One of my favorite anecdotes from history is this one about Julius Caesar, before he had the success we all know that would follow later, is about how he was captured by pirates. The pirates had a set price for how much a political figure was worth in ransom based on his political office. In Caesar’s case, that was twenty talents. He was offended at that, and told them that they should demand fifty instead. They decided to take him at his word, and raised the price. Of course, some poor town that was never going to be reimbursed by Rome for ransoming her politician ended covering the bill.

And, because he wasn’t done yet, after being ransomed, Caesar returned and crucified the pirates.