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trifle with me？ （He points to the floor at Cleopatra's feet。
Ftatateeta； half cowed； half savage； hesitates。 Caesar calls to
the Nubian） Slave。 （The Nubian comes to him。） Can you cut off a
head？ （The Nubian nods and grins ecstatically； showing all his
teeth。 Caesar takes his sword by the scabbard； ready to offer the
hilt to the Nubian； and turns again to Ftatateeta； repeating his
gesture。） Have you remembered yourself； mistress？
Ftatateeta； crushed； kneels before Cleopatra； who can hardly
believe her eyes。
FTATATEETA （hoarsely）。 O Queen； forget not thy servant in the
days of thy greatness。
CLEOPATRA （blazing with excitement）。 Go。 Begone。 Go away。
（Ftatateeta rises with stooped head； and moves backwards towards
the door。 Cleopatra watches her submission eagerly； almost
clapping her hands； which are trembling。 Suddenly she cries） Give
me something to beat her with。 （She snatches a snake…skin from
the throne and dashes after Ftatateeta； whirling it like a
scourge in the air。 Caesar makes a bound and manages to catch her
and hold her while Ftatateeta escapes。）
CAESAR。 You scratch； kitten； do you？
CLEOPATRA （breaking from him）。 I will beat somebody。 I will beat
him。 （She attacks the slave。） There； there； there！ （The slave
flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes。 She throws the
snake…skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms
waving； crying） I am a real Queen at lasta real； real Queen！
Cleopatra the Queen！ （Caesar shakes his head dubiously； the
advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point
of view of the general welfare of Egypt。 She turns and looks at
him exultantly。 Then she jumps down from the step； runs to him；
and flings her arms round him rapturously； crying） Oh； I love you
for making me a Queen。
CAESAR。 But queens love only kings。
CLEOPATRA。 I will make all the men I love kings。 I will make you
a king。 I will have many young kings； with round； strong arms；
and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death； but you
shall always be my king： my nice； kind； wise； proud old king。
CAESAR。 Oh； my wrinkles； my wrinkles！ And my child's heart！ You
will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conguests。
CLEOPATRA （appalled）。 Caesar！ I forgot Caesar。 （Anxiously） You
will tell him that I am a Queen； will you not？ a real Queen。
Listen！ （stealthily coaxing him） let us run away and hide until
Caesar is gone。
CAESAR。 If you fear Caesar； you are no true Queen； and though you
were to hide beneath a pyramid； he would go straight to it and
lift it with one hand。 And then！ （He chops his teeth together。）
CLEOPATRA （trembling）。 Oh！
CAESAR。 Be afraid if you dare。 （The note of the bucina
resounds again in the distance。 She moans with fear。 Caesar
exalts in it； exclaiming） Aha！ Caesar approaches the throne of
Cleopatra。 Come： take your place。 （He takes her hand and leads
her to the throne。 She is too downcast to speak。） Ho； there；
Teetatota。 How do you call your slaves？
CLEOPATRA （spiritlessly； as she sinks on the throne and cowers
there； shaking）。 Clap your hands。
He claps his hands。 Ftatateeta returns。
CAESAR。 Bring the Queen's robes； and her crown； and her women；
and prepare her。
CLEOPATRA （eagerlyrecovering herself a little）。 Yes； the Crown；
Ftatateeta： I shall wear the crown。
FTATATEETA。 For whom must the Queen put on her state？
CAESAR。 For a citizen of Rome。 A king of kings； Totateeta。
CLEOPATRA （stamping at her）。 How dare you ask questions？ Go and
do as you are told。 （Ftatateeta goes out with a grim smile。
Cleopatra goes on eagerly； to Caesar） Caesar will know that I am
a Queen when he sees my crown and robes； will he not？
CAESAR。 No。 How shall he know that you are not a slave dressed up
in the Queen's ornaments？
CLEOPATRA。 You must tell him。
CAESAR。 He will not ask me。 He will know Cleopatra by her pride；
her courage； her majesty； and her beauty。 （She looks very
doubtful。） Are you trembling？
CLEOPATRA （shivering with dread）。 No； II（in a very sickly
voice） No。
Ftatateeta and three women come in with the regalia。
FTATATEETA。 Of all the Queen's women； these three alone are left。
The rest are fled。 （They begin to deck Cleopatra； who submits；
pale and motionless。）
CAESAR。 Good； good。 Three are enough。 Poor Caesar generally has
to dress himself。
FTATATEETA （contemptuously）。 The Queen of Egypt is not a Roman
barbarian。 （To Cleopatra） Be brave； my nursling。 Hold up your
head before this stranger。
CAESAR （admiring Cleopatra； and placing the crown on her head）。
Is it sweet or bitter to be a Queen； Cleopatra？
CLEOPATRA。 Bitter。
CAESAR。 Cast out fear； and you will conquer Caesar。 Tota： are
the Romans at hand？
FTATATEETA。 They are at hand； and the guard has fled。
THE WOMEN （wailing subduedly）。 Woe to us！
The Nubian comes running down the hall。
NUBIAN。 The Romans are in the courtyard。 （He bolts through the
door。 With a shriek； the women fly after him。 Ftatateeta's jaw
expresses savage resolution： she does not budge。 Cleopatra can
hardly restrain herself from following them。 Caesar grips her
wrist； and looks steadfastly at her。 She stands like a martyr。）
CAESAR。 The Queen must face Caesar alone。 Answer 〃So be it。〃
CLEOPATRA （white）。 So be it。
CAESAR （releasing her）。 Good。
A tramp and tumult of armed men is heard。 Cleopatra's terror
increases。 The bucina sounds close at hand； followed by a
formidable clangor of trumpets。 This is too much for Cleopatra：
she utters a cry and darts towards the door。 Ftatateeta
stops her ruthlessly。
FTATATEETA。 You are my nursling。 You have said 〃So be it〃； and if
you die for it； you must make the Queen's word good。 （She hands
Cleopatra to Caesar； who takes her back； almost beside herself
with apprehension； to the throne。）
CAESAR。 Now； if you quail！ （He seats himself on the throne。）
She stands on the step； all but unconscious； waiting for death。
The Roman soldiers troop in tumultuously through the corridor；
headed by their ensign with his eagle； and their bucinator； a
burly fellow with his instrument coiled round his body； its
brazen bell shaped like the head of a howling wolf。 When they
reach the transept； they stare in amazement at the throne； dress
into ordered rank opposite it； draw their swords and lift them in
the air with a shout of HAIL CAESAR。 Cleopatra turns and
stares wildly at Caesar； grasps the situation； and； with a great
sob of relief； falls into his arms。
ACT II
Alexandria。 A hall on the first floor of the Palace； ending in a
loggia approached by two steps。 Through the arches of the loggia
the Mediterranean can be seen； bright in the morning sun。 The
clean lofty walls； painted with a procession of the Egyptian
theocracy； presented in profile as flat ornament； and the absence
of mirrors； sham perspectives； stuffy upholstery and textiles；
make the place handsome； wholesome； simple and cool； or； as a
rich English manufacturer would express it； poor； bare；
ridiculous and unhomely。 For Tottenham Court Road civilization is
to this Egyptian civilization as glass bead and tattoo
civilization is to Tottenham Court Road。
The young king Ptolemy Dionysus （aged ten） is