HELICON: May I know what it is, this truth that you’ve discovered?
CALIGULA [his eyes averted, in a toneless voice]: Men die; and they are not happy.
HELICON [after a short pause]: Anyhow, Caligula, it’s a truth with which one comes to terms, without much trouble. Only look at the people over there. This truth of yours doesn’t prevent them from enjoying their meal.
CALIGULA [wth sudden violence]: All it proves is that I’m surrounded by lies and self-deception. But I’ve had enough of that; I wish men to live by the light of truth. And I’ve the power to make them do so. For I know what they need and haven’t got. They’re without understanding and they need a teacher; someone who knows what he’s talking about.
HELICON: Don’t take offense, Caius, if I give you a word of advice.… But that can wait. First, you should have some rest.
CALIGULA [sitting down. His voice is gentle again]: That’s not possible, Helicon. I shall never rest again.
HELICON: But—why?
CALIGULA: If I sleep, who’ll give me the moon?
HELICON [after a short silence]: That’s true.
CALIGULA [rising to his feet again, with an effort]: Listen, Helicon … I hear footsteps, voices. Say nothing—and forget you’ve seen me.
HELICON: I understand.
CALIGULA [looking back, as he moves toward the door]: And please help me, from now on.
HELICON: I’ve no reason not to do so, Caius. But I know very few things, and few things interest me. In what way can I help you?
CALIGULA: In the way of … the impossible.
HELICON: I’ll do my best.
[CALIGULA goes out. SCIPIO and CÆSONIA enter hurriedly.]
SCIPIO: No one! Haven’t you seen him?
HELICON: No.
CÆSONIA: Tell me, Helicon. Are you quite sure he didn’t say anything to you before he went away?
HELICON: I’m not a sharer of his secrets, I’m his public. A mere onlooker. It’s more prudent.
CÆSONIA: Please don’t talk like that.
HELICON: My dear Cæsonia, Caius is an idealist as we all know. He follows his bent, and no one can foresee where it will take him.… But, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go to lunch.
[Exit HELICON.]
CÆSONIA [sinking wearily onto a divan]: One of the palace guards saw him go by. But all Rome sees Caligula everywhere. And Caligula, of course, sees nothing but his own idea.
SCIPIO: What idea?
CÆSONIA: How can I tell, Scipio?
SCIPIO: Are you thinking of Drusilla?
CÆSONIA: Perhaps. One thing is sure; he loved her. And it’s a cruel thing to have someone die today whom only yesterday you were holding in your arms.
SCIPIO [timidly]: And you …?
CÆSONIA: Oh, I’m the old, trusted mistress. That’s my role.
SCIPIO: Cæsonia, we must save him.
CÆSONIA: So you, too, love him?
SCIPIO: Yes. He’s been very good to me. He encouraged me; I shall never forget some of the things he said. He told me life isn’t easy, but it has consolations: religion, art, and the love one inspires in others. He often told me that the only mistake one makes in life is to cause others suffering. He tried to be a just man.
CÆSONIA [rising]: He’s only a child. [She goes to the glass and scans herself.] The only god I’ve ever had is my body, and now I shall pray this god of mine to give Caius back to me.
[CALIGULA enters. On seeing CÆSONIA and SCIPIO he hesitates, and takes a backward step. At the same moment several men enter from the opposite side of the room: patricians and the INTENDANT of the palace. They stop short when they see CALIGULA. CÆSONIA turns. She and SCIPIO hurry toward CALIGULA, who checks them with a gesture.]
INTENDANT [in a rather quavering voice]: We … we’ve been looking for you, Cæsar, high and low.
CALIGULA [in a changed, harsh tone]: So I see.
INTENDANT: We … I mean …
CALIGULA [roughly]: What do you want?
INTENDANT: We were feeling anxious, Cæsar.
CALIGULA [going toward him]: What business had you to feel anxious?
INTENDANT: Well … er … [He has an inspiration.] Well, as you know, there are points to be settled in connection with the Treasury.
CALIGULA [bursting into laughter]: Ah, yes. The Treasury! That’s so. The Treasury’s of prime importance.
INTENDANT: Yes, indeed.
CALIGULA [still laughing, to CÆSONIA]: Don’t you agree, my dear? The Treasury is all-important.
CÆSONIA: No, Caligula. It’s a secondary matter.
CALIGULA: That only shows your ignorance. We are extremely interested in our Treasury. Everything’s important: our fiscal system, public morals, foreign policy, army equipment, and agrarian laws. Everything’s of cardinal importance, I assure you. And everything’s on an equal footing: the grandeur of Rome and your attacks of arthritis.… Well, well, I’m going to apply my mind to all that. And, to begin with … Now listen well, Intendant.
INTENDANT: We are listening, sir.
[The patricians come forward.]
CALIGULA: You’re our loyal subjects, are you not?
INTENDANT [in a reproachful tone]: Oh, Cæsar …!
CALIGULA: Well, I’ve something to propose to you. We’re going to make a complete change in our economic system. In two moves. Drastic and abrupt. I’ll explain, Intendant … when the patricians have left. [The patricians go out. CALIGULA seats himself beside CÆSONIA, with his arm around her waist.] Now mark my words. The first move’s this. Every patrician, everyone in the Empire who has any capital—small or large, it’s all the same thing—is ordered to disinherit his children and make a new will leaving his money to the State.
INTENDANT: But Cæsar …
CALIGULA: I’ve not yet given you leave to speak. As the need arises, we shall have these people die; a list will be drawn up by us fixing the order of their deaths. When the fancy takes us, we may modify that order. And, of course, we shall step into their money.
CÆSONIA [freeing herself]: But—what’s come over you?
CALIGULA [imperturbably]: Obviously the order of their going has no importance. Or, rather, all these executions have an equal importance—from which it follows that none has any. Really all those fellows are on a par, one’s as guilty as another. [To the INTENDANT, peremptorily] You are to promulgate this edict without a moment’s delay and see it’s carried out forthwith. The wills are to be signed by residents in Rome this evening; within a month at the latest by persons in the provinces. Send out your messengers.
INTENDANT: Cæsar, I wonder if you realize …
CALIGULA: Do I realize …? Now, listen well, you fool! If the Treasury has paramount importance, human life has none. That should be obvious to you. People who think like you are bound to admit the logic of my edict, and since money is the only thing that counts, should set no value on their lives or anyone else’s. I have resolved to be logical, and I have the power to enforce my will. Presently you’ll see what logic’s going to cost you? I shall eliminate contradictions and contradicters. If necessary, I’ll begin with you.
INTENDANT: Cæsar, my good will can be relied on, that I swear.
CALIGULA: And mine, too; that I guarantee. Just see how ready I am to adopt your point of view, and give the Treasury the first place in my program. Really you should be grateful to me; I’m playing into your hand, and with your own cards. [He pauses, before continuing in a flat, unemotional tone] In any case there is a touch of genius in the simplicity of my plan—which clinches the matter. I give you three seconds in which to remove yourself. One …
[The INTENDANT hurries out.]
CÆSONIA: I can’t believe it’s you! But it was just a joke, wasn’t it?—all you said to him.
CALIGULA: Not quite that, Cæsonia. Let’s say, a lesson in statesmanship.
SCIPIO: But, Caius, it’s … it’s impossible!
CALIGULA: That’s the whole point.
SCIPIO: I don’t follow.
CALIGULA: I repeat—that is my point. I’m exploiting the impossible. Or, more accurately, it’s a question of making the impossible possible.
SCIPIO: But that game may lead to—to anything! It’s a lunatic’s pastime.
CALIGULA: No, Scipio. An emperor’s vocation. [He lets himself sink back wearily among the cushions.] Ah, my dears, at last I’ve come to see the uses of supremacy. It gives impossibilities a run. From this day on, so long as life is mine, my freedom has no frontier.
CÆSONIA [sadly]: I doubt if this discovery of yours will make us any happier.
CALIGULA: So do I. But, I suppose, we’ll have to live it through.
[CHEREA enters.]
CHEREA: I have just heard of your return. I trust your health is all it should be.
CALIGULA: My health is duly grateful. [A pause. Then, abruptly] Leave us, Cherea. I don’t want to see you.
CHEREA: Really, Caius, I’m amazed …
CALIGULA: There’s nothing to be amazed at. I don’t like literary men, and I can’t bear lies.
CHEREA: If we lie, it’s often without knowing it. I plead Not Guilty.
CALIGULA: Lies are never guiltless. And yours attribute importance to people and to things. That’s what I cannot forgive you.
CHEREA: And yet—since this world is the only one we have, why not plead its cause?
CALIGULA: Your pleading comes too late, the verdict’s given.… This world has no importance; once a man realizes that, he wins his freedom. [He has risen to his feet.] And that is why I hate you, you and your kind; because you are not free. You see in me the one free man in the whole Roman Empire. You should be glad to have at last among you an emperor who points the way to freedom. Leave me, Cherea; and you, too, Scipio, go—for what is friendship? Go, both of you, and spread the news in Rome that freedom has been given her at last,
