took　Berenice　my　sister　and　struck　her　head　off。　And　now　that　my
  father　is　dead　yet　another　of　his　daughters；　my　sister　Cleopatra；
  would　snatch　the　kingdom　from　me　and　reign　in　my　place。　But　the
  gods　would　not　suffer　（Pothinus　coughs　admonitorily）the　gods
  the　gods　would　not　suffer
  POTHINUS　（prompting）。will　not　maintain
  PTOLEMY。　Oh　yeswill　not　maintain　such　iniquity；　they　will　give
  her　head　to　the　axe　even　as　her　sister's。　But　with　the　help　of
  the　witch　Ftatateeta　she　hath　cast　a　spell　on　the　Roman　Julius
  Caesar　to　make　him　uphold　her　false　pretence　to　rule　in　Egypt。
  Take　notice　then　that　I　will　not　sufferthat　I　will　not　suffer
  （pettishly；　to　Pothinus）What　is　it　that　I　will　not　suffer？
  POTHINUS　（suddenly　exploding　with　all　the　force　and　emphasis　of
  political　passion）。　The　King　will　not　suffer　a　foreigner　to　take
  from　him　the　throne　of　our　Egypt。　（A　shout　of　applause。）　Tell　the
  King；　Achillas；　how　many　soldiers　and　horsemen　follow　the　Roman？
  THEODOTUS。　Let　the　King's　general　speak！
  ACHILLAS。　But　two　Roman　legions；　O　King。　Three　thousand　soldiers
  and　scarce　a　thousand　horsemen。
  The　court　breaks　into　derisive　laughter；　and　a　great　chattering
  begins；　amid　which　Rufio；　a　Roman　officer；　appears　in　the　loggia。
  He　is　a　burly；　black…bearded　man　of　middle　age；　very　blunt；
  prompt　and　rough；　with　small　clear　eyes；　and　plump　nose　and
  cheeks；　which；　however；　like　the　rest　of　his　flesh；　are　in
  ironhard　condition。
  RUFIO　（from　the　steps）。　Peace；　ho！　（The　laughter　and　chatter
  cease　abruptly。）　Caesar　approaches。
  THEODOTUS　（with　much　presence　of　mind）。　The　King　permits　the
  Roman　commander　to　enter！
  Caesar；　plainly　dressed；　but；　wearing　an　oak　wreath　to　conceal
  his　baldness；　enters　from；　the　loggia；　attended　by　Britannus；　his
  secretary；　a　Briton；　about　forty；　tall；　solemn；　and　already
  slightly　bald；　with　a　heavy；　drooping；　hazel…colored　moustache
  trained　so　as　to　lose　its　ends　in　a　pair　of　trim　whiskers。　He
  is　carefully　dressed　in　blue；　with　portfolio；　inkhorn；　and　reed
  pen　at　his　girdle。　His　serious　air　and　sense　of　the　importance
  of　the　business　in　hand　is　in　marked　contrast　to　the　kindly
  interest　of　Caesar；　who　looks　at　the　scene；　which　is　new　to　him；
  with　the　frank　curiosity　of　a　child；　and　then　turns　to　the　King's
  chair：　Britannus　and　Rufio　posting　themselves　near　the　steps　at
  the　other　side。
  CAESAR　（looking　at　Pothinus　and　Ptolemy）。　Which　is　the　King？　The
  man　or　the　boy？
  POTHINUS。　I　am　Pothinus；　the　guardian　of　my　lord　the　King。
  Caesar　（patting　Ptolemy　kindly　on　the　shoulder）。　So　you　are　the
  King。　Dull　work　at　your　age；　eh？　（To　Pothinus）　your　servant；
  Pothinus。　（He　turns　away　unconcernedly　and　comes　slowly　along　the
  middle　of　the　hall；　looking　from　side　to　side　at　the　courtiers
  until　he　reaches　Achillas。）　And　this　gentleman？
  THEODOTUS。　Achillas；　the　King's　general。
  CAESAR　（to　Achillas；　very　friendly）。　A　general；　eh？　I　am　a
  general　myself。　But　I　began　too　old；　too　old。　Health　and　many
  victories；　Achillas！
  ACHILLAS。　As　the　gods　will；　Caesar。
  CAESAR　（turning　to　Theodotus）。　And　you；　sir；　are？
  THEODOTUS。　Theodotus；　the　King's　tutor。
  CAESAR。　You　teach　men　how　to　be　kings；　Theodotus。　That　is　very
  clever　of　you。　（Looking　at　the　gods　on　the　walls　as　he　turns　away
  from　Theodotus　and　goes　up　again　to　Pothinus。）　And　this　place？
  POTHINUS。　The　council　chamber　of　the　chancellors　of　the　King's
  treasury；　Caesar。
  CAESAR。　Ah！　That　reminds　me。　I　want　some　money。
  POTHINUS。　The　King's　treasury　is　poor；　Caesar。
  CAESAR。　Yes：　I　notice　that　there　is　but　one　chair　in　it。
  RUFIO　（shouting　gruffly）。　Bring　a　chair　there；　some　of　you；　for
  Caesar。
  PTOLEMY　（rising　shyly　to　offer　his　chair）。　Caesar
  CAESAR　（kindly）。　No；　no；　my　boy：　that　is　your　chair　of　state。　Sit
  down。
  He　makes　Ptolemy　sit　down　again。　Meanwhile　Rufio；　looking　about
  him；　sees　in　the　nearest　corner　an　image　of　the　god　Ra；
  represented　as　a　seated　man　with　the　head　of　a　hawk。　Before
  the　image　is　a　bronze　tripod；　about　as　large　as　a　three…legged
  stool；　with　a　stick　of　incense　burning　on　it。　Rufio；　with　Roman
  resourcefulness　and　indifference　to　foreign　superstitions；
  promptly　seizes　the　tripod；　shakes　off　the　incense；　blows　away
  the　ash；　and　dumps　it　down　behind　Caesar；　nearly　in　the　middle　of
  the　hall。
  RUFIO。　Sit　on　that；　Caesar。
  A　shiver　runs　through　the　court；　followed　by　a　hissing　whisper　of
  Sacrilege！
  CAESAR　（seating　himself）。　Now；　Pothinus；　to　business。　I　am　badly
  in　want　of　money。
  BRITANNUS　（disapproving　of　these　informal　expressions）。　My　master
  would　say　that　there　is　a　lawful　debt　due　to　Rome　by　Egypt；
  contracted　by　the　King's　deceased　father　to　the　Triumvirate；　and
  that　it　is　Caesar's　duty　to　his　country　to　require　immediate
  payment。
  CAESAR　（blandly）。　Ah；　I　forgot。　I　have　not　made　my　companions
  known　here。　Pothinus：　this　is　Britannus；　my　secretary。　He　is　an
  islander　from　the　western　end　of　the　world；　a　day's　voyage　from
  Gaul。　（Britannus　bows　stiffly。）　This　gentleman　is　Rufio；　my
  comrade　in　arms。　（Rufio　nods。）　Pothinus：　I　want　1；600　talents。
  The　courtiers；　appalled；　murmur　loudly；　and　Theodotus　and
  Achillas　appeal　mutely　to　one　another　against　so　monstrous　a
  demand。
  POTHINUS　（aghast）。　Forty　million　sesterces！　Impossible。　There　is
  not　so　much　money　in　the　King's　treasury。
  CAESAR　（encouragingly）。　ONLY　sixteen　hundred　talents；　Pothinus。
  Why　count　it　in　sesterces？　A　sestertius　is　only　worth　a　loaf　of
  bread。
  POTHINUS。　And　a　talent　is　worth　a　racehorse。　I　say　it　is
  impossible。　We　have　been　at　strife　here；　because　the　King's
  sister　Cleopatra　falsely　claims　his　throne。　The　King's　taxes　have
  not　been　collected　for　a　whole　year。
  CAESAR。　Yes　they　have；　Pothinus。　My　officers　have　been　collecting
  them　all　the　morning。　（Renewed　whisper　and　sensation；　not　without
  some　stifled　laughter；　among　the　courtiers。）
  RUFIO　（bluntly）。　You　must　pay；　Pothinus。　Why　waste　words？　You　are
  getting　off　cheaply　enough。
  POTHINUS　（bitterly）。　Is　it　possible　that　Caesar；　the　conqueror　of
  the　world；　has　time　to　occupy　himself　with　such　a　trifle　as　our
  taxes？
  CAESAR。　My　friend：　taxes　are　the　chief　business　of　a　conqueror　of
  the　world。
  POTHINUS。　Then　take　warning；　Caesar。　This　day；　the　treasures　of
  the　temples　and　the　gold　of　the　King's　treasury　will　be　sent　to
  the　mint　to　be　melted　down　for　our　ransom　in　the　sight　of　the
  people。　They　shall　see　us　sitting　under　bare　walls　and　drinking
  from　wooden　cups。　And　their　wrath　be　on　your　head；　Caesar；　if　you
  force　us　to　this　sacrilege！
  CAESAR。　Do　not　fear；　Pothinus：　the　people　know　how　well　wine
  tastes　in　wooden　cups。　In　return　for　your　bounty；　I　will　settle
  this　dispute　about　the　throne　for　you；　if　you　will。　What　say　you？
  POTHINUS。　If　I　say　no；　will　that　hinder　you？
  RUFIO　（defiantly）。　No。
  CAESAR。　You　say　the　matter　has　been　at　issue　for　a　year；
  Pothinus。　May　I　have　ten　minutes　at　it？
  POTHINUS。　You　will　do　your　pleasure；　doubtless。
  CAESAR。　Good！　But　first；　let　us　have　Cleopatra　here。
  THEODOTUS。　She　is　not　in　Alexandria：　she　is　fled　into　Syria。
  CAESAR。　I　think　not。　（To　Rufio）　Call　Totateeta。
  RUFIO　（calling）。　Ho　there；　Teetatota。
  Ftatateeta　enters　the　loggia；　and　stands　arrogantly　at　the　top　of
  the　steps。
  FTATATEETA。　Who　pronounces　the　name　of　Ftatateeta；　the　Queen's
  chief　nurse？
  CAESAR。　Nobody　can　pronounce　it；　Tota；　except　yourself。　Where　is
  your　mistress？
  Cleopatra；　who　is　hiding　behind　Ftafateeta；　peeps　out　at　them；
  laughing。　Caesar　rises。
  CAESAR。　Will　the　Queen　favor　us　with　her　presence　for　a　moment？
  CLEOPATRA　（pushing　Ftatateeta　aside　and　standing　haughtily　on　the
  brink　of　the　steps）。　Am　I　to　behave　like　a　Queen？
  CAESAR。　Yes。
  Cleopatra　immediately　comes　down　to　the　chair　of　state；　seizes
  Ptolemy　and　drags　him　out　of　his　seat；　then　takes　his　place　in
  the　chair。　Ftatateeta　seats　herself　on　the　step　of　the　loggia；
  and　sits　there；　watching　the　scene　with　sybilline　intensity。
  PTOLEMY　（mortified；　and　struggling　with　his　tears）。　Caesar：　this
  is　how　she　treats　me　always。　If　I　am　a　King　why　is　she　allowed　to
  take　everything　from　me？
  CLEOPATRA。　You　are　not　to　be　King；　you　little　cry…baby。　You　are
  to　be　eaten　by　the　Romans。
  CAESAR　（touched　by　Ptolemy's　distress）。　Come　here；　my　boy；　and
  stand　by　me。
  Ptolemy　goes　over　to　Caesar；　who；　resuming　his　seat　on　the
  tripod；　takes　the　boy's　hand　to　encourage　him。　Cleopatra；
  furiously　jealous；　rises　and　glares　at　them。
  CLEOPATRA　（with　flaming　cheeks）。　Take　your　throne：　I　don't　want
  it。　（She　flings　away　from　the　chair；　and　approaches　Ptolemy；　who
  shrinks　from　her。）　Go　this　instant　and　sit　down　in　your　place。
  CAESAR。　Go；　Ptolemy。　Always　take　a　throne　when　it　is　offered　to
  you。
  RUFIO。　I　hope　you　will　have　the　good　sense　to　follow　your　own
  advice　when　we　return　to　Rome；　Caesar。
  Ptolemy　slowly　goes　back　to　the　throne；　giving　Cleopatra　a
  wide　berth；　in　evident　fear　of　her　hands。　She　takes　his　place
  beside　Caesar。
  CAESAR。　Pothinus
  CLEOPATRA　（interrupting　him）。　Are　you　not　going　to　speak　to　me？
  CAESAR。　Be　quiet。　Open　your　mouth　again　before　I　give　you　leave；
  and　you　shall　be　eaten。
  CLEOPATRA。　I　am　not　afraid。　A　queen　must　not　be　afraid。　Eat　my
  husband　there；　if　you　like：　he　is　afraid。