Caesar now becomes involved with the Egyptian civil war between the child pharaoh and his sister, wife, and co-regent, Cleopatra.

Arriving at Alexandria four days after Pompey's murder and seizing the palace quarter, he orders the warring factions to submit to his arbitration as authorized by the will of Ptolemy's father.

Caesar sides with Cleopatra, perhaps as a result of the young pharaoh's role in Pompey's murder; he is reported to have wept at the sight of Pompey's head, which is offered to him by the pharaoh as a gift.

Ptolemy, leaving General Achillas with the army, goes with Pothinus to Caesar's camp, while Cleopatra arrives in the palace, reportedly concealed in a carpet.

Caesar claims he is owed money for the expenses of the restoration of Ptolemy XII.

Cleopatra is determined to restore the glories of the first Ptolemies and to recover as much as possible of their dominions, which had included southern Syria and Palestine.

She realizes that Caesar is the strong man of Rome, and it is therefore on him that she relies.

Caesar, with all the members of the Ptolemaic royal family in his grasp, effects a reconciliation between Ptolemy and his sister.

Pothinus' group, however, continues to foment trouble against the Romans and their Egyptian allies; and after Achillas brings up the army to besiege Alexandria, Ptolemy's youngest sister, Arsinoe IV, escapes to the native forces with the aid of Ganymedes, her mentor.

Caesar meanwhile persuades Cleopatra to execute Pothinus, while Achillas is killed after feuding with Arsinoe, thus effectively destroying the clique.