Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-24

CROSSING THE RUBICoN.-The above
motto has been a very common one for
nearly two thousand years. Rubicon was
the name of a small rivulet in the north of
Italy, which flowed eastward, empting into
the Adriatic Sea. and it was for some dis
! lance the northern boundary between
Italy and Gaul. Parts of Gaul-our
present France-had already been over
come by the Roman arms, and was
Roman province. Over this. julius Caesar,
who Was born just one hundred years be.
fore Christ, had military control during
several years of his early life. The Ro-
mans had imposed strict boundaries on
each side on their capitol in order to pre-
vent the near approach to the city of any
one. The Rubicon was this boundary on
the north. and Generals commanding in
Gaul were never to pass it. Its passage
with an army on the wav to Rome would
be treason and virtual declaration of
war.
A leading trait in the character of Caesar
was am bition, and this, after his unparalleled
ed military success in Gaul and Spain and
elsewhere, prompted him to cross this
boundary and with his army march to
Rome and assume authority there While
this was undecided he approached the
stream and stood upon its bank, musing
upon the greatness of the undertaking
He said g We can now retreat; but once
across the river and we must advance
One of his historians narrates this Incl
dent connected with the crossing. There
was a bridge across the water where Caesar
was standing. A shepherd boy ap-
preached with a pipe in his hand, and see
ing him, some of the Roman trumpeters
came near and asked him to exchange his
pipe for one of their musical instruments.
He did this aud Immediately began to
cross the bridge sounding his bugle. OBJ
serving this, Caesar said it was an omen or
prodigy, and shouted, 90 The die is cast"
or as he expressed it, "Jacta est alea."
And now the fearful step had been taken
and the important decision made. A new
pathway lay before the triumphant gen.
eral, which was marked on the one hand
with splendid victories and triumphant
success, and on the other with human sor.
row and bleeding hearts. His future
course as general and statesman was un-
equaled, and he sustains no ordinary rank
as b historian, for the scholar yet loves to
read his accounts of his wars with Gaul
and with his great rival Pompy. Hs
crossing the Rubicon was the great turn
ing point of his life, and was the period
which not only shaped his own eventfal
destiny but also Of the great Roman en-
pire, and, to greater or less extent. that
of all the world.
| At some point in the history Of each in
dividual and each institution, as we'll as
each nation, there is q Rubicon to cross.
There is turning point and decisive
period in our lives which will tell very
largely both upon our future character
and upon the influence we may exert in
the world. That decisive hour usually
comes when the individual or organization
is yet youthful. When temptation sur.
rounds us and the promise Of wealth or
fame allures US to pursue course of sin,
if then we listen only to calls of duty and
march steadily toward doing the best we
can for God and humanity, then will our
future be Of some use in the world and
then will We safely and yictoriously hsve
crossed our Rubicop,