got it, Rufio. This palace we have; and--what is
that building next door?

RUFIO. The theatre.

CAESAR. We will have that too: it commands the strand, for the rest,
Egypt for the Egyptians!

RUFIO. Well, you know best, I suppose. Is that all?

CAESAR. That is all. Are those ships burnt yet?

RUFIO. Be easy: I shall waste no more time. (He runs out.)

BRITANNUS. Caesar: Pothinus demands speech of you. It's my opinion he
needs a lesson. His manner is most insolent.

CAESAR. Where is he?

BRITANNUS. He waits without.

CAESAR. Ho there! Admit Pothinus.

Pothinus appears in the loggia, and comes down the hall very haughtily
to Caesar's left hand.

CAESAR. Well, Pothinus?

POTHINUS. I have brought you our ultimatum, Caesar.

CAESAR. Ultimatum! The door was open: you should have gone out through
it before you declared war. You are my prisoner now. (He goes to the
chair and loosens his toga.)

POTHINUS (scornfully). I YOUR prisoner! Do you know that you are in
Alexandria, and that King Ptolemy, with an army outnumbering your little
troop a hundred to one, is in possession of Alexandria?

CAESAR (unconcernedly taking off his toga and throwing it on the chair).
Well, my friend, get out if you can. And tell your friends not to kill
any more Romans in the market place. Otherwise my soldiers, who do not
share my celebrated clemency, will probably kill you. Britannus: Pass
the word to the guard; and fetch my armor. (Britannus runs out. Rufio
returns.) Well?

RUFIO (pointing from the loggia to a cloud of smoke drifting over the
harbor). See there! (Pothinus runs eagerly up the steps to look out.)

CAESAR. What, ablaze already! Impossible!

RUFIO. Yes, five good ships, and a barge laden with oil grappled to
each. But it is not my doing: the Egyptians have saved me the trouble.
They have captured the west harbor.

CAESAR (anxiously). And the east harbor? The lighthouse, Rufio?

RUFIO (with a sudden splutter of raging ill usage, coming down to Caesar
and scolding him). Can I embark a legion in five minutes? The first
cohort is already on the beach. We can do no more. If you want faster
work, come and do it yourself?

CAESAR (soothing him). Good, good. Patience, Rufio, patience.

RUFIO. Patience! Who is impatient here, you or I? Would I be here, if I
could not oversee them from that balcony?

CAESAR. Forgive me, Rufio; and (anxiously) hurry them as much as--

He is interrupted by an outcry as of an old man