Ingrid de Haas > Quotes

“The emperor had recently passed another law ordering all witches and magicians to be expelled from the empire. Everyone found it hilarious, because it was common knowledge that the emperor’s own wife dabbled in magic and that she didn’t go anywhere without a witch in tow.”
― Ingrid de Haas, Kyrene's Amulet

“Try to distract them for as long as you can,” Metabus instructed Puer, throwing his silver wine goblet against the wall, spilling its contents, and completely ignoring the flute players. They had stopped playing when the slave came barging in and just stood there, staring at the floor. With that, grabbing his oakwood spear, which was leaning against the wall, Metabus ran to the women’s quarters of the palace. Kicking open the door of the nursery, he snatched the baby girl out of her wet-nurse’s arms, barking at her to get lost. The terrified wet-nurse did as she was told. After taking off his exquisitely-embroidered royal robe and quickly wrapping Camilla in it, Metabus flew out the back entrance of the palace, the one usually reserved for the kitchen slaves, and headed for the forest.”
― Ingrid de Haas, Roman Arms: Huntress

“Alexander the Great was not worried about what other people would think if he made a deal with a woman. It helped that the woman was very smart and knew how to benefit both sides by striking that deal. Ada of Caria negotiated with the Macedonian conqueror by making him her adoptive son and her heir. She got her power back and ruled for a total of nineteen years.”
― Ingrid de Haas, Queens and Empresses of the Ancient World