Cleopatra Page #5

boy and stop frowning. I have to dress.

All right, but kiss me first.

Now run along.

Welcome.

I hope to renew an old

friendship. I hope so, too.

Well, time has made you

older and wiser.

And me younger

and more beautiful.

And any news?

News, indeed.

I come directly from Rome

on my way to Judea. Ah.

Yes, directly from Rome.

As a friend and ally of Rome?

And as a friend

and ally of Egypt.

And the news?

If you'll dismiss

your court, I...

Charmion.

Well?

For the moment, I'm tongue-tied

before so much beauty.

The news. The news.

You go to great length for

the sake of Egypt, don't you?

You know, I...

I wonder how far

you would go, really.

Octavian

doesn't like Antony...

but Octavian is in power now.

If Antony were dead...

Octavian would be a very

good friend and ally of Egypt.

He told me to give you

that message.

Oh.

I thought you were

a friend of Antony.

I am. I am.

I always said there was no man in the

world that could drink with Antony...

but not now.

But listen...

No, no, no.

My friend, when a man

is drunk with love...

he can't divide his

concentration with wine, you know.

All major emotions are greedy.

And tell me, my friend, aren't you

happier with her than with a grape?

Or anything else.

I'm mad about her.

Of course you are, my boy. Of

course. That reminds me of something.

Something very funny, too, that I

heard recently in Rome from Octavian.

Octavian?

It must have been funny.

It was, Antony. It was.

Listen, this is what he said.

If Cleopatra

would poison Antony...

Rome would forgive her for everything,

and that would be the salvation for Egypt.

Poison me?

Uh-huh. Poison you.

Just imagine,

Cleopatra poisoning you.

What did I say?

Isn't it funny?

It's the funniest thing

I've ever heard.

As if love didn't conquer

all. As if it didn't.

Poison me? I can't wait to

tell her! How she'll laugh.

I'll go and tell her.

I'll be right back.

Yes, do that, Antony.

Do tell her, please.

She...

You poison me!

You must for Egypt.

Egypt.

Now you ask me

to do murder for Egypt.

I can't. I can't.

It's only one life against

the freedom of your people.

You don't love him.

What's your crime?

Murder. I killed my wife

and child while I was drunk.

What punishment

has been decreed?

Crucifixion.

How long will it take you

to die on the cross?

I am strong, Majesty.

Two days. Maybe three.

Would you like to die

in three seconds?

Majesty, you're merciful.

Take this.

Drink it.

Was there any pain?

A little, a very little.

There must be no pain.

What's this?

The Queen is testing poisons.

A wine we've never had before,

dear Antony. I've been saving it.

What for?

For a night

when the mood strikes.

I see.

And tonight is that night?

Tonight.

Now, can you think

of a pretty toast?

It would please me very much.

You're very gay.

And you're very solemn.

Is there any reason?

I'm thinking.

Evidently.

Well, let's drink first.

Perhaps pretty words will follow.

But you don't drink.

Neither do you.

I don't wish to drink alone.

And I don't think

I wish to drink at all.

Well...

he is in a strange

mood tonight.

Now tell me,

what's the matter?

Oh. For some reason, I've...

I've no thirst tonight.

I'd far prefer just to sit

and watch you drink.

You really mean that?

Yes, I do.

If that's what you prefer, I

always try to please you, Antony.

Oh, my dear.

The strangest man

on the face of the earth.

The happiest man

on the face of the earth.

Come on. Let's drink.

Look, Antony.

What?

The reed birds again.

Not much of a meal for a man. These

things get smaller and smaller.

Do you remember the stars?

Yes, and the river.

And the rose. When I put it in

your hair, and you were Cleopatra.

Yes, and I threw it

back at you.

And I sweetened

your wine with it.

That was a night.

Let's drink to the river.

To the river.

Majesty.

What is it?

A carrier pigeon from Rome.

Rome has declared war.

War? Let me see that.

Octavian declares

me a traitor, eh?

Octavian!

Octavian to meet me!

I'm laughing now.

Go get Enobarbus.

Send him here.

I take orders only from my Queen. What?

Now, get up and get him!

You keep out of this!

Another word from you, and I'll

smash you to powder. Now, get him!

All Egyptians, eh?

I need Roman soldiers now.

You, get my 10 generals

and send them to me at once.

Yes, my lord.

Well, jump to it!

Maps. My maps.

Yes, lord.

You, get my war chests.

Yes, lord.

Send carrier pigeons to Ventilius

at Tarsus, Drusus at Athens...

and to my legions

in Philippi...

to get under way at once and meet

me and my 10 legions at Actium.

Yes, lord.

Slaves, bring tables!

Yes, and get chairs, chairs for my

generals! I need Roman soldiers now.

So I'm a traitor, am I? They'll

take that back on their knees!

And as for you and your Egypt,

take your choice: Rome or Antony?

It's all the same to Antony.

Here, you!

All right, set it down.

I want galleys tomorrow

morning to transport 10 legions.

Ten legions to Actium.

Tomorrow morning?

Manned and equipped

for six months' siege.

The legions will assemble

under my generals in the square.

Tomorrow morning?

At dawn.

Now, get out.

What answer

will you send Octavian?

Octavian?

Send that to Octavian!

I'm at war again!

No!

Antony! Antony!

What's the matter?

What is it?

At last, I've seen

a god come to life.

I'm no longer a queen.

I'm a woman.

You choose me, Cleopatra,

against the world?

Against the world.

Then we'll meet it.

We'll smash it to pieces, put it

together again, and call it ours!

War!

Ah, Enobarbus!

Come over here.

I've my plans all ready.

A trap that Octavian will

fall into like a little mouse.

There'll be no war.

Why, what's happened?

Disaster.

Disaster?

Yes, and for Octavian,

complete disaster.

Where are my generals?

They're all here, Antony.

And can you blame them?

They're Romans. They won't

serve under an Egyptian queen.

They won't fight

for Egypt against Rome.

They have gone. They've

taken their legions with them.

Now they're Octavian's

generals, and you are alone.

There'll be no war.

There will be war!

And what will you fight with?

The Egyptian army

against all of Rome?

If that's all we have left,

we fight with them.

We?

What?

I'm not here to fight

with the Egyptian army.

I'm here to tell you that Rome

is still yours if you want her.

Rome will always

love you, Antony.

All that Rome wants is

your love in return.

And there's one way

to prove that love.

One way, and overnight

Octavian will be forgotten...

and Rome will take back

to her arms her hero.

One way.

Well?

Say the word, and I'll plunge

that through a woman's heart.

And the report will be that you did it,

and Rome will take you back to her heart.

There's no room in Rome

for Octavian and me.

You mean, there's not

room enough in your world...

for anything else

but Cleopatra.

Yes. Yes,

that's what I mean. Yes.

That's what you mean.

And you're the man

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