Act V - Page 2

of Caesar.

PERSIAN
He has made short work of them. Here he comes. (He hurries to his post in front of the Egyptian lines.)

BELZANOR (following him).
Ho there! Caesar comes.

The soldiers stand at attention, and dress their lines. Apollodorus goes to the Egyptian line.

CENTURION (hurrying to the gangway guard).
Attention there! Caesar comes.

Caesar arrives in state with Rufio: Britannus following. The soldiers receive him with enthusiastic shouting.

RUFIO (at his left hand).
You have not yet appointed a Roman governor for this province.

CAESAR (Looking whimsically at him, but speaking with perfect gravity). What say you to Mithridates of Pergamos, my reliever and rescuer, the great son of Eupator?

RUFIO
Why, that you will want him elsewhere. Do you forget that you have some three or four armies to conquer on your way home?

CAESAR
Indeed! Well, what say you to yourself?

RUFIO (incredulously).
I! I a governor! What are you dreaming of? Do you not know that I am only the son of a freedman?

CAESAR (affectionately).
Has not Caesar called you his son? (Calling to the whole assembly) Peace awhile there; and hear me.

THE ROMAN SOLDIERS
Hear Caesar.

CAESAR
Hear the service, quality, rank and name of the Roman governor. By service, Caesar's shield; by quality, Caesar's friend; by rank, a Roman soldier. (The Roman soldiers give a triumphant shout.) By name, Rufio. (They shout again.)

RUFIO (kissing Caesar's hand).
Ay: I am Caesar's shield; but of what use shall I be when I am no longer on Caesar's arm? Well, no matter-- (He becomes husky, and turns away to recover himself.)

CAESAR
Where is that British Islander of mine?

BRITANNUS (coming forward on Caesar's right hand).
Here, Caesar.

CAESAR
Who bade you, pray, thrust yourself into the battle of the Delta, uttering the barbarous cries of your native land, and affirming yourself a match for any four of the Egyptians, to whom you applied unseemly epithets?

BRITANNUS
Caesar: I ask you to excuse the language that escaped me in the heat of the moment.

CAESAR
And how did you, who cannot swim, cross the canal with us when we stormed the camp?

BRITANNUS
Caesar: I clung to the tail of your horse.

CAESAR
These are not the deeds of a slave, Britannicus, but of a free man.

BRITANNUS
Caesar: I was born free.

CAESAR
But they call you Caesar's slave.

BRITANNUS
Only as Caesar's slave have I found real freedom.

CAESAR (moved).
Well said. Ungrateful that I am, I was about to set you free; but now I will not part from you for a million talents. (He claps him friendly on the shoulder. Britannus, gratified, but a trifle