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Ftatateeta
Pothinus is the play’s only clear antagonist; he’s Ptolemy’s appointed guardian. Pothinus supports Ptolemy’s claim to the royal throne because of his personal aspiration to rule Egypt by manipulating the child-king, who, at 10 years old, is incapable of making his own political decisions. One example of Pothinus using Ptolemy to advance his agenda occurs in Act II, when Pothinus impatiently feeds Ptolemy prompts about which part of Ptolemy’s speech to the royal court comes next. The rehearsed, nervous way Ptolemy speaks implies that it was not Ptolemy, but Pothinus (or one of Ptolemy’s other handlers) who wrote the speech. Pothinus becomes a prisoner of war following Rome’s defeat of the Egyptian army at the end of Act III. Although it is Caesar’s practice to let all his prisoners go, Pothinus chooses to remain in prison to spy on Caesar’s people and continue his quest to secure Ptolemy’s position as the sole ruler of Egypt. In Act IV, Pothinus tries to turn Caesar against Cleopatra by accusing her of ingratiating herself with Caesar as a political ploy to gain control of Rome. Although Pothinus’s accusation doesn’t faze Caesar, it deeply offends Cleopatra, and she orders Ftatateeta to assassinate Pothinus. The assassination incites a riot among Alexandria’s villagers and threatens to destroy the peace Caesar has achieved between the Egyptian people and the occupying Roman army.
Pothinus Quotes in Caesar and Cleopatra
The Caesar and Cleopatra quotes below are all either spoken by Pothinus or refer to Pothinus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 2 Quotes
Ptolemy: Yes—the gods would not suffer—not suffer—[He stops; then, crestfallen] I forgot what the gods would not suffer.
THEODOTUS: Let Pothinus, the King’s guardian, speak for the King.
POTHINUS [suppressing his impatience with difficulty] The King wishes to say that the gods would not suffer the impiety of his sister to go unpunished.
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Act 4 Quotes
CHARMIAN. He makes you so terribly prosy and serious and learned and philosophical.
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CLEOPATRA: When I was foolish, I did what I liked, except when Ftatateeta beat me; and even then I cheated her and did it by stealth. Now that Caesar has made me wise, it is no use my liking or disliking; I do what must be done, and have no time to attend to myself. That is not happiness; but it is greatness. If Caesar were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians; for what Caesar is to me, I am to the fools around me.
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POTHINUS (looking hard at her). Cleopatra: this may be the vanity of youth.
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CLEOPATRA: Love me! Pothinus: Caesar loves no one. Who are those we love? Only those whom we do not hate: all people are strangers and enemies to us except those we love. But it is not so with Caesar. He has no hatred in him: he makes friends with everyone as he does with dogs and children.
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POTHINUS. From her own lips I have heard it. You are to be her catspaw: you are to tear the crown from her brother's head and set it on her own, delivering us all into her hand—delivering yourself also. And then Caesar can return to Rome, or depart through the gate of death, which is nearer and surer.
CAESAR (calmly). Well, my friend; and is not this very natural?
POTHINUS (astonished). Natural! Then you do not resent treachery?
CAESAR. Resent! O thou foolish Egyptian, what have I to do with resentment? Do I resent the wind when it chills me, or the night when it makes me stumble in the darkness? Shall I resent youth when it turns from age, and ambition when it turns from servitude? To tell me such a story as this is but to tell me that the sun will rise to-morrow.
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CLEOPATRA (sinking back trembling on the bench and covering her face with her hands). I have not betrayed you, Caesar: I swear it.
CAESAR. I know that. I have not trusted you.
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CAESAR. If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever, to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer the world as I have, or be crucified by it. […] These knockers at your gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing. You have slain their leader: it is right that they shall slay you. […] then in the name of that right (He emphasizes the word with great scorn.) shall I not slay them for murdering their Queen, and be slain in my turn by their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland? Can Rome do less than slay these slayers too, to show the world how Rome avenges her sons and her honor? And so, to the end of history, murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race that can understand. […]
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Act 5 Quotes
CAESAR (energetically). On my head be it, then; for it was well done. Rufio: had you set yourself in the seat of the judge, and with hateful ceremonies and appeals to the gods handed that woman over to some hired executioner to be slain before the people in the name of justice, never again would I have touched your hand without a shudder. But this was natural slaying: I feel no horror at it.
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Pothinus Character Timeline in Caesar and Cleopatra
The timeline below shows where the character Pothinus appears in Caesar and Cleopatra. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 2
Ptolemy Dionysus, the temperamental 10-year-old king of Egypt, follows his guardian, Pothinus, into the loggia at the royal palace in Alexandria where his Egyptian court has assembled...
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Ptolemy nervously sits on the throne. Pothinus tells the court that the Ptolemy has an announcement to make. Ptolemy begins his speech,...
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Caesar sits down, prompting more gasps from the Egyptians. He explains to Pothinus that he’s come to retrieve the 1,600 talents (money) that the Egyptians owe him. Caesar’s...
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Caesar suggests that Ptolemy and Cleopatra rule Egypt together. However, Pothinus isn’t happy with this arrangement. If the taxes that the Egyptians owe the Romans are...
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Caesar tells Pothinus that any Egyptian who wants to leave is free to go. Rufio fumes at Caesar’s...
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...pleads with Caesar to tell her more about Mark Antony, but Caesar warns her that Pothinus will cut off harbor access if Caesar doesn’t get started on his work. And if...
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Theodotus leaves to try to save the library of Alexandria, and Caesar orders Pothinus to tell the Egyptians not to kill any more Roman soldiers. Rufio returns and berates...
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Act 4
Cleopatra asks her ladies and enslaved people for gossip. One girl, Iras, tells Cleopatra that Pothinus has been attempting to bribe Ftatateeta to speak with Cleopatra. Cleopatra declares that she will...
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When Ftatateeta returns, Cleopatra asks her if the rumors about Pothinus are true. Ftatateeta sputters. Cleopatra ignores Ftatateeta’s discomfort and orders her to accept Pothinus’s bribe...
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Cleopatra asks Pothinus if he’s heard any news about future battles from his rebel friends. Pothinus reminds her...
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Once Cleopatra and Pothinus are alone, Cleopatra asks Pothinus why he wanted to speak to her. He’s visibly flustered...
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Pothinus mentions the rumors floating around that Cleopatra is in love with Caesar. Cleopatra insists that...
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Pothinus tries to follow Cleopatra, but Ftatateeta, who has been eavesdropping on their conversation, stops him....
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...people to draw the curtains. Once certain that they are alone, Rufio tells Caesar that Pothinus wants to speak with him about a supposed scheme the women are developing. Caesar is...
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Before Caesar can respond to Pothinus’s scandalous claim, Cleopatra appears, dressed glamorously. Caesar tells her that Pothinus was just about to...
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Cleopatra furiously denies Pothinus’s accusation, but Caesar is entirely unmoved. He tells Cleopatra that even if she doesn’t realize...
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...roof. Once Cleopatra is satisfied that nobody can hear her, she orders Ftatateeta to kill Pothinus. Ftatateeta smiles a toothy grin and promises to follow through with the request. Caesar returns,...
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...gone crazy and are tearing down the palace, while Lucius explains that someone has murdered Pothinus. The news horrifies Caesar. Rufio eyes Cleopatra and tells Caesar that whoever slayed Pothinus must...
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...to leave, he whispers to her knowingly, suggesting that her assassin botched his job, since Pothinus wouldn’t have screamed if her man had stabbed the right way, in the throat. Cleopatra...
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