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I don't disagree, once you have crossed the rubicon. When Julius Caesar _actually_ crossed the Rubicon, the risk was immense and there was no guarantee of a suc

I don't disagree, once you have crossed the rubicon. When Julius Caesar _actually_ crossed the Rubicon, the risk was immense and there was no guarantee of a successful outcome. That's what I mean, going all in on a risky adventure is not for everyone and if you analyse and think too much about it, few will want to take the jump. However, once you have crossed and are in the "battle" then of course you will use all the tactical advantages you can and try "shifting odds of success".

jacques_chester 7y ago
Julius Caesar didn't cross the Rubicon because he wanted to gain new power or wealth; he wanted to defend his own personal liberty and a sense of wounded pride. That he destroyed the Republic was something of a side-effect. If anyone was the entrepreneur in this analogy, it was Augustus, who both founded the Empire, having a brilliant command of public relations, denied having done so.
- sovande 7y ago
  By crossing the Rubicon with his one legion, Caesar put himself on a path of no return and in open conflict with the Senate and Pompey who vastly outnumbered him military. There was no guarantee that he would succeed. Upon crossing he declared "alea iacta est", knowing full well what he set in motion. Edit: My point here, is simply that not everyone would cross the Rubicon. Most would turn around, deeming the risk too high. Related to a startup, the risk for failure is high if you look at the statistics. If it is a "sure thing" you are not really doing a startup or you are conned. A startup kind of by definition has to be a high risk venture. Like PG's example of a merchant ship going to the East Indias in the 17th century.
  - jacques_chester 7y ago
    I don't think he intended or expected that the Boni would essentially force him to wage a war of total victory against them. Bringing legions to Rome as part of political struggle had already been common practice for centuries, but it had never fully destroyed the Republic. Caesar himself witnessed several such occasions by Sulla and Marius. Edit: responding to edit, my point is that Caesar was not fighting to gain. "Crossing the Rubicon" means taking a risk, but I don't think using it to describe creating a startup really fits. He was fighting (illegally, it might be added) to defend himself against the political tactics of his Senatorial opponents. While he held an Imperium he could not be brought into court for his actions in holding it, but the Senate had voted to make him lay it down. Their intention was to bring him to the courts and ruin him politically and financially. Caesar was simply too proud and too arrogant to allow that ruin; that he was the foremost general of his age meant that he was in a position to pull it off.
    - sovande 7y ago
      > Caesar was not fighting to gain Who knows? I believe you are right that he was forced into action when the Senate pulled him back from Gaul [1] with the intention of bringing him to court. If he did not have a plan to set himself up as a dictator, at least he pivoted beautifully once he saw the opportunity and Pompey folded. That at least was a true startup move. 1. edit: Gaul not Germany
      - jacques_chester 7y ago
        Well you have me on the second part. This has been a fun side conversation, thankyou.

jacques_chester 7y ago

Julius Caesar didn't cross the Rubicon because he wanted to gain new power or wealth; he wanted to defend his own personal liberty and a sense of wounded pride. That he destroyed the Republic was something of a side-effect. If anyone was the entrepreneur in this analogy, it was Augustus, who both founded the Empire, having a brilliant command of public relations, denied having done so.

sovande 7y ago
By crossing the Rubicon with his one legion, Caesar put himself on a path of no return and in open conflict with the Senate and Pompey who vastly outnumbered him military. There was no guarantee that he would succeed. Upon crossing he declared "alea iacta est", knowing full well what he set in motion. Edit: My point here, is simply that not everyone would cross the Rubicon. Most would turn around, deeming the risk too high. Related to a startup, the risk for failure is high if you look at the statistics. If it is a "sure thing" you are not really doing a startup or you are conned. A startup kind of by definition has to be a high risk venture. Like PG's example of a merchant ship going to the East Indias in the 17th century.
- jacques_chester 7y ago
  I don't think he intended or expected that the Boni would essentially force him to wage a war of total victory against them. Bringing legions to Rome as part of political struggle had already been common practice for centuries, but it had never fully destroyed the Republic. Caesar himself witnessed several such occasions by Sulla and Marius. Edit: responding to edit, my point is that Caesar was not fighting to gain. "Crossing the Rubicon" means taking a risk, but I don't think using it to describe creating a startup really fits. He was fighting (illegally, it might be added) to defend himself against the political tactics of his Senatorial opponents. While he held an Imperium he could not be brought into court for his actions in holding it, but the Senate had voted to make him lay it down. Their intention was to bring him to the courts and ruin him politically and financially. Caesar was simply too proud and too arrogant to allow that ruin; that he was the foremost general of his age meant that he was in a position to pull it off.
  - sovande 7y ago
    > Caesar was not fighting to gain Who knows? I believe you are right that he was forced into action when the Senate pulled him back from Gaul [1] with the intention of bringing him to court. If he did not have a plan to set himself up as a dictator, at least he pivoted beautifully once he saw the opportunity and Pompey folded. That at least was a true startup move. 1. edit: Gaul not Germany
    - jacques_chester 7y ago
      Well you have me on the second part. This has been a fun side conversation, thankyou.