JULIUS CAESAR


Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Rome a man whose name was

Julius Cae'sar. He was the greatest of all the Romans.



Why was he so great?



He was a brave warrior, and had con-quered many countries for Rome. He

was wise in planning and in doing. He knew how to make men both love

and fear him.



At last he made himself the ruler of Rome. Some said that he wished to
/> become its king. But the Romans at that time did not believe in kings.



Once when Cae-sar was passing through a little country village, all the

men, women, and children of the place came out to see him. There were

not more than fifty of them, all together, and they were led by their

may-or, who told each one what to do.



These simple people stood by the roadside and watched Caesar pass. The

may-or looked very proud and happy; for was he not the ruler of this

village? He felt that he was almost as great a man as Caesar himself.



Some of the fine of-fi-cers who were with Caesar laughed. They said,

"See how that fellow struts at the head of his little flock!"



"Laugh as you will," said Caesar, "he has reason to be proud. I would

rather be the head man of a village than the second man in Rome!"



At an-oth-er time, Caesar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat. Before

he was halfway to the farther shore, a storm overtook him. The wind

blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder

rolled.



It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was

in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such

a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat;

he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!"



But Caesar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars

again.



"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for

you have Caesar on board."



More

;