meeting.”
It should still have been carefully examined.” said Apollodorus.still frowning. “We do not know it came from Caesar. You have many enemies inRome. my Queen. We cannot be too careful.”
“You worry too much. Apollodorus.” she replied. “Do you reallythink that some assassin would dare attempt to murder me here in this veryhouse, with all your guards’? And with Caesar’s soldiers outside? I am as safehere as I would be in my own palace.” She turned to Drummond and Andell. “Unrollit. Let me see.”
Andell bent down and untied the fastenings. then he andDrummond unrolled the carpet. The guards gasped and reached for their swords asAndre was revealed, rolled up inside the rug. Cleopatra stared in astonishment.
“What is the meaning of this?” said Apollodorus angrily.
Then Cleopatra laughed and clapped her hands. “Oh. it is wonderful!Do you not see? How witty of him! Caesar has sent me a slave girl as a gift!And he has presented her in the same manner in which I arrived to him!”
“I hope that you will not take offense, Your Highness,”Andre said, rising to her feet. “but I am not a gift from Caesar. Nor am I aslave.”
Cleopatra frowned. “I do not understand.”
“Who are you?” Apollodorus said. “Explain yourself this instant!”
“I am Antonia, wife to Marcus Septimus,” said Andre.
“Septimus?” said Cleopatra. “You mean Caesar’s friend?”
“That is Lucius Septimus,” said Andre. “My husband, Marcus,is his brother. These two men are his slaves. To be truthful, my husband knowsnothing of this. I fear that he would not approve. But I had heard so muchabout you and I wanted so very much to meet you! I had heard it said that youfirst came to Caesar in this manner when you met in Egypt and I struck upon itas a way to meet you. I thought that you might be amused. but I had no ideathat your first meeting with Caesar took place on this very day. I apologize ifmy little ruse had made you angry. Such was not my intent.”
“This is insufferable!” said Apollodorus. “You must leavethis house at once!”
“She shall do no such thing,” said Cleopatra.
“But. my Queen …”
Cleopatra smiled. “Do you not see. Apollodorus? It is anomen. Since I first came to Rome. I have had no one save yourself, my guards,and my female slaves for company. Except when Caesar comes, I am always lonely.And, unlike other Romans, who merely suffer my presence, this woman has soughtout to meet me. The manner in which she chose to do it shows cleverness andwit. No. Apollodorus, she shall stay and dine with me this evening.”
“But, my Queen,” protested Apollodorus, “we know nothing ofthis woman!” ‘“We know she is the wife of the brother of Caesar’s closestfriend.” said Cleopatra. “Septimus has always treated me with courtesy,deference, and kindness. Caesar’s regard for him speaks for his quality. Iwould expect no less from his brother.”
“But we do not know his brother.” Apollodorus persisted.
“Then we shall arrange to meet him,” Cleopatra said. Shesmiled mockingly. “Or do you believe that he has sent his wife to murder me Ido not know what has come over you, Apollodorus. You see conspiracieseverywhere. Come. Antonia. Pay no mind to my servant. He is merely overzealousin his duties.”
“Perhaps he would like to search me, to make certain that Ihave no weapons,” Andre said.
Cleopatra laughed. “Your wit appears to be a ready weapon.”she said. “Come, sit with me. Apollodorus, we shall have some wine.”
“As you wish. my Queen.” Apollodorus said, though he wasobviously displeased.
Cleopatra led Andre over to a couple of couches and a smalltable.
“I must admit,” said Cleopatra. “that I am disappointed thatCaesar did not choose to commemorate our meeting with this gesture, butdoubtless, he has much on his mind now that he is preparing to leave on newcampaigns. I fear he has forgotten. Still, I am pleased you came to see me inthis fashion. It has added spice to a most dreary day.”
“I was afraid that you might be angry at such an intrusion,”Andre said.
“I might have been,” said Cleopatra with a smile, “but Ihave too many other things to occupy my emotions these days.”
“What things’?”
“My son. Caesarian. who is growing up more Roman thanEgyptian; my servants and my guards, who bore me; Apollodorus, who stifles me;Romans. who despise me.. and Caesar, who maddens me when he is absent, butwhose presence fills my heart with lightness. But tell me about yourself.Antonia. What made you want to come and see me?”
“I was curious,” said Andre. “My husband says that it is myworst trait. I had heard that you were very beautiful and that your beauty hadmade Caesar your captive. Ever since I had arrived in Rome. I have heard oflittle else but you and I was seized with a compulsion to meet you.”
“You do not live in Rome, then?” Cleopatra asked.
“We live in Cumae,” Andre explained, reciting her cover. “Ihad never before visited Rome. Marcus came to visit Lucius. as they had notseen each other since Lucius left for the wars. We came with our friend FabiusQuintullus. Marcus, Lucius, and Fabius have been friends since childhood.Marcus is very interested in Caesar’s Gallic campaigns. He thinks that Caesaris a great general. Perhaps even greater than Alexander.”
Cleopatra smiled “Caesar would love to hear that.” she said.“only do not say ‘perhaps.’ Tell him that he has eclipsed the fame of Alexanderand you will make a friend for life.”
“What is he like?”
“Caesar? You have not met him?”
“Not yet. but Lucius had promised to introduce us. I do notknow what to expect.”
“You may expect to find him very charming,” Cleopatra said. “Heis not the handsomest of men, but there is much about him that is appealing.His wit, his strength of character, his self-possession, his intelligence …He is a most unusual man. When I was still in Egypt, before we had met. and Ireceived word that Caesar wished to see me, I was prepared to meet an arrogantRoman. I expected a man full of his own self-importance and disdainful of allothers. Yet Caesar was none of those things. He had an easy manner and aconfidence that required no boasts to support it. I was very taken with himright from the beginning. I know they say in Rome that I am some great seductresswho has used her wiles to ensnare the Emperor. but the truth is that I wasmyself seduced. Caesar is a most compelling man.”
“You must love him very much.” said Andre.
Cleopatra smiled a bit sadly. He is the first man I haveever truly loved. I left Egypt at his bidding to be in Rome with him, bothbecause I wanted to be with him and because it is here, in Rome and not inEgypt, that I can best serve the interests of my subjects. I have borne Caesar’sson, though I know that there are many here in Rome who denounce my claim asfalse, despite the fact that one can see his father’s features in his own. Yet,unlike you, Antonia, I may not marry the man I love. Caesar will not divorceCalpurnia and he cannot marry me. He is Emperor of Rome and I am Queen ofEgypt, by his own decree. Egypt is little more than Rome’s possession now. Andas Caesar is Rome, so I am Egypt. A mere possession.”
Perhaps it was her loneliness that had made her vulnerable,perhaps she had caught her at an unguarded moment. but Andre found Cleopatra tobe nothing like what she had expected. Instead of the cruel and imperiousdaughter of the pharaohs, the cold and calculating seductress that history hadpainted her as, here was a woman of warmth, candor. and perception. A woman whocared about her subjects, a woman of passion. As Andre sat listening to her, itseemed difficult for her to believe that this was a woman who had coldlyordered the murder of her own husband, who was also her brother, and yethistory had reported that as fact. Although there had been many times when Andrehad discovered that history had been in error. According to history. there hadnever been any love lost among the Ptolemy family. They intermarried, they quarreled.they fought and intrigued and killed each other, and yet Cleopatra was regardedby her subjects with affection. Though she was portrayed as one of the greatseductresses of history, there was never any evidence that she was eversexually involved with anyone but Caesar and Marc Antony. What Andre saw beforeher was not some Machiavellian female bent on manipulation. but a woman whoseemed earthy, lonely, and very much in love.
fear for him,” Cleopatra continued. “Between Caesar himselfand Apollodorus, as well as my slaves who run my errands for me. I hear much ofwhat goes on in Rome. Caesar has made many enemies. They say that it is I
