Producer's Showcase (1954) s02e08 Episode Script
Caesar and Cleopatra
1 [orchestra tuning music.]
- [Announcer.]
Producers' Showcase! [fanfare music.]
March 5th, 1956.
Live from New York, Producers' Showcase brings you another evening of outstanding entertainment.
Our stars tonight are Claire Bloom, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Jack Hawkins, Judith Anderson, and special guest stars, Cyril Ritchard and Farley Granger, in Caesar and Cleopatra by Bernard Shaw.
[pleasant music.]
In just a moment, Producers' Showcase will bring you the first act of Caesar and Cleopatra.
[exotic music.]
And now, Producers' Showcase presents the first act of Caesar and Cleopatra.
[dramatic music.]
- [Ra.]
Peace.
Be silent and hearken unto me.
Look upon my hawk's head and know that I am Ra, who was once in Egypt a mighty god.
I ask you not for worship, but for silence.
For I have come to draw you back 2000 years over the graves of 60 generations, where we create the story of an unchaste woman.
At the name of Cleopatra, tempter of Caesar.
Ye foolish mortals, Cleopatra is as of yet but a child that is whipped by her nurse.
What I'm about to show you, for the good of your souls, is how Caesar, seeking Pompey in Egypt, a Roman fleeing and a Roman pursuing, found Cleopatra, and what things happened between the old Caesar and the child queen before he left Egypt and battled his way back to Rome.
And the years that have passed are to me, the god Ra, but a moment, nor is this any other than the day in which Julius Caesar set foot in the land of my people.
[fanfare music.]
[peaceful music.]
- Hail, Sphinx, salutations from Julius Caesar! I have wandered in many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures such as I myself.
I have found flocks and pastures, men and cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred to me, none who can do my day's deed, or think my night's thought.
In the little world yonder, Sphinx, my place is as high as yours in this great desert; only I wander, and you sit still; I conquer, you endure; I work and wonder, you watch and wait; I look up and am dazzled, look down and am darkened, look round and am puzzled, whilst your eyes never turn from looking out, out of the world to the lost region, the home from which we have strayed.
Sphinx, you and I, strangers to the race of men, are no strangers to one another.
My way hither was the way of destiny, for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol: part woman, part brute, and part God.
Nothing of man in me at all.
Have I read your riddle, Sphinx? - Old gentleman.
- Immortal gods! - Old gentleman, don't run away.
- Old gentleman, don't run away! This, to Julius Caesar? - Old gentleman, climb up here, quickly, or the Romans will come and eat you.
- A child at its breast! A divine child! Who are you? - Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
- Queen of the Gypsies, you mean.
- You must not be disrespectful to me, or the Sphinx will let the Romans eat you.
Come up, it is quite cozy here.
- What a dream! What a magnificent dream! - Climb up quickly.
You must get up inside and creep around.
It is very powerful and will protect you.
Take care.
That's right.
You may have its other paw.
Now, sit down.
I'm glad you have come, I was very lonely.
Did you happen to see a white cat anywhere? - Why, have you lost one? - Yes, the sacred white cat.
I brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx, but when we got a little way from the city, a black cat called him and he jumped out of my arms and ran away to it.
Do you think that the black cat can have been my great-great-great-grandmother? - Well, why not? Nothing would surprise me on this night of nights.
- I think it must have been.
My great-grandmother's great-grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white cat, and the river Nile made her his seventh wife.
- Why, what are you doing here at this time of night? Do you live here? - Of course not.
I am the Queen, and I shall live in the palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother, who drove me out of it.
- Meanwhile, why are you not at home and in bed? - Because the Romans are coming to eat us all.
You are not at home and in bed either.
- Oh, yes, I am.
Yes, I live in a tent, and I am now in that tent, fast asleep and dreaming.
[giggling.]
- I like you.
You're a funny old gentleman.
- Ah, that spoils the dream.
Why don't you dream that I am young? - I think you are a little mad.
It is the moon that makes you talk to yourself in that silly way.
- Oh, you heard that, did you? Yes, I was saying my prayers to the great Sphinx.
[laughing.]
- But this isn't the great Sphinx! - What? - This is only a dear little kitten of the Sphinx.
This is my pet Sphinx.
Tell me, do you think the Romans have any sorcerers who could take us away from the Sphinx by magic? - Why, are you afraid of the Romans? - Oh, they would eat us if they caught us.
They are barbarians.
Their chief is called Julius Caesar.
His father was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain, and his nose is like an elephant's trunk.
They all have long noses, and ivory tusks, and little short tails, and seven arms with a hundred arrows in each, and they live on human flesh.
- Would you like me to show you a real Roman? - No, you are frightening me.
- Well, no matter, this is only a dream.
- It is not a dream, it is not a dream! See, see! - Oh, stop, how dare you? - You said you were dreaming.
I only wanted to show you.
- Oh, there, there, there.
Now you mustn't cry.
Come, come, a queen mustn't cry.
Am I awake? Yes, I Oh, impossible, impossible, madness, madness! Back to camp, back to camp! - No, no, no, don't leave me! I'm afraid, afraid of the Romans! - Cleopatra, can you see my face well? - Yes, it's so white in the moonlight.
- Are you sure it is the moonlight that makes me look whiter than an Egyptian? Do you notice I have a rather long nose? - Oh.
- It is a Roman nose, Cleopatra.
[screaming.]
- Bite him in two, Sphinx! Bite him in two! I meant to sacrifice the white cat, I did indeed! I meant [crying.]
[screaming.]
- Cleopatra, shall I teach you a way to prevent Caesar from eating you? - Oh do, do, do! - Caesar never eats women.
- Oh! - But he eats girls.
- And will he eat me? - Yes, unless you can make him believe that you are a woman.
So whatever dread may be in your soul, however terrible Caesar may appear to you, you must confront him tonight in your palace as a brave woman and a great queen.
And if he thinks you worthy to rule, he will place you on the throne by his side and make you the real ruler of Egypt.
- No, he will find me out, he will find me out.
- Well, he is easily deceived by women.
Their eyes dazzle him, and he sees them not as they are, but as he wishes them to appear to him.
[trumpets sounding.]
- What was that? - Caesar's voice.
- Oh, this way, quickly! Come, oh come! - You're quite safe with me until you stand on your throne to receive Caesar.
Now let me thither.
- Oh, come, come, come.
The gods are angry.
Do you feel the earth shaking? - It is the tread of Caesar's legions.
- Oh, this way quickly! And let us look for the white cat as we go.
It is he that has turned you into a Roman! - Oh, incorrigible, oh, incorrigible! [trumpets sounding.]
[peaceful music.]
What place is this? - This is where I sit on the throne when I'm allowed to wear my crown and robes.
- Order your slave to light the lamps.
- Do you think I may? - Well of course, you are the queen.
Go on.
- Light all the lamps! - Stop! [Cleopatra gasping.]
Who is this you have with you? And how dare you order the lamps to be lighted without my permission? - Who's she? - Ftatateeta.
- Chief nurse! - I speak to the queen! Be silent.
Is this how your servants know their places? Send her away.
And you do as the queen has bidden.
You are the queen, send her away.
- Ftatateeta, dear, you must go away, just for a little.
- You're not commanding her to go away, you're begging her.
A Roman does not stay with queens who are afraid of their slaves.
- I'm not afraid! Indeed, I'm not afraid! - We shall see who is afraid here.
Cleopatra-- - On your knees, woman! Am I a child also that you dare trifle with me? Slave.
Can you cut off a head? [laughing.]
Have you remembered yourself, mistress? - O Queen, forget not thy servant in the days of thy greatness! - Go! Begone! Go away! Give me something to beat her with! - Ah, you scratch kitten, do you? - I will beat somebody! I will beat him! - No, no! - There, there, there! Oh, I am a real queen at last! A real, real queen! Cleopatra the Queen! Oh, I love you for making me a queen.
- But queens love only kings.
- 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'm tired of them I will whip them to death! But you will always be my king, my nice, kind, wise, good old king! - Oh, my wrinkles, my wrinkles, and my child's heart.
You know, you will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conquests.
- Caesar? I forgot Caesar! Let us run away and hid until Caesar is gone.
- Be afraid if you dare.
[trumpets sounding.]
Aha! Caesar approaches the throne of Cleopatra.
Come, take your place.
Ho there, Teetatota! Bring the Queen's crown, and her robes, and her women and prepare her.
- Yes, the crown, Ftatateeta, I shall wear the crown! - For whom must the queen put on her state? - For a citizen of Rome, a King of Kings, Tota.
- How dare you ask questions? Go and do as you are told! Caesar will know that I am a queen when he sees my crown and robes, will he not? - He will know Cleopatra by her pride, her courage, her majesty, and her beauty.
Are you trembling? - No, I, I, no.
- Of all the Queen's women, these three alone are left.
The rest are fled.
- Good, three are enough.
Poor Caesar usually has to dress himself.
Is it sweet or bitter to be a queen, Cleopatra? - Bitter.
- Cast out fear and you will conquer Caesar.
Toto, the Romans are at hand.
- [Ftatateeta.]
They are at hand, and the guard has fled.
- The Romans are in the courtyard! The Romans are in the courtyard! [screaming.]
- The queen must face Caesar alone.
Answer, so be it.
- So be it.
- Good! [soldier's feet thumping in unison.]
- You are my nursling.
You have said so be it, and if you die for it you must make the queen's word good.
- Now, if you quail [soldier's feet thumping in unison.]
[soldiers chattering.]
- [Soldiers.]
Hail Caesar! Hail Caesar, hail! [soldiers cheering.]
[dramatic music.]
[peaceful exotic music.]
[people chattering faintly.]
[gong sounding.]
[lighthearted music.]
- The King of Egypt has a word to speak! - Peace for the King's word! - I am the firstborn son of Auletes the Flute Blower, who was your King.
And now that my father is dead, his daughter and my sister, Cleopatra, with the aid of the witch, Ftatateeta, hath cast a spell on the Roman, Julius Caesar, to make him uphold her false pretense to my throne.
But, but - But I will not suffer.
- Oh yes, I know.
I will not suffer! Will not suffer What shall I not suffer? - The King will not suffer a foreigner to take from us the throne of Egypt! [council shouting.]
Tell the King, Achillas, how many soldiers follow the Roman? - [Crowd.]
Yes, tell us, tell us, tell us! - Let the King's general speak! - But two Roman legions, O King! [council laughing.]
There's three thousand soldiers [laughing.]
.
- Peace, ho! Caesar approaches! - The King permits the Roman commander to enter.
- Which is the king, the man or the boy? - I am Pothinus, the guardian of my lord the King.
- So you are the king.
Dull work at your age, hmm? Your servant, Pothinus.
And this gentleman? - Achillas, the King's general.
- A general! Hmm, I'm a general myself.
Health and many victories, Achillas.
- As the gods will, Caesar.
- And you, sir? - Theodutos, the King's tutor.
- Oh, you teach mean how to be kings.
That is very clever of you.
And this place? - [Pothinus.]
The council chamber of the chancellors of the King's treasury, Caesar.
- Ah, that reminds me, I want some money.
[council shouting.]
- My master would say there is a lawful debt due to Rome from Egypt, contracted by the King's father, and it is Caesar's duty to his country to demand immediate payment.
- Ah, I forgot! Forgive me, Pothinus.
This is Britannus, my secretary.
- How do you do? - He's and islander from the western end of the world, a day's voyage from Gaul.
And this is Rufio, my comrade in arms.
Pothinus, I'm badly in need of money.
[council chattering.]
- [Pothinus.]
The King's treasury is poor, Caesar! - Yes, I notice there is but one chair in it.
- Here, Caesar! Sit on this.
[council shouting.]
[council gasping.]
- Now, Pothinus, to business.
I want 1600 talents.
[council chattering.]
- Impossible! There is not so much money in the King's treasury.
We have been at strife here, Caesar, because the King's sister, Cleopatra, falsely claims his throne.
The King's taxes have not been collected for a whole year! - Oh, yes they have, Pothinus, my officers have been collecting them all morning.
- You must pay, Pothinus, why waste words? - Is it possible that Caesar, the conqueror of the world, can find time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our taxes? - My friend, taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of the world.
In exchange for your bounty, I will settle this dispute about the throne for you, if you will.
What say you? - If I say, no, will that hinder you? - No.
- But first, let us have Cleopatra here.
- [Pothinus.]
She is not in Alexandria, she has fled into Syria.
- Oh, I think not.
Call Totateeta.
- Ho there, Teetatota! - Who pronounces the name of Ftatateeta, the Queen's Chief Nurse? - Nobody can pronounce it, Tota, except yourself.
Uh, where is your mistress? [council chattering.]
- Am I to behave like a queen? - Yes.
[council chattering.]
[Ptolemy screaming.]
[council shouting.]
- I am the King! - You are not to be king, you little cry-baby, you are to be eaten by the Romans! - Come here, my boy, stand by me.
- Take your throne, I don't want it.
Go this instant and sit down! - Go, Ptolemy.
Always take a throne when it is offered to you.
- I hope you will have the good sense to follow your own advice when we return to Rome, Caesar.
- Now, Pothinus, hear what I propose.
Cleopatra and Ptolemy shall reign jointly in Egypt.
[council chattering.]
For the sake of peace.
- Peace with honor, Pothinus.
- Caesar, the money you demand is the price of our freedom.
Take it, and leave us to settle our own affairs! [council shouting.]
- Egypt for the Egyptians! - Mhmm.
How many men have you? - That will appear when I take the field! [council laughing.]
- Are your men Romans? If not, it matters not how many there are, provided you're not stronger than 500 to 10.
- What can you do with 3000 men? - And without money? Away with you! - [Council.]
Yes, away, away! - Achillas, if you are not a fool, you'll take that girl while she's under your hands.
- Why not take Caesar as well, Achillas? - Well said, Rufio, why not? - Try, Achillas.
[crowd chattering.]
Guard, there! [trumpets sounding.]
[gasping.]
- You are Caesar's prisoners, all of you.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
By no means, gentlemen.
Caesar's guests.
- Won't you cut their heads off? - What, cut off your brother's head? - Why not? He would cut off mine if he got the chance, wouldn't you, Ptolemy? - I would, and I will, too, when I grow up! - Caesar, if you attempt to detain us-- - He will succeed, Egyptian.
We hold the palace, the beach, and the eastern harbor.
[council chattering.]
The road to Rome is open, and you shall travel it if Caesar chooses.
- I could do no less, Pothinus, to secure the retreat of my own soldiers.
But you are free to go, and so are all here in the palace.
- What? [council chattering.]
- You're turning us out of our own palace into the streets, and then you tell us with a grand air that we're free to go! Where is your right? - Rufio's scabbard.
I may not be able to keep it there if you delay too long, Pothinus.
- This is Roman justice.
- But not Roman gratitude, I hope.
Is Caesar's life worth of so little account to him that he forgets we have saved it? - My life, is that all? - Your life, your laurels, your future! - It is true.
I can call a witness to prove that but for us the Roman occupation led by Pompey, your rival for the empire of the world, would now have Caesar at his mercy.
Ho there, Lucius Septimius! - Lucius Septimius! [crowd chattering.]
No, no.
- Yes, yes, I'd say.
Let the Roman military tribune bear witness.
Lucius Septimius, Caesar came here in pursuit of Pompey, his foe.
Did we shelter his foe? - As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore, his head fell by the stroke of my sword.
- Under the eyes of his wife and child.
We have given you a sweet and full measure of vengeance! - 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.
Begone, you fill me with horror.
- You've seen severed heads before, Caesar, and severed right hands, too, I think.
[council chattering.]
Some thousands of them in Gaul.
Was that vengeance? - No, by the gods! Would that it had been.
Vengeance, at least, is human.
No, those severed right hands were a wise severity, a necessary protection to the commonwealth, a duty of statesmanship.
Follies and fictions, ten times bloodier than honest vengeance! Pardon me, Lucius Septimius, why should the slayer of thousands in Gaul rebuke the slayer of Pompey? You are free to go, or stay if you will, I'll find you a place in my service.
[Lucius chuckling.]
- The odds are against you, Caesar.
I go.
Come, Achillas, while there is yet time.
[council chattering.]
- Do you suppose they would let us go if they had our heads in their hands? - I have no right to suppose that his ways are any baser than mine.
- Oh.
- Besides, every man we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to guard him.
Have you thought of that, hmm? - [laughing.]
I might have guessed there was some fox's trick behind your fine talking.
Um, this piece of goods, what's to be done with her? Oh, I suppose I can leave that to you.
- Did you mean me to go with the rest? - You're free to do just as you please, Cleopatra.
- Then you do not care whether I stay or not? - Oh, well, of course, I'd much rather you stayed.
- Then I consent to stay, because I am asked.
But I do not want to, mind.
- Ho there, Teetatota! [Cleopatra giggling.]
- Her name is not Teetatota, it is Ftatateeta! - Oh.
Fta, ta, [throat clearing.]
.
Uh, Tota, the Queen will hold her state here in Alexandria.
You do what is necessary.
- Am I think the mistress of the Queen's household? - No, I am the mistress of the Queen's household.
Go and do as you are told, or I'll have you thrown into the Nile to poison the poor crocodiles! - Oh, no, no, no, no.
- Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
You are very sentimental, Caesar, but you are clever.
If you do as I tell you, you will soon learn to govern.
- Hmm.
You know, Cleopatra, I'm afraid I'm going to have to eat you after all.
- You must not talk to me anymore as if I were a child.
Are you angry with me? - No, no.
I, uh, I have work to do.
- Work, what nonsense! You must remember you are a king now, I have made you one.
Kings don't work! - Oh, who told you that, little kitten? - My father was the king of Egypt and he never worked! But he was a great king, and he cut off my sister's head when she rebelled against him and took the throne from him.
- Well, and how did he get his throne back? - I will tell you.
A beautiful young man, with strong round arms came over the desert with many horsemen and slew my sister's husband and gave my father back his throne.
Oh, I wish he would come again, now that I am queen.
I would make him my husband.
- Well, it might be managed, for it was I who sent that beautiful young man to help your father.
- You know him! - Mmhm.
- He is much, much younger than you, of course.
- He is somewhat younger.
- Tell me, is he still beautiful, with strong round arms shining in the sun like marble? - Oh, he's in excellent condition, considering how much he eats and drinks.
- You must not say common, earthly things about him, for I love him, he's a god.
- Hmm.
- What is his name? - His name is Mark Antony.
- Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony! What a beautiful name! Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! - Uh, yes, no you must run away for a little and send my secretary to me.
- No, I want to stay and hear you talk about Mark Antony.
- If I don't get back to work, Pothinus and the rest will seize the harbor and the way from Rome will be blocked.
- No matter.
I don't want you to go back to Rome.
No, but you want Mark Antony to come from it.
- Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Go quickly to work, Caesar, and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark Antony! Ho, Britannus! - [Soldier.]
Caesar! - Britannicus! - Caesar! - Oh, what now? - This Caesar, and two my comrades killed.
- Ay, how? - Achillas has turned his army against us.
- Well? - I was with two others in the marketplace when the news came.
The citizens fell upon us.
I cut my way through and here I am.
- I'm glad to see you alive.
- Caesar, the Egyptians are burning our ships in the west harbor! - Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know, we are besieged.
Now get your wounds attended to and pass the word to turn out on the beach.
Rufio, take every ship we have in the east harbor and seize the lighthouse.
Leave half our men behind to guard the beach and the quay outside the palace.
That is the way home! - But are we to give up the city? - We haven't got it, Rufio.
This palace, we have, and the beach below.
For the rest, Egypt for the Egyptians.
- Caesar, Pothinus demands to speak to you.
His manner is most insolent.
- Caesar, I have brought you our ultimatum.
- Ultimatum? The door was open.
You should have gone out through it before you declared war.
Now, you're my prisoner.
- I, your prisoner? Do you know that you're in Alexandria? And that King Ptolemy's army, outnumbering your little troop a hundred to one, is in possession of Alexandria? - Turn him over to the guard, Britannus.
And fetch my armor.
[faint shouting.]
- My life will cost you dear if you take it, Caesar! - Horror unspeakable! Woe, alas! Help! - What's the matter now? - Who's slain? - The fire has spread from your ships.
The first of the seven wonders of the world perishes.
- What? - The Library of Alexandria is in flames.
- Oh.
- Oh, is that all? - All? What is burning there is the memory of mankind.
- A shameful memory.
Let it burn.
- Will you destroy the past? - Ay, and build the future with its ruins.
- Oh! - But harken, Theodotus, I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of water just now.
Away with you to Achillas.
Borrow his legions to put out your fire.
- Achillas? Yes, Achillas! - Ho there! Pass Theodotus out.
- You let that Egyptian go? Is this more clemency? - He's gone to save the library.
We must respect literature, Rufio.
- Folly on folly's head! - Now where is Britannus? I sent him for my armor an hour ago.
Britannicus, thou British islander.
Britannicus! - I am going to dress you, Caesar.
These Roman helmets are so becoming! Oh! [laughing.]
- What are you laughing at? - You're bald! - Cleopatra, do you like to be reminded that you are very young? - No.
- And neither do I like to be reminded that I am middle-aged.
- So that is why you wear the wreath to hide it! - Peace, Egyptian! These are the bays of the conqueror.
- Peace, thou islander! Is it true that when Caesar caught you on your island you were painted all over blue? - Blue is the color worn by all Britons of good standing.
In war, we stain our bodies blue so that though our enemies may strip us of our lives and our clothes, they cannot strip us of our respectability.
- Caesar, have you done talking? - Is this well set, Britannicus? - Oh, but you are not going into battle to be killed? - No, Cleopatra.
No man goes to battle to be killed.
- But they do get killed! [Rufio laughing.]
Please, please, please, don't go.
What will become of me if you never come back? - Are you afraid? - No.
- Go to the balcony and you shall see us take the Pharos.
You must learn to look on battles.
Go.
March, Rufio.
- Oh, you will not be able to go! - Why, what now? - They are drying up the harbor with buckets.
Over there, look! They are dipping up the water.
- It is true, the Egyptian army! Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts.
This is your accursed clemency, Caesar.
Theodotus has brought them.
- Ah, I meant him to.
They have come to put out the fire.
The library will keep them busy while we seize the lighthouse.
All ready, there? - [Centurion.]
All ready! Give way for Caesar! Caesar's coming through! - More foxing! [trumpets sounding.]
[soldiers cheering.]
- [Centurion.]
All aboard! Make way there! - Goodbye! Goodbye, dear Caesar! Come back safe! Goodbye! [dramatic music.]
[peaceful exotic music.]
- Who goes there, huh? - What's this? Stand! [Apollodorus laughing.]
Who are you? - I am Apollodorus the Sicilian.
Why, man, what are you dreaming of? We've come past three sentinels, all so busy staring at the sea that none of them challenged us.
Is this Roman discipline? - We're supposed to watch the sea as well as the land.
Caesar has just taken the lighthouse.
What's all this? - Carpets for the furnishing of the Queen's apartments.
- Who's this bit of Egyptian crockery? - Apollodorus, rebuke this Roman dog and bid him bridle his tongue in the presence of a Ftatateeta, the Mistress of the Queen's household! - Oh, this is a great lady who stands high with Caesar.
- Oh, so you're a carpet merchant? - [laughing.]
My friend, my calling is to choose beautiful things for beautiful queens.
My motto is Art for Art's sake.
- That's not the password.
Either you give me the password of the day or get back to your shop.
- How if I do neither? - Then I will drive this sword through you.
- At your service, my friend! [grunting.]
- Thrust your knife into the dog's throat, Apollodorus.
[Apollodorus laughing.]
Stab the little Roman reptile! Spit him on your sword! - How now, how now? What is all this? - Centurion! [soldier mumbling.]
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! I am here by order of the Queen to deliver-- - The Queen! Yes, yes, yes, pass him in.
Pass all these bazaar people in to the Queen with their goods.
- Yes, sir, but-- - But mind you pass no one out that you have not passed in! - Well-- - Not even the Queen herself.
To your post, march! - Is this your wife? - No, no, no.
Not that the lady is not a striking figure in her own way.
But she is not my wife.
- Hmm.
Keep your hands off my men, mistress, or I'll have you pitched into the harbor.
- Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta, I have thought of something! I want a boat, at once! - A boat, no, you cannot, you cannot.
Apollodorus, speak to the Queen.
- Pearl of Queens! I have brought you the three most beautiful-- - I have no time for carpets today.
Can you row, Apollodorus? - Row? My oars shall be your majesty's wings! Whither shall I row my Queen? - To the lighthouse.
Come! - Stand! You cannot pass.
- How dare you? Do you know that I am the Queen? - I have my orders.
No one is to leave this palace, not even the queen herself.
- Ftatateeta, strangle him.
- You come within a yard of me, you old crocodile, I'll give you this in the jaws.
- Hear my counsel, Star of the East.
Until word comes to these soldiers from Caesar himself, you are a prisoner here.
Let me go to him with a message from you, and a present, and I will bring you back Caesar's order of release.
- Apollodorus, you could take a carpet to Caesar, could you not? - Assuredly.
- And you would have it carried gently and take great, great care of it? - Depend on me, beautiful Queen.
- Great, great care? - Place the most delicate glass goblet in the palace in the heart of the roll, and if it be broken, my head shall pay for it.
[giggling.]
- Gods of the seas, bear her safely to the shore! [lighthearted music.]
I wish I knew how our men are getting on with that barricade across the causeway.
The Egyptians cannot be such fools as not to attack before it's completed.
It is the first time I have ever run an avoidable risk.
I should never have come to Egypt, it was rash.
Boyish.
- Boyish? What are these for? - Eat, then have another look at our chances.
When a man gets to your age, he runs down before his midday meal.
- My age.
Yes, yes, Rufio, I'm an old man now, worn out, finished.
True, quite true.
Well, every dog has his day, and I have had mine.
These dates aren't bad, Rufio.
Well, now that you've been to the top of the lighthouse, anyone there? - One elderly Tyrian to work the crane, and his son, a well conducted youth of 14.
- And old man and a boy work that? - They have counterweights, and a machine with boiling water in it which I do not understand.
It is not of British design.
You there! What do you want? What are you here for? - Hello, there! Calm yourselves my friends! I've come by boat from Alexandria with precious gifts for Caesar.
- Tell Caesar about them.
- Hail, great Caesar! I am Apollodorus the Sicilian, an artist.
- An artist! Who could have admitted this vagabond? - Peace, man.
Apollodorus is a famous patrician amateur.
- Amateur, oh, I crave the gentleman's pardon.
I understood him to say he was a professional.
- Well, you're welcome, Apollodorus.
What is your business? - First, to deliver to you a present from the Queen of Queens.
- Who is that? - Cleopatra of Egypt! - Apollodorus, this is no time for playing with presents.
Pray you, go back to the Queen and tell her that if all goes well I shall return to the palace this evening.
- Caesar, I cannot return.
As I approached the lighthouse my boat struck a rock! I had hardly the time to get myself and my charge to the shore before the poor little cockleshell sank.
- Well, well, well, what have you brought me? - Caesar, it is a Persian carpet, oh, a beauty! And in it are, so I am told, pigeons' eggs and glass goblets and fragile precious things.
Oh, I dare not for my head have it carried up that narrow ladder from the causeway.
- Then swing it up by the crane, then.
- Oh you there! Up there! Lower away! Thank you.
- The crane! Caesar, I have sworn to tender this bale of carpet as I tender my own life.
- Well, then let them swing you up at the same time.
Then if the rope breaks, you and the pigeons' eggs will perish together.
- Is Caesar serious? - His manner is frivolous because he's an Italian, but he means what he says.
- Good! Soon you can see me rising like the sun with my treasure! - Are you going to wait here for this foolishness? - Why not? - The Egyptians will let you know why not if they have the sense to attack before our barricade is finished.
- [Apollodorus.]
Ho! Haul away! - Away there! Up there! [playful music.]
Behold the blue that never shone in woman's eyes Easy there! Further around! Slowly, gently, mind the eggs! - Mind the eggs! Lower away! - Slowly, slowly! - Thank you.
- Haul up! - Stand off, my friends, let Caesar see.
- Ha, treachery! Caesar, stand back, I saw the shawl move.
There's something alive in there! - A serpent! - Treacherous dog! - Peace, man, put up your sword.
Apollodorus, your serpent seems to breathe very regularly.
Aha, this is a pretty little snake.
Let's have the rest of you.
- Oh, Caesar, I'm smothered! Caesar, a man stood on me in the boat, then we hit a rock, then the boat sank, then I was swung up in the air and bumped back down.
- Well, never mind, here you are safe and sound at last.
- Ay, and now that she's here, what's to be done with her? - She cannot stay here without the companionship of some matron.
- But you will not leave me will you? - What! Not when the trumpet sounds and all our lives depend on Caesar's being on the barricade? - Let them lose their lives, they are only soldiers.
- Cleopatra, when that trumpet sounds, we must take each man with his life in his hands, and throw it in the face of Death.
And of my soldiers who have trusted me, there is not one whose hand I do not hold more sacred than your head.
[dramatic music.]
Come, Rufio.
- Caesar, do not leave me! - Caesar, we are cut off.
The Egyptians have landed between us and the barricade! - Then we must defend ourselves here.
- Caesar, caught like rats in a trap! - Rufio, Rufio, my men at the barricade, I've murdered them! - I have thrown the ladder into the sea.
They cannot get in without it.
- Ay, and we cannot get out, have you thought of that? - Get out, why not? You have ships, too.
- They're standing in towards us already.
- And by what road are we to walk to the galleys, pray? - The road that leads everywhere, the diamond path of sun and moon! How far off is the nearest galley? - Fifty fathom.
- Good, defend yourselves here until I send you a boat from that galley.
- You have wings, perhaps? - Water wings, friend, behold! - Bravo, bravo, bravo! I will do that too.
- You shall not! Are you mad? - Can I not swim as well as he? - Can an old fool dive and swim like a young one? He's twenty-five, you're fifty.
- Old! I'll race you to the nearest galley for a week's pay, father Rufio.
- But me, me, me, what's to become of me? - I will carry you on my back to the galley like a dolphin.
Rufio, when you see me rise to the surface, throw her in, and then in with you after her, both of you.
- No, no, no, I shall be drowned! - Caesar, I am a man and a Briton, not a fish.
I must have a boat, I cannot swim.
- Neither can I! - Then stay here alone until I recapture the lighthouse.
Oho, Apollodorus! The white upon the blue above! - [Apollodorus.]
Is purple on the green below! - Aha! - Oh, oh, oh, let me see! He'll be drowned! Oh, oh.
[screaming.]
[laughing.]
- He's got her! Hold the fort, Briton.
Caesar will not forget you.
- All safe, Rufio? - [Rufio.]
All safe! - Caesar, one word more! Do not show yourself to the impressionable part of Alexandria till you've changed your clothes! [soldiers cheering.]
The boat has reached him! Hip, hip, hip, hoorah! [triumphant music.]
[peaceful harp music.]
- I wish I could play the harp with my own hands.
Caesar loves music.
[giggling.]
Who are you laughing at? Me or at Caesar? - Oh, at Caesar.
- If you were not a fool, you would laugh at me, and if you were not a coward you would not be afraid to tell me so.
Is that Ftatateeta? They told me that Pothinus has offered you a bribe to admit him to my presence.
- Bribe? No, by my father's gods, no! - Have I not told you not to deny things? Go take the bribe and bring in Pothinus.
Don't answer me, go! - Heigho! I wish Caesar were back in Rome.
- It will be a bad day for you all when he goes.
Why do you wish him away? - He makes you so terribly prosy and serious and learned and philosophical.
It is worse than being religious, at our ages.
[laughing.]
- Cease that endless cackling, will you.
Hold your tongues! - Pothinus craves the ear of the Queen.
- Well, Pothinus, what is the latest news from your rebel friends? - I am no friend of rebellion, and a prisoner does not receive news.
- You are no more a prisoner than I am, than Caesar is.
These six months we've all been besieged here in this palace by my subjects.
- Cleopatra, you are but a child, and do not understand these matters.
- Oh, I see you do not know the latest news, Pothinus.
- What is that? - Oh, that Cleopatra is no longer a child.
Shall I tell you how to grow much older, and much, much wiser in one day? Go to the top of the lighthouse and get somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea.
[laughing.]
- They are right, Pothinus.
You will come to the shore with much conceit washed out of you.
[laughing.]
I will speak with Pothinus alone.
Begone! All of you! [giggling.]
Now, Pothinus, why did you bribe Ftatateeta to bring you hither? - Cleopatra, what they tell me is true.
You are changed.
- Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months, and you will be changed.
If Caesar were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians.
For what Caesar is to me, I am to the fools around me.
- Cleopatra, this may be the vanity of youth.
- No, no, it is not that I am so clever, but that the others are so stupid.
Well now, tell me what you came to say.
- I, nothing.
- Pothinus, you came here with some plan that depended on Cleopatra being a little nursery kitten.
Now that Cleopatra is a queen, the plan is upset.
- And is Cleopatra then indeed a queen, and no longer Caesar's prisoner and slave? - Pothinus, we are all Caesar's slaves, all we in this land of Egypt, whether we will or no.
And she who is wise enough to know this will reign when Caesar departs.
- You will harp on Caesar's departure.
- What if I do? You think that by making my brother king you will rule in Egypt, because you are his guardian and he is a little silly.
- The Queen is pleased to say so.
- 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! - Cleopatra! - And when he has done this, he will return to Rome, and leave Cleopatra here as his viceroy.
- Cleopatra! - Enough! Caesar has spoiled me for talking to weak things like you.
- What angers you? - The curse of all the gods of Egypt be upon her! She's sold her country to the Roman that she may buy it back from him with her kisses.
- Fool! Did she not tell you that she would have Caesar gone? - 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.
- Ay, that it might be ruled by you and your crew in the name of Ptolemy.
- Better me, or even you, than a woman with a Roman heart, and that is what Cleopatra has now become.
Whilst I live, she shall never rule.
So guide yourself accordingly.
[dramatic music.]
[peaceful music.]
- Dinner will be served on the terrace, oh beloved of victory.
- Caesar, this fellow, Pothinus, wants a word with you.
- You are welcome, Pothinus.
And what is your news this evening? - Caesar, I come to warn you of a danger, and to make you an offer.
- Well, never mind the danger, what's the offer.
- Never mind the offer, what's the danger? - Caesar, you think that Cleopatra is devoted to you.
- My friend, I already know what I think.
Come to your offer.
- Go on, spit it out, man.
What have you got to say? - I have to say you have a traitress in your camp.
Cleopatra-- - The Queen! - You should have spat it out sooner, you fool.
Now it's too late.
- What is he doing here? - Just going to tell me something about you.
You shall hear it.
Proceed, Pothinus.
- Caesar, what I have to say is for your ear, not for the Queen's.
- There are means of making you speak.
Take care.
- Caesar does not employ those means.
- My friend, when a man has anything to tell in this world, the difficulty is not to make him tell it, but to prevent him from telling it too often.
To show you I have no hard feelings, I'm setting you free.
Farewell, we shall not meet again.
- [Rufio.]
Come on.
Off with you, you've lost your chance.
- I will speak! - You see, torture would not have wrung a word from him.
- Caesar, are you so besotted with her beauty that you do not see that she is anxious to reign in Egypt alone, and that her heart is set on your departure? - Liar! - What, protestations, contradictions? - No, I do not deign to contradict, let him speak.
- From her own lips I've heard it.
You are to be her catspaw.
You are to tear the crown from her brother's head and set it on her own, delivering us all into her hands, delivering yourself also.
And then Caesar can return to Rome, or depart through the gate of death, which is nearer and surer.
- Well, my friend, and is not this very natural? - Natural? Then you do not resent treachery? - But it is false, false.
I swear it! - It's true, though you swore it a thousand times, and believed all you swore.
[crying.]
- Rufio, let us see Pothinus past the guard.
We give the Queen a moment to recover herself.
You know, Pothinus, [faint speaking.]
.
- Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta.
- Peace, child: be comforted.
- Can they hear us? - No, dear heart, no.
- Listen to me.
If he leaves the Palace alive, never look upon my face again.
- He, Pothinus? - Strike his life out as I strike his name from your lips! Dash him down from the wall.
Break him on the stones.
Kill, kill, kill him.
- The dog shall die.
- Fail in this, and you go out from before me forever.
- So be it.
You shall not look upon my face until his eyes are darkened.
- Come soon, soon.
[men laughing.]
- [Man.]
Caesar.
- You have come back to me, Caesar.
I thought you were angry with me.
Welcome, Apollodorus.
- Cleopatra grows more womanly beautiful from week to week.
Friend Rufio threw a pearl into the sea, Caesar fished up a diamond.
- Caesar fished up a touch of rheumatism, my friend.
Come, dinner! - Yes, to dinner.
I have ordered such a dinner for you, Caesar! - Ay, what have you got? - Peacocks' brains.
- Peacocks' brains, Apollodorus! - I prefer nightingales' tongues.
- Roast boar, Rufio! - Ah, good! - Caesar will deign to choose his wine? - Bring me my barley water.
- Oh.
- It is waste of time ordering dinner for you, Caesar.
My scullions would not condescend to your diet.
- Oh, well, well, well, let us try the wine.
There, now are you satisfied? - And you no longer believe that I long for your departure for Rome? - I no longer believe anything, my brains are asleep.
Besides, who knows if I shall return to Rome? - What? - One day of Rome is very like another, except that I grow older, whilst the crowds on the Appian Way are always the same age.
- It is the same here in Egypt.
The old men, when they are tired of life, say we have seen everything except the source of the Nile.
- And why not see that? Cleopatra, will you come with me and track the flood to its cradle in the heart of the regions of mystery? Shall I find you a new kingdom and build you a holy city there in the great unknown? - Yes, yes, you shall.
- Ah, now he will conquer Africa with two legions before we come to the roast.
- Come, no scoffing, this is a noble scheme.
Let us name the holy city, and consecrate it with Sicilian wine.
- Cleopatra shall name it.
- No, the Nile shall name it himself.
Send for him, and away with you all! - Why not appeal to our hawk-headed friend here? - Shh, he will hear you and be angry.
- The source of the Nile is out of his district, I expect.
- Shh! - Oh now, what hocus pocus is this? - You shall see, and it is not hocus pocus.
To do it properly, we should kill something to please him, but perhaps he will answer Caesar without that if we spill some wine to him.
I am a priestess, and have power to take your charge from you, go.
Now, let us call on the Nile all together.
You must say with me, send us thy voice, Father Nile.
- [All.]
Send us thy voice, Father Nile.
[screaming.]
- What was that? - Nothing, they are beating some slave.
- Nothing? - A man with a knife in him, I'll swear.
- [Caesar.]
A murder! - Shh, silence.
Did you hear that? - Another cry? - [Apollodorus.]
No, a thud.
Something fell, I think.
- Something with bones in it, eh? - [Caesar.]
Hush, hush, Rufio.
Apollodorus, go down to the courtyard and find out what has happened.
- The Queen looks again on the face of her servant.
- Look, the whole town's gone made, I think! - This must be seen to.
- There's some mischief between those two.
I shall know presently.
- Cleopatra, what is happening? - Nothing, nothing dearest Caesar.
I am innocent.
Why do you look at me so? Are you angry with me? I am only a child, and you turn into stone because you think somebody has been killed.
I cannot bear it.
But of course, you cannot bear tears.
Oh, you are quite right.
It is dreadful to think of anyone being killed or even hurt.
- What has frightened you into this? What have you done? [trumpet sounding.]
Aha, That sounds like the answer.
- I have not betrayed you, Caesar, I swear it.
- I know that, I have not trusted you.
- We laid hold of this renegade in the courtyard! He was trying to get into the palace.
- Release him.
What has offended the citizens, Lucius Septimius? - What did you expect, O Great Caesar? Pothinus was a favorite of theirs.
- Pothinus, what has happened to Pothinus? I set him free, here, not half an hour ago.
Did they not pass him out? - Ay, through the gallery arch with three inches of steel in his ribs.
He is as dead as Pompey.
[chuckling.]
We're quits now, you and I, as to killing.
- Assassinated! Our prisoner, our guest! Rufio.
- Whoever did it was a wise man and a friend of yours, but we had no hand in it.
So it is no use to frown at me.
- He was slain by order of the Queen of Egypt.
I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer, who allows every slave to insult him.
Rufio has said I did well, now the others shall judge me too.
This Pothinus came to me and sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas and Ptolemy.
I refused and he cursed me and came privily to Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery.
I caught him in the act, and he insulted me.
Me, the Queen, to my face! Caesar would not avenge me, he spoke him fair and set him free.
Was I wrong to avenge myself? Speak, Apollodorus! - I have only one word of blame, most beautiful.
You should have called upon me, your knight, and in fair duel I should have slain the slanderer.
- I will be judged by your very slave, Caesar.
Britannus, speak, was I wrong? - Were treachery, falsehood, and disloyalty left unpunished, society must become like an arena full of wild beasts, tearing one another to pieces.
Caesar is in the wrong.
- And so the verdict is against me, it seems.
- Listen to me, Caesar.
If one man in all Alexandria can be found to say I did wrong, I swear to have myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves.
- If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever, to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer the world as I have, or be crucified by it.
[faint shouting.]
Do you hear? These knockers at your gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing.
You have slain their leader, it is only right that they shall slay you.
And so, to the end of history, murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race that can understand.
Hearken, you who must not be insulted.
Let the Queen now give her orders for vengeance, and take her measures for defense, for she has renounced Caesar.
- You will not desert me, Caesar! You will defend the palace! - I am only a dreamer.
- But they will kill me! - And why not? - Caesar, enough of preaching.
The enemy is at the gate.
- And who has held him baffled at the gate all these months? By the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into the flood.
- But, Caesar, if you do, you will perish yourself.
- Now, by great Jove, you filthy little Egyptian rat, that is the very word to make him walk out alone into the city and leave us here to be torn to pieces.
Will you desert us because we are a parcel of fools? We are dogs at your heels, but we've served you faithfully.
- Alas, Rufio, my son, my son, as dogs we are now like to die in the streets.
- But I don't want to die! - Oh, ignoble, ignoble! - It may be ignoble, O Great Caesar, but I also mean to live as long as I can.
- Well, my friend, you are likely to outlive Caesar.
- Does Caesar despair? - He who has never hoped can never despair.
Caesar, in good or bad fortune, looks his fate in the face.
- Look it in the face, then, O Great Caesar, and it'll smile as it always has on Caesar.
- Do you presume to encourage me? - I offer you my services.
I willing to change sides if you'll have me.
- What, at this point? - At this point.
I ask for my life, and for a command in Caesar's army.
And since Caesar is a fair dealer, I will pay in advance.
- Pay how? - With a piece of good news for you.
- What news? - What news? What news, dear Rufio? The relief has arrived, what else remains? Is it not so? - It is, sir.
- Mithridates of Pergamos is on the march.
- He has taken Pelusium and is marching by the great road to Memphis.
Achillas will fight him there.
- Achillas will fight Caesar there.
Rufio, the Egyptians must have every soldier in the streets to prevent Mithridates crossing the Nile.
There's nothing in the streets now but mob.
Mob! Lucius Septimius, you are henceforth my officer.
Away and give the word.
Brittanus, see to my horse and armor.
Apollodorus, will you lend your right arm and your sword to this campaign? - Ay, and my heart and life to boot! - I accept both! - Come, this is something like business! - Is it not, my only son? - Caesar! Have you forgotten me? - I am busy now, my child.
When I return your affairs shall be settled.
Farewell, be good and patient.
- That game is played and lost, Cleopatra.
The woman always gets the worst of it.
- Go, follow your master.
- A word first.
Tell your executioner that if Pothinus had been properly killed, in the throat, he would not have called out.
Your man bungled his work.
- How do you know it was a man? - Was it she? With her own hand? - Whoever it was, let my enemies beware of her.
Look to it, Rufio, you who dare make the Queen of Egypt a fool before Caesar.
- I will look to it, Cleopatra.
[crying.]
- Ftatateeta.
Ftatateeta! It is dark, and I am alone.
Come to me.
Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta! [screaming.]
[dramatic music.]
[people chattering.]
- Behold, Caesar approaches! [fanfare music.]
- I see my ship awaits me.
The hour of Caesar's farewell to Egypt has arrived, and now, Rufio, what remains to be done before I sail? - Sir, you have yet to choose a Roman governor for this province.
- Indeed, well what say you to, uh, yourself? - I, a governor? What are you dreaming of? You know that I am only the son of a freed man.
- And has not Caesar called you his son? Peace awhile there, and hear me! - Hear Caesar! - Hear the service, quality, rank, and name of the Roman governor.
By service, Caesar's shield, by quality, Caesar's friend, by rank, a Roman soldier! [soldiers cheering.]
By name, Rufio! [soldiers cheering.]
- Ay, I am Caesar's shield, but of what use shall I be to Caesar when I am no longer on his arm? Well, no matter.
- Where is that British Islander of mine? - Here, Caesar.
- Who bade you, pray, thrust yourself into the battle of the Delta, uttering the barbarous cries of your native land, and affirming yourself a match for any four Egyptians, to whom you applied unseemly epithets? - Caesar, I beg that you would forgive the language that escaped me in the heat of the moment.
- And how did you, who cannot swim, cross the canal with us when we stormed the camp? - Caesar, I clung to the tail of your horse.
- These are not the deeds of a slave, Britannicus, but of a free man.
- Caesar.
I was born free.
- But they call you Caesar's slave.
- Only as Caesar's slave have I found real freedom.
- Well said.
Ungrateful that I am, I was about to set you free, but now I would not part from you for a million talents.
Apollodorus, I leave the art of Egypt in your hands.
Remember, Rome loves art and will encourage it ungrudgingly.
- I understand, Caesar.
Rome will produce no art of itself, but it will buy up and take away whatever Egypt produces.
- Is government not an art? Is civilization not an art? All these we give you in exchange for a few ornaments.
You will have the best of the bargain.
And now, Rufio, what else remains to be done before I sail? There's something I cannot remember? what can it be? Well, we must not waste this favorable wind.
Farewell, Rufio.
- Farewell, Apollodorus, and my friends, all of you, farewell.
- Has Cleopatra no part in this leave taking? I knew there was something! Oh Rufio, how could you let me forget her? Had I gone without seeing you, I should never have forgiven myself.
Is this mourning for me? - No.
- For whom, then? - Ask the Roman governor whom you have left us.
He who is to rule in Caesar's way, without punishment, without revenge.
- Rufio? - Yes, Rufio.
- Caesar, Cleopatra had a tigress that killed men at her bidding.
I thought she might bid it kill you some day.
Had I not been Caesar's pupil, what pious things might I not have done to that tigress? I might have punished it.
I might have revenged Pothinus on it.
- Pothinus? - I might have judged it, but I put all these follies aside, and without malice, only cut its throat.
That is why Cleopatra comes to you in mourning.
- He has shed the blood of my servant Ftatateeta.
On your head be it, Caesar, as upon his, if you hold him free of it.
- On my head be it, then, for it was well done.
Rufio, this was natural slaying.
I feel no horror at it.
- No, not when a Roman kills an Egyptian.
All the world will now see how unjust and corrupt Caesar is.
- Oh come, Cleopatra, don't be angry with me.
I am sorry about that poor Teetatota.
[Cleopatra laughing.]
Aha, you are laughing.
Does that mean I'm forgiven? - No, no, no! [giggling.]
It is so silly to hear you call her Teetatota.
- As much a child as ever, Cleopatra! Have I not made a woman of you after all? - Oh, it is you who are a great baby.
You make me seem silly because you will not behave seriously.
But you've treated me badly, and I do not forgive you.
- Bid me farewell.
- I will not.
- I will send you a beautiful present from Rome.
- Beauty from Rome to Egypt, indeed! What can Rome give me that Egypt cannot give me? - You're forgetting the treasures for which Rome is most famous, her sons.
Forgive me and bid me farewell, Cleopatra, and I will send you a man, Roman from head to heel, and Roman of the noblest.
Not old and ripe for the knife.
Not lean in the arms and cold in the heart.
Not hiding a bald head beneath his conqueror's laurels.
Brisk and fresh, young and strong.
Hoping in the morning, fighting in the day, and reveling in the evening.
Will you take such an one in exchange for Caesar? - His name, his name? - Shall it be Mark Antony? - Oh! - You are a bad hand at a bargain, mistress, if you will swap Caesar for Antony.
- So now you're satisfied? - You will not forget.
- I will not forget.
Farewell.
I do not think we shall meet again.
[drumroll music.]
- [Soldiers.]
Hail, Caesar, and farewell! Hail, Caesar, and farewell! [cheering.]
- No tears, dearest Queen.
They stab your servant to the heart.
He will return some day.
- Oh, I hope not.
But I can't help crying, all the same.
[jubilant music.]
[peaceful orchestra music.]
- [Announcer.]
Now the names of tonight's production, after which a special guest will tell you about our next presentation.
- [Announcer.]
Producers' Showcase! [fanfare music.]
March 5th, 1956.
Live from New York, Producers' Showcase brings you another evening of outstanding entertainment.
Our stars tonight are Claire Bloom, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Jack Hawkins, Judith Anderson, and special guest stars, Cyril Ritchard and Farley Granger, in Caesar and Cleopatra by Bernard Shaw.
[pleasant music.]
In just a moment, Producers' Showcase will bring you the first act of Caesar and Cleopatra.
[exotic music.]
And now, Producers' Showcase presents the first act of Caesar and Cleopatra.
[dramatic music.]
- [Ra.]
Peace.
Be silent and hearken unto me.
Look upon my hawk's head and know that I am Ra, who was once in Egypt a mighty god.
I ask you not for worship, but for silence.
For I have come to draw you back 2000 years over the graves of 60 generations, where we create the story of an unchaste woman.
At the name of Cleopatra, tempter of Caesar.
Ye foolish mortals, Cleopatra is as of yet but a child that is whipped by her nurse.
What I'm about to show you, for the good of your souls, is how Caesar, seeking Pompey in Egypt, a Roman fleeing and a Roman pursuing, found Cleopatra, and what things happened between the old Caesar and the child queen before he left Egypt and battled his way back to Rome.
And the years that have passed are to me, the god Ra, but a moment, nor is this any other than the day in which Julius Caesar set foot in the land of my people.
[fanfare music.]
[peaceful music.]
- Hail, Sphinx, salutations from Julius Caesar! I have wandered in many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures such as I myself.
I have found flocks and pastures, men and cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred to me, none who can do my day's deed, or think my night's thought.
In the little world yonder, Sphinx, my place is as high as yours in this great desert; only I wander, and you sit still; I conquer, you endure; I work and wonder, you watch and wait; I look up and am dazzled, look down and am darkened, look round and am puzzled, whilst your eyes never turn from looking out, out of the world to the lost region, the home from which we have strayed.
Sphinx, you and I, strangers to the race of men, are no strangers to one another.
My way hither was the way of destiny, for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol: part woman, part brute, and part God.
Nothing of man in me at all.
Have I read your riddle, Sphinx? - Old gentleman.
- Immortal gods! - Old gentleman, don't run away.
- Old gentleman, don't run away! This, to Julius Caesar? - Old gentleman, climb up here, quickly, or the Romans will come and eat you.
- A child at its breast! A divine child! Who are you? - Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
- Queen of the Gypsies, you mean.
- You must not be disrespectful to me, or the Sphinx will let the Romans eat you.
Come up, it is quite cozy here.
- What a dream! What a magnificent dream! - Climb up quickly.
You must get up inside and creep around.
It is very powerful and will protect you.
Take care.
That's right.
You may have its other paw.
Now, sit down.
I'm glad you have come, I was very lonely.
Did you happen to see a white cat anywhere? - Why, have you lost one? - Yes, the sacred white cat.
I brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx, but when we got a little way from the city, a black cat called him and he jumped out of my arms and ran away to it.
Do you think that the black cat can have been my great-great-great-grandmother? - Well, why not? Nothing would surprise me on this night of nights.
- I think it must have been.
My great-grandmother's great-grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white cat, and the river Nile made her his seventh wife.
- Why, what are you doing here at this time of night? Do you live here? - Of course not.
I am the Queen, and I shall live in the palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother, who drove me out of it.
- Meanwhile, why are you not at home and in bed? - Because the Romans are coming to eat us all.
You are not at home and in bed either.
- Oh, yes, I am.
Yes, I live in a tent, and I am now in that tent, fast asleep and dreaming.
[giggling.]
- I like you.
You're a funny old gentleman.
- Ah, that spoils the dream.
Why don't you dream that I am young? - I think you are a little mad.
It is the moon that makes you talk to yourself in that silly way.
- Oh, you heard that, did you? Yes, I was saying my prayers to the great Sphinx.
[laughing.]
- But this isn't the great Sphinx! - What? - This is only a dear little kitten of the Sphinx.
This is my pet Sphinx.
Tell me, do you think the Romans have any sorcerers who could take us away from the Sphinx by magic? - Why, are you afraid of the Romans? - Oh, they would eat us if they caught us.
They are barbarians.
Their chief is called Julius Caesar.
His father was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain, and his nose is like an elephant's trunk.
They all have long noses, and ivory tusks, and little short tails, and seven arms with a hundred arrows in each, and they live on human flesh.
- Would you like me to show you a real Roman? - No, you are frightening me.
- Well, no matter, this is only a dream.
- It is not a dream, it is not a dream! See, see! - Oh, stop, how dare you? - You said you were dreaming.
I only wanted to show you.
- Oh, there, there, there.
Now you mustn't cry.
Come, come, a queen mustn't cry.
Am I awake? Yes, I Oh, impossible, impossible, madness, madness! Back to camp, back to camp! - No, no, no, don't leave me! I'm afraid, afraid of the Romans! - Cleopatra, can you see my face well? - Yes, it's so white in the moonlight.
- Are you sure it is the moonlight that makes me look whiter than an Egyptian? Do you notice I have a rather long nose? - Oh.
- It is a Roman nose, Cleopatra.
[screaming.]
- Bite him in two, Sphinx! Bite him in two! I meant to sacrifice the white cat, I did indeed! I meant [crying.]
[screaming.]
- Cleopatra, shall I teach you a way to prevent Caesar from eating you? - Oh do, do, do! - Caesar never eats women.
- Oh! - But he eats girls.
- And will he eat me? - Yes, unless you can make him believe that you are a woman.
So whatever dread may be in your soul, however terrible Caesar may appear to you, you must confront him tonight in your palace as a brave woman and a great queen.
And if he thinks you worthy to rule, he will place you on the throne by his side and make you the real ruler of Egypt.
- No, he will find me out, he will find me out.
- Well, he is easily deceived by women.
Their eyes dazzle him, and he sees them not as they are, but as he wishes them to appear to him.
[trumpets sounding.]
- What was that? - Caesar's voice.
- Oh, this way, quickly! Come, oh come! - You're quite safe with me until you stand on your throne to receive Caesar.
Now let me thither.
- Oh, come, come, come.
The gods are angry.
Do you feel the earth shaking? - It is the tread of Caesar's legions.
- Oh, this way quickly! And let us look for the white cat as we go.
It is he that has turned you into a Roman! - Oh, incorrigible, oh, incorrigible! [trumpets sounding.]
[peaceful music.]
What place is this? - This is where I sit on the throne when I'm allowed to wear my crown and robes.
- Order your slave to light the lamps.
- Do you think I may? - Well of course, you are the queen.
Go on.
- Light all the lamps! - Stop! [Cleopatra gasping.]
Who is this you have with you? And how dare you order the lamps to be lighted without my permission? - Who's she? - Ftatateeta.
- Chief nurse! - I speak to the queen! Be silent.
Is this how your servants know their places? Send her away.
And you do as the queen has bidden.
You are the queen, send her away.
- Ftatateeta, dear, you must go away, just for a little.
- You're not commanding her to go away, you're begging her.
A Roman does not stay with queens who are afraid of their slaves.
- I'm not afraid! Indeed, I'm not afraid! - We shall see who is afraid here.
Cleopatra-- - On your knees, woman! Am I a child also that you dare trifle with me? Slave.
Can you cut off a head? [laughing.]
Have you remembered yourself, mistress? - O Queen, forget not thy servant in the days of thy greatness! - Go! Begone! Go away! Give me something to beat her with! - Ah, you scratch kitten, do you? - I will beat somebody! I will beat him! - No, no! - There, there, there! Oh, I am a real queen at last! A real, real queen! Cleopatra the Queen! Oh, I love you for making me a queen.
- But queens love only kings.
- 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'm tired of them I will whip them to death! But you will always be my king, my nice, kind, wise, good old king! - Oh, my wrinkles, my wrinkles, and my child's heart.
You know, you will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conquests.
- Caesar? I forgot Caesar! Let us run away and hid until Caesar is gone.
- Be afraid if you dare.
[trumpets sounding.]
Aha! Caesar approaches the throne of Cleopatra.
Come, take your place.
Ho there, Teetatota! Bring the Queen's crown, and her robes, and her women and prepare her.
- Yes, the crown, Ftatateeta, I shall wear the crown! - For whom must the queen put on her state? - For a citizen of Rome, a King of Kings, Tota.
- How dare you ask questions? Go and do as you are told! Caesar will know that I am a queen when he sees my crown and robes, will he not? - He will know Cleopatra by her pride, her courage, her majesty, and her beauty.
Are you trembling? - No, I, I, no.
- Of all the Queen's women, these three alone are left.
The rest are fled.
- Good, three are enough.
Poor Caesar usually has to dress himself.
Is it sweet or bitter to be a queen, Cleopatra? - Bitter.
- Cast out fear and you will conquer Caesar.
Toto, the Romans are at hand.
- [Ftatateeta.]
They are at hand, and the guard has fled.
- The Romans are in the courtyard! The Romans are in the courtyard! [screaming.]
- The queen must face Caesar alone.
Answer, so be it.
- So be it.
- Good! [soldier's feet thumping in unison.]
- You are my nursling.
You have said so be it, and if you die for it you must make the queen's word good.
- Now, if you quail [soldier's feet thumping in unison.]
[soldiers chattering.]
- [Soldiers.]
Hail Caesar! Hail Caesar, hail! [soldiers cheering.]
[dramatic music.]
[peaceful exotic music.]
[people chattering faintly.]
[gong sounding.]
[lighthearted music.]
- The King of Egypt has a word to speak! - Peace for the King's word! - I am the firstborn son of Auletes the Flute Blower, who was your King.
And now that my father is dead, his daughter and my sister, Cleopatra, with the aid of the witch, Ftatateeta, hath cast a spell on the Roman, Julius Caesar, to make him uphold her false pretense to my throne.
But, but - But I will not suffer.
- Oh yes, I know.
I will not suffer! Will not suffer What shall I not suffer? - The King will not suffer a foreigner to take from us the throne of Egypt! [council shouting.]
Tell the King, Achillas, how many soldiers follow the Roman? - [Crowd.]
Yes, tell us, tell us, tell us! - Let the King's general speak! - But two Roman legions, O King! [council laughing.]
There's three thousand soldiers [laughing.]
.
- Peace, ho! Caesar approaches! - The King permits the Roman commander to enter.
- Which is the king, the man or the boy? - I am Pothinus, the guardian of my lord the King.
- So you are the king.
Dull work at your age, hmm? Your servant, Pothinus.
And this gentleman? - Achillas, the King's general.
- A general! Hmm, I'm a general myself.
Health and many victories, Achillas.
- As the gods will, Caesar.
- And you, sir? - Theodutos, the King's tutor.
- Oh, you teach mean how to be kings.
That is very clever of you.
And this place? - [Pothinus.]
The council chamber of the chancellors of the King's treasury, Caesar.
- Ah, that reminds me, I want some money.
[council shouting.]
- My master would say there is a lawful debt due to Rome from Egypt, contracted by the King's father, and it is Caesar's duty to his country to demand immediate payment.
- Ah, I forgot! Forgive me, Pothinus.
This is Britannus, my secretary.
- How do you do? - He's and islander from the western end of the world, a day's voyage from Gaul.
And this is Rufio, my comrade in arms.
Pothinus, I'm badly in need of money.
[council chattering.]
- [Pothinus.]
The King's treasury is poor, Caesar! - Yes, I notice there is but one chair in it.
- Here, Caesar! Sit on this.
[council shouting.]
[council gasping.]
- Now, Pothinus, to business.
I want 1600 talents.
[council chattering.]
- Impossible! There is not so much money in the King's treasury.
We have been at strife here, Caesar, because the King's sister, Cleopatra, falsely claims his throne.
The King's taxes have not been collected for a whole year! - Oh, yes they have, Pothinus, my officers have been collecting them all morning.
- You must pay, Pothinus, why waste words? - Is it possible that Caesar, the conqueror of the world, can find time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our taxes? - My friend, taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of the world.
In exchange for your bounty, I will settle this dispute about the throne for you, if you will.
What say you? - If I say, no, will that hinder you? - No.
- But first, let us have Cleopatra here.
- [Pothinus.]
She is not in Alexandria, she has fled into Syria.
- Oh, I think not.
Call Totateeta.
- Ho there, Teetatota! - Who pronounces the name of Ftatateeta, the Queen's Chief Nurse? - Nobody can pronounce it, Tota, except yourself.
Uh, where is your mistress? [council chattering.]
- Am I to behave like a queen? - Yes.
[council chattering.]
[Ptolemy screaming.]
[council shouting.]
- I am the King! - You are not to be king, you little cry-baby, you are to be eaten by the Romans! - Come here, my boy, stand by me.
- Take your throne, I don't want it.
Go this instant and sit down! - Go, Ptolemy.
Always take a throne when it is offered to you.
- I hope you will have the good sense to follow your own advice when we return to Rome, Caesar.
- Now, Pothinus, hear what I propose.
Cleopatra and Ptolemy shall reign jointly in Egypt.
[council chattering.]
For the sake of peace.
- Peace with honor, Pothinus.
- Caesar, the money you demand is the price of our freedom.
Take it, and leave us to settle our own affairs! [council shouting.]
- Egypt for the Egyptians! - Mhmm.
How many men have you? - That will appear when I take the field! [council laughing.]
- Are your men Romans? If not, it matters not how many there are, provided you're not stronger than 500 to 10.
- What can you do with 3000 men? - And without money? Away with you! - [Council.]
Yes, away, away! - Achillas, if you are not a fool, you'll take that girl while she's under your hands.
- Why not take Caesar as well, Achillas? - Well said, Rufio, why not? - Try, Achillas.
[crowd chattering.]
Guard, there! [trumpets sounding.]
[gasping.]
- You are Caesar's prisoners, all of you.
- Oh, no, no, no, no.
By no means, gentlemen.
Caesar's guests.
- Won't you cut their heads off? - What, cut off your brother's head? - Why not? He would cut off mine if he got the chance, wouldn't you, Ptolemy? - I would, and I will, too, when I grow up! - Caesar, if you attempt to detain us-- - He will succeed, Egyptian.
We hold the palace, the beach, and the eastern harbor.
[council chattering.]
The road to Rome is open, and you shall travel it if Caesar chooses.
- I could do no less, Pothinus, to secure the retreat of my own soldiers.
But you are free to go, and so are all here in the palace.
- What? [council chattering.]
- You're turning us out of our own palace into the streets, and then you tell us with a grand air that we're free to go! Where is your right? - Rufio's scabbard.
I may not be able to keep it there if you delay too long, Pothinus.
- This is Roman justice.
- But not Roman gratitude, I hope.
Is Caesar's life worth of so little account to him that he forgets we have saved it? - My life, is that all? - Your life, your laurels, your future! - It is true.
I can call a witness to prove that but for us the Roman occupation led by Pompey, your rival for the empire of the world, would now have Caesar at his mercy.
Ho there, Lucius Septimius! - Lucius Septimius! [crowd chattering.]
No, no.
- Yes, yes, I'd say.
Let the Roman military tribune bear witness.
Lucius Septimius, Caesar came here in pursuit of Pompey, his foe.
Did we shelter his foe? - As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore, his head fell by the stroke of my sword.
- Under the eyes of his wife and child.
We have given you a sweet and full measure of vengeance! - 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.
Begone, you fill me with horror.
- You've seen severed heads before, Caesar, and severed right hands, too, I think.
[council chattering.]
Some thousands of them in Gaul.
Was that vengeance? - No, by the gods! Would that it had been.
Vengeance, at least, is human.
No, those severed right hands were a wise severity, a necessary protection to the commonwealth, a duty of statesmanship.
Follies and fictions, ten times bloodier than honest vengeance! Pardon me, Lucius Septimius, why should the slayer of thousands in Gaul rebuke the slayer of Pompey? You are free to go, or stay if you will, I'll find you a place in my service.
[Lucius chuckling.]
- The odds are against you, Caesar.
I go.
Come, Achillas, while there is yet time.
[council chattering.]
- Do you suppose they would let us go if they had our heads in their hands? - I have no right to suppose that his ways are any baser than mine.
- Oh.
- Besides, every man we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to guard him.
Have you thought of that, hmm? - [laughing.]
I might have guessed there was some fox's trick behind your fine talking.
Um, this piece of goods, what's to be done with her? Oh, I suppose I can leave that to you.
- Did you mean me to go with the rest? - You're free to do just as you please, Cleopatra.
- Then you do not care whether I stay or not? - Oh, well, of course, I'd much rather you stayed.
- Then I consent to stay, because I am asked.
But I do not want to, mind.
- Ho there, Teetatota! [Cleopatra giggling.]
- Her name is not Teetatota, it is Ftatateeta! - Oh.
Fta, ta, [throat clearing.]
.
Uh, Tota, the Queen will hold her state here in Alexandria.
You do what is necessary.
- Am I think the mistress of the Queen's household? - No, I am the mistress of the Queen's household.
Go and do as you are told, or I'll have you thrown into the Nile to poison the poor crocodiles! - Oh, no, no, no, no.
- Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
You are very sentimental, Caesar, but you are clever.
If you do as I tell you, you will soon learn to govern.
- Hmm.
You know, Cleopatra, I'm afraid I'm going to have to eat you after all.
- You must not talk to me anymore as if I were a child.
Are you angry with me? - No, no.
I, uh, I have work to do.
- Work, what nonsense! You must remember you are a king now, I have made you one.
Kings don't work! - Oh, who told you that, little kitten? - My father was the king of Egypt and he never worked! But he was a great king, and he cut off my sister's head when she rebelled against him and took the throne from him.
- Well, and how did he get his throne back? - I will tell you.
A beautiful young man, with strong round arms came over the desert with many horsemen and slew my sister's husband and gave my father back his throne.
Oh, I wish he would come again, now that I am queen.
I would make him my husband.
- Well, it might be managed, for it was I who sent that beautiful young man to help your father.
- You know him! - Mmhm.
- He is much, much younger than you, of course.
- He is somewhat younger.
- Tell me, is he still beautiful, with strong round arms shining in the sun like marble? - Oh, he's in excellent condition, considering how much he eats and drinks.
- You must not say common, earthly things about him, for I love him, he's a god.
- Hmm.
- What is his name? - His name is Mark Antony.
- Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony! What a beautiful name! Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! - Uh, yes, no you must run away for a little and send my secretary to me.
- No, I want to stay and hear you talk about Mark Antony.
- If I don't get back to work, Pothinus and the rest will seize the harbor and the way from Rome will be blocked.
- No matter.
I don't want you to go back to Rome.
No, but you want Mark Antony to come from it.
- Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Go quickly to work, Caesar, and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark Antony! Ho, Britannus! - [Soldier.]
Caesar! - Britannicus! - Caesar! - Oh, what now? - This Caesar, and two my comrades killed.
- Ay, how? - Achillas has turned his army against us.
- Well? - I was with two others in the marketplace when the news came.
The citizens fell upon us.
I cut my way through and here I am.
- I'm glad to see you alive.
- Caesar, the Egyptians are burning our ships in the west harbor! - Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know, we are besieged.
Now get your wounds attended to and pass the word to turn out on the beach.
Rufio, take every ship we have in the east harbor and seize the lighthouse.
Leave half our men behind to guard the beach and the quay outside the palace.
That is the way home! - But are we to give up the city? - We haven't got it, Rufio.
This palace, we have, and the beach below.
For the rest, Egypt for the Egyptians.
- Caesar, Pothinus demands to speak to you.
His manner is most insolent.
- Caesar, I have brought you our ultimatum.
- Ultimatum? The door was open.
You should have gone out through it before you declared war.
Now, you're my prisoner.
- I, your prisoner? Do you know that you're in Alexandria? And that King Ptolemy's army, outnumbering your little troop a hundred to one, is in possession of Alexandria? - Turn him over to the guard, Britannus.
And fetch my armor.
[faint shouting.]
- My life will cost you dear if you take it, Caesar! - Horror unspeakable! Woe, alas! Help! - What's the matter now? - Who's slain? - The fire has spread from your ships.
The first of the seven wonders of the world perishes.
- What? - The Library of Alexandria is in flames.
- Oh.
- Oh, is that all? - All? What is burning there is the memory of mankind.
- A shameful memory.
Let it burn.
- Will you destroy the past? - Ay, and build the future with its ruins.
- Oh! - But harken, Theodotus, I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of water just now.
Away with you to Achillas.
Borrow his legions to put out your fire.
- Achillas? Yes, Achillas! - Ho there! Pass Theodotus out.
- You let that Egyptian go? Is this more clemency? - He's gone to save the library.
We must respect literature, Rufio.
- Folly on folly's head! - Now where is Britannus? I sent him for my armor an hour ago.
Britannicus, thou British islander.
Britannicus! - I am going to dress you, Caesar.
These Roman helmets are so becoming! Oh! [laughing.]
- What are you laughing at? - You're bald! - Cleopatra, do you like to be reminded that you are very young? - No.
- And neither do I like to be reminded that I am middle-aged.
- So that is why you wear the wreath to hide it! - Peace, Egyptian! These are the bays of the conqueror.
- Peace, thou islander! Is it true that when Caesar caught you on your island you were painted all over blue? - Blue is the color worn by all Britons of good standing.
In war, we stain our bodies blue so that though our enemies may strip us of our lives and our clothes, they cannot strip us of our respectability.
- Caesar, have you done talking? - Is this well set, Britannicus? - Oh, but you are not going into battle to be killed? - No, Cleopatra.
No man goes to battle to be killed.
- But they do get killed! [Rufio laughing.]
Please, please, please, don't go.
What will become of me if you never come back? - Are you afraid? - No.
- Go to the balcony and you shall see us take the Pharos.
You must learn to look on battles.
Go.
March, Rufio.
- Oh, you will not be able to go! - Why, what now? - They are drying up the harbor with buckets.
Over there, look! They are dipping up the water.
- It is true, the Egyptian army! Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts.
This is your accursed clemency, Caesar.
Theodotus has brought them.
- Ah, I meant him to.
They have come to put out the fire.
The library will keep them busy while we seize the lighthouse.
All ready, there? - [Centurion.]
All ready! Give way for Caesar! Caesar's coming through! - More foxing! [trumpets sounding.]
[soldiers cheering.]
- [Centurion.]
All aboard! Make way there! - Goodbye! Goodbye, dear Caesar! Come back safe! Goodbye! [dramatic music.]
[peaceful exotic music.]
- Who goes there, huh? - What's this? Stand! [Apollodorus laughing.]
Who are you? - I am Apollodorus the Sicilian.
Why, man, what are you dreaming of? We've come past three sentinels, all so busy staring at the sea that none of them challenged us.
Is this Roman discipline? - We're supposed to watch the sea as well as the land.
Caesar has just taken the lighthouse.
What's all this? - Carpets for the furnishing of the Queen's apartments.
- Who's this bit of Egyptian crockery? - Apollodorus, rebuke this Roman dog and bid him bridle his tongue in the presence of a Ftatateeta, the Mistress of the Queen's household! - Oh, this is a great lady who stands high with Caesar.
- Oh, so you're a carpet merchant? - [laughing.]
My friend, my calling is to choose beautiful things for beautiful queens.
My motto is Art for Art's sake.
- That's not the password.
Either you give me the password of the day or get back to your shop.
- How if I do neither? - Then I will drive this sword through you.
- At your service, my friend! [grunting.]
- Thrust your knife into the dog's throat, Apollodorus.
[Apollodorus laughing.]
Stab the little Roman reptile! Spit him on your sword! - How now, how now? What is all this? - Centurion! [soldier mumbling.]
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! I am here by order of the Queen to deliver-- - The Queen! Yes, yes, yes, pass him in.
Pass all these bazaar people in to the Queen with their goods.
- Yes, sir, but-- - But mind you pass no one out that you have not passed in! - Well-- - Not even the Queen herself.
To your post, march! - Is this your wife? - No, no, no.
Not that the lady is not a striking figure in her own way.
But she is not my wife.
- Hmm.
Keep your hands off my men, mistress, or I'll have you pitched into the harbor.
- Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta, I have thought of something! I want a boat, at once! - A boat, no, you cannot, you cannot.
Apollodorus, speak to the Queen.
- Pearl of Queens! I have brought you the three most beautiful-- - I have no time for carpets today.
Can you row, Apollodorus? - Row? My oars shall be your majesty's wings! Whither shall I row my Queen? - To the lighthouse.
Come! - Stand! You cannot pass.
- How dare you? Do you know that I am the Queen? - I have my orders.
No one is to leave this palace, not even the queen herself.
- Ftatateeta, strangle him.
- You come within a yard of me, you old crocodile, I'll give you this in the jaws.
- Hear my counsel, Star of the East.
Until word comes to these soldiers from Caesar himself, you are a prisoner here.
Let me go to him with a message from you, and a present, and I will bring you back Caesar's order of release.
- Apollodorus, you could take a carpet to Caesar, could you not? - Assuredly.
- And you would have it carried gently and take great, great care of it? - Depend on me, beautiful Queen.
- Great, great care? - Place the most delicate glass goblet in the palace in the heart of the roll, and if it be broken, my head shall pay for it.
[giggling.]
- Gods of the seas, bear her safely to the shore! [lighthearted music.]
I wish I knew how our men are getting on with that barricade across the causeway.
The Egyptians cannot be such fools as not to attack before it's completed.
It is the first time I have ever run an avoidable risk.
I should never have come to Egypt, it was rash.
Boyish.
- Boyish? What are these for? - Eat, then have another look at our chances.
When a man gets to your age, he runs down before his midday meal.
- My age.
Yes, yes, Rufio, I'm an old man now, worn out, finished.
True, quite true.
Well, every dog has his day, and I have had mine.
These dates aren't bad, Rufio.
Well, now that you've been to the top of the lighthouse, anyone there? - One elderly Tyrian to work the crane, and his son, a well conducted youth of 14.
- And old man and a boy work that? - They have counterweights, and a machine with boiling water in it which I do not understand.
It is not of British design.
You there! What do you want? What are you here for? - Hello, there! Calm yourselves my friends! I've come by boat from Alexandria with precious gifts for Caesar.
- Tell Caesar about them.
- Hail, great Caesar! I am Apollodorus the Sicilian, an artist.
- An artist! Who could have admitted this vagabond? - Peace, man.
Apollodorus is a famous patrician amateur.
- Amateur, oh, I crave the gentleman's pardon.
I understood him to say he was a professional.
- Well, you're welcome, Apollodorus.
What is your business? - First, to deliver to you a present from the Queen of Queens.
- Who is that? - Cleopatra of Egypt! - Apollodorus, this is no time for playing with presents.
Pray you, go back to the Queen and tell her that if all goes well I shall return to the palace this evening.
- Caesar, I cannot return.
As I approached the lighthouse my boat struck a rock! I had hardly the time to get myself and my charge to the shore before the poor little cockleshell sank.
- Well, well, well, what have you brought me? - Caesar, it is a Persian carpet, oh, a beauty! And in it are, so I am told, pigeons' eggs and glass goblets and fragile precious things.
Oh, I dare not for my head have it carried up that narrow ladder from the causeway.
- Then swing it up by the crane, then.
- Oh you there! Up there! Lower away! Thank you.
- The crane! Caesar, I have sworn to tender this bale of carpet as I tender my own life.
- Well, then let them swing you up at the same time.
Then if the rope breaks, you and the pigeons' eggs will perish together.
- Is Caesar serious? - His manner is frivolous because he's an Italian, but he means what he says.
- Good! Soon you can see me rising like the sun with my treasure! - Are you going to wait here for this foolishness? - Why not? - The Egyptians will let you know why not if they have the sense to attack before our barricade is finished.
- [Apollodorus.]
Ho! Haul away! - Away there! Up there! [playful music.]
Behold the blue that never shone in woman's eyes Easy there! Further around! Slowly, gently, mind the eggs! - Mind the eggs! Lower away! - Slowly, slowly! - Thank you.
- Haul up! - Stand off, my friends, let Caesar see.
- Ha, treachery! Caesar, stand back, I saw the shawl move.
There's something alive in there! - A serpent! - Treacherous dog! - Peace, man, put up your sword.
Apollodorus, your serpent seems to breathe very regularly.
Aha, this is a pretty little snake.
Let's have the rest of you.
- Oh, Caesar, I'm smothered! Caesar, a man stood on me in the boat, then we hit a rock, then the boat sank, then I was swung up in the air and bumped back down.
- Well, never mind, here you are safe and sound at last.
- Ay, and now that she's here, what's to be done with her? - She cannot stay here without the companionship of some matron.
- But you will not leave me will you? - What! Not when the trumpet sounds and all our lives depend on Caesar's being on the barricade? - Let them lose their lives, they are only soldiers.
- Cleopatra, when that trumpet sounds, we must take each man with his life in his hands, and throw it in the face of Death.
And of my soldiers who have trusted me, there is not one whose hand I do not hold more sacred than your head.
[dramatic music.]
Come, Rufio.
- Caesar, do not leave me! - Caesar, we are cut off.
The Egyptians have landed between us and the barricade! - Then we must defend ourselves here.
- Caesar, caught like rats in a trap! - Rufio, Rufio, my men at the barricade, I've murdered them! - I have thrown the ladder into the sea.
They cannot get in without it.
- Ay, and we cannot get out, have you thought of that? - Get out, why not? You have ships, too.
- They're standing in towards us already.
- And by what road are we to walk to the galleys, pray? - The road that leads everywhere, the diamond path of sun and moon! How far off is the nearest galley? - Fifty fathom.
- Good, defend yourselves here until I send you a boat from that galley.
- You have wings, perhaps? - Water wings, friend, behold! - Bravo, bravo, bravo! I will do that too.
- You shall not! Are you mad? - Can I not swim as well as he? - Can an old fool dive and swim like a young one? He's twenty-five, you're fifty.
- Old! I'll race you to the nearest galley for a week's pay, father Rufio.
- But me, me, me, what's to become of me? - I will carry you on my back to the galley like a dolphin.
Rufio, when you see me rise to the surface, throw her in, and then in with you after her, both of you.
- No, no, no, I shall be drowned! - Caesar, I am a man and a Briton, not a fish.
I must have a boat, I cannot swim.
- Neither can I! - Then stay here alone until I recapture the lighthouse.
Oho, Apollodorus! The white upon the blue above! - [Apollodorus.]
Is purple on the green below! - Aha! - Oh, oh, oh, let me see! He'll be drowned! Oh, oh.
[screaming.]
[laughing.]
- He's got her! Hold the fort, Briton.
Caesar will not forget you.
- All safe, Rufio? - [Rufio.]
All safe! - Caesar, one word more! Do not show yourself to the impressionable part of Alexandria till you've changed your clothes! [soldiers cheering.]
The boat has reached him! Hip, hip, hip, hoorah! [triumphant music.]
[peaceful harp music.]
- I wish I could play the harp with my own hands.
Caesar loves music.
[giggling.]
Who are you laughing at? Me or at Caesar? - Oh, at Caesar.
- If you were not a fool, you would laugh at me, and if you were not a coward you would not be afraid to tell me so.
Is that Ftatateeta? They told me that Pothinus has offered you a bribe to admit him to my presence.
- Bribe? No, by my father's gods, no! - Have I not told you not to deny things? Go take the bribe and bring in Pothinus.
Don't answer me, go! - Heigho! I wish Caesar were back in Rome.
- It will be a bad day for you all when he goes.
Why do you wish him away? - He makes you so terribly prosy and serious and learned and philosophical.
It is worse than being religious, at our ages.
[laughing.]
- Cease that endless cackling, will you.
Hold your tongues! - Pothinus craves the ear of the Queen.
- Well, Pothinus, what is the latest news from your rebel friends? - I am no friend of rebellion, and a prisoner does not receive news.
- You are no more a prisoner than I am, than Caesar is.
These six months we've all been besieged here in this palace by my subjects.
- Cleopatra, you are but a child, and do not understand these matters.
- Oh, I see you do not know the latest news, Pothinus.
- What is that? - Oh, that Cleopatra is no longer a child.
Shall I tell you how to grow much older, and much, much wiser in one day? Go to the top of the lighthouse and get somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea.
[laughing.]
- They are right, Pothinus.
You will come to the shore with much conceit washed out of you.
[laughing.]
I will speak with Pothinus alone.
Begone! All of you! [giggling.]
Now, Pothinus, why did you bribe Ftatateeta to bring you hither? - Cleopatra, what they tell me is true.
You are changed.
- Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months, and you will be changed.
If Caesar were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians.
For what Caesar is to me, I am to the fools around me.
- Cleopatra, this may be the vanity of youth.
- No, no, it is not that I am so clever, but that the others are so stupid.
Well now, tell me what you came to say.
- I, nothing.
- Pothinus, you came here with some plan that depended on Cleopatra being a little nursery kitten.
Now that Cleopatra is a queen, the plan is upset.
- And is Cleopatra then indeed a queen, and no longer Caesar's prisoner and slave? - Pothinus, we are all Caesar's slaves, all we in this land of Egypt, whether we will or no.
And she who is wise enough to know this will reign when Caesar departs.
- You will harp on Caesar's departure.
- What if I do? You think that by making my brother king you will rule in Egypt, because you are his guardian and he is a little silly.
- The Queen is pleased to say so.
- 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! - Cleopatra! - And when he has done this, he will return to Rome, and leave Cleopatra here as his viceroy.
- Cleopatra! - Enough! Caesar has spoiled me for talking to weak things like you.
- What angers you? - The curse of all the gods of Egypt be upon her! She's sold her country to the Roman that she may buy it back from him with her kisses.
- Fool! Did she not tell you that she would have Caesar gone? - 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.
- Ay, that it might be ruled by you and your crew in the name of Ptolemy.
- Better me, or even you, than a woman with a Roman heart, and that is what Cleopatra has now become.
Whilst I live, she shall never rule.
So guide yourself accordingly.
[dramatic music.]
[peaceful music.]
- Dinner will be served on the terrace, oh beloved of victory.
- Caesar, this fellow, Pothinus, wants a word with you.
- You are welcome, Pothinus.
And what is your news this evening? - Caesar, I come to warn you of a danger, and to make you an offer.
- Well, never mind the danger, what's the offer.
- Never mind the offer, what's the danger? - Caesar, you think that Cleopatra is devoted to you.
- My friend, I already know what I think.
Come to your offer.
- Go on, spit it out, man.
What have you got to say? - I have to say you have a traitress in your camp.
Cleopatra-- - The Queen! - You should have spat it out sooner, you fool.
Now it's too late.
- What is he doing here? - Just going to tell me something about you.
You shall hear it.
Proceed, Pothinus.
- Caesar, what I have to say is for your ear, not for the Queen's.
- There are means of making you speak.
Take care.
- Caesar does not employ those means.
- My friend, when a man has anything to tell in this world, the difficulty is not to make him tell it, but to prevent him from telling it too often.
To show you I have no hard feelings, I'm setting you free.
Farewell, we shall not meet again.
- [Rufio.]
Come on.
Off with you, you've lost your chance.
- I will speak! - You see, torture would not have wrung a word from him.
- Caesar, are you so besotted with her beauty that you do not see that she is anxious to reign in Egypt alone, and that her heart is set on your departure? - Liar! - What, protestations, contradictions? - No, I do not deign to contradict, let him speak.
- From her own lips I've heard it.
You are to be her catspaw.
You are to tear the crown from her brother's head and set it on her own, delivering us all into her hands, delivering yourself also.
And then Caesar can return to Rome, or depart through the gate of death, which is nearer and surer.
- Well, my friend, and is not this very natural? - Natural? Then you do not resent treachery? - But it is false, false.
I swear it! - It's true, though you swore it a thousand times, and believed all you swore.
[crying.]
- Rufio, let us see Pothinus past the guard.
We give the Queen a moment to recover herself.
You know, Pothinus, [faint speaking.]
.
- Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta.
- Peace, child: be comforted.
- Can they hear us? - No, dear heart, no.
- Listen to me.
If he leaves the Palace alive, never look upon my face again.
- He, Pothinus? - Strike his life out as I strike his name from your lips! Dash him down from the wall.
Break him on the stones.
Kill, kill, kill him.
- The dog shall die.
- Fail in this, and you go out from before me forever.
- So be it.
You shall not look upon my face until his eyes are darkened.
- Come soon, soon.
[men laughing.]
- [Man.]
Caesar.
- You have come back to me, Caesar.
I thought you were angry with me.
Welcome, Apollodorus.
- Cleopatra grows more womanly beautiful from week to week.
Friend Rufio threw a pearl into the sea, Caesar fished up a diamond.
- Caesar fished up a touch of rheumatism, my friend.
Come, dinner! - Yes, to dinner.
I have ordered such a dinner for you, Caesar! - Ay, what have you got? - Peacocks' brains.
- Peacocks' brains, Apollodorus! - I prefer nightingales' tongues.
- Roast boar, Rufio! - Ah, good! - Caesar will deign to choose his wine? - Bring me my barley water.
- Oh.
- It is waste of time ordering dinner for you, Caesar.
My scullions would not condescend to your diet.
- Oh, well, well, well, let us try the wine.
There, now are you satisfied? - And you no longer believe that I long for your departure for Rome? - I no longer believe anything, my brains are asleep.
Besides, who knows if I shall return to Rome? - What? - One day of Rome is very like another, except that I grow older, whilst the crowds on the Appian Way are always the same age.
- It is the same here in Egypt.
The old men, when they are tired of life, say we have seen everything except the source of the Nile.
- And why not see that? Cleopatra, will you come with me and track the flood to its cradle in the heart of the regions of mystery? Shall I find you a new kingdom and build you a holy city there in the great unknown? - Yes, yes, you shall.
- Ah, now he will conquer Africa with two legions before we come to the roast.
- Come, no scoffing, this is a noble scheme.
Let us name the holy city, and consecrate it with Sicilian wine.
- Cleopatra shall name it.
- No, the Nile shall name it himself.
Send for him, and away with you all! - Why not appeal to our hawk-headed friend here? - Shh, he will hear you and be angry.
- The source of the Nile is out of his district, I expect.
- Shh! - Oh now, what hocus pocus is this? - You shall see, and it is not hocus pocus.
To do it properly, we should kill something to please him, but perhaps he will answer Caesar without that if we spill some wine to him.
I am a priestess, and have power to take your charge from you, go.
Now, let us call on the Nile all together.
You must say with me, send us thy voice, Father Nile.
- [All.]
Send us thy voice, Father Nile.
[screaming.]
- What was that? - Nothing, they are beating some slave.
- Nothing? - A man with a knife in him, I'll swear.
- [Caesar.]
A murder! - Shh, silence.
Did you hear that? - Another cry? - [Apollodorus.]
No, a thud.
Something fell, I think.
- Something with bones in it, eh? - [Caesar.]
Hush, hush, Rufio.
Apollodorus, go down to the courtyard and find out what has happened.
- The Queen looks again on the face of her servant.
- Look, the whole town's gone made, I think! - This must be seen to.
- There's some mischief between those two.
I shall know presently.
- Cleopatra, what is happening? - Nothing, nothing dearest Caesar.
I am innocent.
Why do you look at me so? Are you angry with me? I am only a child, and you turn into stone because you think somebody has been killed.
I cannot bear it.
But of course, you cannot bear tears.
Oh, you are quite right.
It is dreadful to think of anyone being killed or even hurt.
- What has frightened you into this? What have you done? [trumpet sounding.]
Aha, That sounds like the answer.
- I have not betrayed you, Caesar, I swear it.
- I know that, I have not trusted you.
- We laid hold of this renegade in the courtyard! He was trying to get into the palace.
- Release him.
What has offended the citizens, Lucius Septimius? - What did you expect, O Great Caesar? Pothinus was a favorite of theirs.
- Pothinus, what has happened to Pothinus? I set him free, here, not half an hour ago.
Did they not pass him out? - Ay, through the gallery arch with three inches of steel in his ribs.
He is as dead as Pompey.
[chuckling.]
We're quits now, you and I, as to killing.
- Assassinated! Our prisoner, our guest! Rufio.
- Whoever did it was a wise man and a friend of yours, but we had no hand in it.
So it is no use to frown at me.
- He was slain by order of the Queen of Egypt.
I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer, who allows every slave to insult him.
Rufio has said I did well, now the others shall judge me too.
This Pothinus came to me and sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas and Ptolemy.
I refused and he cursed me and came privily to Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery.
I caught him in the act, and he insulted me.
Me, the Queen, to my face! Caesar would not avenge me, he spoke him fair and set him free.
Was I wrong to avenge myself? Speak, Apollodorus! - I have only one word of blame, most beautiful.
You should have called upon me, your knight, and in fair duel I should have slain the slanderer.
- I will be judged by your very slave, Caesar.
Britannus, speak, was I wrong? - Were treachery, falsehood, and disloyalty left unpunished, society must become like an arena full of wild beasts, tearing one another to pieces.
Caesar is in the wrong.
- And so the verdict is against me, it seems.
- Listen to me, Caesar.
If one man in all Alexandria can be found to say I did wrong, I swear to have myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves.
- If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever, to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer the world as I have, or be crucified by it.
[faint shouting.]
Do you hear? These knockers at your gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing.
You have slain their leader, it is only right that they shall slay you.
And so, to the end of history, murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race that can understand.
Hearken, you who must not be insulted.
Let the Queen now give her orders for vengeance, and take her measures for defense, for she has renounced Caesar.
- You will not desert me, Caesar! You will defend the palace! - I am only a dreamer.
- But they will kill me! - And why not? - Caesar, enough of preaching.
The enemy is at the gate.
- And who has held him baffled at the gate all these months? By the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into the flood.
- But, Caesar, if you do, you will perish yourself.
- Now, by great Jove, you filthy little Egyptian rat, that is the very word to make him walk out alone into the city and leave us here to be torn to pieces.
Will you desert us because we are a parcel of fools? We are dogs at your heels, but we've served you faithfully.
- Alas, Rufio, my son, my son, as dogs we are now like to die in the streets.
- But I don't want to die! - Oh, ignoble, ignoble! - It may be ignoble, O Great Caesar, but I also mean to live as long as I can.
- Well, my friend, you are likely to outlive Caesar.
- Does Caesar despair? - He who has never hoped can never despair.
Caesar, in good or bad fortune, looks his fate in the face.
- Look it in the face, then, O Great Caesar, and it'll smile as it always has on Caesar.
- Do you presume to encourage me? - I offer you my services.
I willing to change sides if you'll have me.
- What, at this point? - At this point.
I ask for my life, and for a command in Caesar's army.
And since Caesar is a fair dealer, I will pay in advance.
- Pay how? - With a piece of good news for you.
- What news? - What news? What news, dear Rufio? The relief has arrived, what else remains? Is it not so? - It is, sir.
- Mithridates of Pergamos is on the march.
- He has taken Pelusium and is marching by the great road to Memphis.
Achillas will fight him there.
- Achillas will fight Caesar there.
Rufio, the Egyptians must have every soldier in the streets to prevent Mithridates crossing the Nile.
There's nothing in the streets now but mob.
Mob! Lucius Septimius, you are henceforth my officer.
Away and give the word.
Brittanus, see to my horse and armor.
Apollodorus, will you lend your right arm and your sword to this campaign? - Ay, and my heart and life to boot! - I accept both! - Come, this is something like business! - Is it not, my only son? - Caesar! Have you forgotten me? - I am busy now, my child.
When I return your affairs shall be settled.
Farewell, be good and patient.
- That game is played and lost, Cleopatra.
The woman always gets the worst of it.
- Go, follow your master.
- A word first.
Tell your executioner that if Pothinus had been properly killed, in the throat, he would not have called out.
Your man bungled his work.
- How do you know it was a man? - Was it she? With her own hand? - Whoever it was, let my enemies beware of her.
Look to it, Rufio, you who dare make the Queen of Egypt a fool before Caesar.
- I will look to it, Cleopatra.
[crying.]
- Ftatateeta.
Ftatateeta! It is dark, and I am alone.
Come to me.
Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta! Ftatateeta! [screaming.]
[dramatic music.]
[people chattering.]
- Behold, Caesar approaches! [fanfare music.]
- I see my ship awaits me.
The hour of Caesar's farewell to Egypt has arrived, and now, Rufio, what remains to be done before I sail? - Sir, you have yet to choose a Roman governor for this province.
- Indeed, well what say you to, uh, yourself? - I, a governor? What are you dreaming of? You know that I am only the son of a freed man.
- And has not Caesar called you his son? Peace awhile there, and hear me! - Hear Caesar! - Hear the service, quality, rank, and name of the Roman governor.
By service, Caesar's shield, by quality, Caesar's friend, by rank, a Roman soldier! [soldiers cheering.]
By name, Rufio! [soldiers cheering.]
- Ay, I am Caesar's shield, but of what use shall I be to Caesar when I am no longer on his arm? Well, no matter.
- Where is that British Islander of mine? - Here, Caesar.
- Who bade you, pray, thrust yourself into the battle of the Delta, uttering the barbarous cries of your native land, and affirming yourself a match for any four Egyptians, to whom you applied unseemly epithets? - Caesar, I beg that you would forgive the language that escaped me in the heat of the moment.
- And how did you, who cannot swim, cross the canal with us when we stormed the camp? - Caesar, I clung to the tail of your horse.
- These are not the deeds of a slave, Britannicus, but of a free man.
- Caesar.
I was born free.
- But they call you Caesar's slave.
- Only as Caesar's slave have I found real freedom.
- Well said.
Ungrateful that I am, I was about to set you free, but now I would not part from you for a million talents.
Apollodorus, I leave the art of Egypt in your hands.
Remember, Rome loves art and will encourage it ungrudgingly.
- I understand, Caesar.
Rome will produce no art of itself, but it will buy up and take away whatever Egypt produces.
- Is government not an art? Is civilization not an art? All these we give you in exchange for a few ornaments.
You will have the best of the bargain.
And now, Rufio, what else remains to be done before I sail? There's something I cannot remember? what can it be? Well, we must not waste this favorable wind.
Farewell, Rufio.
- Farewell, Apollodorus, and my friends, all of you, farewell.
- Has Cleopatra no part in this leave taking? I knew there was something! Oh Rufio, how could you let me forget her? Had I gone without seeing you, I should never have forgiven myself.
Is this mourning for me? - No.
- For whom, then? - Ask the Roman governor whom you have left us.
He who is to rule in Caesar's way, without punishment, without revenge.
- Rufio? - Yes, Rufio.
- Caesar, Cleopatra had a tigress that killed men at her bidding.
I thought she might bid it kill you some day.
Had I not been Caesar's pupil, what pious things might I not have done to that tigress? I might have punished it.
I might have revenged Pothinus on it.
- Pothinus? - I might have judged it, but I put all these follies aside, and without malice, only cut its throat.
That is why Cleopatra comes to you in mourning.
- He has shed the blood of my servant Ftatateeta.
On your head be it, Caesar, as upon his, if you hold him free of it.
- On my head be it, then, for it was well done.
Rufio, this was natural slaying.
I feel no horror at it.
- No, not when a Roman kills an Egyptian.
All the world will now see how unjust and corrupt Caesar is.
- Oh come, Cleopatra, don't be angry with me.
I am sorry about that poor Teetatota.
[Cleopatra laughing.]
Aha, you are laughing.
Does that mean I'm forgiven? - No, no, no! [giggling.]
It is so silly to hear you call her Teetatota.
- As much a child as ever, Cleopatra! Have I not made a woman of you after all? - Oh, it is you who are a great baby.
You make me seem silly because you will not behave seriously.
But you've treated me badly, and I do not forgive you.
- Bid me farewell.
- I will not.
- I will send you a beautiful present from Rome.
- Beauty from Rome to Egypt, indeed! What can Rome give me that Egypt cannot give me? - You're forgetting the treasures for which Rome is most famous, her sons.
Forgive me and bid me farewell, Cleopatra, and I will send you a man, Roman from head to heel, and Roman of the noblest.
Not old and ripe for the knife.
Not lean in the arms and cold in the heart.
Not hiding a bald head beneath his conqueror's laurels.
Brisk and fresh, young and strong.
Hoping in the morning, fighting in the day, and reveling in the evening.
Will you take such an one in exchange for Caesar? - His name, his name? - Shall it be Mark Antony? - Oh! - You are a bad hand at a bargain, mistress, if you will swap Caesar for Antony.
- So now you're satisfied? - You will not forget.
- I will not forget.
Farewell.
I do not think we shall meet again.
[drumroll music.]
- [Soldiers.]
Hail, Caesar, and farewell! Hail, Caesar, and farewell! [cheering.]
- No tears, dearest Queen.
They stab your servant to the heart.
He will return some day.
- Oh, I hope not.
But I can't help crying, all the same.
[jubilant music.]
[peaceful orchestra music.]
- [Announcer.]
Now the names of tonight's production, after which a special guest will tell you about our next presentation.