Cleopatra Page #13

like a pack of dogs on a wounded bear.

- Lord Antony's ship?

- Gone.

- And Octavian's ship?

- Burning, helpless.

Would you say, admiral...

...that Lord Antony is dead?

How is the wind for Egypt?

Fair.

We'll sail at once.

Man the oar banks. Hoist anchor.

We sail for Egypt!

My Lord Canidius!

Remember always,

that after the battle of Actium...

...with Octavian dead

and Antony dead...

...you saw the victor...

...sail away on her golden barge.

She's going.

Cleopatra's going!

Leaving me!

My lord.

My lord, our casualties are heavy.

We have little armor left.

Our men need regrouping,

someone to give them courage.

The dying are calling for you.

The living need your help.

You can't leave them.

Listen to me!

Help!

Help!

Caesar, news!

Great news! Cleopatra is leaving

the battle. Antony follows.

We have won a great victory.

Weigh oars!

Her Majesty is most anxious

to see you. Will you come below?

Perhaps if you remain,

she will come to you.

Shall I send you food? Wine?

Her Majesty's orders.

She's afraid you might...

...harm yourself.

Please.

Octavian has crossed

from Syria into Egypt.

He can be here in a matter of weeks.

There are two full legions

here in Alexandria...

...who have remained loyal to you.

They and their officers...

...are waiting for you

to command them.

If not to me, won't you speak

to Rufio at least...

...or to anyone you choose?

Antony, just say what you want done

and it will be.

It's been so long since you've

looked at me. Don't turn away...

...even like this...

...with your eyes filled with hate.

How they burn with hate.

Why, Antony? Why?

Because I ran away?

They told me you were dead!

What...

...could I do?

Where could I go...

...in a world suddenly without you...

...except to my son and my country...

...Caesarion and Egypt?

I wanted to save them from Octavian.

You would have wanted me to go.

You would have commanded me to go.

Tell me you would have!

They told me you were dead.

They told me you were dead.

You were quite right.

I am dead.

The armies of Gaius Julius Caesar...

...are advancing without opposition

upon Alexandria.

Gaius Julius Caesar?

So now Octavian has

stolen all of the name.

Caesar wishes it known he has

no quarrel with Cleopatra of Egypt.

Then let him take his armies

out of here and go home.

He has charged me to say

that the choice of war or peace...

...now rests with Egypt.

And that for himself,

he desires only peace.

And what are his terms

for this unconditional peace?

A small token.

A demonstration. A gesture.

An indication of Queen Cleopatra's

goodwill and good faith.

What does Octavian want?

Marc Antony.

The...

...head of Marc Antony?

Take this to him as my answer.

Egyptian generosity.

Octavian may have two heads

for the price of one.

Either two...

...or none.

I'm told you come here to sleep.

Not to sleep.

To pass the night then.

I'm not alone.

The old boy and I

exchange memories of life.

It's like having a roommate,

or should I say, "tomb-mate"?

If he were in your place,

would I find Caesar here?

Hidden away, wrapped in moonlight

and endless self-pity?

Self-pity! You repeat yourself!

Find new reproaches!

Until now it has just been

a part of your being drunk.

Singing sad songs for Antony.

Your time would be better spent

negotiating with Octavian.

Why not give over my head?

It's no great loss to me.

Dying the second time is painless

and possibly an advantage to you.

The basis

of a great new alliance with Rome.

I do not want a great

new alliance with Rome.

Then what do you want?

I have come for Marc Antony.

What is left of his army,

Rufio, my son and I...

...all of Egypt are waiting for him.

There is little time.

Marc Antony?

There is no one here by that name...

...alive.

Time for what?

For Marc Antony

to appear in shiny armor...

...swords flashing in both hands?

Agrippa. Octavian.

Stand back! Rejoice!

Marc Antony will save the day!

Antony, you say?

He died at Actium...

...running away.

He tried to run on the water, but

you weren't there to hold his hand!

Rufio, my legions, waiting.

For what?

To ask me

what they carry in their eyes...

...in their hearts, in their sleep,

as I have.

Why are you not dead?

Why do you live? How can you live?

Why do you not lie

in the deepest hole of the sea...

...bloodless and bloated and

at peace with honorable death?

You begged forgiveness from me

for running away.

You wept and gave reason. A mother

to her child, a queen to her country.

Where and how can I weep and beg?

From whom?

The thousands and thousands

who can no longer hear me?

Shall I give my reason?

Shall I say simply, I loved?

When I saw you go, I saw nothing.

Felt, heard, thought nothing

except your going.

Not the dying and dead,

not Rome, not Egypt...

...not victory or defeat,

honor or disgrace...

...only that my love was going

and I must be with her.

That my love, my master, called.

And I followed.

And that only then...

...I looked back...

...and I saw.

How right you were.

"Have as your master

anyone, anything...

...but never love."

How wrong.

How wrong I was.

Antony, the love you followed is here.

To be had upon payment of an empire.

Without you, Antony...

...this is not a world

I want to live in...

...much less conquer.

Because for me...

...there would be no love anywhere.

Do you want me to die with you?

I will.

Or do you want me to live with you?

Whatever you choose.

Are we too late, do you think,

if we choose to live?

Better too late...

...than never.

My lady, there is disturbing news

from the city.

The people are frightened. Some are

beginning to leave their homes.

During the night, hundreds of notices

were posted everywhere.

They were found

stuck up in the marketplace.

Even painted on temples

and other holy places.

Signed by Octavian Gaius

Julius Caesar Augustus...

...promising the Egyptian people

peace if they surrender to him...

...and destruction if they do not.

I've had all of them removed

and I've ordered the death penalty...

...for anyone who spreads the rumors

that Antony's men might desert him.

And what penalty

if the rumors might come true?

How do you know?

I know the Romans.

There is only one commander

they will never desert.

His name is "Victory."

But yet, just now,

you let Lord Antony go as if...

If you could have seen him,

how proud he was...

...unafraid...

...as he used to be.

All of my attendants, have they been

given their freedom? Have they gone?

Yes. They wanted once more

to tidy up.

Octavian can do his own housecleaning.

The captain of the guards and three

of his best men are to report to me...

...disguised as merchants.

They are to escort

Caesarion out of Egypt...

...for the time being.

And you?

Your Majesty, please reconsider.

There are two of Euphranor's ships

in the east harbor.

And would you roll me

on board in a carpet?

No.

There are no more Caesars to go to,

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