the　table　and　sits　down　on　the　bench　in　the　colonnade。
  CLEOPATRA。　Why　do　you　allow　Rufio　to　treat　you　so？　You　should
  teach　him　his　place。
  CAESAR。　Teach　him　to　be　my　enemy；　and　to　hide　his　thoughts　from
  me　as　you　are　now　hiding　yours。
  CLEOPATRA　（her　fears　returning）。　Why　do　you　say　that；　Caesar？
  Indeed；　indeed；　I　am　not　hiding　anything。　You　are　wrong　to　treat
  me　like　this。　（She　stifles　a　sob。）　I　am　only　a　child；　and　you
  turn　into　stone　because　you　think　some　one　has　been　killed。　I
  cannot　bear　it。　（She　purposely　breaks　down　and　weeps。　He　looks　at
  her　with　profound　sadness　and　complete　coldness。　She　looks　up　to
  see　what　effect　she　is　producing。　Seeing　that　he　is　unmoved；　she
  sits　up；　pretending　to　struggle　with　her　emotion　and　to　put　it
  bravely　away。）　But　there：　I　know　you　hate　tears：　you　shall　not　be
  troubled　with　them。　I　know　you　are　not　angry；　but　only　sad；　only
  I　am　so　silly；　I　cannot　help　being　hurt　when　you　speak　coldly。　Of
  course　you　are　quite　right：　it　is　dreadful　to　think　of　anyone
  being　killed　or　even　hurt；　and　I　hope　nothing　really　serious
  has　（Her　voice　dies　away　under　his　contemptuous　penetration。）
  CAESAR。　What　has　frightened　you　into　this？　What　have　you　done？　（A
  trumpet　sounds　on　the　beach　below。）　Aha！　That　sounds　like　the
  answer。
  CLEOPATRA　（sinking　back　trembling　on　the　bench　and　covering　her
  face　with　her　hands）。　I　have　not　betrayed　you；　Caesar：　I　swear
  it。
  CAESAR。　I　know　that。　I　have　not　trusted　you。　（He　turns　from　her；
  and　is　about　to　go　out　when　Apollodorus　and　Britannus　drag　in
  Lucius　Septimius　to　him。　Rufio　follows。　Caesar　shudders。）　Again；
  Pompey's　murderer！
  RUFIO。　The　town　has　gone　mad；　I　think。　They　are　for　tearing　the
  palace　down　and　driving　us　into　the　sea　straight　away。　We　laid
  hold　of　this　renegade　in　clearing　them　out　of　the　courtyard。
  CAESAR。　Release　him。　（They　let　go　his　arms。）　What　has　offended
  the　citizens；　Lucius　Septimius？
  LUCIUS。　What　did　you　expect；　Caesar？　Pothinus　was　a　favorite　of
  theirs。
  CAESAR。　What　has　happened　to　Pothinus？　I　set　him　free；　here；　not
  half　an　hour　ago。　Did　they　not　pass　him　out？
  LUCIUS。　Ay；　through　the　gallery　arch　sixty　feet　above　ground；
  with　three　inches　of　steel　in　his　ribs。　He　is　as　dead　as　Pompey。
  We　are　quits　now；　as　to　killingyou　and　I。
  CAESAR。　（shocked）。　Assassinated！our　prisoner；　our　guest！
  （He　turns　reproachfully　on　Rufio）　Rufio
  RUFIO　（emphaticallyanticipating　the　question）。　Whoever　did　it
  was　a　wise　man　and　a　friend　of　yours　（Cleopatra　is　qreatly
  emboldened）；　but　none　of　US　had　a　hand　in　it。　So　it　is　no　use　to
  frown　at　me。　（Caesar　turns　and　looks　at　Cleopatra。）
  CLEOPATRA　（violentlyrising）。　He　was　slain　by　order　of　the　Queen
  of　Egypt。　I　am　not　Julius　Caesar　the　dreamer；　who　allows　every
  slave　to　insult　him。　Rufio　has　said　I　did　well：　now　the　others
  shall　judge　me　too。　（She　turns　to　the　others。）　This　Pothinus
  sought　to　make　me　conspire　with　him　to　betray　Caesar　to　Achillas
  and　Ptolemy。　I　refused；　and　he　cursed　me　and　came　privily　to
  Caesar　to　accuse　me　of　his　own　treachery。　I　caught　him　in　the
  act；　and　he　insulted　meME；　the　Queen！　To　my　face。　Caesar　would
  not　revenge　me：　he　spoke　him　fair　and　set　him　free。　Was　I　right
  to　avenge　myself？　Speak；　Lucius。
  LUCIUS。　I　do　not　gainsay　it。　But　you　will　get　little　thanks　from
  Caesar　for　it。
  CLEOPATRA。　Speak；　Apollodorus。　Was　I　wrong？
  APOLLODORUS。　I　have　only　one　word　of　blame；　most　beautiful。　You
  should　have　called　upon　me；　your　knight；　and　in　fair　duel　I
  should　have　slain　the　slanderer。
  CLEOPATRA　（passionately）。　I　will　be　judged　by　your　very　slave；
  Caesar。　Britannus：　speak。　Was　I　wrong？
  BRITANNUS。　Were　treachery；　falsehood；　and　disloyalty　left
  unpunished；　society　must　become　like　an　arena　full　of　wild
  beasts；　tearing　one　another　to　pieces。　Caesar　is　in　the　wrong。
  CAESAR　（with　quiet　bitterness）。　And　so　the　verdict　is　against　me；
  it　seems。
  CLEOPATRA　（vehemently）。　Listen　to　me；　Caesar。　If　one　man　in　all
  Alexandria　can　be　found　to　say　that　I　did　wrong；　I　swear　to　have
  myself　crucified　on　the　door　of　the　palace　by　my　own　slaves。
  CAESAR。　If　one　man　in　all　the　world　can　be　found；　now　or　forever；
  to　know　that　you　did　wrong；　that　man　will　have　either　to　conquer
  the　world　as　I　have；　or　be　crucified　by　it。　（The　uproar　in　the
  streets　again　reaches　them。）　Do　you　hear？　These　knockers　at　your
  gate　are　also　believers　in　vengeance　and　in　stabbing。　You　have
  slain　their　leader：　it　is　right　that　they　shall　slay　you。　If　you
  doubt　it；　ask　your　four　counselors　here。　And　then　in　the　name　of
  that　RIGHT　（He　emphasizes　the　word　with　great　scorn。）　shall　I　not
  slay　them　for　murdering　their　Queen；　and　be　slain　in　my　turn　by
  their　countrymen　as　the　invader　of　their　fatherland？　Can　Rome　do
  less　then　than　slay　these　slayers　too；　to　show　the　world　how　Rome
  avenges　her　sons　and　her　honor？　And　so；　to　the　end　of　history；
  murder　shall　breed　murder；　always　in　the　name　of　right　and　honor
  and　peace；　until　the　gods　are　tired　of　blood　and　create　a　race
  that　can　understand。　（Fierce　uproar。　Cleopatra　becomes　white　with
  terror。）　Hearken；　you　who　must　not　be　insulted。　Go　near　enough　to
  catch　their　words：　you　will　find　them　bitterer　than　the　tongue　of
  Pothinus。　（Loftily　wrapping　himself　up　in　an　impenetrable
  dignity。）　Let　the　Queen　of　Egypt　now　give　her　orders　for
  vengeance；　and　take　her　measures　for　defense；　for　she　has
  renounced　Caesar。　（He　turns　to　go。）
  CLEOPATRA　（terrified；　running　to　him　and　falling　on　her　knees）。
  You　will　not　desert　me；　Caesar。　You　will　defend　the　palace。
  CAESAR。　You　have　taken　the　powers　of　life　and　death　upon　you。　I
  am　only　a　dreamer。
  CLEOPATRA。　But　they　will　kill　me。
  CAESAR。　And　why　not？
  CLEOPATRA。　In　pity
  CAESAR。　Pity！　What！　Has　it　come　to　this　so　suddenly；　that　nothing
  can　save　you　now　but　pity？　Did　it　save　Pothinus？
  She　rises；　wringing　her　hands；　and　goes　back　to　the　bench　in
  despair。　Apollodorus　shows　his　sympathy　with　her　by　quietly
  posting　himself　behind　the　bench。　The　sky　has　by　this　time　become
  the　most　vivid　purple；　and　soon　begins　to　change　to　a　glowing
  pale　orange；　against　which　the　colonnade　and　the　great　image　show
  darklier　and　darklier。
  RUFIO。　Caesar：　enough　of　preaching。　The　enemy　is　at　the　gate。
  CAESAR　（turning　on　him　and　giving　way　to　his　wrath）。　Ay；　and　what
  has　held　him　baffled　at　the　gate　all　these　months？　Was　it　my
  folly；　as　you　deem　it；　or　your　wisdom？　In　this　Egyptian　Red　Sea
  of　blood；　whose　hand　has　held　all　your　heads　above　the　waves？
  （Turning　on　Cleopatra）　And　yet；　When　Caesar　says　to　such　an　one；
  〃Friend；　go　free；〃　you；　clinging　for　your　little　life　to　my
  sword；　dare　steal　out　and　stab　him　in　the　back？　And　you；　soldiers
  and　gentlemen；　and　honest　servants　as　you　forget　that　you　are；
  applaud　this　assassination；　and　say　〃Caesar　is　in　the　wrong。〃　By
  the　gods；　I　am　tempted　to　open　my　hand　and　let　you　all　sink　into
  the　flood。
  CLEOPATRA　（with　a　ray　of　cunning　hope）。　But；　Caesar；　if　you　do；
  you　will　perish　yourself。
  Caesar's　eyes　blaze。
  RUFIO　（greatly　alarmed）。　Now；　by　great　Jove；　you　filthy　little
  Egyptian　rat；　that　is　the　very　word　to　make　him　walk　out　alone
  into　the　city　and　leave　us　here　to　be　cut　to　pieces。
  （Desperately；　to　Caesar）　Will　you　desert　us　because　we　are　a
  parcel　of　fools？　I　mean　no　harm　by　killing：　I　do　it　as　a　dog
  kills　a　cat；　by　instinct。　We　are　all　dogs　at　your　heels；　but　we
  have　served　you　faithfully。
  CAESAR　（relenting）。　Alas；　Rufio；　my　son；　my　son：　as　dogs　we　are
  like　to　perish　now　in　the　streets。
  APOLLODORUS　（at　his　post　behind　Cleopatra's　seat）。　Caesar；　what
  you　say　has　an　Olympian　ring　in　it：　it　must　be　right；　for　it　is
  fine　art。　But　I　am　still　on　the　side　of　Cleopatra。　If　we　must
  die；　she　shall　not　want　the　devotion　of　a　man's　heart　nor　the
  strength　of　a　man's　arm。
  CLEOPATRA　（sobbing）。　But　I　don't　want　to　die。
  CAESAR　（sadly）。　Oh；　ignoble；　ignoble！
  LUCIUS　（coming　forward　between　Caesar　and　Cleopatra）。　Hearken　to
  me；　Caesar。　It　may　be　ignoble；　but　I　also　mean　to　live　as　long　as
  I　can。
  CAESAR。　Well；　my　friend；　you　are　likely　to　outlive　Caesar。　Is　it
  any　magic　of　mine；　think　you；　that　has　kept　your　army　and　this
  whole　city　at　bay　for　so　long？　Yesterday；　what　quarrel　had　they
  with　me　that　they　should　risk　their　lives　against　me？　But　to…day
  we　have　flung　them　down　their　hero；　murdered；　and　now　every　man
  of　them　is　set　upon　clearing　out　this　nest　of　assassinsfor　such
  we　are　and　no　more。　Take　courage　then；　and　sharpen　your　sword。
  Pompey's　head　has　fallen；　and　Caesar's　head　is　ripe。
  APOLLODORUS。　Does　Caesar　despair？
  CAESAR　（with　infinite　pride）。　He　who　has　never　hoped　can　never
  despair。　Caesar；　in　good　or　bad　fortune；　looks　his　fate　in　the
  face。
  LUCIUS。　Look　it　in　the　face；　then；　and　it　will　smile　as　it　always
  has　on　Caesar。
  CAESAR　（with　involuntary　haughtiness）。　Do　you　presume　to
  encourage　me？
  LUCIUS。　I　offer　you　my　services。　I　will　change　sides　if　you　will
  have　me。
  CAESAR　（suddenly　coming　down　to　earth　again；　and　looking　sharply
  at　him；　divining　that　there　is　something　behind　the　offer）。　What！
  At　this　point？
  LUCIUS　（firmly）。　At　this　point。
  RUFIO。　Do　you　suppose　Caesar　is　mad；　to　trust　you？
  LUCIUS。　I　do　not　ask　him　to　trust　me　until　he　is　victorious。　I
  ask　for