Now you are a silly little girl； and you are descended from the
black kitten。 You are both a girl and a cat。
CLEOPATRA （trembling）。 And will he eat me？
CAESAR。 Yes； unless you make him believe that you are a woman。
CLEOPATRA。 Oh； you must get a sorcerer to make a woman of me。 Are
you a sorcerer？
CAESAR。 Perhaps。 But it will take a long time； and this very
night you must stand face to face with Caesar in the palace of
your fathers。
CLEOPATRA。 No； no。 I daren't。
CAESAR。 Whatever dread may be in your soulhowever terrible
Caesar may be to youyou must confront him as a brave woman and
a great queen； and you must feel no fear。 If your hand shakes： if
your voice quavers； thennight and death！ （She moans。） But if he
thinks you worthy to rule； he will set you on the throne by his
side and make you the real ruler of Egypt。
CLEOPATRA （despairingly）。 No： he will find me out： he will find
me out。
CAESAR （rather mournfully）。 He is easily deceived by women。 Their
eyes dazzle him； and he sees them not as they are； but as he
wishes them to appear to him。
CLEOPATRA （hopefully）。 Then we will cheat him。 I will put on
Ftatateeta's head…dress； and he will think me quite an old woman。
CAESAR。 If you do that he will eat you at one mouthful。
CLEOPATRA。 But I will give him a cake with my magic opal and
seven hairs of the white cat baked in it； and
CAESAR （abruptly）。 Pah！ you are a little fool。 He will eat your
cake and you too。 （He turns contemptuously from her。）
CLEOPATRA （running after him and clinging to him）。 Oh； please；
PLEASE！ I will do whatever you tell me。 I will be good！ I will be
your slave。 （Again the terrible bellowing note sounds across the
desert； now closer at hand。 It is the bucina； the Roman war
trumpet。）
CAESAR。 Hark！
CLEOPATRA （trembling）。 What was that？
CAESAR。 Caesar's voice。
CLEOPATRA （pulling at his hand）。 Let us run away。 Come。 Oh； come。
CAESAR。 You are safe with me until you stand on your throne to
receive Caesar。 Now lead me thither。
CLEOPATRA （only too glad to get away）。 I will； I will。 （Again the
bucina。） Oh； come； come； come： the gods are angry。 Do you feel
the earth shaking？
CAESAR。 It is the tread of Caesar's legions。
CLEOPATRA （drawing him away）。 This way； quickly。 And let us look
for the white cat as we go。 It is he that has turned you into a
Roman。
CAESAR。 Incorrigible； oh； incorrigible！ Away！ （He follows her；
the bucina sounding louder as they steal across the desert。 The
moonlight wanes： the horizon again shows black against the sky；
broken only by the fantastic silhouette of the Sphinx。 The sky
itself vanishes in darkness； from which there is no relief until
the gleam of a distant torch falls on great Egyptian pillars
supporting the roof of a majestic corridor。 At the further end of
this corridor a Nubian slave appears carrying the torch。 Caesar；
still led by Cleopatra； follows him。 They come down the corridor；
Caesar peering keenly about at the strange architecture； and at
the pillar shadows between which； as the passing torch makes them
hurry noiselessly backwards； figures of men with wings and hawks'
heads； and vast black marble cats； seem to flit in and out of
ambush。 Further along； the wall turns a corner and makes a
spacious transept in which Caesar sees； on his right； a throne；
and behind the throne a door。 On each side of the throne is a
slender pillar with a lamp on it。）
CAESAR。 What place is this？
CLEOPATRA。 This is where I sit on the throne when I am allowed to
wear my crown and robes。 （The slave holds his torch to show the
throne。）
CAESAR。 Order the slave to light the lamps。
CLEOPATRA （shyly）。 Do you think I may？
CAESAR。 Of course。 You are the Queen。 （She hesitates。） Go on。
CLEOPATRA （timidly； to the slave）。 Light all the lamps。
FTATATEETA （suddenly coming from behind the throne）。 Stop。 （The
slave stops。 She turns sternly to Cleopatra； who quails like a
naughty child。） Who is this you have with you； and how dare you
order the lamps to be lighted without my permission？ （Cleopatra
is dumb with apprehension。）
CAESAR。 Who is she？
CLEOPATRA。 Ftatateeta。
FTATATEETA （arrogantly）。 Chief nurse to
CAESAR （cutting her short）。 I speak to the Queen。 Be silent。 （To
Cleopatra） Is this how your servants know their places？ Send her
away； and you （to the slave） do as the Queen has bidden。 （The
slave lights the lamps。 Meanwhile Cleopatra stands hesitating；
afraid of Ftatateeta。） You are the Queen： send her away。
CLEOPATRA （cajoling）。 Ftatateeta； dear： you must go awayjust
for a little。
CAESAR。 You are not commanding her to go away： you are begging
her。 You are no Queen。 You will be eaten。 Farewell。 （He turns to
go。）
CLEOPATRA （clutching him）。 No； no； no。 Don't leave me。
CAESAR。 A Roman does not stay with queens who are afraid of their
slaves。
CLEOPATRA。 I am not afraid。 Indeed I am not afraid。
FTATATEETA。 We shall see who is afraid here。 （Menacingly）
Cleopatra
CAESAR。 On your knees； woman： am I also a child that you dare
trifle with me？ （He points to the floor at Cleopatra's feet。
Ftatateeta； half cowed； half savage； hesitates。 Caesar calls to
the Nubian） Slave。 （The Nubian comes to him。） Can you cut off a
head？ （The Nubian nods and grins ecstatically； showing all his
teeth。 Caesar takes his sword by the scabbard； ready to offer the
hilt to the Nubian； and turns again to Ftatateeta； repeating his
gesture。） Have you remembered yourself； mistress？
Ftatateeta； crushed； kneels before Cleopatra； who can hardly
believe her eyes。
FTATATEETA （hoarsely）。 O Queen； forget not thy servant in the
days of thy greatness。
CLEOPATRA （blazing with excitement）。 Go。 Begone。 Go away。
（Ftatateeta rises with stooped head； and moves backwards towards
the door。 Cleopatra watches her submission eagerly； almost
clapping her hands； which are trembling。 Suddenly she cries） Give
me something to beat her with。 （She snatches a snake…skin from
the throne and dashes after Ftatateeta； whirling it like a
scourge in the air。 Caesar makes a bound and manages to catch her
and hold her while Ftatateeta escapes。）
CAESAR。 You scratch； kitten； do you？
CLEOPATRA （breaking from him）。 I will beat somebody。 I will beat
him。 （She attacks the slave。） There； there； there！ （The slave
flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes。 She throws the
snake…skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms
waving； crying） I am a real Queen at lasta real； real Queen！
Cleopatra the Queen！ （Caesar shakes his head dubiously； the
advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point
of view of the general welfare of Egypt。 She turns and looks at
him exultantly。 Then she jumps down from the step； runs to him；
and flings her arms round him rapturously； crying） Oh； I love you
for making me a Queen。
CAESAR。 But queens love only kings。
CLEOPATRA。 I will make all the men I love kings。 I will make you
a king。 I will have many young kings； with round； strong arms；
and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death； but you
shall always be my king： my nice； kind； wise； proud old king。
CAESAR。 Oh； my wrinkles； my wrinkles！ And my child's heart！ You
will be the most dangerous of all Caesar's conguests。
CLEOPATRA （appalled）。 Caesar！ I forgot Caesar。 （Anxiously） You
will tell him that I am a Queen； will you not？ a real Queen。
Listen！ （stealthily coaxing him） let us run away and hide until
Caesar is gone。
CAESAR。 If you fear Caesar； you are no true Queen； and though you
were to hide beneath a pyramid； he would go straight to it and
lift it with one hand。 And then！ （He chops his teeth together。）
CLEOPATRA （trembling）。 Oh！
CAESAR。 Be afraid if you dare。 （The note of the bucina
resounds again in the distance。 She moans with fear。 Caesar
exalts in it； exclaiming） Aha！ Caesar approaches the throne of
Cleopatra。 Come： take your place。 （He takes her hand and leads
her to the throne。 She is too downcast to speak。） Ho； there；
Teetatota。 How do you call your slaves？
CLEOPATRA （spiritlessly； as she sinks on the throne and cowers
there； shaking）。 Clap your hands。
He claps his hands。 Ftatateeta returns。
CAESAR。 Bring the Queen's robes； and her crown； and her women；
and prepare her。
CLEOPATRA （eagerlyrecovering herself a little）。 Yes； the Crown；
Ftatateeta： I shall wear the crown。
FTATATEETA。 For whom must the Queen put on her state？
CAESAR。 For a citizen of Rome。 A king of kings； Totateeta。
CLEOPATRA （stamping at her）。 How dare you ask questions？ Go and
do as you are told。 （Ftatateeta goes out with a grim smile。
Cleopatra goes on eagerly； to Caesar） Caesar will know that I am
a Queen when he sees my crown and robes； will he not？
CAESAR。 No。 How shall he know that you are not a slave dressed up
in the Queen's ornaments？
CLEOPATRA。 You must tell him。
CAESAR。 He will not ask me。 He will know Cleopatra by her pride；
her courage； her majesty； and her beauty。 （She looks very
doubtful。） Are you trembling？
CLEOPATRA （shivering with dread）。 No； II（in a very sickly
voice） No。
Ftatateeta and three women come in with the regalia。
FTATATEETA。 Of all the Queen's women； these three alone are left。
The rest are fled。 （They begin to deck Cleopatra； who submits；
pale and motionless。）
CAESAR。 Good； good。 Three are enough。 Poor Caesar generally has
to dress himself。
FTATATEETA （contemptuously）。 The Queen of Egypt is not a Roman
barbarian。 （To Cleopatra） Be brave； my nursling。 Hold up your
head before this stranger。
CAESAR （admiring Cleopatra； and placing the crown on her head）。
Is it sweet or bitter to be a Queen； Cleopatra？
CLEOPATRA。 Bitter。
CAESAR。 Cast out fear； and you will conquer Caesar。 Tota： are
the Romans at hand？
FTATATEETA。 They are at hand； and the guard has fled。
THE WOMEN （wailing subduedly）。 Woe to us！
The Nubian comes running down the hall。
NUBIAN。 The Romans are in the courtyard。 （He bolts through the
door。 With a shriek； the women fly after him。 Ftatateeta's jaw
expresses savage resolution： she does not budge。 Cleopatra can
hardly restrain herself from following them。 Caesar grips her
wrist； and looks steadfastly at her。 She stands like a martyr。）
CAESAR。 The Queen mu