Flesh   of  their  dust,   pronounce:    can  such
men  live  ?


SC.  I.]  QUEEN  MARIAMNE  43


ACT    III

SCENE  I

Jericho :  a  court  of  palm-trees  in  the  royal
pleasure- house

CLEOPATRA,  dressed  as  the  goddess  Isis,
HEROD  and  SELEUCUS

HEROD.    Since  you  have   now  returned   back

from  Euphrates,

Leaving  the  Emperor  to  his  wars,  in  duty
I  have  collected  all  my  rents
From  your  Arabia,  about  Jericho,
And  from  the  Eleutherian  cities — all
The  districts  that  I  farm  of  you.
Seleucus !
Here  are  the  papers.
Queen,  the  sums  are  here :
Twelve  hundred  talents  ;  six  from  Araby,
Four  from  these  cities,  two  from  Jericho.
44  QUEEN  MARIAMNE         [ACT  in.
CLEOPATRA.  No  more  from  Jericho,  with  that

rare  drug

Of  native  balsam,  and  such  palms  as  gender
Huge,  sable  cones  of  fruit  ?
HEROD.  The  sum  !     I  beg

For  no  deduction,  though  the  locusts  nipped
Our  odorous  gardens  close,  and  scarcity
Has  been  upon  the  palm-yards  from  the  greed
Of  former  and  of  latter  flights  in  cloud
On  every  smooth  wind  of  the  sun-rising.
CLEOPATRA.    Your   husbandry  is   sad   for   me.
Seleucus,
Take  these  small  payments  to  our  purse.
Fie,  Herod,
Fie !     You  are  niggard  in  our  revenues.
[Exit  SELEUCUS  with  the  bags  of  gold

and  papers.
HEROD.   I  bring  you  all  the  farms  can  yield.
CLEOPATRA.  O  Herod!

I  saw  you  but  this  morning  exercise
With  spear  and  darts,  as  Greek  Apollo  chose
An  Edomite  to  mask  in.  ...
HEROD.  Queen  of  Egypt,

I  am  a  Jew  of  Babylonian  race.
SC.  L]  QUEEN  MARIAMNE  45

CLEOPATRA.    Are  you,  bold,  arrowing  archer?

You  so  quick

Of  motion,  and  quick-sighted  at  your  game
Are  now  but  blind.  .  ..
(Close  to  his  ear.}     We  love  you,  king  of

Jewry.
