST AUXILIARY. Shut your muzzle, you. + +SECOND AUXILIARY (in a half whisper, glancing apprehensively +towards the north end of the quay). Can't you wait a bit? + +APOLLODORUS. Patience, worthy three-headed donkey. (They mutter +ferociously; but he is not at all intimidated.) Listen: were you +set here to watch me, or to watch the Egyptians? + +SENTINEL. We know our duty. + +APOLLODORUS. Then why don't you do it? There's something going on +over there. (Pointing southwestward to the mole.) + +SENTINEL (sulkily). I do not need to be told what to do by the +like of you. + +APOLLODORUS. Blockhead. (He begins shouting) Ho there, Centurion. +Hoiho! + +SENTINEL. Curse your meddling. (Shouting) Hoiho! Alarm! Alarm! + +FIRST AND SECOND AUXILIARIES. Alarm! alarm! Hoiho! + +The Centurion comes running in with his guard. + +CENTURION. What now? Has the old woman attacked you again? +(Seeing Apollodorus) Are YOU here still? + +APOLLODORUS (pointing as before). See there. The Egyptians are +moving. They are going to recapture the Pharos. They will attack +by sea and land: by land along the great mole; by sea from the +west harbor. Stir yourselves, my military friends: the hunt is +up. (A clangor of trumpets from several points along the quay.) +Aha! I told you so. + +CENTURION (quickly). The two extra men pass the alarm to the +south posts. One man keep guard here. The rest with me--quick. + +The two auxiliary sentinels run off to the south. The Centurion +and his guard run of northward; and immediately afterwards the +bucina sounds. The four porters come from the palace carrying a +carpet, followed by Ftatateeta. + +SENTINEL (handling his pilum apprehensively). You again! (The +porters stop.) + +FTATATEETA. Peace, Roman fellow: you are now single-handed. +Apollodorus: this carpet is Cleopatra's present to Caesar. It has +rolled up in it ten precious goblets of the thinnest Iberian +crystal, and a hundred eggs of the sacred blue pigeon. On your +honor, let not one of them be broken. + +APOLLODORUS. On my head be it. (To the porters) Into the boat +with them carefully. + +The porters carry the carpet to the steps. + +FIRST PORTER (looking down at the boat). Beware what you do, sir. +Those eggs of which the lady speaks must weigh more than a pound +apiece. This boat is too small for such a load. + +BOATMAN (excitedly rushing up the steps). Oh thou injurious +porter! Oh thou unnatural son of a she-camel! (To Apollodorus) My +boat, sir, hath often carried five men. Shall it not carry your +lordship and a bale of pigeons' eggs? (To the porter) Thou mangey +dromedary, the gods shall punish thee for this envious +wickedness. + +FIRST PORTER (stolidly). I cannot quit this bale now to beat +thee; but another day I will lie in wait for thee. + +APPOLODORUS (going between them). Peace there. If the boat were +but a single plank, I would get to Caesar on it. + +FTATATEETA (anxiously). In the name of the gods, Apollodorus, run +no risks with that bale. + +APOLLODORUS. Fear not, thou venerable grotesque: I guess its +great worth. (To the porters) Down with it, I say; and gently; or +ye shall eat nothing but stick for ten days. + +The boatman goes down the steps, followed by the porters with the +bale: Ftatateeta and Apollodorus watching from the edge. + +APOLLODORUS. Gently, my sons, my children--(with sudden alarm) +gently, ye dogs. Lay it level in the stern--so--'tis well. + +FTATATEETA (screaming down at one of the porters). Do not step on +it, do not step on it. Oh thou brute beast! + +FIRST PORTER (ascending). Be not excited, mistress: all is well. + +FTATATEETA (panting). All well! Oh, thou hast given my heart a +turn! (She clutches her side, gasping.) + +The four porters have now come up and are waiting at the +stairhead to be paid. + +APOLLODORUS. Here, ye hungry ones. (He gives money to the first +porter, who holds it in his hand to show to the others. They +crowd greedily to see how much it is, quite prepared, after the +Eastern fashion, to protest to heaven against their patron's +stinginess. But his liberality overpowers them.) + +FIRST PORTER. O bounteous prince! + +SECOND PORTER. O lord of the bazaar! + +THIRD PORTER. O favored of the gods! + +FOURTH PORTER. O father to all the porters of the market! + +SENTINEL (enviously, threatening them fiercely with his pilum). +Hence, dogs: off. Out of this. (They fly before him northward +along the quay.) + +APOLLODORUS. Farewell, Ftatateeta. I shall be at the lighthouse +before the Egyptians. (He descends the steps.) + +FTATATEETA. The gods speed thee and protect my nursling! + +The sentry returns from chasing the porters and looks down at the +boat, standing near the stairhead lest Ftatateeta should attempt +to escape. + +APOLLODORUS (from beneath, as the boat moves off). Farewell, +valiant pilum pitcher. + +SENTINEL. Farewell shopkeeper. + +APOLLODORUS. Ha, ha! Pull, thou brave boatman, pull. So +Ho-o-o-o-o! (He begins to sing in barcarolle measure to the +rhythm of the oars) + +My heart, my heart, spread out thy wings: +Shake off thy heavy load of love-- + +Give me the oars, O son of a snail. + +SENTINEL (threatening Ftatateeta). Now mistress: back to your +henhouse. In with you. + +FTATATEETA (falling on her knees and stretching her hands over +the waters). Gods of the seas, bear her safely to the shore! + +SENTINEL. Bear WHO safely? What do you mean? + +FTATATEETA (looking darkly at him). Gods of Egypt and of +Vengeance, let this Roman fool be beaten like a dog by his +captain for suffering her to be taken over the waters. + +SENTINEL. Accursed one: is she then in the boat? (He calls over +the sea) Hoiho, there, boatman! Hoiho! + +APOLLODORUS (singing in the distance). +My heart, my heart, be whole and free: +Love is thine only enemy. + +Meanwhile Rufio, the morning's fighting done, sits munching dates +on a faggot of brushwood outside the door of the lighthouse, +which towers gigantic to the clouds on his left. His helmet, full +of dates, is between his knees; and a leathern bottle of wine is +by his side. Behind him the great stone pedestal of the +lighthouse is shut in from the open sea by a low stone parapet, +with a couple of steps in the middle to the broad coping. A huge +chain with a hook hangs down from the lighthouse crane above his +head. Faggots like the one he sits on lie beneath it ready to be +drawn up to feed the beacon. + +Caesar is standing on the step at the parapet looking out +anxiously, evidently ill at ease. Britannus comes out of the +lighthouse door. + +RUFIO. Well, my British islander. Have you been up to the top? + +BRITANNUS. I have. I reckon it at 200 feet high. + +RUFIO. Anybody up there? + +BRITANNUS. One elderly Tyrian to work the crane; and his son, a +well conducted youth of 14. + +RUFIO (looking at the chain). What! An old man and a boy work +that! Twenty men, you mean. + +BRITANNUS. Two only, I assure you. They have counterweights, and +a machine with boiling water in it which I do not understand: it +is not of British design. They use it to haul up barrels of oil +and faggots to burn in the brazier on the roof. + +RUFIO. But-- + +BRITANNUS. Excuse me: I came down because there are messengers +coming along the mole to us from the island. I must see what +their business is. (He hurries out past the lighthouse.) + +CAESAR (coming away from the parapet, shivering and out of +sorts). Rufio: this has been a mad expedition. We shall be +beaten. I wish I knew how our men are getting on with that +barricade across the great mole. + +RUFIO (angrily). Must I leave my food and go starving to bring +you a report? + +CAESAR (soothing him nervously). No, Rufio, no. Eat, my son. Eat. +(He takes another turn, Rufio chewing dates meanwhile.) The +Egyptians cannot be such fools as not to storm the barricade and +swoop down on us here before it is finished. It is the first time +I have ever run an avoidable risk. I should not have come to +Egypt. + +RUFIO. An hour ago you were all for victory. + +CAESAR (apologetically). Yes: I was a fool--rash, Rufio--boyish. + +RUFIO. Boyish! Not a bit of it. Here. (Offering him a handful of +dates.) + +CAESAR. What are these for? + +RUFIO. To eat. That's what's the matter with you. When a man +comes to your age, he runs down before his midday meal. Eat and +drink; and then have another look at our chances. + +CAESAR (taking the dates). My age! (He shakes his head and bites +a date.) Yes, Rufio: I am an old man--worn out now--true, quite +true. (He gives way to melancholy contemplation, and eats another +date.) Achillas is still in his prime: Ptolemy is a boy. (He eats +another date, and plucks up a little.) Well, every dog has his +day; and I have had mine: I cannot complain. (With sudden +cheerfulness) These dates are not bad, Rufio. (Britannus returns, +greatly excited, with a leathern bag. Caesar is himself again in +a moment.) What now? + +BRITANNUS (triumphantly). Our brave Rhodian mariners have +captured a treasure. There! (He throws the bag down at Caesar's +feet.) Our enemies are delivered into our hands. + +CAESAR. In that bag? + +BRITANNUS. Wait till you hear, Caesar. This bag contains all the +letters which have passed between Pompey's party and the army of +occupation here. + +CAESAR. Well? + +BRITANNUS (impatient of Caesar's slowness to grasp the +situation). Well, we shall now know who your foes are. The name +of every man who has plotted against you since you crossed the +Rubicon may be in these papers, for all we know. + +CAESAR. Put them in the fire. + +BRITANNUS. Put them--(he gasps)!!!! + +CAESAR. In the fire. Would you have me waste the next three years +of my life in proscribing and condemning men who will be my +friends when I have proved that my friendship is worth more than +Pompey's was--than Cato's is. O incorrigible British islander: am +I a bull dog, to seek quarrels merely to show how stubborn my +jaws are? + +BRITANNUS. But your honor--the honor of Rome-- + +CAESAR. I do not make human sacrifices to my honor, as your +Druids do. Since you will not burn these, at least I can drown +them. (He picks up the bag and throws it over the parapet into +the sea.) + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: this is mere eccentricity. Are traitors to be +allowed to go free for the sake of a paradox? + +RUFIO (rising). Caesar: when the islander has finished preaching, +call me again. I am going to have a look at the boiling water +machine. (He goes into the lighthouse.) + +BRITANNUS (with genuine feeling). O Caesar, my great master, if I +could but persuade you to regard life seriously, as men do in my +country! + +CAESAR. Do they truly do so, Britannus? + +BRITANNUS. Have you not been there? Have you not seen them? What +Briton speaks as you do in your moments of levity? What Briton +neglects to attend the services at the sacred grove? What Briton +wears clothes of many colors as you do, instead of plain blue, as +all solid, well esteemed men should? These are moral questions +with us. +CAESAR. Well, well, my friend: some day I shall settle down and +have a blue toga, perhaps. Meanwhile, I must get on as best I can +in my flippant Roman way. (Apollodorus comes past the +lighthouse.) What now? + +BRITANNUS (turning quickly, and challenging the stranger with +official haughtiness). What is this? Who are you? How did you +come here? + +APOLLODORUS. Calm yourself, my friend: I am not going to eat you. +I have come by boat, from Alexandria, with precious gifts for +Caesar. + +CAESAR. From Alexandria! + +BRITANNUS (severely). That is Caesar, sir. + +RUFI0 (appearing at the lighthouse door). What's the matter now? + +APOLLODORUS. Hail, great Caesar! I am Apollodorus the Sicilian, +an artist. + +BRITANNUS. An artist! Why have they admitted this vagabond? + +CAESAR. Peace, man. Apollodorus is a famous patrician amateur. + +BRITANNUS (disconcerted). I crave the gentleman's pardon. (To +Caesar) I understood him to say that he was a professional. +(Somewhat out of countenance, he allows Apollodorus to approach +Caesar, changing places with him. Rufio, after looking +Apollodorus up and down with marked disparagement, goes to the +other side of the platform.) + +CAESAR. You are welcome, Apollodorus. What is your business? + +APOLLODORUS. First, to deliver to you a present from the Queen of +Queens. + +CAESAR. Who is that? + +APOLLODORUS. Cleopatra of Egypt. + +CAESAR (taking him into his confidence in his most winning +manner). Apollodorus: this is no time for playing with presents. +Pray you, go back to the Queen, and tell her that if all goes +well I shall return to the palace this evening. + +APOLLODORUS. Caesar: I cannot return. As I approached the +lighthouse, some fool threw a great leathern bag into the sea. It +broke the nose of my boat; and I had hardly time to get myself +and my charge to the shore before the poor little cockleshell +sank. + +CAESAR. I am sorry, Apollodorus. The fool shall be rebuked. Well, +well: what have you brought me? The Queen will be hurt if I do +not look at it. + +RUFIO. Have we time to waste on this trumpery? The Queen is only +a child. + +CAESAR. Just so: that is why we must not disappoint her. What is +the present, Apollodorus? + +APOLLODORUS. Caesar: it is a Persian carpet--a beauty! And in it +are--so I am told--pigeons' eggs and crystal goblets and fragile +precious things. I dare not for my head have it carried up that +narrow ladder from the causeway. + +RUFIO. Swing it up by the crane, then. We will send the eggs to +the cook; drink our wine from the goblets; and the carpet will +make a bed for Caesar. + +APOLLODORUS. The crane! Caesar: I have sworn to tender this bale +of carpet as I tender my own life. + +CAESAR (cheerfully). Then let them swing you up at the same time; +and if the chain breaks, you and the pigeons' eggs will perish +together. (He goes to the chairs and looks up along it, examining +it curiously.) + +APOLLODORUS (to Britannus). Is Caesar serious? + +BRITANNUS. His manner is frivolous because he is an Italian; but +he means what he says. + +APOLLODORUS. Serious or not, he spoke well. Give me a squad of +soldiers to work the crane. + +BRITANNUS. Leave the crane to me. Go and await the descent of the +chain. + +APOLLODORUS. Good. You will presently see me there (turning to +them all and pointing with an eloquent gesture to the sky above +the parapet) rising like the sun with my treasure. + +He goes back the, way he came. Britannus goes into the +lighthouse. + +RUFIO (ill-humoredly). Are you really going to wait here for this +foolery, Caesar? + +CAESAR (backing away from the crane as it gives signs of +working). Why not? + +RUFIO. The Egyptians will let you know why not if they have the +sense to make a rush from the shore end of the mole before our +barricade is finished. And here we are waiting like children to +see a carpet full of pigeons' eggs. + +The chain rattles, and is drawn up high enough to clear the +parapet. It then swings round out of sight behind the lighthouse. + +CAESAR. Fear not, my son Rufio. When the first Egyptian takes his +first step along the mole, the alarm will sound; and we two will +reach the barricade from our end before the Egyptians reach it +from their end--we two, Rufio: I, the old man, and you, his +biggest boy. And the old man will be there first. So peace; and +give me some more dates. + +APOLLODORUS (from the causeway below). So-ho, haul away. So-ho-o- +o-o! (The chain is drawn up and comes round again from behind the +lighthouse. Apollodorus is swinging in the air with his bale of +carpet at the end of it. He breaks into song as he soars above +the parapet.) + +Aloft, aloft, behold the blue +That never shone in woman's eyes + +Easy there: stop her. (He ceases to rise.) Further round! (The +chain comes forward above the platform.) + +RUFIO (calling up). Lower away there. (The chain and its load +begin to descend.) + +APOLLODORUS (calling up). Gently--slowly--mind the eggs. + +RUFIO (calling up). Easy there--slowly--slowly. + +Apollodorus and the bale are deposited safely on the flags in +the middle of the platform. Rufio and Caesar help Apollodorus to +cast off the chain from the bale. + +RUFIO. Haul up. + +The chain rises clear of their heads with a rattle. Britannus +comes from the lighthouse and helps them to uncord the carpet. + +APOLLODORUS (when the cords are loose). Stand off, my friends: +let Caesar see. (He throws the carpet open.) + +RUFIO. Nothing but a heap of shawls. Where are the pigeons' eggs? + +APOLLODORUS. Approach, Caesar; and search for them among the +shawls. + +RUFIO (drawing his sword). Ha, treachery! Keep back, Caesar: I +saw the shawl move: there is something alive there. + +BRITANNUS (drawing his sword). It is a serpent. + +APOLLODORUS. Dares Caesar thrust his hand into the sack where the +serpent moves? + +RUFIO (turning on him). Treacherous dog-- + +CAESAR. Peace. Put up your swords. Apollodorus: your serpent +seems to breathe very regularly. (He thrusts his hand under the +shawls and draws out a bare arm.) This is a pretty little snake. + +RUFIO (drawing out the other arm). Let us have the rest of you. + +They pull Cleopatra up by the wrists into a sitting position. +Britannus, scandalized, sheathes his sword with a drive of +protest. + +CLEOPATRA (gasping). Oh, I'm smothered. Oh, Caesar; a man stood +on me in the boat; and a great sack of something fell upon me out +of the sky; and then the boat sank, and then I was swung up into +the air and bumped down. + +CAESAR (petting her as she rises and takes refuge on his breast). +Well, never mind: here you are safe and sound at last. + +RUFIO. Ay; and now that she is here, what are we to do with her? + +BRITANNUS. She cannot stay here, Caesar, without the +companionship of some matron. + +CLEOPATRA (jealously, to Caesar, who is obviously perplexed). +Aren't you glad to see me? + +CAESAR. Yes, yes; I am very glad. But Rufio is very angry; and +Britannus is shocked. + +CLEOPATRA (contemptuously). You can have their heads cut off, can +you not? + +CAESAR. They would not be so useful with their heads cut off as +they are now, my sea bird. + +RUFIO (to Cleopatra). We shall have to go away presently and cut +some of your Egyptians' heads off. How will you like being left +here with the chance of being captured by that little brother of +yours if we are beaten? + +CLEOPATRA. But you mustn't leave me alone. Caesar you will not +leave me alone, will you? + +RUFIO. What! Not when the trumpet sounds and all our lives depend +on Caesar's being at the barricade before the Egyptians reach it? +Eh? + +CLEOPATRA. Let them lose their lives: they are only soldiers. + +CAESAR (gravely). Cleopatra: when that trumpet sounds, we must +take every man his life in his hand, and throw it in the face of +Death. And of my soldiers who have trusted me there is not one +whose hand I shall not hold more sacred than your head. +(Cleopatra is overwhelmed. Her eyes fill with tears.) +Apollodorus: you must take her back to the palace. + +APOLLODORUS. Am I a dolphin, Caesar, to cross the seas with young +ladies on my back? My boat is sunk: all yours are either at the +barricade or have returned to the city. I will hail one if I can: +that is all I can do. (He goes back to the causeway.) + +CLEOPATRA (struggling with her tears). It does not matter. I will +not go back. Nobody cares for me. + +CAESAR. Cleopatra-- + +CLEOPATRA. You want me to be killed. + +CAESAR (still more gravely). My poor child: your life matters +little here to anyone but yourself. (She gives way altogether at +this, casting herself down on the faggots weeping. Suddenly a +great tumult is heard in the distance, bucinas and trumpets +sounding through a storm of shouting. Britannus rushes to the +parapet and looks along the mole. Caesar and Rufio turn to one +another with quick intelligence.) + +CAESAR. Come, Rufio. + +CLEOPATRA (scrambling to her knees and clinging to him). No, no. +Do not leave me, Caesar. (He snatches his skirt from her clutch.) +Oh! + +BRITANNUS (from the parapet). Caesar: we are cut off. The +Egyptians have landed from the west harbor between us and the +barricade!!! + +RUFIO (running to see). Curses! It is true. We are caught like +rats in a trap. + +CAESAR (ruthfully). Rufio, Rufio: my men at the barricade are +between the sea party and the shore party. I have murdered them. + +RUFIO (coming back from the parapet to Caesar's right hand). Ay: +that comes of fooling with this girl here. + +APOLLODORUS (coming up quickly from the causeway). Look over the +parapet, Caesar. + +CAESAR. We have looked, my friend. We must defend ourselves here. + +APOLLODORUS. I have thrown the ladder into the sea. They cannot +get in without it. + +RUFIO. Ay; and we cannot get out. Have you thought of that? + +APOLLODORUS. Not get out! Why not? You have ships in the east +harbor. + +BRITANNUS (hopefully, at the parapet). The Rhodian galleys are +standing in towards us already. (Caesar quickly joins Britannus +at the parapet.) + +RUFIO (to Apollodorus, impatiently). And by what road are we to +walk to the galleys, pray? + +APOLLODORUS (with gay, defiant rhetoric). By the road that leads +everywhere--the diamond path of the sun and moon. Have you never +seen the child's shadow play of The Broken Bridge? "Ducks and +geese with ease get over"--eh? (He throws away his cloak and cap, +and binds his sword on his back.) + +RUFIO. What are you talking about? + +APOLLODORUS. I will show you. (Calling to Britannus) How far off +is the nearest galley? + +BRITANNUS. Fifty fathom. + +CAESAR. No, no: they are further off than they seem in this clear +air to your British eyes. Nearly quarter of a mile, Apollodorus. + +APOLLODORUS. Good. Defend yourselves here until I send you a boat +from that galley. + +RUFIO. Have you wings, perhaps? + +APOLLODORUS. Water wings, soldier. Behold! + +He runs up the steps between Caesar and Britannus to the coping +of the parapet; springs into the air; and plunges head foremost +into the sea. + +CAESAR (like a schoolboy--wildly excited). Bravo, bravo! +(Throwing off his cloak) By Jupiter, I will do that too. + +RUFIO (seizing him). You are mad. You shall not. + +CAESAR. Why not? Can I not swim as well as he? + +RUFIO (frantic). Can an old fool dive and swim like a young one? +He is twenty-five and you are fifty. + +CAESAR (breaking loose from Rufio). Old!!! + +BRITANNUS (shocked). Rufio: you forget yourself. + +CAESAR. I will race you to the galley for a week's pay, father +Rufio. + +CLEOPATRA. But me! Me!! Me!!! What is to become of me? + +CAESAR. I will carry you on my back to the galley like a dolphin. +Rufio: when you see me rise to the surface, throw her in: I will +answer for her. And then in with you after her, both of you. + +CLEOPATRA. No, no, NO. I shall be drowned. + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: I am a man and a Briton, not a fish. I must +have a boat. I cannot swim. + +CLEOPATRA. Neither can I. + +CAESAR (to Britannus). Stay here, then, alone, until I recapture +the lighthouse: I will not forget you. Now, Rufio. + +RUFIO. You have made up your mind to this folly? + +CAESAR. The Egyptians have made it up for me. What else is there +to do? And mind where you jump: I do not want to get your +fourteen stone in the small of my back as I come up. (He runs up +the steps and stands on the coping.) + +BRITANNUS (anxiously). One last word, Caesar. Do not let yourself +be seen in the fashionable part of Alexandria until you have +changed your clothes. + +CAESAR (calling over the sea). Ho, Apollodorus: (he points +skyward and quotes the barcarolle) + +The white upon the blue above-- + +APOLLODORUS (swimming in the distance) + +Is purple on the green below-- + +CAESAR (exultantly). Aha! (He plunges into the sea.) + +CLEOPATRA (running excitedly to the steps). Oh, let me see. He +will be drowned. (Rufio seizes her.) Ah--ah--ah--ah! (He pitches +her screaming into the sea. Rufio and Britannus roar with +laughter.) + +RUFIO (looking down after her). He has got her. (To Britannus) +Hold the fort, Briton. Caesar will not forget you. (He springs +off.) + +BRITANNUS (running to the steps to watch them as they swim). All +safe, Rufio? + +RUFIO (swimming). All safe. + +CAESAR (swimming further of). Take refuge up there by the beacon; +and pile the fuel on the trap door, Britannus. + +BRITANNUS (calling in reply). I will first do so, and then +commend myself to my country's gods. (A sound of cheering from +the sea. Britannus gives full vent to his excitement) The boat +has reached him: Hip, hip, hip, hurrah! + +END OF ACT III. + + +ACT IV + +Cleopatra's sousing in the east harbor of Alexandria was in +October 48 B. C. In March 47 she is passing the afternoon in her +boudoir in the palace, among a bevy of her ladies, listening to a +slave girl who is playing the harp in the middle of the room. +The harpist's master, an old musician, with a lined face, +prominent +brows, white beard, moustache and eyebrows twisted and horned at +the ends, and a consciously keen and pretentious expression, is +squatting on the floor close to her on her right, watching her +performance. Ftatateeta is in attendance near the door, in front +of a group of female slaves. Except the harp player all are +seated: Cleopatra in a chair opposite the door on the other side +of the room; the rest on the ground. Cleopatra's ladies are all +young, the most conspicuous being Charmian and Iras, her +favorites. Charmian is a hatchet faced, terra cotta colored +little goblin, swift in her movements, and neatly finished at the +hands and feet. Iras is a plump, goodnatured creature, rather +fatuous, with a profusion of red hair, and a tendency to giggle +on the slightest provocation. + +CLEOPATRA. Can I-- + +FTATATEETA (insolently, to the player). Peace, thou! The Queen +speaks. (The player stops.) + +CLEOPATRA (to the old musician). I want to learn to play the harp +with my own hands. Caesar loves music. Can you teach me? + +MUSICIAN. Assuredly I and no one else can teach the Queen. Have +I not discovered the lost method of the ancient Egyptians, who +could make a pyramid tremble by touching a bass string? All the +other teachers are quacks: I have exposed them repeatedly. + +CLEOPATRA. Good: you shall teach me. How long will it take? + +MUSICIAN. Not very long: only four years. Your Majesty must first +become proficient in the philosophy of Pythagoras. + +CLEOPATRA. Has she (indicating the slave) become proficient in +the philosophy of Pythagoras? + +MUSICIAN. Oh, she is but a slave. She learns as a dog learns. + +CLEOPATRA. Well, then, I will learn as a dog learns; for she +plays better than you. You shall give me a lesson every day for a +fortnight. (The musician hastily scrambles to his feet and bows +profoundly.) After that, whenever I strike a false note you shall +be flogged; and if I strike so many that there is not time to +flog you, you shall be thrown into the Nile to feed the +crocodiles. +Give the girl a piece of gold; and send them away. + +MUSICIAN (much taken aback). But true art will not be thus +forced. + +FTATATEETA (pushing him out). What is this? Answering the Queen, +forsooth. Out with you. + +He is pushed out by Ftatateeta, the girl following with her harp, +amid the laughter of the ladies and slaves. + +CLEOPATRA. Now, can any of you amuse me? Have you any stories or +any news? + +IRAS. Ftatateeta-- + +CLEOPATRA. Oh, Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta, always Ftatateeta. Some +new tale to set me against her. + +IRAS. No: this time Ftatateeta has been virtuous. (All the ladies +laugh--not the slaves.) Pothinus has been trying to bribe her to +let him speak with you. + +CLEOPATRA (wrathfully). Ha! You all sell audiences with me, as if +I saw whom you please, and not whom I please. I should like to +know how much of her gold piece that harp girl will have to give +up before she leaves the palace. + +IRAS. We can easily find out that for you. + +The ladies laugh. + +CLEOPATRA (frowning). You laugh; but take care, take care. I will +find out some day how to make myself served as Caesar is served. + +CHARMIAN. Old hooknose! (They laugh again.) + +CLEOPATRA (revolted). Silence. Charmian: do not you be a silly +little Egyptian fool. Do you know why I allow you all to chatter +impertinently just as you please, instead of treating you as +Ftatateeta would treat you if she were Queen? + +CHARMIAN. Because you try to imitate Caesar in everything; and he +lets everybody say what they please to him. + +CLEOPATRA. No; but because I asked him one day why he did so; and +he said "Let your women talk; and you will learn something from +them." What have I to learn from them? I said. "What they ARE," +said he; and oh! you should have seen his eye as he said it. You +would have curled up, you shallow things. (They laugh. She turns +fiercely on Iras) At whom are you laughing--at me or at Caesar? + +IRAS. At Caesar. + +CLEOPATRA. If you were not a fool, you would laugh at me; and if +you were not a coward you would not be afraid to tell me so. +(Ftatateeta returns.) Ftatateeta: they tell me that Pothinus has +offered you a bribe to admit him to my presence. + +FTATATEETA (protesting). Now by my father's gods-- + +CLEOPATRA (cutting her short despotically). Have I not told you +not to deny things? You would spend the day calling your father's +gods to witness to your virtues if I let you. Go take the bribe; +and bring in Pothinus. (Ftatateeta is about to reply.) Don't +answer me. Go. + +Ftatateeta goes out; and Cleopatra rises and begins to prowl to +and fro between her chair and the door, meditating. All rise and +stand. + +IRAS (as she reluctantly rises). Heigho! I wish Caesar were back +in Rome. + +CLEOPATRA (threateningly). It will be a bad day for you all when +he goes. Oh, if I were not ashamed to let him see that I am as +cruel at heart as my father, I would make you repent that speech! +Why do you wish him away? + +CHARMIAN. He makes you so terribly prosy and serious and learned +and philosophical. It is worse than being religious, at OUR ages. +(The ladies laugh.) + +CLEOPATRA. Cease that endless cackling, will you. Hold your +tongues. + +CHARMIAN (with mock resignation). Well, well: we must try to live +up to Caesar. + +They laugh again. Cleopatra rages silently as she continues to +prowl to and fro. Ftatateeta comes back with Pothinus, who halts +on the threshold. + +FTATATEETA (at the door). Pothinus craves the ear of the-- + +CLEOPATRA. There, there: that will do: let him come in. + +(She resumes her seat. All sit down except Pothinus, who advances +to the middle of the room. Ftatateeta takes her former place.) +Well, Pothinus: what is the latest news from your rebel friends? + +POTHINUS (haughtily). I am no friend of rebellion. And a prisoner +does not receive news. + +CLEOPATRA. You are no more a prisoner than I am--than Caesar is. +These six months we have been besieged in this palace by my +subjects. You are allowed to walk on the beach among the +soldiers. Can I go further myself, or can Caesar? + +POTHINUS. You are but a child, Cleopatra, and do not understand +these matters. + +The ladies laugh. Cleopatra looks inscrutably at him. + +CHARMIAN. I see you do not know the latest news, Pothinus. + +POTHINUS. What is that? + +CHARMIAN. That Cleopatra is no longer a child. Shall I tell you +how to grow much older, and much, MUCH wiser in one day? + +POTHINUS. I should prefer to grow wiser without growing older. + +CHARMIAN. Well, go up to the top of the lighthouse; and get +somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea. (The +ladies laugh.) + +CLEOPATRA. She is right, Pothinus: you will come to the shore +with much conceit washed out of you. (The ladies laugh. Cleopatra +rises impatiently.) Begone, all of you. I will speak with +Pothinus alone. Drive them out, Ftatateeta. (They run out +laughing. Ftatateeta shuts the door on them.) What are YOU +waiting for? + +FTATATEETA. It is not meet that the Queen remain alone with-- + +CLEOPATRA (interrupting her). Ftatateeta: must I sacrifice you to +your father's gods to teach you that I am Queen of Egypt, and not +you? + +FTATATEETA (indignantly). You are like the rest of them. You want +to be what these Romans call a New Woman. (She goes out, banging +the door.) + +CLEOPATRA (sitting down again). Now, Pothinus: why did you bribe +Ftatateeta to bring you hither? + +POTHINUS (studying her gravely). Cleopatra: what they tell me is +true. You are changed. + +CLEOPATRA. Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months: and +YOU will be changed. + +POTHINUS. It is the common talk that you are infatuated with this +old man. + +CLEOPATRA. Infatuated? What does that mean? Made foolish, is it +not? Oh no: I wish I were. + +POTHINUS. You wish you were made foolish! How so? + +CLEOPATRA. When I was foolish, I did what I liked, except when +Ftatateeta beat me; and even then I cheated her and did it by +stealth. Now that Caesar has made me wise, it is no use my liking +or disliking; I do what must be done, and have no time to attend +to myself. That is not happiness; but it is greatness. If Caesar +were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians; for what Caesar +is to me, I am to the fools around me. + +POTHINUS (looking hard at her). Cleopatra: this may be the vanity +of youth. + +CLEOPATRA. No, no: it is not that I am so clever, but that the +others are so stupid. + +POTHINUS (musingly). Truly, that is the great secret. + +CLEOPATRA. Well, now tell me what you came to say? + +POTHINUS (embarrassed). I! Nothing. + +CLEOPATRA. Nothing! + +POTHINUS. At least--to beg for my liberty: that is all. + +CLEOPATRA. For that you would have knelt to Caesar. No, Pothinus: +you came with some plan that depended on Cleopatra being a little +nursery kitten. Now that Cleopatra is a Queen, the plan is upset. + +POTHINUS (bowing his head submissively). It is so. + +CLEOPATRA (exultant). Aha! + +POTHINUS (raising his eyes keenly to hers). Is Cleopatra then +indeed a Queen, and no longer Caesar's prisoner and slave? + +CLEOPATRA. Pothinus: we are all Caesar's slaves--all we in this +land of Egypt--whether we will or no. And she who is wise enough +to know this will reign when Caesar departs. + +POTHINUS. You harp on Caesar's departure. + +CLEOPATRA. What if I do? + +POTHINUS. Does he not love you? + +CLEOPATRA. Love me! Pothinus: Caesar loves no one. Who are those +we love? Only those whom we do not hate: all people are strangers +and enemies to us except those we love. But it is not so with +Caesar. He has no hatred in him: he makes friends with everyone +as he does with dogs and children. His kindness to me is a +wonder: neither mother, father, nor nurse have ever taken so much +care for me, or thrown open their thoughts to me so freely. + +POTHINUS. Well: is not this love? + +CLEOPATRA. What! When he will do as much for the first girl he +meets on his way back to Rome? Ask his slave, Britannus: he has +been just as good to him. Nay, ask his very horse! His kindness +is not for anything in ME: it is in his own nature. + +POTHINUS. But how can you be sure that he does not love you as +men love women? + +CLEOPATRA. Because I cannot make him jealous. I have tried. + +POTHINUS. Hm! Perhaps I should have asked, then, do you love him? + +CLEOPATRA. Can one love a god? Besides, I love another Roman: one +whom I saw long before Caesar--no god, but a man--one who can +love and hate--one whom I can hurt and who would hurt me. + +POTHINUS. Does Caesar know this? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes + +POTHINUS. And he is not angry. + +CLEOPATRA. He promises to send him to Egypt to please me! + +POTHINUS. I do not understand this man? + +CLEOPATRA (with superb contempt). YOU understand Caesar! How +could you? (Proudly) I do--by instinct. + +POTHINUS (deferentially, after a moment's thought). Your Majesty +caused me to be admitted to-day. What message has the Queen for +me? + +CLEOPATRA. This. You think that by making my brother king, you +will rule in Egypt, because you are his guardian and he is a +little silly. + +POTHINUB. The Queen is pleased to say so. + +CLEOPATRA. The Queen is pleased to say this also. That Caesar +will eat up you, and Achillas, and my brother, as a cat eats up +mice; and that he will put on this land of Egypt as a shepherd +puts on his garment. And when he has done that, he will return to +Rome, and leave Cleopatra here as his viceroy. + +POTHINUS (breaking out wrathfully). That he will never do. We +have a thousand men to his ten; and we will drive him and his +beggarly legions into the sea. + +CLEOPATRA (with scorn, getting up to go). You rant like any +common fellow. Go, then, and marshal your thousands; and make +haste; for Mithridates of Pergamos is at hand with reinforcements +for Caesar. Caesar has held you at bay with two legions: we shall +see what he will do with twenty. + +POTHINUS. Cleopatra-- + +CLEOPATRA. Enough, enough: Caesar has spoiled me for talking to +weak things like you. (She goes out. Pothinus, with a gesture of +rage, is following, when Ftatateeta enters and stops him.) + +POTHINUS. Let me go forth from this hateful place. + +FTATATEETA. What angers you? + +POTHINUS. The curse of all the gods of Egypt be upon her! She has +sold her country to the Roman, that she may buy it back from him +with her kisses. + +FTATATEETA. Fool: did she not tell you that she would have Caesar +gone? + +POTHINUS. You listened? + +FTATATEETA. I took care that some honest woman should be at hand +whilst you were with her. + +POTHINUS. Now by the gods-- + +FTATATEETA. Enough of your gods! Caesar's gods are all powerful +here. It is no use YOU coming to Cleopatra: you are only an +Egyptian. She will not listen to any of her own race: she treats +us all as children. + +POTHINUS. May she perish for it! + +FTATATEETA (balefully). May your tongue wither for that wish! Go! +send for Lucius Septimius, the slayer of Pompey. He is a Roman: +may be she will listen to him. Begone! + +POTHINUS (darkly). I know to whom I must go now. + +FTATATEETA (suspiciously). To whom, then? + +POTHINUS. To a greater Roman than Lucius. And mark this, +mistress. You thought, before Caesar came, that Egypt should +presently be ruled by you and your crew in the name of Cleopatra. +I set myself against it. + +FTATATEETA (interrupting him--wrangling). Ay; that it might be +ruled by you and YOUR crew in the name of Ptolemy. + +POTHINUS. Better me, or even you, than a woman with a Roman +heart; and that is what Cleopatra is now become. Whilst I live, +she shall never rule. So guide yourself accordingly. (He goes +out.) + +It is by this time drawing on to dinner time. The table is +laid on the roof of the palace; and thither Rufio is now +climbing, ushered by a majestic palace official, wand of office +in hand, and followed by a slave carrying an inlaid stool. After +many stairs they emerge at last into a massive colonnade on +the roof. Light curtains are drawn between the columns on +the north and east to soften the westering sun. The official +leads Rufio to one of these shaded sections. A cord for pulling +the curtains apart hangs down between the pillars. + +THE OFFICIAL (bowing). The Roman commander will await Caesar +here. + +The slave sets down the stool near the southernmost column, and +slips out through the curtains. + +RUFIO (sitting down, a little blown). Pouf! That was a climb. How +high have we come? + +THE OFFICIAL. We are on the palace roof, O Beloved of Victory! + +RUFIO. Good! the Beloved of Victory has no more stairs to get up. + +A second official enters from the opposite end, walking +backwards. + +THE SECOND OFFICIAL. Caesar approaches. + +Caesar, fresh from the bath, clad in a new tunic of purple +silk, comes in, beaming and festive, followed by two slaves +carrying a light couch, which is hardly more than an elaborately +designed bench. They place it near the northmost of the two +curtained columns. When this is done they slip out through the +curtains; and the two officials, formally bowing, follow them. +Rufio rises to receive Caesar. + +CAESAR (coming over to him). Why, Rufio! (Surveying his dress +with an air of admiring astonishment) A new baldrick! A new +golden pommel to your sword! And you have had your hair cut! But +not your beard--? Impossible! (He sniffs at Rufio's beard.) Yes, +perfumed, by Jupiter Olympus! + +RUFIO (growling). Well: is it to please myself? + +CAESAR (affectionately). No, my son Rufio, but to please me--to +celebrate my birthday. + +RUFIO (contemptuously). Your birthday! You always have a birthday +when there is a pretty girl to be flattered or an ambassador to +be conciliated. We had seven of them in ten months last year. + +CAESAR (contritely). It is true, Rufio! I shall never break +myself of these petty deceits. + +RUFIO. Who is to dine with us--besides Cleopatra? + +CAESAR. Apollodorus the Sicilian. + +RUFIO. That popinjay! + +CAESAR. Come! the popinjay is an amusing dog--tells a story; +sings a song; and saves us the trouble of flattering the Queen. +What does she care for old politicians and campfed bears like us? +No: Apollodorus is good company, Rufio, good company. + +RUFIO. Well, he can swim a bit and fence a bit: he might be +worse, if he only knew how to hold his tongue. + +CAESAR. The gods forbid he should ever learn! Oh, this military +life! this tedious, brutal life of action! That is the worst of +us Romans: we are mere doers and drudgers: a swarm of bees turned +into men. Give me a good talker--one with wit and imagination +enough to live without continually doing something! + +RUFIO. Ay! a nice time he would have of it with you when dinner +was over! Have you noticed that I am before my time? + +CAESAR. Aha! I thought that meant something. What is it? + +RUFIO. Can we be overheard here? + +CAESAR. Our privacy invites eavesdropping. I can remedy that. (He +claps his hands twice. The curtains are drawn, revealing the roof +garden with a banqueting table set across in the middle for four +persons, one at each end, and two side by side. The side next +Caesar and Rufio is blocked with golden wine vessels and basins. +A gorgeous major-domo is superintending the laying of the table +by a staff of slaves. The colonnade goes round the garden at both +sides to the further end, where a gap in it, like a great +gateway, leaves the view open to the sky beyond the western edge +of the roof, except in the middle, where a life size image of Ra, +seated on a huge plinth, towers up, with hawk head and crown of +asp and disk. His altar, which stands at his feet, is a single +white stone.) Now everybody can see us, nobody will think of +listening to us. (He sits down on the bench left by the two +slaves.) + +RUFIO (sitting down on his stool). Pothinus wants to speak to +you. I advise you to see him: there is some plotting going on +here among the women. + +CAESAR. Who is Pothinus? + +RUFIO. The fellow with hair like squirrel's fur--the little +King's bear leader, whom you kept prisoner. + +CAEBAR (annoyed). And has he not escaped? + +RUFIO. No. + +CAESAR (rising imperiously). Why not? You have been guarding this +man instead of watching the enemy. Have I not told you always to +let prisoners escape unless there are special orders to the +contrary? Are there not enough mouths to be fed without him? + +RUFIO. Yes; and if you would have a little sense and let me cut +his throat, you would save his rations. Anyhow, he WON'T escape. +Three sentries have told him they would put a pilum through him +if they saw him again. What more can they do? He prefers to stay +and spy on us. So would I if I had to do with generals subject to +fits of clemency. + +CAESAR (resuming his seat, argued down). Hm! And so he wants to +see me. + +RUFIO. Ay. I have brought him with me. He is waiting there +(jerking his thumb over his shoulder) under guard. + +CAESAR. And you want me to see him? + +RUFI0 (obstinately). I don't want anything. I daresay you will do +what you like. Don't put it on to me. + +CAESAR (with an air of doing it expressly to indulge Rufio). +Well, well: let us have him. + +RUFIO (calling). Ho there, guard! Release your man and send him +up. (Beckoning) Come along! + +Pothinus enters and stops mistrustfully between the two, looking +from one to the other. + +CAESAR (graciously). Ah, Pothinus! You are welcome. And what is +the news this afternoon? + +POTHINUS. Caesar: I come to warn you of a danger, and to make you +an offer. + +CAESAR. Never mind the danger. Make the offer. + +RUFIO. Never mind the offer. What's the danger? + +POTHINUS. Caesar: you think that Cleopatra is devoted to you. + +CAESAR (gravely). My friend: I already know what I think. Come to +your offer. + +POTHINUS. I will deal plainly. I know not by what strange gods +you have been enabled to defend a palace and a few yards of beach +against a city and an army. Since we cut you off from Lake +Mareotis, and you dug wells in the salt sea sand and brought up +buckets of fresh water from them, we have known that your gods +are irresistible, and that you are a worker of miracles. I no +longer threaten you. + +RUFIO (sarcastically). Very handsome of you, indeed. + +POTHINUS. So be it: you are the master. Our gods sent the north +west winds to keep you in our hands; but you have been too strong +for them. + +CAESAR (gently urging him to come to the point). Yes, yes, my +friend. But what then? + +RUFIO. Spit it out, man. What have you to say? + +POTHINUS. I have to say that you have a traitress in your camp. +Cleopatra. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO (at the table, announcing). The Queen! (Caesar and +Rufio rise.) + +RUFIO (aside to Pothinus). You should have spat it out sooner, +you fool. Now it is too late. + +Cleopatra, in gorgeous raiment, enters in state through the +gap in the colonnade, and comes down past the image of Ra +and past the table to Caesar. Her retinue, headed by Ftatateeta, +joins the staff at the table. Caesar gives Cleopatra his seat, +which she takes. + +CLEOPATRA (quickly, seeing Pothinus). What is HE doing here? + +CAESAR (seating himself beside her, in the most amiable of +tempers). Just going to tell me something about you. You shall +hear it. Proceed, Pothinus. + +POTHINUS (disconcerted). Caesar-- (He stammers.) + +CAESAR. Well, out with it. + +POTHINUS. What I have to say is for your ear, not for the +Queen's. + +CLEOPATRA (with subdued ferocity). There are means of making you +speak. Take care. + +POTHINUS (defiantly). Caesar does not employ those means. + +CAESAR. My friend: when a man has anything to tell in this world, +the difficulty is not to make him tell it, but to prevent him +from telling it too often. Let me celebrate my birthday by +setting you free. Farewell: we'll not meet again. + +CLEOPATRA (angrily). Caesar: this mercy is foolish. + +POTHINUS (to Caesar). Will you not give me a private audience? +Your life may depend on it. (Caesar rises loftily.) + +RUFIO (aside to Pothinus). Ass! Now we shall have some heroics. + +CAESAR (oratorically). Pothinus-- + +RUFIO (interrupting him). Caesar: the dinner will spoil if you +begin preaching your favourite sermon about life and death. + +CLEOPATRA (priggishly). Peace, Rufio. I desire to hear Caesar. + +RUFIO (bluntly). Your Majesty has heard it before. You repeated +it to Apollodorus last week; and he thought it was all your own. +(Caesar's dignity collapses. Much tickled, he sits down again and +looks roguishly at Cleopatra, who is furious. Rufio calls as +before) Ho there, guard! Pass the prisoner out. He is released. +(To Pothinus) Now off with you. You have lost your chance. + +POTHINUS (his temper overcoming his prudence). I WILL speak. + +CAESAR (to Cleopatra). You see. Torture would not have wrung a +word from him. + +POTHINUS. Caesar: you have taught Cleopatra the arts by which the +Romans govern the world. + +CAESAR. Alas! They cannot even govern themselves. What then? + +POTHINUS. What then? Are you so besotted with her beauty that you +do not see that she is impatient to reign in Egypt alone, and +that her heart is set on your departure? + +CLEOPATRA (rising). Liar! + +CAESAR (shocked). What! Protestations! Contradictions! + +CLEOPATRA (ashamed, but trembling with suppressed rage). No. I do +not deign to contradict. Let him talk. (She sits down again.) + +POTHINUS. From her own lips I have heard it. You are to be her +catspaw: you are to tear the crown from her brother's head and +set it on her own, delivering us all into her hand--delivering +yourself also. And then Caesar can return to Rome, or depart +through the gate of death, which is nearer and surer. + +CAESAR (calmly). Well, my friend; and is not this very natural? + +POTHINUS (astonished). Natural! Then you do not resent treachery? + +CAESAR. Resent! O thou foolish Egyptian, what have I to do with +resentment? Do I resent the wind when it chills me, or the night +when it makes me stumble in the darkness? Shall I resent youth +when it turns from age, and ambition when it turns from +servitude? To tell me such a story as this is but to tell me that +the sun will rise to-morrow. + +CLEOPATRA (unable to contain herself). But it is false--false. I +swear it. + +CAESAR. It is true, though you swore it a thousand times, and +believed all you swore. (She is convulsed with emotion. To screen +her, he rises and takes Pothinus to Rufio, saying) Come, Rufio: +let us see Pothinus past the guard. I have a word to say to him. +(Aside to them) We must give the Queen a moment to recover +herself. (Aloud) Come. (He takes Pothinus and Rufio out with him, +conversing with them meanwhile.) Tell your friends, Pothinus, +that they must not think I am opposed to a reasonable settlement +of the country's affairs-- (They pass out of hearing.) + +CLEOPATRA (in a stifled whisper). Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta. + +FTATATEETA (hurrying to her from the table and petting her). +Peace, child: be comforted-- + +CLEOPATRA (interrupting her). Can they hear us? + +FTATATEETA. No, dear heart, no. + +CLEOPATRA. Listen to me. If he leaves the Palace alive, never see +my face again. + +FTATATEETA. He? Poth-- + +CLEOPATRA (striking her on the mouth). Strike his life out as I +strike his name from your lips. Dash him down from the wall. +Break him on the stones. Kill, kill, KILL him. + +FTATATEETA (showing all her teeth). The dog shall perish. + +CLEOPATRA. Fail in this, and you go out from before me forever. + +FTATATEETA (resolutely). So be it. You shall not see my face +until his eyes are darkened. + +Caesar comes back, with Apollodorus, exquisitely dressed, and +Rufio. + +CLEOPATRA (to Ftatateeta). Come soon--soon. (Ftatateeta turns her +meaning eyes for a moment on her mistress; then goes grimly away +past Ra and out. Cleopatra runs like a gazelle to Caesar.) So you +have come back to me, Caesar. (Caressingly) I thought you were +angry. Welcome, Apollodorus. (She gives him her hand to kiss, +with her other arm about Caesar.) + +APOLLODORUS. Cleopatra grows more womanly beautiful from week to +week. + +CLEOPATRA. Truth, Apollodorus? + +APOLLODORUS. Far, far short of the truth! Friend Rufio threw a +pearl into the sea: Caesar fished up a diamond. + +CAESAR. Caesar fished up a touch of rheumatism, my friend. Come: +to dinner! To dinner! (They move towards the table.) + +CLEOPATRA (skipping like a young fawn). Yes, to dinner. I have +ordered SUCH a dinner for you, Caesar! + +CAESAR. Ay? What are we to have? + +CLEOPATRA. Peacocks' brains. + +CAESAR (as if his mouth watered). Peacocks' brains, Apollodorus! + +APOLLODORUS. Not for me. I prefer nightingales' tongues. (He goes +to one of the two covers set side by side.) + +CLEOPATRA. Roast boar, Rufio! + +RUFIO (gluttonously). Good! (He goes to the seat next +Apollodorus, on his left.) + +CAESAR (looking at his seat, which is at the end of the table, +to Ra's left hand). What has become of my leathern cushion? + +CLEOPATRA (at the opposite end). I have got new ones for you. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO. These cushions, Caesar, are of Maltese gauze, +stuffed with rose leaves. + +CAESAR. Rose leaves! Am I a caterpillar? (He throws the cushions +away and seats himself on the leather mattress underneath.) + +CLEOPATRA. What a shame! My new cushions! + +THE MAJOR-DOMO (at Caesar's elbow). What shall we serve to whet +Caesar's appetite? + +CAESAR. What have you got? + +THE MAJOR-DOMO. Sea hedgehogs, black and white sea acorns, sea +nettles, beccaficoes, purple shellfish-- + +CAESAR. Any oysters? + +THE MAJOR-DOMO. Assuredly. + +CAESAR. BRITISH oysters? + +THE MAJOR-DOMO (assenting). British oysters, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Oysters, then. (The Major-Domo signs to a slave at each +order; and the slave goes out to execute it.) I have been in +Britain--that western land of romance--the last piece of earth on +the edge of the ocean that surrounds the world. I went there in +search of its famous pearls. The British pearl was a fable; but +in searching for it I found the British oyster. + +APOLLODORUS. All posterity will bless you for it. (To the +Major-Domo) Sea hedgehogs for me. + +RUFIO. Is there nothing solid to begin with? + +THE MAJOR-DOMO. Fieldfares with asparagus- + +CLEOPATRA (interrupting). Fattened fowls! Have some fattened +fowls, Rufio. + +RUFIO. Ay, that will do. + +CLEOPATRA (greedily). Fieldfares for me. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO. Caesar will deign to choose his wine? Sicilian, +Lesbian, Chian-- + +RUFIO (contemptuously). All Greek. + +APOLLODORUS. Who would drink Roman wine when he could get Greek? +Try the Lesbian, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Bring me my barley water. + +RUFIO (with intense disgust). Ugh! Bring ME my Falernian. (The +Falernian is presently brought to him.) + +CLEOPATRA (pouting). It is waste of time giving you dinners, +Caesar. My scullions would not condescend to your diet. + +CAESAR (relenting). Well, well: let us try the Lesbian. (The +Major-Domo fills Caesar's goblet; then Cleopatra's and +Apollodorus's.) But when I return to Rome, I will make laws +against these extravagances. I will even get the laws carried +out. + +CLEOPATRA (coaxingly). Never mind. To-day you are to be like +other people: idle, luxurious, and kind. (She stretches her hand +to him along the table.) + +CAESAR. Well, for once I will sacrifice my comfort (kissing her +hand) there! (He takes a draught of wine.) Now are you satisfied? + +CLEOPATRA. And you no longer believe that I long for your +departure for Rome? + +CAESAR. I no longer believe anything. My brains are asleep. +Besides, who knows whether I shall return to Rome? + +RUFIO (alarmed). How? Eh? What? + +CAESAR. What has Rome to show me that I have not seen already? +One year of Rome is like another, except that I grow older, +whilst the crowd in the Appian Way is always the same age. + +APOLLODORUS. It is no better here in Egypt. The old men, when +they are tired of life, say "We have seen everything except the +source of the Nile." + +CAESAR (his imagination catching fire). And why not see +that? Cleopatra: will you come with me and track the flood +to its cradle in the heart of the regions of mystery? Shall +we leave Rome behind us--Rome, that has achieved greatness only +to learn how greatness destroys nations of men who are not great! +Shall I make you a new kingdom, and build you a holy city there +in the great unknown? + +CLEOPATRA (rapturously). Yes, Yes. You shall. + +RUFIO. Ay: now he will conquer Africa with two legions before we +come to the roast boar. + +APOLLODORUS. Come: no scoffing, this is a noble scheme: in it +Caesar is no longer merely the conquering soldier, but the +creative poet-artist. Let us name the holy city, and consecrate +it with Lesbian Wine--and Cleopatra shall name it herself. + +CLEOPATRA. It shall be called Caesar's Gift to his Beloved. + +APOLLODORUS. No, no. Something vaster than that--something +universal, like the starry firmament. + +CAESAR (prosaically). Why not simply The Cradle of the Nile? + +CLEOPATRA. No: the Nile is my ancestor; and he is a god. Oh! I +have thought of something. The Nile shall name it himself. Let us +call upon him. (To the Major-Domo) Send for him. (The three men +stare at one another; but the Major-Domo goes out as if he had +received the most matter-of-fact order.) And (to the retinue) +away with you all. + +The retinue withdraws, making obeisance. + +A priest enters, carrying a miniature sphinx with a tiny tripod +before it. A morsel of incense is smoking in the tripod. The +priest comes to the table and places the image in the middle of +it. The light begins to change to the magenta purple of the +Egyptian sunset, as if the god had brought a strange colored +shadow with him. The three men are determined not to be +impressed; but they feel curious in spite of themselves. + +CAESAR. What hocus-pocus is this? + +CLEOPATRA. You shall see. And it is NOT hocus-pocus. To do it +properly, we should kill something to please him; but perhaps he +will answer Caesar without that if we spill some wine to him. + +APOLLODORUS (turning his head to look up over his shoulder at +Ra). Why not appeal to our hawkheaded friend here? + +CLEOPATRA (nervously). Sh! He will hear you and be angry. + +RUFIO (phlegmatically). The source of the Nile is out of his +district, I expect. + +CLEOPATRA. No: I will have my city named by nobody but my dear +little sphinx, because it was in its arms that Caesar found me +asleep. (She languishes at Caesar; then turns curtly to the +priest.) Go, I am a priestess, and have power to take your charge +from you. (The priest makes a reverence and goes out.) Now let us +call on the Nile all together. Perhaps he will rap on the table. + +CAESAR. What! Table rapping! Are such superstitions still +believed in this year 707 of the Republic? + +CLEOPATRA. It is no superstition: our priests learn lots of +things from the tables. Is it not so, Apollodorus? + +APOLLODORUS. Yes: I profess myself a converted man. When +Cleopatra is priestess, Apollodorus is devotee. Propose the +conjuration. + +CLEOPATRA. You must say with me "Send us thy voice, Father Nile." + +ALL FOUR (holding their glasses together before the idol). Send +us thy voice, Father Nile. + +The death cry of a man in mortal terror and agony answers them. +Appalled, the men set down their glasses, and listen. Silence. +The purple deepens in the sky. Caesar, glancing at Cleopatra, +catches her pouring out her wine before the god, with gleaming +eyes, and mute assurances of gratitude and worship. Apollodorus +springs up and runs to the edge of the roof to peer down and +listen. + +CAESAR (looking piercingly at Cleopatra). What was that? + +CLEOPATRA (petulantly). Nothing. They are beating some slave. + +CAESAR. Nothing! + +RUFIO. A man with a knife in him, I'll swear. + +CAESAR (rising). A murder! + +APOLLODORUS (at the back, waving his hand for silence). S-sh! +Silence. Did you hear that? + +CAESAR. Another cry? + +APOLLODORUS (returning to the table). No, a thud. Something fell +on the beach, I think. + +RUFIO (grimly, as he rises). Something with bones in it, eh? + +CAESAR (shuddering). Hush, hush, Rufio. (He leaves the table and +returns to the colonnade: Rufio following at his left elbow, and +Apollodorus at the other side.) + +CLEOPATRA (still in her place at the table). Will you leave me, +Caesar? Apollodorus: are you going? + +APOLLODORUS. Faith, dearest Queen, my appetite is gone. + +CAESAR. Go down to the courtyard, Apollodorus; and find out what +has happened. + +Apollodorus nods and goes out, making for the staircase by which +Rufio ascended. + +CLEOPATRA. Your soldiers have killed somebody, perhaps. What does +it matter? + +The murmur of a crowd rises from the beach below. Caesar and +Rufio look at one another. + +CAESAR. This must be seen to. (He is about to follow Apollodorus +when Rufio stops him with a hand on his arm as Ftatateeta comes +back by the far end of the roof, with dragging steps, a drowsy +satiety in her eyes and in the corners of the bloodhound lips. +For a moment Caesar suspects that she is drunk with wine. Not so +Rufio: he knows well the red vintage that has inebriated her.) + +RUFIO (in a low tone). There is some mischief between those two. + +FTATATEETA. The Queen looks again on the face of her servant. + +Cleopatra looks at her for a moment with an exultant reflection +of her murderous expression. Then she flings her arms round her; +kisses her repeatedly and savagely; and tears off her jewels and +heaps them on her. The two men turn from the spectacle to look at +one another. Ftatateeta drags herself sleepily to the altar; +kneels before Ra; and remains there in prayer. Caesar goes to +Cleopatra, leaving Rufio in the colonnade. + +CAESAR (with searching earnestness). Cleopatra: what has +happened? + +CLEOPATRA (in mortal dread of him, but with her utmost cajolery). +Nothing, dearest Caesar. (With sickly sweetness, her voice almost +failing) Nothing. I am innocent. (She approaches him +affectionately) Dear Caesar: are you angry with me? Why do you +look at me so? I have been here with you all the time. How can I +know what has happened? + +CAESAR (reflectively). That is true. + +CLEOPATRA (greatly relieved, trying to caress him). Of course it +is true. (He does not respond to the caress.) You know it is +true, Rufio. + +The murmur without suddenly swells to a roar and subsides. + +RUFIO. I shall know presently. (He makes for the altar in the +burly trot that serves him for a stride, and touches Ftatateeta +on the shoulder.) Now, mistress: I shall want you. (He orders +her, with a gesture, to go before him.) + +FTATATEETA (rising and glowering at him). My place is with the +Queen. + +CLEOPATRA. She has done no harm, Rufio. + +CAESAR (to Rufio). Let her stay. + +RUFIO (sitting down on the altar). Very well. Then my place is +here too; and you can see what is the matter for yourself. The +city is in a pretty uproar, it seems. + +CAESAR (with grave displeasure). Rufio: there is a time for +obedience. + +RUFIO. And there is a time for obstinacy. (He folds his arms +doggedly.) + +CAESAR (to Cleopatra). Send her away. + +CLEOPATRA (whining in her eagerness to propitiate him). Yes, I +will. I will do whatever you ask me, Caesar, always, because I +love you. Ftatateeta: go away. + +FTATATEETA. The Queen's word is my will. I shall be at hand for +the Queen's call. (She goes out past Ra, as she came.) + +RUFIO (following her). Remember, Caesar, YOUR bodyguard also is +within call. (He follows her out.) + +Cleopatra, presuming upon Caesar's submission to Rufio, leaves +the table and sits down on the bench in the colonnade. + +CLEOPATRA. Why do you allow Rufio to treat you so? You should +teach him his place. + +CAESAR. Teach him to be my enemy, and to hide his thoughts from +me as you are now hiding yours. + +CLEOPATRA (her fears returning). Why do you say that, Caesar? +Indeed, indeed, I am not hiding anything. You are wrong to treat +me like this. (She stifles a sob.) I am only a child; and you +turn into stone because you think some one has been killed. I +cannot bear it. (She purposely breaks down and weeps. He looks at +her with profound sadness and complete coldness. She looks up to +see what effect she is producing. Seeing that he is unmoved, she +sits up, pretending to struggle with her emotion and to put it +bravely away.) But there: I know you hate tears: you shall not be +troubled with them. I know you are not angry, but only sad; only +I am so silly, I cannot help being hurt when you speak coldly. Of +course you are quite right: it is dreadful to think of anyone +being killed or even hurt; and I hope nothing really serious +has-- (Her voice dies away under his contemptuous penetration.) + +CAESAR. What has frightened you into this? What have you done? (A +trumpet sounds on the beach below.) Aha! That sounds like the +answer. + +CLEOPATRA (sinking back trembling on the bench and covering her +face with her hands). I have not betrayed you, Caesar: I swear +it. + +CAESAR. I know that. I have not trusted you. (He turns from her, +and is about to go out when Apollodorus and Britannus drag in +Lucius Septimius to him. Rufio follows. Caesar shudders.) Again, +Pompey's murderer! + +RUFIO. The town has gone mad, I think. They are for tearing the +palace down and driving us into the sea straight away. We laid +hold of this renegade in clearing them out of the courtyard. + +CAESAR. Release him. (They let go his arms.) What has offended +the citizens, Lucius Septimius? + +LUCIUS. What did you expect, Caesar? Pothinus was a favorite of +theirs. + +CAESAR. What has happened to Pothinus? I set him free, here, not +half an hour ago. Did they not pass him out? + +LUCIUS. Ay, through the gallery arch sixty feet above ground, +with three inches of steel in his ribs. He is as dead as Pompey. +We are quits now, as to killing--you and I. + +CAESAR. (shocked). Assassinated!--our prisoner, our guest! +(He turns reproachfully on Rufio) Rufio-- + +RUFIO (emphatically--anticipating the question). Whoever did it +was a wise man and a friend of yours (Cleopatra is qreatly +emboldened); but none of US had a hand in it. So it is no use to +frown at me. (Caesar turns and looks at Cleopatra.) + +CLEOPATRA (violently--rising). He was slain by order of the Queen +of Egypt. I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer, who allows every +slave to insult him. Rufio has said I did well: now the others +shall judge me too. (She turns to the others.) This Pothinus +sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas +and Ptolemy. I refused; and he cursed me and came privily to +Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery. I caught him in the +act; and he insulted me--ME, the Queen! To my face. Caesar would +not revenge me: he spoke him fair and set him free. Was I right +to avenge myself? Speak, Lucius. + +LUCIUS. I do not gainsay it. But you will get little thanks from +Caesar for it. + +CLEOPATRA. Speak, Apollodorus. Was I wrong? + +APOLLODORUS. I have only one word of blame, most beautiful. You +should have called upon me, your knight; and in fair duel I +should have slain the slanderer. + +CLEOPATRA (passionately). I will be judged by your very slave, +Caesar. Britannus: speak. Was I wrong? + +BRITANNUS. Were treachery, falsehood, and disloyalty left +unpunished, society must become like an arena full of wild +beasts, tearing one another to pieces. Caesar is in the wrong. + +CAESAR (with quiet bitterness). And so the verdict is against me, +it seems. + +CLEOPATRA (vehemently). Listen to me, Caesar. If one man in all +Alexandria can be found to say that I did wrong, I swear to have +myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves. + +CAESAR. If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever, +to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer +the world as I have, or be crucified by it. (The uproar in the +streets again reaches them.) Do you hear? These knockers at your +gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing. You have +slain their leader: it is right that they shall slay you. If you +doubt it, ask your four counselors here. And then in the name of +that RIGHT (He emphasizes the word with great scorn.) shall I not +slay them for murdering their Queen, and be slain in my turn by +their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland? Can Rome do +less then than slay these slayers too, to show the world how Rome +avenges her sons and her honor? And so, to the end of history, +murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor +and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race +that can understand. (Fierce uproar. Cleopatra becomes white with +terror.) Hearken, you who must not be insulted. Go near enough to +catch their words: you will find them bitterer than the tongue of +Pothinus. (Loftily wrapping himself up in an impenetrable +dignity.) Let the Queen of Egypt now give her orders for +vengeance, and take her measures for defense; for she has +renounced Caesar. (He turns to go.) + +CLEOPATRA (terrified, running to him and falling on her knees). +You will not desert me, Caesar. You will defend the palace. + +CAESAR. You have taken the powers of life and death upon you. I +am only a dreamer. + +CLEOPATRA. But they will kill me. + +CAESAR. And why not? + +CLEOPATRA. In pity-- + +CAESAR. Pity! What! Has it come to this so suddenly, that nothing +can save you now but pity? Did it save Pothinus? + +She rises, wringing her hands, and goes back to the bench in +despair. Apollodorus shows his sympathy with her by quietly +posting himself behind the bench. The sky has by this time become +the most vivid purple, and soon begins to change to a glowing +pale orange, against which the colonnade and the great image show +darklier and darklier. + +RUFIO. Caesar: enough of preaching. The enemy is at the gate. + +CAESAR (turning on him and giving way to his wrath). Ay; and what +has held him baffled at the gate all these months? Was it my +folly, as you deem it, or your wisdom? In this Egyptian Red Sea +of blood, whose hand has held all your heads above the waves? +(Turning on Cleopatra) And yet, When Caesar says to such an one, +"Friend, go free," you, clinging for your little life to my +sword, dare steal out and stab him in the back? And you, soldiers +and gentlemen, and honest servants as you forget that you are, +applaud this assassination, and say "Caesar is in the wrong." By +the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into +the flood. + +CLEOPATRA (with a ray of cunning hope). But, Caesar, if you do, +you will perish yourself. + +Caesar's eyes blaze. + +RUFIO (greatly alarmed). Now, by great Jove, you filthy little +Egyptian rat, that is the very word to make him walk out alone +into the city and leave us here to be cut to pieces. +(Desperately, to Caesar) Will you desert us because we are a +parcel of fools? I mean no harm by killing: I do it as a dog +kills a cat, by instinct. We are all dogs at your heels; but we +have served you faithfully. + +CAESAR (relenting). Alas, Rufio, my son, my son: as dogs we are +like to perish now in the streets. + +APOLLODORUS (at his post behind Cleopatra's seat). Caesar, what +you say has an Olympian ring in it: it must be right; for it is +fine art. But I am still on the side of Cleopatra. If we must +die, she shall not want the devotion of a man's heart nor the +strength of a man's arm. + +CLEOPATRA (sobbing). But I don't want to die. + +CAESAR (sadly). Oh, ignoble, ignoble! + +LUCIUS (coming forward between Caesar and Cleopatra). Hearken to +me, Caesar. It may be ignoble; but I also mean to live as long as +I can. + +CAESAR. Well, my friend, you are likely to outlive Caesar. Is it +any magic of mine, think you, that has kept your army and this +whole city at bay for so long? Yesterday, what quarrel had they +with me that they should risk their lives against me? But to-day +we have flung them down their hero, murdered; and now every man +of them is set upon clearing out this nest of assassins--for such +we are and no more. Take courage then; and sharpen your sword. +Pompey's head has fallen; and Caesar's head is ripe. + +APOLLODORUS. Does Caesar despair? + +CAESAR (with infinite pride). He who has never hoped can never +despair. Caesar, in good or bad fortune, looks his fate in the +face. + +LUCIUS. Look it in the face, then; and it will smile as it always +has on Caesar. + +CAESAR (with involuntary haughtiness). Do you presume to +encourage me? + +LUCIUS. I offer you my services. I will change sides if you will +have me. + +CAESAR (suddenly coming down to earth again, and looking sharply +at him, divining that there is something behind the offer). What! +At this point? + +LUCIUS (firmly). At this point. + +RUFIO. Do you suppose Caesar is mad, to trust you? + +LUCIUS. I do not ask him to trust me until he is victorious. I +ask for my life, and for a command in Caesar's army. And since +Caesar is a fair dealer, I will pay in advance. + +CAESAR. Pay! How? + +LUCIUS. With a piece of good news for you. + +Caesar divines the news in a flash. + +RUFIO. What news? + +CAESAR (with an elate and buoyant energy which makes Cleopatra +sit up and stare). What news! What news, did you say, my son +Rufio? The relief has arrived: what other news remains for us? Is +it not so, Lucius Septimius? Mithridates of Pergamos is on the +march. + +LUCIUS. He has taken Pelusium. + +CAESAR (delighted). Lucius Septimius: you are henceforth my +officer. Rufio: the Egyptians must have sent every soldier from +the city to prevent Mithridates crossing the Nile. There is +nothing in the streets now but mob--mob! + +LUCIUS. It is so. Mithridates is marching by the great road to +Memphis to cross above the Delta. Achillas will fight him there. + +CAESAR (all audacity). Achillas shall fight Caesar there. See, +Rufio. (He runs to the table; snatches a napkin; and draws a plan +on it with his finger dipped in wine, whilst Rufio and Lucius +Septimius crowd about him to watch, all looking closely, for the +light is now almost gone.) Here is the palace (pointing to his +plan): here is the theatre. You (to Rufio) take twenty men and +pretend to go by THAT street (pointing it out); and whilst they +are stoning you, out go the cohorts by this and this. My streets +are right, are they, Lucius? + +LUCIUS. Ay, that is the fig market-- + +CAESAR (too much excited to listen to him). I saw them the day we +arrived. Good! (He throws the napkin on the table and comes down +again into the colonnade.) Away, Britannus: tell Petronius that +within an hour half our forces must take ship for the western +lake. See to my horse and armor. (Britannus runs out.) With the +rest I shall march round the lake and up the Nile to meet +Mithridates. Away, Lucius; and give the word. + +Lucius hurries out after Britannus. + +RUFIO. Come: this is something like business. + +CAESAR (buoyantly). Is it not, my only son? (He claps his hands. +The slaves hurry in to the table.) No more of this mawkish +reveling: away with all this stuff: shut it out of my sight and +be off with you. (The slaves begin to remove the table; and the +curtains are drawn, shutting in the colonnade.) You understand +about the streets, Rufio? + +RUFIO. Ay, I think I do. I will get through them, at all events. + +The bucina sounds busily in the courtyard beneath. + +CAESAR. Come, then: we must talk to the troops and hearten them. +You down to the beach: I to the courtyard. (He makes for the +staircase.) + +CLEOPATRA (rising from her seat, where she has been quite +neglected all this time, and stretching out her hands timidly to +him). Caesar. + +CAESAR (turning). Eh? + +CLEOPATRA. Have you forgotten me? + +CAESAR. (indulgently). I am busy now, my child, busy. When I +return your affairs shall be settled. Farewell; and be good and +patient. + +He goes, preoccupied and quite indifferent. She stands with +clenched fists, in speechless rage and humiliation. + +RUFIO. That game is played and lost, Cleopatra. The woman always +gets the worst of it. + +CLEOPATRA (haughtily). Go. Follow your master. + +RUFIO (in her ear, with rough familiarity). A word first. Tell +your executioner that if Pothinus had been properly killed--IN +THE THROAT--he would not have called out. Your man bungled his +work. + +CLEOPATRA (enigmatically). How do you know it was a man? + +RUFIO (startled, and puzzled). It was not you: you were with us +when it happened. (She turns her back scornfully on him. He +shakes his head, and draws the curtains to go out. It is now a +magnificent moonlit night. The table has been removed. Ftatateeta +is seen in the light of the moon and stars, again in prayer +before the white altar-stone of Ra. Rufio starts; closes the +curtains again softly; and says in a low voice to Cleopatra) Was +it she? With her own hand? + +CLEOPATRA (threateningly). Whoever it was, let my enemies beware +of her. Look to it, Rufio, you who dare make the Queen of Egypt a +fool before Caesar. + +RUFIO (looking grimly at her). I will look to it, Cleopatra. (He +nods in confirmation of the promise, and slips out through the +curtains, loosening his sword in its sheath as he goes.) + +ROMAN SOLDIERS (in the courtyard below). Hail, Caesar! Hail, +hail! + +Cleopatra listens. The bucina sounds again, followed by several +trumpets. + +CLEOPATRA (wringing her hands and calling). Ftatateeta. +Ftatateeta. It is dark; and I am alone. Come to me. (Silence.) +Ftatateeta. (Louder.) Ftatateeta. (Silence. In a panic she +snatches the cord and pulls the curtains apart.) + +Ftatateeta is lying dead on the altar of Ra, with her throat cut. +Her blood deluges the white stone. + + + +ACT V + +High noon. Festival and military pageant on the esplanade +before the palace. In the east harbor Caesar's galley, so +gorgeously decorated that it seems to be rigged with flowers, is +along-side the quay, close to the steps Apollodorus descended +when he embarked with the carpet. A Roman guard is posted there +in charge of a gangway, whence a red floorcloth is laid down the +middle of the esplanade, turning off to the north opposite the +central gate in the palace front, which shuts in the esplanade on +the south side. The broad steps of the gate, crowded with +Cleopatra's ladies, all in their gayest attire, are like a flower +garden. The facade is lined by her guard, officered by the same +gallants to whom Bel Affris announced the coming of Caesar six +months before in the old palace on the Syrian border. The north +side is lined by Roman soldiers, with the townsfolk on tiptoe +behind them, peering over their heads at the cleared esplanade, +in which the officers stroll about, chatting. Among these are +Belzanor and the Persian; also the Centurion, vinewood cudgel in +hand, battle worn, thick-booted, and much outshone, both socially +and decoratively, by the Egyptian officers. + +Apollodorus makes his way through the townsfolk and calls to the +officers from behind the Roman line. + +APOLLODORUS. Hullo! May I pass? + +CENTURION. Pass Apollodorus the Sicilian there! (The soldiers let +him through.) + +BELZANOR. Is Caesar at hand? + +APOLLODORUS. Not yet. He is still in the market place. I could +not stand any more of the roaring of the soldiers! After half an +hour of the enthusiasm of an army, one feels the need of a little +sea air. + +PERSIAN. Tell us the news. Hath he slain the priests? + +APOLLODORUS. Not he. They met him in the market place with ashes +on their heads and their gods in their hands. They placed the +gods at his feet. The only one that was worth looking at was +Apis: a miracle of gold and ivory work. By my advice he offered +the chief priest two talents for it. + +BELZANOR (appalled). Apis the all-knowing for two talents! What +said the chief priest? + +APOLLODORUS. He invoked the mercy of Apis, and asked for five. + +BELZANOR. There will be famine and tempest in the land for this. + +PERSIAN. Pooh! Why did not Apis cause Caesar to be vanquished by +Achillas? Any fresh news from the war, Apollodorus? + +APOLLODORUS. The little King Ptolemy was drowned. + +BELZANOR. Drowned! How? + +APLLODORUS. With the rest of them. Caesar attacked them from +three sides at once and swept them into the Nile. Ptolemy's barge +sank. + +BELZANOR. A marvelous man, this Caesar! Will he come soon, think +you? + +APOLLODORUS. He was settling the Jewish question when I left. + +A flourish of trumpets from the north, and commotion among +the townsfolk, announces the approach of Caesar. + +PERSIAN. He has made short work of them. Here he comes. (He +hurries to his post in front of the Egyptian lines.) + +BELZANOR (following him). Ho there! Caesar comes. + +The soldiers stand at attention, and dress their lines. +Apollodorus goes to the Egyptian line. + +CENTURION (hurrying to the gangway guard). Attention there! +Caesar comes. + +Caesar arrives in state with Rufio: Britannus following. The +soldiers receive him with enthusiastic shouting. + +RUFIO (at his left hand). You have not yet appointed a Roman +governor for this province. + +CAESAR (Looking whimsically at him, but speaking with perfect +gravity). What say you to Mithridates of Pergamos, my reliever +and rescuer, the great son of Eupator? + +RUFIO. Why, that you will want him elsewhere. Do you forget that +you have some three or four armies to conquer on your way home? + +CAESAR. Indeed! Well, what say you to yourself? + +RUFIO (incredulously). I! I a governor! What are you dreaming of? +Do you not know that I am only the son of a freedman? + +CAESAR (affectionately). Has not Caesar called you his son? +(Calling to the whole assembly) Peace awhile there; and hear me. + +THE ROMAN SOLDIERS. Hear Caesar. + +CAESAR. Hear the service, quality, rank and name of the Roman +governor. By service, Caesar's shield; by quality, Caesar's +friend; by rank, a Roman soldier. (The Roman soldiers give a +triumphant shout.) By name, Rufio. (They shout again.) + +RUFIO (kissing Caesar's hand). Ay: I am Caesar's shield; but of +what use shall I be when I am no longer on Caesar's arm? Well, +no matter-- (He becomes husky, and turns away to recover +himself.) + +CAESAR. Where is that British Islander of mine? + +BRITANNUS (coming forward on Caesar's right hand). Here, Caesar. + +CAESAR. Who bade you, pray, thrust yourself into the battle of +the Delta, uttering the barbarous cries of your native land, and +affirming yourself a match for any four of the Egyptians, to whom +you applied unseemly epithets? + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: I ask you to excuse the language that escaped +me in the heat of the moment. + +CAESAR. And how did you, who cannot swim, cross the canal with us +when we stormed the camp? + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: I clung to the tail of your horse. + +CAESAR. These are not the deeds of a slave, Britannicus, but of a +free man. + +BRITANNUS. Caesar: I was born free. + +CAESAR. But they call you Caesar's slave. + +BRITANNUS. Only as Caesar's slave have I found real freedom. + +CAESAR (moved). Well said. Ungrateful that I am, I was about to +set you free; but now I will not part from you for a million +talents. (He claps him friendly on the shoulder. Britannus, +gratified, but a trifle shamefaced, takes his hand and kisses it +sheepishly.) + +BELZANOR (to the Persian). This Roman knows how to make men serve +him. + +PERSIAN. Ay: men too humble to become dangerous rivals to him. + +BELZANOR. O subtle one! O cynic! + +CAESAR (seeing Apollodorus in the Egyptian corner and calling to +him). Apollodorus: I leave the art of Egypt in your charge. +Remember: Rome loves art and will encourage it ungrudgingly. + +APOLLODORUS. I understand, Caesar. Rome will produce no art +itself; but it will buy up and take away whatever the other +nations produce. + +CAESAR. What! Rome produces no art! Is peace not an art? Is war +not an art? Is government not an art? Is civilization not an art? +All these we give you in exchange for a few ornaments. You will +have the best of the bargain. (Turning to Rufio) And now, what +else have I to do before I embark? (Trying to recollect) There is +something I cannot remember: what CAN it be? Well, well: it must +remain undone: we must not waste this favorable wind. Farewell, +Rufio. + +RUFIO. Caesar: I am loath to let you go to Rome without your +shield. There are too many daggers there. + +CAESAR. It matters not: I shall finish my life's work on my way +back; and then I shall have lived long enough. Besides: I have +always disliked the idea of dying: I had rather be killed. +Farewell. + +RUFIO (with a sigh, raising his hands and giving Caesar up as +incorrigible). Farewell. (They shake hands.) + +CAESAR (waving his hand to Apollodorus). Farewell, Apollodorus, +and my friends, all of you. Aboard! + +The gangway is run out from the quay to the ship. As Caesar moves +towards it, Cleopatra, cold and tragic, cunningly dressed in +black, without ornaments or decoration of any kind, and thus +making a striking figure among the brilliantly dressed bevy of +ladies as she passes through it, comes from the palace and stands +on the steps. Caesar does not see her until she speaks. + +CLEOPATRA. Has Cleopatra no part in this leave taking? + +CAESAR (enlightened). Ah, I KNEW there was something. (To Rufio) +How could you let me forget her, Rufio? (Hastening to her) Had I +gone without seeing you, I should never have forgiven myself. (He +takes her hands, and brings her into the middle of the esplanade. +She submits stonily.) Is this mourning for me? + +CLEOPATRA. NO. + +CAESAR (remorsefully). Ah, that was thoughtless of me! It is for +your brother. + +CLEOPATRA. No. + +CIESAR. For whom, then? + +CLEOPATRA. Ask the Roman governor whom you have left us. + +CAESAR. Rufio? + +CLEOPATRA. Yes: Rufio. (She points at him with deadly scorn.) He +who is to rule here in Caesar's name, in Caesar's way, according +to Caesar's boasted laws of life. + +CAESAR (dubiously). He is to rule as he can, Cleopatra. He has +taken the work upon him, and will do it in his own way. + +CLEOPATRA. Not in your way, then? + +CAESAR (puzzled). What do you mean by my way? + +CLEOPATRA. Without punishment. Without revenge. Without judgment. + +CAESAR (approvingly). Ay: that is the right way, the great way, +the only possible way in the end. (To Rufio) Believe it, Rufio, +if you can. + +RUFIO. Why, I believe it, Caesar. You have convinced me of it +long ago. But look you. You are sailing for Numidia to-day. Now +tell me: if you meet a hungry lion you will not punish it for +wanting to eat you? + +CAESAR (wondering what he is driving at). No. + +RUFIO. Nor revenge upon it the blood of those it has already +eaten. + +CAESAR. No. + +RUFIO. Nor judge it for its guiltiness. + +CAESAR. No. + +RUFIO. What, then, will you do to save your life from it? + +CAESAR (promptly). Kill it, man, without malice, just as it would +kill me. What does this parable of the lion mean? + +RUFIO. Why, Cleopatra had a tigress that killed men at bidding. I +thought she might bid it kill you some day. Well, had I not been +Caesar's pupil, what pious things might I not have done to that +tigress? I might have punished it. I might have revenged Pothinus +on it. + +CAESAR (interjects). Pothinus! + +RUFIO (continuing). I might have judged it. But I put all these +follies behind me; and, without malice, only cut its throat. And +that is why Cleopatra comes to you in mourning. + +CLEOPATRA (vehemently). He has shed the blood of my servant +Ftatateeta. On your head be it as upon his, Caesar, if you hold +him free of it. + +CAESAR (energetically). On my head be it, then; for it was well +done. Rufio: had you set yourself in the seat of the judge, and +with hateful ceremonies and appeals to the gods handed that woman +over to some hired executioner to be slain before the people in +the name of justice, never again would I have touched your hand +without a shudder. But this was natural slaying: I feel no horror +at it. + +Rufio, satisfied, nods at Cleopatra, mutely inviting her to mark +that. + +CLEOPATRA (pettish and childish in her impotence). No: not when a +Roman slays an Egyptian. All the world will now see how unjust +and corrupt Caesar is. + +CAESAR (taking her handy coaxingly). Come: do not be angry with +me. I am sorry for that poor Totateeta. (She laughs in spite of +herself.) Aha! You are laughing. Does that mean reconciliation? + +CLEOPATRA (angry with herself for laughing). No, no, NO!! But it +is so ridiculous to hear you call her Totateeta. + +CAESAR. What! As much a child as ever, Cleopatra! Have I not made +a woman of you after all? + +CLEOPATRA. Oh, it is you, who are a great baby: you make me seem +silly because you will not behave seriously. But you have treated +me badly; and I do not forgive you. + +CAESAR. Bid me farewell. + +CLEOPATRA. I will not. + +CAESAR (coaxing). I will send you a beautiful present from Rome. + +CLEOPATRA (proudly). Beauty from Rome to Egypt indeed! What can +Rome give ME that Egypt cannot give me? + +APOLLODORUS. That is true, Caesar. If the present is to be really +beautiful, I shall have to buy it for you in Alexandria. + +CAESAR. You are forgetting the treasures for which Rome is most +famous, my friend. You cannot buy THEM in Alexandria. + +APOLLODORUS. What are they, Caesar? + +CAESAR. Her sons. Come, Cleopatra: forgive me and bid me +farewell; and I will send you a man, Roman from head to heel and +Roman of the noblest; not old and ripe for the knife; not lean in +the arms and cold in the heart; not hiding a bald head under his +conqueror's laurels; not stooped with the weight of the world on +his shoulders; but brisk and fresh, strong and young, hoping in +the morning, fighting in the day, and reveling in the evening. +Will you take such an one in exchange for Caesar? + +CLEOPATRA (palpitating). His name, his name? + +CAESAR. Shall it be Mark Antony? (She throws herself in his +arms.) + +RUFIO. You are a bad hand at a bargain, mistress, if you will +swap Caesar for Antony. + +CAESAR. So now you are satisfied. + +CLEOPATRA. You will not forget. + +CAESAR. I will not forget. Farewell: I do not think we shall meet +again. Farewell. (He kisses her on the forehead. She is much +affected and begins to sniff. He embarks.) + +THE ROMAN SOLDIERS (as he sets his foot on the gangway). Hail, +Caesar; and farewell! + +He reaches the ship and returns Rufio's wave of the hand. + +APOLLODORUS (to Cleopatra). No tears, dearest Queen: they stab +your servant to the heart. He will return some day. + +CLEOPATRA. I hope not. But I can't help crying, all the same. +(She waves her handkerchief to Caesar; and the ship begins to +move.) + +THE ROMAN SOLDIERS (drawing their swords and raising them in the +air). Hail, Caesar! + + + + +NOTES TO CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA + +CLEOPATRA'S CURE FOR BALDNESS + +For the sake of conciseness in a hurried situation I have made +Cleopatra recommend rum. This, I am afraid, is an anachronism: +the only real one in the play. To balance it, I give a couple of +the remedies she actually believed in. They are quoted by Galen +from Cleopatra's book on Cosmetic. + +"For bald patches, powder red sulphuret of arsenic and take it up +with oak gum, as much as it will bear. Put on a rag and apply, +having soaped the place well first. I have mixed the above with a +foam of nitre, and it worked well." + +Several other receipts follow, ending with: "The following is the +best of all, acting for fallen hairs, when applied with oil or +pomatum; acts also for falling off of eyelashes or for people +getting bald all over. It is wonderful. Of domestic mice burnt, +one part; of vine rag burnt, one part; of horse's teeth burnt, +one part; of bear's grease one; of deer's marrow one; of reed +bark one. To be pounded when dry, and mixed with plenty of honey +til it gets the consistency of honey; then the bear's grease and +marrow to be mixed (when melted), the medicine to be put in a +brass flask, and the bald part rubbed til it sprouts." + +Concerning these ingredients, my fellow-dramatist, Gilbert +Murray, who, as a Professor of Greek, has applied to classical +antiquity the methods of high scholarship (my own method is pure +divination), writes to me as follows: " Some of this I don't +understand, and possibly Galen did not, as he quotes your +heroine's own language. Foam of nitre is, I think, something like +soapsuds. Reed bark is an odd expression. It might mean the +outside membrane of a reed: I do not know what it ought to be +called. In the burnt mice receipt I take that you first mixed the +solid powders with honey, and then added the grease. I expect +Cleopatra preferred it because in most of the others you have to +lacerate the skin, prick it, or rub it till it bleeds. I do not +know what vine rag is. I translate literally." + +APPARENT ANACHRONISMS + +The only way to write a play which shall convey to the general +public an impression of antiquity is to make the characters speak +blank verse and abstain from reference to steam, telegraphy, or +any of the material conditions of their existence. The more +ignorant men are, the more convinced are they that their little +parish and their little chapel is an apex which civilization and +philosophy have painfully struggled up the pyramid of time from a +desert of savagery. Savagery, they think, became barbarism; +barbarism became ancient civilization; ancient civilization +became Pauline Christianity; Pauline Christianity became Roman +Catholicism; Roman Catholicism became the Dark Ages; and the Dark +Ages were finally enlightened by the Protestant instincts of the +English race. The whole process is summed up as Progress with a +capital P. And any elderly gentleman of Progressive temperament +will testify that the improvement since he was a boy is enormous. + +Now if we count the generations of Progressive elderly gentlemen +since, say, Plato, and add together the successive enormous +improvements to which each of them has testified, it will strike +us at once as an unaccountable fact that the world, instead of +having been improved in 67 generations out all recognition, +presents, on the whole, a rather less dignified appearance in +Ibsen's Enemy of the People than in Plato's Republic. And in +truth, the period of time covered by history is far too short to +allow of any perceptible progress in the popular sense of +Evolution of the Human Species. The notion that there has been +any such Progress since Caesar's time (less than 20 centuries) is +too absurd for discussion. All the savagery, barbarism, dark ages +and the rest of it of which we have any record as existing in the +past, exists at the present moment. A British carpenter or +stonemason may point out that he gets twice as much money for his +labor as his father did in the same trade, and that his suburban +house, with its bath, its cottage piano, its drawingroom suite, +and its album of photographs, would have shamed the plainness of +his grandmother's. But the descendants of feudal barons, living +in squalid lodgings on a salary of fifteen shillings a week +instead of in castles on princely revenues, do not congratulate +the world on the change. Such changes, in fact, are not to the +point. It has been known, as far back as our records go, that man +running wild in the woods is different to man kennelled in a city +slum; that a dog seems to understand a shepherd better than a +hewer of wood and drawer of water can understand an astronomer; +and that breeding, gentle nurture and luxurious food and shelter +will produce a kind of man with whom the common laborer is +socially incompatible. The same thing is true of horses and dogs. +Now there is clearly room for great changes in the world by +increasing the percentage of individuals who are carefully bred +and gently nurtured even to finally making the most of every man +and woman born. But that possibility existed in the days of the +Hittites as much as it does to-day. It does not give the +slightest real support to the common assumption that the +civilized contemporaries of the Hittites were unlike their +civilized descendants to-day. + +This would appear the truest commonplace if it were not that the +ordinary citizen's ignorance of the past combines with his +idealization of the present to mislead and flatter him. Our +latest book on the new railway across Asia describes the dulness +of the Siberian farmer and the vulgar pursepride of the Siberian +man of business without the least consciousness that the sting of +contemptuous instances given might have been saved by writing +simply "Farmers and provincial plutocrats in Siberia are exactly +what they are in England." The latest professor descanting on the +civilization of the Western Empire in the fifth century feels +bound to assume, in the teeth of his own researches, that the +Christian was one sort of animal and the Pagan another. It might +as well be assumed, as indeed it generally is assumed by +implication, that a murder committed with a poisoned arrow is +different to a murder committed with a Mauser rifle. All such +notions are illusions. Go back to the first syllable of recorded +time, and there you will find your Christian and your Pagan, your +yokel and your poet, helot and hero, Don Quixote and Sancho, +Tamino and Papageno, Newton and bushman unable to count eleven, +all alive and contemporaneous, and all convinced that they are +heirs of all the ages and the privileged recipients of THE truth +(all others damnable heresies), just as you have them to-day, +flourishing in countries each of which is the bravest and best +that ever sprang at Heaven's command from out of the azure main. + +Again, there is the illusion of "increased command over Nature," +meaning that cotton is cheap and that ten miles of country road +on a bicycle have replaced four on foot. But even if man's +increased command over Nature included any increased command over +himself (the only sort of command relevant to his evolution into +a higher being), the fact remains that it is only by running away +from the increased command over Nature to country places where +Nature is still in primitive command over Man that he can recover +from the effects of the smoke, the stench, the foul air, the +overcrowding, the racket, the ugliness, the dirt which the cheap +cotton costs us. If manufacturing activity means Progress, the +town must be more advanced than the country; and the field +laborers and village artizans of to-day must be much less changed +from the servants of Job than the proletariat of modern London +from the proletariat of Caesar's Rome. Yet the cockney +proletarian is so inferior to the village laborer that it is only +by steady recruiting from the country that London is kept alive. +This does not seem as if the change since Job's time were +Progress in the popular sense: quite the reverse. The common +stock of discoveries in physics has accumulated a little: that is +all. + +One more illustration. Is the Englishman prepared to admit that +the American is his superior as a human being? I ask this +question because the scarcity of labor in America relatively to +the demand for it has led to a development of machinery there, +and a consequent "increase of command over Nature" which makes +many of our English methods appear almost medieval to the +up-to-date Chicagoan. This means that the American has an +advantage over the Englishman of exactly the same nature that the +Englishman has over the contemporaries of Cicero. Is the +Englishman prepared to draw the same conclusion in both cases? I +think not. The American, of course, will draw it cheerfully; but +I must then ask him whether, since a modern negro has a greater +"command over Nature" than Washington had, we are also to accept +the conclusion, involved in his former one, that humanity has +progressed from Washington to the fin de siecle negro. + +Finally, I would point out that if life is crowned by its success +and devotion in industrial organization and ingenuity, we had +better worship the ant and the bee (as moralists urge us to do in +our childhood), and humble ourselves before the arrogance of the +birds of Aristophanes. + +My reason then for ignoring the popular conception of Progress in +Caesar and Cleopatra is that there is no reason to suppose that +any Progress has taken place since their time. But even if I +shared the popular delusion, I do not see that I could have made +any essential difference in the play. I can only imitate humanity +as I know it. Nobody knows whether Shakespear thought that +ancient Athenian joiners, weavers, or bellows menders were any +different from Elizabethan ones; but it is quite certain that one +could not have made them so, unless, indeed, he had played the +literary man and made Quince say, not "Is all our company here?" +but "Bottom: was not that Socrates that passed us at the Piraeus +with Glaucon and Polemarchus on his way to the house of +Kephalus." And so on. + +CLEOPATRA + +Cleopatra was only sixteen when Caesar went to Egypt; but in +Egypt sixteen is a riper age than it is in England. The +childishness I have ascribed to her, as far as it is childishness +of character and not lack of experience, is not a matter of +years. It may be observed in our own climate at the present day +in many women of fifty. It is a mistake to suppose that the +difference between wisdom and folly has anything to do with the +difference between physical age and physical youth. Some women +are younger at seventy than most women at seventeen. + +It must be borne in mind, too, that Cleopatra was a queen, and +was therefore not the typical Greek-cultured, educated Eyptian +lady of her time. To represent her by any such type would be as +absurd as to represent George IV by a type founded on the +attainments of Sir Isaac Newton. It is true that an ordinarily +well educated Alexandrian girl of her time would no more have +believed bogey stories about the Romans than the daughter of a +modern Oxford professor would believe them about the Germans +(though, by the way, it is possible to talk great nonsense at +Oxford about foreigners when we are at war with them). But I do +not feel bound to believe that Cleopatra was well educated. Her +father, the illustrious Flute Blower, was not at all a parent of +the Oxford professor type. And Cleopatra was a chip of the old +block. + +BRITANNUS + +I find among those who have read this play in manuscript a strong +conviction that an ancient Briton could not possibly have been +like a modern one. I see no reason to adopt this curious view. It +is true that the Roman and Norman conquests must have for a time +disturbed the normal British type produced by the climate. But +Britannus, born before these events, represents the unadulterated +Briton who fought Caesar and impressed Roman observers much as we +should expect the ancestors of Mr. Podsnap to impress the +cultivated Italians of their time. + +I am told that it is not scientific to treat national character +as a product of climate. This only shows the wide difference +between common knowledge and the intellectual game called +science. We have men of exactly the same stock, and speaking the +same language, growing in Great Britain, in Ireland, and in +America. The result is three of the most distinctly marked +nationalities under the sun. Racial characteristics are quite +another matter. The difference between a Jew and a Gentile has +nothing to do with the difference between an Englishman and a +German. The characteristics of Britannus are local +characteristics, not race characteristics. In an ancient Briton +they would, I take it, be exaggerated, since modern Britain, +disforested, drained, urbanified and consequently cosmopolized, +is presumably less characteristically British than Caesar's +Britain. + +And again I ask does anyone who, in the light of a competent +knowledge of his own age, has studied history from contemporary +documents, believe that 67 generations of promiscuous marriage +have made any appreciable difference in the human fauna of these +isles? Certainly I do not. + +JULIUS CAESAR + +As to Caesar himself, I have purposely avoided the usual +anachronism of going to Caesar's books, and concluding that the +style is the man. That is only true of authors who have the +specific literary genius, and have practised long enough to +attain complete self-expression in letters. It is not true even +on these conditions in an age when literature is conceived +as a game of style, and not as a vehicle of self-expression by +the author. Now Caesar was an amateur stylist writing books of +travel and campaign histories in a style so impersonal that +the authenticity of the later volumes is disputed. They reveal +some of his qualities just as the Voyage of a Naturalist Round +the World reveals some of Darwin's, without expressing his +private personality. An Englishman reading them would say that +Caesar was a man of great common sense and good taste, meaning +thereby a man without originality or moral courage. + +In exhibiting Caesar as a much more various person than the +historian of the Gallic wars, I hope I have not succumbed +unconsciously to the dramatic illusion to which all great men owe +part of their reputation and some the whole of it. I admit that +reputations gained in war are specially questionable. Able +civilians taking up the profession of arms, like Caesar and +Cromwell, in middle age, have snatched all its laurels from +opponent commanders bred to it, apparently because capable +persons engaged in military pursuits are so scarce that the +existence of two of them at the same time in the same hemisphere +is extremely rare. The capacity of any conqueror is therefore +more likely than not to be an illusion produced by the incapacity +of his adversary. At all events, Caesar might have won his +battles without being wiser than Charles XII or Nelson or Joan of +Arc, who were, like most modern "self-made" millionaires, +half-witted geniuses, enjoying the worship accorded by all races +to certain forms of insanity. But Caesar's victories were only +advertisements for an eminence that would never have become +popular without them. Caesar is greater off the battle field than +on it. Nelson off his quarterdeck was so quaintly out of the +question that when his head was injured at the battle of the +Nile, and his conduct became for some years openly scandalous, +the difference was not important enough to be noticed. It may, +however, be said that peace hath her illusory reputations no less +than war. And it is certainly true that in civil life mere +capacity for work--the power of killing a dozen secretaries under +you, so to speak, as a life-or-death courier kills horses-- +enables men with common ideas and superstitions to distance all +competitors in the strife of political ambition. It was this +power of work that astonished Cicero as the most prodigious of +Caesar's gifts, as it astonished later observers in Napoleon +before it wore him out. How if Caesar were nothing but a Nelson +and a Gladstone combined! A prodigy of vitality without any +special quality of mind! Nay, with ideas that were worn out +before he was born, as Nelson's and Gladstone's were! I have +considered that possibility too, and rejected it. I cannot cite +all the stories about Caesar which seem to me to show that he was +genuinely original; but let me at least point out that I have +been careful to attribute nothing but originality to him. +Originality gives a man an air of frankness, generosity, and +magnanimity by enabling him to estimate the value of truth, +money, or success in any particular instance quite independently +of convention and moral generalization. He therefore will not, in +the ordinary Treasury bench fashion, tell a lie which everybody +knows to be a lie (and consequently expects him as a matter of +good taste to tell). His lies are not found out: they pass for +candors. He understands the paradox of money, and gives it away +when he can get most for it: in other words, when its value is +least, which is just when a common man tries hardest to get it. +He knows that the real moment of success is not the moment +apparent to the crowd. Hence, in order to produce an impression +of complete disinterestedness and magnanimity, he has only to act +with entire selfishness; and this is perhaps the only sense in +which a man can be said to be naturally great. It is in this +sense that I have represented Caesar as great. Having virtue, he +has no need of goodness. He is neither forgiving, frank, nor +generous, because a man who is too great to resent has nothing to +forgive; a man who says things that other people are afraid to +say need be no more frank than Bismarck was; and there is no +generosity in giving things you do not want to people of whom you +intend to make use. This distinction between virtue and goodness +is not understood in England: hence the poverty of our drama in +heroes. Our stage attempts at them are mere goody-goodies. +Goodness, in its popular British sense of self-denial, implies +that man is vicious by nature, and that supreme goodness is +supreme martyrdom. Not sharing that pious opinion, I have not +given countenance to it in any of my plays. In this I follow the +precedent of the ancient myths, which represent the hero as +vanquishing his enemies, not in fair fight, but with enchanted +sword, superequine horse and magical invulnerability, the +possession of which, from the vulgar moralistic point of view, +robs his exploits of any merit whatever. + +As to Caesar's sense of humor, there is no more reason to assume +that he lacked it than to assume that he was deaf or blind. It is +said that on the occasion of his assassination by a conspiracy of +moralists (it is always your moralist who makes assassination a +duty, on the scaffold or off it), he defended himself until the +good Brutes struck him, when he exclaimed "What! you too, +Brutes!" and disdained further fight. If this be true, he must +have been an incorrigible comedian. But even if we waive this +story, or accept the traditional sentimental interpretation of +it, there is still abundant evidence of his lightheartedness and +adventurousness. Indeed it is clear from his whole history that +what has been called his ambition was an instinct for +exploration. He had much more of Columbus and Franklin in him +than of Henry V. + +However, nobody need deny Caesar a share, at least, of the +qualities I have attributed to him. All men, much more Julius +Caesars, possess all qualities in some degree. The really +interesting question is whether I am right in assuming that the +way to produce an impression of greatness is by exhibiting a man, +not as mortifying his nature by doing his duty, in the manner +which our system of putting little men into great positions (not +having enough great men in our influential families to go round) +forces us to inculcate, but by simply doing what he naturally +wants to do. For this raises the question whether our world has +not been wrong in its moral theory for the last 2,500 years or +so. It must be a constant puzzle to many of us that the Christian +era, so excellent in its intentions, should have been practically +such a very discreditable episode in the history of the race. I +doubt if this is altogether due to the vulgar and sanguinary +sensationalism of our religious legends, with their substitution +of gross physical torments and public executions for the passion +of humanity. Islam, substituting voluptuousness for torment (a +merely superficial difference, it is true) has done no better. It +may have been the failure of Christianity to emancipate itself +from expiatory theories of moral responsibility, guilt, +innocence, reward, punishment, and the rest of it, that baffled +its intention of changing the world. But these are bound up in +all philosophies of creation as opposed to cosmism. They may +therefore be regarded as the price we pay for popular religion. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg Etext Caesar and Cleopatra by George Bernard Shaw + |