Julius Caesar wept...

It was hot, even within the temple. Julius took off his sandals and revelled in the coolness of the marble floor. Finally. As his eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior, statues adorning the hall began to take shape. 

“Where is it?” he said to his companion, a Centurion.

“Further ahead, to the right, Quaestor,” replied the Centurion, addressing Julius according to his rank.

“Take me to it,” said Julius.

… the year was 69 BC, and Julius was a Quaestor posted in the Roman province of Further Spain. Tired of settling property disputes and ruling upon matters of taxes (mainly tax evasion), Julius decided to take a day off from work. He travelled to a nearby island to visit the temple of Hercules. Within it, he had heard, was a statue of a man who was considered almost a god.

The two of them walked in silence along the hall till they faced a statue — a man seated on a throne.

Alexander, King of Macedon.

Julius admired the statue, but more so the man who had been immortalized.

“Is it true what they say of him?” said Julius. “Did Alexander conquer the world when he was but thirty?”

“From Greece to India. A great conqueror indeed.”

The steely eyes of the statue pierced through the darkness. The downward tilt of the jaw, the pinched lips subtly curling into a cold smile sent a shiver through Julius.

The eyes, do they mock me? Is Alexander challenging me?

The effect of Alexander bearing down upon Julius was overpowering and his knees gave way. Julius slumped to the ground, holding on to Alexander’s stony leg for support. Rage coursed through him, or was it shame? He held his face in both hands, his eyes welling up and then, much as he tried to control himself, sobs racked his body.

He felt prodding on his shoulder. The Centurion was sitting hunched beside him.

“Why do you cry, Quaestor?”

Ignoring the Centurion, Julius clutched Alexander's leg even harder, as if for inspiration, and wept.

He took his time before replying. “Alexander conquered the world by thirty years. And I? Already my thirties and still a low-rung official. Am I worth such greatness? Will I ever inspire awe in men?”

“Alexander inherited a kingdom from his father. Whereas you…” mumbled the Centurion. “Forgive me, Quaestor.”

Julius bristled. But deep within he knew the Centurion spoke the truth. Alexander indeed had a head start upon him in life.

Yes, Alexander did have an unfair advantage over me… sheer accident of birth.

Julius himself had grown up in the slums of Rome, and climbed the political ladder by his hard work and grit. A calm descended upon him as logic overcame emotion.

It is a matter of time. I have more to learn… to live… to grow. Only then will I catch up with my destiny.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Despite his impatience to achieve greatness, Caesar had to fight many a war, both on the battle field and in the political arena, before his ambition bore fruit. The major contribution to his homeland — the invasion of Gaul — began almost a decade later when was 42 years old, and lasted for 8 long years. That would ultimately catapult him to becoming the Dictator of Rome. Had Julius succumbed to this moment of insecurity and chosen a lesser path, his name would have been forever lost in obscurity. The lives of millions in ancient Rome would have taken a different course, historians would have penned exploits of other men, and this blog that you love would not have existed.

Let us now take a stroll in an alternate world. What if Julius had given up that day? Who do you think would have been the head honcho of ancient Rome?  Please leave your comments, below. This should be interesting…

A very Happy Easter to everyone and thank you for joining me today.

July 31, 2015: An updated version of this story (+9 more stories) is now available in the FREE ebook It Happened In Ancient Rome. To make your experience more exciting, all stories in this ebook are linked to an interactive, online map of Ancient Rome. Click here to explore this Ancient Map.

Q: How can I read this ebook?

A: Join my reading group & grab your ebook today. Click here to continue.  

~ A David Singh