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<v Speaker 1>Octavian and Cleopatra from mister Punch's Dramatic Sequels by Sintchin Hankins.

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<v Speaker 1>This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in

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<v Speaker 1>the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please

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<v Speaker 1>visit LibriVox dot org. Caesar and Cleopatra. It might have

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<v Speaker 1>been thought that Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, rather than mister

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<v Speaker 1>Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, demanded a dramatic sequel, But

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<v Speaker 1>as mister Shaw has pointed out repeatedly that he is

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<v Speaker 1>the greater dramatist of the two, his play has been

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<v Speaker 1>chosen in preference to Shakespeare's. A prefatory essay proving at

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<v Speaker 1>great length the dialog of this sequel is true to life,

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<v Speaker 1>and is in fact substantially a reproduction of what was

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<v Speaker 1>spoken in the year BC thirty one has been omitted

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<v Speaker 1>for lack of space. Octavian and Cleopatra dramatist personi Cleopatra

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<v Speaker 1>by Abayi.

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<v Speaker 2>Charmian read by Libby Gawne.

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<v Speaker 3>Octavian read by Elizabeth Klatt.

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<v Speaker 4>Agrippa read by Alan Mapston.

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<v Speaker 1>Narrated by Lambda scene an extravagantly furnished apartment in the

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<v Speaker 1>palace at Alexandria, Cleopatra has discovered. Seated upon her throne,

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<v Speaker 1>She is dressed with mournful splendor as befits a queen

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<v Speaker 1>who has been defeated Adaptium and has suffered a recent beravement.

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<v Speaker 1>Her face is as attractive as liberal use of cosmetics

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<v Speaker 1>can make it, and her whole appearance is that of

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<v Speaker 1>a middle aged and rather dissipated member of copp the ballet,

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<v Speaker 1>who has gone into half morning because the manager has

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<v Speaker 1>reduced her salary. Charmian, a pretty shrewdish looking damsel, is

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<v Speaker 1>in attendance on her.

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<v Speaker 5>Am, I looking my best, Charmian.

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<v Speaker 2>Your Majesty is looking as well as I can make you.

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<v Speaker 2>If you you are not satisfied, you'd better get another

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<v Speaker 2>maid looking.

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<v Speaker 1>At herself in hand mirror.

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<v Speaker 5>Silly child. Of course I am satisfied. I think you

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<v Speaker 5>are wonderful.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I think I've not done so badly.

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<v Speaker 5>Of course, with Antony not even buried, yate, it would

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<v Speaker 5>hardly have done for me to be too magnificent. Most

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<v Speaker 5>unsuitable as it is, I think we've arrived at a

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<v Speaker 5>rather successful blend of splendor and sorrow, suggesting at once

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<v Speaker 5>the afflicted widow and the queen who is open to consolation.

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<v Speaker 2>That is certainly the impression we intended to convey. By

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<v Speaker 2>the way, when does Caesar.

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<v Speaker 5>Arrive Octavian almost at once.

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<v Speaker 2>His first visit, isn't it?

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<v Speaker 5>Yes? So much depends on a first impression.

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<v Speaker 1>Looks ad mirror again.

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<v Speaker 5>I think we shall captivate him.

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<v Speaker 2>He is not very impressionable, I.

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<v Speaker 5>Hear no, but I shall manage. Think how completely I fascinated.

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<v Speaker 2>Julius, his uncle. I'm afraid that's hardly a reason why

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<v Speaker 2>you should prove equally attractive to the nephew.

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<v Speaker 5>My dear child. Why not?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the lapse of time, you know that was seventeen

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<v Speaker 2>years ago, so long.

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<v Speaker 5>I am really very well preserved.

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<v Speaker 2>Considering the wear and tear.

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<v Speaker 5>My good Charmian, how crudely you put things, I declare,

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<v Speaker 5>I've a good mind to have you execute it.

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<v Speaker 2>Your Majesty will hardly do that. I am the only

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<v Speaker 2>person in Egypt who really understands the secret of your

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<v Speaker 2>Majesty's complexion.

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<v Speaker 5>Hmm, that's true, But you ought to be more tactful

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<v Speaker 5>dossing her head.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't expect me to display tact when my wages

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<v Speaker 2>haven't been paid since the Battle of Actium.

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<v Speaker 5>Poor child. Never mind, when Octavian is at my feet.

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<v Speaker 5>You shall be paid in full. Will that satisfy you.

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<v Speaker 2>I'd much rather have something on account.

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<v Speaker 5>I wish you wouldn't vex me in this way, just

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<v Speaker 5>when it's so important that I should look my best.

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<v Speaker 5>You know how unbecoming temper is to a woman when

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<v Speaker 5>she is well over thirty.

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<v Speaker 1>Beginning to cry.

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<v Speaker 2>They're there. I'm sorry I said anything to hurt you.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't cry, for Heaven's sake, or that rouge will run.

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<v Speaker 2>Then I shall have to go all over you again.

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<v Speaker 2>Dry your eyes. There's a good creature.

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<v Speaker 1>Cleopatter does so obediently.

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<v Speaker 2>I declare, you're all in streaks. Come here and let

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<v Speaker 2>me put you straight.

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<v Speaker 1>Cleopatter goes to Charmian, who produces border puff, et cetera,

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<v Speaker 1>and repass the ravages of emotion quick quick.

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<v Speaker 5>I hear them. Ah, I'm glad he's so early, only

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<v Speaker 5>a quarter of an hour after his time. That shows

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<v Speaker 5>how eager he is to see me. I feel that

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<v Speaker 5>this is going to be another of my triumphs.

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<v Speaker 1>Charmian puts the finishing touch to the queen, just as

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<v Speaker 1>Caesar enters. She then hastily conceals porderpuff et cetera behind her.

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<v Speaker 1>Cleopatra has no time to return to the throne and

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<v Speaker 1>stands rather awkwardly with Charmian to receive her visitors. These

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<v Speaker 1>groups be Octavian, a pale, dyspeptic looking young man of

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<v Speaker 1>about thirty, Agrippa, a bluff takes a red faced warrior

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<v Speaker 1>past middle age, and a guard of Roman soldiers, looking

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<v Speaker 1>around the gorgeous apartment with much disgust and speaking in

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<v Speaker 1>a soft, weary voice.

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<v Speaker 3>Ugh, bad taste, very bad taste.

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<v Speaker 4>All this, you know what these barbary are are? To

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<v Speaker 4>the two women, kindly informed the queen Caesar is here advancing.

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<v Speaker 5>I am the Queen. How do you do you?

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<v Speaker 4>Nonsense?

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<v Speaker 5>Oh? Yes, I am.

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<v Speaker 1>The gentle melancholy.

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<v Speaker 3>Dear dear, another illusion gone illusion, your beauty, you know,

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<v Speaker 3>your grace, your charm I had had so much of them,

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<v Speaker 3>so had a Grippa. Let me introduce you, by the way,

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<v Speaker 3>Agrippa Cleopatra, as I was saying, it is most disappointing, not.

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<v Speaker 4>What I expected at all, Charmion giggles vertively.

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<v Speaker 5>You don't admire.

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<v Speaker 3>Me, admire you, my dear lady, Anthony was of a

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<v Speaker 3>different opinion.

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<v Speaker 4>Anthony was a fool.

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<v Speaker 3>Hush, my, dear Grippa, you hurt her feelings.

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<v Speaker 1>Agrippa shrugs his shoulders and crosses to Chamion, with whom

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<v Speaker 1>it begins a vigorous flirtation.

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<v Speaker 5>Never mind my feelings.

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<v Speaker 3>Frankly, then, dear lady, we are not impressed. We came

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<v Speaker 3>here prepared for a beautiful temptress, a dazzling siren whom

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<v Speaker 3>I must resist or perish. Something seductive, enticing. And what

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<v Speaker 3>do we find?

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<v Speaker 5>Well, what do you find?

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<v Speaker 1>In his gentlest voice?

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<v Speaker 3>Dear lady, don't let us pursue this painful subject. Probably

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<v Speaker 3>we had not allowed for the flight of time. Suffice

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<v Speaker 3>it that our poor hopes are unrealized.

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<v Speaker 1>Looking ground, But I.

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<v Speaker 3>Don't see cesarean My son is not here, another disappointment.

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<v Speaker 5>You wish to speak to him?

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, they'd him as a son of Julius, don't they.

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<v Speaker 5>He is a son of Julius, a.

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<v Speaker 3>Sort of relation of mine. Then I must really make

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<v Speaker 3>his acquaintance. Can you give me his address?

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<v Speaker 1>No?

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<v Speaker 5>If you want him, you will have to find him

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<v Speaker 5>for yourself.

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<v Speaker 3>Now I shall find him, Dearest Queen, you need be

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<v Speaker 3>under no apprehensions about that brute.

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<v Speaker 5>Eh nothing, I was only thinking.

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<v Speaker 3>Never think a loud dear lady. It's a dangerous habit.

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<v Speaker 5>Is there anything further you want with me?

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<v Speaker 3>Nothing? Thank you, Nothing at least nothing just now you

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<v Speaker 3>would like to see.

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<v Speaker 1>Me later, gentler than a sucking dove.

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<v Speaker 3>In a few weeks. Perhaps the triumph, you know, the

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<v Speaker 3>sovereign people throwing up their caps and hallooing, the procession

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<v Speaker 3>up the sacred way with the headsman at the end

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<v Speaker 3>of it all. Oh, the usual.

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<v Speaker 1>Thing, losing her temper.

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<v Speaker 5>Oh, you're not a man at all. You're a block

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<v Speaker 5>a stone. You have no blood in your veins. You're

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<v Speaker 5>not like Antony.

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<v Speaker 3>No, dear lady, I'm not like Antony. If I were,

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<v Speaker 3>I shouldn't have beaten him at Actium.

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<v Speaker 5>I won't stay to be baited in this way. I won't.

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<v Speaker 1>I won't goes towards door.

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<v Speaker 3>Farewell, then we shall meet again a gripper. The queen

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<v Speaker 3>is going.

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<v Speaker 1>Breaking off in the midst of his flirtation.

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<v Speaker 4>Eh oh uh, good boy.

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<v Speaker 1>Stamping her foot charmian. Charmian jumps up, kisses her hand

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<v Speaker 1>to Agrippa, and follows her mistress out looking after her.

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<v Speaker 4>That's a pretty little binks.

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<v Speaker 1>Octavian, who has seated himself verily on the throne.

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<v Speaker 3>Is she I didn't notice cesareans fled. So I suppose

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<v Speaker 3>it's a great nuisance. We must find him. Will you

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<v Speaker 3>see about it?

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<v Speaker 4>If you wish it? What shall I do with him?

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<v Speaker 3>In his dared voice, better put him to death. It

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<v Speaker 3>will save a lot of trouble in the end.

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<v Speaker 4>But the boys your own cousin.

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<v Speaker 3>Yes, I have always disliked my relations.

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<v Speaker 4>I begin to think you are a genius. Caesar, after all.

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<v Speaker 3>I am much good. It does me. I'd give my

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<v Speaker 3>genius for your digestion any day.

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<v Speaker 1>Leans back on throne and closes his eyes. Enter Charmin hurriedly,

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<v Speaker 1>looking pale and disheveled.

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<v Speaker 2>Help help.

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<v Speaker 1>The queen is dying, edly opening his eyes.

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<v Speaker 3>Stop that noise, girl, you make my headache.

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<v Speaker 2>She is dying. I tell you. She has taken poison,

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<v Speaker 2>exit squealing poison.

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<v Speaker 4>By Jove, confound it. She must do that much.

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<v Speaker 1>She is about to Folo Charmian.

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<v Speaker 3>Why not? It seems to me an excellent arrangement. Very

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<v Speaker 3>thoughtful of her, very thoughtful, and consider it.

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<v Speaker 4>But we want her for that triumph of yours.

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<v Speaker 3>Ah, never mind, After all, what is a triumph disagreeable

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<v Speaker 3>for her? A bore for us? Let her die now

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<v Speaker 3>by all means, if she prefers it.

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<v Speaker 4>Don't you try to be magnanimous too. Leave that to

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<v Speaker 4>your uncle. He did it better.

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<v Speaker 3>My dear Grippa, how stupid you are. What possible use

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<v Speaker 3>can a quite plain and middle aged lady be in

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<v Speaker 3>a triumphal procession? If Claoparter were still attractive, I should say,

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<v Speaker 3>save her by all means, As she isn't. Whoh ooh,

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<v Speaker 3>I think we may let her die her own way

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<v Speaker 3>without being charged with excessive magnanimity.

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<v Speaker 4>Still, I should have liked to have seen her brought

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<v Speaker 4>to Rome.

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<v Speaker 3>Ah, I shall be quite contented to see her comfortably

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<v Speaker 3>in her coffin in Egypt. Will let her be buried

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<v Speaker 3>beside Antony. It will gratify the Egyptians, and it won't

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<v Speaker 3>hurt us. See to it. There's a good fellow.

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<v Speaker 1>Exit Agrippa. Octavian leans back and falls asleep on the throne.

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<v Speaker 1>End of Octavian and Cleopatra