CLEOPATRA. Has he come with you? (_Caesar shakes his head: she is cruelly disappointed._) Oh, I wish he had, I wish he had. If only I were a little older; so that he might not think me a mere kitten, as you do! But perhaps that is because _you_ are old. He is many, _many_ years younger than you, is he not? CAESAR (_as if swallowing a pill_). He is somewhat younger. CLEOPATRA. Would he be my husband, do you think, if I asked him? CAESAR. Very likely. CLEOPATRA. But I should not like to ask him. Could you not persuade him to ask me--without knowing that I wanted him to? CAESAR (_touched by her innocence of the beautiful young man's character_). My poor child! CLEOPATRA. Why do you say that as if you were sorry for me? Does he love anyone else? CAESAR. I am afraid so. CLEOPATRA (_tearfully_). Then I shall not be his first love. CAESAR. Not quite the first. He is greatly admired by women. CLEOPATRA. I wish I could be the first. But if he loves me, I will make him kill all the rest. Tell me: is he still beautiful? Do his strong round arms shine in the sun like marble? CAESAR. He is in excellent condition--considering how much he eats and drinks. CLEOPATRA. Oh, you must not say common, earthly things about him; for I love him. He is a god. CAESAR. He is a great captain of horsemen, and swifter of foot than any other Roman. CLEOPATRA. What is his real name? CAESAR (_puzzled_). His _real_ name? CLEOPATRA. Yes. I always call him Horus, because Horus is the most beautiful of our gods. But I want to know his real name. CAESAR. His name is Mark Antony. CLEOPATRA (_musically_). Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony! What a beautiful name! (_She throws her arms round Caesar's neck._) Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! Did you love my father very much? CAESAR. No, my child; but your father, as you say, never worked. I always work. So when he lost his crown he had to promise me 16,000 talents to get it back for him. CLEOPATRA. Did he ever pay you? CAESAR. Not in full. CLEOPATRA. He was quite right: it was too dear. The whole world is not worth 16,000 talents. CAESAR. That is perhaps true, Cleopatra. Those Egyptians who work paid as much of it as he could drag from them. The rest is still due. But as I most likely shall not get it, I must go back to my work. So you must run away for a little and send my secretary to me. CLEOPATRA (_coaxing_). No: I want to stay and hear you talk about Mark Antony. CAESAR. But if I do not get to work, Pothinus and the rest of them will cut us off from the harbor; and then the way from Rome will be blocked. CLEOPATRA. No matter: I don't want you to go back to Rome. CAESAR. But you want Mark Antony to come from it. CLEOPATRA (_springing up_). Oh yes, yes, yes: I forgot. Go quickly and work, Caesar; and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark Antony. (_She runs out through the loggia, kissing her hand to Mark Antony across the sea._)