The torch is thrown down and extinguished in the rush。 Darkness。
The noise of the fugitives dies away。 Dead silence。 Suspense。
Then the blackness and stillness breaks softly into silver mist
and strange airs as the windswept harp of Memnon plays at the
dawning of the moon。 It rises full over the desert； and a vast
horizon comes into relief； broken by a huge shape which soon
reveals itself in the spreading radiance as a Sphinx pedestalled
on the sands。 The light still clears； until the upraised eyes of
the image are distinguished looking straight forward and upward
in infinite fearless vigil； and a mass of color between its great
paws defines itself as a heap of red poppies on which a girl
lies motionless； her silken vest heaving gently and regularly
with the breathing of a dreamless sleeper； and her braided hair
glittering in a shaft of moonlight like a bird's wing。
Suddenly there comes from afar a vaguely fearful sound （it
might be the bellow of a Minotaur softened by great distance） and
Memnon's music stops。 Silence： then a few faint high…ringing
trumpet notes。 Then silence again。 Then a man comes from
the south with stealing steps； ravished by the mystery of the
night； all wonder； and halts； lost in contemplation； opposite the
left flank of the Sphinx； whose bosom； with its burden； is hidden
from him by its massive shoulder。）
THE MAN。 Hail； Sphinx： salutation from Julius Caesar！ I have
wandered in many lands； seeking the lost regions from which my
birth into this world exiled me； and the company of creatures
such as I myself。 I have found flocks and pastures； men and
cities； but no other Caesar； no air native to me； no man kindred
to me； none who can do my day's deed； and think my night's
thought。 In the little world yonder； Sphinx； my place is as high
as yours in this great desert； only I wander； and you sit still；
I conquer； and you endure； I work and wonder； you watch and wait；
I look up and am dazzled； look down and am darkened； look round
and am puzzled； whilst your eyes never turn from looking outout
of the worldto the lost regionthe home from which we have
strayed。 Sphinx； you and I； strangers to the race of men； are no
strangers to one another： have I not been conscious of you and of
this place since I was born？ Rome is a madman's dream： this is my
Reality。 These starry lamps of yours I have seen from afar in
Gaul； in Britain； in Spain； in Thessaly； signalling great secrets
to some eternal sentinel below； whose post I never could find。
And here at last is their sentinelan image of the constant and
immortal part of my life； silent； full of thoughts； alone in the
silver desert。 Sphinx； Sphinx： I have climbed mountains at night
to hear in the distance the stealthy footfall of the winds that
chase your sands in forbidden playour invisible children； O
Sphinx； laughing in whispers。 My way hither was the way of
destiny； for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol： part
brute； part woman； and part Godnothing of man in me at all。
Have I read your riddle； Sphinx？
THE GIRL （who has wakened； and peeped cautiously from her nest to
see who is speaking）。 Old gentleman。
CAESAR （starting violently； and clutching his sword）。 Immortal
gods！
THE GIRL。 Old gentleman： don't run away。
CAESAR （stupefied）。 〃Old gentleman： don't run away！！！〃 This！ To
Julius Caesar！
THE GIRL （urgently）。 Old gentleman。
CAESAR。 Sphinx： you presume on your centuries。 I am younger than
you； though your voice is but a girl's voice as yet。
THE GIRL。 Climb up here； quickly； or the Romans will come and eat
you。
CAESAR （running forward past the Sphinx's shoulder； and seeing
her）。 A child at its breast！ A divine child！
THE GIRL。 Come up quickly。 You must get up at its side and creep
round。
CAESAR （amazed）。 Who are you？
THE GIRL。 Cleopatra； Queen of Egypt。
CAESAR。 Queen of the Gypsies； you mean。
CLEOPATRA。 You must not be disrespectful to me； or the Sphinx
will let the Romans eat you。 Come up。 It is quite cosy here。
CAESAR （to himself）。 What a dream！ What a magnificent dream！ Only
let me not wake； and I will conquer ten continents to pay for
dreaming it out to the end。 （He climbs to the Sphinx's flank； and
presently reappears to her on the pedestal； stepping round its
right shoulder。）
CLEOPATRA。 Take care。 That's right。 Now sit down： you may have
its other paw。 （She seats herself comfortably on its left paw。）
It is very powerful and will protect us； but （shivering； and with
plaintive loneliness） it would not take any notice of me or keep
me company。 I am glad you have come： I was very lonely。 Did you
happen to see a white cat anywhere？
CAESAR （sitting slowly down on the right paw in extreme
wonderment）。 Have you lost one？
CLEOPATRA。 Yes： the sacred white cat： is it not dreadful？ I
brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx； but when we got
a little way from the city a black cat called him； and he jumped
out of my arms and ran away to it。 Do you think that the black
cat can have been my great…great…great…grandmother？
CAESAR （staring at her）。 Your great…great…great…grandmother！
Well； why not？ Nothing would surprise me on this night of nights。
CLEOPATRA。 I think it must have been。 My great…grandmother's
great…grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white cat； and
the river Nile made her his seventh wife。 That is why my hair is
so wavy。 And I always want to be let do as I like； no matter
whether it is the will of the gods or not： that is because my
blood is made with Nile water。
CAESAR。 What are you doing here at this time of night？ Do you
live here？
CLEOPATRA。 Of course not： I am the Queen； and I shall live in the
palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother； who drove me
out of it。 When I am old enough I shall do just what I like。 I
shall be able to poison the slaves and see them wriggle； and
pretend to Ftatateeta that she is going to be put into the fiery
furnace。
CAESAR。 Hm！ Meanwhile why are you not at home and in bed？
CLEOPATRA。 Because the Romans are coming to eat us all。 YOU are
not at home and in bed either。
CAESAR （with conviction）。 Yes I am。 I live in a tent； and I am
now in that tent； fast asleep and dreaming。 Do you suppose that I
believe you are real； you impossible little dream witch？
CLEOPATRA （giggling and leaning trustfully towards him）。 You are
a funny old gentleman。 I like you。
CAESAR。 Ah； that spoils the dream。 Why don't you dream that I am
young？
CLEOPATRA。 I wish you were； only I think I should be more afraid
of you。 I like men； especially young men with round strong arms；
but I am afraid of them。 You are old and rather thin and stringy；
but you have a nice voice； and I like to have somebody to talk
to； though I think you are a little mad。 It is the moon that
makes you talk to yourself in that silly way。
CAESAR。 What！ you heard that； did you？ I was saying my prayers to
the great Sphinx。
CLEOPATRA。 But this isn't the great Sphinx。
CAESAR （much disappointed； looking up at the statue）。 What！
CLEOPATRA。 This is only a dear little kitten of the Sphinx。 Why；
the great Sphinx is so big that it has a temple between its paws。
This is my pet Sphinx。 Tell me： do you think the Romans have any
sorcerers who could take us away from the Sphinx by magic？
CAESAR。 Why？ Are you afraid of the Romans？
CLEOPATRA （very seriously）。 Oh； they would eat us if they caught
us。 They are barbarians。 Their chief is called Julius Caesar。 His
father was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain； and his
nose is like an elephant's trunk。 （Caesar involuntarily rubs his
nose。） They all have long noses； and ivory tusks； and little
tails； and seven arms with a hundred arrows in each； and they
live on human flesh。
CAESAR。 Would you like me to show you a real Roman？
CLEOPATRA （terrified）。 No。 You are frightening me。
CAESAR。 No matter： this is only a dream
CLEOPATRA （excitedly）。 It is not a dream： it is not a dream。 See；
see。 （She plucks a pin from her hair and jabs it repeatedly into
his arm。）
CAESAR。 FfffStop。 （Wrathfully） How dare you？
CLEOPATRA （abashed）。 You said you were dreaming。 （Whimpering） I
only wanted to show you
CAESAR （gently）。 Come； come： don't cry。 A queen mustn't cry。 （He
rubs his arm； wondering at the reality of the smart。） Am I awake？
（He strikes his hand against the Sphinx to test its solidity。 It
feels so real that he begins to be alarmed； and says perplexedly）
Yes； I（quite panicstricken） no： impossible： madness； madness！
（Desperately） Back to campto camp。 （He rises to spring down
from the pedestal。）
CLEOPATRA （flinging her arms in terror round him）。 No： you shan't
leave me。 No； no； no： don't go。 I'm afraidafraid of the Romans。
CAESAR （as the conviction that he is really awake forces itself
on him）。 Cleopatra： can you see my face well？
CLEOPATRA。 Yes。 It is so white in the moonlight。
CAESAR。 Are you sure it is the moonlight that makes me look
whiter than an Egyptian？ （Grimly） Do you notice that I have a
rather long nose？
CLEOPATRA （recoiling； paralyzed by a terrible suspicion）。 Oh！
CAESAR。 It is a Roman nose； Cleopatra。
CLEOPATRA。 Ah！ （With a piercing scream she springs up； darts
round the left shoulder of the Sphinx； scrambles down to the
sand； and falls on her knees in frantic supplication； shrieking）
Bite him in two； Sphinx： bite him in two。 I meant to sacrifice
the white catI did indeedI （Caesar； who has slipped down from
the pedestal； touches her on the shoulder） Ah！ （She buries her
head in her arms。）
CAESAR。 Cleopatra： shall I teach you a way to prevent Caesar from
eating you？
CLEOPATRA （clinging to him piteously）。 Oh do； do； do。 I will
steal Ftatateeta's jewels and give them to you。 I will make the
river Nile water your lands twice a year。
CAESAR。 Peace； peace； my child。 Your gods are afraid of the
Romans： you see the Sphinx dare not bite me； nor prevent me
carrying you off to Julius Caesar。
CLEOPATRA （in pleading murmurings）。 You won't； you won't。 You
said you wouldn't。
CAESAR。 Caesar never eats women。
CLEOPATRA （springing up full of hope）。 What！
CAESAR （impressively）。 But he eats girls （she relapses） and cats。
Now you are a silly little girl； and you are descended from th