THE OFFICIAL. We are on the palace roof, O Beloved of Victory! RUFIO. Good! the Beloved of Victory has no more stairs to get up. _A second official enters from the opposite end, walking backwards._ THE SECOND OFFICIAL. Caesar approaches. _Caesar, fresh from the bath, clad in a new tunic of purple silk, comes in, beaming and festive, followed by two slaves carrying a light couch, which is hardly more than an elaborately designed bench. They place it near the northmost of the two curtained columns. When this is done they slip out through the curtains; and the two officials, formally bowing, follow them. Rufio rises to receive Caesar._ CAESAR (_coming over to him_). Why, Rufio! (_Surveying his dress with an air of admiring astonishment_) A new baldrick! A new golden pommel to your sword! And you have had your hair cut! But not your beard--? impossible! (_He sniffs at Rufio's beard._) Yes, perfumed, by Jupiter Olympus! RUFIO (_growling_). Well: is it to please myself? CAESAR (_affectionately_). No, my son Rufio, but to please me--to celebrate my birthday. RUFIO (_contemptuously_). Your birthday! You always have a birthday when there is a pretty girl to be flattered or an ambassador to be conciliated. We had seven of them in ten months last year. CAESAR (_contritely_). It is true, Rufio! I shall never break myself of these petty deceits. RUFIO. Who is to dine with us--besides Cleopatra? CAESAR. Apollodorus the Sicilian. RUFIO. That popinjay! CAESAR. Come! the popinjay is an amusing dog--tells a story; sings a song; and saves us the trouble of flattering the Queen. What does she care for old politicians and campfed bears like us? No: Apollodorus is good company, Rufio, good company. RUFIO. Well, he can swim a bit and fence a bit: he might be worse, if he only knew how to hold his tongue. CAESAR. The gods forbid he should ever learn! Oh, this military life! this tedious, brutal life of action! That is the worst of us Romans: we are mere doers and drudgers: a swarm of bees turned into men. Give me a good talker--one with wit and imagination enough to live without continually doing something! RUFIO. Ay! a nice time he would have of it with you when dinner was over! Have you noticed that I am before my time? CAESAR. Aha! I thought that meant something. What is it? RUFIO. Can we be overheard here?