caesar and cleopatra-第8章
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Rufio grows fiercer and doggeder； and Britannus haughtily
indignant。
RUFIO （contemptuously）。 Egypt for the Egyptians！ Do you forget
that there is a Roman army of occupation here； left by Aulus
Gabinius when he set up your toy king for you？
ACHILLAS （suddenly asserting himself）。 And now under my command。
I am the Roman general here； Caesar。
CAESAR （tickled by the humor of the situation）。 And also the
Egyptian general； eh？
POTHINUS （triumphantly）。 That is so； Caesar。
CAESAR （to Achillas）。 So you can make war on the Egyptians in the
name of Rome and on the Romanson me； if necessaryin the name
of Egypt？
ACHILLAS。 That is so； Caesar。
CAESAR。 And which side are you on at present； if I may presume to
ask； general？
ACHILLAS。 On the side of the right and of the gods。
CAESAR。 Hm！ How many men have you？
ACHILLAS。 That will appear when I take the field。
RUFIO （truculently）。 Are your men Romans？ If not； it matters not
how many there are； provided you are no stronger than 500 to ten。
POTHINUS。 It is useless to try to bluff us； Rufio。 Caesar has
been defeated before and may be defeated again。 A few weeks ago
Caesar was flying for his life before Pompey： a few months hence
he may be flying for his life before Cato and Juba of Numidia；
the African King。
ACHILLAS （following up Pothinus's speech menacingly）。 What can
you do with 4；000 men？
THEODOTUS （following up Achillas's speech with a raucous squeak）。
And without money？ Away with you。
ALL THE COURTIERS （shouting fiercely and crowding towards
Caesar）。 Away with you。 Egypt for the Egyptians！ Begone。
Rufio bites his beard； too angry to speak。 Caesar sits on
comfortably as if he were at breakfast； and the cat were
clamoring for a piece of Finnan…haddie。
CLEOPATRA。 Why do you let them talk to you like that Caesar？ Are
you afraid？
CAESAR。 Why； my dear； what they say is quite true。
CLEOPATRA。 But if you go away； I shall not be Queen。
CAESAR。 I shall not go away until you are Queen。
POTHINUS。 Achillas： if you are not a fool； you will take that
girl whilst she is under your hand。
RUFIO （daring them）。 Why not take Caesar as well； Achillas？
POTHINUS （retorting the defiance with interest）。 Well said；
Rufio。 Why not？
RUFIO。 Try； Achillas。 （Calling） Guard there。
The loggia immediately fills with Caesar's soldiers； who stand；
sword in hand； at the top of the steps； waiting the word to
charge from their centurion； who carries a cudgel。 For a moment
the Egyptians face them proudly： then they retire sullenly to
their former places。
BRITANNUS。 You are Caesar's prisoners； all of you。
CAESAR （benevolently）。 Oh no； no； no。 By no means。 Caesar's
guests； gentlemen。
CLEOPATRA。 Won't you cut their heads off？
CAESAR。 What！ Cut off your brother's head？
CLEOPATRA。 Why not？ He would cut off mine； if he got the chance。
Wouldn't you； Ptolemy？
PTOLEMY （pale and obstinate）。 I would。 I will； too； when I grow
up。
Cleopatra is rent by a struggle between her newly…acquired
dignity as a queen； and a strong impulse to put out her tongue at
him。 She takes no part in the scene which follows； but watches it
with curiosity and wonder； fidgeting with the restlessness of a
child； and sitting down on Caesar's tripod when he rises。
POTHINUS。 Caesar： if you attempt to detain us
RUFIO。 He will succeed； Egyptian： make up your mind to that。 We
hold the palace； the beach； and the eastern harbor。 The road to
Rome is open； and you shall travel it if Caesar chooses。
CAESAR （courteously）。 I could do no less； Pothinus； to secure the
retreat of my own soldiers。 I am accountable for every life among
them。 But you are free to go。 So are all here； and in the palace。
RUFIO （aghast at this clemency）。 What！ Renegades and all？
CAESAR （softening the expression）。 Roman army of occupation and
all； Rufio。
POTHINUS （desperately）。 Then I make a last appeal to Caesar's
justice。 I shall call a witness to prove that but for us； the
Roman army of occupation； led by the greatest soldier in the
world； would now have Caesar at its mercy。 （Calling through the
loggia） Ho； there； Lucius Septimius （Caesar starts； deeply
moved）： if my voice can reach you； come forth and testify before
Caesar。
CAESAR （shrinking）。 No； no。
THEODOTUS。 Yes； I say。 Let the military tribune bear witness。
Lucius Septimius； a clean shaven； trim athlete of about 40； with
symmetrical features； resolute mouth； and handsome； thin Roman
nose； in the dress of a Roman officer； comes in through the
loggia and confronts Caesar； who hides his face with his robe for
a moment； then； mastering himself； drops it； and confronts the
tribune with dignity。
POTHINUS。 Bear witness； Lucius Septimius。 Caesar came hither in
pursuit of his foe。 Did we shelter his foe？
LUCIUS。 As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore； his head
fell by the stroke of my sword。
THEODOTUS （with viperish relish）。 Under the eyes of his wife and
child！ Remember that； Caesar！ They saw it from the ship he had
just left。 We have given you a full and sweet measure of
vengeance。
CAESAR （with horror）。 Vengeance！
POTHINUS。 Our first gift to you； as your galley came into the
roadstead； was the head of your rival for the empire of the
world。 Bear witness； Lucius Septimius： is it not so？
LUCIUS。 It is so。 With this hand； that slew Pompey； I placed his
head at the feet of Caesar。
CAESAR。 Murderer！ So would you have slain Caesar； had Pompey been
victorious at Pharsalia。
LUCIUS。 Woe to the vanquished； Caesar！ When I served Pompey； I
slew as good men as he； only because he conquered them。 His turn
came at last。
THEODOTUS （flatteringly）。 The deed was not yours； Caesar； but
oursnay； mine； for it was done by my counsel。 Thanks to us； you
keep your reputation for clemency； and have your vengeance too。
CAESAR。 Vengeance！ Vengeance！！ Oh； if I could stoop to vengeance；
what would I not exact from you as the price of this murdered
man's blood。 （They shrink back； appalled and disconcerted。） Was
he not my son…in…law； my ancient friend； for 20 years the master
of great Rome； for 30 years the compeller of victory？ Did not I；
as a Roman； share his glory？ Was the Fate that forced us to fight
for the mastery of the world； of our making？ Am I Julius Caesar；
or am I a wolf； that you fling to me the grey head of the old
soldier； the laurelled conqueror； the mighty Roman； treacherously
struck down by this callous ruffian； and then claim my gratitude
for it！ （To Lucius Septimius） Begone： you fill me with horror。
LUCIUS （cold and undaunted）。 Pshaw！ You have seen severed heads
before； Caesar； and severed right hands too； I think； some
thousands of them； in Gaul； after you vanquished Vercingetorix。
Did you spare him； with all your clemency？ Was that vengeance？
CAESAR。 No； by the gods！ Would that it had been！ Vengeance at
least is human。 No； I say： those severed right hands； and the
brave Vercingetorix basely strangled in a vault beneath the
Capitol； were （with shuddering satire） a wise severity； a
necessary protection to the commonwealth； a duty of
statesmanshipfollies and fictions ten times bloodier than
honest vengeance！ What a fool was I then！ To think that
men's lives should be at the mercy of such fools！ （Humbly） Lucius
Septimius； pardon me： why should the slayer of Vercingetorix
rebuke the slayer of Pompey？ You are free to go with the rest。 Or
stay if you will： I will find a place for you in my service。
LUCIUS。 The odds are against you； Caesar。 I go。 （He turns to go
out through the loggia。）
RUFIO （full of wrath at seeing his prey escaping）。 That means
that he is a Republican。
LUCIUS （turning defiantly on the loggia steps）。 And what are you？
RUFIO。 A Caesarian； like all Caesar's soldiers。
CAESAR （courteously）。 Lucius： believe me； Caesar is no Caesarian。
Were Rome a true republic； then were Caesar the first of
Republicans。 But you have made your choice。 Farewell。
LUCIUS。 Farewell。 Come； Achillas； whilst there is yet time。
Caesar； seeing that Rufio's temper threatens to get the worse of
him； puts his hand on his shoulder and brings him down the hall
out of harm's way； Britannus accompanying them and posting
himself on Ca
