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Masters of Rome #2
The Grass Crown
New York Times bestselling author Colleen McCullough returns us to an age of magnificent triumphs, volcanic passions, and barbaric cruelties.
Throughout the Western world, great kingdoms have fallen and despots lay crushed beneath the heels of Rome's advancing legions. But now internal rebellion threatens the stability of the mighty Republic. An aging, ailing Gaius Marius, heralded conqueror of Germany and Numidia, longs for that which was prophesied many years before: an unprecedented seventh consulship of Rome. It is a prize to be won only through treachery and with blood, pitting Marius against a new generation of assassins, power-seekers, and Senate intriguers—and setting him at odds with the ambitious, tormented Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once Marius's most trusted right-hand man, now his most dangerous rival.
Throughout the Western world, great kingdoms have fallen and despots lay crushed beneath the heels of Rome's advancing legions. But now internal rebellion threatens the stability of the mighty Republic. An aging, ailing Gaius Marius, heralded conqueror of Germany and Numidia, longs for that which was prophesied many years before: an unprecedented seventh consulship of Rome. It is a prize to be won only through treachery and with blood, pitting Marius against a new generation of assassins, power-seekers, and Senate intriguers—and setting him at odds with the ambitious, tormented Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once Marius's most trusted right-hand man, now his most dangerous rival.
1132 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
495 people are currently reading
6837 people want to read
About the author
Colleen McCullough
127 books3,125 followersColleen Margaretta McCullough was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds and Tim.
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system's functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
After her beloved younger brother Carl died in 1965 at age 25 while rescuing two drowning women in the waters off Crete, a shattered McCullough quit writing. She finally returned to her craft in 1974 with Tim, a critically acclaimed novel about the romance between a female executive and a younger, mentally disabled gardener. As always, the author proved her toughest critic: "Actually," she said, "it was an icky book, saccharine sweet."
A year later, while on a paltry $10,000 annual salary as a Yale researcher, McCullough – just "Col" to her friends – began work on the sprawling The Thorn Birds, about the lives and loves of three generations of an Australian family. Many of its details were drawn from her mother's family's experience as migrant workers, and one character, Dane, was based on brother Carl.
Though some reviews were scathing, millions of readers worldwide got caught up in her tales of doomed love and other natural calamities. The paperback rights sold for an astonishing $1.9 million.
In all, McCullough wrote 11 novels.
Source: http://www.people.com/article/colleen...
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April 29, 2022
This heroic endeavour by the brilliant Colleen McCullough, rests snugly amongst the likes of the Count of Monte Cristo and the Grapes of Wrath. Yes, The Grass Crown is that good.
This is the second instalment of a series of books covering the late Roman Republic, say around 100-80 BCE. We are still some decades before the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, takes the throne in 27 BCE. But this book covers the period of a crumbling, corrupt, decaying, ultra-violent, civil war ridden Republic, run by a Senate full of bickering, desiccated or bloated Patricians, lording it over the unwashed masses – or as McCollough refers to them, the Head Count.
The two main characters here, as in the first book, The First Man in Rome, are Gaius Marius and Cornelius Sulla – the former being a great general and the latter his reliable accomplice. This second book follows on from their audacious warmongering in Germania and Africa to new fields afresh trying to keep the Republic in order. Their main theatres of activity are in the East (where Turkey, the Black Sea, Iran, and the Middle East are now) and Italy itself with the brutal Civil Wars, the main cause of which was the lack of citizenship rights for the people living in Italy who weren’t granted Roman Citizenship. The King in the East, Mithridates is one of the most interesting, capricious and violent characters you’ll ever come across, by the way.
This series makes Game of Thrones look like Sesame Street, albeit a very violent version of Sesame Street. Perhaps with Bert and Ernie impaling Big Bird (who was so bloody annoying anyway) and The Count finally revealing his tricks with numbers (which weren’t that clever anyway if you think about it) were just a guise to relieve Grover of 2 litres of his blood behind the garbage bin.
Anyway……Marius is really THE Man – he was Consul Seven times. Now, Consuls were the people who ran the show. After the Romans decided they didn’t like to be subject to the tyrannic rule of Kings, they created a system whereby two Consuls were voted in by the Patricians, two – to ensure there was a counterbalance to combat tyranny. These guys called the shots. Marius was a superstar general and extremely wealthy and would think nothing of directing his soldiers to slaughter whoever was in in his way – Numidian, Cappadocian, Italian, Roman, military or civilian, young or old, it didn’t matter.
Marius’ sidekick for much of the first book was the dashingly good looking, incredibly buff Sulla. This man was equally as brutal, and a rake of the highest order. He treated the women in his life abysmally, lover, wife, daughter – you name it, he was a bastard. Well now Sulla emerges from Marius’ shadows.
Marius, was known for his luxurious eyebrows, they're almost dripping off his forehead here
The dashing Sulla
This is historical fiction at its best. Marius and Sulla going at their enemies and each other is one of the best rivalries of all time. The research McCullough must have done would have been colossal. She includes maps of actual battles (containing so much detail, I had to go full nerd, and study them with my magnifying glass), plans of buildings, places such as the forum and a 100-page Glossary at the end. Yes 100 pages dripping with delicious Republic of Rome facts. Oh, this was heaven on a stick!!
There are countless characters from all over the Republic in this story and sometimes I went nuts trying to remember ‘who was who’ – but a bit of patience and hard work here and there really paid off. The reader also must digest names like Quintus Varius Severus Hybrida Sucronensis, for heaven’s sake, it was enough to make me want to eat my own head!!
In amongst the bloodletting there was an equal amount of political shenanigans. I really enjoyed this aspect, it might not be for everyone, but it did illustrate just how complicated the Republican political system was. Really, us humans haven’t change at all.
Oh, there is a bonus here because we see the real Julius Caesar as a young boy grow up, he was the nephew of Marius, he even spent considerable time helping him recover from one of his numerous strokes. You couldn’t make this stuff up!!!!!
I’ll shut up now, I’ve said so little about the story you probably know less about it than before you read my review BUT it’s that big, so vast – I wouldn’t know where to begin.
5 Stars
This is the second instalment of a series of books covering the late Roman Republic, say around 100-80 BCE. We are still some decades before the first Roman Emperor, Augustus, takes the throne in 27 BCE. But this book covers the period of a crumbling, corrupt, decaying, ultra-violent, civil war ridden Republic, run by a Senate full of bickering, desiccated or bloated Patricians, lording it over the unwashed masses – or as McCollough refers to them, the Head Count.
The two main characters here, as in the first book, The First Man in Rome, are Gaius Marius and Cornelius Sulla – the former being a great general and the latter his reliable accomplice. This second book follows on from their audacious warmongering in Germania and Africa to new fields afresh trying to keep the Republic in order. Their main theatres of activity are in the East (where Turkey, the Black Sea, Iran, and the Middle East are now) and Italy itself with the brutal Civil Wars, the main cause of which was the lack of citizenship rights for the people living in Italy who weren’t granted Roman Citizenship. The King in the East, Mithridates is one of the most interesting, capricious and violent characters you’ll ever come across, by the way.
This series makes Game of Thrones look like Sesame Street, albeit a very violent version of Sesame Street. Perhaps with Bert and Ernie impaling Big Bird (who was so bloody annoying anyway) and The Count finally revealing his tricks with numbers (which weren’t that clever anyway if you think about it) were just a guise to relieve Grover of 2 litres of his blood behind the garbage bin.
Anyway……Marius is really THE Man – he was Consul Seven times. Now, Consuls were the people who ran the show. After the Romans decided they didn’t like to be subject to the tyrannic rule of Kings, they created a system whereby two Consuls were voted in by the Patricians, two – to ensure there was a counterbalance to combat tyranny. These guys called the shots. Marius was a superstar general and extremely wealthy and would think nothing of directing his soldiers to slaughter whoever was in in his way – Numidian, Cappadocian, Italian, Roman, military or civilian, young or old, it didn’t matter.
Marius’ sidekick for much of the first book was the dashingly good looking, incredibly buff Sulla. This man was equally as brutal, and a rake of the highest order. He treated the women in his life abysmally, lover, wife, daughter – you name it, he was a bastard. Well now Sulla emerges from Marius’ shadows.
Marius, was known for his luxurious eyebrows, they're almost dripping off his forehead here
The dashing Sulla
This is historical fiction at its best. Marius and Sulla going at their enemies and each other is one of the best rivalries of all time. The research McCullough must have done would have been colossal. She includes maps of actual battles (containing so much detail, I had to go full nerd, and study them with my magnifying glass), plans of buildings, places such as the forum and a 100-page Glossary at the end. Yes 100 pages dripping with delicious Republic of Rome facts. Oh, this was heaven on a stick!!
There are countless characters from all over the Republic in this story and sometimes I went nuts trying to remember ‘who was who’ – but a bit of patience and hard work here and there really paid off. The reader also must digest names like Quintus Varius Severus Hybrida Sucronensis, for heaven’s sake, it was enough to make me want to eat my own head!!
In amongst the bloodletting there was an equal amount of political shenanigans. I really enjoyed this aspect, it might not be for everyone, but it did illustrate just how complicated the Republican political system was. Really, us humans haven’t change at all.
Oh, there is a bonus here because we see the real Julius Caesar as a young boy grow up, he was the nephew of Marius, he even spent considerable time helping him recover from one of his numerous strokes. You couldn’t make this stuff up!!!!!
I’ll shut up now, I’ve said so little about the story you probably know less about it than before you read my review BUT it’s that big, so vast – I wouldn’t know where to begin.
5 Stars
October 21, 2020
This is the second book in the superlative Masters of Rome series. At once both an a Brobdingnagian effort of research and love, as well as a phenomenal work of gripping historical fiction. While massive, this is a great way to learn about the history of Rome. Considering the superb glossary, and the fairly accurate events, this book will give you a glimpse into the various forces and personalities that pushed the Roman Republic to its end.
Gaius Marius, Six-time Consul, and Hero of the Jurgurthine and Germanic Wars, has suffered a stroke. His mind is starting to go. His one-time ally, Lucius Sulla, is now his rival, whom Marius sees as a threat. Sadly, it is Marius' obsession and his changed personality, that account for the awful measures he goads his clients into. This results in Sulla striking back with force and the whole situation devolves into violence.
To top it of, Mithradates of Pontus has assembled a huge army and is conquering Anatolia. He also commits the infamous "Asiatic Vespers" massacre (88 BC) where 150,000 (80,000 Romans/Italians and 70,000 Roman/Italian Slaves) were slaughtered. Just to be fair, the historian Appian always stated that a total of 80,000 died. Colleen McCullough is going with Plutarch's numbers, which are similar to hers. Still, you get the picture.
Sulla goes off to fight Mithradates, the Consul Cinna manages to lose control of Rome to the madman Marius and young Julius Caesar is appointed Flamen Dialis, spitefully, by Marius. This is done to abort a famous prophecy that said Marius would indeed be Consul an unprecedented 7 times and be the First Man in Rome, but his nephew will be the greatest Roman of all. By JC becoming Flamen Dialis, he can not go to war. Thus ends this part of the story.
A magnificent work! Truly a mangum opus of the historical fiction genre and a must read for all fans of good stories, Roman history or great historical fiction.
Gaius Marius, Six-time Consul, and Hero of the Jurgurthine and Germanic Wars, has suffered a stroke. His mind is starting to go. His one-time ally, Lucius Sulla, is now his rival, whom Marius sees as a threat. Sadly, it is Marius' obsession and his changed personality, that account for the awful measures he goads his clients into. This results in Sulla striking back with force and the whole situation devolves into violence.
To top it of, Mithradates of Pontus has assembled a huge army and is conquering Anatolia. He also commits the infamous "Asiatic Vespers" massacre (88 BC) where 150,000 (80,000 Romans/Italians and 70,000 Roman/Italian Slaves) were slaughtered. Just to be fair, the historian Appian always stated that a total of 80,000 died. Colleen McCullough is going with Plutarch's numbers, which are similar to hers. Still, you get the picture.
Sulla goes off to fight Mithradates, the Consul Cinna manages to lose control of Rome to the madman Marius and young Julius Caesar is appointed Flamen Dialis, spitefully, by Marius. This is done to abort a famous prophecy that said Marius would indeed be Consul an unprecedented 7 times and be the First Man in Rome, but his nephew will be the greatest Roman of all. By JC becoming Flamen Dialis, he can not go to war. Thus ends this part of the story.
A magnificent work! Truly a mangum opus of the historical fiction genre and a must read for all fans of good stories, Roman history or great historical fiction.
September 12, 2014
Edit 9/12/14: I'm kind of doing a quick run through of this again before tackling Fortune's Favorites to refresh myself on the billion people, places and events and I have to admit I was probably being a bad-moody, picky little bitch when I gave this four stars originally. Shameful! It certainly deserves five stars. When you have a book that veers from vicious, sprawling oratorial battles in the Senate to profound psychological portraits of truly legendary people to scenes like the one in which Mithridates beshits himself on his royal barge because one of his other boats bumped into it you have something special. I'm just sad this series has to eventually end when the Republic dies and it doesn't continue on with the Emperors.
Original Review:
McCullough's utterly fucking magisterial series continues with this moody entry. Sulla continues his amoral, body-piling struggle up the cursus honorum, Marius struggles to remain in power to fulfill the prophecy of his seventh consuslship while also battling with his own sanity, Marcus Livius Drusus launches his plan of seriously controversial and potentially dangerous reform in the aim of repairing relations between Rome and the Italian Allies, and little Caesar continues to be creepily precocious or precociously creepy, I still can't decide. Also, Aurelia stays firmly in her Aurelia mold, which is...indescribable. In the far east, King Mithridates VI of Pontus is about to start some serious shit. Obviously the history and people here are eternally fascinating, and McCullough has the brains, prose and research to render the definitive fictional account of the most fascinating and tumultuous period of this legendary city's existence. Wow, I got worked up pretty quick there didn't I? It's this old Australian lady, man...or it could be that I'm listening to Prince's "Do Me Baby" as I write this. The man messes with brain chemicals, and no question.
These books are a serious literary feast. They're stuffed with just...everything. Politics, war, architecture, tradition, sex, complex interpersonal relationships and dramatic events great and small are on every page. No one could question McCullough's research and you're gonna learn every possible thing about this era of Rome that you can imagine and a ton you can't. The political system of Republican Rome was seriously complex and this woman has allowed even a clueless pleb such as myself an understanding of how it worked. I probably mentioned this in my review of the first book, but her liberal use of maps, diagrams and portraits (all created by the author herself) will also help your understanding and mental recreation of this fascinating, dead world. I do have to say her portraits can be a bit hinky-looking (excepting the obviously author-revered Sulla)...I looked ahead at the portrait of Vercingetorix from Caesar and almost fucking threw up. In that particular instance, hewing so closely to the historical portrait (from a coin) was probably not a good idea. This is of course from another book though, and the worst offenses such as Mithridates are excusable. The author is obviously gifted and clearly loves her chosen subject, and it shows even in these amateur portraits.
The characters are vividly drawn and even complex. Even when I find them repulsive, the Romans are constantly entertaining to read about. Constantly conquering shit, scheming and gossiping and stealing, murdering each other...it's clear why the Roman world has so fascinated us and been so prevalent in our fiction. That said, you probably aren't gonna get very close emotionally with these people as you may have in other historical novels. Take Sulla, for instance. He's a joy to read, and my love for the underdog certainly wants to see him succeed despite all the snobbish two-faced haters in the Senate, but the dude is honestly fucking abhorrent. He's clearly a sociopath and remorseless murderer, as well as a pretty heavy misogynist (despite being loved by women, and I'm confident in including the author as one of these women.) It's a mixed experience and often an uncomfortable one, but one gets the sense that this is really how it was in this world. None of these traits were necessarily even considered particularly reprehensible. So morbidly gripping.
I do have a couple of relatively minor complaints; the dialogue can be a bit stiff and exposition-heavy. Also, McCullough clearly doesn't have much of an interest in Roman military matters; the marches and battles of the constant warring are certainly referenced and depicted, but too often it's in the form of secondhand relation or a quick glossing over. I am an unrepentant nerd when it comes to ancient military and these episodes could certainly have been depicted with more detail and depth. I get that not everyone is interested in these things but there is absolutely no way to get around the fact that Rome's military and its wars were an absolutely crucial factor in its rise to such heights of power. In a book where a gossipy letter can take up five to six pages we should not be blasting through fucking MAJOR BATTLES in a couple sentences! It's just not good enough to say "and then Marius and his army ran really quick up the Via Appia and slaughtered the shit out of the Samnites and everyone was stoked." When I look at the whole of this epic story, though, these complaints can seem kind of nitpicky, though. If the rest of the series continues with this kind of epic quality I really don't see the reason for me to read another fictional account of the era. Which is closeminded and dumb, but this lady is good.
Original Review:
McCullough's utterly fucking magisterial series continues with this moody entry. Sulla continues his amoral, body-piling struggle up the cursus honorum, Marius struggles to remain in power to fulfill the prophecy of his seventh consuslship while also battling with his own sanity, Marcus Livius Drusus launches his plan of seriously controversial and potentially dangerous reform in the aim of repairing relations between Rome and the Italian Allies, and little Caesar continues to be creepily precocious or precociously creepy, I still can't decide. Also, Aurelia stays firmly in her Aurelia mold, which is...indescribable. In the far east, King Mithridates VI of Pontus is about to start some serious shit. Obviously the history and people here are eternally fascinating, and McCullough has the brains, prose and research to render the definitive fictional account of the most fascinating and tumultuous period of this legendary city's existence. Wow, I got worked up pretty quick there didn't I? It's this old Australian lady, man...or it could be that I'm listening to Prince's "Do Me Baby" as I write this. The man messes with brain chemicals, and no question.
These books are a serious literary feast. They're stuffed with just...everything. Politics, war, architecture, tradition, sex, complex interpersonal relationships and dramatic events great and small are on every page. No one could question McCullough's research and you're gonna learn every possible thing about this era of Rome that you can imagine and a ton you can't. The political system of Republican Rome was seriously complex and this woman has allowed even a clueless pleb such as myself an understanding of how it worked. I probably mentioned this in my review of the first book, but her liberal use of maps, diagrams and portraits (all created by the author herself) will also help your understanding and mental recreation of this fascinating, dead world. I do have to say her portraits can be a bit hinky-looking (excepting the obviously author-revered Sulla)...I looked ahead at the portrait of Vercingetorix from Caesar and almost fucking threw up. In that particular instance, hewing so closely to the historical portrait (from a coin) was probably not a good idea. This is of course from another book though, and the worst offenses such as Mithridates are excusable. The author is obviously gifted and clearly loves her chosen subject, and it shows even in these amateur portraits.
The characters are vividly drawn and even complex. Even when I find them repulsive, the Romans are constantly entertaining to read about. Constantly conquering shit, scheming and gossiping and stealing, murdering each other...it's clear why the Roman world has so fascinated us and been so prevalent in our fiction. That said, you probably aren't gonna get very close emotionally with these people as you may have in other historical novels. Take Sulla, for instance. He's a joy to read, and my love for the underdog certainly wants to see him succeed despite all the snobbish two-faced haters in the Senate, but the dude is honestly fucking abhorrent. He's clearly a sociopath and remorseless murderer, as well as a pretty heavy misogynist (despite being loved by women, and I'm confident in including the author as one of these women.) It's a mixed experience and often an uncomfortable one, but one gets the sense that this is really how it was in this world. None of these traits were necessarily even considered particularly reprehensible. So morbidly gripping.
I do have a couple of relatively minor complaints; the dialogue can be a bit stiff and exposition-heavy. Also, McCullough clearly doesn't have much of an interest in Roman military matters; the marches and battles of the constant warring are certainly referenced and depicted, but too often it's in the form of secondhand relation or a quick glossing over. I am an unrepentant nerd when it comes to ancient military and these episodes could certainly have been depicted with more detail and depth. I get that not everyone is interested in these things but there is absolutely no way to get around the fact that Rome's military and its wars were an absolutely crucial factor in its rise to such heights of power. In a book where a gossipy letter can take up five to six pages we should not be blasting through fucking MAJOR BATTLES in a couple sentences! It's just not good enough to say "and then Marius and his army ran really quick up the Via Appia and slaughtered the shit out of the Samnites and everyone was stoked." When I look at the whole of this epic story, though, these complaints can seem kind of nitpicky, though. If the rest of the series continues with this kind of epic quality I really don't see the reason for me to read another fictional account of the era. Which is closeminded and dumb, but this lady is good.
November 8, 2024
The Grass Crown is the second book in The Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough and autographed, as I cherish the honor of meeting this author. And another riveting and engrossing book detailing the continuing saga of the downfall of one of civilization’s earliest attempts at democracy—the Republic of Rome. This book keeps one riveted as one is swept once again into a world of conflict, political intrigue, violence, enmity and enduring love—a true literary achievement! Having had this beautiful series of books for many years, it is interesting that I have chosen to read these books when the democracy of the United States is in question, as we emerge from a shocking election. One can’t help but notice the vivid parallels between Ancient Rome and contemporary America.
The thrust of the book is the rivalry between Gaius Marius and valued assistant and comrade, Lucias Cornelius Sullus, now his most dangerous rival. Gaius Marius was a victorious general and elected as Consul of Rome six times, vying for his seventh term as prophesied. And it is against a backdrop of civil war, massacre, and conspiracy, these two men vie for political dominance as they also must contend with the forces that threaten Rome’s survival. Marius intends to fulfill an old prophesy that the will be elected consul for the seventh time as we witness the magnificent portraits that Colleen McCullough has drawn for us, complete with a glossary and maps. And again, I am in awe of these beautiful books as I pull the books next in the series, just to peek. I just have to salute Colleen McCullough for such a magnificent series of books. I will be eager to read the next book in the series.
The thrust of the book is the rivalry between Gaius Marius and valued assistant and comrade, Lucias Cornelius Sullus, now his most dangerous rival. Gaius Marius was a victorious general and elected as Consul of Rome six times, vying for his seventh term as prophesied. And it is against a backdrop of civil war, massacre, and conspiracy, these two men vie for political dominance as they also must contend with the forces that threaten Rome’s survival. Marius intends to fulfill an old prophesy that the will be elected consul for the seventh time as we witness the magnificent portraits that Colleen McCullough has drawn for us, complete with a glossary and maps. And again, I am in awe of these beautiful books as I pull the books next in the series, just to peek. I just have to salute Colleen McCullough for such a magnificent series of books. I will be eager to read the next book in the series.
“Lucius Cornelius Sulla, your army wishes to give you a token of its gratitude and thanks. Without you, the army would have been defeated, and its soldiers dead. You fought in the front rank and showed the rest of us the way. You never flagged on the march to Nola. To you and you alone is due this greatest victory by far of the whole war. You have saved more than your army. You have saved Rome. Lucius Cornelius, we honor you,�� said Lucullus, stepping back to make way for the centurions.”
“In his hands lay a very drab and tattered circlet made of grass runners plucked from the field of battle and braided together haphazardly, roots and earth and blades and blood. . . . The Grass Crown.”
January 25, 2025
I don’t write reviews.
Ambition. Political ambition. Ambition for power. Ambition to become the greatest man in Rome. Ambition that will not allow another to outstrip one’s ambition or gain more than one has or will gain. Ambition to be remembered forever. Often equal ambition to ensure others won’t be remembered, and certainly not remembered as greater man.
Auctoritas. Dignitas. Paterfamilias. Imperium. Patrician or Plebian. First class knight or senator or just a member of the Head Count of Rome. Imagine being in the dangerous position where you cannot be questioned, even when your policies and military failures lead to the destruction of your people and soldiers. Imagine another dangerous position where you cannot question at all. You can speak up and be killed, or stay silent and watch those you love die.
I cannot understand. Oh how I try! McCullough’s writing transports me directly into the minds of these men, yet I cannot understand. These men are enigmas, which is positively fascinating. Even though their ambition and hubris lead to their ultimate demise, I love to watch. I found myself feeling for these personalities. Whether I felt for good or bad.
McCullough brought history to life. Her maps are really helpful in this book: Italy of the Social War, the areas of Rome’s Asia Province, the Mediterranean countries (some, allies and others, enemies), King Mithidrates’ expansion and following war against Rome, and the routes taken by the generals during these wars.
***Note on the audiobook version***
This book is 1200 pages which would be over 40 hours long. The one available is severely edited down into a 6 hour story. I recommend reading the real complete version.
Ambition. Political ambition. Ambition for power. Ambition to become the greatest man in Rome. Ambition that will not allow another to outstrip one’s ambition or gain more than one has or will gain. Ambition to be remembered forever. Often equal ambition to ensure others won’t be remembered, and certainly not remembered as greater man.
Auctoritas. Dignitas. Paterfamilias. Imperium. Patrician or Plebian. First class knight or senator or just a member of the Head Count of Rome. Imagine being in the dangerous position where you cannot be questioned, even when your policies and military failures lead to the destruction of your people and soldiers. Imagine another dangerous position where you cannot question at all. You can speak up and be killed, or stay silent and watch those you love die.
I cannot understand. Oh how I try! McCullough’s writing transports me directly into the minds of these men, yet I cannot understand. These men are enigmas, which is positively fascinating. Even though their ambition and hubris lead to their ultimate demise, I love to watch. I found myself feeling for these personalities. Whether I felt for good or bad.
McCullough brought history to life. Her maps are really helpful in this book: Italy of the Social War, the areas of Rome’s Asia Province, the Mediterranean countries (some, allies and others, enemies), King Mithidrates’ expansion and following war against Rome, and the routes taken by the generals during these wars.
***Note on the audiobook version***
This book is 1200 pages which would be over 40 hours long. The one available is severely edited down into a 6 hour story. I recommend reading the real complete version.
September 2, 2019
The first 200 pages of this is so boooring, then it picks up and becomes a very good book with intermittent boring parts. The story of the rivalry between Sulla & Gaius Marius is exciting and leads to horrendous acts of cruelty. McCullough is a very good writer. Another problem is the plethora of Roman names with a cast of thousands that makes it very difficult to keep track of the characters. Recommended to history buffs.
May 24, 2018
4.5 stars.
*exhales slowly*
.... wow. The last 300 pages were the very definition of intense.
‘The Grass Crown’ picks up basically where ‘The First Man in Rome’ left off, and covers the period up to the point of Marius’ seventh and final consulship . However, this is not his story. While he does get quite a bit of page-time, it’s here that the character of Sulla really starts to shine and come into his own in terms of political power. This is the point where he steps out of Marius’ military shadow and starts to hold his own, and McCullogh has created such a fascinating and complicated character with him.
We also get a lot of important secondary characters come to the forefront of the novel, particularly as a good chunk of it deals with the so-called ‘Social War’ – a civil war between Rome and Italian allies who were sick of hiding in Rome’s shadow and wanted the rights to Roman citizenship. Marcus Livius Drusus really stands out as a strong character, and I loved reading about him and his family.
It’s also within this novel that, for those who know their Roman history (unlike me, whoops >.<), McCullough introduces the very-young characters of Cicero, Young Cato, Young Pompey and Crassus, and it’s interesting to see how these men start to find their own way in the world and navigate Roman politics.
We also get to take a few trips to the East, seeing the rise of Mithridates VI, king of Pontus. For many years, he was a significant thorn in the side of the Romans, posing a significant threat to their strength in the East. Both Marius and Sulla take separate trips to Mithridates’ court – in Sulla’s case, accompanied by a Roman army as well – and it offers up a brief respite from suburban Rome, too, providing a perspective in the novel that isn’t Roman.
Like ‘The First Man in Rome’ before it, ‘The Grass Crown’ is a significantly long novel – both being over 1,100 pages. My interest did wane slightly at various times, picking up at others, but the last 300 pages (long enough to be a novel in itself) were probably the best part of the novel. Even if there wasn’t always action in the form of battles or wars occurring on the page, there was always some kind of political action – and it was just as riveting and intense as reading a full-blown battle. I’m not going to spoil it for those few people who, like me before reading, have no idea of the course of Roman history at this particular time. There’s a whoooooole lot of shit that goes down, and the point at which the novel ends is a significant precipice – one that I’m eagerly waiting to jump off in the next book, ‘Fortune's Favorites’. All that you do need to know is that you’re in for a hell of a ride.
*exhales slowly*
.... wow. The last 300 pages were the very definition of intense.
‘The Grass Crown’ picks up basically where ‘The First Man in Rome’ left off, and covers the period up to the point of Marius’ seventh and final consulship . However, this is not his story. While he does get quite a bit of page-time, it’s here that the character of Sulla really starts to shine and come into his own in terms of political power. This is the point where he steps out of Marius’ military shadow and starts to hold his own, and McCullogh has created such a fascinating and complicated character with him.
We also get a lot of important secondary characters come to the forefront of the novel, particularly as a good chunk of it deals with the so-called ‘Social War’ – a civil war between Rome and Italian allies who were sick of hiding in Rome’s shadow and wanted the rights to Roman citizenship. Marcus Livius Drusus really stands out as a strong character, and I loved reading about him and his family.
It’s also within this novel that, for those who know their Roman history (unlike me, whoops >.<), McCullough introduces the very-young characters of Cicero, Young Cato, Young Pompey and Crassus, and it’s interesting to see how these men start to find their own way in the world and navigate Roman politics.
We also get to take a few trips to the East, seeing the rise of Mithridates VI, king of Pontus. For many years, he was a significant thorn in the side of the Romans, posing a significant threat to their strength in the East. Both Marius and Sulla take separate trips to Mithridates’ court – in Sulla’s case, accompanied by a Roman army as well – and it offers up a brief respite from suburban Rome, too, providing a perspective in the novel that isn’t Roman.
Like ‘The First Man in Rome’ before it, ‘The Grass Crown’ is a significantly long novel – both being over 1,100 pages. My interest did wane slightly at various times, picking up at others, but the last 300 pages (long enough to be a novel in itself) were probably the best part of the novel. Even if there wasn’t always action in the form of battles or wars occurring on the page, there was always some kind of political action – and it was just as riveting and intense as reading a full-blown battle. I’m not going to spoil it for those few people who, like me before reading, have no idea of the course of Roman history at this particular time. There’s a whoooooole lot of shit that goes down, and the point at which the novel ends is a significant precipice – one that I’m eagerly waiting to jump off in the next book, ‘Fortune's Favorites’. All that you do need to know is that you’re in for a hell of a ride.
June 18, 2024
Este libro, al igual que el anterior, es muuuy largo.
Ventajas: es interesante y entretenido.
Desventajas: sigue sin tener suficientes descripciones sangrientas… y me obligó a investigar. ¡¿Cómo se atreve?! a mí nadie me obliga a hacer cosas. ¡Nadie!
Escenas y demás:
*El descubrimiento de la infidelidad de Livia Drusa y acontecimientos posteriores.
*El debate provocado por la lex Licinia Mucia: "la gente se negará a escuchar lo que no desea oír", se dice…
*Las discusiones sobre si aprobar o no la ley para conceder la ciudadanía romana a toda Italia: ay.
Mención especial a las palabras con las que Craso Orator destruyó verbalmente a Lucio Marcio Filipo, por supuesto.
En una nota relacionada, ¿sabía usted que pronunciar un indignado discurso puede llegar a ser causa de muerte?
*El asesinato de Marco Livio Druso: oh, carajo.
Maa, y ni siquiera puedo quejarme y decir que no era consciente de que eso iba a ocurrir. Argh…
*El asesinato de Quinto Servilio Cepio: bah, lo merec— er… digo… los asesinatos suceden, sí. Continuemos.
*Cayo Mario, cayendo en la locura.
Enfrentamientos contra estados vecinos y luchas protagonizadas por antiguos amigos en el horizonte. Divertido…
Cayo Mario fue el primer hombre de Roma y cónsul 6 veces. Él cumplió sus mayores sueños y se siente satisfecho, sí; vale, sufrió un infarto hace un tiempo y por culpa de tal hecho su estado físico ya no es el de antaño y se muestra malhumorado frecuentemente, pero esas son dificultades a superar, está seguro. Después de todo, tiene a su familia junto a él y a buenos y confiables amigos en los que podrá apoyarse de necesitarlo… amigos entre los cuales está incluido, sin ninguna duda, Lucio Cornelio Sila, quien fuera su mano derecha en guerras pasadas y con quien no acabará teniendo diferencias irreconciliables, no…
Y emprender un viaje acompañado por su esposa y sus hijos probablemente no le causará daño, de verdad. Y, cuando regrese, confía en que lo hará restablecido y listo para volver a las disputas senatoriales y dejar su marca en Roma otra vez, porque no permitirá que nadie sea más grande que él y al diablo las profecías, maldición.
Lucio Cornelio Sila sabe que debió ser pretor cuando presentó su candidatura, sí. Después de todo, fue desvinculándose de Cayo Mario poco a poco, su expediente militar era magnífico y hasta sus más acérrimos detractores le habían reconocido como un tipo competente… pero nooo. De algún modo, la esposa de Marco Emilio Escauro se enamoró de él y decidió empezar a acosarlo y, gracias a eso, Escauro lo colocó en su lista de enemigos y… bueno.
Esa situación, comprensiblemente, no hizo a Sila nada, nada feliz; lo que sí hizo, lamentablemente para sus futuros adversarios, fue volverlo incluso más decidido e implacable que antes. Él logrará todas sus metas, todas, y ay de aquellos que se interpongan en su camino porque, para el hombre, el fin justificará los medios y ningún medio, ninguno, estará fuera de la mesa…
Ventajas: es interesante y entretenido.
Desventajas: sigue sin tener suficientes descripciones sangrientas… y me obligó a investigar. ¡¿Cómo se atreve?! a mí nadie me obliga a hacer cosas. ¡Nadie!
Escenas y demás:
*El descubrimiento de la infidelidad de Livia Drusa y acontecimientos posteriores.
*El debate provocado por la lex Licinia Mucia: "la gente se negará a escuchar lo que no desea oír", se dice…
*Las discusiones sobre si aprobar o no la ley para conceder la ciudadanía romana a toda Italia: ay.
Mención especial a las palabras con las que Craso Orator destruyó verbalmente a Lucio Marcio Filipo, por supuesto.
En una nota relacionada, ¿sabía usted que pronunciar un indignado discurso puede llegar a ser causa de muerte?
*El asesinato de Marco Livio Druso: oh, carajo.
Maa, y ni siquiera puedo quejarme y decir que no era consciente de que eso iba a ocurrir. Argh…
*El asesinato de Quinto Servilio Cepio: bah, lo merec— er… digo… los asesinatos suceden, sí. Continuemos.
*Cayo Mario, cayendo en la locura.
Enfrentamientos contra estados vecinos y luchas protagonizadas por antiguos amigos en el horizonte. Divertido…
Cayo Mario fue el primer hombre de Roma y cónsul 6 veces. Él cumplió sus mayores sueños y se siente satisfecho, sí; vale, sufrió un infarto hace un tiempo y por culpa de tal hecho su estado físico ya no es el de antaño y se muestra malhumorado frecuentemente, pero esas son dificultades a superar, está seguro. Después de todo, tiene a su familia junto a él y a buenos y confiables amigos en los que podrá apoyarse de necesitarlo… amigos entre los cuales está incluido, sin ninguna duda, Lucio Cornelio Sila, quien fuera su mano derecha en guerras pasadas y con quien no acabará teniendo diferencias irreconciliables, no…
Y emprender un viaje acompañado por su esposa y sus hijos probablemente no le causará daño, de verdad. Y, cuando regrese, confía en que lo hará restablecido y listo para volver a las disputas senatoriales y dejar su marca en Roma otra vez, porque no permitirá que nadie sea más grande que él y al diablo las profecías, maldición.
Lucio Cornelio Sila sabe que debió ser pretor cuando presentó su candidatura, sí. Después de todo, fue desvinculándose de Cayo Mario poco a poco, su expediente militar era magnífico y hasta sus más acérrimos detractores le habían reconocido como un tipo competente… pero nooo. De algún modo, la esposa de Marco Emilio Escauro se enamoró de él y decidió empezar a acosarlo y, gracias a eso, Escauro lo colocó en su lista de enemigos y… bueno.
Esa situación, comprensiblemente, no hizo a Sila nada, nada feliz; lo que sí hizo, lamentablemente para sus futuros adversarios, fue volverlo incluso más decidido e implacable que antes. Él logrará todas sus metas, todas, y ay de aquellos que se interpongan en su camino porque, para el hombre, el fin justificará los medios y ningún medio, ninguno, estará fuera de la mesa…
August 27, 2009
Ok, I can admit it - I'm an ancient Rome junkie, and Colleen McCullough is my dealer. Nobody - not even the venerable Robert Graves, or Marguerite Yourcenar, can write a crackling, entertaining AND factually nails-on story of Ancient Roman politics, history and characters like McCullough. Thanks to her books I can describe the difference between a praetor and a consul, and understand that great Roman leaders didn't just start with Julius Caesar. This book mostly covers the period of the dictator Sulla's rise to fame, the twilight of the great Gaius Marius, and the early childhood and adolescence of both Julius Caesar and Pompey Magnus.
March 3, 2014
I am, quite frankly, in awe of the amount of research and detail that went into this book. This is how historical fiction should be: respecting the uniqueness of cultures far removed from ours, but unflinching in the face of the alienness and brutality that were inherent to these periods - unlike the pretty costume fests that historical fiction is usually. Quite frankly, after studying Greek and Roman history for a semester I vowed I'd never spent a single minute on it again (less due to the subject itself and more thanks to inept and unfriendly teachers), but I devoured and loved every single word in this book. I do wish McCullough had spent more time discussing what a monumental turn in history Sulla's decision to lead his army on Rome was - she did, of course, but the last 300 pages of the book felt rushed to me. I'd have liked to see more of Marius' decent into madness instead reading about characters telling other characters about this madness, but these are minor nitpicks in light of this fantastic series of books.
December 8, 2025
Reading 1100 pages seemed like a daunting task, but this book made it seem so easy. An absolute page turner full of rich details about the happenings of the Roman empire during the Italian conflict and friends turned foes Sulla and Gaius Marius. Can't wait to read the remaining books in the series.
July 29, 2022
I think this might be a better book than First Man in Rome, but it's hard to say. As other reviewers have mentioned, the absence of Rutilius Rufus' letters is a sad omission; on the other hand, there's a lot more dynamic conflict in this one -- Marius v Sulla, rather than Marius v. a bunch of (mostly nameless) antagonists we don't really care about.
Each of these men have strengths and weaknesses, and McCullough depicts them fantastically -- well-drawn, with complex depths that can sometimes turn up surprising results. Marius, the fading First Man who doesn't realize he's fading, and Sulla, the rising star whom you'd feel more sympathy for if it weren't for the fact that he's a (mostly) cleverly concealed sociopath (references to the "clawed creature" inside him abound).
What I found most intriguing was how relatable these people were -- when you were following each of their various perspectives, you were led step by step to understand exactly how they *thought* their actions were necessary to Save the Republic...while at the same time knowing with the wisdom of historical hindsight that in actuality they were step by step destroying everything it had meant. Marius realizes that government cannot be entrusted to a bunch of oligarchial old fuddy-duddies, so he acts to move power to the people where he thinks it belongs, demonstrating the dangerous power of demagoguery to his nephew Caesar who will make much better use of it. Sulla "restores" Rome, but at the price of marching an army into the previously-inviolable precincts of the city, setting a salutary example that others are quick (very quick) to follow.
The bloody purges of Marius are horrific -- one reads history that says, OK, pre-eminent nobles were slaughtered without distinction, but it doesn't really mean anything. This book has spent time with most of these leading figures, even if they're peripheral to the main action, so when Marius' thugs run amok and start killing them, it's a big "Holy crap I can't believe these people!" sort of moment. I do not look forward to Sulla's purges when he returns, which I recall being a lot worse.
If I had a nit to pick here, it would be that the author can sometimes get lost in describing the who's who of senators, who's marrying the other one's daughter, who's being prosecuted for treason and corruption, who's exiled, who's un-exiled, etc. But then, the Romans were themselves obsessed with this kind of litigiousness and social climbing, so perhaps all that's really saying is that McCullough is a quintessential Roman (or that I am not, in this respect). So I can't really fault her a star for that.
800+ pages flew by remarkably quickly!
Each of these men have strengths and weaknesses, and McCullough depicts them fantastically -- well-drawn, with complex depths that can sometimes turn up surprising results. Marius, the fading First Man who doesn't realize he's fading, and Sulla, the rising star whom you'd feel more sympathy for if it weren't for the fact that he's a (mostly) cleverly concealed sociopath (references to the "clawed creature" inside him abound).
What I found most intriguing was how relatable these people were -- when you were following each of their various perspectives, you were led step by step to understand exactly how they *thought* their actions were necessary to Save the Republic...while at the same time knowing with the wisdom of historical hindsight that in actuality they were step by step destroying everything it had meant. Marius realizes that government cannot be entrusted to a bunch of oligarchial old fuddy-duddies, so he acts to move power to the people where he thinks it belongs, demonstrating the dangerous power of demagoguery to his nephew Caesar who will make much better use of it. Sulla "restores" Rome, but at the price of marching an army into the previously-inviolable precincts of the city, setting a salutary example that others are quick (very quick) to follow.
The bloody purges of Marius are horrific -- one reads history that says, OK, pre-eminent nobles were slaughtered without distinction, but it doesn't really mean anything. This book has spent time with most of these leading figures, even if they're peripheral to the main action, so when Marius' thugs run amok and start killing them, it's a big "Holy crap I can't believe these people!" sort of moment. I do not look forward to Sulla's purges when he returns, which I recall being a lot worse.
If I had a nit to pick here, it would be that the author can sometimes get lost in describing the who's who of senators, who's marrying the other one's daughter, who's being prosecuted for treason and corruption, who's exiled, who's un-exiled, etc. But then, the Romans were themselves obsessed with this kind of litigiousness and social climbing, so perhaps all that's really saying is that McCullough is a quintessential Roman (or that I am not, in this respect). So I can't really fault her a star for that.
800+ pages flew by remarkably quickly!
January 8, 2009
Wow, 800 pages and where did it go? Ms. McCullough does an outstanding job of bringing Republic Rome to life. Excellent character development, fast-moving, hooking plot... and all based on true events and historic reasearch.
This second book in the series covers Lucius Cornelius Sulla's rise to being First Man, and then things go nuts!!! Blood, blood and more blood.
McCullough creates vivid, believable and lovable characters, and avoids getting bogged down in historical detail "showing off", but works in an appropriate level of detail to enrich the story without losing the strong narrative line.
Unfortunately, the parallels with modern American politics are scary and sad. (the usual quote... forget... doomed... repeat it).
Top notch Historical Fiction.
This second book in the series covers Lucius Cornelius Sulla's rise to being First Man, and then things go nuts!!! Blood, blood and more blood.
McCullough creates vivid, believable and lovable characters, and avoids getting bogged down in historical detail "showing off", but works in an appropriate level of detail to enrich the story without losing the strong narrative line.
Unfortunately, the parallels with modern American politics are scary and sad. (the usual quote... forget... doomed... repeat it).
Top notch Historical Fiction.
June 25, 2013
-Continuación de la saga que enfrenta opiniones pero que hizo mucho por el género.-
Género. Novela histórica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En la Roma del siglo I antes de Cristo, la salud y el poder de Cayo Mario empiezan a decaer mientras la estrella de Sila está en ascenso. La relación entre ambos comienza a cambiar y ciertas decisiones del Senado la complicarán todavía más. Las amenazas contra Roma y su poder están en la península itálica y también fuera de ella. Además, una serie de jóvenes romanos empiezan a destacar en el entorno social, político y militar de la república. Segundo libro de la serie Señores de Roma.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Novela histórica.
Lo que nos cuenta. En la Roma del siglo I antes de Cristo, la salud y el poder de Cayo Mario empiezan a decaer mientras la estrella de Sila está en ascenso. La relación entre ambos comienza a cambiar y ciertas decisiones del Senado la complicarán todavía más. Las amenazas contra Roma y su poder están en la península itálica y también fuera de ella. Además, una serie de jóvenes romanos empiezan a destacar en el entorno social, político y militar de la república. Segundo libro de la serie Señores de Roma.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
January 27, 2025
The Grass Crown (Masters of Rome, #2) is just as good as the first book in this series.
Colleen invites us to unravel its intricacies layer by layer. It challenges us to confront the history within the story, suggesting that those who venture into this world may emerge with a changed perspective.
Colleen invites us to unravel its intricacies layer by layer. It challenges us to confront the history within the story, suggesting that those who venture into this world may emerge with a changed perspective.
June 9, 2024
Brilliant! Such an amazing period of history. I don’t know of any other ancient history fiction which has this depth and detail, along with such pace and readability. It’s an incredible piece of writing. Five volumes to go!
November 29, 2022
... he was an inveterate Marius-hater, and proud of it.
me by the end of this book. (not really, I'm gonna miss that man, but boy did he make some CHOICES in this one).
In honor of old man Marius leaving me after 2000 pages, I'm going to share my favorite Gaius Marius memes I found on the internet (under the spoiler tag because they're not actually great memes, I just think they're mildly amusing and need to save them somewhere):
I don't think this was as good as the first book in the series. There are just too many names to keep track of and it lost me at times. But while it's slow going at times, when shit finally hits the fan in this one the book hits higher peaks than the previous book. Everything goes to hell and when you think it can't get worse, it does.
I'm still absolutely blown away by the impressive work Colleen McCullough has done here. This series is clearly so meticulously researched, and the attention to detail in every little part of it is amazing.
This book (and series in general) just proves to me that when it comes to my interest in ancient history, I would much rather read a straight up historical fiction book set in that time period than yet another retelling of some ancient myth. The retellings can be good too, and I know the lines between myth and history thousands of years ago are blurry at best, but I love diving into a masterpiece like this and then spending hours on wikipedia and old history books looking up what's (supposedly) real and what Colleen McCullough made up, and following those rabbit holes wherever they lead me.
(I mean I literally bought an ebook of The Civil Wars by Appian today because I read a footnote on wikipedia about Young Marius this one time being referred to as Gaius Marius' nephew instead of his son, and I knew I had to go straight to the 2000 year old source so I could see it for myself and analyze it.)
I need a break from ancient Rome now, because the last 200 pages really traumatized me in many ways, but hopefully in 2023 I can get through both Fortune's Favorites and Caesar's Women!
January 20, 2021
The easiest way to become an expert in the end of the roman republic, and later, the end of Ceasar, is to read this series.
Historical novels always walks a line of historical correctness and entertainment, i thought this series managed to provide both, which is an impressive feat considering the extensive amount of information available for this time-period.
This series follows the most important romans and their families for two generations.
The rise to power of the succesful battlecommander Gaius Marius, the following period under Sulla the dictator, the triumvirat between Pompeius Magnus, crassus and Ceasar, Ceasars campaigns in france and germany, his return to rome, and his murder.
Each book ends with an afterword where McCullough explains what she have made up, what is speculation, and what we know.
There are even a lot of authentic drawings based on bustes of the real people in the story.
This is my favorite, non-fantasy, series.
Really fascinating stuff..
Historical novels always walks a line of historical correctness and entertainment, i thought this series managed to provide both, which is an impressive feat considering the extensive amount of information available for this time-period.
This series follows the most important romans and their families for two generations.
The rise to power of the succesful battlecommander Gaius Marius, the following period under Sulla the dictator, the triumvirat between Pompeius Magnus, crassus and Ceasar, Ceasars campaigns in france and germany, his return to rome, and his murder.
Each book ends with an afterword where McCullough explains what she have made up, what is speculation, and what we know.
There are even a lot of authentic drawings based on bustes of the real people in the story.
This is my favorite, non-fantasy, series.
Really fascinating stuff..
December 31, 2017
Story: 10 (Long and slow-moving but always engaging)
Characters: 10 (Distinct, sympathetic, and ultimately detestable)
Accuracy: 10 (There have been changes but no casual ones)
I have to say that this was a very different sort of book from The First Man in Rome. It has, of course, the same preoccupation with the minutiae of politics, character, and marriages, but it lacks the simple central narrative of imminent invasion and one man’s necessary rise to power. Instead, this book is about a lot of things. It’s still got the account of a man rising to power, though in this case the man is Sulla rather than Marius, and the rise is gradual and murderous rather than rushed and heroic. It also has the story of a man seeking new purpose (Marius in exile), the Republic creating and ignoring new threats, political idealists and cynics manipulating the system, greedy senators seizing power, family squabbles, unruly infants, foreign kings, military campaigns throughout Italy and Asia, madness, pointless destruction, revenge, and a host of temporary issues that need dealing with.
It may sound from this like the book’s a total mess, but I actually enjoyed it more than the first one. The lack of obvious direction can be hard, but the sprawling nature of the tale works much better when it doesn’t have to tie everything to one central narrative. This story is a web of interconnected families all pushing against each other rather than the single thread of one man struggling against the world and winning. All the unrelated stories seem to grow outwards naturally, and it always feels real when they come together or end suddenly. Yet somehow there is still a clear beginning and conclusion to the stories here, and when the conclusion does come it feels like an ending and the natural result of everything that happened in the novel.
A big part of what holds it all together is Cornelius Sulla. He’s won me over completely, and I truly loath the Sulla of history. But this man is so full of hopes, unhappiness, and a thirst to prove himself that you never truly want him to fail (well, maybe just a little...). And that’s despite the constant reminders that a psychopath lurks just under his mask of civility. You want to know who Sulla is? He’s basically Daniel Plainfield from There Will Be Blood. He even looks kinda like Daniel Day-Lewis, albeit paler. Someone who can never be happy, never truly selflessly love somebody else, and who has a desire to tear down everyone who might get in his way. McCullough does a remarkable job making Sulla sympathetic but still believably awful, and he’s easily able to steal the scene from the older and simpler Marius. It seems odd to me just how long this pair continue as friends, or at least allies. It’s hard to remember when history records them as such bitter rivals, but they did work well together for far longer than they were at odds (really just a couple of years). And while Sulla and Marius are growing more distant throughout the course of the book it never feels like a break is inevitable. But that doesn’t make the eventual betrayal any less horrible or disheartening. If there is one overarching story here it is that of the passing of the torch to the next generation. But unlike most such stories the process is fraught with pain and humiliation instead of optimism and youthful enthusiasm. Perhaps that’s why I like it so.
The other characters really shine too. I’m pleased we get to see more of Scaurus here since he’s often in Marius’ camp. The man’s a delight. He comes across as a pompous and colorless personality in the history books since we have nothing really to go on, but thanks to the wonders of making things up we get to see him as a man who loves life, holds no grudges, and finds everything extremely funny. His delight in the absurdities and greed of his fellow senators makes even the most tedious of exposition shine. Even when events are moving against him he manages to laugh at it all. The extended time we get with Scaurus is enough to make up for the much decreased time we spend with the eternal gossip Rufus. And there is an entire cast of side characters that all appear as unique figures despite the complexity of their interrelationships.
If I have a character complaint it’s that Caesar (yes, that Caesar) gets the focus far too early. He’s two years old for gods’ sake! This is not helped by the fact that McCullough’s awful at writing children. They sound just like little adults. Cato, also at two, is already speaking in fully formed and grammatical sentences. I get that that’s the point and people are surprised by it, but there’s no way an infant could learn proper grammar so quickly and immediately ossociate his sense of self-worth with this scrupulous exactitude. We don’t need to be told that Caesar’s a scarily gifted child who stands out from the pack in order to believe his later rise. That can wait until he has a proper role in the novels. I doubt the truth of it anyway. Not that he wasn’t extremely smart, but he was, notoriously, a late bloomer who only managed to rise to the top by being a nonthreatening middleman for the two greatest men in Rome. Any account which tells of his heroic rise and almost preordained success from an early age is ignoring the string of failures and minor victories that characterized his initial career. And I fear that this sort of hero worship’s the direction this series is heading in. But that’s an issue for another day.
Unfortunately (for me), the novel contains much more of the sort of historical romance I assumed the whole series was when I saw it in the library years ago (with titles like Caesar's Women can you blame me?). To be more specific (since classifying any love story in a historical setting as a historical romance would leave precious few novels outside this categorization) I mean the type of story where true love always prevails, romantic partners become future wives, and the men are both super manly and super respectful of their lover’s feelings. My lack of interest in these types of stories aside, I’d class every one of those assumptions as historically dubious. The odds that every major marriage alliance among the great houses sprang from or developed into love matches is statistically improbable. A marriage was an alliance between two families. That’s why so many Romans sought romance in the arms of lovers rather than wives.
I think Harry Turtledove’s Hellenic Traders series captures the emotions of ancient romance the best: cold marriage alliances creating households of eternal emotional dissatisfaction and loneliness that could only be spiced up by the occasional dalliance or affair. After all, only with clandestine affairs could you be certain that your lover truly desired you since all other forms of contact were defined by obligation. But that’s the very opposite of romantic since such relationships were by definition temporary and led nowhere. Obviously there were the fortunate examples of married couples genuinely in love (Augustus and Livia seem a better example than the famous Antony and Cleopatra), but these were very much the exception rather than the rule. While it didn’t bother me to see Marius and Julia as one such couple in The First Man of Rome, it seems that every match (including the lone unhappy one from the last book) must get resolved happily. No. From eighteen being the earliest age a girl could get married to the idea that wife-beating was an enormous crime for a senator, Roman marriage customs have been whitewashed to make them more likeable. It’s one of the only areas where such concessions are made and I find it sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the generally more accurate depiction of Roman society.
The ending of the book is truly atrocious (I mean that in the best of ways). I had suspected it was going to pull its punches due to how it treated some of its characters (particularly the noble Marius) but it delivers the full horror of Rome’s first true civil war and then some! The immense cruelty dealt out by characters you’ve learned to trust and love (even inflicted on those closest to them for no better reason than a malicious thirst for sole glory) shakes your faith in all their achievements. Were there ever truly any ideals at play? Or was it just their personal advancement at stake? Can you ever truly trust any man fully? And as this is much the same as the sudden crisis of faith Rome finds itself in it works as a perfect capstone to the novel. Who, after all, are you supposed to side with in this mess? The Senate? A bunch of wealthy elites struggling to hang onto their total dominance of the lower classes. The Assemblies? A mob both fickle and violent with no real direction or restraint. Who are you left with but the warlords? And they clearly can’t be trusted. It’s a grimy, uncomfortable mess that we’re stuck in and it largely overturns the mostly triumphant ending of the last novel. This is, truly, the beginning of the end for the Roman Republic.
Characters: 10 (Distinct, sympathetic, and ultimately detestable)
Accuracy: 10 (There have been changes but no casual ones)
I have to say that this was a very different sort of book from The First Man in Rome. It has, of course, the same preoccupation with the minutiae of politics, character, and marriages, but it lacks the simple central narrative of imminent invasion and one man’s necessary rise to power. Instead, this book is about a lot of things. It’s still got the account of a man rising to power, though in this case the man is Sulla rather than Marius, and the rise is gradual and murderous rather than rushed and heroic. It also has the story of a man seeking new purpose (Marius in exile), the Republic creating and ignoring new threats, political idealists and cynics manipulating the system, greedy senators seizing power, family squabbles, unruly infants, foreign kings, military campaigns throughout Italy and Asia, madness, pointless destruction, revenge, and a host of temporary issues that need dealing with.
It may sound from this like the book’s a total mess, but I actually enjoyed it more than the first one. The lack of obvious direction can be hard, but the sprawling nature of the tale works much better when it doesn’t have to tie everything to one central narrative. This story is a web of interconnected families all pushing against each other rather than the single thread of one man struggling against the world and winning. All the unrelated stories seem to grow outwards naturally, and it always feels real when they come together or end suddenly. Yet somehow there is still a clear beginning and conclusion to the stories here, and when the conclusion does come it feels like an ending and the natural result of everything that happened in the novel.
A big part of what holds it all together is Cornelius Sulla. He’s won me over completely, and I truly loath the Sulla of history. But this man is so full of hopes, unhappiness, and a thirst to prove himself that you never truly want him to fail (well, maybe just a little...). And that’s despite the constant reminders that a psychopath lurks just under his mask of civility. You want to know who Sulla is? He’s basically Daniel Plainfield from There Will Be Blood. He even looks kinda like Daniel Day-Lewis, albeit paler. Someone who can never be happy, never truly selflessly love somebody else, and who has a desire to tear down everyone who might get in his way. McCullough does a remarkable job making Sulla sympathetic but still believably awful, and he’s easily able to steal the scene from the older and simpler Marius. It seems odd to me just how long this pair continue as friends, or at least allies. It’s hard to remember when history records them as such bitter rivals, but they did work well together for far longer than they were at odds (really just a couple of years). And while Sulla and Marius are growing more distant throughout the course of the book it never feels like a break is inevitable. But that doesn’t make the eventual betrayal any less horrible or disheartening. If there is one overarching story here it is that of the passing of the torch to the next generation. But unlike most such stories the process is fraught with pain and humiliation instead of optimism and youthful enthusiasm. Perhaps that’s why I like it so.
The other characters really shine too. I’m pleased we get to see more of Scaurus here since he’s often in Marius’ camp. The man’s a delight. He comes across as a pompous and colorless personality in the history books since we have nothing really to go on, but thanks to the wonders of making things up we get to see him as a man who loves life, holds no grudges, and finds everything extremely funny. His delight in the absurdities and greed of his fellow senators makes even the most tedious of exposition shine. Even when events are moving against him he manages to laugh at it all. The extended time we get with Scaurus is enough to make up for the much decreased time we spend with the eternal gossip Rufus. And there is an entire cast of side characters that all appear as unique figures despite the complexity of their interrelationships.
If I have a character complaint it’s that Caesar (yes, that Caesar) gets the focus far too early. He’s two years old for gods’ sake! This is not helped by the fact that McCullough’s awful at writing children. They sound just like little adults. Cato, also at two, is already speaking in fully formed and grammatical sentences. I get that that’s the point and people are surprised by it, but there’s no way an infant could learn proper grammar so quickly and immediately ossociate his sense of self-worth with this scrupulous exactitude. We don’t need to be told that Caesar’s a scarily gifted child who stands out from the pack in order to believe his later rise. That can wait until he has a proper role in the novels. I doubt the truth of it anyway. Not that he wasn’t extremely smart, but he was, notoriously, a late bloomer who only managed to rise to the top by being a nonthreatening middleman for the two greatest men in Rome. Any account which tells of his heroic rise and almost preordained success from an early age is ignoring the string of failures and minor victories that characterized his initial career. And I fear that this sort of hero worship’s the direction this series is heading in. But that’s an issue for another day.
Unfortunately (for me), the novel contains much more of the sort of historical romance I assumed the whole series was when I saw it in the library years ago (with titles like Caesar's Women can you blame me?). To be more specific (since classifying any love story in a historical setting as a historical romance would leave precious few novels outside this categorization) I mean the type of story where true love always prevails, romantic partners become future wives, and the men are both super manly and super respectful of their lover’s feelings. My lack of interest in these types of stories aside, I’d class every one of those assumptions as historically dubious. The odds that every major marriage alliance among the great houses sprang from or developed into love matches is statistically improbable. A marriage was an alliance between two families. That’s why so many Romans sought romance in the arms of lovers rather than wives.
I think Harry Turtledove’s Hellenic Traders series captures the emotions of ancient romance the best: cold marriage alliances creating households of eternal emotional dissatisfaction and loneliness that could only be spiced up by the occasional dalliance or affair. After all, only with clandestine affairs could you be certain that your lover truly desired you since all other forms of contact were defined by obligation. But that’s the very opposite of romantic since such relationships were by definition temporary and led nowhere. Obviously there were the fortunate examples of married couples genuinely in love (Augustus and Livia seem a better example than the famous Antony and Cleopatra), but these were very much the exception rather than the rule. While it didn’t bother me to see Marius and Julia as one such couple in The First Man of Rome, it seems that every match (including the lone unhappy one from the last book) must get resolved happily. No. From eighteen being the earliest age a girl could get married to the idea that wife-beating was an enormous crime for a senator, Roman marriage customs have been whitewashed to make them more likeable. It’s one of the only areas where such concessions are made and I find it sticks out like a sore thumb amidst the generally more accurate depiction of Roman society.
The ending of the book is truly atrocious (I mean that in the best of ways). I had suspected it was going to pull its punches due to how it treated some of its characters (particularly the noble Marius) but it delivers the full horror of Rome’s first true civil war and then some! The immense cruelty dealt out by characters you’ve learned to trust and love (even inflicted on those closest to them for no better reason than a malicious thirst for sole glory) shakes your faith in all their achievements. Were there ever truly any ideals at play? Or was it just their personal advancement at stake? Can you ever truly trust any man fully? And as this is much the same as the sudden crisis of faith Rome finds itself in it works as a perfect capstone to the novel. Who, after all, are you supposed to side with in this mess? The Senate? A bunch of wealthy elites struggling to hang onto their total dominance of the lower classes. The Assemblies? A mob both fickle and violent with no real direction or restraint. Who are you left with but the warlords? And they clearly can’t be trusted. It’s a grimy, uncomfortable mess that we’re stuck in and it largely overturns the mostly triumphant ending of the last novel. This is, truly, the beginning of the end for the Roman Republic.
March 28, 2017
A mixed bag. Flashes of genius interspersed with long stretches of tedium and density. Rise of Sulla and Fall of Gaius Marius. List of characters woefully incomplete. Line drawings good but maps and diagrams poor. I do not understand reasoning for all the very positive reviews. 2.5/5.
August 2, 2021
I first read this work 29 years ago and found my second reading of it to be just as riveting and enjoyable . McCullough is a master at bringing history to life .
April 7, 2018
Second in the “Masters of Rome” series.
This volume has a number of struggles within it: the attempt by Livius Drussus as a patrician and non-demagogue Tribune of the Plebs to gain full Roman citizenship for the Italians in the face of opposition lead by his brother in law Caepio (furious that Drussus’s sister has had an affair with an Italian, her first child by Caepio is the bitter and malicious Servillia – eventually mother of Brutus and lover of Caesar) culminating in his assassination; the resulting war with the Italians which leads to huge loss of life on both sides for little real aim as part of finishing the war is granting citizenship to any Italians not joining the war; the increasing threat of Mithradetes (the reader like the Romans initially finds it very hard to keep track of or interest in the various Asian kings and their inter-relationships); the attempt by Sulla to become a military hero in his own right and then counsel; Marius’s struggle against illness and increasing madness to secure a seventh consulship but with the aid of a dangerous assortment of allies; the struggle between Marius and Sulla for military pre-eminence – starting with the war against the Italians where Sulla comes into his own, followed by Marius engineering to have the war against Mithradetes transferred back to himself, Sulla’s invasion of Rome, Marius’s reinvasions and massacres; the struggle for power between the patrician Senate and the commercial Knights, while at the same time the increasing foreign wealth and the loyalty of head count soldiers to a general prepared to grant them public land after their service call into question the very concept of the republic and increasingly replace it with close to a military dictatorship; Marius’s attempt just before his death to prevent the prophecy about Caesar’s greatness by making him a religious person.
We also meet Young Pompey and Cicero in the entourage of the Northern general Pompey the Butcher.
This volume has a number of struggles within it: the attempt by Livius Drussus as a patrician and non-demagogue Tribune of the Plebs to gain full Roman citizenship for the Italians in the face of opposition lead by his brother in law Caepio (furious that Drussus’s sister has had an affair with an Italian, her first child by Caepio is the bitter and malicious Servillia – eventually mother of Brutus and lover of Caesar) culminating in his assassination; the resulting war with the Italians which leads to huge loss of life on both sides for little real aim as part of finishing the war is granting citizenship to any Italians not joining the war; the increasing threat of Mithradetes (the reader like the Romans initially finds it very hard to keep track of or interest in the various Asian kings and their inter-relationships); the attempt by Sulla to become a military hero in his own right and then counsel; Marius’s struggle against illness and increasing madness to secure a seventh consulship but with the aid of a dangerous assortment of allies; the struggle between Marius and Sulla for military pre-eminence – starting with the war against the Italians where Sulla comes into his own, followed by Marius engineering to have the war against Mithradetes transferred back to himself, Sulla’s invasion of Rome, Marius’s reinvasions and massacres; the struggle for power between the patrician Senate and the commercial Knights, while at the same time the increasing foreign wealth and the loyalty of head count soldiers to a general prepared to grant them public land after their service call into question the very concept of the republic and increasingly replace it with close to a military dictatorship; Marius’s attempt just before his death to prevent the prophecy about Caesar’s greatness by making him a religious person.
We also meet Young Pompey and Cicero in the entourage of the Northern general Pompey the Butcher.
November 16, 2025
Probablemente la lectura que más trabajo me supone valorar.
Generalmente, un libro de esta envergadura pero de una temática que me apasiona, me suele llevar entorno al mes y medio, y este en cambio… ¿De donde salen entonces las 5 estrellas? Seguramente, tras la lectura del primer libro de esta saga hubiese debido hacer una pausa y cambio de temática para su correcta reflexión, pero no lo hice y preferí simplemente alternarlo con otro tipo de lecturas. Así que, bajo estas circunstancias trataré de explicar mi valoración.
En esta novela, nos encontramos con un punto de vista diametralmente opuesto al que Posteguillo ha puesto de actualidad(Roma soy yo y Maldita Roma). Continuamos en la tumultuosa República Romana, pero nos hallamos ante una construcción de la personalidad de cada uno de los muchos protagonistas, que difiere en gran medida de lo que tanto este último autor como la gran generalidad nos han tratado de imbuir. Por ejemplo, encontramos a un Sila mucho más humano(al menos en sus orígenes), un Cayo Mario mucho menos inmortal y, sobre todo, al aún pequeño pero ya indomable Julio Cesar que trasmite un aire a… ¿Sila?. Si bien, lo cierto es que ante todo, aunque sigo echando en falta más desarrollo bélico, nos encontramos ante una reconstrucción de la sociedad romana simplemente majestuosa.
Ante esta visión estructural, me gustaría terminar con la pregunta que al menos yo me he hecho, (que probablemente sea la mejor explicación posible al porqué de mi valoración): ¿Es esta visión de la autora en torno a los protagonistas, la más fiel a la desconocida realidad?.
Supongo que nunca lo sabremos, pero lo cierto es que el punto de vista que entiendo que trata de transmitir, de que ni los buenos son tan buenos, ni los malos son tan malos, quizá, siempre sea el más adecuado ante cualquier contexto histórico o contemporáneo. Quizás.
Generalmente, un libro de esta envergadura pero de una temática que me apasiona, me suele llevar entorno al mes y medio, y este en cambio… ¿De donde salen entonces las 5 estrellas? Seguramente, tras la lectura del primer libro de esta saga hubiese debido hacer una pausa y cambio de temática para su correcta reflexión, pero no lo hice y preferí simplemente alternarlo con otro tipo de lecturas. Así que, bajo estas circunstancias trataré de explicar mi valoración.
En esta novela, nos encontramos con un punto de vista diametralmente opuesto al que Posteguillo ha puesto de actualidad(Roma soy yo y Maldita Roma). Continuamos en la tumultuosa República Romana, pero nos hallamos ante una construcción de la personalidad de cada uno de los muchos protagonistas, que difiere en gran medida de lo que tanto este último autor como la gran generalidad nos han tratado de imbuir. Por ejemplo, encontramos a un Sila mucho más humano(al menos en sus orígenes), un Cayo Mario mucho menos inmortal y, sobre todo, al aún pequeño pero ya indomable Julio Cesar que trasmite un aire a… ¿Sila?. Si bien, lo cierto es que ante todo, aunque sigo echando en falta más desarrollo bélico, nos encontramos ante una reconstrucción de la sociedad romana simplemente majestuosa.
Ante esta visión estructural, me gustaría terminar con la pregunta que al menos yo me he hecho, (que probablemente sea la mejor explicación posible al porqué de mi valoración): ¿Es esta visión de la autora en torno a los protagonistas, la más fiel a la desconocida realidad?.
Supongo que nunca lo sabremos, pero lo cierto es que el punto de vista que entiendo que trata de transmitir, de que ni los buenos son tan buenos, ni los malos son tan malos, quizá, siempre sea el más adecuado ante cualquier contexto histórico o contemporáneo. Quizás.
March 5, 2011
I was a horrible classics student. I barely read the books and I couldn't remember the dates or names of anything other than the obvious characters and events. But I could remember fun details and things that were amusing to me. Killing someone by pouring molten gold down their throat is one of those things.
So when Mithridiates tells a consul (who knows what his name was, SEE? SEE?!) "you'll get your precious gold," I squealed "OH SHIT!" clapped my hands with glee, and giggled for the rest of the scene.
There might be something seriously wrong with my psychology. But when I told Patty, the one who lent me the book, all this, she just said "psh, that's why we're friends." So I might be psychotic but I'm not alone.
I still like Sulla. Even though he murders people because he gets bored.
And I'm glad he didn't get killed (yet) because I still want more. Yes, even though he broke up with Metrobius.
So much happens in this book, which is good since it's a thousand fucking pages, but it's odd to look back on things that happened and realize they're all in the same book. They seemed to happen so long ago.
But, luckily, there were more characters to care about, so I wasn't bored for their storylines. It was upsetting in the middle, when all the good people started to die but my Sulla remained so I soldiered on.
So when Mithridiates tells a consul (who knows what his name was, SEE? SEE?!) "you'll get your precious gold," I squealed "OH SHIT!" clapped my hands with glee, and giggled for the rest of the scene.
There might be something seriously wrong with my psychology. But when I told Patty, the one who lent me the book, all this, she just said "psh, that's why we're friends." So I might be psychotic but I'm not alone.
I still like Sulla. Even though he murders people because he gets bored.
And I'm glad he didn't get killed (yet) because I still want more. Yes, even though he broke up with Metrobius.
So much happens in this book, which is good since it's a thousand fucking pages, but it's odd to look back on things that happened and realize they're all in the same book. They seemed to happen so long ago.
But, luckily, there were more characters to care about, so I wasn't bored for their storylines. It was upsetting in the middle, when all the good people started to die but my Sulla remained so I soldiered on.
June 25, 2021
To anyone intimidated by the size of this book, it is worth it. Just know that the first 190 pages are a bit slow, consisting mostly of two story lines - a description of a vacation by Gaius Marius (one of the main protagonists) and an affair by Livia Drusa (a minor character), both of which oddly have little bearing on the remainder of the book.
However, at that point it quickly gets into it's rai·son d'ê·tre - the civil war waged from 91 to 87 BC between Rome and it's Italian allies. Most of Rome's patricians strongly opposed the the citizenship demands of their allies leading to a war that devastated Italy and ultimately led to a clash of titans - Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla - and their respective allies.
Colleen does a fantastic job making the reader visualize the cruelty and carnage that resulted from both the Italian Civil War and the battles for Rome that followed and, even though the sheer size of the cast and often subtle changes in cognomens (in Latin no less) makes it challenging to keep track of all the characters, she somehow manages to build emotional connections with the principal figures.
I enjoyed both of the first two books in this series and am looking forward to the third.
However, at that point it quickly gets into it's rai·son d'ê·tre - the civil war waged from 91 to 87 BC between Rome and it's Italian allies. Most of Rome's patricians strongly opposed the the citizenship demands of their allies leading to a war that devastated Italy and ultimately led to a clash of titans - Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla - and their respective allies.
Colleen does a fantastic job making the reader visualize the cruelty and carnage that resulted from both the Italian Civil War and the battles for Rome that followed and, even though the sheer size of the cast and often subtle changes in cognomens (in Latin no less) makes it challenging to keep track of all the characters, she somehow manages to build emotional connections with the principal figures.
I enjoyed both of the first two books in this series and am looking forward to the third.
August 31, 2015
I love this series! McCullough is such a good writer...her pacing, characterization, and style are all fantastic. I also enjoy reading about a period of ancient Rome that I am not as familiar with. I did enjoy "The First Man in Rome" slightly more than this one; I think because there was more of a "rise to glory" theme in the first book as opposed to this one's "fall from grace." Still so fantastic though.
June 9, 2023
I've always found the Italian Civil War very confusing. I still find it very confusing, but I think I understand it a little better now.
September 14, 2025
Alors que le royaume du Pont se fait de plus en plus menaçant, la question de la citoyenneté des alliés agite les peuples d'Italie, mettant Rome en danger.
Encore une excellente lecture, qui revient cette fois-ci sur la fin de carrière de Marius et l'ascension de Sylla. C'est un plaisir constant de suivre les grandes étapes de l'histoire romaine, que ce soit dans ses rapports avec Mithridate du Pont ou bien dans la guerre sociale qui menace de raser Rome. Une fois encore, le style est simple mais efficace car l'Histoire se suffit à elle-même pour fournir une intrigue prenante.
Les dix derniers pourcent du roman sont d'ailleurs le point culminant et on sent toute la folie de cette période où la République romaine ne semble plus tenir et s'offrir à celui qui voudra briser un tabou et prendre le pouvoir. Les meurtres s'enchaînent et le lecteur peu renseigné y trouvera certainement un suspense haletant (le lecteur plus érudit sera quant à lui hélas privé du suspense, l'autrice adapte certes l'Histoire mais elle la respecte).
La fuite de Marius à un moment est d'ailleurs quand on y réfléchit assez formidable tellement on pourrait croire qu'il s'agit d'une invention et non d'un fait réel.
Les personnages participent pour beaucoup à la réussite de ce roman. Nous avons un Caius Marius héroïque qui va peu à peu entamer son déclin physique et mental face à Sylla, personnage détestable par bien des aspects, à commencer par ses rapports avec les femmes, mais que l'on peut difficilement condamner lorsqu'il finit par s'élever contre Marius. Cette dualité est bien retranscrite, notre opinion des deux personnages fluctuant selon les événements. Comment ne pas citer aussi Drusus, un personnage que j'avais un peu négligé dans le premier tome mais qui prend ici une importance de premier plan et est magnifique, jusqu'aux derniers mots prononcés lors de son arc scénaristique. Seul impair à mes yeux : le futur Jules César qui est trop parfait. C'est bien simple, il étonne tellement les adultes à deux ans qu'un précepteur accepte de le prendre en charge malgré d'autres activités plus prestigieuses et lucratives à sa portée. Je trouve que l'autrice en fait bien trop avec ce personnage.
Ce tome est également un tome de transition entre l'ancienne et la jeune génération du monde politique romain. C'est donc avec émotion que nous voyons les personnages que nous avons suivi durant deux tomes disparaître petit à petit au profit de nouveaux venus aux noms qui marqueront l'Histoire romaine : Pompée, Cicéron, César.
J'ai désormais hâte de suivre la période de la dictature de Sylla !
Encore une excellente lecture, qui revient cette fois-ci sur la fin de carrière de Marius et l'ascension de Sylla. C'est un plaisir constant de suivre les grandes étapes de l'histoire romaine, que ce soit dans ses rapports avec Mithridate du Pont ou bien dans la guerre sociale qui menace de raser Rome. Une fois encore, le style est simple mais efficace car l'Histoire se suffit à elle-même pour fournir une intrigue prenante.
Les dix derniers pourcent du roman sont d'ailleurs le point culminant et on sent toute la folie de cette période où la République romaine ne semble plus tenir et s'offrir à celui qui voudra briser un tabou et prendre le pouvoir. Les meurtres s'enchaînent et le lecteur peu renseigné y trouvera certainement un suspense haletant (le lecteur plus érudit sera quant à lui hélas privé du suspense, l'autrice adapte certes l'Histoire mais elle la respecte).
La fuite de Marius à un moment est d'ailleurs quand on y réfléchit assez formidable tellement on pourrait croire qu'il s'agit d'une invention et non d'un fait réel.
Les personnages participent pour beaucoup à la réussite de ce roman. Nous avons un Caius Marius héroïque qui va peu à peu entamer son déclin physique et mental face à Sylla, personnage détestable par bien des aspects, à commencer par ses rapports avec les femmes, mais que l'on peut difficilement condamner lorsqu'il finit par s'élever contre Marius. Cette dualité est bien retranscrite, notre opinion des deux personnages fluctuant selon les événements. Comment ne pas citer aussi Drusus, un personnage que j'avais un peu négligé dans le premier tome mais qui prend ici une importance de premier plan et est magnifique, jusqu'aux derniers mots prononcés lors de son arc scénaristique. Seul impair à mes yeux : le futur Jules César qui est trop parfait. C'est bien simple, il étonne tellement les adultes à deux ans qu'un précepteur accepte de le prendre en charge malgré d'autres activités plus prestigieuses et lucratives à sa portée. Je trouve que l'autrice en fait bien trop avec ce personnage.
Ce tome est également un tome de transition entre l'ancienne et la jeune génération du monde politique romain. C'est donc avec émotion que nous voyons les personnages que nous avons suivi durant deux tomes disparaître petit à petit au profit de nouveaux venus aux noms qui marqueront l'Histoire romaine : Pompée, Cicéron, César.
J'ai désormais hâte de suivre la période de la dictature de Sylla !
March 20, 2021
not as ridiculously over-the-top fun as the first one, but still way more fun than it had any right to be. I think the only reason I liked this one just a little less is the fact that it dragged occasionally, here and there, which threw a hitch into the pacing. having said that, it was still wonderful - the characters are dynamic, the history feels fresh and alive, the politics are complicated, and the relationships are rich. I will be reading the next one very soon, and I'd absolutely recommend these books to anyone interested in this period of history.
March 25, 2022
I have nothing bad to say about this book. Nothing. It's brilliant. I have never read a book about these historical figures written in such a way, I can almost see and feel them, fear them, feel bad for them, admire them, and wish them dead all a the same time. Masterfully done.
I can't wait to read the next book.
I can't wait to read the next book.
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