Cleopatra Page #3

Here's something

of more interest to the navy:

"In obtaining her objectives, she has

been known to use torture, poison...

...and even her own sexual talents,

which are said to be considerable.

Her lovers, I am told, are listed

more easily by number than by name.

It is said that she chooses

in the manner of a man...

...rather than wait to be chosen

in womanly fashion."

Well, there's more reason

than we thought...

...for not wanting to leave

you two alone, eh, sir?

I'm sorry, I wasn't listening.

Are you inclined to trust Cleopatra?

Trust? Not for a minute.

"Trust." The word has always

made me apprehensive.

Like wine, whenever I've tried it,

the aftereffects have not been good.

So I've given up wine...

...and trusting.

Oh, it's been a long

and difficult day, gentlemen.

The next few may be even longer

and more difficult.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Flavius!

Flavius!

"It is autumn again,

My best-loved Lesbia

Look, the torrents of Roman leaves

Are falling, falling

And lovers revive in kisses

The promise of spring

Which will end the winter world

With new nightingales calling."

I taste your food, daughter of Isis...

...and if there be harm in it,

let the harm fall upon me.

"But love must bring

Despair one day

As beauty, sorrow."

- Why do you stop, Phoebus?

- In the corridor, there is movement.

That's how the Romans

frighten the enemy...

...by stamping their elephant feet.

- No, this is one man...

...followed by others.

- Caesar, I would say.

- Would you?

We must not disappoint

the mighty Caesar.

The Romans tell fabulous tales

of my bath...

...and handmaidens...

...and my morals.

Cleopatra's requested my presence.

- That was yesterday, Caesar.

- I've been occupied.

The queen is occupied with her bath.

Perhaps Caesar could return later...

...or tomorrow.

- I'm afraid not. Hold him.

No, don't hurt him.

You're a good man, Apollodorus.

I hope you're appreciated.

Wait here for me.

"Ah, then let us live and love

Without one thought

For the gossip of virgins

Now grown old and stale

Suns go down and may return

But once put out

Our own brief light

We sleep through

One eternal night."

An intruder! A man!

Oh, it's you.

You wanted to see me?

I summoned you yesterday...

...to an audience in my throne room.

I was told I was not

permitted to go there.

It's too close to the quarters

occupied by your brother and the rest.

I will not be told where

I can go and where I cannot go!

Since there's nothing you want...

Except my throne!

At least you've dressed

properly for my presence.

Your best armor?

Almost, but I'm afraid

it's not being worn in your honor.

I know.

This morning, you paid a formal

visit to the tomb of Alexander.

You remained alone beside

the sarcophagus for some time.

I'd like to know

how you know.

Just staring down at him.

And then you cried.

Why did you cry, Caesar?

That man recites beautifully.

- Is he blind?

- Don't you hurt him.

I won't. Not anyone

who speaks Catullus so well.

Catullus doesn't approve of you.

Why haven't you had him killed?

Because I approve of him.

"My desire to please you,

Caesar, is very slight

Nor do I greatly care to know

If you are black or white."

Achillas is moving

his entire army to Alexandria.

By tonight, he'll outnumber you

20-to-1, 30-to-1.

He'll have the royal enclosure

entirely surrounded.

Except to the sea.

Do you plan to sail away,

great Caesar?

Not for the time being.

Achillas may attack tomorrow,

the next day...

...whenever it suits him!

- Very probable.

In your wildest dreams, Caesar,

how can you possibly hope to hold...

...the gates of this enclosure

against such odds?

And if you say once more,

"For the time being..."

My officers say anything

from a week to indefinitely.

What would you estimate?

Before you're without water...

...without food...

...your troops slaughtered,

picked off from the rooftops...

...poisoned in the brothels?

A few days, Caesar.

At the most, a few days.

I'm inclined to agree with you.

Young man, do you know this

of Catullus?

"Give me a thousand

And a thousand kisses

When we have many more,

We'll scramble them

And forget the score

So evil envy will not know

How high the count

And cast its evil eye."

It couldn't have been

as pleasant in the throne room.

"My desire to please you, Caesar,

Is very slight..."

Be still!

Caesar, a word. It's important.

The Egyptian galleys in the harbor

have been taking on men and armaments.

- When will they be prepared?

- Tomorrow, with the morning wind.

Burn them tonight.

Their ships lie close to shore.

- The fire may spread to the city.

- Let's hope it doesn't.

I can't risk a blockade.

Remember, not before tonight.

Prepare as secretly as possible.

I need this day.

Good luck.

Why not before tonight, my lord?

Why does Caesar need this day?

I can't give you that information,

for the time being.

Flavius.

Here it is, Caesar. Just arrived.

The gods shouldn't

tantalize us so, Rufio.

It's even better than I'd hoped.

- Be on your way, you haven't much time.

- Hail Caesar.

It's called an epilepse because of the

arching caused by muscular spasms...

...the contortions.

The early Greeks considered...

...those who suffered from it

to be favored by the gods.

The great Alexander, they say...

...had this falling sickness.

And, so they say,

the mighty Caesar too.

Your Majesty, forgive me.

Sisogenes, the library.

- What are you saying?

- The Romans set fire...

...to the Egyptian fleet.

- It's about time.

Come see for yourself.

The fire's spread to the city.

- The city?

- Just a few buildings...

...but the library is burning.

The great library.

Aristotle's manuscripts.

The Platonic commentaries,

the plays, the histories.

The Testament of the Hebrew god.

The Book of Books.

- Wind blew into the merchant shipping.

- Four burned and sank right here.

- And our ships?

- Safe and dry.

Prisoners are surrendering in droves.

I need help.

- Not one man. I may need your sailors.

- Halt!

Take your hands off me!

You should attack my guards more

often. Battle seems to become you.

You grow more beautiful

each time I see you.

And you grow bolder.

And busier.

- Actually, we're extremely busy...

- Do you smell smoke?

We found it necessary

to burn the Egyptian fleet.

The ships were in the water.

Did you find it necessary

to burn them in the streets?

Merchant ships caught fire.

The burning masts fell.

Some houses...

One of them, the great

Library of Alexandria.

Yes, I've been told.

I'm extremely sorry.

- Now, if you don't mind, I must ask...

- I do mind.

Are you putting the fire out?

We're forming prisoners

into fire brigades.

Oh, I see. Romans only start fires,

is that it?

Have you left the nursery

to come irritate the adults?

Another time, we're working.

- Shall we remove her for you, Caesar?

- Use Roman genius for destruction.

Tear down pyramids, wipe out cities!

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