CAESAR. Why? Are you afraid of the Romans?

CLEOPATRA (very seriously). Oh, they would eat us if they caught
us. They are barbarians. Their chief is called Julius Caesar. His
father was a tiger and his mother a burning mountain; and his
nose is like an elephant's trunk. (Caesar involuntarily rubs his
nose.) They all have long noses, and ivory tusks, and little
tails, and seven arms with a hundred arrows in each; and they
live on human flesh.

CAESAR. Would you like me to show you a real Roman?

CLEOPATRA (terrified). No. You are frightening me.

CAESAR. No matter: this is only a dream--

CLEOPATRA (excitedly). It is not a dream: it is not a dream. See,
see. (She plucks a pin from her hair and jabs it repeatedly into
his arm.)

CAESAR. Ffff--Stop. (Wrathfully) How dare you?

CLEOPATRA (abashed). You said you were dreaming. (Whimpering) I
only wanted to show you--

CAESAR (gently). Come, come: don't cry. A queen mustn't cry. (He
rubs his arm, wondering at the reality of the smart.) Am I awake?
(He strikes his hand against the Sphinx to test its solidity. It
feels so real that he begins to be alarmed, and says perplexedly)
Yes, I--(quite panicstricken) no: impossible: madness, madness!