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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。 FfffStop。 （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 campto 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 afraidafraid 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 catI did indeedI （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 soulhowever terrible
Caesar may be to youyou 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； thennight 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 awayjust
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 sc