Sardou's Cleopatra — page 162: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SARDOU’S CLEOPATRA. 147 means war,” Ventidius said to him, when he urged as a reason for refusing the proffered alliance that it would be treachery to Cleopatra. “Yes, war!” “No! It would mean war if this marriage took place,” retorted Antony. “At present, Egypt is ours, she is our ally. I control her wheat, her soldiers, her immense fleet of war. I have more than a hundred vessels at anchor in her ports. Let me go there. Here ITamaslave. Egypt is my country. There I am my own master, there at least I can breathe freely. There I can live as I please, and no one presumes to dictate to me. It is undoubtedly a fine thing to be a Roman, but not in Rome. Here, one is forced to act a part, and there is always some carper who cries shame > upon your life. Gayety and brilliancy are pro- scribed as crimes, and one is forced to be a hypo- crite if he desires the Romans’ esteem.” “You surely have that.” “Of the army, yes, but not of the fickle popu- lace. If you are generous and scatter gold broad-;. cast there is a hue and outcry, and so likewise if you hoard your money. My tastes that you call capricious were really wise measures. To conquer the East I adopted its customs. No! ‘This mar- (G(0) =} > Weomicbooks