Book Description
Spanning a thousand years, and following the shifting fortunes of two families though the ages, this is the epic saga of Rome, the city and its people.
Weaving history, legend, and new archaeological discoveries into a spellbinding narrative, critically acclaimed novelist Steven Saylor gives new life to the drama of the city’s first thousand years — from the founding of the city by the ill-fated twins Romulus and Remus, through Rome’s astonishing ascent to become the capitol of the most powerful empire in history. Roma recounts the tragedy of the hero-traitor Coriolanus, the capture of the city by the Gauls, the invasion of Hannibal, the bitter political struggles of the patricians and plebeians, and the ultimate death of Rome’s republic with the triumph, and assassination, of Julius Caesar.
Witnessing this history, and sometimes playing key roles, are the descendents of two of Rome’s first families, the Potitius and Pinarius clans: One is the confidant of Romulus. One is born a slave and tempts a Vestal virgin to break her vows. One becomes a mass murderer. And one becomes the heir of Julius Caesar. Linking the generations is a
mysterious talisman as ancient as the city itself.
Epic in every sense of the word, Roma is a panoramic historical saga and Saylor’s finest achievement to date.
Customer Reviews:
A great book for the beach or a hammock.......2007-10-01
This is the book I've been waiting for Saylor to write--a book that gives an overview of the Roman Republic. Is it great literature? Probably not. Is it great history? I would have to guess that historians might quibble. But it's a good read--I took it on vacation this summer and it was just perfect.
I think the reviewers who think poorly of this effort may be expecting a different book. I know that I'm getting a dose of general history in a fictional form. I also know that I'm not getting a literal history. I'm just glad to get a general idea of what historical persons lived in what period of Roman history and if I want to learn more there are scholarly books I could read.
I enjoyed the development of family histories here, and I think Saylor is a very clever writer. Relax and enjoy.
Does not do justice to Rome and the Romans.......2007-09-14
This book was an okay read, but is by no means a great work of historical fiction. The biggest problem is that the novel is meant to cover a thousand years of history in six hundred pages, and fails miserably. I myself am quite familiar with the history it covers, but I think that if I were not so conversant with Rome of the BCs I would find this book's way of telling it not only dull (as I did find it) but confusing. The fact is, people in real life do not just happen to review the past fifty years of history with each other every so often, and yet this is what happens again ... and again ... and again. I'd say that there is five times as much historical exposition in dialogue as there is in the narration itself, and it really cries out to be the other way round. Ugh. But the real problem here is that a novel of this length is biting off more than it can chew if it tries to cover a time period of this length and complexity. Saylor would have done better to write three six-hundred-page novels to cover Rome's first thousand years. Compare this with Colleen McCullough's superb Masters of Rome series, for example, each of which in eight hundred pages covers about twenty years of the late Republic, and conveys a real sense of the changes the society of Rome and the lives of the Romans change in that period. That's another thing completely lacking from 'Roma', by the way: Saylor tackles very little of the governmental, societal, and moralistic upheavals that shape the Republic's history, and when he does talk about them it's by and large in those unbearable, droning, boring, lacklustre expositional dialogues.
The frequent faux pas in grammar, spelling, style, etc., do not help either. Read something good instead.
From the fog of pre-history to Augustan times.......2007-09-14
The novel, which I think is the first one to cover such a time span in a single volume, is an excellent introduction to the early history of Rome and the republic, and it gives readers more than just politics, war and conquest. Mr. Saylor skillfully weaves ancient tradition and history into the story of Rome through major events, in eleven chapters.
Almost every chapter contains flash-backs or story-telling about the time span between chapters, thus linking it to the prior one. Well known single events or legends are mixed in, such as what's known as the rape of the Sabine women, the rape of Lucretia, the abduction of Verginia (a major event in itself in the novel), and more.
In the story ending, I smelled faint whiff of a sequel in the offing.
A suggestion: don't read the book to quickly, I liked it better on the second read-through, when I took more time. The prose is uneven in places but soars in others, and the dialogues tend to get a bit stilted. All in all it's a good read indeed.
A helpful graphic matches the family tree to the corresponding chapters, and each chapter is preceded by a map of Rome as it was at the time. In his Author's Note, Mr. Saylor provides a useful bibliography.
Personal review of "Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome".......2007-09-11
This book, just like other Steven Saylor novels, really kept my interest. I finished it in two days. Couldn't stop reading. This one, as usual, is up to his standard of excellent writing. I only hope that Steven keeps writing more novels of Ancient Rome, especially the Goridanus the Finder stories. If you never read the Sub Rosa series, after reading the above mentioned novel, definitely try the others. You'll be glad you did.
A fascinating journey through the history of Rome.......2007-08-29
- This review first appeared in the August 2007 issue of the Historical Novels Review (http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org)-
Steven Saylor, the award-winning mystery writer of the Roma Sub Rosa series, undertakes the multigenerational historical saga in his latest novel ROMA. Pioneered by the late James Michener and current purview of novelist Edward Rutherford, Saylor's entry into the genre is a noteworthy one. With his meticulous knowledge of ancient Rome, the subject matter seems a perfect match for someone of his impressive talent---a centuries-long journey from the founding of Rome to the rise and fall of the Republic and the assassination of Julius Caesar.
Saylor frames his compelling, fast-moving narrative in elegant prose, using the device of a fictional family whose fates are closely interwoven with the vicissitudes and fortunes of the city. The cast is large and varied, beginning with a salt trader's daughter in 1000 BC who receives a mysterious gold talisman that will become a family heirloom. Through the eyes of her descendants, the Potitius family, we witness the city's founding by Romulus and Remus, the struggles and intrigues of plebeians and patricians, Hannibal's invasion, a mass murderer's scheme to wipe out a competing dynasty, a vestal virgin's sacrifice, and the tragic attempt of two sibling politicians to revolutionize Roman society. Throughout we are regaled with the aspirations, delusions, brutal expediencies and hunger for immortality that permeated the struggle to build what arguably became history's most powerful empire.
Readers seeking a central character to identify with may be thwarted by the swift passage of years and events; those who persist will find themselves in awe of Saylor's command of his sprawling storyline, his penchant for detail, as well as his evident passion for what is truly his book's only central character--Rome herself, a city whose complex grandeur and enigmatic allure continue to entice our collective imagination.
Book Description
As Adrian Goldsworthy writes in the introduction to this book, “in his fifty-six years, Caesar was at times many things, including a fugitive, prisoner, rising politician, army leader, legal advocate, rebel, dictator . . . as well as husband, father, lover and adulterer.” In this landmark biography, Goldsworthy examines all of these roles and places his subject firmly within the context of Roman society in the first century B.C.
Tracing the extraordinary trajectory of Caesar’s life from birth through assassination, Goldsworthy covers not only Caesar’s accomplishments as charismatic orator, conquering general, and powerful dictator but also lesser-known chapters during which he was high priest of an exotic cult, captive of pirates, seducer not only of Cleopatra but also of the wives of his two main political rivals, and rebel condemned by his own country. Ultimately, Goldsworthy realizes the full complexity of Caesar’s character and shows why his political and military leadership continues to resonate some two thousand years later.
Customer Reviews:
Where is Caesar when we need him today?.......2007-09-19
What a great read! I took this to the beach over the summer, and enjoyed it thoroughly. How easy it is for us in our "modern world" to become numb to the fact that understanding the past gives us invaluable perspective on the present. How would Caesar fare up in debate with Obama and Rudy? That would be worthy of TV ratings for sure.
Caesar: Hero or Villain?.......2007-09-16
Caius Julius Caesar was a polarizing figure in his own day and probably could be considered one today as well. Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar: Life of a Colossus provides a balanced, detailed, and highly readable biography of one of the most important figures in history. Rather than summarize and critique Goldsworthy's book, this review will examine the questions: Why was Caesar such a divisive figure? and On balance, was he a hero or a villain?
Let's try to summarize what his detractors and supporters might have said.
His detractors might have said:
1. Caesar destroyed the Roman Republic by seizing power in the Civil War.
2. He started the Civil War when he crossed the Rubicon and invaded Italy with the goal of establishing himself in a position of absolute power.
3. He slaughtered thousands in the Gallic and Civil Wars.
4. Throughout his career, he sought the support of the plebs in a populist and demagogic manner as a means of reaching his goal of absolute power.
His supporters might have said:
1. The Republic had become increasingly dysfunctional since the time of the Gracchi (133 BC). Consuls were murdered by members of the Senate. The consulship had all too frequently been filled based on the use or threat of military power.
2. The Republic with its multiple magistracies elected annually was fine for the Roman City State for which it was created but was an ineffective governmental structure for ruling a vast empire.
3. As a military commander, Caesar often sought peaceful settlements in order to avoid combat. In this, he was often successful in the Gallic War. His failure to peacefully resolve the Civil War was largely due to Pompey's refusal to negotiate.
4. Caesar showed a degree of clemency for defeated enemies that was uncharacteristic of his era. After the Civil War, Caesar, unlike Sulla, did not institute mass proscriptions and seizures of property. Had Caesar lost the Civil War, his adversary, Pompey, would most likely not have been so forgiving.
5. Once he had attained power, Caesar's laws and policies were generally wise. For the most part, his enemies opposed them not on principle but because Caesar had proposed and implemented them outside of the established legislative process.
6. Caesar's enemies were a small group of aristocrats who sought to maintain their exclusive hold on power and feared that Caesar would break that hold.
7. Caesar invaded Italy only after this cabal sought to end his career by denying him the right to stand as a candidate for the consulship.
Well, I guess I have now revealed my own position on Caesar, but don't take my word for it. Read Goldsworthy's book and draw your own conclusion.
Exceptional biography of the First Citizen of Rome.......2007-09-16
Caesar's Rome was a place where political factions seemed to be at constant war with each other. It's a wonder that the Republic of Rome survived as long as it did considering all of the assassinations, battles and debates that raged within the Republic that based its society on a vague set of rules and a very loosely structured bureaucracy which would use gangs as well as violence to persuade lawmakers to do "the right thing".
Goldsworthy provides us with information about what is known about Caesar also documenting the often contradictory sources that exist on his actions and what Roman society thought of him as a leader. The author provides us a context with a brief history of Rome as well as background on the various factions that tried to lead the Roman Republic and their various conflicts. All of these helped shape who Caesar was in his outlook about Roman society, plans and his ambitions as well. The author also gives us a brief summary of Caesar's family history because, again, understanding where he came from ultimately helps us understand his view of himself and place within Roman society and the world.
Goldsworthy's book is well written with a view to enlightening both those interested in history and the lay reader as well. His accessible style doesn't lean too much on overwhelming the reader with too much detail (a flaw that can, in the wrong hands, make a biography didactic and boring to the average reader)but focuses, instead, on engaging the reader in what Roman society was like, why rituals were important and what the various positions within Roman government were responsible for. He also turns a keen eye on the transformation of Rome from a Republic into a dictatorship by Caesar that would endure for generations with Augustus Octavian Caesar's children (including Nero the last of the Juli to be a descendant of Julius Caesar).
Illustrated with pictures of busts of those discussed in the text, drawings, pictures of Roman ruins and the sites where Caesar engaged in battle, Adrian Goldsworthy's book provides readers unfamiliar with Roman society just enough background on the politics and history of the society so that Caesar's story makes sense. This is a very good biography that manages to put Caesar's accomplishments into perspective and also gives us a pretty good sense of what he was like as a man.
Do we really need another book on Caesar? Yes, we do.......2007-09-14
In his new book Caesar : Life of a Colossus, Adrian Goldsworthy writes:
"Part of the fascination with Caesar is because he is so difficult to pin down and because mysteries remain, for instance, as to what he really intended in the last months of his life. In his fifty-six years he was at times many things, including a fugitive, prisoner, rising politician, army leader, legal advocate, rebel, dictator - perhaps even a god - as well as a husband, father, lover and adulterer. Few fictional heroes have ever done as much as Caius Julius Caesar."
The author explores all this with a full and detailed biography. Being the military historian he is, he especially shines when it comes to Caesar's military exploits.
While not minimizing Caesar's faults, Mr. Goldsworthy sees him as "a patriot and very able man." He cannot disguise his admiration for the man, and "[whatever] the rights or wrongs of his actions, it is hard to imagine that in any way his life could have been more dramatic," taking up the theme from the Introduction. He has given the reader a complex and rounded portrait. The general audience, for whom the book is intended, gets its money's worth and hopefully will enjoy the book.
The question, "do we really need another book on Caesar?," can be answered in the affirmative, as a popular history treatment of the subject has been wanting for quite a while, and this one fills the bill.
In the end though, Caesar still remains difficult to pin down, not for want of trying by the author, but because of his truly elusive personality.
The book is nicely illustrated with photos, maps, and battle diagrams. It has the prevailing and annoying habit of publishers not linking the endnotes to the page numbers.
The Definitive Biography? Maybe........2007-08-26
When you consider all the historical figures of the Western World, few would be bigger than Julius Caesar. How big was he? When you consider all the months of the year (and even all the days of the week), only two are named after actual people: July, after Caesar, and August, after Caesar's adopted son Octavian, also known as Augustus. In fact, the solar calendar itself (365 days every three years, followed by 366 in the fourth), was instituted by Caesar, and as Rome went, so went the known world. Caesar's name would become synonymous with leadership, even up to a hundred years ago, with the titles Kaiser and Tsar derived from his name.
Adrian Goldsworthy's biography details Caesar's rise from a youth with a noble name but little wealth or power to back it up to the absolute ruler of the Roman Republic. It would be Caesar who would initiate the transformation of the Republic to the Empire, a process that Augustus would complete. But as Goldsworthy argues, even around the time of Caesar's birth, the Republican structure of government was beginning to fall apart, with people like Marius and Sulla seizing power for better or for worse.
Caesar would spend the early part of his life playing the political game well, getting important patrons and rising in the ranks to the top spot of consul. After his consulship, he would have a successful military career, but when his rivals and enemies tried to oppose him, events would lead to a civil war, with Caesar taking on his former ally, Pompey. When Pompey and his followers were defeated, Caesar reached the pinnacle of his power, but it would not last long as a conspiracy would lead to his assassination.
Goldsworthy's biography of Caesar is generally favorable towards its subject, but he is objective enough to present the negatives as well. He shows clearly that to understand Caesar requires that the reader understands Rome: the way politics worked, the general acceptance of brutal warfare and the institution of slavery, and the roles of men and women. This last is particularly important, as Caesar was quite the womanizer: among his lovers were Cleopatra and Servilia (the mother of his killer, Brutus).
There have been more skillful politicians and successful generals, but rarely do members of these groups intersect. Caesar is one of the few, perhaps the best combination politician/military leader ever (but as Goldsworthy argues, in Rome, there was less distinction between the two). In addition, there are few historical figures who have a life story filled with as much sex, violence and intrigue as Caesar. Goldsworthy does a great job of bringing Julius Caesar and Rome to life, and if you interested in this era, this is a must-read.
Book Description
Gaius Petrius Ruso is a divorced and down-on his luck army doctor who has made the rash decision to seek his fortune in an inclement outpost of the Roman Empire, namely Britannia. His arrival in Deva (more commonly known as Chester, England) does little to improve his mood, and after a straight thirty six hour shift at the army hospital, he succumbs to a moment of weakness and rescues an injured slave girl, Tilla, from the hands of her abusive owner.
Now he has a new problem: a slave who won’t talk and can’t cook, and drags trouble in her wake. Before he knows it, Ruso is caught in the middle of an investigation into the deaths of prostitutes working out of the local bar. A few years earlier, after he rescued Emperor Trajan from an earthquake in Antioch, Ruso seemed headed for glory: now he’s living among heathens in a vermin-infested bachelor pad and must summon all his forensic knowledge to find a killer who may be after him next.
Who are the true barbarians, the conquered or the conquerors? It’s up to Ruso—certainly the most likeable sleuth to come out of the Roman Empire—to discover the truth. With a gift for comic timing and historic detail, Ruth Downie has conjured an ancient world as raucous and real as our own.
Customer Reviews:
Medicus is great.......2007-09-19
Medicus is the first book by Ruth Downie, and she plans more to come. Her hero is a crusty Roman medical officer stationed with the XX Legio at Deva, modern Chester, England. Because they have no one else to take the bodies to (there were no police forces in ancient Rome, and anyway these murder victims were only slaves), people keep bring the bodies to the doctor. Though he's reluctant to get involved (he has more than enough troubles to worry about, from the pending foreclosure on the family farm to his difficult relationship with another Roman official), he's finally hooked on the question of the deaths. Murder and mayhem ensue, of course. I liked the fact that the protagonist wasn't an official "informer" or investigator. And also that he was living in the imperial backwater of Britain. His difficulties with the hospital administrator were amusing. Bureaucracy never changes!
Doctor in the House.......2007-09-11
All in all it is a good read, one that I recommend.
Rather than embroidered with a vast sweep of historic greats, Downie's "Medicus" is woven with day-to day circumstances of the more common folk, a slant that gives the plot some fascinating twists readily recognizable to the average person as the sort of surprises, ambiguities and aggravations so much a part of their own lives. But there is mystery and intrigue for Gaius Petrius Ruso, a medical officer stationed with a Roman legion in ancient Britain. His already complicated life becomes even more so by Tilla, his would-be slave, who is not exactly in full appreciation of her dire circumstances. A well-constructed plot in and around the fort location of Deva keeps a steady pace. The novel's other characters provide a colorful supporting cast and stimulate marvelous images of human comedy and tragedy, especially when they center around Merula's, a site of local, um, entertainment. Personal details of the characters' day-to-day living experiences bring this above the typical sword and sandal genre and provoke some refreshing humor.
I did find the attribution of vernacular English to be a bit of a distraction, for example the soldiers referring to each other as "lads." However, this was not a serious enough flaw to detract on what was otherwise a fun book to savor.
A Good debut.......2007-09-02
I have no doubt this author will improve with experience. Medicus is a little slow to start. I was about half through with little sleuthing on Ruso's part, more denial that he was investigating, although others seemed insistant he was. Nevertheless it was a nice read, and if this is a series she may continue with, this is a good introduction to the characters. It did however pick up in the second half and move along nicely. I wouldn't say she rivals Lindsey Davis, her characters and writing are her own, and she will, I think, carve her own niche.
I don't regret buying the book and look forward to her next, which I will definitely buy.
Amazing first book.......2007-08-23
Good story, great characters, well researched, funny, overall an amazing first novel. I sure hope this is the first book in a long series.
Compares very favorably with Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, John Maddox Roberts (all writing about Roman times), Ellis Peters and Elizabeth Peters. Can't get much better than that!
dave
In between Davis and Saylor.......2007-07-19
With Medicus, Downie joins Lindsay Davis and Stephen Saylor as the preeminent authors of genre fiction set in ancient Rome. I already like her more than Davis, but she has to write a few more books before I can compare her to Saylor. On the positive side, the novel features a likable hero in Ruso, a doctor, and I like how the author sprinkles in detail about medicine and health care of the time. I also like how she bridges the gap between ancient Rome and the modern world: for example, Ruso's problems with women and bureaucracy are relatable despite the centuries. On the negative side, the central mystery progressed too slowly and the identity of the villain is too predictable. I am also tired of reading about Roman characters who fall in love with their slaves. It's so trite. Furthermore, I don't feel that the author explains their romance. Why does he fall in love with her? Because she's pretty? That's lust, not love.
Medicus is a good debut novel. If Downie can evolve as a writer like Saylor did, she will become required reading.
Book Description
A lively and engaging narrative history showing the common threads in the cultures that gave birth to our own.
This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history.
Dozens of maps provide a clear geography of great events, while timelines give the reader an ongoing sense of the passage of years and cultural interconnection. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath"—literature, epic traditions, private letters and accounts—to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled. The result is an engrossing tapestry of human behavior from which we may draw conclusions about the direction of world events and the causes behind them. 13 illustrations, 80 maps.
Customer Reviews:
strange flaw.......2007-09-04
So far, I'm finding the same strengths and limitations in this book pointed out by other readers. Overall, I think the book has a lot to offer, but I'm puzzled by the author's approach to the "Great Flood," and I'm wondering if anyone else found it problematic.
In Chapter Two, Bauer calls the Great Flood "the closest thing to a universal story that the human race possesses." She points to various stories of a massive, devastating deluge: three from Mesopotamia, one from China, one from India, and two from the Americas. Although she doesn't come right out and say it or explain it, her underlying assumption is that each of these stories refers to the same event. She uses this belief to discount the otherwise most plausible, current idea for how the Mesopotamian flood happened. (This is Ryan and Pitman's theory that in 7000 BC, the rising glacial-melt waters of the Mediterranean Sea broke through a land barrier into the Black Sea, creating the Bosphorus Strait and causing the Black Sea to flood south into Mesopotamia.) She dismisses this theory because, she suggests, the date is wrong. "How," she asks, "did stories of a universal flood make their way into the oral traditions of so many peoples who, by any reckoning, were far away from Mesopotamia by 7000 BC?" Pointing to the two flood stories found in Central and South America, she states that "the shared disaster must have taken place before 10,000 BC, when hunters migrated across the Bering Strait."
I wasn't expecting such a failure of logic from this author. There are, I believe, other possible explanations for the Asian and American flood stories. One need not assume that they each arose from the same, middle-eastern flood. A tsunami or category five hurricane could easily have wreaked havoc on an early, shore-hugging population, leaving only a handful of survivors to tell the tale. The giving-way of a glacial plug would have had a similar effect on inland people. It seems natural that later generations would explain these "Noahs" in terms of their own cosmologies and parochial horizons.
I appreciated the care Bauer took in her Preface to tell us why she approached this history the way she did. I found refreshing her self-awareness as an historian with choices to make. I wish she had exercised a little more of that care and self-awareness in her discussion of Flood stories.
An excellent, very readable introduction to ancient history........2007-07-24
This may be the finest general introduction to Ancient History for the non-specialist I've yet read. Ms Bauer impresses out of the gate by declaring that she will a) focus on personalities and their roles in ancient cultures and b) disregard any civilization's story from the pre-literate era. These are two EXCELLENT decisions for the writer of a general, introductory history to stick with, regardless of how much they may upset the modern specialists out there.
In choosing to simply accept that the vast majority of our available records cover the rulers of the ancient era at the expense of almost any documentation on the lives of the common man, Bauer weaves a narrative that covers that which we reasonably know in a lively, fast-moving fashion, pulling off the tricky feat of acknowledging the gaps in the historical record without getting bogged down in them. The primary movers of the ancient era come alive as the author takes us on a trip through the Sumerian List of Kings, the Bible as a historical document, the disappointing dearth of records of ancient Indian civilizations, and the wealth of Greek and Roman sources. The small, manageable chapters each cover a logically broken-up chunk of a given region's history, with helpful charts at the end of each showing the overlap in events between the current chapter's region and the same timeframe for the previous chapter's region.
Ms Bauer's style of writing is also commendable. She has a lively sense of phrasing that keeps the reader moving through the centuries at a fast clip. Some of her footnotes are actually chuckle-worthy, which helps to break up the overall slog of warfare, drought, famine, enslavement, et al.
While not chock-full of new interpretations, the book does precisely what it sets out today: a full overview of the ancient era of human history. As each culture discovers the ability to literately track its own history, it is folded into the wider scope of the book's narrative. By its end, when the Roman Empire goes Christian under Constantine, the reader will have absorbed a good, thorough if high-level overview of how humanity developed once each group began getting its letters.
Of course, this means that the entire Western Hemisphere and large swaths of Africa and Asia (Egypt, China and some of India excluded) simply don't feature in the story. Before the howls of Eurocentrism are let loose, please consider that this lies strongly within the author's own boundaries for the work: once a society became literate in a way we can understand today, it gets folded into the story. Otherwise, we're just guessing at the hows and whys of that society's motives, and that is work better left for specialists in other fields. To cram even a few pages on what we think the Native Americans or proto-Japanese were up to millennia before we actually have any sort of provable record would simply muddy the book up.
As this is just the debut volume of what is shaping up to be an excellent and comprehensive history of the world, everybody will get their due as their time comes, I am sure. For now, I'll simply give this book my highest recommendation for anyone looking to gain a knowledge of the ancient world that they may have never examined before, anyone looking to refresh the musty memories of Egypt, Greece and Rome from their high school history classes, or just anyone who enjoys the human story told well.
Political history of the Ancient World at its best.......2007-06-24
If political history is the narrative of political (and so often military) events and leaders, this is certainly a political history. It has got the advantage of presenting not only Mesopotamia and Egypt plus Greece and Rome, but also China and India,showing the progress of each part of the Ancient World in paralell. It is concise, interesting and highly readable.
Of course, the author's approach implies choosing a somehow narrow scope: no social or economic history is included, although some religious flavour is, for she masterly uses the myths of each civilization as clues to understand its politics. Taking that into account, I would reccomend also to read (as a complement to this book) "The History of Government. Volume I. Ancient Monarchies and Empires" by S.E. Finer, "Life after Death. A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion" by Alan F. Segal and "Gem in the Lotus.The Seeding of Indian Civilisation" by Abraham Eraly, to mention but a few.
Good Overview, Some Flaws.......2007-05-23
In the run-up to the Iraq War, I read several articles discussing the historical treasures at risk if the war went forward. Reading these, I realized that for a reasonably well-educated person I had very little understanding of ancient history. Since then I have, in addition to re-reading the college textbook I obviously had not paid enough attention to, read a number of popular histories about ancient subjects. This is one of them.
Bauer's book covers a lot of ground in fair but not overwhelming detail. It does a good job of giving the reader a basic outline of history, with the important dates and touchstones, as well as illuminating the vast amount of information that is simply unknown and lost. For this, it gets an easy three stars - really three and a half.
It fails to get four or five stars, however, for two reasons. First, as noted in another reader review, the book totally ignores as outside its scope artistic and social developments such as the flowering of Greek culture or the art of Egypt. Anyone who is interested can certainly get works that fill this gap, of course, but it seems that this is a subject that should have had more treatment.
Second, the book suffers from a serious editing problem. In addition to sloppy grammar errors that were missed and the odd misspelling, occaisional factual errors snuck through the editing process. At one point, Bauer states that the king of Assyria was "the undisputed king of Babylon" immediately after stating that Babylon was in rebellion. Obviously she meant Assyria, but just as obviously the reader shouldn't have to figure that out. Subsequent editions of this book will undoubtedly sort most of that out, so if you are looking at buying the second edition or later, this caution may no longer apply.
All in all, a valuable book for the casual reader.
A book for those who care "how they know....".......2007-05-18
The most compelling history book I've read in a long time, Bauer's book hits where many other books miss: She doesn't assume anything, just because it's the "accepted" theory of history. Bauer's narrative starts and ends with the primary source materials available to us, and where she makes conjecture, she tells you it's conjecture and she supports her reasoning with logic, intelligence and without obvious bias. Moreover, she clearly identifies all of the source material from which she draws her narratives. Add to that solid foundation a crisp, bright, and engaging narrative style, and this book may just be the finest historical work in decades.
Average customer rating:
- Exactly what I thought it'd be!
- Another atrocious Aeneid translation by an unpoetical professor
- Terrific translation
- sound and action
- Aeneid
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The Aeneid
Virgil
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ASIN: 0670038032
Release Date: 2006-11-02 |
Book Description
Robert Fagles's translations of both the Iliad and Odyssey have sold hundreds of thousands of copies and become the standard translations of our era. Now, his stunning modern verse translation of Virgil's Aeneid is poised to do the same. This beautifully produced edition of the Aeneid will be eagerly sought by readers desiring to complete their Fagles collection—and the attention it receives will stimulate even greater interest in his translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey. BACKCOVER:
Praise for Robert Fagles's translation of the Odyssey:
“Wonderfully readable . . . just the right blend of sophistication and roughness, it seems to me.”
—Ted Hughes
“A memorable achievement . . . Mr. Fagles has been remarkably successful in finding a style that is of our time and yet timeless.”
—Richard Jenkyns, The New York Times Book Review
“Remarkably seductive . . . In Fagles's hands, this `perennial poem of adventure' is again a work of entertainment, of majesty and epic beauty great enough to stun the senses.”
—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Customer Reviews:
Exactly what I thought it'd be! .......2007-09-22
The book is new, just like I ordered it, and it came within a week of my online order. Great job, Amazon!
Another atrocious Aeneid translation by an unpoetical professor.......2007-05-29
I should preface this review by saying that I am fluent in Latin (or at any rate I read it about as easily as I read English or French.)
This particular translation of the Aeneid is the worst I have ever seen. The so-called blank verse is devoid of metre, and amounts to nothing more than prose - very awkward, uninspired prose - artificially chopped up into lines of a more or less constant length. This sort of travesty has been common in English translations of the classics since the 1940's or so, but Fagles adds his own inexpressible sense of bad taste. The result is absurd rubbish.
For the benefit of monolingual anglophones, I observe that Virgil is at least equal to Shakespeare as a poet. As a stylist he is far superior. Does anyone imagine that some professor in say, Egypt, could translate Shakespeare into say, Arabic, in a way that could give Arabs a sense of just how wonderfully beautiful and moving Shakespeare is at his best? Of course not. The only example in English of a great poet being translated into really great English verse is Fitzgerald's Omar Khayyam. And Fitzgerald was a great English poet, not a professor.
In American culture however, only professors get the chance to translate the Greek and Latin classics any more, for only they know the originals well enough to attempt this. Further, English poetry is virtually dead - very few people read poetry, and even fewer have any idea of what poetry is, or how it differs from prose.
The result is the worst possible cultural climate in which to translate a sublime poet like Virgil. The translators are dull professors with no real knowledge of English poetry, no knowledge of metre or rhyme, no knowledge of the resources of English poetry, and certainly no ability to innovate in English poetry without making fools of themselves.
If you really want to gain some idea of the poetical beauty of the Aeneid, don't bother reading any modern translation, or even any of the older translations like Dryden or Gawain Douglas - they are all miserable failures - though not as embarrassingly bad as Fagles. Instead, get an English interlinear of the Aeneid and a Latin grammar, and invest a few years of your spare time in learning Latin.
Or wait for my own translation of the Aeneid....
Terrific translation.......2007-05-13
The original author was great; this translator is superb...as exciting as anything yhou can imagine. Don't get it if you think it will put you to sleep at night.
sound and action.......2007-05-07
Fagles's Aeneid is swift, vivid, and sonorous. With his translations of Homer behind him, Fagles enjoys a surety of reference that allows him--and the reader--to concentrate on the visual and auditory and intellectual action. Fagles gets a lovely running-before-the-wind feel by alternating fourteeners and hexameter, trimming the course with pentameter. Some transitional phrases seem too smooth, as if perhaps Fagles has stolen the ball, and occasionally I missed the poetic precision in the English that more delicate translations e.g. C.Day Lewis's achieve at points. Bernard Knox's introduction is interesting and moving, if hastily written. The glossary of persons/gods and places is useful and ample and in the back of the book where it can be ignored as desired. This reads wonderfully aloud, perhaps 1/2 to 1 book per evening, aloud with friends or family or by yourself. This is delectable action poetry, to take you lands away--to Rome no less.
Aeneid.......2007-04-10
I found this translation to be very engaging and entertaining. The stories are developed in a fashion that is very familiar and contemporary but still retains the pleasure of the earlier telling. I highly recommend this book to everyone from high school up.
Book Description
The classic, single–volume introductory Latin textbook, introduced in 1956 and still the bestselling and most highly regarded textbook of its kind.
Wheelock's Latin, sixth edition, revised, has all the features that have made it the best–selling single–volume beginning Latin textbook, many of them revised and expanded:
o 40 chapters with grammatical explanations and readings based on ancient Roman authors
o Self–tutorial exercises with an answer key for independent study
o An extensive English–Latin/ Latin–English vocabulary section
o A rich selection of original Latin readings –– unlike other textbooks which contain primarily made–up Latin texts
o Etymological aids
Also includes maps of the Mediterranean, Italy and the Aegean area, as well as numerous photographs illustrating aspects of classical culture, mythology, and historical and literary figures presented in the chapter readings.
o The leading self–tutorial Latin program. Also great for college and accelerated high school courses.
o Wheelock's Latin is the top–selling Latin reference in the US.
o Interest and enrolments in Latin have been steadily rising in the U.S. for the past 20 years. One–half million people are currently enrolled in Latin classes, and at least 10,000 teachers, professors and graduate assistants are teaching the language in America.
Customer Reviews:
A good college text..........2007-07-10
This latest edition of Wheelock's Latin is much improved from past year's editions. While the book retains much of the copious factual and many of the grammatical features, each chapter now contains a section called "Latina est gaudium -- et utilis!" which brings a little light-heartedness to the format. Dr. Rick LaFleur has done a great job with his additions to the book, and this book is the preferred text for many U.S. universities.
I only have a few irksome issues with the book, but this is because I learned Latin originally from the Ecce Romani series of texts. I can understand why the writers choose to leave out some obscure forms and spellings, but then again, when they are encountered in "real" Latin, one wonders what he's seeing then. A good bit of the translation, especially the self-tutorial sentences, is "canned" Latin, changed from the original, and while this is necessary in the begining chapters, later it is not. It is kind of a shock to try to then go over to something like the Aeneid. As well, some of the grammar is called by different names in Wheelock versus other texts, gerundive vs. future passive participle, for example.
In all, the text is a compromise between the old school approach to Latin pedagogy (memorization and regurgitation) and the newer approaches that concentrate more on understanding Latin as Latin rather than stilted English translations.
The Standard Text.......2007-06-23
Wheelock is a very decent textbook which has been a staple for the Latin community for a very long time, and for good reason. It progresses in a logical manner and is full of drills and review, which makes it somewhat comprehensive. However, it doesn't teach EVERY use of certain cases, such as the partitive genitive, which, although basic, is glossed over. Also, it omits alternative case endings. "You'll learn that in your second year", is what is claimed, despite the fact that some of us using this to teach ourselves have no other resource. The major flaw with wheelock is that this book teaches you how to translate Latin, not to read it. You have to sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil after you have completed all forty chapters in order to read anything or understand anything.
I recommend as an alternative "Learn to Read Latin". This text is very comprehensive, covering all of the major aspects of latin and prepares a student for actual reading. The workbook availible for that course is EXTREMELY comprehensive and thorough, with hundreds of individual drills. Personally, I would utilize both products.
Potentially the WORST instruction book for Latin.......2007-04-08
This book is for you if you want to study Latin as it is currently thought to have been spoken during Roman times (dispite the fact no one is really sure and there aren't any Romans around to speak with anyway). This has its good points such as etymological aids and what not but the kind of Latin studied in the book is not for those who wish to use Latin for Modern purposes. This book will perpetuate the concept in the user's (not reader's) head of Latin as a Dead Language. Most of the vocabulary is for things that we don't have or say anymore. As stated above the Pronunciation guide is off from Modern use and there really aren't any Latin Speakers speaking this way. This text will not build fluency and after a while it become very redundant with the user knowing about a houndred ways to translate the sentence "Philosophy is good." There are numerous points of mention of the old Roman and Greek gods and the plural form of the word Deus is shown and used which will put several users of monotheistic background on guard.
Do not be fooled by reviews that basically point to this as being the Bible of Latin (as opposed to the Bible in Latin). This text is not exhausetive and really will only give you a very elementry education in Latin that leaves you ill prepared for reading modern Latin text. When reading you will undoubtably be saying English in your head using the translation formula provied by the author as opposed to actually saying the Latin and understanding the meaning. In that sense the Latin is really only shown as a code for English thus forwarding the perception of Latin as a Dead Language. Also some of the authors comments are really strange and he even admits that his goal is the make the learner Groan.
If you are not Catholic and want to pretend that you can go back in time and talk to Caesar or Cicero then you should use this book. This book is only for thost that think of Latin as neat but have no use for it in Daily life.
If you are a Catholic and have serious uses for the Latin Language as a living language that will play a part in your daily life then do not use this book for it will put you off Latin and make you feel that the Latin Language is worthless. The prununciation uses in this book is not the correct pronunciation used in the Chruch. Catholics should look for Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin which is a better book anyway and will actually foster Fluency. Then look for Let's Read Latin With Tape which will give you your prayer in Latin with very good explanations to what they mean.
Just so I can be clear, this book is not for Catholics and is not Catholic Latin. This book is loved by those who specifically want to use Latin that is not used in the Catholic Church which is why they changed the Pronunciation.
If you are a Catholic, do not buy this book.
If you actually want to study Latin to value it as a language do not buy Wheelock for the following reasons:
The non use of the letter J
The use of Macrons
The pronunciation presented in the book actually makes many of the words difficult to say and forces the student to only be able to recognize a word in written form. You will be sounding like you are speaking German instead of Latin, Italian or French.
The book fails to give the correct information about the formation of the perfect tense so that students can conjugate in their heads so instead students must look up the perfect form in the dictionary.
The book fails to give proper information on the stress of a Latin word that lets you hear the difference in a word apart form seeing a visual macron.
Only 40% of the book is dedicated to teaching the language, the other 60% explains about Ancient Rome and props Cicero up on a pedistal. There are also very inapropriate sections authored by Catullus.
The book doesn't present nearly enough grammatical structures and should have spent more time on language acuasition and less on "isn't Cicero great for putting people to death without trial."
The grammar comes way to slow.
The teaching method used in the book is the grammar memorize, translation method that has been shown to be a hinderence to students who actually want to understand the language and express themselves in the language.
This book assumes Latin to be a dead language and promotes this idea in the author's notes.
This book lies to students about certain grammatical structures in how to form them and why they are formed that way. The subjunctive looks like the infinitive by accident not design as stated in the book. The author mistakes the gerund for the gerundive in chapter 39. The book aserts that fear clauses used to be seperate jussive clauses, this is not true, they were always part of the same sentence. The book actually tells students that the present paraphrastic can not be formed, it can. The book tells the student that the subjunctive is a 'coulda, shoulda, woulda' tense of a verb when it is just not true. The subjunctive is a grammatal tense with no meaning outside of idiom as almost all inflexive languages includeing Japanese has. The ablative is shown to be a preposition/adverb case when really it, like the subjunctive, is used only for syntax and grammar to you can understand the sentence. Wheelock tells these lies to get the student to more easily translate into English but they prevent the correct understanding of the Latin Language.
The vocabulary fucused on in Wheelock is strange and not very useful for daily life and thus not retained by the student. Many words presented for vocabulary study are only ever used by one author and maybe only once.
Wheelock fails to give enough information about how the declentions are related to each other.
Wheelock fails to present many very common prepositions that were in frequent use even before Cicero.
Wheelock has the student translate sentence after sentence so that they will only understand the English meaning. It lacks drills for person, case, mood changing that would build fluency and have the student creating new Latin. Students that use this book will not be able to create a Latin sentence off the top of their heads by the end of it.
The name of this book really should be changed from and introductory course in Latin to Cicero and the Late Republic. This book is not worth your money if you actually just want to study Latin as a Language. If you want to study Cicero and Catullus almost exclusively and don't care to be able to read any other authors then this book is for you.
Quintessential Latin learning.......2007-02-22
I ordered this book in hardcover b/c I wanted to keep it for a long time and teach my children. This book is the classic Latin text and is full of scholarly humor and great quotations from the ancient sources. In the first lesson or two you are amazingly translating whole sentences of Latin. Great resource.
The only grammar of its type worth considering.......2007-01-15
The two most common methods of learning Latin are the 'grammar-translation' approach and the 'reading' approach. Each has its merits; Wheelock's Latin Grammar takes the former approach. It contains ample practice and drill work. The workbook by Paul Comeau is helpful. For people concerned that there isn't enough extended reading material, there is Groton and May's "Thirty-eight Latin Stories." After completing this text, Wheelock's Latin Reader provides more practice. And the price is right.
Book Description
He found Rome made of clay and left it made of marble. As Rome’s first emperor, Augustus transformed the unruly Republic into the greatest empire the world had ever seen. His consolidation and expansion of Roman power two thousand years ago laid the foundations, for all of Western history to follow. Yet, despite Augustus’s accomplishments, very few biographers have concentrated on the man himself, instead choosing to chronicle the age in which he lived. Here, Anthony Everitt, the bestselling author of Cicero, gives a spellbinding and intimate account of his illustrious subject.
Augustus began his career as an inexperienced teenager plucked from his studies to take center stage in the drama of Roman politics, assisted by two school friends, Agrippa and Maecenas. Augustus’s rise to power began with the assassination of his great-uncle and adoptive father, Julius Caesar, and culminated in the titanic duel with Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
The world that made Augustus–and that he himself later remade–was driven by intrigue, sex, ceremony, violence, scandal, and naked ambition. Everitt has taken some of the household names of history–Caesar, Brutus, Cassius, Antony, Cleopatra–whom few know the full truth about, and turned them into flesh-and-blood human beings.
At a time when many consider America an empire, this stunning portrait of the greatest emperor who ever lived makes for enlightening and engrossing reading. Everitt brings to life the world of a giant, rendered faithfully and sympathetically in human scale. A study of power and political genius, Augustus is a vivid, compelling biography of one of the most important rulers in history.
Customer Reviews:
A Man for This Season!.......2007-09-27
I am struck by the relevancy of this work to the political climate of our own early 21st American century! Chilling, timely, a potent sociological, political perspective as well as a eye-opening perspective on the military undermining of Rome's Republic and it's dying years.
A workman-like treatment of the subject of Augustus.......2007-09-14
After my second read-through of the book, I'm still not enthusiastic about it. In fact, rather than breathlessly following an `often terrifying drama,' I got bored at times, and more often than not, Augustus did not `come alive,' at least not to me.
The book is one of the many new popular history books, a worthy undertaking, bringing history back into the eye of the general public. However, it should also be readable to the more knowledgeable history enthusiast and the professional. Mr. Everitt, known to many Roman history buffs through his Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician, has done an enormous amount of research. The problem, for this reviewer at least, is how he made use of it.
The book is a more or less chronological history of the life of Octavius/Octavian/Augustus. This is preceded by a brief romp through the recent history of the republic, unfortunately sometimes a bit too glib or even careless.
One would have liked to read more about the famed "Golden Age." The quote itself is thrown in somewhere, and the poets are mentioned and cited here and there, but there is no cohesive treatment of the subject.
All in all, Augustus is presented as a reformer and forgiven his considerable flaws, the latter outweighed by the "public good." The author also stresses Augustus' and Agrippa's management of the provinces, encouraging urbanization and the Roman way of life and extending Roman citizenship to many thousands of provincials throughout the empire.
"Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor" is a workman-like treatment of the subject of Augustus, intended for a general audience. For the interested reader, there is an excellent "Further Reading" list.
The spinmeister.......2007-08-08
A decent popularizaion of the subject. Eap. good on general background and overall perspective.
Amazing!.......2007-07-19
Just an amazing read! Everitt did an outstanding job with "Augustus". If you want to learn about Rome's first emperor then look no further than this book. I couldn't put it down!
Astonishing!.......2007-06-28
Simply perfect. The facts about Marcus Antonius` attitude towards Octavian and his role in the events leading to Ceasar`s assasination are depicted with great accuracy. Highly recommended for classical era fanatics.
Book Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers the best way to see St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Colosseum? With Rick Steves’ Rome 2007, travelers can experience the best of everything Rome has to offer — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves’ Rome 2007 includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights; friendly places to eat and sleep; suggested day plans; walking tours and trip itineraries; clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot; and Rick’s newest "back door" discoveries. America’s number one authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.
Customer Reviews:
A huge time saver on my trip (June 29-July 3).......2007-07-16
This book paid for itself with just the information about the Vatican Museum. It is dismaying to see a 4+ hour line to visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine chapel. Fortunately, by reserving months in advance (as the book suggests), we just walked right in.
This is just one example, because the book is full of tips on the best time to visit each attraction and how to skip the long lines. Worth every penny.
So glad we had it..........2007-07-09
This was a great book to have with us on our trip to Rome. If we happened to leave it in the room we were lost without it. Needless to say that only happened once. Gave a great 'tour' which included just enough commentary and even anecdotal accounts that were interesting. We really enjoyed the information on the Roman Forum...We aren't group tour type of people but don't feel we missed anything...actually heard alot of the same stuff thats included in the book. Also gave great travel hints etc that were very useful...and seeing alot of other travelers with the same book makes it a popular choice.
Used this book on trip June 5-29, 2007.......2007-07-07
We tore out the sections we needed with an exacto knife and therefore could carry them in our fanny packs for just that day of sightseeing.
Not the best choice.......2007-07-03
I took this guide on a recent trip to Italy, along with the Eyewitness and Blue Guide books. Rick Steves' books are designed for the traveler who wants a decent overview of a particular place, and as such they're not at all comprehensive. I understand that and it's a fine approach as far as it goes, but it makes no sense in a city like Rome to leave out the Aventine Hill altogether, as Rick does. We stayed on the Aventine because it's the quietest and least hectic part of central Rome, a short walk from the ancient heart of the city, and it has some fine hotels and beautiful ancient churches. If I'd never been to Rome and had only Rick's book with me, I would have missed it altogether. Rick is very good on practical tips such as finding the best museum passes, avoiding pickpockets, and navigating the world of rail passes (he also sells some great travel gear), but I prefer to have a more comprehensive book that lets me decide what I want to see, even if that means sacrificing detail. With that in mind, I prefer the colorful and user-friendly Eyewitness Guides for broad overviews and good city maps, and Blue Guides for historical, artistic, and architectural detail.
Another thing that bothers me about Rick's books is the tone and style of his writing. Many people love him precisely for that, which is fine, but I find his writing style grating and in many places his history is just plain wrong. He's particularly bad when dealing with Christian history, a very important thing to get right when dealing with Rome! Finally, the maps are not very helpful unless you're sticking with Rick's itineraries exactly.
The only thing that made this book worth having on my trip was the inclusion of contact information for English-speaking doctors who make hotel visits, which unfortunately came in very handy. Everything else I could have found on his website without buying the book. Overall, I found this book unhelpful and left it behind in our last hotel.
Perfect for the more relaxed crowd.......2007-06-13
I love Rick Steves's book. It has great directions, maps, and information about tourist attractions as well as restaurants and tours of the city. My only problem with it is that it doesn't appeal to people of all ages. As a college student, I wish it had more information about nightlife and the like, yet I acknowledge that Rick Steves mostly appeals to the less rowdy group. Nonetheless, I wouldn't go to Rome without it. Grazie Rick!
Book Description
FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF FATHERLAND AND POMPEII COMES THE MOST PROVOCATIVE AND BRILLIANT NOVEL OF ANTIQUITY SINCE I, CLAUDIUS --
IMPERIUM
A CAUTIONARY TALE OF CICERO, THE GREATEST ORATOR OF ALL TIME, AND HIS EXTRAORDINARY STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN ROME.
When Tiro, the confidential secretary (and slave) of a Roman senator, opens the door to a terrified stranger on a cold November morning, he sets in motion a chain of events that will eventually propel his master into one of the most suspenseful courtroom dramas in history. The stranger is a Sicilian, a victim of the island's corrupt Roman governor, Verres. The senator is Marcus Cicero -- an ambitious young lawyer and spellbinding orator, who at the age of twenty-seven is determined to attain imperium -- supreme power in the state.
Of all the great figures of the Roman world, none was more fascinating or charismatic than Cicero. And Tiro -- the inventor of shorthand and author of numerous books, including a celebrated biography of his master (which was lost in the Dark Ages) -- was always by his side.
Compellingly written in Tiro's voice, Imperium is the re-creation of his vanished masterpiece, recounting in vivid detail the story of Cicero's quest for glory, competing with some of the most powerful and intimidating figures of his -- or any other -- age: Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, and the many other powerful Romans who changed history.
Robert Harris, the world's master of innovative historical fiction, lures us into a violent, treacherous world of Roman politics at once exotically different from and yet startlingly similar to our own -- a world of Senate intrigue and electoral corruption, special prosecutors and political adventurism -- to describe how one clever, compassionate, devious, vulnerable man fought to reach the top.
Customer Reviews:
Cicero Rising.......2007-09-15
Although Robert Harris writes historical fiction, he is not particularly attached to any one time or place. His first novel was actually an alternate history - a what-if-the-Nazis-won-WWII tale called Fatherland. He has, in his last two novels, however, gone back to ancient Rome, first with Pompeii (which I have not read) and now with Imperium, a fictional biography of Cicero.
Narrated by Cicero's slave Tiro (who serves more as an observer than a true character), Imperium tells of the rise of Cicero to the highest position in the Roman Republic, the consulship. The first half is actually more of a courtroom thriller, with Cicero prosecuting a corrupt Sicilian governor. Actually, most of the legal system is open to bribery, making Cicero's job all the harder. At stake is Cicero's whole career: if he can somehow pull off a victory, he can start his climb in power; if he fails, he will never be more than a lowly senator. Of course, since Cicero is well-known in history and the governor, Verres, is almost forgotten, most readers know who will win, but Harris is still able to make the prosecution suspenseful.
The second half of the book deals with Cicero's political rise and the intrigues that both help him and make him enemies. His principal ally - although not always reliable - is Pompey, the great general who is at the peak of his power. On the other side is the plutocrat Crassus, whose hatred of Pompey will create an enmity with Pompey. There is the vicious Catalina who has Crassus's backing and intends on opposing Cicero for the consulship. Finally, there is the ambitious up-and-comer, Julius Caesar.
Harris has written a good novel, but there are imperfections. For all his attempts at being historically accurate, he also has anachronisms, such as referring to the months of July and August (which would not be named until decades later after Julius and Augustus Caesar had risen to the peaks of their power). The story also ends rather abruptly, leading me to think that Harris has a sequel intended. Harris does succeed at the heart of the book, however, bringing Cicero - often thought of as the greatest orator ever - to life. Fans of historical novels - particularly Roman historical novels - should enjoy Imperium.
a good read.......2007-09-14
Imperium is the first of two volumes of a fictional biography of the Roman orator, lawyer, statesman, new man, Marcus Tullius Cicero.
Mr. Harris uses the often successful formula of relating the life story of a historical figure through the eyes of a confidante, in this case the secretary Tiro, and he does not disappoint us. Tiro does his best to show his master warts and all, while still maintaining his loyalty to him, thus creating a fairly complex character of Cicero, a reasonably approximation of the real man himself as we know him from his extensive writings, especially the letters.
That does not mean that Mr. Harris does not create his very own universe of the era and the man, with emphasis on Cicero's real or perceived adversaries, the aristocrats who disdain the New Man, and the favorite villains for most novelists writing about the late Roman republic, Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar. The latter trio does not fare as well in way of characters, they are frequently drawn as carricature. Tiro himself is depicted as somewhat priggish and bland.
Characters more sympathetic in the narrator's - and presumably the author's - eyes, such as wife Terentia, brother Quintus, and the idealistic cousin Lucius, fare better, as does the potential villain Caelius.
That said , the novel is a good read, bringing Rome and the late republic vividly to life. The uncovering of Verres' horrendous excesses in Sicily is masterful. The reader gets a good introduction to Roman politics, and Cicero's work habits and his love/hate relationship with Terentia indeed do not strain one's imagination. Tiro's well known invention and use of stenography is being put to good use and on occasion does make for a nice suspense. As in the only other book by the author which I have read so far, Pompeii, the prose is excellent.
There are some anachronisms, indicative maybe of the lack of a good reader, but not to the point where they could become annoying.
I give the book three stars and look forward to the sequel. However, I cannot agree with Allan Massie, who wrote that, "Reluctantly, I must admit that Imperium is better than [my six novels]." He is much too modest!
An plausible politician.......2007-09-13
Even through fiction I think Harris has captured the essence of politicians that existed then and still do today. It seems to me a very likely scenario, not necessarily kind to any of the characters. I have often thought that there is not a single species of humans but two: homo sapiens and homo politicians. And Harris' Cicero is no better than any of the others. Cicero could claim the high moral ground in his mind, but in truth he laid the groundwork for the dissoluation of the Republic by his own desires to become Consul. Harris points out all the rules Cicero abused to achieve his goal, all the twisted morals, soul selling and double dealing he engaged in, while claiming to be the honest common man. Between bribery with money or favors and manipulations the result still remains the same except Cicero in all his blindness could not see his manipulations would have far more reaching reprisals. Nor would he admit it or perhaps realize or care what he had done because he was the consumate politcian. Yet Cicero's greatness still comes out in the story. Harris I think took fact and made it one of the most compeling and accurate stories of the period. Engaging story, excellent detail and somewhat depressing because nothing has changed for over 2000 years. I hope he does a follow up to this story.
Imperium - a real treat.......2007-09-12
I bought Imperium on impulse, not having previously read any of Robert Harris's books. It is a fantastic read and has led me to investigate further the roman empire and the life and times of Cicero. It's well written, engaging and brings history to life. Once you begin, you'll want to know more!
Roman Politics - No different from today!.......2007-08-06
Ancient Rome provides names such as Caesar, Crassus, Pompey, Verres, Tiro and Cicero. These are all great men in history except for the slave, Tiro. It is from this slave's viewpoint that this audio book, IMPERIUM, is written.
Tiro becomes Cicero's private secretary by developing shorthand that is used to take down every word spoken when Cicero needs it done. The story takes Cicero from a simple lawyer to the very top of Roman rule.
While I am not a great history buff and don't remember much of what I did read in school, I know my husband who is such a buff will love this CD. The politics of Rome is no different than the politics of today as the story takes you through the twist and turns of the wealth and greed of the greatest men in Rome.
There are descriptions of how voting was done at that time and of the great homes. It also tells how Cicero managed to climb his way up in the political arena with his great speeches and a mind that was quick to find the pieces needed to sway those in greater power to his side.
The reader, Simon Jones, has a British accent that adds to the fact that he is reading about Rome. His is clear and easy to listen to and provides different accents for the different characters.
If you love courtroom drama and Roman history, this CD will provide you with many hours of great listening.
Book Description
In this book, bestselling biblical scholar and media darling John Dominic Crossan analyzes Jesus and Paul's revolutionary message in light of the Roman Empire of their own time. Jesus and Paul came from very different backgrounds and their styles were very different, but one of the things they shared was a criticism of the civilization of their day as imperial, unjust, and violent. In their time, the Roman Empire's mantra was "first victory, then peace." The counter–mantra of Jesus and Paul was "first justice, then peace." In God & Empire, Crossan charts the evolution of biblical thinking on the relationship between faith and politics.
Using the tools of expert biblical scholarship, Crossan deftly presents the tensions in the Bible between political power and God's justice. He reveals what the Bible has to say about land and economy, retribution and violence, justice and peace, and ultimate redemption. He examines the meaning of the "kingdom of God" prophesized by Jesus, and the equality recommended by Paul to his churches.
Just as Rome in the first century, American policies and moral values can be reexamined in light of Jesus's prophetic message of peace through social justice, NOT peace through military victory. Crossan contrasts Jesus and Paul's messages of peace through justice to the misinterpreted apocalyptic vision of Revelations and its use by modern right–wing theologians and televangelists to justify U.S. military aggression in the Mideast.
Customer Reviews:
Anew look at our future.......2007-09-22
I was surprised at the content because I was expecting a comparison of Jesus versus Rome and the current situation with our empire, USA. It was not that. However by using scripture and the writings of Paul and John of Patmos, he makes it clear that the choice for us is the non-violent Jesus that Paul desribes and follows and the violence that surrounds the Jesus of John (revelation). In the present climate he feels and I would agree that the violent Jesus is what most people expect and want. Woe to the planet and its people.
Difficult read offers scant evidence to prove his point.......2007-08-26
I really wanted to love this book. The premise on the jacket copy offering the life of Jesus and ministry of Paul as peaceful and non-violent examples that have been distorted by a misreading of the Book of The Revelation of John is really something I buy into.
But instead, after wading through a really difficult to read 4 chapters leading up to the critical analysis of The Revelation, what I found instead could simply be boiled down to "John got it wrong." I found nothing in his writing to support a premise that modern fundamentalists are misreading The Revelation. No, his theory as I read it is simply that The Revelation is in contradiction with earlier Gospel writers, primarily Mark, and that The Revelation itself is a distortion of Jesus life and teaching.
Having had such high hopes from reading just the cover blurb, I have to say I'm disappointed. While I agree wholeheartedly with his opinion of a central message of Jesus teaching being one of peace, I just can't say that he stayed on track well enough to prove it. He offers the standard case for believing Mark and the "authentic" letters of Paul as the most historically valid books of the New Testament, but he offers little explanation that would disavow The Revelation as later but divinely inspired. I also felt he really missed an opportunity to examine The Revelation more in the context of contemporary allegory or metaphor for the Roman empire at that time versus a literal prophecy to be fulfilled some several thousand years later. A closer examination along these lines with more comparisons to earlier Biblical apocalyptic writers might have yielded a more believable path to his conclusions.
Finally, as a couple of other reviewers have noted, he is not an easy read.
Jesus, not President Bush, is Lord.......2007-07-26
Crossan sets out a beautifully researched explanation of why the Gospel writers' appellation of "Lord" to Jesus was a monumental and revolutionary statement. Without his historical and archaeological evidence, the title "Lord" easily becomes cliche today. Crossan puts it in context and explains how that clearly distinguishes the difference between what Jesus asks of us vs. what the nation asks of us.
Citizens of "The Beast" Awake!.......2007-06-12
As I read John Dominic Crossan's "God and Empire", I began to imagine myself as someone akin to John on the island of Patmos. The "Beast" is no longer the Roman Empire but the one of which I am a citizen. The difference is that I enjoy freedom of speach, religion and association. Now I need not wait for some Armageddon to slay the "Beast" and establish the Commonwealth of God on Planet Earth! Buy the book and see it all with clear eyes and mind!
Worth the effort........2007-05-16
Crossan is not always easy to read. His viewpoint that the Bible is a God inspired but humanly producted document will offend many fundamentalist and they will not accept his arguments that sometimes the writers of the New Testament got it wrong. But if you are willing to engage your brain as well as your heart and soul, he gives insight in the truth of Jesus and how His message interacts with civilization and man's laws.
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