In September of 48 BC, a ship anchored itself off the coast of Egypt.

On board was a Roman consul, his wife, and a crew of loyal soldiers and sailors.

They had arrived in Egypt with the hopes of receiving a grand welcome.

Instead, they were given a much more muted reception.

A single small robot was sent out to ferry the Roman from his large tri-reme to the shore.

His wife was worried.

This was hardly the way a consul of Rome should be greeted by a foreign government.

But the consul told his wife not to fret,

and even emboldened her with a quote from the Greek playwright Sophocles before he got a board, the small robot.

He said, quote,

whatever man upon a tyrant takes his way, his slave he is, even though a free man he goes.

End quote.

In other words, it's important to have courage and not to be bullied.

Besides, the men rowing the boat seemed to be fellow Romans.

As the consul was being rode to shore, he thought he recognized one of the boatmen and even asked,

have we served together before?

But all he received was stony silence in reply.

Meanwhile, back on the tri-reme, the consul's wife watched as the small fishing boat rode its way to shore.

She noticed that a larger crowd of Egyptian soldiers were amassing on the beach.

This could be a royal greeting party, but it felt somehow more sinister.

When the boat hit the sands, the Roman barely had a chance to stand up.

Before one of the soldiers in the boat drew his sword and ran the consul through.

...