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took Berenice my sister and struck her head off。 And now that my
father is dead yet another of his daughters； my sister Cleopatra；
would snatch the kingdom from me and reign in my place。 But the
gods would not suffer （Pothinus coughs admonitorily）the gods
the gods would not suffer
POTHINUS （prompting）。will not maintain
PTOLEMY。 Oh yeswill not maintain such iniquity； they will give
her head to the axe even as her sister's。 But with the help of
the witch Ftatateeta she hath cast a spell on the Roman Julius
Caesar to make him uphold her false pretence to rule in Egypt。
Take notice then that I will not sufferthat I will not suffer
（pettishly； to Pothinus）What is it that I will not suffer？
POTHINUS （suddenly exploding with all the force and emphasis of
political passion）。 The King will not suffer a foreigner to take
from him the throne of our Egypt。 （A shout of applause。） Tell the
King； Achillas； how many soldiers and horsemen follow the Roman？
THEODOTUS。 Let the King's general speak！
ACHILLAS。 But two Roman legions； O King。 Three thousand soldiers
and scarce a thousand horsemen。
The court breaks into derisive laughter； and a great chattering
begins； amid which Rufio； a Roman officer； appears in the loggia。
He is a burly； black…bearded man of middle age； very blunt；
prompt and rough； with small clear eyes； and plump nose and
cheeks； which； however； like the rest of his flesh； are in
ironhard condition。
RUFIO （from the steps）。 Peace； ho！ （The laughter and chatter
cease abruptly。） Caesar approaches。
THEODOTUS （with much presence of mind）。 The King permits the
Roman commander to enter！
Caesar； plainly dressed； but； wearing an oak wreath to conceal
his baldness； enters from； the loggia； attended by Britannus； his
secretary； a Briton； about forty； tall； solemn； and already
slightly bald； with a heavy； drooping； hazel…colored moustache
trained so as to lose its ends in a pair of trim whiskers。 He
is carefully dressed in blue； with portfolio； inkhorn； and reed
pen at his girdle。 His serious air and sense of the importance
of the business in hand is in marked contrast to the kindly
interest of Caesar； who looks at the scene； which is new to him；
with the frank curiosity of a child； and then turns to the King's
chair： Britannus and Rufio posting themselves near the steps at
the other side。
CAESAR （looking at Pothinus and Ptolemy）。 Which is the King？ The
man or the boy？
POTHINUS。 I am Pothinus； the guardian of my lord the King。
Caesar （patting Ptolemy kindly on the shoulder）。 So you are the
King。 Dull work at your age； eh？ （To Pothinus） your servant；
Pothinus。 （He turns away unconcernedly and comes slowly along the
middle of the hall； looking from side to side at the courtiers
until he reaches Achillas。） And this gentleman？
THEODOTUS。 Achillas； the King's general。
CAESAR （to Achillas； very friendly）。 A general； eh？ I am a
general myself。 But I began too old； too old。 Health and many
victories； Achillas！
ACHILLAS。 As the gods will； Caesar。
CAESAR （turning to Theodotus）。 And you； sir； are？
THEODOTUS。 Theodotus； the King's tutor。
CAESAR。 You teach men how to be kings； Theodotus。 That is very
clever of you。 （Looking at the gods on the walls as he turns away
from Theodotus and goes up again to Pothinus。） And this place？
POTHINUS。 The council chamber of the chancellors of the King's
treasury； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Ah！ That reminds me。 I want some money。
POTHINUS。 The King's treasury is poor； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Yes： I notice that there is but one chair in it。
RUFIO （shouting gruffly）。 Bring a chair there； some of you； for
Caesar。
PTOLEMY （rising shyly to offer his chair）。 Caesar
CAESAR （kindly）。 No； no； my boy： that is your chair of state。 Sit
down。
He makes Ptolemy sit down again。 Meanwhile Rufio； looking about
him； sees in the nearest corner an image of the god Ra；
represented as a seated man with the head of a hawk。 Before
the image is a bronze tripod； about as large as a three…legged
stool； with a stick of incense burning on it。 Rufio； with Roman
resourcefulness and indifference to foreign superstitions；
promptly seizes the tripod； shakes off the incense； blows away
the ash； and dumps it down behind Caesar； nearly in the middle of
the hall。
RUFIO。 Sit on that； Caesar。
A shiver runs through the court； followed by a hissing whisper of
Sacrilege！
CAESAR （seating himself）。 Now； Pothinus； to business。 I am badly
in want of money。
BRITANNUS （disapproving of these informal expressions）。 My master
would say that there is a lawful debt due to Rome by Egypt；
contracted by the King's deceased father to the Triumvirate； and
that it is Caesar's duty to his country to require immediate
payment。
CAESAR （blandly）。 Ah； I forgot。 I have not made my companions
known here。 Pothinus： this is Britannus； my secretary。 He is an
islander from the western end of the world； a day's voyage from
Gaul。 （Britannus bows stiffly。） This gentleman is Rufio； my
comrade in arms。 （Rufio nods。） Pothinus： I want 1；600 talents。
The courtiers； appalled； murmur loudly； and Theodotus and
Achillas appeal mutely to one another against so monstrous a
demand。
POTHINUS （aghast）。 Forty million sesterces！ Impossible。 There is
not so much money in the King's treasury。
CAESAR （encouragingly）。 ONLY sixteen hundred talents； Pothinus。
Why count it in sesterces？ A sestertius is only worth a loaf of
bread。
POTHINUS。 And a talent is worth a racehorse。 I say it is
impossible。 We have been at strife here； because the King's
sister Cleopatra falsely claims his throne。 The King's taxes have
not been collected for a whole year。
CAESAR。 Yes they have； Pothinus。 My officers have been collecting
them all the morning。 （Renewed whisper and sensation； not without
some stifled laughter； among the courtiers。）
RUFIO （bluntly）。 You must pay； Pothinus。 Why waste words？ You are
getting off cheaply enough。
POTHINUS （bitterly）。 Is it possible that Caesar； the conqueror of
the world； has time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our
taxes？
CAESAR。 My friend： taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of
the world。
POTHINUS。 Then take warning； Caesar。 This day； the treasures of
the temples and the gold of the King's treasury will be sent to
the mint to be melted down for our ransom in the sight of the
people。 They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinking
from wooden cups。 And their wrath be on your head； Caesar； if you
force us to this sacrilege！
CAESAR。 Do not fear； Pothinus： the people know how well wine
tastes in wooden cups。 In return for your bounty； I will settle
this dispute about the throne for you； if you will。 What say you？
POTHINUS。 If I say no； will that hinder you？
RUFIO （defiantly）。 No。
CAESAR。 You say the matter has been at issue for a year；
Pothinus。 May I have ten minutes at it？
POTHINUS。 You will do your pleasure； doubtless。
CAESAR。 Good！ But first； let us have Cleopatra here。
THEODOTUS。 She is not in Alexandria： she is fled into Syria。
CAESAR。 I think not。 （To Rufio） Call Totateeta。
RUFIO （calling）。 Ho there； Teetatota。
Ftatateeta enters the loggia； and stands arrogantly at the top of
the steps。
FTATATEETA。 Who pronounces the name of Ftatateeta； the Queen's
chief nurse？
CAESAR。 Nobody can pronounce it； Tota； except yourself。 Where is
your mistress？
Cleopatra； who is hiding behind Ftafateeta； peeps out at them；
laughing。 Caesar rises。
CAESAR。 Will the Queen favor us with her presence for a moment？
CLEOPATRA （pushing Ftatateeta aside and standing haughtily on the
brink of the steps）。 Am I to behave like a Queen？
CAESAR。 Yes。
Cleopatra immediately comes down to the chair of state； seizes
Ptolemy and drags him out of his seat； then takes his place in
the chair。 Ftatateeta seats herself on the step of the loggia；
and sits there； watching the scene with sybilline intensity。
PTOLEMY （mortified； and struggling with his tears）。 Caesar： this
is how she treats me always。 If I am a King why is she allowed to
take everything from me？
CLEOPATRA。 You are not to be King； you little cry…baby。 You are
to be eaten by the Romans。
CAESAR （touched by Ptolemy's distress）。 Come here； my boy； and
stand by me。
Ptolemy goes over to Caesar； who； resuming his seat on the
tripod； takes the boy's hand to encourage him。 Cleopatra；
furiously jealous； rises and glares at them。
CLEOPATRA （with flaming cheeks）。 Take your throne： I don't want
it。 （She flings away from the chair； and approaches Ptolemy； who
shrinks from her。） Go this instant and sit down in your place。
CAESAR。 Go； Ptolemy。 Always take a throne when it is offered to
you。
RUFIO。 I hope you will have the good sense to follow your own
advice when we return to Rome； Caesar。
Ptolemy slowly goes back to the throne； giving Cleopatra a
wide berth； in evident fear of her hands。 She takes his place
beside Caesar。
CAESAR。 Pothinus
CLEOPATRA （interrupting him）。 Are you not going to speak to me？
CAESAR。 Be quiet。 Open your mouth again before I give you leave；
and you shall be eaten。
CLEOPATRA。 I am not afraid。 A queen must not be afraid。 Eat my
husband there； if you like： he is afraid。