'C' is For 'Caesar'

 

"Et tu, Penwasser? 
By the way, have you seen my eyes?"

  I chose this post to talk about what may be a little-known fact about Julius Caesar.

No, he didn't invent the salad. 
I think it was a Mexican or someone like that.

  Julius Caesar, several years before he became a pin-cushion in the Roman Senate, was part of the First Triumvirate, along with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Pompey the Great.

"Meh.  More like 'Pompey the So-So,' if you ask me." -Mrs. Pompey

      Anyway, once Crassus died in Parthia (near modern-day Iraq)

"Betcher ass.  Infidel."

Caesar and Pompey fell out.  Thus began what was known as "Caesar's Civil War."  Kinda gives you an idea who won, huh?  

  Anyway, after the Battle of Pharsalus (won by Caesar), Pompey fled first to the island of Lesbos to meet his wife.

"Still 'so-so,' if I can be honest."

  Then, hoping to curry favor with the Egyptians, who had not yet fallen under control of Rome, he hustled off to Pelusium.  There, he hoped to meet up with a former client, Ptolemy XIII (who was co-ruler with his sister, Cleopatra VII).

Yeah, that Cleopatra. 
Oh, you don't want the Hollywood version? 
Very well.

Hey, I tried to warn you.

  

  

  Well, Ptolemy wasn't all that keen on taking the risk of offending Caesar so he ordered his advisors, Lucius Septimius and Achillas to murder Pompey once he stepped ashore on September 28th, 48 BC (or "BCE" to you politically-correct ninies) 

  Once Caesar showed up, he was presented with the Roman general's severed head.  Apparently, cutting heads off in that part of the world to make sure someone is dead has been around for thousands of years.

"You know it.  Infidel."

  This did not set too well with ole Jules.

  He was pretty hacked off that they had done so to a man, who was not only great,

"So they say."

but, most importantly, a Roman citizen, former ally, and consul.  He was disgusted and wept publicly. He then ordered the execution of those directly responsible for the murder. Lucius Septimius was put to death by Caesar’s forces, and Achillas met a similar fate during the subsequent Alexandrian War, though his death was more a result of military conflict than a direct execution for Pompey’s killing.

Caesar’s actions were strategic as well as emotional—he aimed to distance himself from the dishonorable act of murdering a Roman of Pompey’s stature and to assert his authority in Egypt. By punishing the killers, he also signaled that he wouldn’t tolerate such betrayal, even if it had been intended to benefit him. This episode helped solidify his image as a leader who valued Roman dignity, even in victory.

Even though he was fully engaged in a brutal civil war with the man, it was up to him to deal with Pompey.

No flunkies of no mere Egyptian would have the honor of dealing with Pompey the Great.

"Again..."

In other words....

"Lesbos.  Alright."