About a month ago, I checked out Augustus Caesar’s World: 44B.C. to A.D.14 by Genevieve Foster, and we’ve been reading it as a family. This is the Augustus Caesar for whom our month of August is named; the Augustus Caesar who was the instrument used to bring Mary and Joseph from Galilee to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus; the Augustus Caesar who appointed Herod governor of Galilee who would be visited by the magi.
Being the favorite nephew, Augustus ascended the Roman throne after the death of his uncle Julius Caesar, the Roman Consulate, who was murdered by a band of men (remember “Et tu, Brute?”) attempting to restore the Roman Republic.
For all their efforts, though, the republic was not restored. Eventually another dictator, this time Augustus, came to power, and put bounties on the heads of his opposition. One such reward was reserved for Cicero, the old philosopher, the last living voice for the now dead republic.
According to Foster, as soldiers were nearing Cicero’s litter on the day he was executed, Cicero was filled with anxiety about the inevitable, but by the time the litter was stopped by the soldiers, Cicero was calm, didn’t say a word — just bent his had to receive the blow.
He had once said,
When the time comes, I shall withdraw from life, not as one leaves home, but as from a temporary lodging place. On that brightest of all days, when I depart from the confusion of this world, I shall set out, I believe, for a far-off divine gathering of spirits…
But if I am mistaken, in that I believe men’s souls to be immortal, I am glad to be mistaken…
And all my life I shall continue to believe it…
Very nice quotation. We are studying this time period right now… I’ll have to pass this along to the children.