There is such a story that in 75 BC, 25-year-old Julius Caesar crossed the Aegean Sea on a ship and was captured by pirates. According to Plutarch, the pirates demanded a ransom of 20 silver talents (approximately 620 kg of silver or 600 thousand dollars in today's money) and Caesar laughed right into their stern pirate faces.
And then he said that they had no idea who got to them and demanded that the amount be increased to 50 talents (1550 kilograms of silver), because 20 talents are so few that it’s just a shame.
The pirates, of course, did not move about, and Caesar sent one of his men for the silver, which had to be collected in 38 days. Several days passed, and Caesar began to treat pirates like his subordinates. He even demanded that they should not dare to talk to each other when he was sleeping.
He devoted the first days of captivity to writing speeches and poems, which he then read to the pirates. Then he became addicted to playing with the pirates in their games and began to participate in their affairs, as if trying on the role of a captain. In the end, the brigands respected him and granted him freedom - within the limits of the ship and their island, of course.
Although Caesar behaved with the kidnappers, one might say, friendly, the very fact of being in captivity did not like him at all. He repeatedly warned his captors that as soon as he was free, he would return and execute them all. The pirates giggled - they did not know that Caesar did not throw words to the wind.
By the appointed time, the ransom was brought, Caesar returned home, gathered a small fleet and returned to the island where he was kept. The pirates clearly did not take the warning seriously, as they were in the same place. All of them were captured and, as promised, executed. Caesar regained his 50 talents, taking along the rest of the pirate treasures.
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As the saying goes "the tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it"
Historical records show that Caesar was held on the small island of Farmakoussa (Farmakonisi) in the Dodecanese archipelago. The pirates demanded a large ransom of 50 talents (300,000 Roman denarii). Plutarch's version that Caesar, on his own initiative, increased the ransom amount from 20 talents to 50, is certainly implausible. Ancient authors colorfully describe Guy's stay on the island: he allegedly joked with the kidnappers and recited poems of his own composition to them. After the ambassadors of the cities of Asia ransomed Caesar, he immediately equipped a squadron to capture the pirates themselves, which he managed to do. After capturing his captors, Guy asked to judge and punish their new governor of Asia, Mark Junck, but he refused. After that, Guy himself organized the execution of the pirates - they were crucified on crosses. Suetonius adds some details of the execution as an illustration of Caesar's gentle character: "To the pirates who had him in captivity, he swore that they would die on the cross, but when he captured them, he ordered them to be stabbed first and only then crucified"