Julius Caesar and the foundation of the Roman imperial system . ojourn among hitherto un-known peoples, and when absolute power was in hishands, could use it with consummate skill and mod-eration, must, in earlier life, however richly gifted bynature, have spent some time and thought on theeducation of his own mind. It may be convenient at once to describe brieflythe personal appearance of the man whose life weare to trace. All such descriptions must rest solelyon the evidence of Suetonius, which probably repre-sents the popular tradition, and on that of the bustsand coins, which are numerous
Julius Caesar and the foundation of the Roman imperial system . ojourn among hitherto un-known peoples, and when absolute power was in hishands, could use it with consummate skill and mod-eration, must, in earlier life, however richly gifted bynature, have spent some time and thought on theeducation of his own mind. It may be convenient at once to describe brieflythe personal appearance of the man whose life weare to trace. All such descriptions must rest solelyon the evidence of Suetonius, which probably repre-sents the popular tradition, and on that of the bustsand coins, which are numerous and not self-contra-dictory. He was tall for a Roman ; but the Italianstandard of height was probably then, as now, con-siderably below that of the northern races. Hiscomplexion was pale or fair; his eyes black andlively; his mouth somewhat large ; the lips, as theyare represented in the coins and busts, being firmlyset together, with the corners slightly drawn down-wards. His forehead was high, and appeared stillhigher in consequence of a premature baldness,. JULIUS THE MARBLE BUST IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 69 Birth, Family, and Education. 19 which he is said to have tried to hide by combinghis hair forwards. His nose was aquiUne and ratherlarge. The contour of his head, as represented inthe well-known marble in the British Museum, isextremely massive and powerful; and the expressionof the face is keen, thoughtful, and somewhat is the likeness of a severe schoolmaster of theworld, whose tenderer side, with its capability ofaffection for friends and devotion towards women,is hardly traceable in the features. His health was good, though late in life he wassubject to some kind of seizure. He was capable ofthe most unremitting activity ; his limbs were bigand strongly made. Suetonius tells us that he wasan extremely skilful swordsman and horseman, anda good swimmer. All his contemporaries agreedthat he was very abstemious in regard to wine,though they would
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectcaesarjulius, booksubjectgenerals
