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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 foolrash； Rufioboyish。
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 manworn out nowtrue； 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 wasthan 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 honorthe 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 carpeta beauty！ And in it
areso I am toldpigeons' 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 endwe 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）。 Gentlyslowlymind the eggs。
RUFIO （calling up）。 Easy thereslowlyslowly。
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 op