Tony and Cleop Act Five Scene Two Sub Scene Two

Act Five

Scene Two

Sub-Scene Two

Caesar to Queen

 

“Good day, Queen. I am...” Caesar greeted the Queen.

“Octavius, Caesar of Rome.” The Queen looked at the younger man. “You do not look like your father.”

“My father? Yes, you...”

“Yes, we fucked. He was my first lover.” The Queen laughed. “A very considerate one too.”

“I am happy to get to know you.” Caesar kept his composure. ‘Please do not hold any grudges. Even though our bodies still bear the wounds from battle, we will agree to forget about the injuries you inflicted on us, treating them as accidents.”

“I have none. I was protected from the war. It was Mark Antony who suffered and died of it.” The Queen smiled. “Women do not get into battles. They just bitched on the side. Ask your sister. She will give one room of notes on it.” 

“I can only confess that I have some of the same weaknesses that we often brought shame to women.” Caesar smiled. “I will ……”

“Do not, Caesar. It will be below you to bow to us, the women. Only the dogs do it when they sniff our crotches.” The Queen smiled. “Sorry, some men do.”

“Cleopatra.” Caesar resorted to her name. “You should know that I intend to excuse your offenses rather than dwell on them. I held my respect for you and Mark Antony. If you agree to go along with my plans, which are very generous, you will find that this change will benefit you.”

“However, if you try to injure me, my boys, or even kill yourself as Antony did, you will lose all the generosity I intend to show you and ensure that I destroy your children, which I will not do if you submit to me. I will leave you now.”

“You may go freely wherever you like in the world! The world is yours, and just as you can freely display the shields of your conquered enemies, you can do whatever you like with me.” The Queen smiled. “I am a woman who cannot love her man.”

“Here is the list of my assets. They are in cipher. I am a very cautious lady.” The Queen handed it over to Caesar. “Where is my treasurer?”

“I am here.” The treasurer appeared.

“My Queen, I would rather not speak than risk endangering myself by saying something false.”

“What have I held back?” The Queens ask.

“You have held back enough treasure to buy back everything you listed on that inventory.” The treasurer sighed. “I spoke the truth.”

“See, Caesar! Oh, see what happens when all the spectacle is over! My boys will now be yours, and if we exchanged our positions, your boys would be mine. Still, my treasurer's ingratitude makes me wild with anger. 

“Good Queen, let me ask you to...” Caesar was cut off.

“Oh Caesar, I am so ashamed... You came, you saw, and I am dishonouring at your great presence, and my own servant adds to all my disgraces out of spite.”

“Let us suppose, good Caesar, that I did hold back some little feminine, insignificant trinkets, the kind of common items like garters and corsets that we give away to our ordinary friends;... and let us suppose that I did hold back some more valuable objects to give to your wife Livia and to Octavia... diamonds and gold bracelets... yes, to persuade them to intervene for me; you know women’s influence... even supposing all that, do I deserve to be betrayed by a servant I have nurtured? The gods! This causes me more agony than the embarrassment I have already endured.”

“I am so upset that words will not form in my mouth; it will be drastic to hear.” The Queen muttered.

“Let it be known that we, the greatest, are misjudged for the things other people do, and when we fall, we must answer for the things that others have done in our name. We should therefore be pitied.” The Queen put on a smile.

“Cleopatra, I do not claim as a right of conquest either the treasure you have held back or the treasure you have declared in your inventory. Let it all still belong to you.”

“Do what you like with it, and do not think that I am like a common merchant, so concerned with material things that I would haggle with you over your property. Therefore, be cheerful. Do not imprison yourself in gloomy thoughts.”

“No, dear Queen, because I intend to treat you in whatever way you yourself advise me to. Eat and sleep. I have so much care and pity for you that I will continue to be your friend. And so, goodbye.”

Good day, Caesar. May Luvia love you more.” 

“I am not your master or your lord. Luvia is fine with me. Goodbye.” Caesar said before he left.