C. CAESAR
C. CAESAR. Caius Caesar, when he was a young man,
fled from Sylla, and fell into the hands of pirates, who first
demanded of him a sum of money; and he laughed at the
rogues for not understanding his quality, and promised
them twice as much as they asked him. Afterwards, when
he was put into custody until he raised the money, he
commanded them to be quiet and silent while he slept.
While he was in prison, he made speeches and verses
which he read to them, and when they commended them
but coldly, he called them barbarians and blockheads, and
threatened them in jest that he would hang them. But
after a while he was as good as his word; for when the money
for his ransom was brought and he discharged, he gathered
men and ships out of Asia, seized the pirates and crucified
them. At Rome he stood to be chief priest against Catulus, a
man of great interest among the Romans. To his mother,
who brought him to the gate, he said, To-day, mother, you
will have your son high priest or banished. He divorced
his wife Pompeia, because she was reported to be over
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familiar with Clodius; yet when Clodius was brought to
trial upon that account, and he was cited as a witness, he
spake no evil against his wife; and when the accuser asked
him, Why then did you divorce her?—Because, said he,
Caesar's wife ought to be free even from suspicion. As
he was reading the exploits of Alexander, he wept and
told his friends, He was of my age when he conquered
Darius, and I hitherto have done nothing. He passed by
a little inconsiderable town in the Alps, and his friends
said, they wondered whether there were any contentions
and tumults for offices in that place. He stood, and after
a little pause answered, I had rather be the first in this
town than second in Rome. He said, great and surprising
enterprises were not to be consulted upon, but done. And
coming against Pompey out of his province of Gaul, he
passed the river Rubicon, saying, Let every die be thrown.
After Pompey fled to sea from Rome, he went to take
money out of the treasury: when Metellus, who had the
charge of it, forbade him and shut it against him, he
threatened to kill him; whereupon Metellus being astonished, he said to him, This, young man, is harder for me to
say than to do. When his soldiers were having a tedious
passage from Brundisium to Dyrrachium, unknown to all
he went aboard a small vessel, and attempted to pass the
sea; and when the vessel was in danger of being overset,
he discovers himself to the pilot, crying out, Trust Fortune,
and know that you carry Caesar. But the tempest being
vehement, his soldiers coming about him and expostulating
passionately with him, asking whether he distrusted them
and was looking for another army, would not suffer him to
pass at that time. They fought, and Pompey had the better of it; but instead of following his blow he retreated to
his camp. To-day, said Caesar, the enemy had the victory,
but none of them know how to conquer. Pompey commanded his army to stand in array at Pharsalia in their
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place, and to receive the charge from the enemy. In this
Caesar said he was out, thereby suffering the eagerness of
his soldiers' spirits, when they were up and inspired with
rage and success, in the midst of their career to languish
and expire. After he routed Pharnaces Ponticus at the
first assault, he wrote thus to his friends, I came, I saw, I
conquered.
1 After Scipio was worsted in Africa and fled,
and Cato had killed himself, he said: I envy thee thy death,
O Cato! since thou didst envy me the honor of saving thee.
Antonius and Dolabella were suspected by his friends, who
advised him to secure them; he answered, I fear none of
those fat and lazy fellows, but those pale and lean ones,—
meaning Brutus and Cassius. As he was at supper, the
discourse was of death, which sort was the best. That,
said he, which is unexpected.
