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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 innot 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 boatat 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 （alarmedlooking 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 goso she saidto 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