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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 Spain； Gaul and Thessaly to life； you
would do it that we might have the trouble of fighting them over
again。
CAESAR。 Might not the gods destroy the world if their only
thought were to be at peace next year？ （Rufio； out of all
patience； turns away in anger。 Caesar suddenly grips his
sleeve； and adds slyly in his ear。） Besides； my friend： every
Egyptian we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to
guard him。 Eh？
RUFIO。 Agh！ I might have known there was some fox's trick behind
your fine talking。 （He gets away from Caesar with an ill…humored
shrug； and goes to the balcony for another look at the
preparations； finally goes out。）
CAESAR。 Is Britannus asleep？ I sent him for my armor an hour ago。
（Calling） Britannicus； thou British islander。 Britannicus！
Cleopatra； runs in through the loggia with Caesar's helmet and
sword； snatched from Britannus； who follows her with a cuirass
and greaves。 They come down to Caesar； she to his left hand；
Britannus to his right。
CLEOPATRA。 I am going to dress you； Caesar。 Sit down。 （He obeys。）
These Roman helmets are so becoming！ （She takes off his wreath。）
Oh！ （She bursts out laughing at him。）
CAESAR。 What are you laughing at？
CLEOPATRA。 You're bald （beginning with a big B； and ending with a
splutter）。
CAESAR （almost annoyed）。 Cleopatra！ （He rises； for the
convenience of Britannus； who puts the cuirass on him。）
CLEOPATRA。 So that is why you wear the wreathto hide it。
BRITANNUS。 Peace； Egyptian： they are the bays of the conqueror。
（He buckles the cuirass。）
CLEOPATRA。 Peace； thou： islander！ （To Caesar） You should rub your
head with strong spirits of sugar； Caesar。 That will make it
grow。
CAESAR （with a wry face）。 Cleopatra： do you like to be reminded
that you are very young？
CLEOPATRA （pouting）。 No。
CAESAR （sitting down again； and setting out his leg for
Britannus； who kneels to put on his greaves）。 Neither do I like
to be reminded that I ammiddle aged。 Let me give you ten of my
superfluous years。 That will make you 26 and leave me onlyno
matter。 Is it a bargain？
CLEOPATRA。 Agreed。 26； mind。 （She puts the helmet on him。） Oh！
How nice！ You look only about 50 in it！
BRITANNUS （Looking up severely at Cleopatra）。 You must not speak
in this manner to Caesar。
CLEOPATRA。 Is it true that when Caesar caught you on that island；
you were painted all over blue？
BRITANNUS。 Blue is the color worn by all Britons of good
standing。 In war we stain our bodies blue； so that though our
enemies may strip us of our clothes and our lives； they cannot
strip us of our respectability。 （He rises。）
CLEOPATRA （with Caesar's sword）。 Let me hang this on。 Now you
look splendid。 Have they made any statues of you in Rome？
CAESAR。 Yes； many statues。
CLEOPATRA。 You must send for one and give it to me。
RUFIO （coming back into the loggia； more impatient than ever）。
Now Caesar： have you done talking？ The moment your foot is aboard
there will be no holding our men back： the boats will race one
another for