caesar and cleopatra-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


wrist；　and　looks　steadfastly　at　her。　She　stands　like　a　martyr。）

CAESAR。　The　Queen　must　face　Caesar　alone。　Answer　〃So　be　it。〃

CLEOPATRA　（white）。　So　be　it。

CAESAR　（releasing　her）。　Good。

A　tramp　and　tumult　of　armed　men　is　heard。　Cleopatra's　terror
increases。　The　bucina　sounds　close　at　hand；　followed　by　a
formidable　clangor　of　trumpets。　This　is　too　much　for　Cleopatra：
she　utters　a　cry　and　darts　towards　the　door。　Ftatateeta
stops　her　ruthlessly。

FTATATEETA。　You　are　my　nursling。　You　have　said　〃So　be　it〃；　and　if
you　die　for　it；　you　must　make　the　Queen's　word　good。　（She　hands
Cleopatra　to　Caesar；　who　takes　her　back；　almost　beside　herself
with　apprehension；　to　the　throne。）

CAESAR。　Now；　if　you　quail！　（He　seats　himself　on　the　throne。）

She　stands　on　the　step；　all　but　unconscious；　waiting　for　death。
The　Roman　soldiers　troop　in　tumultuously　through　the　corridor；
headed　by　their　ensign　with　his　eagle；　and　their　bucinator；　a
burly　fellow　with　his　instrument　coiled　round　his　body；　its
brazen　bell　shaped　like　the　head　of　a　howling　wolf。　When　they
reach　the　transept；　they　stare　in　amazement　at　the　throne；　dress
into　ordered　rank　opposite　it；　draw　their　swords　and　lift　them　in
the　air　with　a　shout　of　HAIL　CAESAR。　Cleopatra　turns　and
stares　wildly　at　Caesar；　grasps　the　situation；　and；　with　a　great
sob　of　relief；　falls　into　his　arms。



ACT　II

Alexandria。　A　hall　on　the　first　floor　of　the　Palace；　ending　in　a
loggia　approached　by　two　steps。　Through　the　arches　of　the　loggia
the　Mediterranean　can　be　seen；　bright　in　the　morning　sun。　The
clean　lofty　walls；　painted　with　a　procession　of　the　Egyptian
theocracy；　presented　in　profile　as　flat　ornament；　and　the　absence
of　mirrors；　sham　perspectives；　stuffy　upholstery　and　textiles；
make　the　place　handsome；　wholesome；　simple　and　cool；　or；　as　a
rich　English　manufacturer　would　express　it；　poor；　bare；
ridiculous　and　unhomely。　For　Tottenham　Court　Road　civilization　is
to　this　Egyptian　civilization　as　glass　bead　and　tattoo
civilization　is　to　Tottenham　Court　Road。

The　young　king　Ptolemy　Dionysus　（aged　ten）　is　at　the　top　of　the
steps；　on　his　way　in　through　the　loggia；　led　by　his　guardian
Pothinus；　who　has　him　by　the　hand。　The　court　is　assembled　to
receive　him。　It　is　made　up　of　men　and　women　（some　of　the　women
being　officials）　of　various　complexions　and　races；　mostly
Egyptian；　some　of　them；　comparatively　fair；　from　lower　Egypt；
some；　much　darker；　from　upper　Egypt；　with　a　few　Greeks　and　Jews。
Prominent　in　a　group　on　Ptolemy's　right　hand　is　Theodotus；
Ptolemy's　tutor。　Another　group；　on　Ptolemy's　left；　is　headed　by
Achillas；　the　general　of　Ptolemy's　troops。　Theodotus　is　a　little
old　man；　whose　features　are　as　cramped　and　wizened　as　his　limbs；
except　his　tall　straight　forehead；　which　occupies　more　space　than
all　the　rest　of　his　face。　He　maintains　an　air　of　magpie　keenness
and　profundity；　listening　to　what　the　others　say　with　the
sarcastic　vigilance　of　a　philosopher　listening　to　the　exercises
of　his　disciples。　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。　He　has　fine　tawny
hair；　like　fur。　Ptolemy；　the　King；　looks　much　older　than　an
English　boy　of　ten；　but　he　has　the　childish　air；　the　habit　of
being　in　leading　strings；　the　mixture　of　impotence　and　petulance；
the　appearance　of　being　excessively　washed；　combed　and　dressed　by
other　hands；　which　is　exhibited　by　court…bred　princes　of　all
ages。

All　receive　the　King　with　reverences。　He　comes　down　the　steps　to
a　chair　of　state　which　stands　a　little　to　his　right；　the　only
seat　in　the　hall。　Taking　his　place　before　it；　he　looks　nervously
for　instructions　to　Pothinus；　who　places　himself　at　his　left
hand。

POTHINUS。　The　King　of　Egypt　has　a　word　to　speak。

THEODOTUS　（in　a　squeak　which　he　makes　impressive　by　sheer
self…opinionativeness）。　Peace　for　the　King's　word！

PTOLEMY　（without　any　vocal　inflexions：　he　is　evidently　repeating
a　lesson）。　Take　notice　of　this　all　of　you。　I　am　the　firstborn　son
of　Auletes　the　Flute　Blower　who　was　your　King。　My　sister　Berenice
drove　him　from　his　throne　and　reigned　in　his　stead　butbut　（he
hesitates）

POTHINUS　（stealthily　prompting）。but　the　gods　would　not　suffer

PTOLEMY。　Yesthe　gods　would　not　suffernot　suffer　（he　stops；
then；　crestfallen）　I　forget　what　the　gods　would　not　suffer。

THEODOTUS。　Let　Pothinus；　the　King's　guardian；　speak　for　the　King。

POTHINUS　（suppressing　his　impatience　with　difficulty）。　The　King
wished　to　say　that　the　gods　would　not　suffer　the　impiety　of　his
sister　to　go　unpunished。

PTOLEMY　（hastily）。　Yes：　I　remember　the　rest　of　it。　（He　resumes
his　monotone）。　Therefore　the　gods　sent　a　stranger；　one　Mark
Antony；　a　Roman　captain　of　horsemen；　across　the　sands　of　the
desert　and　he　set　my　father　again　upon　the　throne。　And　my　father
took　Berenice　my　sister　and　struck　her　head　off。　And　now　that　my
father　is　dead　yet　another　of　his　daughters；　my　sister　Cleopatra；
would　snatch　the　kingdom　from　me　and　reign　in　my　place。　But　the
gods　would　not　suffer　（Pothinus　coughs　admonitorily）the　gods
the　gods　would　not　suffer

POTHINUS　（prompting）。will　not　maintain

PTOLEMY。　Oh　yeswill　not　maintain　such　iniquity；　they　will　give
her　head　to　the　axe　even　as　her　sister's。　But　with　the　help　of
the　witch　Ftatateeta　she　hath　cast　a　spell　on　the　Roman　Julius
Caesar　to　make　him　uphold　her　false　pretence　to　rule　in　Egypt。
Take　notice　then　that　I　will　not　sufferthat　I　will　not　suffer
（pettishly；　to　Pothinus）What　is　it　that　I　will　not　suffer？

POTHINUS　（suddenly　exploding　with　all　the　force　and　emphasis　of
political　passion）。　The　King　will　not　suffer　a　foreigner　to　take
from　him　the　throne　of　our　Egypt。　（A　shout　of　applause。）　Tell　the
King；　Achillas；　how　many　soldiers　and　horsemen　follow　the　Roman？

THEODOTUS。　Let　the　King's　general　speak！

ACHILLAS。　But　two　Roman　legions；　O　King。　Three　thousand　soldiers
and　scarce　a　thousand　horsemen。

The　court　breaks　into　derisive　laughter；　and　a　great　chattering
begins；　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　and
cheeks；　which；　however；　like　the　rest　of　his　flesh；　are　in
ironhard　condition。

RUFIO　（from　the　steps）。　Peace；　ho！　（The　laughter　and　chatter
cease　abruptly。）　Caesar　approaches。

THEODOTUS　（with　much　presence　of　mind）。　The　King　permits　the
Roman　commander　to　enter！

Caesar；　plainly　dressed；　but；　wearing　an　oak　wreath　to　conceal
his　baldness；　enters　from；　the　loggia；　attended　by　Britannus；　his
secretary；　a　Briton；　about　forty；　tall；　solemn；　and　already
slightly　bald；　with　a　heavy；　drooping；　hazel…colored　moustache
trained　so　as　to　lose　its　ends　in　a　pair　of　trim　whiskers。　He
is　carefully　dressed　in　blue；　with　portfolio；　inkhorn；　and　reed
pen　at　his　girdle。　His　serious　air　and　sense　of　the　importance
of　the　business　in　hand　is　in　marked　contrast　to　the　kindly
interest　of　Caesar；　who　looks　at　the　scene；　which　is　new　to　him；
with　the　frank　curiosity　of　a　child；　and　then　turns　to　the　King's
chair：　Britannus　and　Rufio　posting　themselves　near　the　steps　at
the　other　side。

CAESAR　（looking　at　Pothinus　and　Ptolemy）。　Which　is　the　King？　The
man　or　the　boy？

POTHINUS。　I　am　Pothinus；　the　guardian　of　my　lord　the　King。

Caesar　（patting　Ptolemy　kindly　on　the　shoulder）。　So　you　are　the
King。　Dull　work　at　your　age；　eh？　（To　Pothinus）　your　servant；
Pothinus。　（He　turns　away　unconcernedly　and　comes　slowly　along　the
middle　of　the　hall；　looking　from　side　to　side　at　the　courtiers
until　he　reaches　Achillas。）　And　this　gentleman？

THEODOTUS。　Achillas；　the　King's　general。

CAESAR　（to　Achillas；　very　friendly）。　A　general；　eh？　I　am　a
general　myself。　But　I　began　too　old；　too　old。　Health　and　many
victories；　Achillas！

ACHILLAS。　As　the　gods　will；　Caesar。

CAESAR　（turning　to　Theodotus）。　And　you；　sir；　are？

THEODOTUS。　Theodotus；　the　King's　tutor。

CAESAR。　You　teach　men　how　to　be　kings；　Theodotus。　That　is　very
clever　of　you。　（Looking　at　the　gods　on　the　walls　as　he　turns　away
from　Theodotus　and　goes　up　again　to　Pothinus。）　And　this　place？

POTHINUS。　The　council　chamber　of　the　chancellors　of　the　King's
treasury；　Caesar。

CAESAR。　Ah！　That　reminds　me。　I　want　some　money。

POTHINUS。　The　King's　treasury　is　poor；　Caesar。

CAESAR。　Yes：　I　notice　that　there　is　but　one　chair　in　it。

RUFIO　（shouting　gruffly）。　Bring　a　chair　there；　some　of　you；　for
Caesar。

PTOLEMY　（rising　shyly　to　offer　his　chair）。　Caesar

CAESAR　（kindly）。　No；　no；　my　boy：　that　is　your　chair　of　state。　Sit
down。

He　makes　Ptolemy　sit　down　again。　Meanwhile　Rufio；　looking　about
him；　sees　in　the　nearest　corner　an　image　of　the　god　Ra；
represented　as　a　seated　man　with　the　head　of　a　hawk。　Before
the　image　is　a　bronze　tripod；　about　as　large　as　a　three…legged
stool；　with　a　stick　of　incense　burning　on　it。　Rufio；　with　Roman
resourcefulness　and　indifference　to　foreign　superstitions；
promptly　seizes　the　tripod；　shakes　off　the　incense；　blows　away
the　ash；　and　dumps　it　down　behind　Caesar；　nearly　in　the　middle　of
the　hall。

RUFIO。　Sit　on　that；　Caesar。

A　shiver　runs　through　the　court；　followed　by　a　hissing　whisper　of
Sacrilege！

CAESAR　（seating　himself）。　Now；　Pothinus；　to　business。　I　am　badly
in　want　of　money。

BRITANNUS　（disapproving　of　these　informal　expressions）。　My　master
would　say　that　there　is　a　lawful　debt　due　to　Rome　by　Egypt；
contracted　by　the　King's　deceased　father　to　the　Triumvirate；　and
that　it　is　Caesar's　duty　to　his　country　to　require　immediate
payment。

CAESAR　（blandly）。　Ah；　I　forgot。　I　have　not　made　my　companions
known　here。　Pothinus：　this　is　Britannus；　my　secretary。　He　is　an
islander　from　the　western　end　of　the　world；　a　day's　voyage　from
Gaul。　（Britannus　bows　stiffly。）　This　gentleman　is　Rufio；　my
comrade　in　arms。　（Rufio　nods。）　Pothinus：　I　want　1；600　talents。

The　courtiers；　appalled；　murmur　loudly；　and　Theodotus　and
Achillas　appeal　mutely　to　one　another　against　so　monstrous　a
demand。