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Divine Julius
A fascinating insight into the minds of Caesar and his two great opponents, Cicero and Cato the Younger, written in the brisk and immediate style imitating Caesar’s own. A portrait of the overwhelming drive to power on the one hand and the heart-wrenching moral compromise on the other.
Divine Julius was a literary sensation when it first appeared behind the Iron Curtain and was immediately selected for a major literary award, only to be suppressed by a decision made at the highest levels of communist political power because it was seen as too revealing of the mechanisms of moral accommodation with evil. The publication history of the book has reflected the shifts in political power in Eastern Europe. Eventually published in a dozen languages, it was republished (and always sold out) in the periods of relative liberation, then banned again during returns to autocracy (and then passed secretly hand to hand like contraband).
And yet, for all its political relevance, the book is a literary classic, on account of its narrative style alone. Never published in English for political reasons, it comes to you here for the first time ever.
Divine Julius was a literary sensation when it first appeared behind the Iron Curtain and was immediately selected for a major literary award, only to be suppressed by a decision made at the highest levels of communist political power because it was seen as too revealing of the mechanisms of moral accommodation with evil. The publication history of the book has reflected the shifts in political power in Eastern Europe. Eventually published in a dozen languages, it was republished (and always sold out) in the periods of relative liberation, then banned again during returns to autocracy (and then passed secretly hand to hand like contraband).
And yet, for all its political relevance, the book is a literary classic, on account of its narrative style alone. Never published in English for political reasons, it comes to you here for the first time ever.
- GenresHistorical
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1962
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35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 27, 2022
Divine Julius is a fascinating work that touches upon the life of Julius Caesar, but with a specific purpose—the author, Jacek Bocheński, is playing the role of an antiquary. His question is: how does one become a god? Namely, what are the actions and obstacles overcome that result in Caesar’s divinity? This isn’t so much a scholarly work—he does call himself an antiquary, not a scholar—but more of a reflection on the major events leading up to Caesar’s end. Particularly interesting, and noted in footnotes, are the implicit comparisons drawn between the end of Republican-era Rome and the contemporary political climate of 1960s Poland. It is hardly a wonder that the censors did not appreciate Bocheński writing this, but it does make it all the more interesting—perhaps the Streisand effect in action.
The book functions as a series of snippets from Caesar’s life, not necessarily in chronological order. It begins with the familiar Gallic Wars—those of us who recognize the Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres are sure to enjoy these sections. Bocheński analyzes the state of mind that may have led to some of Caesar’s actions in these conflicts (and others later on in the book). The end of the book is of course a final look at the death of Caesar, but notably contrasted with his ‘nemesis’, Cato the Younger. In between, we also have some enjoyable interludes from everybody’s favorite elegist, Catullus, and a brief look at the rising star of Caesar in his earlier days (including the salacious gossip).
I started reading this and got hit with likely-Covid shortly after, so my enthusiasm for reading this book came in waves—and hence took me a bit longer than expected. Perhaps because of this, I found the disjointed narrative a bit difficult to get into. That is not to say I wasn’t intrigued by it—it made me nostalgic to read Caesar again, which is something I don’t think any other book could do. I also found Bocheński’s commentary on some of the psychological profiles, so to speak, a bit confusing and downright disagreeable at times. He’s happy to use Cicero as a character prop to make statements about political attitudes, but is completely dismissive of his Academic Skepticism—I can imagine, purely to make his point. It just felt a little dishonest to write Cicero saying: ‘Appreciate how much I have attained by conquering my native skepticism and signing up to a particular view.’ That is but a short point; I didn’t always agree with his other characterizations either, but some of them were quite on point—and even humorous, when it came to some of the comments about Caesar.
This is somewhat a tricky book to evaluate. Its narrative charm, Bocheński as antiquary, is enjoyable, but it is hard for me to conceptualize how much someone who isn’t already well-read in the classics and ancient Rome would get out of this. Since the book is disjointed, it isn’t exactly a life of Caesar, and thus I can imagine a lot of things going over the casual reader. On the other hand, it is a fascinating look into Bocheński’s Poland, with subtle undertones and critiques aimed at the authoritarian regime and politicians, but without the footnotes I would have been largely ignorant of how that has influenced the author as well. If you aren’t in the know—then this work can come across as somewhat superficial. The ending also leaves off somewhat abruptly, and I found myself not entirely convinced by the ‘frame’ of the book—that of an antiquary searching for answers as to ‘how to become a god’. What exactly was the author’s purpose for using this frame, and how much of the ending should we take as a concrete answer to this exploration? I am still wondering on these points.
All in all, a solid and fairly enjoyable read for me, though not without some points of contention. I would recommend this book with caveats that it is suited for the right kind of reader—definitely pick it up if the blurb even remotely pulls you in as it did me.
Disclaimer: Thank you to translator Tom Pinch for providing an advanced copy of this book. This review reflects only personal thoughts and reflections and is not compensatory.
The book functions as a series of snippets from Caesar’s life, not necessarily in chronological order. It begins with the familiar Gallic Wars—those of us who recognize the Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres are sure to enjoy these sections. Bocheński analyzes the state of mind that may have led to some of Caesar’s actions in these conflicts (and others later on in the book). The end of the book is of course a final look at the death of Caesar, but notably contrasted with his ‘nemesis’, Cato the Younger. In between, we also have some enjoyable interludes from everybody’s favorite elegist, Catullus, and a brief look at the rising star of Caesar in his earlier days (including the salacious gossip).
I started reading this and got hit with likely-Covid shortly after, so my enthusiasm for reading this book came in waves—and hence took me a bit longer than expected. Perhaps because of this, I found the disjointed narrative a bit difficult to get into. That is not to say I wasn’t intrigued by it—it made me nostalgic to read Caesar again, which is something I don’t think any other book could do. I also found Bocheński’s commentary on some of the psychological profiles, so to speak, a bit confusing and downright disagreeable at times. He’s happy to use Cicero as a character prop to make statements about political attitudes, but is completely dismissive of his Academic Skepticism—I can imagine, purely to make his point. It just felt a little dishonest to write Cicero saying: ‘Appreciate how much I have attained by conquering my native skepticism and signing up to a particular view.’ That is but a short point; I didn’t always agree with his other characterizations either, but some of them were quite on point—and even humorous, when it came to some of the comments about Caesar.
This is somewhat a tricky book to evaluate. Its narrative charm, Bocheński as antiquary, is enjoyable, but it is hard for me to conceptualize how much someone who isn’t already well-read in the classics and ancient Rome would get out of this. Since the book is disjointed, it isn’t exactly a life of Caesar, and thus I can imagine a lot of things going over the casual reader. On the other hand, it is a fascinating look into Bocheński’s Poland, with subtle undertones and critiques aimed at the authoritarian regime and politicians, but without the footnotes I would have been largely ignorant of how that has influenced the author as well. If you aren’t in the know—then this work can come across as somewhat superficial. The ending also leaves off somewhat abruptly, and I found myself not entirely convinced by the ‘frame’ of the book—that of an antiquary searching for answers as to ‘how to become a god’. What exactly was the author’s purpose for using this frame, and how much of the ending should we take as a concrete answer to this exploration? I am still wondering on these points.
All in all, a solid and fairly enjoyable read for me, though not without some points of contention. I would recommend this book with caveats that it is suited for the right kind of reader—definitely pick it up if the blurb even remotely pulls you in as it did me.
Disclaimer: Thank you to translator Tom Pinch for providing an advanced copy of this book. This review reflects only personal thoughts and reflections and is not compensatory.
September 14, 2022
When this book first appeared behind the Iron Curtain, it caused a furor. Critical reception was enthusiastic, and a major award was preannounced. Then came a secret order from above to kill it. The text was deemed... **politically subversive**. The dictator of the day did not like a book talking about power cynically, explaining how one overturns a republic by hollowing out her institutions and corrupting the elites into acquiescence.
I have been reading this book on and off all my life. I find its psychological analysis of the major political players of the era fascinating, its moral message compelling, and its style (consciously imitating that of Caesar) delightful.
I have been reading this book on and off all my life. I find its psychological analysis of the major political players of the era fascinating, its moral message compelling, and its style (consciously imitating that of Caesar) delightful.
February 10, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
.
Divine Julius How to Become a God in Four Easy Steps is a fiction novel form Jacek Bocheński about the rise and fall of Julius Caesar written in Poland during the time it was ruled by a communist regime and part of the Warsaw Pact.
When starting to Read Divine Julius, I was expecting an historical novel about the Roman Empire and in particular Julius Caesar, similar to what historical fiction that has been published before.
However what Devine Julius is, translated parts of Latin writings at the time with commentary by Jacek Bocheński which is ideal for an one who wants to read those documents but can not read the latin translation and wants a writer explaining what it means.
If the book would have been marketed as such it would have been worth about four stars as it is a competent piece of writing on Rome during the time of Julius Caesar. But as this is marketed as a fiction it does not deserve this grade,
To me the best part of the book was the introduction which discusses the books relevance to the culture of Poland during the cold war.although that just makes the book worse as the introduction should not be the best part of the book.
.
Divine Julius How to Become a God in Four Easy Steps is a fiction novel form Jacek Bocheński about the rise and fall of Julius Caesar written in Poland during the time it was ruled by a communist regime and part of the Warsaw Pact.
When starting to Read Divine Julius, I was expecting an historical novel about the Roman Empire and in particular Julius Caesar, similar to what historical fiction that has been published before.
However what Devine Julius is, translated parts of Latin writings at the time with commentary by Jacek Bocheński which is ideal for an one who wants to read those documents but can not read the latin translation and wants a writer explaining what it means.
If the book would have been marketed as such it would have been worth about four stars as it is a competent piece of writing on Rome during the time of Julius Caesar. But as this is marketed as a fiction it does not deserve this grade,
To me the best part of the book was the introduction which discusses the books relevance to the culture of Poland during the cold war.although that just makes the book worse as the introduction should not be the best part of the book.
September 16, 2023
I loved this quirky, non-linear exploration of Julius Caesar. The writing was vivid, really bringing Caesar, Cato, Cicero and the rest to life.
The author starts off with Caesar’s quest for Divinity, through mass murder, manipulation, and seduction. We move backwards and forwards in time to consider his life, and his writing, and other accounts.
It’s not your usual non-fiction account of the word’s most famous General! My only complaint- I could have spent a lot more time with this author’s version of Caesar. It was over all too soon.
Highly recommended for Ancient Roman enthusiasts- fiction and non-fiction readers alike.
The author starts off with Caesar’s quest for Divinity, through mass murder, manipulation, and seduction. We move backwards and forwards in time to consider his life, and his writing, and other accounts.
It’s not your usual non-fiction account of the word’s most famous General! My only complaint- I could have spent a lot more time with this author’s version of Caesar. It was over all too soon.
Highly recommended for Ancient Roman enthusiasts- fiction and non-fiction readers alike.
September 10, 2022
So many things to say - but should not, because this review is not about Cesar, it is about the book.
It is an interesting 1-2-3: 1 take on politics, 2 angles on understanding Cesar as he saw himself versus as the others saw him, and 3 points of view on his character - his troops, his people and his opponents. Also, 1 part history, 2 parts biography and 3 parts philosophy (on democracy, on human nature and on the soul).
Ergo - so many things I like about it! It shows insight, it skilfully alludes and cleverly presents, it touches and skims all kinds of aspects and subjects with facts and smoke, brilliantly summing and obscurely analyzing. Like:
"He had worked out by then the great conception of his life, which, to put in simplest terms, was this: the dictator of Rome shall be a liberal; all civil wars will be won by a pacifist; and: the Republic will be destroyed most effectively by preserving its institutions. Only two things were needed to attain all these goals: an army and money. Besides, it is important to keep in mind that dictators are not installed by soldiers or bankers; they are installed by enthusiastic crowds."
or
"Silly fight this, he thought, as silly as the opponent. What chance of success do these shows of honesty and self-denial have today, these things Cato puts on? The people do not demand pure hearts. The people want bread. Land reform is needed. Moralists’ eccentricities won’t feed the hungry. Cato can stand there and speak all day, his show will not satisfy the people. Now circus, that is another matter. Some sort of lions, gladiators—yes, that works. Strong emotions do allow the poor to forget about their hunger. But not this one-man act, however cute the actor. It’s just too boring."
or
"After all, what does it mean: “good”? Or “best”? What does this word mean, the word which everyone uses, even Atticus? Of course, in life, there may exist good (decent) individuals, but in the course of political struggle, the question arises: are there “good” social classes? And why are they so very good that one should fight in their defense? Is the Senate “good”? Just look at the brilliant result of its work. Or perhaps the tax collectors are “good”? Those robbers in broad daylight, totally sold out to Caesar? Or the great bankers? No? Then who? The peasants? But the peasants just want one thing: to be left alone. They will accept monarchy as readily as any other form of government, as long as they are free to live their lives."
or:
”Well then, do opposites, asks Socrates, say smallness and greatness, heat and cold, evenness and oddity, do they concord or do they discord? They discord. Right. And do these qualities inhere in objects? For instance, does smallness inhere in small objects? Or redness in red objects? Of course, they do. And what must inhere in a body so that the body may be alive? The soul. Right. And is there an opposite of life? Yes. What is it? Death. Now, let us double-check. Evenness cannot assume the quality of oddity? No, it cannot. And therefore can another idea, in this case, the soul, assume the quality of its opposite? No. Is the soul immortal then? Why, of course. Well then, the thing has been proven, yes? “Wholly and completely, Socrates,” says Cebes. All must agree with this argument, all men and all gods."
I always dislike generalization, because every "in general" is made of particulars, which in turn are white or black with a whole range of greys in between. Who is to judge the light or the absence of light? Who has a right to throw the first stone?
If, in the end, I got to decide whether Cesar was white, black or grey, that's for me to know and you to find out!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It is an interesting 1-2-3: 1 take on politics, 2 angles on understanding Cesar as he saw himself versus as the others saw him, and 3 points of view on his character - his troops, his people and his opponents. Also, 1 part history, 2 parts biography and 3 parts philosophy (on democracy, on human nature and on the soul).
Ergo - so many things I like about it! It shows insight, it skilfully alludes and cleverly presents, it touches and skims all kinds of aspects and subjects with facts and smoke, brilliantly summing and obscurely analyzing. Like:
"He had worked out by then the great conception of his life, which, to put in simplest terms, was this: the dictator of Rome shall be a liberal; all civil wars will be won by a pacifist; and: the Republic will be destroyed most effectively by preserving its institutions. Only two things were needed to attain all these goals: an army and money. Besides, it is important to keep in mind that dictators are not installed by soldiers or bankers; they are installed by enthusiastic crowds."
or
"Silly fight this, he thought, as silly as the opponent. What chance of success do these shows of honesty and self-denial have today, these things Cato puts on? The people do not demand pure hearts. The people want bread. Land reform is needed. Moralists’ eccentricities won’t feed the hungry. Cato can stand there and speak all day, his show will not satisfy the people. Now circus, that is another matter. Some sort of lions, gladiators—yes, that works. Strong emotions do allow the poor to forget about their hunger. But not this one-man act, however cute the actor. It’s just too boring."
or
"After all, what does it mean: “good”? Or “best”? What does this word mean, the word which everyone uses, even Atticus? Of course, in life, there may exist good (decent) individuals, but in the course of political struggle, the question arises: are there “good” social classes? And why are they so very good that one should fight in their defense? Is the Senate “good”? Just look at the brilliant result of its work. Or perhaps the tax collectors are “good”? Those robbers in broad daylight, totally sold out to Caesar? Or the great bankers? No? Then who? The peasants? But the peasants just want one thing: to be left alone. They will accept monarchy as readily as any other form of government, as long as they are free to live their lives."
or:
”Well then, do opposites, asks Socrates, say smallness and greatness, heat and cold, evenness and oddity, do they concord or do they discord? They discord. Right. And do these qualities inhere in objects? For instance, does smallness inhere in small objects? Or redness in red objects? Of course, they do. And what must inhere in a body so that the body may be alive? The soul. Right. And is there an opposite of life? Yes. What is it? Death. Now, let us double-check. Evenness cannot assume the quality of oddity? No, it cannot. And therefore can another idea, in this case, the soul, assume the quality of its opposite? No. Is the soul immortal then? Why, of course. Well then, the thing has been proven, yes? “Wholly and completely, Socrates,” says Cebes. All must agree with this argument, all men and all gods."
I always dislike generalization, because every "in general" is made of particulars, which in turn are white or black with a whole range of greys in between. Who is to judge the light or the absence of light? Who has a right to throw the first stone?
If, in the end, I got to decide whether Cesar was white, black or grey, that's for me to know and you to find out!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 21, 2022
Fascinating but difficult read
This was a tough but rewarding reading experience. The best of the book, IMHO, was reading Caesar in his own words: a remote historical figure became a flesh and blood man - a military tactician who spoke in terse commands and outline of strategies - Julius Caesar was a man of actions rather than words, but with a Machiavellian mind. He detested equally pompous, empty idealism and self-serving political posturing. He underlined the existence of a corrupt republic while exploiting its empty forms. The difficulty here was the "antiquarian" - the author whose strange selection of excerpted writings from Caesar's contemporaries confused more than lightened me. I'm afraid I gained a good understanding of a brilliant man's drive to acquire and wield temporal power, and a somewhat clearer picture of the ineffectiveness of his opponents' arguments against him (Brutus' dagger excepted, of course). As to an understanding of Caesar's so-called divinity - the evidence failed to move me either for or against: Divinity, like beauty, must reside in the eye of the beholder. I can behold no more divinity in pragmatic Gaius Julius' petty vanities, Machiavellian mercies, and populist leanings, than I do in the epilogue's depiction of Cato's true devotion to the dying republic, noble but ineffective adherence to principle, and heroic refusal to surrender (he committed suicide, the ultimate Roman act of defiance) to Caesar. So, this is my unbiased ARC review. Do I recommend this book? YES. It is not entertainment, the writing at times is dense and confusing - but I know more and understand better than ever the mind and the deeds of a man who drove history onto the path of his own choosing.
This was a tough but rewarding reading experience. The best of the book, IMHO, was reading Caesar in his own words: a remote historical figure became a flesh and blood man - a military tactician who spoke in terse commands and outline of strategies - Julius Caesar was a man of actions rather than words, but with a Machiavellian mind. He detested equally pompous, empty idealism and self-serving political posturing. He underlined the existence of a corrupt republic while exploiting its empty forms. The difficulty here was the "antiquarian" - the author whose strange selection of excerpted writings from Caesar's contemporaries confused more than lightened me. I'm afraid I gained a good understanding of a brilliant man's drive to acquire and wield temporal power, and a somewhat clearer picture of the ineffectiveness of his opponents' arguments against him (Brutus' dagger excepted, of course). As to an understanding of Caesar's so-called divinity - the evidence failed to move me either for or against: Divinity, like beauty, must reside in the eye of the beholder. I can behold no more divinity in pragmatic Gaius Julius' petty vanities, Machiavellian mercies, and populist leanings, than I do in the epilogue's depiction of Cato's true devotion to the dying republic, noble but ineffective adherence to principle, and heroic refusal to surrender (he committed suicide, the ultimate Roman act of defiance) to Caesar. So, this is my unbiased ARC review. Do I recommend this book? YES. It is not entertainment, the writing at times is dense and confusing - but I know more and understand better than ever the mind and the deeds of a man who drove history onto the path of his own choosing.
September 18, 2022
I really enjoyed this book about Caesar.
Well written and referring to the works of Caesar and Plutarch.
The book starts with De Bello Gallico as starting point and gives the facts and tribulations from the war in Gaul.
The book tells the story in a modern way with critique and you can see the war in front of your very eyes. The second part goes about the Civil War, when Caesar takes power over the Roman Republic, defeating Pompey.
The third part goes about Caesar`s love life>
We have some intermezzo with the poet Catullus during the chapters.
Then comes the end game, Caesar defeats the Republic and finally Cato and there comes in Plutarch with final moments of the Great Cato and his final reading of Plato`s Phaedo.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Well written and referring to the works of Caesar and Plutarch.
The book starts with De Bello Gallico as starting point and gives the facts and tribulations from the war in Gaul.
The book tells the story in a modern way with critique and you can see the war in front of your very eyes. The second part goes about the Civil War, when Caesar takes power over the Roman Republic, defeating Pompey.
The third part goes about Caesar`s love life>
We have some intermezzo with the poet Catullus during the chapters.
Then comes the end game, Caesar defeats the Republic and finally Cato and there comes in Plutarch with final moments of the Great Cato and his final reading of Plato`s Phaedo.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 15, 2022
With a title like "how to become a God in four easy steps", I was intrigued to say the least. The steps are "easy" enough, but I wouldn't want to actually do them. If you are a Julius Ceasar fan, you are going to want to read this book though. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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