The young king Ptolemy Dionysus (aged ten) is at the top of thesteps, on his way in through the loggia, led by his guardianPothinus, who has him by the hand. CLEOPATRA. Caesar finds the prospect of romance more tempting than he expected, since Cleopatra is a rare woman who is bright as well as beautiful. Their legacy has since been kept alive through countless primary source documents, biographies, and creative works. BEL AFFRIS. Well? you are a little fool. His turncame at last. Ftatafeeta will forgive theerring tongue of a Roman. CLEOPATRA (coaxing). No. Clap your hands. Immortalgods! Now I know why the gods havetaken her out of our hands. (He turns to goout through the loggia.). And this place? CAESAR (with conviction). I live in a tent; and I amnow in that tent, fast asleep and dreaming. Caesar is not romantic before Cleopatra. POTHINUS. Go, Ptolemy. Theireyes dazzle him; and he sees them not as they are, but as hewishes them to appear to him. I was with two others in the market place when the newscame. He was raised in the culturally Hellenistic city of Alexandria, where he was tutored by a Greek scholar named Rhodon. BELZANOR. The guardsmen rush out of the palace withBelzanor and a mob of fugitives, mostly carrying bundles.). Well, the little Ptolemy can marry the other sister; andwe will make them both a present of Cyprus. CAESAR. BELZANOR. (She buries herhead in her arms.). He was also known as "Theos Philopator Philometor," or "the Father-loving Mother-loving God." That is perhaps true, Cleopatra. (She looks verydoubtful.) Pothiuus: hear whatI propose. Caesarcomes down the hall between Rufio and Britannus) Rufio: we havesome ships in the west harbor. In dramatizations of her life, much emphasis has been placed on Cleopatra's physical beauty, to the point where it is often considered her foremost quality. Caesar,still led by Cleopatra, follows him. "Old gentleman: don't run away!!!" Indeed I am not afraid. BRITANNUS. (Wistfully) I was only twelve then. Ftatateeta enters the loggia, and stands arrogantly at the top ofthe steps. Taking his place before it, he looks nervouslyfor instructions to Pothinus, who places himself at his lefthand. Britannus: Attend the King. Ho, there,Teetatota. Achillas is a tall handsome man of thirty-five,with a fine black beard curled like the coat of a poodle.Apparently not a clever man, but distinguished and dignified.Pothinus is a vigorous man of fifty, a eunuch, passionate,energetic and quick witted, but of common mind and character;impatient and unable to control his temper. Cut off your brother's head? CLEOPATRA My salad days, When I was green in judgment: cold in blood, Burn them. RUFIO (from the steps). As detailed by the American Egyptomania project at George Mason University, Gérôme was internationally renowned, with "students from all over Europe and America." Caesar also claimed her as his divine ancestor. Oh shame, shame! (Whimpering) Ionly wanted to show you--, CAESAR (gently). Augustus was the younger man, often ill, with a possessive mother and capable of close male … Work! CLEOPATRA (springing up full of hope). Woe to the vanquished, Caesar! And for Cleopatra, a friendly relationship with the most powerful man in the world may pay dividends in the future. Faugh! Theyard is lighted by a torch stuck in the wall. And this piece of goods? Oh do, do, do. (Lifting his knife) Tastedeath. (Rufio nods.) It is the bucina, the Roman wartrumpet.). CAESAR. Caesar calls tothe Nubian) Slave. I am glad to see you alive. CAESAR. According to a spiteful, gossipy letter from Cicero, she suffered a miscarriage in the throes of mourning. Ho, Britannus. Rufio: if I take Lucius Septimius for my model, andbecome exactly like him, ceasing to be Caesar, will you serve mestill? CAESAR. This is where I sit on the throne when I am allowed towear my crown and robes. And we shall be her guard. CAESAR. They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinkingfrom wooden cups. Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more In Alexandria. (To Ftatateeta, very significantly)Mother: your gods are asleep or away hunting; and the sword is atyour throat. CAESAR. Nevertheless, several paintings and films have perpetuated Cleopatra's association with the image of the carpet over the years. (Caesar shakes his head: she iscruelly disappointed.) CAESAR. No, no, no: don't go. The Kingwished to say that the gods would not suffer the impiety of hissister to go unpunished. We SHALL bebesieged. Well, my friend, get out if you can. THE GIRL (who has wakened, and peeped cautiously from her nest tosee who is speaking). PERSIAN. (They shrink back, appalled and disconcerted.) I will not harm you; but you will besafer away, among your friends. Now or tomorrow: what does it matter? No, my child; but your father, as you say, never worked.I always work. (To the Persian) You, O subtle one: your father'slands lie far from the Nile. Ah, I forgot. CLEOPATRA. That is true. Go. (Menacingly)Cleopatra--. Dull work at your age, eh? When a man is close to you with such a sword, youcan do nothing with our weapons: they are all too long. Antony and Cleopatra William Shakespeare. PERSIAN. You are free to go with the rest. But he eats girls (she relapses) and cats.Now you are a silly little girl; and you are descended from theblack kitten. But as I most likely shall not get it, I must go back to mywork. And will he eat me? A shiver runs through the court, followed by a hissing whisper ofSacrilege! Oh, I wish he had, I wish he had. (Calling) Ftatateeta. One such writer is famous playwright George Bernard Shaw, whose 1901 Caesar and Cleopatra chronicles the relationship of the two lovers. Poor Caesar generally hasto dress himself. (He goes out through the loggia.). CAESAR (softening the expression). What! Take it; and leave us to settle our ownaffairs. Peace, peace, poor Ethiop: destinyis with the gods who painted thee black. To think thatmen's lives should be at the mercy of such fools! However, Caesar giving Cleopatra a statue in a Roman temple was unprecedented, as it suggested that the Roman people were supposed to see her as divine — especially since the statue gave her aspects of both Venus and her Egyptian counterpart Isis. Pass him. I speak thetruth. ... "Antony and Cleopatra Act 3 Scene 2" Track Info. Caesar, meanwhile, was married to a woman named Calpurnia — his fourth wife. Did I not say it? CLEOPATRA. CAESAR (a little preoccupied, goes with a sigh to Ptolemy'schair, whilst she waits for his answer with red cheeks andclenched fists). If you fear Caesar, you are no true Queen; and though youwere to hide beneath a pyramid, he would go straight to it andlift it with one hand. When I served Pompey, Islew as good men as he, only because he conquered them. THE NUBIAN SENTINEL. The court breaks into derisive laughter; and a great chatteringbegins, amid which Rufio, a Roman officer, appears in the loggia.He is a burly, black-bearded man of middle age, very blunt,prompt and rough, with small clear eyes, and plump nose andcheeks, which, however, like the rest of his flesh, are inironhard condition. Are we to give up the city? THE GUARDSMEN (approvingly). O that brave Caesar! BELZANOR. When I am old enough I shall do just what I like. It's myopinion he needs a lesson. Do not fear, Pothinus: the people know how well winetastes in wooden cups. Butshe already troubles men's wisdom. CLEOPATRA (clinging to him piteously). (She plucks a pin from her hair and jabs it repeatedly intohis arm.). CAESAR. (He resumeshis monotone). Engage women to attend upon her; and do allthat is needful. Themoonlight wanes: the horizon again shows black against the sky,broken only by the fantastic silhouette of the Sphinx. Bring us to where the Queen is hid, and you shalllive. She is believed to have been the world’s richest woman at the time and able to finance Caesar’s return to power in Rome. BRITANNUS (shocked). Their chief is called Julius Caesar. It is so. And this gentleman? Not we. Draw near, O bearer ofevil tidings. This gentleman is Rufio, mycomrade in arms. LUCIUS (turning defiantly on the loggia steps). BELZANOR. POTHINUS. (General panic. Hisfather was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain; and hisnose is like an elephant's trunk. Cleopatra, who is hiding behind Ftafateeta, peeps out at them,laughing. CLEOPATRA (timidly, to the slave). POTHINUS. Oh yes--will not maintain such iniquity, they will giveher head to the axe even as her sister's. CLEOPATRA Be choked with such another emphasis! When Ptolemy XIII died in 47 BC, Cleopatra married her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, to ensure that her reign was still legitimized. CAESAR. (She throws her arms round Caesar's neck. In his right hand he carries a Roman sword in itssheath. No, no, no. Her gender added insult to injury. BELZANOR. The bloodin their veins is boiling quicksilver; and their wives becomemothers in three hours, and are slain and eaten the next day. Ibrought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx; but when we gota little way from the city a black cat called him, and he jumpedout of my arms and ran away to it. Woe, alas! Tell theKing, Achillas, how many soldiers and horsemen follow the Roman? What say you? They all start, listening. RUFIO (explaining). Many modern depictions of her are influenced by her 1963 portrayal by Elizabeth Taylor, who appeared as a vision of delicate glamour in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's epic Cleopatra. RUFIO (shouting gruffly). Let it rather be the ruin of Rome! That's right. CLEOPATRA (musically). You knowhow the heart burns when you charge a fortified wall; but how ifthe fortified wall were to charge YOU? CLEOPATRA (interrupting him). He was also known as "Theos Philopator Philometor," or "the Father-loving Mother-loving God." If not, it matters nothow many there are, provided you are no stronger than 500 to ten. ), CAESAR. BELZANOR. Of course I had rather you stayed. But I donot want to, mind. (Theslave stops. Yes. You are safe with me until you stand on your throne toreceive Caesar. CAESAR (kindly). She is too downcast to speak.) The film starred Tony Award-winning Claude Reins and Vivien Leigh of Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire fame. Then I shall not be his first love. BELZANOR. a real Queen.Listen! Would you like me to show you a real Roman? I say it isimpossible. (The guardsmenlaugh with boisterous scorn.) POTHINUS. (Anxiously) Youwill tell him that I am a Queen, will you not? Venus Genetrix was held in high esteem by the Roman people. Cleopatra's terrorincreases. I YOUR prisoner! • I can translate the lines into more clear English. Suddenly there comes from afar a vaguely fearful sound (itmight be the bellow of a Minotaur softened by great distance) andMemnon's music stops. This palace we have; and--whatis that building next door? As explained in an article by the Altes Museum, Cleopatra was married to her "rebellious brother" and co-regent Ptolemy XIII when she and Caesar first became involved. Slay her. For whom must the Queen put on her state? Now thisnews will run through the palace like fire through stubble. (Britannus goes out after Ptolemy. O mother of guile! Cleopatra,furiously jealous, rises and glares at them. But you want Mark Antony to come from it. CLEOPATRA. Th… BEL AFFRIS (stepping between them). Pascal paid an immense amount of attention to detail, even going so far as to import real Egyptian sand. Renegades and all? It is useless to try to bluff us, Rufio. CLEOPATRA. ), RUFIO (pointing to Cleopatra). Cleopatra VII Philopator was one of Egypt's most notable queens, remembered for her intelligence, charisma, boldness, and willingness to flout societal conventions in order to pursue personal and political goals. 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