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（perhaps）； but they scattered us like chaff。
The guardsmen； much damped； utter a growl of contemptuous
disgust。
BELZANOR。 Could you not die？
BEL AFFRIS。 No： that was too easy to be worthy of a descendant of
the gods。 Besides； there was no time： all was over in a moment。
The attack came just where we least expected it。
BELZANOR。 That shows that the Romans are cowards。
BEL AFFRIS。 They care nothing about cowardice； these Romans： they
fight to win。 The pride and honor of war are nothing to them。
PERSIAN。 Tell us the tale of the battle。 What befell？
THE GUARDSMEN （gathering eagerly round Bel Afris）。 Ay： the tale
of the battle。
BEL AFFRIS。 Know then； that I am a novice in the guard of the
temple of Ra in Memphis； serving neither Cleopatra nor her
brother Ptolemy； but only the high gods。 We went a journey to
inquire of Ptolemy why he had driven Cleopatra into Syria； and
how we of Egypt should deal with the Roman Pompey； newly come to
our shores after his defeat by Caesar at Pharsalia。 What； think
ye； did we learn？ Even that Caesar is coming also in hot pursuit
of his foe； and that Ptolemy has slain Pompey； whose severed head
he holds in readiness to present to the conqueror。 （Sensation
among the guardsmen。） Nay； more： we found that Caesar is already
come； for we had not made half a day's journey on our way back
when we came upon a city rabble flying from his legions； whose
landing they had gone out to withstand。
BELZANOR。 And ye； the temple guard！ Did you not withstand these
legions？
BEL AFFRIS。 What man could； that we did。 But there came the sound
of a trumpet whose voice was as the cursing of a black mountain。
Then saw we a moving wall of shields coming towards us。 You know
how the heart burns when you charge a fortified wall； but how if
the fortified wall were to charge YOU？
THE PERSIAN （exulting in having told them so）。 Did I not say it？
BEL AFFRIS。 When the wall came nigh； it changed into a line of
mencommon fellows enough； with helmets； leather tunics； and
breastplates。 Every man of them flung his javelin： the one that
came my way drove through my shield as through a papyruslo
there！ （he points to the bandage on his left arm） and would have
gone through my neck had I not stooped。 They were charging at the
double then； and were upon us with short swords almost as soon as
their javelins。 When a man is close to you with such a sword； you
can do nothing with our weapons： they are all too long。
THE PERSIAN。 What did you do？
BEL AFFRIS。 Doubled my fist and smote my Roman on the sharpness
of his jaw。 He was but mortal after all： he lay down in a stupor；
and I took his sword and laid it on。 （Drawing the sword） Lo！ a
Roman sword with Roman blood on it！
THE GUARDSMEN （approvingly）。 Good！ （They take the sword and hand
it round； examining it curiously。）
THE PERSIAN。 And your men？
BEL AFFRIS。 Fled。 Scattered like sheep。
BELZANOR （furiously）。 The cowardly slaves！ Leaving the
descendants of the gods to be butchered！
BEL AFFRIS （with acid coolness）。 The descendants of the gods did
not stay to be butchered； cousin。 The battle was not to the
strong； but the race was to the swift。 The Romans； who have no
chariots； sent a cloud of horsemen in pursuit； and slew
multitudes。 Then our high priest's captain rallied a dozen
descendants of the gods and exhorted us to die fighting。 I said
to myself： surely it is safer to stand than to lose my breath and
be stabbed in the back； so I joined our captain and stood。 Then
the Romans treated us with respect； for no man attacks a lion
when the field is full of sheep； except for the pride and honor
of war； of which these Romans know nothing。 So we escaped with
our lives； and I am come to warn you that you must open your
gates to Caesar； for his advance guard is scarce an hour behind
me； and not an Egyptian warrior is left standing between you and
his legions。
THE SENTINEL。 Woe； alas！ （He throws down his javelin and flies
into the palace。）
BELZANOR。 Nail him to the door； quick！ （The guardsmen rush for
him with their spears； but he is too quick for them。） Now this
news will run through the palace like fire through stubble。
BEL AFFRIS。 What shall we do to save the women from the Romans？
BELZANOR。 Why not kill them？
PERSIAN。 Because we should have to pay blood money for some of
them。 Better let the Romans kill them： it is cheaper。
BELZANOR （awestruck at his brain power）。 O subtle one！ O
serpent！
BEL AFFRIS。 But your Queen？
BELZANOR。 True： we must carry off Cleopatra。
BEL AFFRIS。 Will ye not await her command？
BELZANOR。 Command！ A girl of sixteen！ Not we。 At Memphis ye deem
her a Queen： here we know better。 I will take her on the crupper
of my horse。 When we soldiers have carried her out of Caesar's
reach； then the priests and the nurses and the rest of them can
pretend she is a queen again； and put their commands into her
mouth。
PERSIAN。 Listen to me； Belzanor。
BELZANOR。 Speak； O subtle beyond thy years。
THE PERSIAN。 Cleopatra's brother Ptolemy is at war with her。 Let
us sell her to him。
THE GUARDSMEN。 O subtle one！ O serpent！
BELZANOR。 We dare not。 We are descended from the gods； but
Cleopatra is descended from the river Nile； and the lands of our
fathers will grow no grain if the Nile rises not to water them。
Without our father's gifts we should live the lives of dogs。
PERSIAN。 It is true： the Queen's guard cannot live on its pay。
But hear me further； O ye kinsmen of Osiris。
THE GUARDSMEN。 Speak； O subtle one。 Hear the serpent begotten！
PERSIAN。 Have I heretofore spoken truly to you of Caesar； when
you thought I mocked you？
GUARDSMEN。 Truly； truly。
BELZANOR （reluctantly admitting it）。 So Bel Affris says。
PERSIAN。 Hear more of him； then。 This Caesar is a great lover of
women： he makes them his friends and counselors。
BELZANOR。 Faugh！ This rule of women will be the ruin of Egypt。
THE PERSIAN。 Let it rather be the ruin of Rome！ Caesar grows old
now： he is past fifty and full of labors and battles。 He is too
old for the young women； and the old women are too wise to
worship him。
BEL AFFRIS。 Take heed； Persian。 Caesar is by this time almost
within earshot。
PERSIAN。 Cleopatra is not yet a woman： neither is she wise。 But
she already troubles men's wisdom。
BELZANOR。 Ay： that is because she is descended from the river
Nile and a black kitten of the sacred White Cat。 What then？
PERSIAN。 Why； sell her secretly to Ptolemy； and then offer
ourselves to Caesar as volunteers to fight for the overthrow of
her brother and the rescue of our Queen； the Great Granddaughter
of the Nile。
THE GUARDSMEN。 O serpent！
PERSIAN。 He will listen to us if we come with her picture in our
mouths。 He will conquer and kill her brother； and reign in Egypt
with Cleopatra for his Queen。 And we shall be her guard。
GUARDSMEN。 O subtlest of all the serpents！ O admiration！ O
wisdom！
BEL AFFRIS。 He will also have arrived before you have done
talking； O word spinner。
BELZANOR。 That is true。 （An affrighted uproar in the palace
interrupts him。） Quick： the flight has begun： guard the door。
（They rush to the door and form a cordon before