The Head of Caesar from The Wisdom of Father Brown (1914) by G. K. Chesterton.

Here is another story from the 1914 collection of tales titled The Wisdom of Father Brown. It's an interesting tale of numismatists, shrimping in South Wales and rather strange pub in a mews in Fulham. Was it Fulham?
Anyway, the lesson here may well be 'Don't be greedy and go on the rob!' There may be some other nuances that I have missed but I'm sure somebody will expand on them in the comments.
As always, thank you for your support.
And as I often say, I hope to upload some more Conan Doyle tales shortly.

[@ashiliasythi3997]

Always love listning to these when falling asleep. Beautifully theraputic and intellectually stimulating. Thank you wagland

[@Bambisgf77]

Well said! 🎉

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you like them, ashilia sythi!

[@rkgaustin9043]

I'm in bed with covid even now. This is very medicinal.

[@katyb2793]

@@rkgaustin9043 I hope you're feeling better now! Covid is a beast.

[@joeharoutunian1805]

Beautifully read as per usual. Fascinating and very odd tale. Thank you.

[@eleanorrands127]

You are my favourite narrator of all!
Thank you so much for your wonderful telling of such classic detective stories.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

My pleasure!

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

Your reading is an absolute joy to listen to. You have the perfect voice and enunciation for Chesterton. Thank you.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Many thanks for listening. Cheers!

[@wordjunkys]

Thank you for each of the recordings you upload! I am fond of your voice as well as the way you read (perform) the text & characters with a rhythm & cadence that enhances each story! Cheers from Nashville ✌️

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks for listening, Nashville person! Glad you enjoy! Cheers!

[@LittleDoris]

I love the Father Brown stories and I love your narration so I'm so pleased you are reading these! Thank you

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you like them, LD!

[@JayceeWedmak]

You make the story come alive. Thank you 😊

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks for listening!

[@ronostick9718]

Brilliantly narrated Greg. Thank you.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@larsen8059]

I love binging on your wonderful narrations, Mr. Wagland! Keeps me company on my long deadlines. Thank you!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

My pleasure!

[@samuelstephens6163]

I would love to hear you read Chesterton's The Club of Queer Trades, a little masterpiece of six short stories. The first, fourth, fifth, and sixth stories are among my most favorite of any.

[@judikingsman6132]

Fabulous Father Brown 😍
Great Greg Wagland ❤

[@MsMtheory]

YES! 😊, Ihave been so enjoying these! Tysm 🙏

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you like them!

[@Dildosoup]

Thanks Greg! I hope you're well! 🎉

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

I am! Hope you are too up in the wilds!

[@Dildosoup]

@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio Actually sitting with the Mrs, hound and a gin listing to you during a powercut at the moment!

[@SeanKL107]

To any other longtime Magpie listeners; Are your internal monologues also starting to take the voice of a soft-spoken Englishman? Asking for a friend.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

My internal monologues sound a bit less soft spoken which is surprising. Maybe some trapped anger?

[@KushDaddy333]

"Click whatever?¿?" 😅😂
Thanks for that much needed laugh after that intense ending. 😆

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Ha! 😅

[@martavdz4972]

I'm not sure asking for nuances is a good idea when some of your listeners studied literature and are trained to derive at least three theories from every sentence 😂 This story somehow reminds me of "RED TAPE IS FUN!" from Yes Minister. It's as if Chesterton amused himself by thinking "GREED IS BAD. Now let's make this statement fun! And as fantastic as possible!" Then he could read this story at Sunday school and say: "You see, children, if you are greedy, you could end up wearing an ugly false nose, brawling on sand dunes, staring into pub windows and even, God forbid, taking a cab to Wagga Wagga!"
But there are some deep and grown-up thoughts, too. I was particularly struck by the "bad brother" rotting at home and the cheerful sister and her friend going out to the open seashore. Like "you need to go outside and open yourself up to new horizons". After all the lockdowns, this didn't sit well with me 😂
Also noticed the "unequal distribution of love" in the family and how much souring, bittering and rotting it can cause years and years later. And the reminder that a small sin can lead to a string of bad deeds and even crimes.
But here, it's described in Christian terms: If you lose sight of God (or at least the good things associated with Him like justice, hope, love, or even simple human fun like Christabel and Philipp's shrimping), and substitute Him with a totally different image, you end up in a bad spiral.
Thank you so much for your work! Very engaging! I'm a technical and court translator, currently working on a difficult translation for Latvian Railways and your stories and podcasts have kept me sane and cheerful. Listening to the stories one by one as you upload them sort of feels like witnessing Chesterton writing them in real time 😄

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Enjoyed your post, Martavdz. Wagga Wagga is a great name for a suburban house, in much the same way as 'Dunromin' or 'Dunroamin', that is a final abode to retire to after lives exhausted at the cutting edge of Empire. All the best.
Latvian Railway literature - that really sounds like the ultimate in dry text, not unlike a recitation from the phone book.

[@YvonneWilson312]

Absolutely stellar, as always - thanks Greg!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rezmetis6723]

Awesome!

[@Bambisgf77]

It’s always a good day when Greg drops one of his vocal masterpieces! 🎉Hope all is well with you and your family. 😊

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

All is as well as can be expected! We're none of us getting any younger, but we muddle on!

[@mijiyoon5575]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank You *Greg*

[@terranovarubacha5473]

This mystery contains one of the biggest plot holes I've ever encountered and yet it's still a very delightful story. The telling of it is surely a part of that

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Cheers!

[@sus_r0]

nice

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks

[@mavisemberson8737]

Numistatists could let you know if Augustus issued Gold coins and, if they were ,whether they were used as currency or just as gifts to monarchs in other countries. Currency in Roman times is a study in its self. Most coins found by metal dectectorists are a sort of debased metal masquerading as bronze and were minted in local cities, I heard.

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Interesting. I enjoy the tv series The Detectorists - a gentle quest for all manner of lost things.

[@merlapittman5034]

Yay, another Father Brown story! Thank you!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks for listening, Merla P!

[@jonmgoss]

Awesome once again Greg 👏

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thanks again Jon!

[@Ophelie10Villette]

Thanks!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Thank you!

[@angryjerrubaal]

Amazing that you are covering the Father Brown stories! Beautifully read!

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@abarton1978]

Yeeeessssss, new story! ❤

[@sherlock_holmes_magpie_audio]

Indeed!