by Julian Noyce
“Theodotus? Ah yes, the boy King’s school teacher is he not?”
“My brother is a puppet. It is those two who secretly rule. Ptolemy has no power. He is duped by the rest of them, and Achillas.”
“They have all been summoned to my audience. You were the last one on my list. All except Achillas who is as yet unaccounted for.”
“That’s because Achillas has slipped through your net mighty Caesar. He is as we speak racing through the desert to his army on the banks of the Nile.”
She saw the discomfort on the Roman dictator’s face.
“I’m afraid Caesar that you find yourself in a desperate situation.”
His head was aching and his throat dry. He put the sword down on a table within reach. He poured himself some wine and drank thirstily.
“Have you had the wine tested to make sure it contains no poison?”
He took the cup away from his lips and studied it.
“At least it would put me out of my misery. An end to my….” he searched for her word, “….desperate situation.”
She crossed the gap between them.
“Caesar I must insist that you reinstate me as Queen as soon as possible. Sole ruler preferably.”
He was rubbing his brow, tired now. He took his hand away to look at her. She was quite plain looking. He knew she was twenty one, her voice sexy, her breasts full. Her body was slim and her skin that he could see was
blemish less. She was quite beautiful he decided.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“Impossible?”
“The agreement made between Rome and your father was that yourself and your brother would rule the lands of upper and lower Egypt jointly. Rome
was and is to be an arbiter in the situation only. Egypt was to keep its own laws and customs.”
“So you’re going to do nothing?”
“I didn’t say that. I merely said that until you and your brother are in my presence at the same time I can make no ruling and as I see that the hour grows late I guess it will not be tonight.”
He strode over to his writing desk, took a wax tablet and pressed his ring into the soft wax. The indent was perfect. He took the tablet to Apollodorus.
“Give this to the Captain of my guard. See that the Queen is given suitable accommodation.”
Apollodorus nodded and turned to leave.
“Stop! Where do you think you’re going?”
“Majesty I….” he stopped as Cleopatra cut him off.
“Who do you take your orders from?”
Apollodorus didn’t know what to do. Obviously he would always follow the Queen’s instructions but when a man was present and in particular this man, he felt he should take orders from the Roman.
“Do not presume to tell me Caesar where I can or can’t go. May I remind you that this is my palace, not yours, and all of it is accessible to me and may I further remind you that it is you, not me, who requires suitable accommodation. You are after all my guest.”
Both men stood and stared at her flabbergasted. She had one hand on her hip. Caesar wanted to laugh again but chose not to. Instead he smiled.
“Thank you for reminding me Queen Cleopatra. I am honoured to be your guest.”
“That’s better. Apollodorus you may go. I will sleep in my own bed tonight.”
“Yes my Queen.”
The door closed quietly. Now they were alone. Cleopatra poured herself some wine. She looked at the Roman.
“It’s perfectly safe,” he said.
She took a sip. Still angry at the arrogance of men. Julius watched her. He
could see her buttocks through the sheer material of her dress as she moved.
’I really do desire her’ he was thinking. She suddenly smiled at him and he knew he wanted her.
“We’ve gotten off to a bad start haven’t we?” she said.
“My dear it’s just not simple for me to make you sole ruler. However if you could explain to me why you and your brother have fallen out it may help your cause.”
He pulled up a chair for her and sat himself. She came round the chair and straightened her dress as she sat giving him a tantalising flash of her inner thighs, which he found very erotic. She sat and placed her hands in her lap.
“Where do you want me to start?”
“In the beginning.”
“Very well. Do you wish me to be brief?”
“You can be as brief or as long winded as you like so long as you are accurate. I assume you’ll begin with the founding of this city. I should very much like to visit the tomb of Alexander the great.”
“I will take you on a personal guided tour Caesar. How about tomorrow morning?”
“Splendid. Now please begin.”
She took a deep breath and began.
“Alexander of Macedon, King, son of Phillip II and Olympias, known to the rest of the world as the ’Great’ came here to Egypt in the winter two hundred and thirty years before you were born….”
“You know when I was born?”
“I know a lot about you Caesar. More than you can imagine. I have done my homework.”
“So it seems. And I must learn as much about you as I can. If I am to help you that is.”
“Egypt watched the events unfold. First Turkey, then Syria and the great and ancient city of Tyre was destroyed and then Gaza. When he appeared on the banks of the Nile Egypt offered no resistance. Alexandria was just a narrow piece of land, coastal land, to the west of the Nile. He took string and sticks and laid out his new city Alexandria. So early in his career he wanted to spread the Hellenistic ideal, its culture, its civilisation. He didn’t stay long enough to see what it would become though. He left for Siwa, an oasis in the desert, to consult the oracle there, where Alexander claimed his father lived.”
Caesar was fascinated. He felt goose bumps on his arms as he thought about
the great King. He concentrated on the young Queen and found himself drifting. Her lips were full and sensual. The way her tongue touched her teeth as she spoke. He found it very arousing.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Of course.”
She continued telling the tale but he now found himself too distracted to listen anymore.
“I’m sorry Cleopatra I’m not listening as much as I’m enjoying you telling the tale. I’m rather tired and it is very late.”
She got up out of her seat. He rose too and now they were standing very close. Caesar was surrounded by her femininity. His heart was pounding. For a second he was tempted to kiss her. He wasn’t sure as to how she would react. He decided to kiss the back of her hand instead. He expected her to pull away after the kiss but she held his hand and her touch was warm. Then the moment passed.
“Do you intend to hold my hand forever Caesar?”
They both smiled. His was one of embarrassment.
“Guards,” he called.
The door opened instantly.
“Escort the Queen to her bedroom.”
Eight guards waited for her in the corridor.
She was about to leave then she suddenly reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
“Until the morning then,” she said.
She joined the guards in the corridor and they closed in around her as the door closed. Their footsteps receded into the distance. Caesar reached up and touched his cheek where she’d kissed it. He brought his fingertips in front of his face and looked at them. Then he looked at the door from where she’d left moments before.
“I think I’m beginning to fall in love with her,” he said to the night.
CHAPTER FOUR
“It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
Julius Caesar was standing in front of the spectacular tomb of Alexander the great. They were in a room bigger than his entire house in Rome. Its walls were decorated with the very finest paintings, scenes depicting the great Alexander’s life. The room was lit by hundreds of torches. The fumes from which escaped by a
series of chimneys. It was almost as light as daylight.
Caesar paused for a moment in front of a painting of the battle of Issus. The detail was fantastic. Here Alexander on his favourite horse ’Bucephalus’ runs through a Persian officer as Darius only a hairs breadth away looks on from his chariot.
“I like this,” Caesar said.
As soon as he had seen it he had decided he would, on his return to Rome, have a room in his house painted just like it.
’My wife Calpurnia will understand’ he said to himself.
Now he focused on what he’d come to see. Standing on a magnificent plinth with steps leading up on all four sides was the sarcophagus of Alexander the great. The base was cut from the finest marble, intricately carved. The four corners facing each other were Babylonian lions, once again carefully crafted in exquisite detail. Between them the sides were of the best quality Phoenician glass. The lid was marble, the carvings on it showing scenes of Greek warriors, heroes and Gods. The sarcophagus towered four feet above them and was twice the length of a man.
Inside were the finest quilts and cushions of silk. On them lay Alexander himself. He lay on his back. At his feet, which were together and pointing upwards, lay his shield and helmet. His boots were gold, so was his robe and the mask that covered his face. His arms were folded across his chest, his hands held his sword close to his body.
Cleopatra sat down on a stool while Caesar climbed the steps in front of her, his back to her, and peered inside at Alexander. Cleopatra had seen the sarcophagus many times.
“It has been kept in perfect condition,” the Roman said, “It’s keepers are to be congratulated. It’s as if he was buried only this morning.”
“The tomb has not been opened since the day it was sealed nearly three
hundred years ago.”
Caesar turned to look at her open mouthed. She was wearing a sheer sky blue dress today which revealed much of her cleavage. She wore a simple head dress of black and gold squares. He took his eyes off her chest to look at her face.
“How is this possible? To keep him preserved I mean.”
“When the tomb was made and Alexander laid to rest inside its designers used bellows in those holes you can see that have been plugged. The bellows created a vacuum leaving absolutely no air to allow the corpse to deteriorate.
Caesar turned back to look at the body of his hero.
“Ingenious.”
“Of course Alexander also had the best embalmers Egypt had to offer to attend him.”
Caesar turned back to her.
“Yes of course. Only the best.”
“Would you like me to continue the story Caesar? About Alexander and my ancestors and my family.”
He smiled.
’She looks so beautiful today’
“Please Do,” he said turning back to the sarcophagus.
Cleopatra began telling the story that she loved to tell. The story her father had told her time and time again. She could remember it word for word.
“Alexander could not have imagined the city Alexandria would become. From his marking the city out with rocks, sticks and string to the commercial port and chief trading city of the Mediterranean. Jewish immigrants arrived in their droves, traders from Africa, Arabia and as far away as India. Alexander would never again see the great city he founded. Did you know he founded over twenty Alexandria’s throughout his world.”
Caesar nodded.
“Ptolemy brought him back here, eleven years later, after he died in Babylon. It was the proudest day in the history of this city. Everyone attended the funeral procession. From the richest noble to the lowliest peasant. Everyone wanted to see him, some for their first, others for the last time. The Pharaoh had returned. Though now Egypt was without a ruler. Ptolemy! Alexander’s general was welcomed as a hero. There were many days of mourning. When it finished Ptolemy gave huge amounts of gold and money to the city, Persian gold. And it was all spent on Alexandria. Palaces, temples,
baths and monuments were built Caesar. Egypt became once again the richest country in the world. Not since Ramses the great did we have so much wealth. I think this is why Rome is so interested in Egypt is it not?”
“You couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Julius lied.
“Mighty Rome built on Egypt’s gold.”
Caesar ignored this comment. He continued staring through the glass at the man on the bed, wishing he was like him, was him. He suddenly felt a great sadness come over him.
“We have a line of unbroken Kings descended from one Macedonian. From the first Ptolemy to my father Ptolemy Auletes. Twelve Ptolemies and now my brother, the thirteenth. My father died three years ago. It was he not Pompey who kept Egypt her independence. Do you know how much gold he had to pay Rome as a tribute just to keep his throne, even after his exile.?”
“Considerable!”
“Yes considerable amounts, but you Caesar, you supported my father did you not?”
Julius turned to face her again.
“Ten years ago when I was in Gaul, as a consul, I restored your father to his throne. I grieve his passing.”
“Or grieve the money he promised you.”
“It’s not about the money Cleopatra. It never was.”
“For Pompey it was. Did he not send Gabinius of Syria to collect his share. But Gabinius did not collect did he? So his soldiers deserted didn’t they. They married locals, became mercenaries.”
“Yes.”
“Are those the men that Pompey came looking for?”
“Yes.”
“To fight you with?”
“Yes.”
“But you would have beaten them.”
“Possibly. I hoped to reconcile with Pompey.”
“They thought killing him would please you didn’t they? But it didn’t did it?”
“No.”
“To be like Alexander would please you wouldn’t it?”
Julius turned back to the gold clad figure. When he turned to Cleopatra again tears were running down his cheeks.
“Why do you weep?” she asked, surprised at his show of emotion.
“I have wasted my life.”
She got up and approached him.
“You have achieved much Caesar. You can achieve more, as much as the great Alexander.”
“I am fifty two. He was thirty two when he conquered the whole world.”
“You have years left.”
“He failed at thirty two.”
Cleopatra now hoped her timing was right.
“What about us?”
He looked at her, open mouthed.
“Us?”
She took his hand in both of hers.
“Yes. Us. You and I together Caesar, ruling Egypt, the Roman world, the Mediterranean.
He threw his head back and laughed.
“Young lady may I remind you that just yesterday your entire life’s assets consisted of a rolled up carpet and a servant called Apollodorus.”
He came in close and spoke to her like a man would a child.
“You have no throne, no wealth, no army.”
“But you do. Oh Caesar,” she said resting her head on his chest, “Make me sole ruler of Egypt and you will have her gold.”
“I’m afraid not. As I said before I am to be arbiter between you and your brother. I can only side with you if he acts against me.”
“Then let us hope he does.”
“And as for Egypt’s gold I can take that whenever I want.”
“For you or for Rome?”
“For Rome of course.”
“And you Caesar? What about you? What do you want? What would you take of Egypt?”
He looked down at her, lifting her chin with his hand to look into her eyes.
“Maybe her Queen.”
He kissed her hard on the mouth. She melted into his arms. Her breasts in the thin material pressed against his leather breastplate. Her tongue darting into his mouth stirred him considerably. The kiss was long and
passionate. There was a polite cough from behind. Caesar pulled his mouth away and kissed her forehead, his eyes closed.
“I said I wasn’t to be disturbed.”
“I’m sorry Caesar. But the Egyptian army has reached the outskirts of the city.”
“I have to go,” Julius said to Cleopatra.
She nodded. He kissed her once more on the mouth. She held his hand as long as she could as he moved away. Dolabella waited patiently at the door. Caesar turned back to her.
“I will grant you your wish my love,” he said.
Then he turned and was gone.
CHAPTER FIVE
Julius Caesar, his Generals and most senior officers were crowded around the wooden model of Alexandria. Cleopatra sat some distance away with her one maid, Iras, that Julius had permitted her to have in the room. It was late evening.
“At the moment Caesar,” Germanicus was saying, “We control the three gates here. The sun, the moon and the Star,” he pointed to each one in turn, “The fourth gate is controlled by the Alexandrians and it is this gate only that their people can come and go by.”
“Can the mob get to us?”
“No Caesar. Luckily for us this one wall runs right through the royal complex cutting it in half. It is forty feet high. There is no way over it. The mob, as you call them, to get at our troops would have to come through the Egyptian side of the royal palace and I don’t think the royal party would allow that.”
Caesar glanced over at Cleopatra, who was listening with only half an ear, for confirmation.
“Pothinus would never allow it.”
“Let us hope he doesn’t. What are these buildings here?” Julius pointed to a cluster of buildings in the far left corner of the model by the star gate.
“These are stables and servants quarters.”
“Supposing the star gate should fall could these buildings be used to house the enemy?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. Have these buildings knocked down. I want to create a no-mans-land between us and the gate. Place archers on these rooftops here, here, here and here. Keep the demolished stone. We may be able to use it with artillery.”