Leader of Marines
When he was around seventeen years old, Julius Caesar's father was murdered by a rival Politician who was vying for power. Thats how disputes were settled back then. And since his family name had now fallen out of favor, young Caesar was forced to flee the city. He wasn't sure where to go, but the military offered adventure and pay for each able bodied Patrician of Rome.
So he enlisted in the Navy and became a Marine, patrolling the coast against Pirates who would disrupt the Republic's supply lines.
A few months into his first year, his ship was attacked and overwhelmed by those very same Pirates. Along with the other Roman land owners serving with him, Caesar was taken captive to be held for ransom. The problem was that Caesar was now a poor man, with very little property left to his name. Unlike his fellow Officers of the wealthy Patrician Class, Caesar's family did not have much to offer as ransom.
To determine a suitable ransom price for each prisoner, the Pirate Captain brought the prisoners into his quarters to ask them questions about their Patronage and Family Status. Each of the officers begged the Pirate Captain to be lenient in his ransom demands. "There was a drought!" one would say, "Our harvest has not been good!" another would say, "Please sir, our families are not as wealthy as you imagine!" But when Caesar was brought forth, he told the Captain to ask for the highest possible Ransom.
"In fact, my ransom should be the highest you've ever obtained. And my family will gladly pay every cent of whatever you ask because they love me so much. Can you say the same about your family?"
The other prisoners just gasped and turned paler than ghosts. They knew Caesar wasn't very wealthy at all and couldn't believe what they were hearing. The Captain could harldy believe it either. He asked Caesar why he was being so bold as to demand such a high ransom for himself alone.
"Because," Caesar began, "when the ransom is paid, and I am released, I'm going to raise an Army to find you. Then I'm going to Kill you. So I'm going to need money to pay My soldiers, and the ransom money you get from me will be just enough."
The Captain simply stared blankly at Caesar, then he laughed horsely until tears came from his eyes and he could laugh no more. In between bouts of laughter, He ordered Caesar to be locked away with the rest of the prisoners. It was nearyly a year before enough money could be raised to pay the Pirates.
In poor health, with no food, in nothing but filthy rags, Caesar and the surviving officers were dumped off the Pirate ship, close to the beaches of Northern Africa. Once ashore, the Officers began talking and making plans for returning to Rome. But not Caesar. He stood there in silence, looking at them in disgust, before begining to walk away. When called to by the officers, Caesar responded by telling them he wasn't going to return home in rags and end up a filthy beggar. He was going to walk to the closest town and, with his head held high, begin raising his Army. As if it were that simple, he turned around and began walking away.
Again, the Officers couldn't believe what they were hearing. But in a way, it made sense. They had nothing left and their families were now impoverished. Even though he was the lowest of junior officers, Caesar had offered them a chance to regain their lost Honor. So they followed him.
When he was around seventeen years old, Julius Caesar's father was murdered by a rival Politician who was vying for power. Thats how disputes were settled back then. And since his family name had now fallen out of favor, young Caesar was forced to flee the city. He wasn't sure where to go, but the military offered adventure and pay for each able bodied Patrician of Rome.
So he enlisted in the Navy and became a Marine, patrolling the coast against Pirates who would disrupt the Republic's supply lines.
A few months into his first year, his ship was attacked and overwhelmed by those very same Pirates. Along with the other Roman land owners serving with him, Caesar was taken captive to be held for ransom. The problem was that Caesar was now a poor man, with very little property left to his name. Unlike his fellow Officers of the wealthy Patrician Class, Caesar's family did not have much to offer as ransom.
To determine a suitable ransom price for each prisoner, the Pirate Captain brought the prisoners into his quarters to ask them questions about their Patronage and Family Status. Each of the officers begged the Pirate Captain to be lenient in his ransom demands. "There was a drought!" one would say, "Our harvest has not been good!" another would say, "Please sir, our families are not as wealthy as you imagine!" But when Caesar was brought forth, he told the Captain to ask for the highest possible Ransom.
"In fact, my ransom should be the highest you've ever obtained. And my family will gladly pay every cent of whatever you ask because they love me so much. Can you say the same about your family?"
The other prisoners just gasped and turned paler than ghosts. They knew Caesar wasn't very wealthy at all and couldn't believe what they were hearing. The Captain could harldy believe it either. He asked Caesar why he was being so bold as to demand such a high ransom for himself alone.
"Because," Caesar began, "when the ransom is paid, and I am released, I'm going to raise an Army to find you. Then I'm going to Kill you. So I'm going to need money to pay My soldiers, and the ransom money you get from me will be just enough."
The Captain simply stared blankly at Caesar, then he laughed horsely until tears came from his eyes and he could laugh no more. In between bouts of laughter, He ordered Caesar to be locked away with the rest of the prisoners. It was nearyly a year before enough money could be raised to pay the Pirates.
In poor health, with no food, in nothing but filthy rags, Caesar and the surviving officers were dumped off the Pirate ship, close to the beaches of Northern Africa. Once ashore, the Officers began talking and making plans for returning to Rome. But not Caesar. He stood there in silence, looking at them in disgust, before begining to walk away. When called to by the officers, Caesar responded by telling them he wasn't going to return home in rags and end up a filthy beggar. He was going to walk to the closest town and, with his head held high, begin raising his Army. As if it were that simple, he turned around and began walking away.
Again, the Officers couldn't believe what they were hearing. But in a way, it made sense. They had nothing left and their families were now impoverished. Even though he was the lowest of junior officers, Caesar had offered them a chance to regain their lost Honor. So they followed him.