JULIUS CAESAR AND KITCHENER

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 281, 25 November 1914, Page 4

JULIUS CAESAR AND KITCHENER

A correspondent of the "Manchester Guardian" suggests a change from Julius Caesar which in these warlike days might please the hoys in the lower forms of the classical eide Written hy a soldier for soldiers and all about soldiers in the first century of our era, there "is a little volum* called "Libri Quatuor Strategemaiicon" (four books on the .art of war), once closely studied by military experts, but now nearly forgotten. It has never, alas! been introduced tv schoolboys as a variant on Julius Caesar. The muscular Latinity of the author, Sextus Jnliiw Frontinus, asserts himself,on every page in spite of the many corruptions of the text. The first chapter, * "De Occultandis Consiliis" ("On the Concealment of Plans"), is a string of anecdotes that would rejoice the heart of Lord Kitchener, and add his name to the goodly company, including Tacitus, Martial and Pliny, who have sounded the praises of the soldiev-author. The hero of the twelfth story, which has been expanded-and spoilt hy TMarch, is Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, whose military laurels were won in the campaign against Sertorius. "Metellus Pius, when in Spain, was asked what he intended to do on the following day. 'lf,' said he, 'this shirt of mine could let' it out, I should set it on fire.' "