BEL AFFRIS (_with acid coolness_). The descendants of the gods did not stay to be butchered, cousin. The battle was not to the strong; but the race was to the swift. The Romans, who have no chariots, sent a cloud of horsemen in pursuit, and slew multitudes. Then our high priest's captain rallied a dozen descendants of the gods and exhorted us to die fighting. I said to myself: surely it is safer to stand than to lose my breath and be stabbed in the back; so I joined our captain and stood. Then the Romans treated us with respect; for no man attacks a lion when the field is full of sheep, except for the pride and honor of war, of which these Romans know nothing. So we escaped with our lives; and I am come to warn you that you must open your gates to Caesar; for his advance guard is scarce an hour behind me; and not an Egyptian warrior is left standing between you and his legions. THE SENTINEL. Woe, alas! (_He throws down his javelin and flies into the palace._) BELZANOR. Nail him to the door, quick! (_The guardsmen rush for him with their spears; but he is too quick for them._) Now this news will run through the palace like fire through stubble. BEL AFFRIS. What shall we do to save the women from the Romans? BELZANOR. Why not kill them? PERSIAN. Because we should have to pay blood money for some of them. Better let the Romans kill them: it is cheaper. BELZANOR (_awestruck at his brain power_). O subtle one! O serpent! BEL AFFRIS. But your Queen? BELZANOR. True: we must carry off Cleopatra. BEL AFFRIS. Will ye not await her command? BELZANOR. Command! a girl of sixteen! Not we. At Memphis ye deem her a Queen: here we know better. I will take her on the crupper of my horse. When we soldiers have carried her out of Caesar's reach, then the priests and the nurses and the rest of them can pretend she is a queen again, and put their commands into her mouth. PERSIAN. Listen to me, Belzanor. BELZANOR. Speak, O subtle beyond thy years. THE PERSIAN. Cleopatra's brother Ptolemy is at war with her. Let us sell her to him. THE GUARDSMEN. O subtle one! O serpent! BELZANOR. We dare not. We are descended from the gods; but Cleopatra is descended from the river Nile; and the lands of our fathers will grow no grain if the Nile rises not to water them. Without our father's gifts we should live the lives of dogs. PERSIAN. It is true: the Queen's guard cannot live on its pay. But hear me further, O ye kinsmen of Osiris. THE GUARDSMEN. Speak, O subtle one. Hear the serpent begotten! PERSIAN. Have I heretofore spoken truly to you of Caesar, when you thought I mocked you? GUARDSMEN. Truly, truly. BELZANOR (_reluctantly admitting it_). So Bel Affris says. PERSIAN. Hear more of him, then. This Caesar is a great lover of women: he makes them his friends and counselors. BELZANOR. Faugh! This rule of women will be the ruin of Egypt.