Julius Caesar—master of speed and surprise—was a great example of this. From out of the blue, he might form an alliance with a senator’s bitterest enemy, forcing the senator either to change his opposition to Caesar or to risk a dangerous confrontation. Equally, he might unexpectedly pardon a man who had fought against him. Caught off guard, the man would become a loyal ally. Caesar’s reputation for doing the unpredictable made people all the more cautious in his presence, further enhancing his ability to catch those around him unawares.
