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APOLLODORUS （when the cords are loose）。 Stand off； my friends：
let Caesar see。 （He throws the carpet open。）
RUFIO。 Nothing but a heap of shawls。 Where are the pigeons' eggs？
APOLLODORUS。 Approach； Caesar； and search for them among the
shawls。
RUFIO （drawing his sword）。 Ha； treachery！ Keep back； Caesar： I
saw the shawl move： there is something alive there。
BRITANNUS （drawing his sword）。 It is a serpent。
APOLLODORUS。 Dares Caesar thrust his hand into the sack where the
serpent moves？
RUFIO （turning on him）。 Treacherous dog
CAESAR。 Peace。 Put up your swords。 Apollodorus： your serpent
seems to breathe very regularly。 （He thrusts his hand under the
shawls and draws out a bare arm。） This is a pretty little snake。
RUFIO （drawing out the other arm）。 Let us have the rest of you。
They pull Cleopatra up by the wrists into a sitting position。
Britannus； scandalized； sheathes his sword with a drive of
protest。
CLEOPATRA （gasping）。 Oh； I'm smothered。 Oh； Caesar； a man stood
on me in the boat； and a great sack of something fell upon me out
of the sky； and then the boat sank； and then I was swung up into
the air and bumped down。
CAESAR （petting her as she rises and takes refuge on his breast）。
Well； never mind： here you are safe and sound at last。
RUFIO。 Ay； and now that she is here； what are we to do with her？
BRITANNUS。 She cannot stay here； Caesar； without the
companionship of some matron。
CLEOPATRA （jealously； to Caesar； who is obviously perplexed）。
Aren't you glad to see me？
CAESAR。 Yes； yes； I am very glad。 But Rufio is very angry； and
Britannus is shocked。
CLEOPATRA （contemptuously）。 You can have their heads cut off； can
you not？
CAESAR。 They would not be so useful with their heads cut off as
they are now； my sea bird。
RUFIO （to Cleopatra）。 We shall have to go away presently and cut
some of your Egyptians' heads off。 How will you like being left
here with the chance of being captured by that little brother of
yours if we are beaten？
CLEOPATRA。 But you mustn't leave me alone。 Caesar you will not
leave me alone； will you？
RUFIO。 What！ Not when the trumpet sounds and all our lives depend
on Caesar's being at the barricade before the Egyptians reach it？
Eh？
CLEOPATRA。 Let them lose their lives： they are only soldiers。
CAESAR （gravely）。 Cleopatra： when that trumpet sounds； we must
take every man his life in his hand； and throw it in the face of
Death。 And of my soldiers who have trusted me there is not one
whose hand I shall not hold more sacred than your head。
（Cleopatra is overwhelmed。 Her eyes fill with tears。）
Apollodorus： you must take her back to the palace。
APOLLODORUS。 Am I a dolphin； Caesar； to cross the seas with young
ladies on my back？ My boat is sunk： all yours are either at the
barricade or have returned to the city。 I will hail one if I can：
that is all I can do。 （He goes back to the causeway。）
CLEOPATRA （struggling with her tears）。 It does not matter。 I will
not go back。 Nobody cares for me。
CAESAR。 Cleopatra
CLEOPATRA。 You want me to be killed。
CAESAR （still more gravely）。 My poor child： your life matters
little here to anyone but yourself。 （She gives way altogether at
this； casting herself down on the faggots weeping。 Suddenly a
great tumult is heard in the distance； bucinas and trumpets
sounding through a storm of shouting。 Britannus rushes to the
parapet and looks along the mole。 Caesar and Rufio turn to one
another with quick intelligence。）
CAESAR。 Come； Rufio。
CLEOPATRA （scrambling to her knees and clinging to him）。 No； no。
Do not leave me； Caesar。 （He snatches his skirt from her clutch。）
Oh！
BRITANNUS （from the parapet）。 Caesar： we are cut off。 The
Egyptians have landed from the west harbor between us and the
barricade！！！
RUFIO （running to see）。 Curses！ It is true。 We are caught like
rats in a trap。
CAESAR （ruthfully）。 Rufio； Rufio： my men at the barricade are
between the sea party and the shore party。 I have murdered them。
RUFIO （coming back from the parapet to Caesar's right hand）。 Ay：
that comes of fooling with this girl here。
APOLLODORUS （coming up quickly from the causeway）。 Look over the
parapet； Caesar。
CAESAR。 We have looked； my friend。 We must defend ourselves here。
APOLLODORUS。 I have thrown the ladder into the sea。 They cannot
get in without it。
RUFIO。 Ay； and we cannot get out。 Have you thought of that？
APOLLODORUS。 Not get out！ Why not？ You have ships in the east
harbor。
BRITANNUS （hopefully； at the parapet）。 The Rhodian galleys are
standing in towards us already。 （Caesar quickly joins Britannus
at the parapet。）
RUFIO （to Apollodorus； impatiently）。 And by what road are we to
walk to the galleys； pray？
APOLLODORUS （with gay； defiant rhetoric）。 By the road that leads
everywherethe diamond path of the sun and moon。 Have you never
seen the child's shadow play of The Broken Bridge？ 〃Ducks and
geese with ease get over〃eh？ （He throws away his cloak and cap；
and binds his sword on his back。）
RUFIO。 What are you talking about？
APOLLODORUS。 I will show you。 （Calling to Britannus） How far off
is the nearest galley？
BRITANNUS。 Fifty fathom。
CAESAR。 No； no： they are further off than they seem in this clear
air to your British eyes。 Nearly quarter of a mile； Apollodorus。
APOLLODORUS。 Good。 Defend yourselves here until I send you a boat
from that galley。
RUFIO。 Have you wings； perhaps？
APOLLODORUS。 Water wings； soldier。 Behold！
He runs up the steps between Caesar and Britannus to the coping
of the parapet； springs into the air； and plunges head foremost
into the sea。
CAESAR （like a schoolboywildly excited）。 Bravo； bravo！
（Throwing off his cloak） By Jupiter； I will do that too。
RUFIO （seizing him）。 You are mad。 You shall not。
CAESAR。 Why not？ Can I not swim as well as he？
RUFIO （frantic）。 Can an old fool dive and swim like a young one？
He is twenty…five and you are fifty。
CAESAR （breaking loose from Rufio）。 Old！！！
BRITANNUS （shocked）。 Rufio： you forget yourself。
CAESAR。 I will race you to the galley for a week's pay； father
Rufio。
CLEOPATRA。 But me！ Me！！ Me！！！ What is to become of me？
CAESAR。 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： I will
answer for her。 And then in with you after her； both of you。
CLEOPATRA。 No； no； NO。 I shall be drowned。
BRITANNUS。 Caesar： I am a man and a Briton； not a fish。 I must
have a boat。 I cannot swim。
CLEOPATRA。 Neither can I。
CAESAR （to Britannus）。 Stay here； then； alone； until I recapture
the lighthouse： I will not forget you。 Now； Rufio。
RUFIO。 You have made up your mind to this folly？
CAESAR。 The Egyptians have made it up for me。 What else is there
to do？ And mind where you jump： I do not want to get your
fourteen stone in the small of my back as I come up。 （He runs up
the steps and stands on the coping。）
BRITANNUS （anxiously）。 One last word； Caesar。 Do not let yourself
be seen in the fashionable part of Alexandria until you have
changed your clothes。
CAESAR （calling over the sea）。 Ho； Apollodorus： （he points
skyward and quotes the barcarolle）
The white upon the blue above
APOLLODORUS （swimming in the distance）
Is purple on the green below
CAESAR （exultantly）。 Aha！ （He plunges into the sea。）
CLEOPATRA （running excitedly to the steps）。 Oh； let me see。 He
will be drowned。 （Rufio seizes her。） Ahahahah！ （He pitches
her screaming into the sea。 Rufio and Britannus roar with
laughter。）
RUFIO （looking down after her）。 He has got her。 （To Britannus）
Hold the fort； Briton。 Caesar will not forget you。 （He springs
off。）
BRITANNUS （running to the steps to watch them as they swim）。 All
safe； Rufio？
RUFIO （swimming）。 All safe。
CAESAR （swimming further of）。 Take refuge up there by the beacon；
and pile the fuel on the trap door； Britannus。
BRITANNUS （calling in reply）。 I will first do so； and then
commend myself to my country's gods。 （A sound of cheering from
the sea。 Britannus gives full vent to his excitement） The boat
has reached him： Hip； hip； hip； hurrah！
END OF ACT III。
ACT IV
Cleopatra's sousing in the east harbor of Alexandria was in
October 48 B。 C。 In March 47 she is passing the afternoon in her
boudoir in the palace； among a bevy of her ladies； listening to a
slave girl who is playing the harp in the middle of the room。
The harpist's master； an old musician； with a lined face；
prominent
brows； white beard； moustache and eyebrows twisted and horned at
the ends； and a consciously keen and pretentious expression； is
squatting on the floor close to her on her right； watching her
performance。 Ftatateeta is in attendance near the door； in front
of a group of female slaves。 Except the harp player all are
seated： Cleopatra in a chair opposite the door on the other side
of the room； the rest on the ground。 Cleopatra's ladies are all
young； the most conspicuous being Charmian and Iras； her
favorites。 Charmian is a hatchet faced； terra cotta colored
little goblin； swift in her movements； and neatly finished at the
hands and feet。 Iras is a plump； goodnatured creature； rather
fatuous； with a profusion of red