The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-10-31
THE DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR.
BY JAMES PARTON.

Loais Napoleon has given the world
| the Life OF julius Caesar, the obvious
design Of which appears to be to JUST
/ fv his own conduct in Selling the
throne Of France The subject was
well chosen for his purpose, but he
should have published it in another
mans name for no one much regards
what an accused person has to say in
| his own defence. 1t is better for a
criminal to employ a skillful advocate
than to plead his own cause. We mnst
own, however. that there are points OF
resemblance both between Cesar and
the first Napoleon, and between Aug
ustus. his successor, and Napoleon III.
Caius julius Caesar, born July 18th,
one hundred years before Christ, owed
his first popularity among the people
of Rome to the fact that, though born
to noble rank, he joined the party OPP
posed to the ancient aristOcracy. He
courted the people by giving them
gladitorial shows and public banquets
| in which .he wasted his estate and in
volved himself in enormous debts.
Advanced. at an early age, to public
office. and holding a seat in the senate
he employed his power and cast his
vote on the popular side, and was held
in great esteem by the people before
he had dazzled them by victories IN
the field. Nature appeared not to
| have formed him for warrior; for, IN
early life he was slender and Of weak
" constitution. and seemed chiefly to
desire distinction as an orator and po-
| liticaI leader Napoleon, also, was OF
so diminutive a figure, so pale, thin
and insignificant looking, that, one
day. in presenting himself in uniform
to the lady whom he was c0urting,
she burst into the most immoderate
laughter at the ludicrous contrast be
tween his appearance and his martial
costume. Napoleon. too, began his
career as a radical Republican. and
served first in the armies of the Re
public.
Cesar was thirty-six years of age be
fore he had commanded an army.
His military career lastel eighteen
years. during which he conquered
part of Spain, the whole of France, a
large portion Of Germany, and made
two incursions into Great Britain. As
a general, he strikingly resembles Ma
poleon especially in the astonishing
rapidity Of his movements, and III ms
tact in securing the confidence, the
homage. the enthusiastic devotion Of
his troops. His tactics in war, and
his policy after triumph, were precise
II those Of Napoleon. When, by swift
marches. by skiIlful and unexpected
concentrations Of force. he had over
whelned and paralyzed the enemy,
and the conquered country lay before
him despairing and utterly helpless,
then he was accustomed to conquer
anew by clemency, by Offering peace
on terms unexpectedly favorable, by
heaping honors and bountIes on the
chiefs There never was a greater
general. After the closest study OF
the campaigns Of both, we should be
inclined to accord to Caesar and Ma
po!e0n equal rank as soldiers, bnt for
the fact that Napoleon was Caesar 5
pupil. At college. Napoleon studied
Caesars tactics, and in the field he ap
piled them to modern circumstances.
methods and weapons Caesar was
his master in everything: bat it is on
| lv a giant that can tread IN 4 giant S
| footsteps, Only a man of genius can
b9 truly the pupil OF men OF genms.
After more than ten years of con
ducst. Caesar, the idol of his soldiers
and Of the Roman people, was still re
garded with Jealous hatred by the
aristocratic faction at Rome. the head
| of which was Pompey, great soldier
| but a weak, vain. ambitious man
| This faction, at length, drove from
| the senate and from the city Cn5ar's
| leading friends. who fed toward the
camp Of t. cir chief. The die IS cast, "
exclaimed Caesar. He led his veteran
legions across the Rubicon, and made
open war upon pompey. Two short,
swift. and masterly campaigns suf
feed for the total destruction of his
enemies, and Pompey himsllf was
slain and his head brought to Caesar
| The victor was "a clement in this
new triumph as he he'd been when
warning against the Germans and the
| Gauls. The chiefs Of the aristocratic
party we're promptly pardOned, and
MANY of them were placed in high
! commands. Brutus, who had served
uaier Caesar, and who had sided with
! Poo,.,ay. was one of those whom Ca9s
~, torgase. and advanced to the gov
erno-snip OF a province. OF all the
tSoat who had been in arms against
him not one man was executed, nor
| the estate of 0ne man cOntiscated: the
aim of the eouqueror being TO restore
nasca to his distracted country. that
ba niUht at once begin the execution
!, his still yas:er designs.
raIiu, Or sar. at the age of forty
was master of the greater part
nf tho kIman world. The ancient
8, fa~rns ne . { republican government were
carefnlIv e. preseryedi bat not the less
Nos tba Whole power of the state
welded bv one man. He appeared tG
Ioe;ra to usn Iis power for the good OF
+bo conntrv. He built temples, estab
i;sbe3 new mil 'tafy posts lsent forth
Monies restore, 1tbe cities injured IL
tha civil wars. con reeted the calendar
,lr,iected m 4 survey Of the empire, and
= co3ifcation of la VS., But he wa:
not satisfied with thes peaceful con
nests He seemed. as Plutafeh re
marks. as jealous OF ms qua feho~a a'
though that fenown belonged to an
cher man. and he burned for new
triumphs. SO dazzling that tEey shouie
east into the shade all his previous
achievements Aiming at nothing les
=, n. ,,;,otion nf fine World Il