Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-03-20


On the ever. memorable nieh1 4I1N ~
CGsas resolved to take the hrNt el10 IN
such case the first, as regafdeU ~
of rctrcating, was also the hnaf Eltt'
placed him In arms agalnst the 81
pened that bis head quarters
distance from the little river
boundary between Italia and Call
and consequently the limit of CDlzl ~
ry command With his usual c16l.si -
news of his motion might ron be1eSe
on this night Caesar gave 70 his tiiea
tcrtainmcnt, in the middle Of which ~
cd away unObscrvcd and with . small ~
nue, proceeded through the woods 70 t4e
point of the river Mt which he dcsigned y
| cross.
The night was stormy, the torches n the
escort were blown out by the wind, - that
the whole party lost their way, and wsndeT-
cd about until early dawn enabled them 70
recover their true course. The light wAa eEih
grey and uncertain as Cesar and hia SVtiMse
rode down upon the banks Of the fatal river
to cross which, with arms in their hands,
since the further bank lay within the terrific
ry Of the Republic, ipsO. .Jdct0 proclaimed any
Roman O rebel and a truitor. We may sop
pose Caesar to have been deeply agitated whNn
looking down upon this little brook for the
whole course Of future history and the fate Of
every natioa, would necessarily be determined
by the irretrievabc act of the next half hOuF.
Cesar was yet lingering OIL the -hither bAnk,
when, says the story, suddenly at . poiAt net
far distant from himse I, an apparation was
described in a sitting posture, and holding In
its hand what seemed to be = flute. What's
singular in the story, on any hypothesis
which could explain it out Of Cesars indiyid.
ual condition Of exhaustion, and iJtess anx-
icty is that others saw tho phantom a. well
as he, both pastoral laborerN and sOsnesOf
the scntnels stationed at tho passage sg the
river. These men fancicd even that strain
of music issued from the arical flute. .sg
A few Roman trumpcts advanced and from
one Of them tho phantom suddenly caughem
trumpet, and blowing blast Of EnpeFhmhsaD
strength, plunged into the RObicoD, pAsa9ilto,
the other bank, and disappeared in the dnstIy
twilight Of the dawn. Upon which Csos6v
exclaimed: 1T is finished; the die is eaSs;
let us follow whittier the guiding pOrteudN
from heaven and the malice of our enemy
alike summons us to CO. So saying, lie creAs~
cd the river With impctu0sity; and IN . sud
den rapture OF passion and vindictivo umtG.
tion, placed hinl AID his Oiaus upon H.
Italian soil and, as il by inspiration ffes
heaven, in one moment involved himselY and
Ills followers in treason, raised the standard
Of revolt, put his foot upon the inviAciblo ~
public which had humblcd all the kipgD ,cf lhe
earth, and founded an empire which wss -
last thousand and half tkousand yeAssy
In wha. manner this spectral appearance We
managed, whether Caesar was it's anthog o.
its dupe, will remain unknown for ever.
The Rubicon is considered by CluveSius aieil
D'Anvillc to he the Flumecino Of Italy, ewd
their opinion is supported by the inhabitAHla
Of R:mini, in whose territory it is the p0ibE
being ford on the rond from Ravennd. 1aio
celebrity Of the event has passed into aEpgb.
verb; hence to pass the RubicOn' is 70 iabo
desperate step in an enterprise, Or n adopt
measure from which one cannot FecedS. a.
from which he In determined not 10 rSts@Ssi
Julius Caesar 10 said to have Sbughtillsy
battles, and to have killed of the Gaula Alpas
$4,000 men, and as many more In hla eiRil
wars. In the incription which PCmpey pIscsd
IN INC Temple Of Minerva Nc FF0IesRed that 30
had slain, or vanquished and taken !, ,1ee, 900
mcn. IA