Roman historical novels offer fascinating material

Community

August 23, 2010

By Roman Leary Director of Edgecombe County Library The Daily Southerner Mon Aug 23, 2010, 12:31 PM EDT

TARBORO — Into the seat of government, surrounded by lackeys and hangers-on, strides the great man. His face, lined and careworn, looks older than his 56 years, but he is still tough, muscular, a force to be reckoned with. His eyes, as keen as a falcon's, coolly regard the room of assembled senators. Theoretically, they are his peers and he reigns over them only by their sufferance. In fact, he wields power of such unprecedented scope and magnitude that for generations to come his very name will be synonymous with absolute, unquestioned authority.

His eyes meet those of a religious official, a noisome, carping fellow who had earlier warned him of the approach of dangerous times.

"Where are your predictions now?" he asks the would-be soothsayer. "The day you were afraid of has come and I'm still alive."

"Yes," the prophet replies, "come, but not gone."

The words give the great man pause. For a moment, brief and fleeting, he considers turning about and leaving. Then the moment passes and Gaius Julius Caesar proceeds to his chair, not realizing that in less than fifteen minutes he will be dead, cut down in one of the most famous political assassinations in history.

The men who killed Caesar did so (for the most part) in the belief that they were preserving the Roman Republic. In fact, their actions proved only to assist in its collapse and helped to lay the foundations for the rise of empire under the auspices of Augustus.

The story is more than 2,000 years old, but it still has the power to command the imagination. The personalities involved are so colorful and dynamic, their goals and ambitions are so familiar, that any study of the period feels less like an academic exercise than time spent reading a fast-paced political thriller.

At ECML, the interested reader can find plenty of fascinating material covering this turbulent era. One of the best places to start is with Tom Holland's "Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic." Holland's account of the Republic's fall is popular history at its best; witty, fast-paced and accessible.

One of the most compelling characters in Holland's narrative is Augustus Caesar, who was propelled into power at the age of 19 by an unexpected legacy from his murdered grand-uncle. At first dismissed by his contemporaries as an inexperienced boy, he proved to be both ruthless and cunning and ultimately ruled the Roman Empire for 41 years. The story of his rise and reign is ably told by historian Anthony Everitt in his book "Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor."

Everitt has also written a fantastic biography of one of Augustus' early nemeses: "Cicero: The Life and Times of Rome's Greatest Politician" is the story of the last great defender of the Republic, a man whose speeches and philosophical writings exercised a profound influence on the thinking of the men who founded the government we live under today. John Adams' first book and proudest possession was his collected Cicero.

Patrons who enjoy audiobooks should check out the historical novels "Imperium" and "Conspirata," both by British author Thomas Harris. Incredibly well-written (and often surprisingly funny) they offer a fictionalized, but factually accurate, story of Cicero's life. The narrator, Simon Jones, delivers a pitch-perfect performance that should stand as model for other audiobook readers on how to do it right. Be warned, however, Conspirata ends on a cliffhanger and the third part of the trilogy is yet to be released.

Anyone with even a passing interest in politics – modern, ancient, or in-between – would be enriched by spending time with this material. It has become a tiresome cliché to state that there are "lessons to be learned today" from these events. Yet, like most clichés, the phrase contains truth. While no modern democracy accurately reflects life in the Roman Republic, the image can still be made out; distorted but still recognizable, twisted and tinted like a funhouse mirror streaked with blood.

Roman Leary is director of Edgecombe County Memorial Library.

Text Only

Community

Carver throws pep rally to inspire students for EOG testing
The multi-purpose room at G.W. Carver Elementary School was transformed into a rock concert for students last Friday as teachers and guests inspired the students to “Rock the EOGS”.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Tarboro’s Stewart graduates from The Citadel
Justin Lee Stewart of Tarboro, NC, graduated May 5, 2012, from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.
Stewart earned a bachelor's degree in history.

May 23, 2012
Missing beagle
Are you missing, or do you know someone who has a missing beagle?
If so, they may be under the watchful eye of Advocated for Edgecombe County Animals, an affiliate of the SPCA of North Carolina after his time ran out at the Edgecombe County Animal Shelter.

May 23, 2012
Students enjoy field trip to Washington, DC
Fifth grade students at G.W. Carver Elementary School enjoyed a field trip to Washington, D.C. April 5, made possible through a Target Field Trip Grant.
Forty-five students, along with eight parents and six staff members, left early that morning to enjoy an educational trip as they learned about various memorials and historical sites in the nation’s capitol. The group visited the Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, U.S. Capital building and the Pentagon.

May 23, 2012
G. W. Bulluck continues trike-a-thon tradition
Preschool students at G.W. Bulluck Elementary School enjoyed the annual Trike-A-Thon event Friday, April 27 and raised $3,227.04 for Relay for Life of Edgecombe County to be used for cancer research with the American Cancer Society.

May 23, 2012
Mayor proclaimins May as Mental Health Month
Tarboro Mayor Donald Morris signs a Proclamation proclaiming May as Mental Health Month. Standing beside him is Deborah Morton, program director at Vidant Behavioral Health Center.

May 23, 2012
JROTC Cadet Maj. Cierra Franklin wins DAR National Defense Committee ROTC medal
On May 18, the North Edgecombe High School awards assembly was held and Cadet Maj. Cierra Franklin was awarded the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) National Defense Committee ROTC Medal.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Edgecombe-Nash Retired School Personnel honor Bernice Britt
The Edgecombe-Nash Retired School Personnel met at the Double Tree Hotel in the Magnolia Room for the End-of-Year Banquet on May 10, 2012 at 11 AM.
President Laurette Lewis welcomed everyone. Kaithlyn Flythe, the guest soloist of Tarboro High School, entertained the members and guests with several musical selections: “Cowboy’s Sweetheart,” “Don’t You Want to Go?” and “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man.” Later, she sang “Redeemer,” “Like My Mother Does,” and “Testify.”

May 21, 2012 1 Photo
A thief at large
To the Editor:
A glorious day was marred by a pickpocket, stealing from an eldery lady enjoying the day at the Happening on the Common on Saturday.

May 21, 2012
Tar River Children’s Choir celebrates 20 years tonight
Who would believe a children's choir from our Rocky Mount area would give concerts in such places as the Washington DC’s National Cathedral, NYC's Riverside Church, Phildelphia's Church of the Holy Trinity, Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and Williamburg's Bruton Parish and that they would sing with symphony orchestras and symphonic band?

May 18, 2012
More Community Headlines

Community

Search Results

Roman historical novels offer fascinating material

Site Map