CAESAR                                  Cleopatra,

Not what you have reserved nor what acknowledged

Put we i’th’ roll of conquest. Still be’t yours.

Bestow it at your pleasure, and believe

Caesar’s no merchant, to make prize with you

Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheered.

Make not your thoughts your prisons. No, dear Queen;

For we intend so to dispose you as

Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed and sleep.

Our care and pity is so much upon you

That we remain your friend; and so adieu.                       (5.2.175-185)

Caesar gets to be magnanimous, generous, gracious: Cleopatra, not what you have reserved nor what acknowledged put we i’th’ roll of conquest. Still be’t yours. I’m not going to count either the wealth you’ve declared or that which you sought to conceal as legitimate spoils. It all remains yours! And he’s confident that he’s got the measure of her, and got the upper hand; he can afford to be generous, as he thinks. Bestow it, your treasure, at your pleasure: it’s yours to do what you want with! Give it to my wife and sister if you like, what a great idea! Believe Caesar’s no merchant, to make prize with you of things that merchants sold. I’m not going to haggle and bargain, quibble and negotiate about who gets what. I’m above that sort of thing! It’s never been about the money for me. Therefore be cheered: yes, indeed, cheer up, old girl! Make not your thoughts your prisons; don’t catastrophise, make the best of things—and don’t assume automatically that you’re merely my prisoner, that you have no say in the matter, that it’s a done deal. No, dear Queen, not in the slightest—for we intend so to dispose you as yourself shall give us counsel. I want your input into what’s going to happen to you, obviously; I’ll consult widely and take your views into consideration. Feed and sleep. You’ll feel better after a rest and a decent meal. Self-care. Our care and pity is so much upon you that we remain your friend; and so adieu. I’ve got your best interests at heart, totally; you’re my number one concern. I feel for you! I feel sorry for you! Take care then, and see you later.

Oh go away Caesar. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a machiavel just going through the motions or whether he really enjoys playing the nice guy, gets a kick out of being smarmily kind to a woman over whom he has absolute power. He needs to go now—and he thinks it’s OK to do so, that he’s won.