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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 Caesarno god； but a manone who can
love and hateone 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 doby 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 himwrangling）。 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 meto
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 usbesides Cleopatra？
CAESAR。 Apollodorus the Sicilian。
RUFIO。 That popinjay！
CAESAR。 Come！ the popinjay is an amusing dogtells 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 talkerone 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 furthe 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 s