Briton wears clothes
of many colors as you do, instead of plain blue, as all solid, well
esteemed men should? These are moral questions with us. CAESAR. Well,
well, my friend: some day I shall settle down and have a blue toga,
perhaps. Meanwhile, I must get on as best I can in my flippant Roman
way. (Apollodorus comes past the lighthouse.) What now?

BRITANNUS (turning quickly, and challenging the stranger with official
haughtiness). What is this? Who are you? How did you come here?

APOLLODORUS. Calm yourself, my friend: I am not going to eat you. I have
come by boat, from Alexandria, with precious gifts for Caesar.

CAESAR. From Alexandria!

BRITANNUS (severely). That is Caesar, sir.

RUFIO (appearing at the lighthouse door). What's the matter now?

APOLLODORUS. Hail, great Caesar! I am Apollodorus the Sicilian, an
artist.

BRITANNUS. An artist! Why have they admitted this vagabond?

CAESAR. Peace, man. Apollodorus is a famous patrician amateur.

BRITANNUS (disconcerted). I crave the gentleman's pardon. (To Caesar)
I understood him to say that he was a professional. (Somewhat out of
countenance, he allows Apollodorus to approach Caesar, changing places
with him. Rufio, after looking Apollodorus up and down with marked
disparagement, goes to the other side of the platform.)

CAESAR. You are welcome, Apollodorus. What is your business?

APOLLODORUS. First, to deliver to you a present from the Queen of
Queens.

CAESAR. Who is that?

APOLLODORUS. Cleopatra of Egypt.

CAESAR (taking him into his confidence in his most winning manner).
Apollodorus: this is no time for playing with presents. Pray you, go
back to the Queen, and tell her that if all goes well I shall return to
the palace this evening.

APOLLODORUS. Caesar: I cannot return. As I approached the lighthouse,
some fool threw a great leathern bag into the sea. It broke the nose of
my boat; and I had hardly time to get myself and my charge to the shore
before the poor little cockleshell sank.

CAESAR. I am sorry, Apollodorus. The fool shall be rebuked. Well, well:
what have you brought me? The Queen will be hurt if I do not look at it.

RUFIO. Have we time to waste on this trumpery? The Queen is only a
child.

CAESAR. Just so: that is why we must not disappoint her. What is the
present, Apollodorus?

APOLLODORUS. Caesar: it is a Persian carpet--a beauty! And in it are--so
I am told--pigeons' eggs and crystal goblets and fragile precious
thin