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THE MAJOR…DOMO。 Caesar will deign to choose his wine？ Sicilian；
Lesbian； Chian
RUFIO （contemptuously）。 All Greek。
APOLLODORUS。 Who would drink Roman wine when he could get Greek？
Try the Lesbian； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Bring me my barley water。
RUFIO （with intense disgust）。 Ugh！ Bring ME my Falernian。 （The
Falernian is presently brought to him。）
CLEOPATRA （pouting）。 It is waste of time giving you dinners；
Caesar。 My scullions would not condescend to your diet。
CAESAR （relenting）。 Well； well： let us try the Lesbian。 （The
Major…Domo fills Caesar's goblet； then Cleopatra's and
Apollodorus's。） But when I return to Rome； I will make laws
against these extravagances。 I will even get the laws carried
out。
CLEOPATRA （coaxingly）。 Never mind。 To…day you are to be like
other people： idle； luxurious； and kind。 （She stretches her hand
to him along the table。）
CAESAR。 Well； for once I will sacrifice my comfort （kissing her
hand） there！ （He takes a draught of wine。） Now are you satisfied？
CLEOPATRA。 And you no longer believe that I long for your
departure for Rome？
CAESAR。 I no longer believe anything。 My brains are asleep。
Besides； who knows whether I shall return to Rome？
RUFIO （alarmed）。 How？ Eh？ What？
CAESAR。 What has Rome to show me that I have not seen already？
One year of Rome is like another； except that I grow older；
whilst the crowd in the Appian Way is always the same age。
APOLLODORUS。 It is no better here in Egypt。 The old men； when
they are tired of life； say 〃We have seen everything except the
source of the Nile。〃
CAESAR （his imagination catching fire）。 And why not see
that？ Cleopatra： will you come with me and track the flood
to its cradle in the heart of the regions of mystery？ Shall
we leave Rome behind usRome； that has achieved greatness only
to learn how greatness destroys nations of men who are not great！
Shall I make you a new kingdom； and build you a holy city there
in the great unknown？
CLEOPATRA （rapturously）。 Yes； Yes。 You shall。
RUFIO。 Ay： now he will conquer Africa with two legions before we
come to the roast boar。
APOLLODORUS。 Come： no scoffing； this is a noble scheme： in it
Caesar is no longer merely the conquering soldier； but the
creative poet…artist。 Let us name the holy city； and consecrate
it with Lesbian Wineand Cleopatra shall name it herself。
CLEOPATRA。 It shall be called Caesar's Gift to his Beloved。
APOLLODORUS。 No； no。 Something vaster than thatsomething
universal； like the starry firmament。
CAESAR （prosaically）。 Why not simply The Cradle of the Nile？
CLEOPATRA。 No： the Nile is my ancestor； and he is a god。 Oh！ I
have thought of something。 The Nile shall name it himself。 Let us
call upon him。 （To the Major…Domo） Send for him。 （The three men
stare at one another； but the Major…Domo goes out as if he had
received the most matter…of…fact order。） And （to the retinue）
away with you all。
The retinue withdraws； making obeisance。
A priest enters； carrying a miniature sphinx with a tiny tripod
before it。 A morsel of incense is smoking in the tripod。 The
priest comes to the table and places the image in the middle of
it。 The light begins to change to the magenta purple of the
Egyptian sunset； as if the god had brought a strange colored
shadow with him。 The three men are determined not to be
impressed； but they feel curious in spite of themselves。
CAESAR。 What hocus…pocus is this？
CLEOPATRA。 You shall see。 And it is NOT hocus…pocus。 To do it
properly； we should kill something to please him； but perhaps he
will answer Caesar without that if we spill some wine to him。
APOLLODORUS （turning his head to look up over his shoulder at
Ra）。 Why not appeal to our hawkheaded friend here？
CLEOPATRA （nervously）。 Sh！ He will hear you and be angry。
RUFIO （phlegmatically）。 The source of the Nile is out of his
district； I expect。
CLEOPATRA。 No： I will have my city named by nobody but my dear
little sphinx； because it was in its arms that Caesar found me
asleep。 （She languishes at Caesar； then turns curtly to the
priest。） Go； I am a priestess； and have power to take your charge
from you。 （The priest makes a reverence and goes out。） Now let us
call on the Nile all together。 Perhaps he will rap on the table。
CAESAR。 What！ Table rapping！ Are such superstitions still
believed in this year 707 of the Republic？
CLEOPATRA。 It is no superstition： our priests learn lots of
things from the tables。 Is it not so； Apollodorus？
APOLLODORUS。 Yes： I profess myself a converted man。 When
Cleopatra is priestess； Apollodorus is devotee。 Propose the
conjuration。
CLEOPATRA。 You must say with me 〃Send us thy voice； Father Nile。〃
ALL FOUR （holding their glasses together before the idol）。 Send
us thy voice； Father Nile。
The death cry of a man in mortal terror and agony answers them。
Appalled； the men set down their glasses； and listen。 Silence。
The purple deepens in the sky。 Caesar； glancing at Cleopatra；
catches her pouring out her wine before the god； with gleaming
eyes； and mute assurances of gratitude and worship。 Apollodorus
springs up and runs to the edge of the roof to peer down and
listen。
CAESAR （looking piercingly at Cleopatra）。 What was that？
CLEOPATRA （petulantly）。 Nothing。 They are beating some slave。
CAESAR。 Nothing！
RUFIO。 A man with a knife in him； I'll swear。
CAESAR （rising）。 A murder！
APOLLODORUS （at the back； waving his hand for silence）。 S…sh！
Silence。 Did you hear that？
CAESAR。 Another cry？
APOLLODORUS （returning to the table）。 No； a thud。 Something fell
on the beach； I think。
RUFIO （grimly； as he rises）。 Something with bones in it； eh？
CAESAR （shuddering）。 Hush； hush； Rufio。 （He leaves the table and
returns to the colonnade： Rufio following at his left elbow； and
Apollodorus at the other side。）
CLEOPATRA （still in her place at the table）。 Will you leave me；
Caesar？ Apollodorus： are you going？
APOLLODORUS。 Faith； dearest Queen； my appetite is gone。
CAESAR。 Go down to the courtyard； Apollodorus； and find out what
has happened。
Apollodorus nods and goes out； making for the staircase by which
Rufio ascended。
CLEOPATRA。 Your soldiers have killed somebody； perhaps。 What does
it matter？
The murmur of a crowd rises from the beach below。 Caesar and
Rufio look at one another。
CAESAR。 This must be seen to。 （He is about to follow Apollodorus
when Rufio stops him with a hand on his arm as Ftatateeta comes
back by the far end of the roof； with dragging steps； a drowsy
satiety in her eyes and in the corners of the bloodhound lips。
For a moment Caesar suspects that she is drunk with wine。 Not so
Rufio： he knows well the red vintage that has inebriated her。）
RUFIO （in a low tone）。 There is some mischief between those two。
FTATATEETA。 The Queen looks again on the face of her servant。
Cleopatra looks at her for a moment with an exultant reflection
of her murderous expression。 Then she flings her arms round her；
kisses her repeatedly and savagely； and tears off her jewels and
heaps them on her。 The two men turn from the spectacle to look at
one another。 Ftatateeta drags herself sleepily to the altar；
kneels before Ra； and remains there in prayer。 Caesar goes to
Cleopatra； leaving Rufio in the colonnade。
CAESAR （with searching earnestness）。 Cleopatra： what has
happened？
CLEOPATRA （in mortal dread of him； but with her utmost cajolery）。
Nothing； dearest Caesar。 （With sickly sweetness； her voice almost
failing） Nothing。 I am innocent。 （She approaches him
affectionately） Dear Caesar： are you angry with me？ Why do you
look at me so？ I have been here with you all the time。 How can I
know what has happened？
CAESAR （reflectively）。 That is true。
CLEOPATRA （greatly relieved； trying to caress him）。 Of course it
is true。 （He does not respond to the caress。） You know it is
true； Rufio。
The murmur without suddenly swells to a roar and subsides。
RUFIO。 I shall know presently。 （He makes for the altar in the
burly trot that serves him for a stride； and touches Ftatateeta
on the shoulder。） Now； mistress： I shall want you。 （He orders
her； with a gesture； to go before him。）
FTATATEETA （rising and glowering at him）。 My place is with the
Queen。
CLEOPATRA。 She has done no harm； Rufio。
CAESAR （to Rufio）。 Let her stay。
RUFIO （sitting down on the altar）。 Very well。 Then my place is
here too； and you can see what is the matter for yourself。 The
city is in a pretty uproar； it seems。
CAESAR （with grave displeasure）。 Rufio： there is a time for
obedience。
RUFIO。 And there is a time for obstinacy。 （He folds his arms
doggedly。）
CAESAR （to Cleopatra）。 Send her away。
CLEOPATRA （whining in her eagerness to propitiate him）。 Yes； I
will。 I will do whatever you ask me； Caesar； always； because I
love you。 Ftatateeta： go away。
FTATATEETA。 The Queen's word is my will。 I shall be at hand for
the Queen's call。 （She goes out past Ra； as she came。）
RUFIO （following her）。 Remember； Caesar； YOUR bodyguard also is
within call。 （He follows her out。）
Cleopatra； presuming upon Caesar's submission to Rufio； leaves
the table and sits down on the bench in the colonnade。
CLEOPATRA。 Why do you allow Rufio to treat