Julius Cæsar

"Julius Cæsar" by James Baldwin is a retelling of William Shakespeare's classic play that focuses on the themes of power, betrayal, and political intrigue in ancient Rome. Baldwin's adaptation brings the characters to life through accessible language and a modern lens, making the intricate story of Cæsar's rise and fall, along with the moral dilemmas faced by his friends and enemies, relatable to contemporary readers. The book emphasizes the tension between ambition and ethics, ultimately exploring the consequences of political machinations and human ambition.

• Short story

								
Nearly two thousand years ago there lived in Rome a man whose name was
Julius Cæ´sar. He was the greatest of all the Romans.

Why was he so great?

He was a brave warrior, and had con-quered many countries for Rome. He
was wise in planning and in doing. He knew how to make men both love
and fear him.

At last he made himself the ruler of Rome. Some said that he wished to
become its king. But the Romans at that time did not believe in kings.

Once when Cæ-sar was passing through a little country village, all the
men, women, and children of the place came out to see him. There were
not more than fifty of them, all together, and they were led by their
may-or, who told each one what to do.

These simple people stood by the roadside and watched Cæsar pass. The
may-or looked very proud and happy; for was he not the ruler of this
village? He felt that he was almost as great a man as Cæsar himself.

Some of the fine of-fi-cers who were with Cæsar laughed. They said,
"See how that fellow struts at the head of his little flock!"

"Laugh as you will," said Cæsar, "he has reason to be proud. I would
rather be the head man of a village than the second man in Rome!"

At an-oth-er time, Cæsar was crossing a narrow sea in a boat. Before
he was halfway to the farther shore, a storm overtook him. The wind
blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder
rolled.

It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was
in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such
a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat;
he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!"

But Cæsar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars
again.

"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for
you have Cæsar on board."
								Rate this book:0.0 / 0 votes