The ambitions of Marcus Longinus for his son were fully realized. Although Marcus would have loved nothing better than for his son to join him in the management of the business enterprise, he realized that a military career was prerequisite to any honorary government post. Cassius Longinus grew up to be a tall, handsome, well featured man. In addition to finely formed physique, Longinus possessed arresting, expressive deep brown eyes. He was clean shaven, as was Roman custom, but his head was covered with beautiful, brownish black hair which he wore closely cropped. Marcus also discovered that his son had a penetrating, intelligent mind, and he nurtured hopes for his rapid advancement in the military, and then, a political career.
Longinus, as a Roman citizen, was conscripted into military service with an immediate posting to Germany. Rome maintained a powerful fortress at Trier, in Germany, and it was to this legion that Longinus was posted. For all practical purposes, the German tribes had been pacified with earlier expeditions commanded by Germanicus and Tiberius, but it was considered a Roman frontier which needed to be closely guarded. The Fourteenth Legion was spread along a two hundred mile frontier.
There was an abortive uprising under the command of a German chieftain, Vortiger, the engagements of which Longinus was involved at the age of seventeen. Vortiger had raided and razed several villlages and gathered a following of more than three thousand men in the Trier region. The entire frontier was threatened and the commanding general, Quintus Ferrius, launched a campaign to crush the uprising. The recall and assemblage of the Fourteenth Legion, which was distributed along the frontier, was not to the advantage of the Romans; it gave the precious commodity of time to Vortiger during which he concentrated a powerful force.
The first engagement was a long, bloody day; Ferrius had committed what men he could assemble. Over fifteen hundred of the Fourteenth Legion was still enroute from various places along the frontier. Twice the Roman legions advanced to be repulsed and slaughtered by howling Germans emerging from the woods. Roman legions were invincible on open ground, but they were not at their best in forest engagements.
Longinus fought long and bravely until he was struck unconscious by a rock missile flying through the air. He awakened to find himself a prisoner in an isolated part of the forest with about one hundred other Roman prisoners of war. It was then that he received his glimpse of the dreaded German insurgent, Vortiger, an imposing barbarian with long hair and beard, entirely attired in wolf pelts. Longinus realized when he heard the cries and death groans of his fellow soliders that all of the prisoners were being systematically slaughtered.
Vortiger stopped in front of Longinus and regarded him for a moment before he spoke.
"You might assume that your forces have been defeated," he sneered.
Longinus rose to his feet, realizing that his hands were tightly bound behind him, "Courageous, slaughtering helpless, unarmed prisoners."
One of Vortiger’s men standing nearby lurched forward, drawing a dagger from his belt, but Vortiger seized his arm and stayed his hand. "No," he murmured, "Let the Roman speak."
Vortiger took a few steps closer to Longinus. He was a huge, powerful man and he towered over Longinus. "Wilmuth wanted to cut out your tongue."
Longinus shuffled his feet to take the stiffness out of his ankles and legs, but he returned Vortiger’s powerful gaze.
"How would it be if I let him cut out your tongue?" Vortiger continued.
"I cannot stop you," Longinus rejoined, "It would certainly curtail our conversation."
Vortiger scoffed, "You are not afraid of me, are you, Roman? What is your name?"
"No, I am not," Longinus replied, "Cassius Longinus."
"You are very young," Vortiger remarked, "First campaign I would wager. The milk is not yet dry on your downy chin."
"Yes I am and yes, it is," Lonfinus retorted, "And I have never been fond of milk."
"Why are you not afraid of me?" Vortiger persisted, "You could be dead within moments, with your blood and guts spilling on the ground."
"One has to know why one fears," Longinus answered, "Once one knows where the fear comes from, there is no reason to have fear. Moreover, I know that you are going to kill me, or you would have noble Wilmuth do it."
Vortiger eyed Longinus for a moment, "You do not fear death?"
"No," Longinus answered firmly and simply.
"How if I spare your life and allow you to return to what is left of your Roman legion?" Vortiger suggested, "I was waiting for you to beg for your life, to hear you squeal for mercy. You have refreshing courage. I must admit that your fellow soldiers died bravely, without a whimper."
"You will never hear that from me," Longinus said quietly, "You have won a battle, but not a war."
Laughter boiled out of Vortiger. He turned to Wilmuth, "Cut him loose." Wilmuth quickly sliced through the ropes binding Longinus’ hands.
Longinus rubbed his raw, sore wrists and continued to regard Vortiger.
"You will have to make your way on foot," Vortiger remarked, "I cannot spare a horse. Tell your commander to withdraw his legions from Germany."

Longinus made his way through the dark forest. The carnage and bloodshed in the area had set packs of wolves howling. He trudged for hours, weary from walking though the rough, heavily forested terrain. There was a gnawing, growling discomfort in his stomach; he had not eaten for two days. The light was fading on a late autumn evening and it was growing cold.
Finally, when night fell, he found a hillside cave and he crawled inside the narrow mouth of the cave. With no weapons or supplies, he had no way to make a fire. He wrapped his cloak tightly around him and sat at the mouth of the cave gazing at the bright, rising moon. He pondered, as he sat there silently, if there were any purpose to existence. The events of his recent life had left him little time for reflection, but here, alone, having just escaped from the jaws of death, he allowed himself some philosophical musings. It occurred to him, as he gazed at the silvery orb of the moon, that this celestial body had been rising and shining for untold years before his birth and that it would be rising and shining long after his death. Everything in the natural world would continue, but he would not, which led to even deeper reflections as to the purpose of his presence on earth. Still though, the very ordered movements of nature led Longinus to wonder if there might not be some deeper purpose, a plan which was immediately beyond human comprehension. Longinus had long ago ceased to believe in the gods, but still the order of the universe, the returning seasons, and the beauty of the natural world led him to wonder if there were not some creative force behind all of this creation.
These philosophical musings were interrupted by a low howl eminating from the darkness. Silhouetted on a low rise in front of the cave mouth was a wolf, its yellow eyes glowing in the silvery moonlight. Longinus determined to not exhibit any fear; moveover, he saw no immediate threat from a solitary wolf. He rose and silently waved his arms. He did not want to cry out for fear of detection by wandering German rebels. The wolf turned its yellow eyes at him for a moment, emitted a short yelp, and scurried down the rocky slope on the opposite side of the hill. Longinus heard one last faint howl dying away in the distance.
Two days later, having only sustained himself on wild berries, plants, nuts, and fresh brook water, Longinus staggered into the fortress where he was barracked.
After resting for a day, Longinus was summoned by commander Ferrius. "Well, Longinus, you are the sole survivor of the first campaign against Vortiger," Ferrius remarked.
"Yes, sir," Longinus assented.
"Why were you alone spared?" Ferrius questioned, "How did you manage that?"
"I was to bear a message to you, sir," Longinus rejoined, "We are to take all of our legions out of Germany. Besides, I convinced Vortiger that my fear belonged to me alone."