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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 mobmob！
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 killedIN
THE THROAThe 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