"And so it fell out that at Pharsalia  the great might and manhood of Rome met in 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 countrymen." "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 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 legions and returned to Rome as Romans." "You shall have the same privilege." "I'm not magnanimous." "Your names are marked." "You'll be watched." "First sign of treachery, 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?" "Pompey's gone, Caesar." "Slipped through our fingers, disguised as a peddler." " Leaving most of his merchandise." " Gone?" "Where?" "He has a galley waiting at the coast." "Provision enough for 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." "It 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." "King Ptolemy and his sister have a civil war of their own intent on destroying each other, and in the process, Rome's wheat." "That cannot be so urgent." "Let the Romans welcome great Caesar properly at last in this greatest of his triumphs." "Triumph?" "Over what?" "Over whom?" " Canidius." " Caesar?" "Leave me the 10th and 12th." "Antony's to take the rest to Rome." " When can he start?" " Whenever you say." "Then at once." "And in Rome, Marc Antony is to speak for Caesar." "His authority is not to be questioned." "His word will be yours." "As always, Caesar's word is law." "Of course." "But remind him to keep his legions intact." "They make the law legal." "Caesar." "And even as 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 King Ptolemy would no longer share the throne  with his sister Cleopatra  but drove her from the city of Alexandria  and sought to destroy her." "We've arrived on their market day." "Once a week they're allowed in the royal enclosure." "Where's the guard of honor for Caesar?" "Some representative of the royal or military?" "We have the privilege of watching Caesar battle through our marketplace." "Marcellus, a dozen front-rank men, swords only." "Clear a direct line to the palace steps." "Then as many more to keep it open." "It's precisely what they hope we'd do:" "Manhandle their people." "No." "This is their market day, we will go marketing." " You're not serious." " We'll shop our way to the palace." "Have you my money?" "Everything is to be paid for by coin." "Tell them to put away the swords and carry moneybags." "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 they'd push the people and make them angry." "Why aren't they doing what you said they'd do?" "Your king has asked a question, Lord Chamberlain." "The Romans have degenerated minds, Most High Majesty." "They 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 and Lower regions son of Ra, of Horus and of Thoth, beloved of..." "Et cetera, et cetera." "You welcome me." "And I, Gaius Julius Caesar, Pontifex Maximus et cetera, et cetera, thank you." "From the Senate and people of Rome, hail King Ptolemy." "And his sister and co-ruler, Queen Cleopatra?" "They won't tell you so, but Cleopatra's dead." "She tried to kill me, and we chased her 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 fled from Alexandria..." "I seem to always interrupt 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 ambition." "And Achillas." "They say you're a good soldier." " As one to another, where is Cleopatra?" " With her army." "And how many of your men between her and Alexandria?" " Enough." " May I speak?" "Surely you have come in peace." "And we present ourselves to you in warm and respectful welcome." "Our only problem being an internal one, 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 Cleopatra has been deposed to resolve the differences between her and King Ptolemy and to see that they peacefully resume their joint rule of Egypt." "That will be difficult." "Cleopatra has forfeited her right." "I shall try to decide justly." "Don't you see he'll send for her?" "He'll bring her back!" "The sun which sheds its grace upon the ruler of the two lands burns too brightly perhaps." "If Lord Ptolemy wishes to retire..." "I wish nothing of the kind!" "I won't be put out of the way until I've watched you give him that!" "A thousand pardons, I had almost forgotten." "Lord Ptolemy wishes to enhance his welcome 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." "Does it please you, Caesar?" "They said it would please you very much." "The sun does shed its grace too brightly." "It has 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." "Lf, as you say, you've been told of me, you know better, Caesar." "My men shall be properly housed and fed." " May I speak?" " Not until you're spoken to." "I'll require rooms in the palace." "I shall consider myself honored 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 now, this is what we must hold." "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." "For now, deep enough." " And the wells?" " The water's brackish, but drinkable." "So far." "Keep an eye on them." "Watch the corn and wheat." "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?" "Seems someone's brought me a gift from Queen Cleopatra." "Apparently, a rug peddler." "Flavius doubts it." "He seems to know the palace very well." "He appeared through a secret passage which none of the men knew." "Pothinus might send an assassin in Cleopatra's name." "Have the man brought in." "Are you the one who brings a gift from Cleopatra?" "Put it down and go." "It is the command of my queen I deliver her gift personally." "I am Caesar." "Lay it here before me." "Forgive me, 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." " It seems harmless enough." " No, Caesar!" "You can lend me your sword, Rufio." "It may require some cutting." "Odd way to carry a rug." "Isn't it 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 want it the wrong side up." " Should I flip it over with my sword?" " No." "I find one can tell more about the quality of merchandise by examining the back side first." "All hail Cleopatra, kindred of Horus and Ra beloved 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 the queen's quarters are made ready to her." "Stay where you are." " Have I dismissed you?" " No, Your Majesty." "This is my palace, Caesar." "All of it is 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." "Impossible." "The doors are under guard." "There are doors, and doors." "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." "I'm pleased you received my summons and were able to..." "Summons?" "I'm pleased to say I received nothing of the kind." "I'm surprised you thought I would answer one." "Young lady, the voyage in your carpet has apparently not tired you, but I'm exhausted." "Caesar, it is essential we understand each other." "Only through me can you hope to escape the desperate situation in which you find yourself." "I wouldn't bite into that." "Did you bring it with you?" "Have you had it tasted?" "If neither, it's probably poisoned." "At least it's another way out of the desperate situation in which I'm found." "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 mapmakers and general staff." "We've gotten off to a bad start, haven't we?" "I've rubbed 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?" "As quickly as possible you must set me alone on the throne of Egypt." "My mission is to put to an end to your tiresome squabbling." "You're not a fool." "Or are you?" "Lmmodestly, perhaps, no." "You've seen my brother and listened to him?" "And that truly evil man to whom he belongs?" "Yes." "Shall we agree 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 all and in peace." "But there is only one way." "My way." "Make me queen." "That sounds very much like an ultimatum." "There is no other way." "For one whose 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." "Yes, I 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 worshiped by millions who believe it." "Do not confuse what I am with the so-called divine origin that every Roman general acquires 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." "The journey has tired you and you wish to retire." "I am not your servant, Caesar." "Do not dismiss me." "Secondly, you have no armies, young lady." "They are gone because you could not pay them." "Egypt's riches are not available for your 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!" "The corridors are dark, gentlemen." "But you mustn't be afraid." "Haven't we covered everything we can tonight, sir?" " Perhaps a fresh start in the morning." " No, a few more matters." "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 officially admitted Egyptian blood." ""Reputed to be extremely intelligent and sharp of wit." "Queen Cleopatra is widely read." "Well-versed in the sciences and mathematics." "She speaks seven languages proficiently." "Were she not a woman, she'd be considered an intellectual."" "Nothing bores me so much as an intellectual." "Makes a better admiral of you, Agrippa." "Here's something of more interest to the navy:" ""In obtaining her objectives, she has been known to use 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 in womanly fashion."" "Well, there's more reason than we thought for not wanting to leave you two alone, eh, sir?" "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening." "Are you inclined to trust Cleopatra?" "Trust?" "Not for a minute." ""Trust." The word has always made me apprehensive." "Like wine, whenever I've tried it, the aftereffects have not been good." "So I've given up wine and trusting." "Oh, it's been a long 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's requested my presence." " That was yesterday, Caesar." " I've been occupied." "The queen is 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 virgins Now grown old and stale" "Suns go down and may return" "But once put out Our own brief light" "We sleep through One eternal night."" "An intruder!" "A man!" "Oh, it's you." "You 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." "It's too close to the quarters occupied by your brother and the rest." "I will not be told where I can go and where I cannot go!" "Since there's nothing you want..." "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, you paid a formal visit to the tomb of Alexander." "You remained alone beside the sarcophagus for some time." "I'd 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 more, We'll scramble them" "And forget the score" "So evil envy will not know How high the count" "And cast its evil eye."" "It couldn't 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 galleys in the harbor have been taking on men and armaments." " When will they be prepared?" " Tomorrow, with the morning wind." "Burn them tonight." "Their ships lie close to shore." " The fire may spread to the city." " Let's hope it doesn't." "I can't risk a blockade." "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." " Be on your way, you haven't much time." " Hail Caesar." "It's called an epilepse because of the arching caused by muscular spasms the contortions." "The early Greeks 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." "Sosigenes, the library." " What are you saying?" " The Romans set fire to the Egyptian fleet." " It's about time." "Come see for yourself." "The fire's spread to the city." " The city?" " 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 Hebrew god." "The Book of Books." " Wind blew into the merchant shipping." " Four burned and sank right here." " And our ships?" " Safe and dry." "Prisoners are surrendering in droves." "I need help." " Not one man." "I may need your sailors." " Halt!" "Take your hands off me!" "You should attack my guards more often." "Battle seems to become you." "You grow more beautiful each time I see you." "And you grow bolder." "And busier." " Actually, we're extremely busy..." " Do you smell smoke?" "We found it necessary to burn the Egyptian fleet." "The ships were in the water." "Did you find it necessary to burn them in the streets?" "Merchant ships caught fire." "The burning masts fell." "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..." " I do mind." "Are you putting the fire out?" "We're forming prisoners into fire brigades." "Oh, I see." "Romans only start fires, is that it?" "Have you left the nursery to come irritate the adults?" "Another time, we're working." " Shall we remove her for you, Caesar?" " Use 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!" "Enough!" "Leave me alone with her." "I will send for you when I finish." "It won't be long." "Swords?" "Javelins?" "Or are you going to set me on fire?" "The time has come 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, descendant of inbred generations of incestuous mental defectives how dare you call me barbarian." " Barbarian!" "Daughter of a drunkard who bribed his way to the throne." " Your price was too high, remember?" " I've had enough of you pretenders parading on ruins of past glories." " Only the future concerns me." " Keep out of my affairs, 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 that you're 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." "Liberty and wine for defenders of the gate." "All reserves, cavalry, every man available, move out behind Achillas." " We have him in a vise." " What is the other half?" "Rufio and the armies of Mithradates." "He went out last night." "Mithradates?" "How could he get here this fast?" "I sent him when we sailed for Egypt." "No general in his right mind can 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?" "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 senate consul 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 and 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'll leave within the hour and be conducted safely to the camp of 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'll be saved along with me." "Stop grinning, you little idiot." "May I speak?" "You know that Achillas is trapped between your own legions and the armies of Mithradates." "To send His Majesty to fight may mean his death." "An occupational hazard for those who are 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 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." "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?" " You wouldn't believe me." " I really must insist..." " I would've believed you." " You didn't trust me." " Not for an instant." "And yet, in these last few minutes you have made me undisputed queen." "The sole ruler of Egypt." "Why?" "Perhaps tomorrow we could talk." " Why, Caesar?" " It was best for Rome!" " 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." "If they aren't looking, how do they know I am?" "You should be kneeling." "Would that do before all these visiting kings?" "Making believe they're not watching us?" "You have such bony knees." "Not only bony, but unaccustomed to this sort of thing." "If we're to get an early start in the morning..." "What will it be tomorrow?" "More wheat?" "What I've seen could feed more legions than Rome ever had." "There's enough to feed the world." "More gold then." "Why not buy the world?" "Surely you have enough." "At least enough to pay more legions than even Rome has ever had." "More granite, more marble more millions of slaves to build whatever needs building." "Better routes to India, shorter routes to the East." "What can there be in Egypt that I haven't seen?" "Egypt itself." "The reason for Egypt." "My responsibility is Rome." "Alexander understood it that from Egypt he could rule the world." "He was very young." "And you, even younger." "At your age, such dreams have a reality which grows less in time." "Caesar no longer dreams?" "Dangerous to a man of my calling." "Necessary, I would have thought." "I can't stay away from Rome too long." "There are problems." "Messages from Marc Antony endlessly demanding my return." "And on my way back, wars to be fought in the east and north." "Even in Rome itself I'm not without opposition." "Do to them what you did to Achillas." "This is opposition of a different sort." "They weave it cleverly, lightly, like a cobweb." "You know what happens when cobwebs are not regularly swept away." "Do you trust this Marc Antony?" "If anyone in the world, I trust Antony." "Let him brush away the cobwebs for you and stay with me." "You've been declared dictator for a year." "You can do what you want with your time." "Everything but make it stand still." "If..." "When you return to Rome these wars that have to be fought on the way, are they important?" "Well, there's no such thing as an unimportant war." "I've been reading in your commentaries about your campaigns in Gaul." "How does my writing compare with Catullus?" "Well, it's different." "Dull." "Perhaps a little too much description." "You're being tactful." "Some of my critics, Brutus, for one tell me my Latin is not only ungrammatical, but common." "You spared his life more than once." "People say it's because Brutus is your son." "Is that true?" "I have no son." " Calpurnia, your third wife..." " Fourth." "...married to you how long?" "12 years?" "And still, Caesar has no son, no child at all." "It is well-known that Calpurnia is barren." "A woman who cannot bear children is like a river that is dry." "I see no purpose in discussing the subject further." "A woman, too, must make the barren land fruitful." "She must make life grow where there was no life." "Just as the Mother Nile feeds and replenishes the earth." "I am the Nile." "I will bear many sons." "Isis has told me." "My breasts are filled with love and life." "My hips are rounded and well apart." "Such women, they say have sons." "That first time when you stood here alone why did you cry?" "Will you tell me now?" "Because I had lost something." " What?" " A lifetime." " Mine." " Nonsense." "Having conquered the world, he died at 32." "I am 52." "My remaining ambition is to keep the world from conquering me." "Your ambitions must always have been his." "They still must be." "Shall I tell you something?" "When I was 32 in Spain I came upon a statue of Alexander." "I wept then too." "Even then." "I want you to have his sword to take back with you." " Too deeply embedded." " It can be removed." "It's buried in time." " And Alexander's mantle?" " Too heavy for Caesar." "His dream then." "Make his dream yours, Caesar." "His grand design." "Pick it up where he left off." "Out of the patchwork of conquests one world." "And out of one world, one nation." "One people on earth living in peace." "So you have told me at last what it is you want of me." "Of us!" "At the center, the capital of this world, one people, one nation Alexandria?" " He chose it." " I am Roman." "He was Greek!" "What will it matter when we're all one people?" "I am 52." "He was 32 and failed." "We will succeed." "Your dreams, your ambitions." "One lifetime is not enough for such dreams, such ambitions." "The cloak of Alexander cannot be too heavy for Rome and Egypt to carry together." "And what if his sword is too deeply embedded?" "Yours will replace it, Caesar." "You have a way of mixing politics and passion." "Where does one begin and the other leave off?" "That did not start, nor will it end with me." "Cleopatra, whatever it is, however it comes out leave me my destiny." "Your destiny is no longer just yours." "It's mine too." "Soon, there will be someone to carry both the cloak of Alexander and the sword of Caesar and the name of Caesar." "And in that name he will rule Egypt." "And whatever part or all of the world that we give him our child will be a son for you, Caesar." "By Isis, I swear it." "Could you put off your return to Rome just long enough?" "I came as quickly as I could." "Antony is welcome to Caesar's house as often and as quickly as he likes." "As Caesar's wife, before truth is distorted into vicious gossip I wanted you to hear..." " That my husband has married Cleopatra." "There's some fresh wine." "One of your many favorites." "The ceremony, according to vicious gossip, was in the Egyptian religion." "Even if true, that can't be taken seriously." "During which he was formally declared an Egyptian god." "Officially divine, at last." "That must have pleased Caesar." "Calpurnia, we know Caesar, you and I." "This so-called marriage has no validity under Roman law." "There must be political purpose." "Perhaps a symbolic ceremony to ratify our bond with Egypt." "Perhaps merely indulging some barbaric custom." "You've been loyal and kind." "You came as quickly as you could." "Unhappily, vicious gossip travels even faster than you and the truth." "Have you heard, for instance, that Cleopatra is carrying Caesar's child?" "Yes, Antony." "We know him you and I." "There shall be..." "There shall be Rome." "Mighty and alone and unloved." "A mistress." "A mistress shall raise thee again from earth to heaven and all the world shall know a golden age of justice and of love." "A son shall be born to Isis!" "A son shall be born to Isis!" "Rome shall know him in cloth of gold." "The East shall see him laden with jewels and treasure." "A son of Egypt and of Rome!" "Here shall he find his destiny!" "Do exactly as I tell you." "When the child is born after he is anointed and named royal prince take him to Caesar." "Bring Caesar here." "No." "Exactly as I tell you." "Take the child to Caesar, in front of his men." "Do you understand?" "In front of all the Romans." "Lay him at Caesar's feet." "At Caesar's feet." "I will do just as you say." "Fear not." "We have never lost a Caesar." "That remark was insubordinate and in bad taste!" "Caesar, remember Roman law." "If you pick up this child you acknowledge it's yours and a citizen of Rome, as your heir." "A son." "I have a son!" " Hail Caesar!" " Hail Caesar!" "He's been made king of Egypt." "They have named their bastard Caesarion." "Prince Caesarion." "What better name for the heir to the throne of Rome." "There is no throne of Rome." "Nor shall there be, nor would Caesar tolerate one." "But a son!" "We know how much he's wanted one." "I am happy for Caesar." "Your happiness is understandable enough." "Now that Caesar has publicly recognized a son one need no longer wonder about Brutus." "Is it a relief not to be wondered about, Casca?" "To be known openly as you are for what you are:" "Liar, swindler, bully and coward." "Brutus, you'll turn Casca's head with your flattery." "And Casca's head, if turned, will see Marc Antony." "A part of Caesar more to be feared than his infant son." "But it is for the good of Rome that Caesar has stayed so long in Egypt." "In his absence, the people have come to worship him as a god." "Why should he return to show himself as mortal as the rest?" "There are those who fear Caesar's ambition." "But what is to fear?" "That he will destroy the republic?" "Yes, he will." "I promise you he will." "Your tongue is old but sharp, Cicero." "Be careful how you waggle it." "It may cut off your head." "It will more likely be your sword, Antony." "'Tis just as sharp and quicker and frightened of heads." "There'll be a strong smell of wine in the Senate today." "We must breathe with restraint." "Octavian, this what's his name, this son of Caesar does it upset you?" "No." "You run off at the mouth so one thinks your words are as precious as your gold." "Like my gold, I use them where they are worth most." "And your virtue?" "My friend has a friend." "That too." "You know, it's quite possible that when you die you will die without ever having been alive." "I can't leave without saying goodbye to my son and to you." "We thought, your son and I, that if we came to you we would have those few minutes more." "A good thing to remember, my son what you will not let go, no one will take from you." "Hail and farewell, little Caesar." "Was it a century ago when I was dropped at your feet, wrapped in a carpet?" "Or was it last night?" "When will you send for us?" "When?" " Soon." " How soon?" "When?" "So much time must go by before even I reach Rome." "And then how soon?" "Within reasonable time." "Time is never reasonable." "Time is our enemy, Caesar." "Am I to conquer it for you?" "What plan of battle do you suggest?" "I must bring your son to Rome." "Rome must see Caesar's son who will one day rule over Caesar's world." "Caesar?" "I'm afraid the tides will soon be against you." "Not only time, but the tides." "Even as divinities, there seems little we can do about either." "But only after more than two years  and many wars in Africa and Asia Minor  was Caesar able to cross over to Italy and come home at last  to celebrate his triumphs and see to his affairs." ""In recognition, the Senate has bestowed upon Caesar the rank, privilege and title of dictator of Rome for life."" "Dictator for life!" "At long last, he is master of Rome." "Apollodorus, everything must be made ready at once." " Ships, servants..." " We are prepared." "Surely now nothing can prevent his sending for us if only to attend his coronation as he did mine." " Your Majesty..." " Three long, wasted years!" "Why should the Senate have taken so long to recognize what the world has already known?" "That Caesar was master of Rome." "Rufio wishes to speak." "Your Majesty seems to misunderstand." "It seems quite clear." "Caesar has been declared dictator of Rome for life." "True." "But there is a vast difference between dictator and master." "No man can call himself master of Rome." "Why not?" "It has a meaning far too close to a word no Roman will tolerate:" "King." "And to be dictator of Rome for life?" "Is to be granted the lifelong respect and honor of the Roman people." "And the dictates of the dictator?" "Must in each case, of course, be approved by the Senate of Rome." "Thank you, Rufio." "The enemy!" "The enemy!" "The enemy!" "Sosigenes." "You must think it odd that I propose an invitation to Queen Cleopatra." "Do you?" "Egypt, after all, has been officially declared ally of Rome." "Still, I confess I was surprised at some of those who voted in favor." "Were you?" "May I express my gratitude for being permitted to visit today's session?" "It was truly inspiring to witness the free will of free men so fearlessly expressed." "He seemed most anxious to be present." " I saw no harm in granting permission." " Didn't you?" "After today, never again shall I doubt the extent of Egypt's wealth." "I don't like Cicero's implication." "There's not enough gold in Egypt to buy a Roman senator." "More than enough, it seems, to buy his vote." "How was it now?" ""Rome will know him in cloth of gold."" "By reports, the reception in the streets is extraordinary." "The queen has instructed the procession to move slowly for the people's enjoyment." "I might almost believe Cleopatra set out to capture the citizens of Rome." "One would have every reason for believing exactly that." "Nothing like this has come into Rome since Romulus and Remus." "How unafraid he is." "How unafraid he is." "Your queen has conquered the people of Rome." "The people, yes." "Now then, walk like a king." "Head up." "Listen to them cheer." "Take your throne." "Bow to the right, left." "Now an angry glance at someone who's displeased you." "Very good." "I tremble." "See me tremble?" "No, don't smile." "Not when they're trembling." "It makes them stop." "Now the prisoners are dragged before you, one by one." "This one has no power anywhere, therefore means nothing." "But you wish to be known as a noble ruler." "What do you say?" ""I pardon you."" "Louder." "You pardon somebody, you want it known." ""I pardon you!"" "Ah, now, who comes here?" "Once your friend." "You trusted him, and he turned against you." "He has power, wealth and family." "He kneels." "He begs you to be his friend again." "To have you trust him again." "And then?" "What then, little king?" "Caesar must wish what needs commanding." "To drain the Pontine Marshes." "To free Rome from malaria." "To fill my belly." "To control the Tiber's floods." "To improve the harbor at Ostia." "To please my ambition." "And must I wish roads to be built, libraries for public use?" "The men of Italy to be equal to those of Rome?" "Many of these have merits and merit our approval." ""Merit your approval." Is Caesar to come before the Senate each day like a schoolboy, now passing, now failing?" "Do you suggest the Senate no longer deliberate the welfare of Rome?" "To end the process of Roman law?" "I must be the law!" "And my word must be the welfare of Rome." "Else, take from me this meaningless title of dictator." "I've carried a sword for too long." "I cannot now pretend with an empty scabbard." "Surely Caesar recalls the symbolic nature of the title "dictator" at the time it was conferred." "It was to honor Caesar above all men and to indicate Rome's gratitude for your triumphs in its name." "Brutus, I recall them well, those triumphs." "Do you?" "Pharsalia, for one." "You trembled in Antony's hand when he was hot to separate you from your head with just cause." "My command spared your life." "There was no deliberating body." "It was not my wish, but my command." "By my dictate that you stand here dribbling virtue out of your mouth." "Sit down." "No, I want no more meaningless privileges and considerations." "No more honors designed to pacify me." "I would rather have nothing." "Remain what I am at heart." "A humble man, anxious only to serve." "Why are the eyes of a statue always without life?" "Have any of you here seen the Nile?" "Spare yourselves the journey." "She carries it within her eyes." "I suggest, Caesar, that the hour is late." "Very late for Rome." "I was speaking, Cassius!" "I was..." "Now, where was I?" ""Anxious to serve."" "Yes, I've served." "Served for all of my life." "I've won for Rome more than half of the world." "Most of you owe your honors and fortunes to me." "And now I want you to do as I say." "You will appoint me emperor of Rome." "There is no need to resume your seats." "On behalf of all, thank you, Majesty, for your hospitality." "Good night." "Thank you and good night." "They resent being summoned here for meetings properly held in the Senate." "Resent it, do they?" "I cannot understand that the eyes of a statue should be always without life." "They resent me." "To flaunt me like this." "They'll use it to keep from you that which is yours." "By divine right, is that not so?" "Yes." "It is." "By divine right." "We shall have the Senate, in its deliberations, deliberate that." "Are you quite sure what it is you want so desperately?" "I've always been sure." "And Caesar?" "Does anyone speak for him?" "No." "Good night." "Tell me, Brutus, is it proper to stand before this goddess Caesar's set here in the temple?" " Or must we, as Romans, kneel?" "Not yet." "See there, where room has been left for another deity?" "When the god Caesar stands beside the goddess Cleopatra then Rome will crawl before them." "When that day comes, if it comes." " He demanded we make him emperor." " Only once, and it was his sickness." "His sickness grows worse." "Soon it will kill us." "He asked once to be made emperor, but he's since decreed himself god!" "Emperor and god." "No longer just king, but emperor and god!" " Brutus, open your eyes!" " What do you want of me?" "When the people think upon the honor of Rome they think upon one man:" "Brutus." "By that honor and by the responsibility you carry Brutus, save Rome from Caesar!" "You cannot ask me to destroy him." "Then let Caesar destroy Rome." "Antony has just come from a meeting of my friends with good news." "Tomorrow at the Senate, Lucius Cotta will move that I be made king." "It will pass." "But I don't understand." "King and emperor." "And it will pass?" "The last few months, I've been enjoying one of the few privileges of being dictator." "I have been appointing senators." "Slightly more than half the Senate has been appointed by me." "Once again, the army of Mithradates on its way all the time." "It will pass." "Tomorrow, the ides of March, a day to be remembered the Senate will declare me king of Rome." "King, yes, but not of Rome." "Not of Rome?" "What are you saying?" "They'll offer you king of the Roman Empire, outside Italy." "They're afraid, Caesar." "Even your friends." "Afraid of the people." " Perhaps in time..." " To be afraid of the people." "To waste time on the people." "King of all but Rome?" "What is there?" "The huts of Gaul?" "The caves of Britain?" "The whole of the empire outside Italy." "I will not accept." "They mean it to be an empty gesture." "Another title to please your fancy, flatter your ego." "Nothing more." "And it will pass." "Then accept it, Caesar." "I have never settled for half a victory." "Nor will you now." "Caesar, mighty Caesar all I can say is what you've taught me:" "Take a little, then a little more until finally you have it all." "Let them declare you king." "Even if it's only of a tree in Asia Minor." "The rest will come to you." "To redo once more everything I have already done?" "It's what you have never done, what you never conquered that waits for you." "The great legions of Rome in the outer empire that will become your legions." "The gold, the power of Egypt." "Your Egypt." "Caesar, you can conquer and hold the world as your own." "Won't you understand?" "Kings are not elected." "Gods are not elected." "Why, not only Rome but all of Italy upon which Rome stands must fall in your hands like a drop of sweat." "Let them make you what they choose." "I'll serve with you." "My legions with yours." "Together we'll conquer a world beyond the wildest dreams of Alexander." "Rome." "What was Rome when Sulla died when Crassus lost the armies in Parthia?" "These same men came after me through the streets howling like frightened dogs, "Caesar, save us!"" "They would've made me king then." "I wouldn't let them then." "He was thrown over the wall." "It's not a pretty sight." "Titus, the moneylender." "Why should he be killed savagely and brought here?" "Obviously, I am being warned." "Perhaps I am next." "They dare to threaten you?" " Caesarion." "Where was my son...?" " Not far away." "It frightened him." " Lepidus, how many legions has he now?" " Fifteen." "Perhaps more." " Where?" " Scythia." "You and I will dine with Lepidus tonight." "We'll talk of armies and battlefields and lists of men to die." "Tomorrow in the Senate, let them offer the sands of Libya as my kingdom I will accept." "This is great Caesar beloved by Rome and at least one of us who must die so that Rome may live." "If it must be done, then let us do it unashamed and unafraid." "If the world is to know that Rome will not have a king then let us make it the honorable act of free men in the light of day." "In the light of what day, Brutus?" "Tomorrow?" "In the curia of the Senate?" "And shall we be armed, all of us?" "Decimus, come to Caesar's villa early tomorrow to escort him to the Senate." "Cimber, Marc Antony must not enter the curia with Caesar." "On a pretext, lead him aside to speak of what you heard at Lepidus' house." "I remember something odd." "At one point, Caesar asked of each of us what manner of death we would choose." "And Caesar, when it came to him, looked straight at me and said:" ""Sudden."" "Odd, isn't it?" "I was afraid I'd find you still asleep." "Caesarion is." "He was awake most of the night." "Did the storm frighten him?" "He said not, but it did." "I could tell." "Have you time to come in?" "Decimus awaits." "He came by expressly to accompany me to the Senate." "Decimus?" "Has he done this before?" "A shrewd politician." "He hopes to benefit by arriving with me, this day of days." "Keep Antony close by." "You too?" "The ladies of Rome seem to have caught each other's fears this morning." "Like a head cold." "Calpurnia pleaded with me not to go to the Senate at all." "Why?" "Why would she not want you to go?" "Oh, the bad night." "Nothing else." "She awoke screaming in her sleep." "The thunder, the lightning." "She dreamed that she saw me murdered." "That she saw me or a statue of me covered in blood." "The servants told her of seeing men of fire in the heavens odd happenings and so forth." "Strange birds were seen in the Forum." "One flew into the Senate carrying a sprig of laurel which it dropped at the base of Pompey's statue." "Pompey?" " Caesar, I'm afraid." " You must not tell me to stay away." "Shall I too be afraid?" "Can it be said of Caesar, he gave up the world because of a thunderstorm?" "That such divinity that was in him ran before mortal superstition?" "I feel you need me now and I cannot help you." "Then help me to live as I have lived, always differently from the rest." "The others, for whom life is merely an endless fear of dying." "Your gods and mine go with you, Caesar." "The world, except for you, is filled with little men." "Fire burns." "Fire burns." "The winds of destruction blow." "Rome mighty and alone, the winds of destruction blow down upon thee!" "Storms and hail shall cut down wheat shall cut down birds and living things of earth." "The heavens and the gods themselves." "My son!" "Caesar!" "Caesar!" "Caesar!" "Caesar!" "There has been much to do." "And it seems you have done it extremely well." "Is that where...?" "Yes." "In Egypt, we build eternal monuments to our dead heroes." "Here, you burn them like rubbish." "Goodbye." "I've brought the 10th Legion." "You have nothing to fear." "Nothing to fear?" "That's no reason for staying." "So much has happened so quickly." "Suddenly I have the pieces of a broken world to pick up:" "Caesar, you running off at night like this." "Do you suggest that I stay?" "Why?" "Don't ask me to be clear about my feelings right now." "I'm tired." "And with you, it's never easy to say my meaning." "But you speak so well, Antony." "I've been told how excitingly you read Caesar's will to the sobbing, murdering, free citizens of Rome." "Naming as his heir his great nephew, Octavian!" "I knew Caesar's will and the reasons for it." "If Octavian hadn't been named how many hours or minutes would you have survived?" "And if Caesar had become truly king do you believe he would still have named Octavian?" "In any case, it's over." "Caesar and the dream that was murdered with him." "First Alexander's then Caesar's." "Now over." "Finished." " First, Rome must be put in order." " Rome again." "Brutus and the others must be found and killed." " Then?" " In death Caesar must be granted the power and title he was denied in life." "A dead king, a dead god." "Safe enough even for Rome." "Caesarion as Caesar's son could claim the title of king and his deification." "And to what court of law would my son and I take our claim?" "I will present it to the Roman Senate myself." "I believe you would." "And after the noble senators have stopped laughing do my son and I then declare war on Rome?" "No." "For this, a Caesar would be needed." "You have very little time." "Another Caesar." "But thank you." "I shall remember your kindness to us." " You give up too easily." " Do I?" "Let me come to Alexandria and talk more with you." " Whenever you like." " Now." "Tonight, if I could." "In any case, try to remember."