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POTHINUS。 You wish you were made foolish！ How so？
CLEOPATRA。 When I was foolish； I did what I liked； except when
Ftatateeta beat me； and even then I cheated her and did it by
stealth。 Now that Caesar has made me wise； it is no use my liking
or disliking； I do what must be done； and have no time to attend
to myself。 That is not happiness； but it is greatness。 If Caesar
were gone； I think I could govern the Egyptians； for what Caesar
is to me； I am to the fools around me。
POTHINUS （looking hard at her）。 Cleopatra： this may be the vanity
of youth。
CLEOPATRA。 No； no： it is not that I am so clever； but that the
others are so stupid。
POTHINUS （musingly）。 Truly； that is the great secret。
CLEOPATRA。 Well； now tell me what you came to say？
POTHINUS （embarrassed）。 I！ Nothing。
CLEOPATRA。 Nothing！
POTHINUS。 At leastto beg for my liberty： that is all。
CLEOPATRA。 For that you would have knelt to Caesar。 No； Pothinus：
you came with some plan that depended on Cleopatra being a little
nursery kitten。 Now that Cleopatra is a Queen； the plan is upset。
POTHINUS （bowing his head submissively）。 It is so。
CLEOPATRA （exultant）。 Aha！
POTHINUS （raising his eyes keenly to hers）。 Is Cleopatra then
indeed a Queen； and no longer Caesar's prisoner and slave？
CLEOPATRA。 Pothinus： we are all Caesar's slavesall we in this
land of Egyptwhether we will or no。 And she who is wise enough
to know this will reign when Caesar departs。
POTHINUS。 You harp on Caesar's departure。
CLEOPATRA。 What if I do？
POTHINUS。 Does he not love you？
CLEOPATRA。 Love me！ Pothinus： Caesar loves no one。 Who are those
we love？ Only those whom we do not hate： all people are strangers
and enemies to us except those we love。 But it is not so with
Caesar。 He has no hatred in him： he makes friends with everyone
as he does with dogs and children。 His kindness to me is a
wonder： neither mother； father； nor nurse have ever taken so much
care for me； or thrown open their thoughts to me so freely。
POTHINUS。 Well： is not this love？
CLEOPATRA。 What！ When he will do as much for the first girl he
meets on his way back to Rome？ Ask his slave； Britannus： he has
been just as good to him。 Nay； ask his very horse！ His kindness
is not for anything in ME： it is in his own nature。
POTHINUS。 But how can you be sure that he does not love you as
men love women？
CLEOPATRA。 Because I cannot make him jealous。 I have tried。
POTHINUS。 Hm！ Perhaps I should have asked； then； do you love him？
CLEOPATRA。 Can one love a god？ Besides； I love another Roman： one
whom I saw long before Caesarno god； but a manone who can
love and hateone whom I can hurt and who would hurt me。
POTHINUS。 Does Caesar know this？
CLEOPATRA。 Yes
POTHINUS。 And he is not angry。
CLEOPATRA。 He promises to send him to Egypt to please me！
POTHINUS。 I do not understand this man？
CLEOPATRA （with superb contempt）。 YOU understand Caesar！ How
could you？ （Proudly） I doby instinct。
POTHINUS （deferentially； after a moment's thought）。 Your Majesty
caused me to be admitted to…day。 What message has the Queen for
me？
CLEOPATRA。 This。 You think that by making my brother king； you
will rule in Egypt； because you are his guardian and he is a
little silly。
POTHINUB。 The Queen is pleased to say so。
CLEOPATRA。 The Queen is pleased to say this also。 That Caesar
will eat up you； and Achillas； and my brother； as a cat eats up
mice； and that he will put on this land of Egypt as a shepherd
puts on his garment。 And when he has done that； he will return to
Rome； and leave Cleopatra here as his viceroy。
POTHINUS （breaking out wrathfully）。 That he will never do。 We
have a thousand men to his ten； and we will drive him and his
beggarly legions into the sea。
CLEOPATRA （with scorn； getting up to go）。 You rant like any
common fellow。 Go； then； and marshal your thousands； and make
haste； for Mithridates of Pergamos is at hand with reinforcements
for Caesar。 Caesar has held you at bay with two legions： we shall
see what he will do with twenty。
POTHINUS。 Cleopatra
CLEOPATRA。 Enough； enough： Caesar has spoiled me for talking to
weak things like you。 （She goes out。 Pothinus； with a gesture of
rage； is following； when Ftatateeta enters and stops him。）
POTHINUS。 Let me go forth from this hateful place。
FTATATEETA。 What angers you？
POTHINUS。 The curse of all the gods of Egypt be upon her！ She has
sold her country to the Roman； that she may buy it back from him
with her kisses。
FTATATEETA。 Fool： did she not tell you that she would have Caesar
gone？
POTHINUS。 You listened？
FTATATEETA。 I took care that some honest woman should be at hand
whilst you were with her。
POTHINUS。 Now by the gods
FTATATEETA。 Enough of your gods！ Caesar's gods are all powerful
here。 It is no use YOU coming to Cleopatra： you are only an
Egyptian。 She will not listen to any of her own race： she treats
us all as children。
POTHINUS。 May she perish for it！
FTATATEETA （balefully）。 May your tongue wither for that wish！ Go！
send for Lucius Septimius； the slayer of Pompey。 He is a Roman：
may be she will listen to him。 Begone！
POTHINUS （darkly）。 I know to whom I must go now。
FTATATEETA （suspiciously）。 To whom； then？
POTHINUS。 To a greater Roman than Lucius。 And mark this；
mistress。 You thought； before Caesar came； that Egypt should
presently be ruled by you and your crew in the name of Cleopatra。
I set myself against it。
FTATATEETA （interrupting himwrangling）。 Ay； that it might be
ruled by you and YOUR crew in the name of Ptolemy。
POTHINUS。 Better me； or even you； than a woman with a Roman
heart； and that is what Cleopatra is now become。 Whilst I live；
she shall never rule。 So guide yourself accordingly。 （He goes
out。）
It is by this time drawing on to dinner time。 The table is
laid on the roof of the palace； and thither Rufio is now
climbing； ushered by a majestic palace official； wand of office
in hand； and followed by a slave carrying an inlaid stool。 After
many stairs they emerge at last into a massive colonnade on
the roof。 Light curtains are drawn between the columns on
the north and east to soften the westering sun。 The official
leads Rufio to one of these shaded sections。 A cord for pulling
the curtains apart hangs down between the pillars。
THE OFFICIAL （bowing）。 The Roman commander will await Caesar
here。
The slave sets down the stool near the southernmost column； and
slips out through the curtains。
RUFIO （sitting down； a little blown）。 Pouf！ That was a climb。 How
high have we come？
THE OFFICIAL。 We are on the palace roof； O Beloved of Victory！
RUFIO。 Good！ the Beloved of Victory has no more stairs to get up。
A second official enters from the opposite end； walking
backwards。
THE SECOND OFFICIAL。 Caesar approaches。
Caesar； fresh from the bath； clad in a new tunic of purple
silk； comes in； beaming and festive； followed by two slaves
carrying a light couch； which is hardly more than an elaborately
designed bench。 They place it near the northmost of the two
curtained columns。 When this is done they slip out through the
curtains； and the two officials； formally bowing； follow the