“You mean to have the busts of the philosophers moved again?” asked King Philometor, who, as he entered the tent, had heard the queen’s last words.  “And Aristippus is to have the place of honor?  I have no objection—­though he teaches that man must subjugate matter and not become subject to it.—­["Mihi res, non me rebus subjungere."]—­This indeed is easier to say than to do, and there is no man to whom it is more impossible than to a king who has to keep on good terms with Greeks and Egyptians, as we have, and with Rome as well.  And besides all this to avoid quarrelling with a jealous brother, who shares our kingdom!  If men could only know how much they would have to do as kings only in reading and writing, they would take care never to struggle for a crown!  Up to this last half hour I have been examining and deciding applications and petitions.  Have you got through yours, Euergetes?  Even more had accumulated for you than for us.”

“All were settled in an hour,” replied the other promptly.  “My eye is quicker than the mouth of your reader, and my decisions commonly consist of three words while you dictate long treatises to your scribes.  So I had done when you had scarcely begun, and yet I could tell you at once, if it were not too tedious a matter, every single case that has come before me for months, and explain it in all its details.”

“That I could not indeed,” said Philometor modestly, “but I know and admire your swift intelligence and accurate memory.”

“You see I am more fit for a king than you are;” laughed Euergetes.  “You are too gentle and debonair for a throne!  Hand over your government to me.  I will fill your treasury every year with gold.  I beg you now, come to Alexandria with Cleopatra for good, and share with me the palace and the gardens in the Bruchion.  I will nominate your little Philopator heir to the throne, for I have no wish to contract a permanent tie with any woman, as Cleopatra belongs to you.  This is a bold proposal, but reflect, Philometor, if you were to accept it, how much time it would give you for your music, your disputations with the Jews, and all your other favorite occupations.”

“You never know how far you may go with your jest!” interrupted Cleopatra.  “Besides, you devote quite as much time to your studies in philology and natural history as he does to music and improving conversations with his learned friends.”

“Just so,” assented Philometor, “and you may be counted among the sages of the Museum with far more reason than I.”

“But the difference between us,” replied Euergetes, “is that I despise all the philosophical prattlers and rubbish-collectors in Alexandria almost to the point of hating them, while for science I have as great a passion as for a lover.  You, on the contrary, make much of the learned men, but trouble yourself precious little about science.”

“Drop the subject, pray,” begged Cleopatra.  “I believe that you two have never yet been together for half an hour without Euergetes having begun some dispute, and Philometor having at last given in, to pacify him.  Our guests must have been waiting for us a long time.  Had Publius Scipio made his appearance?”