"And so it fell out that at Pharsalia... the great might and manhood of Rome me tin bloody civil war... and Caesar's legions destroyed those of the great Pompey, so that now only Caesar stood at the head of Rome." "But there was no joy for Caesar as in his other triumphs, for the dead which his legions counted and buried and burned... were their own country men." "The smoke of burning Roman dead is just as black, and the stink no less." "It was Pompey, not I, who wanted it so." "Let what I have said be set down." "You may stand." "Do not try and impress me, please, by looking either too penitent or too proud." "As field officers, you fought miserably for Pompey." "Men under your command will be permitted to enlist in my legion... and return to Rome as Romans." "You shall have the same privilege." "I'm not being magnanimous." "Your names are marked." "You'll be watched." "The first sign of treachery or cowardice, you'll be killed." "What is it, Flavius ?" "Antony ?" "Oh, yes." "Canidius." "With news of Pompey, I hope." " Hail Caesar !" " Drink that in my name, Canidius." "To all Marc Antony's cavalry, Caesar's left wing and right arm." "What news of Pompey ?" "Or what's left of him." "Pompey's gone, Caesar." "Slipped through our fingers, disguised as a peddler, if you please." " Leaving most of his merchandise behind." " Gone ?" "Where ?" "There's a report he has a galley waiting at the coast." "Provision for a long voyage." "Egypt, they say." "Egypt." "Possibly." "They owe him a great deal." "He'll ask for sanctuary." "Borrow money, borrow time." "I thought it was over." "seems it's not." "Rufio, consult the augurers." "I want to know." "In Egypt, will Pompey face me at last ?" "But surely, Caesar will now return to Rome." "I must go to Egypt in any case." "Young King Ptolemy and his sister seem to be having a civil war of their own, intent on destroying each other, and in the process," " a great deal of wheat for Rome." " That cannot be so urgent." "Let the people of Rome welcome great Caesar properly at last, in this greatest of his triumphs." "Triumph ?" "Over what ?" "Over whom ?" " Canidius." " Caesar ?" "Leaving me the 10th and 12th, Antony is to take the rest back to Rome." " When can he start ?" " Whenever you say." "Then at once." "And in Rome, Marc Antony is to speak for Caesar." "There's to be no question about his authority to act in my name." "His word will be yours." "And as always, Caesar's word will be law." "Of course." "And remind him to keep his legions intact." " They make the law legal." " Caesar." "Andevenas Caesar's galleys sailed the great sea to Egypt, it was happening that, just as the Romans, so the Egyptians made war one upon the other, for young King Ptolemy would no longer share the throne with his sister Cleopatra," "Brutus, you'll turn Casca's head with your flattery." "but drove her from the city of Alexandria... and sought to destroy her." "We seemed to have arrived on their market day." "One day each week, they are permitted into the royal enclosure." "Market day or not, where's the guard of honor for Caesar ?" "Some representative, at least, of the royal military." "We shall now have the privilege of watching mighty Caesar... battle his way through our marketplace." "Marcellus, a dozen front-rank men, swords only." "I want a path cleared on a direct line to the palace steps," " then as many more you need to keep it open." " Marcellus ?" "It's precisely what they hope we'd be stupid enough to do: manhandle their people." "No." "This is their market day, Rufio." "We will go marketing." " You're not serious." " We will shop our way to the palace steps." "Have you my money ?" "Everything is to be paid for by coin." "Tell the men to put away their swords and carry their moneybags in hand." "Olives." "Oil of Olives." "Ah !" "The wine of Samos !" "How much for your wine ?" "Four drachma." "Sixty of your wine for my men." "Pay him." "Pay him." "You said the Romans were going to push the people back and make them angry." "Why aren't they doing what you said they'd do ?" "Your king has asked you a question, Lord Chamberlain." "The, uh, Romans have degenerated minds, Most High Majesty." "They, uh, do the unexpected." "Particularly one Roman." "Master of the unexpected." "But with so few men." "You all look so impressive." "Any one of you could be king." "His Divine Majesty, my Lord Ptolemy, lord of the upper regions and of the lower regions, son of Ra, of Horus and of Thoth, beloved of" "Et cetera, et cetera." "You welcome me." "And I, Gaius Julius Caesar, consul of the Roman Senate, Pontifex Maximus." "Et cetera, et cetera." "Thank you." "From the Senate and the people of Rome, Hail King Ptolemy." "And, uh, his sister and co-ruler, Queen Cleopatra." "They won't tell you so, but Cleopatra's dead." "She tried to kill me, and then we chased her off into the desert." " And there, she died." " Whereas it is true that His Majesty's sister... repeatedly plotted to have him killed, it is not true that Cleopatra is dead." "Whereas it is true that she, uh, fled from Alexandria." "I seem to be always interrupting you, but the search for truth can go on and on." "Pothinus, is it not ?" "Lord Chamberlain... and chief eunuch to King Ptolemy-- an exalted rank... obtained not without certain, shall we say, sacrifice." "Theodotus, am I right ?" "Tutor to His Majesty in history, philosophy and, uh, ambition." "And Achillas." "They tell me you're a good soldier." "As one to another then, where is Queen Cleopatra ?" " With her army." " And how many of your men between her and Alexandria ?" " Enough." " May I speak ?" "Surely you have come here in peace, mighty Caesar, nor do we present ourselves to you in anything but warm and respectful welcome." "Actually, our only problem being an intern alone of concern only to us." "Why have you come, Caesar ?" "As we all know, when the father of both Ptolemy and Cleopatra died, he named the two of them to rule jointly over Egypt." "Rome was appointed their guardian and the executor of his will." "I have come in the name of Rome to ask why Queen Cleopatra has been deposed, to resolve the differences between her and King Ptolemy... and to see that they peacefully resume their joint ruler ship of Egypt." "That will be difficult." "Cleopatra has forfeited her right." "I shall try to decide justly." "Don't you see that he's going to send for her ?" "He's going to bring Cleopatra back." "The sun which sheds its grace upon the ruler of the two lands burns too brightly perhaps." "If our Lord Ptolemy wishes to retire" "I wish nothing of the kind !" "I'm not going to be put out of the way until I've watched you give him that !" "A thousand pardons, Divine Majesty, I had almost forgotten." "My Lord Ptolemy wishes to enhance his welcome to Caesar by a gift of some importance." "Most generous." "The ring." "Give him Pompey's ring." "And now the token of His Majesty's affection for Rome... and regard for Caesar." "Pompey the Great." "Dead men, they say, do not bite." "Doe sit please you, Caesar?" "They said it would please you very much." "The sun does shed its grace too brightly." "It had become too hot here for kings." "My Lord Ptolemy will retire." "For His Majesty, a Roman guard of honor." "It was not by your hand, of course." "If, as you say, you've been told of me, you know better, Caesar." "My men are to be properly housed and properly fed." " May I speak ?" " Not until you're spoken to." "For myself, I shall require rooms in the palace." "I shall consider myself honored, personally, to escort you." "Anyone but you." "Find the rest of Pompey." "Tear out a thousand tongues, but find him." "Have him purified, the coin in the mouth and the rest honorably." "Of course." "For the time being, this is what we must hold." "The Moon Gate and three others." "Here, here and here." "How are we placed ?" "The 10th slingers on the Moon Gate." "The rest in reserve." "The 12th holding all other positions." "Very thin, Caesar." "For the time being, deep enough." " Have you tested the wells ?" " The water's brackish, but it's fit to drink." "So far." "Keep an eye on them." "Watch the corn and wheat." "Why, with our supplies secure, we can hold indefinitely." "For a week, perhaps, but for the time being, time enough." "What do you want ?" "Is the man to be trusted ?" "It seems that someone's brought me a gift... from Queen Cleopatra." "Apparently, a rug peddler." "Flavius doubts it." "He seems to know the palace extremely well." "He suddenly appeared in a corridor through a secret passage, which none of the men knew about." "I wouldn't put it past Pothinus to send an assassin in Cleopatra's name." "Have the man brought in." "Are you the one who brings a gift from Cleopatra ?" "Then put it down and go." "It is the command of my queen that I deliver her gift personally to Caesar." "I am Caesar." "Lay it here before me." "Forgive me, My Lord Admiral Agrippa, but you're not Caesar." "Nor you, General Rufio." "Nor you, Germanicus." "My queen's gift is for the eyes of Caesar... alone." " That rug seems harmless enough." " No, Caesar !" "You can lend me your sword, Rufio." "It may require some cutting." "An odd way to carry a rug." "Wouldn't it be easier to sling it over your shoulder ?" "It was less comfortable that way." " For you or the rug ?" " That sword, Caesar." "The rug is such a delicate weave." "If I may untie it for you." "Turn it over first." " The rug is right-side-up." " I understand, but I want it the wrong side up." " Or should I flip it over with my sword." " No, no, no, no." "I find one can tell more about the quality of merchandise... by examining the, uh, back side first." "All hail Cleopatra, kindred of Horus and Ra, be loved of the moon and sun, daughter to Isis, and of Upper and Lower Egypt," " queen." "Thank you." "Here." "Take this to the captain of the night watch." "He'll see that the queen's quarters are made ready and available to her." "Stay where you are." " Have I dismissed you ?" " No, Your Majesty." "This is my palace, Caesar." "All of it is, therefore, available to me at my will." "I am not your prisoner." "If anything, you are my guest." "Most kind." "And as for having my quarters, as you put it, made ready, my chief handmaiden has, by now, brought the others out of hiding." "They should almost be finished." "I'm afraid that's impossible." "We've had the doors under heavy guard." "There are doors..." "and doors." "Oh, yes, of course." "You must take me on a tour someday within the walls of your palace." "What are you waiting for ?" " Permission to leave." " Granted." "Apollodorus." "Thank you." "Well, I'm pleased that you received my summons after all and were able to" "Summons ?" "I'm pleased to say I received nothing of the kind." "I'm surprised that you thought I would answer one." "Young lady, the voyage in your non-magic carpet... has apparently not tired you, but I've had an exhausting day." "Caesar, it is essential that we understand each other." "Only through me can you hope to escape... from the desperate situation in which you find yourself." "I wouldn't bite into that if I were you." "Did you bring it with you ?" "Have you had it tasted ?" "If neither, it's probably poisoned." "Well, at least it's another way out of the desperate situation in which I find myself." "You're being tolerant of me, aren't you ?" "Is it because you're so much older ?" "Your maps are inferior." "Out of date, compared to mine." "They and I have aged together." "The lakes to the west are poorly marked." "Certain important hill positions not even noted." "I must arrange for you to address my map makers and general staff." "We've gotten off to a bad start, haven't we ?" "I've done nothing but rub you the wrong way." "I'm not sure I want to be rubbed by you at all, young lady." "It is permissible for me to sit, is it not ?" "Caesar, as quickly as possible, you must set me alone on the throne of Egypt." "My mission here is to put to an end... the tire some squabbling between your brother and you." " You're not a fool." "Or are you ?" " Immodestly, perhaps, no." "You've seen my brother and listened to him ?" "And that truly evil man to whom he belongs ?" "Yes." "Shall we agree, you and I, upon what Rome really wants, has always wanted of Egypt ?" "Corn, grain, treasure." "It's the old story." "Roman greatness built upon Egyptian riches." "You shall have them." "You shall have them allan din peace." "But there is only one way." "My way." "Make me queen." "That sounds very much like an ultimatum." "There is no other way." "From one whose total assets, up to a few moments ago, was a devoted slave and a rolled-up carpet." "But I have you now, Caesar." "Besides, there are my armies... and the simple fact that no mortal hand can destroy me." "Ah, yes." "I seem to recall some mention of an obsession you have about your divinity." "Isis, is it not ?" "I shall have to insist that you mind what you say." "I am Isis." "I am worshipped by millions who believe it." "You are not to confuse what I am... with the so-called divine origin... that every Roman general seems to acquire together with his shield." "It was Venus you chose to be descended from, wasn't it ?" "I must now do a little insisting of my own." "First, your journey has tired you after all, and you wish to retire." "I am not your servant, Caesar." "Do not dismiss me." "Secondly, you have no armies, young lady." "Such as they were, they are gone because you could not pay them." "The riches of Egypt are not available, even for your own use, much less to give away." "Perhaps in a day or two, we can speak again." "That may be too late..." "for both of us." "Your safety will be my responsibility." "And what about your own ?" "I am prepared, I believe, for the time being." "I hope so." "I hope you are as wise, as brilliant, the god they say you are." "You Roman generals become divine so quickly." "A few victories, a few massacres." "Only yesterday, Pompey was a god." " They murdered him, didn't they ?" " Yes." "Because they thought it would please you." " It didn't, did it ?" " No." "Today I found myself remembering how much my daughter loved him." "She died trying to bear him a son." "Gave him this ring." "Sleep well tonight, Caesar." "These next days may be difficult for you." "Good night." "Germanicus, a guard to escort Queen Cleopatra to her apartments." "Guards !" "Hup !" "The corridors are dark, gentlemen." " But you mustn't be afraid." "I am with you." " Hup !" "Don't you think we've covered about everything we can tonight, sir ?" "Perhaps a fresh start in the morning." "No." "There are a few more matters." "One thing, Rufio." "Has it occurred to you that our maps of this area... are not quite what they should be ?" "Why, no." "What makes you think they're not ?" "I have an instinct about these things." "Actually of Macedonian descent." "No Egyptian blood." "Officially admitted, that is." "Reputed to be extremely intelligent and sharp of wit." "Queen Cleopatra is widely read." "Well-verse din the natural sciences and mathematics." "She speaks seven languages proficiently." "Were she not a woman, one would consider her to be an intellectual." "And nothing bores me so much as an intellectual." "Makes a better admiral of you, Agrippa." "Well, here's something perhaps of more interest to the navy." ""In obtaining her objectives, Cleopatra has been known to employ torture, poison, and even her own sexual talents, which are said to be considerable." "Her lovers, I am told, are listed more easily by number than by name." "It is said that she chooses in the manner of a man... rather than wait to be chosen after womanly fashion."" "Well, there's more reason than we thought... for not wanting to leave you alone, with her, eh, sir ?" "I'm sorry, Rufio." "I wasn't listening." "You're not inclined to trust this Cleopatra, are you ?" "Trust ?" "Not for a minute." "Trust." "The word has always made me apprehensive." "Like wine, whenever I've tried it, the after effects have not been good." "So I've given up wine and trusting." "Oh, it's been along and difficult day, gentlemen." "The next few may be even longer and more difficult." " Good night." " Good night." "Flavius !" "Flavius !" "It is autumn again, my best-loved Lesbia." "Look." "The torrents of Roman leaves are falling, falling." "And lovers revive in kisses the promise of spring, which will end the winter world with new nightingales calling." "I taste your food, daughter of Isis, and if there be harm in it, let the harm fall upon me." "But love must bring despair one day... as beauty, sorrow." "Why do you stop, Phoebus ?" "In the corridor, there is movement." "That's how the Romans frighten the enemy, by stamping their elephant feet." "No." "This is one man followed by others." " Caesar, I would say." " Would you ?" "We must not disappoint the mighty Caesar." "The Romans tell fabulous tales of my bath and handmaidens... and my morals." "Cleopatra has requested an audience with me." " That was yesterday, Caesar." " I've been occupied with important matters." "The queen is, at present, occupied with her bath." "Perhaps Caesar could return later or tomorrow." "I'm afraid not." "Hold him." "No, don't hurt him." "You're a good man, Apollodorus." "I hope you're appreciated." "Wait here for me." "Ah, then let us live and love... without one thought for the gossip of virgin snow grown old and stale." "Suns go down and may return, but once putout our own brief light, we sleep through one eternal night." "An intruder !" "A man !" "Oh, it's you." "You, uh, wanted to see me ?" "I summoned you yesterday... to an audience in my throne room." "I was told I was not permitted to go there." "For one thing, it's too close to the quarters... occupied by your brother, Pothinus, Theodotus and the rest." "I will not be told where I can go and where I cannot go !" "Since there's obviously nothing that you want of me" "Except my throne !" "At least you've dressed properly for my presence." "Your best armor ?" "Almost, but I'm afraid it's not being worn in your honor." "I know." "This morning, early, you paid a formal visit to the tomb of Alexander." "You remained alone beside the sarcophagus for some time." "I'd very much like to know how you know." "Just staring down at him." "And then you cried." "Why did you cry, Caesar ?" "That man recites beautifully." "Is he blind ?" " Don't you hurt him." " I won't." "Not anyone who speaks Catullus so well." "Catullus doesn't approve of you." "Why haven't you had him killed ?" "Because I approve of him." "" My desire to please you, Caesar, is very slight." "Nor do I greatly care to know if you are black or white."" "Achillas is moving his entire army to Alexandria." "By tonight, he'll outnumber you 20 to 1, 30 to 1." "He'll have the royal enclosure entirely surrounded." "Except to the sea." "Do you plan to sail away, great Caesar ?" "Not for the time being." "Achillas may attack tomorrow, the next day, whenever it suits him !" " Very probable." " In your wildest dreams, Caesar, how can you possibly hope to hold the gates of this enclosure against such odds ?" "And if you say once more, " For the time being--"" "My officers say anything from a week to indefinitely." "What would you estimate ?" "Before you're without water, without food, your troops slaughtered, picked off from the rooftops, poisoned in the brothels ?" "A few days, Caesar." "At the most, a few days." "I'm inclined to agree with you." "Young man, do you know this of Catullus ?" ""Give me a thousand and a thousand kisses." "When we have many thousand more, we will scramble them and forget the score, so evil envy will not know how high the count... and cast its evil eye."" "It couldn't possibly have been as pleasant in the throne room." " " My desire to please you, Caesar, is very slight--"" " Be still !" "Caesar, a word." "It's important." "The Egyptian war galleys in the eastern harbor, they've been taking on men and armaments all day." "When will they be prepared to move against us ?" "Tomorrow with the morning wind." "Burn them tonight." "Their ships lie close to shore, tightly packed." "There's a chance the fire may spread to the city." "Let's hope it doesn't." "I can't risk a blockade," "And remember, not before tonight." "Prepare as secretly as possible." "I need this day." "Good luck." "Why not before tonight, my lord ?" "Why does Caesar need this day ?" "I can't give you that information..." "for the time being." "Flavius." "Here it is, Caesar." "Just arrived." "The gods shouldn't tantalize us so, Rufio." "It's even better than I'd hoped." "You'd best be on your way." "You haven't much time." "Hail Caesar." "It is called an epilepse... because of the arching caused by the muscular spasms, the contortions." "The Greeks of early times considered those who suffered from it... to be favored by the gods." "The great Alexander, they say, had this falling sickness." "And, so they say, the mighty Caesar too." "Your Majesty, forgive me." "Sosigenus, the library." " What are you talking about ?" " The Romans." "They've set fire to the Egyptian fleet." " It's about time." " Come see for yourself." "The fire's spread to the city." " The city !" " Not a great area, just a few buildings." "But the library is burning." "The great library !" "Aristotle's manuscripts." "The Platonic commentaries, the plays, the histories." "The testament of the Hebrewgod." "The Book of Books." "The wind blew these burning galleys right into the merchant shipping." "At least four or five burned and sank right here." " And our own ships ?" " Safe and dry." "There's a problem about prisoners." " They're surrendering in droves." "I need help." " Not one man." " I may even want your sailors before long." " Halt!" "Take your hands off me!" "You should attack my guards more often." "Battle seems to be come you." "You grow more beautiful each time I see you." "And you grow bolder." "And busier." " Actually, we're extremely busy at this moment " " Do you smell smoke ?" "We found it necessary to burn the Egyptian fleet." "When last seen, the ships were in the water." "Did you find it necessary to burn them in the city streets ?" "Some merchant ships caught fire." "The burning masts fell into the streets." "Some houses" "One of them:" "the great library of Alexandria." "Yes, I've been told." "I'm extremely sorry." " Now, if you don't mind, I must ask you to " " I do mind." "Are you putting the fire out ?" "We're trying to form Egyptian prisoners into fire brigades." "Oh, I see." "Romans only start fires, is that it ?" "Have you broken out of your nursery, young lady, to come irritate the adults ?" "Some other time." "We have work to do." "Shall we remove her for you, Caesar ?" "Use that Roman genius for destruction." "Tear down pyramids, wipe out cities !" "How dare you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library?" "Play conqueror all you want, mighty Caesar." "Rape, murder, pillage thousands, millions of human beings." "But neither you nor any other barbarian... has the right to destroy one human thought !" "That's enough !" "Leave me alone with her." "I will send for you when I finish." "It will not be long." "Swords ?" "Javelins ?" "Or are you going to set me on fire ?" "The time has come, I think, for us to understand each other." "Whatever else I may be, in your opinion, first of all, I am Caesar." "And I am Cleopatra, queen, daughter of Isis !" "If I say so and when I say so, you are what I say you are, nothing more." "Hail Caesar !" "You, a descendant of generations of inbred, incestuous mental defectives," " how dare you call anyone barbarian." " Barbarian !" "Daughter of an idiotic flute-playing drunkard who bribed his way to the throne." "Your price was too high, remember ?" "I've had my fill with the smug condescension of you worn-out pretenders, parading on the ruins of your past glories." " The future concerns me." " Then keep out of my affairs and do as I say." "Do as you say ?" "Literally ?" "As if I were something you had conquered ?" "If I choose to regard you as such." "Am I to understand then... that you feel free to do with me whatever you want, whenever you want ?" "Yes, I want that understood." "Won't you at least wear your laurel wreath... so I can be reminded it's the divine Caesar that honors me so ?" "You talk too much." "I promise you..." "you won't like me this way." "Caesar!" "An attack on the Moon Gate!" "The Moon Gate." "An attack in force !" "Those ballistas need eliminating." "Send out a turtle." "Form the turtle !" "Now is the time for us to attack !" " No." " We have a full legion in reserve." "We hold our positions here." "Two hours till dawn." "We'll hold where we are." " And what happens at dawn ?" " I thought you knew." "The sun comes up." "Tell the men they've won their fight." "Immediate liberty and plenty of wine for those who defended the gate." "All reserves, the cavalry, every fresh man available, have them move out behind Achillas." " We have him in a vise." " What is the other half of this vise ?" "Rufio and the armies of Mithradates." " He left last night to meet them." " Mithradates ?" "How could he get here this fast ?" "I started him when we set sail for Egypt." "After all, no general in his right mind... could hope to hold Alexandria with two legions, as you and others have repeatedly pointed out to me." "I taste your drink, daughter of Isis, and if there be harm in it, let the harm fall upon me." "Lotus." "You wiped the rim of the cup after you tasted it." " Why ?" " Why ?" "Why, so my mouth would not soil it." "Lotus, taste it again." "Pothinus said he would have me killed." "Forgive me, Majesty." "Forgive me." "Forgive me." "I forgive you." "Now drink it." "Apollodorus !" "Apollodorus !" "Great silence for Gaius Julius Caesar, consul of the Senate of the people of Rome." "You will all stand." "Let what is said be recorded... as the judgment and decree of the Senate and people of Rome." "There is no judgment here." "And the decree not Rome's, but Cleopatra's." "She has lied to you, Caesar." "She and her slaves lie to you." "You have not been accused, Pothinus, thus far." "You are now charged with inciting and abetting war against the Roman army." "You are now charged with plotting to assassinate Queen Cleopatra." "You are guilty of both." " You are sentenced to death." "It's too bright in here." "Shut out some of the sun." "Are you going to kill me too, Caesar ?" "What am I accused of?" "King Ptolemy is hereby removed... from the protective custody of Rome." "He will leave the palace within the hour... and be conducted safely to the camp of General Achillas." "Achillas ?" "You're going to send me back to my own troops ?" "He is to be accompanied by his learned tutor, Theodotus." "Do you hear that ?" "You're going to be saved along with me." "Stop grining, you little idiot." "May I speak ?" "You know that Achillas is trapped... between your own legions and the armies of Mithradates." "You know that to send His Majesty to fight against them may mean his death." "An occupational hazard for those who would be king." "But then certainly not I, Caesar." "I'm no king, nor general." "What do I know of war ?" "A simple scholar." "A man of thoughts and words." "Too many words." "Enough." "Let all be done properly as decreed." "Flavius." "Find Apollodorus." "Return his dagger to him." "You might clean it first." "It has Pothinus all over it." "Yes, yes, I know I'm tired." "I promise I'll sleep." "You have my apologies for what almost happened to you." "Caesar, will you talk with me for just a minute ?" "Yesterday was full." "Tonight was rather long." "This morning has not been uneventful." "Did you know that Apollodorus would kill Pothinus ?" "He was kind enough to wait until Rome had passed sentence of death." "And my brother..." "and Theodotus ?" "They, too, will be killed, possibly." "Probably." "Your Majesty, I'm truly weary." "If you'll forgive me." "You knew all along, didn't you, that there was no real danger, that Mithradates was on his way to reinforce you." "Why didn't you tell me ?" "I said I was prepared." "You wouldn't believe me." " I don't want to be rude, but I really must insist " " I would've believed you." " You didn't trust me, is that it ?" " Not for an instant." "And yet..." "in these last few minutes, you have made me undisputed queen." "The sole ruler of Egypt." "Why ?" "Perhaps" " Perhaps tomorrow later in the day we could talk." " Why, Caesar ?" " It was best for Rome." "Please !" " Best for Egypt." " For Egypt too." "Cleopatra, get out." "I beg of you, get out." "That will not be needed." "It wasn't necessary for me to betray myself." "I could have called out for Flavius." "How many new spy-holes have you dug in the walls ?" "Are we being watched even now ?" "If you see Flavius, you might send him to me." " Still trying to dismiss me ?" " What is it you want ?" " What more do you want ?" " To be of help to you." "There never has been help." "There never will be." "Now there is." "One day it'll happen where I cannot hide, where the world will see me fall." "I shall tumble down before the mob... and foam at the mouth and make them laugh, and they'll tear me to pieces." "The gods themselves had your sickness." "Hannibal, even the great Alexander." "And in the end, they fell." "Were torn to pieces by the mob." "Not you." "I will see to that." "In the name of the Senate and the people of Rome and by their will." "Isis herself would surrender her place in heaven... to be as beautiful as you." "You're not supposed to look at me." "No one is." "Well, if they aren't looking, how do they know that I am ?" "You should be kneeling." "That, too, before all these visiting kings, making believe that they're not watching us ?" "You have such bony knees." "Not only bony, but unaccustomed to this sort of thing."