The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-12
CAESAR'S
 BIRTHDAY

In world given over to carnage and deluged with blood, it seems appropri- ate to recall that to-day the twelfth of July, is the birthday of the greatest warrior of them all, Caius Julius Cae- |sar. As a matter of fact, in the light of the events of the last two years. it would seem more consistent to cele- brate this date than the twenty-f1fth of December. After nineteen centur- ies of Christian civilization the wor- ship of the Pvince of Peace is still subordinate to the adulation of the spirit which dwelt in the tall. spare franie of Caesar. The Romans ele- vated Caesar to the rank of a god i; and the proverbiel Man from Mars might find it difficult to believe that he Is not still the deity of the children of earth.s.
 Caesar was born on the twelfth of the month Quintilis, afterwards named July in his honor, just century be- fore the birth of Jesus. He was a scion of the illustrious Julian family which claimed descent from Venus. As general Caesar stands in history as the first, and only Napoleon ever ap- preached him in military genius. A tall, lank, pale man, subject to epi- leptic fits, it was his mind alone which made him master of the world.
 In his campaigns Caesar fought over much of the territory which is now, the scene of greater, bloodier war than the greatest of the pagansy ever dream l ed of. It was Caesar who first made Belgium "the cockpit of Europe" con quering the wariike Celtic tribesmen after a long and fierce conflict. Even then the inhabitants of what was call ed Gallia Belgica were so brave in their defense of the fatherland as to farouse the admiration of their con queror, and Caesar referred to them as among the bravest of the foes of Rome.
 In successfully invading Britain and reducing its people to submission Cae- sar succeeded where all later generals, I Ieven Napoleon. have failed. In his eight campaigns in Gaul, as France was then known. Caesar performed some of his greatest feats of valor The, history of Caesars time is re- fpeating itself in the present war, for the Germans of that day, led by Ario- vistus, a. Teuton chieftain, attempted the conquest of their Gallic neighbors Ariovistus crossed the Rhine at the nedQs or dH O1 1NV,VVV ,dlQ, dS III the present war, the invasion was al first successful. The Germans had overthrown the Sequani and the Aedui and were harshly expressing eastern
 Gaul, when Caesar went to the rescue
 of the threatened land. In terrible
 and 'sanguinary eJcopnter he drove
 Ariovistus back beyond the Rhine, and
 delivered Gaul from her oppressors. | It was then that Caesar conquered
 Belgium. Seeing the Roman legions encamped pn their borders, the Belgit
 tribes formed a vast league. United
 they opposed firm front to the Ro.
 mans, but the treachery of one of the tribes forced their submission. Later Caesar led two expeditions beyond the
 Rhine and effectually deprived the
 German barbarians of any further de
 sire to cross that river.s The grea'
 general then suppressedI a revolt ir
 Gaul and defeated 100000 nAen. IT
 the civil war with Pompey. Caesar
 carried the confiict to the Near East and overwhelmed his rival in the bat
 tie of Pharsalia, in Thessaly.
 l Slain by his enemies at the neigh
 of his powers, it was small wonder
 that the Romans made Caesar a Ngod
 And a god he has been to scores ol
 rulers who, with pious phrases on theil lips and murder in their hearts, have
 sought to win for themselves the em
 pire of the world, and to be hailed a! another Caesar