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Oh； how I love you for sending him to help my father！ Did you
love my father very much？
CAESAR。 No； my child； but your father； as you say； never worked。
I always work。 So when he lost his crown he had to promise me
16；000 talents to get it back for him。
CLEOPATRA。 Did he ever pay you？
CAESAR。 Not in full。
CLEOPATRA。 He was quite right： it was too dear。 The whole world
is not worth 16；000 talents。
CAESAR。 That is perhaps true； Cleopatra。 Those Egyptians who work
paid as much of it as he could drag from them。 The rest is still
due。 But as I most likely shall not get it； I must go back to my
work。 So you must run away for a little and send my secretary to
me。
CLEOPATRA （coaxing）。 No： I want to stay and hear you talk about
Mark Antony。
CAESAR。 But if I do not get to work； Pothinus and the rest of
them will cut us off from the harbor； and then the way from Rome
will be blocked。
CLEOPATRA。 No matter： I don't want you to go back to Rome。
CAESAR。 But you want Mark Antony to come from it。
CLEOPATRA （springing up）。 Oh yes； yes； yes： I forgot。 Go quickly
and work； Caesar； and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark
Antony。 （She runs out through the loggia； kissing her hand to
Mark Antony across the sea。）
CAESAR （going briskly up the middle of the hall to the loggia
steps）。 Ho； Britannus。 （He is startled by the entry of a wounded
Roman soldier； who confronts him from the upper step。） What now？
SOLDIER （pointing to his bandaged head）。 This； Caesar； and two of
my comrades killed in the market place。
CAESAR （quiet but attending）。 Ay。 Why？
SOLDIER。 There is an army come to Alexandria； calling itself the
Roman army。
CAESAR。 The Roman army of occupation。 Ay？
SOLDIER。 Commanded by one Achillas。
CAESAR。 Well？
SOLDIER。 The citizens rose against us when the army entered the
gates。 I was with two others in the market place when the news
came。 They set upon us。 I cut my way out； and here I am。
CAESAR。 Good。 I am glad to see you alive。 （Rufio enters the
loggia hastily； passing behind the soldier to look out through
one of the arches at the quay beneath。） Rufio； we are
besieged。
RUFIO。 What！ Already？
CAESAR。 Now or tomorrow： what does it matter？ We SHALL be
besieged。
Britannus runs in。
BRITANNUS。 Caesar
CAESAR （anticipating him）。 Yes： I know。 （Rufio and Britannus come
down the hall from the loggia at opposite sides； past Caesar； who
waits for a moment near the step to say to the soldier。） Comrade：
give the word to turn out on the beach and stand by the boats。
Get your wound attended to。 Go。 （The soldier hurries out。 Caesar
comes down the hall between Rufio and Britannus） Rufio： we have
some ships in the west harbor。 Burn them。
RUFIO （staring）。 Burn them！！
CAESAR。 Take every boat we have in the east harbor； and seize the
Pharosthat island with the lighthouse。 Leave half our men
behind to hold the beach and the quay outside this palace： that
is the way home。
RUFIO （disapproving strongly）。 Are we to give up the city？
CAESAR。 We have not got it； Rufio。 This palace we have； andwhat
is that building next door？
RUFIO。 The theatre。
CAESAR。 We will have that too： it commands the strand； for the
rest； Egypt for the Egyptians！
RUFIO。 Well； you know best； I suppose。 Is that all？
CAESAR。 That is all。 Are those ships burnt yet？
RUFIO。 Be easy： I shall waste no more time。 （He runs out。）
BRITANNUS。 Caesar： Pothinus demands speech of you。 It's my
opinion he needs a lesson。 His manner is most insolent。
CAESAR。 Where is he？
BRITANNUS。 He waits without。
CAESAR。 Ho there！ Admit Pothinus。
Pothinus appears in the loggia； and comes down the hall very
haughtily to Caesar's left hand。
CAESAR。 Well； Pothinus？
POTHINUS。 I have brought you our ultimatum； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Ultimatum！ The door was open： you should have gone out
through it before you declared war。 You are my prisoner now。 （He
goes to the chair and loosens his toga。）
POTHINUS （scornfully）。 I YOUR prisoner！ Do you know that you are
in Alexandria； and that King Ptolemy； with an army outnumbering
your little troop a hundred to one； is in possession of
Alexandria？
CAESAR （unconcernedly taking off his toga and throwing it on the
chair）。 Well； my friend； get out if you can。 And tell your
friends not to kill any more Romans in the market place。
Otherwise my soldiers； who do not share my celebrated clemency；
will probably kill you。 Britannus： Pass the word to the guard；
and fetch my armor。 （Britannus runs out。 Rufio returns。） Well？
RUFIO （pointing from the loggia to a cloud of smoke drifting
over the harbor）。 See there！ （Pothinus runs eagerly up the steps
to look out。）
CAESAR。 What； ablaze already！ Impossible！
RUFIO。 Yes； five good ships； and a barge laden with oil grappled
to each。 But it is not my doing： the Egyptians have saved me the
trouble。 They have captured the west harbor。
CAESAR （anxiously）。 And the east harbor？ The lighthouse； Rufio？
RUFIO （with a sudden splutter of raging ill usage； coming down to
Caesar and scolding him）。 Can I embark a legion in five minutes？
The first cohort is already on the beach。 We can do no more。 If
you want faster work； come and do it yourself？
CAESAR （soothing him）。 Good； good。 Patience； Rufio； patience。
RUFIO。 Patience！ Who is impatient here； you or I？ Would I be
here； if I could not oversee them from that balcony？
CAESAR。 Forgive me； Rufio； and （anxiously） hurry them as much
as
He is interrupted by an outcry as of an old man in the extremity
of misfortune。 It draws near rapidly； and Theodotus rushes in；
tearing his hair； and squeaking the most lamentable exclamations。
Rufio steps back to stare at him； amazed at his frantic
condition。 Pothinus turns to listen。
THEODOTUS （on the steps； with uplifted arms）。 Horror unspeakable！
Woe； alas！ Help！
RUFIO。 What now？
CAESAR （frowning）。 Who is slain？
THEODOTUS。 Slain！ Oh； worse than the death of ten thousand men！
Loss irreparable to mankind！
RUFIO。 What has happened； man？
THEODOTUS （rushing down the hall between them）。 The fire has
spread from your ships。 The first of the seven wonders of the
world perishes。 The library of Alexandria is in flames。
RUFIO。 Psha！ （Quite relieved； he goes up to the loggia and
watches the preparations of the troops on the beach。）
CAESAR。 Is that all？
THEODOTUS （unable to believe his senses）。 All！ Caesar： will you
go down to posterity as a barbarous soldier too ignorant to know
the value of books？
CAESAR。 Theodotus： I am an author myself； and I tell you it is
better that the Egyptians should live their lives than dream them
away with the help of books。
THEODOTUS （kneeling； with genuine literary emotion： the passion
of the pedant）。 Caesar： once in ten generations of men； the world
gains an immortal book。
CAESAR （inflexible）。 If it did not flatter mankind； the common
executioner would burn it。
THEODOTUS。 Without history； death would lay you beside your
meanest soldier。
CAESAR。 Death will do that in any case。 I ask no better grave。
THEODOTUS。 What is burning there is the memory of mankind。
CAESAR。 A shameful memory。 Let it burn。
THEODOTUS （wildly）。 Will you destroy the past？
CAESAR。 Ay； and build the future with its ruins。 （Theodotus； in
despair； strikes himself on the temples with his fists。） But
harken； Theodotus； teacher of kings： you who valued Pompey's head
no more than a shepherd values an onion； and who now kneel to me；
with tears in your old eyes； to plead for a few sheepskins
scrawled with errors。 I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of
water just now； but you shall pass freely out of the palace。 Now；
away with you to Achillas； and borrow his legions to put out the
fire。 （He hurries him to the steps。）
POTHINUS （significantly）。 You understand； Theodotus： I remain a
prisoner。
THEODOTUS。 A prisoner！
CAESAR。 Will you stay to talk whilst the memory of mankind is
burning？ （Calling through the loggia） Ho there！ Pass Theodotus
out。 （To Theodotus） Away with you。
THEODOTUS （to Pothinus）。 I must go to save the library。 （He
hurries out。）
CAESAR。 Follow him to the gate； Pothinus。 Bid him urge your
people to kill no more of my soldiers； for your sake。
POTHINUS。 My life will cost you dear if you take it； Caesar。 （He
goes out after Theodotus。）
Rufio； absorbed in watching the embarkation； does not notice the
departure of the two Egyptians。
RUFIO （shouting from the loggia to the beach）。 All ready； there？
A CENTURION （from below）。 All ready。 We wait for Caesar。
CAESAR。 Tell them Caesar is comingthe rogues！ （Calling）
Britannicus。 （This magniloquent version of his secretary's name
is one of Caesar's jokes。 In later years it would have meant；
quite seriously and officially； Conqueror of Britain。）
RUFIO （calling down）。 Push off； all except the longboat。 Stand by
it to embark； Caesar's guard there。 （He leaves the balcony and
comes down into the hall。） Where are those Egyptians？ Is this
more clemency？ Have you let them go？
CAESAR （chuckling）。 I have let Theodotus go to save the library。
We must respect literature； Rufio。
RUFIO （raging）。 Folly on folly's head！ I believe if you could
bring back all the dead of S