caesar and cleopatra-第7章
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CAESAR （turning to Theodotus）。 And you； sir； are？
THEODOTUS。 Theodotus； the King's tutor。
CAESAR。 You teach men how to be kings； Theodotus。 That is very
clever of you。 （Looking at the gods on the walls as he turns away
from Theodotus and goes up again to Pothinus。） And this place？
POTHINUS。 The council chamber of the chancellors of the King's
treasury； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Ah！ That reminds me。 I want some money。
POTHINUS。 The King's treasury is poor； Caesar。
CAESAR。 Yes： I notice that there is but one chair in it。
RUFIO （shouting gruffly）。 Bring a chair there； some of you； for
Caesar。
PTOLEMY （rising shyly to offer his chair）。 Caesar
CAESAR （kindly）。 No； no； my boy： that is your chair of state。 Sit
down。
He makes Ptolemy sit down again。 Meanwhile Rufio； looking about
him； sees in the nearest corner an image of the god Ra；
represented as a seated man with the head of a hawk。 Before
the image is a bronze tripod； about as large as a three…legged
stool； with a stick of incense burning on it。 Rufio； with Roman
resourcefulness and indifference to foreign superstitions；
promptly seizes the tripod； shakes off the incense； blows away
the ash； and dumps it down behind Caesar； nearly in the middle of
the hall。
RUFIO。 Sit on that； Caesar。
A shiver runs through the court； followed by a hissing whisper of
Sacrilege！
CAESAR （seating himself）。 Now； Pothinus； to business。 I am badly
in want of money。
BRITANNUS （disapproving of these informal expressions）。 My master
would say that there is a lawful debt due to Rome by Egypt；
contracted by the King's deceased father to the Triumvirate； and
that it is Caesar's duty to his country to require immediate
payment。
CAESAR （blandly）。 Ah； I forgot。 I have not made my companions
known here。 Pothinus： this is Britannus； my secretary。 He is an
islander from the western end of the world； a day's voyage from
Gaul。 （Britannus bows stiffly。） This gentleman is Rufio； my
comrade in arms。 （Rufio nods。） Pothinus： I want 1；600 talents。
The courtiers； appalled； murmur loudly； and Theodotus and
Achillas appeal mutely to one another against so monstrous a
demand。
POTHINUS （aghast）。 Forty million sesterces！ Impossible。 There is
not so much money in the King's treasury。
CAESAR （encouragingly）。 ONLY sixteen hundred talents； Pothinus。
Why count it in sesterces？ A sestertius is only worth a loaf of
bread。
POTHINUS。 And a talent is worth a racehorse。 I say it is
impossible。 We have been at strife here； because the King's
sister Cleopatra falsely claims his throne。 The King's taxes have
not been collected for a whole year。
CAESAR。 Yes they have； Pothinus。 My officers have been collecting
them all the morning。 （Renewed whisper and sensation； not without
some stifled laughter； among the courtiers。）
RUFIO （bluntly）。 You must pay； Pothinus。 Why waste words？ You are
getting off cheaply enough。
POTHINUS （bitterly）。 Is it possible that Caesar； the conqueror of
the world； has time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our
taxes？
CAESAR。 My friend： taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of
the world。
POTHINUS。 Then take warning； Caesar。 This day； the treasures of
the temples and the gold of the King's treasury will be sent to
the mint to be melted down for our ransom in the sight of the
people。 They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinking
from wooden cups。 And their wrath be on your head； Caesar； if you
force us to this sacrilege！
CAESAR。 Do not fear； Pothinus： the people know how well wine
tastes in wooden cups。 In return for your bounty； I will settle
this dispute about the throne for you； if you will。 What say you？
POTHINUS。 If I say no； will that hinder you？
RUFIO （defiantly）。 No。
CAESAR。 You say the matter has been at issue for a year；
Pothinus。 May I have ten minutes at it？
POTHINUS。 You will do your pleasure； doubtless。
CAESAR。 Good！ But first； let us have Cleopatra here。
THEODOTUS。 She is not in Alexandria： she is fled into Syria。
CAESAR。 I think not。 （To Rufio） Call Totateeta。
RUFIO （calling）。 Ho there； Teetatota。
Ftatateeta enters the loggia； and stands arrogantly at the top of
the steps。
FTATATEETA。 Who pronounces the name of Ftatateeta； the Queen's
chief nurse？
CAESAR。 Nobody can pronounce it； Tota； except yourself。 Where is
your mistress？
Cleopatra； who is hiding behind Ftafateeta； peeps out at them；
laughing。 Caesar rises。
CAESAR。 Will the Queen favor us with her presence for a moment？
CLEOPATRA （pushing Ftatateeta aside and standing haughtily on the
brink of the steps）。 Am I to behave like a Queen？
CAESAR。 Yes。
Cleopatra immediately comes down to the chair of state； seizes
Ptolemy and drags him out of his seat； then takes his place in
the chair。 Ftatateeta seats herself on the step of the loggia；
and sits there； watching the scene with sybilline intensity。
PTOLEMY （mortified； and struggling with his tears）。 Caesar： this
is how she treats me always。 If I am a King why is she allowed to
take everything from me？
CLEOPATRA。 You are not to be King； you little cry…baby。 You are
to be eaten by the Romans。
CAESAR （touched by Ptolemy's distress）。 Come here； my boy； and
stand by me。
Ptolemy goes over to Caesar； who； resuming his seat on the
tripod； takes the boy's hand to encourage him。 Cleopatra；
furiously jealous； rises and glares at them。
CLEOPATRA （with flaming cheeks）。 Take your throne： I don't want
it。 （She flings away from the chair； and approaches Ptolemy； who
shrinks from her。） Go this instant and sit down in your place。
CAESAR。 Go； Ptolemy。 Always take a throne when it is offered to
you。
RUFIO。 I hope you will have the good sense to follow your own
advice when we return to Rome； Caesar。
Ptolemy slowly goes back to the throne； giving Cleopatra a
wide berth； in evident fear of her hands。 She takes his place
beside Caesar。
CAESAR。 Pothinus
CLEOPATRA （interrupting him）。 Are you not going to speak to me？
CAESAR。 Be quiet。 Open your mouth again before I give you leave；
and you shall be eaten。
CLEOPATRA。 I am not afraid。 A queen must not be afraid。 Eat my
husband there； if you like： he is afraid。
CAESAR （starting）。 Your husband！ What do you mean？
CLEOPATRA （pointing to Ptolemy）。 That little thing。
The two Romans and the Briton stare at one another in amazement。
THEODOTUS。 Caesar： you are a stranger here； and not conversant
with our laws。 The kings and queens of Egypt may not marry except
with their own royal blood。 Ptolemy and Cleopatra are born king
and consort just as they are born brother and sister。
BRITANNUS （shocked）。 Caesar： this is not proper。
THEODOTUS （outraged）。 How！
CAESAR （recovering his self…possession）。 Pardon him。 Theodotus：
he is a barbarian； and thinks that the customs of his tribe and
island are the laws of nature。
BRITANNUS。 On the contrary； Caesar； it is these Egyptians who are
barbarians； and you do wrong to encourage them。 I say it is a
scandal。
CAESAR。 Scandal or not； my friend； it opens the gate of peace。
（He rises and addresses Pothinus seriously。） Pothiuus： hear what
I propose。
RUFIO。 Hear Caesar there。
CAESAR。 Ptolemy and Cleopatra shall reign jointly in Egypt。
ACHILLAS。 What of the King's younger brother and Cleopatra's
younger sister？
RUFIO （explaining）。 There is another little Ptolemy； Caesar： so
they tell me。
CAESAR。 Well； the little Ptolemy can marry the other sister； and
we will make them both a present of Cyprus。
POTHINUS （impatiently）。 Cyprus is of no use to anybody。
CAESAR。 No matter： you shall have it for the sake of peace。
BRITANNUS （unconsciously anticipating a later statesman）。
Peace with honor； Pothinus。
POTHINUS （mutinously）。 Caesar： be honest。 The money you demand is
the price of our freedom。 Take it； and leave us to settle our own
affairs。
THE BOLDER COURTIERS （encouraged by Pothinus's tone and Caesar's
quietness）。 Yes； yes。 Egypt for the Egyptians！
The conference now becomes an altercation； the Egyptians
becoming more and more heated。 Caesar remains unruffled； but
Rufio grows fiercer and doggeder； and Britannus haughtily
indignant。
RUFIO （contemptuously）。 Egypt for the Egy
