by Sea, he was met with, and taken, by ſome of theſe Pyrates, near the Iſland of Pharmacuſa: Theſe Pyrates had a barbarous Cuſtom of tying their Priſoners Back to Back and throwing them into the Sea; but, ſuppoſing Cæſar to be ſome Perſon of a high Rank, becauſe of his purple Robes, and the Number of his Attendants, they thought it would be more for their Profit to preſerve him, in hopes of receiving a great Sum for his Ranſom; therefore they told him he ſhould have his Liberty, provided he would pay them twenty Talents, which they judg’d to be a very high Demand, in our Money, about three thouſand ſix hundred Pounds Sterling; he ſmiled, and of his own Accord promiſed them fifty Talents; they were both pleaſed, and ſurpriz’d at his Anſwer, and conſented that ſeveral of his Attendants ſhould go by his Direction and raiſe the Money; and he was left among theſe Ruffians with no more than 3 Attendants. He paſs’d eight and thirty Days, and ſeemed ſo little concerned or afraid, that often when he went to ſleep, he uſed to charge them not to make a Noiſe, threatening, if they diſturbed him, to hang them all; he alſo play’d at Dice with them, and ſometimes wrote Verſes and Dialogues, which he uſed to repeat, and alſo cauſe them to repeat, and if they did not praiſe and admire them, he would call them Beaſts and Barbarians, telling them he would crucify them. They took all theſe as the Sallies of a juvenile Humour, and were rather diverted, than diſpleaſed at them.
At length his Attendants return’d with his Ranſom, which he paid, and was diſcharged; he ſail’d for the Port of Miletum, where, as ſoon as he was arriv’d, he uſed all his Art and Induſtry in fitting out a Squadron of Ships, which he equipp’d and arm’d at his own Charges; and ſailing in Queſt of the Pyrates, he ſurpriz’d them as they lay at An-
