Rebecca Moll's Blog - Posts Tagged "caesar"
Funeral Games, Thoughts upon reading Caesar's Women, a Novel by Colleen McCullough, by Rebecca Moll
Funeral Games - Sound a little morbidly garish? Well, not to the Greeks or the Romans.
A way to honor their beloved deceased, funeral games were a show of admiration, where the extravagance and cost of the occasion was a measure of their devotion. Julius Caesar famously held such an event including competitions, such as wrestling and battling gladiators, during the ludi Romani (festival in September) in the year 65 BC. While still a rising star in the senate and yet to become the first man in Rome, Caesar's homage to his father was an sneak-peek into the man behind the end of the Roman Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire.
This tradition, Greek in origin, began with Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC and ironically (as the the Romans fully embraced this tradition they also brought about its end), ended with the closing of the Hellenistic Period (Greek) 31 BC, when Rome captured the last Hellenistic kingdom of Lagid in Egypt.
I, for one, am happy that gladiators are a thing of the past (I do have a 19 year old son) and even more so, that wrestling is alive and well ( I do have a 19 year old wrestler), many times in honor of a beloved deceased.
In absence of any further meaningful connection to today, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (of yester' and today)," and "Let the Funeral Games begin..."
A way to honor their beloved deceased, funeral games were a show of admiration, where the extravagance and cost of the occasion was a measure of their devotion. Julius Caesar famously held such an event including competitions, such as wrestling and battling gladiators, during the ludi Romani (festival in September) in the year 65 BC. While still a rising star in the senate and yet to become the first man in Rome, Caesar's homage to his father was an sneak-peek into the man behind the end of the Roman Republic and the birth of the Roman Empire.
This tradition, Greek in origin, began with Alexander the Great's death in 323 BC and ironically (as the the Romans fully embraced this tradition they also brought about its end), ended with the closing of the Hellenistic Period (Greek) 31 BC, when Rome captured the last Hellenistic kingdom of Lagid in Egypt.
I, for one, am happy that gladiators are a thing of the past (I do have a 19 year old son) and even more so, that wrestling is alive and well ( I do have a 19 year old wrestler), many times in honor of a beloved deceased.
In absence of any further meaningful connection to today, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (of yester' and today)," and "Let the Funeral Games begin..."
Caesar's Women (Masters of Rome #4) by Colleen McCollough, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
My first foray into Roman history, I have ready, my next conquest, Colleen McCullough's First Man in Rome. I have joined the throng of plebs that find anything and everything about Caesar fascinating. In starting at the end of the series, Masters of Rome, I will now move onto the first. I am a time travel hopper, a binocular spotter, a historical plotter, an out of water otter. I find this method of attack, this guerrilla foray, a fun and interesting way to discover the past.
Never fear, fellow novice to Roman reading, an exceptional glossary makes light the task. This novel, woven in and around the noble women of Rome is both captivating and thought provoking. Oh, the influence of Rome, over 2000 years later, part of the very fabric of today's western world, the very streets we tread, the very laws with which we govern.
But it is McCullough's characters that nail you to this novel, provoke laughter out loud, make the pages fly. The politics, intrigue, masterminding, collusion, pave the road to, fro, and within Rome, above which rises the dignitas of our most memorable Roman. Yet, the rise of one man is never autonomous, and although when in Rome, (you know the drill), one is wise to remember, the part played by those without a voice, vote, or visage, a part both part and parcel and foundation to his lofty rise, Caesar's Women.
Thanks to McCullough we can do just that.
Never fear, fellow novice to Roman reading, an exceptional glossary makes light the task. This novel, woven in and around the noble women of Rome is both captivating and thought provoking. Oh, the influence of Rome, over 2000 years later, part of the very fabric of today's western world, the very streets we tread, the very laws with which we govern.
But it is McCullough's characters that nail you to this novel, provoke laughter out loud, make the pages fly. The politics, intrigue, masterminding, collusion, pave the road to, fro, and within Rome, above which rises the dignitas of our most memorable Roman. Yet, the rise of one man is never autonomous, and although when in Rome, (you know the drill), one is wise to remember, the part played by those without a voice, vote, or visage, a part both part and parcel and foundation to his lofty rise, Caesar's Women.
Thanks to McCullough we can do just that.
First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough, A Book Review by Rebecca Moll
The First Man in Rome
Ever played “King of the Hill?”
Well, if you had the skinned knees to prove it, then you understand the question. What is probably now considered an unfair, barbaric childhood game, it pretty much sums up what it took to be the First Man in Rome. Spoils to the victor. Woe to the losers.
Far from a history buff, a novice student of the ancient world and all things Roman, I wholeheartedly recommend Colleen McCullough’s First Man in Rome as a perfect starting point for venturing into this fascinating, ancient world. With maps to illustrate, an extensive glossary, and great artistry in character, McCullough makes this one smooth journey.
Upon finishing The First Man in Rome, my second book of McCullough’s masterpiece Roman series, my first being the last of the series, Caesar’s Women, I am now completely hooked. The Grass Crown awaits.
I find the parallels to today all too painfully clear. 2,000+ years hasn’t really changed us, human nature being just that, nature. Wrath, greed, lust, envy. Murder, mayhem, and war. And, war. And, war. Sometimes, even love. The dog and pony show of today’s politics is nothing new. Men still fight men, claw their way to the top, secure footing upon the backs of the fallen, all to be crowned the victor.
King of the Hill. The First Man in Rome. A fleeting attainment. A precarious position. For it is upon reaching the top that all sides are exposed.
Yet, like splintered fractions of refracted light there is more, so much more. Dignitas, honor, a man’s moral compass, a venerable elevator that holds man high, estimable. Esteem. The high road. The only road to greatness, to attain and retain the most coveted glory of all.
It is said, all roads lead to Rome. I, for one, am enjoying the journey. What about you? Up for a little “King of the Hill?” Come on, why the hesitation? Spoils to the victor and all that.
Dust off your sandals, slip into your tunic, strap on your helmet and breastplate, grab a spear and shield, and get into formation. No, the purple bordered toga will have to wait. So will the wine, the women, the lofty Palatine residence full of slaves, the triumphal march through the gates of Rome. With McCullough penning the way, you will never forget those noble Romans.
The legions are leaving. Let’s go!
Ever played “King of the Hill?” Well, if you had the skinned knees to prove it, then you understand the question. What is probably now considered an unfair, barbaric childhood game, it pretty much sums up what it took to be the First Man in Rome. Spoils to the victor. Woe to the losers.
Far from a history buff, a novice student of the ancient world and all things Roman, I wholeheartedly recommend Colleen McCullough’s First Man in Rome as a perfect starting point for venturing into this fascinating, ancient world. With maps to illustrate, an extensive glossary, and great artistry in character, McCullough makes this one smooth journey.
Upon finishing The First Man in Rome, my second book of McCullough’s masterpiece Roman series, my first being the last of the series, Caesar’s Women, I am now completely hooked. The Grass Crown awaits.
I find the parallels to today all too painfully clear. 2,000+ years hasn’t really changed us, human nature being just that, nature. Wrath, greed, lust, envy. Murder, mayhem, and war. And, war. And, war. Sometimes, even love. The dog and pony show of today’s politics is nothing new. Men still fight men, claw their way to the top, secure footing upon the backs of the fallen, all to be crowned the victor.
King of the Hill. The First Man in Rome. A fleeting attainment. A precarious position. For it is upon reaching the top that all sides are exposed.
Yet, like splintered fractions of refracted light there is more, so much more. Dignitas, honor, a man’s moral compass, a venerable elevator that holds man high, estimable. Esteem. The high road. The only road to greatness, to attain and retain the most coveted glory of all.
It is said, all roads lead to Rome. I, for one, am enjoying the journey. What about you? Up for a little “King of the Hill?” Come on, why the hesitation? Spoils to the victor and all that.
Dust off your sandals, slip into your tunic, strap on your helmet and breastplate, grab a spear and shield, and get into formation. No, the purple bordered toga will have to wait. So will the wine, the women, the lofty Palatine residence full of slaves, the triumphal march through the gates of Rome. With McCullough penning the way, you will never forget those noble Romans.
The legions are leaving. Let’s go!
Thoughts upon completing The Grass Crown by Colleen McCullough by Rebecca Moll
A book review of such a masterfully written historical fiction work of art, The Grass Crown and the 2nd in Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome novel series 97-86 BC, would be like my challenging Gaius Marius’ loyal and gigantic Germanic slave, Burgundus, to an arm wrestle. Need I say, I am but a little more than a little on the little side?
However, the thoughts do come at the completion of such a novel. And as this is my third of the series, a bit of a rebel, I read the 4th book in the series first, Caesar’s Women 67-59 BC, a baptism by fire of sorts for a first foray into Roman history, I feel a familiarity with the author, her style, whit, humor much like picking up with a lifelong friend after a long absence. In stride in no time.
For me, it is the dialogue that brings the period, culture, and characters to life and McCullough is a genius at revealing her story through secondary characterization. Dialogue, letters, and the reactionary behavior, verbal and non-verbal, of a cast of characters paint a moving picture. I chuckle, laugh, grimace, and sigh as history plays out over 815 pages, always something around the corner, my thoughts traveling to the next page, and the next, and the next.
A bookend book for sure, yet, I find myself reaching for the next in the series, Fortune’s Favorites 83-69 BC.
We all know the true hues of history fade with time and, in life, rarely is it an absolute matter of good against evil. Roman culture is no different. From infancy to the Republic, Empire, to its devastating fall, Roman culture has memorized generation after generation with both light and dark, heights and depths, good and evil. And while, as a whole, the culture may be idolized or hated, it is the intimacy with which McCullough tells her story that I find myself identifying and commiserating with characters and culture that walk off the page and into your life. Oh, to have a sip of wine with Julia, to listen to Young Caesar in the other room, to hide from the evil eyes of Sulla, to stand on the Rostra and feel your purpose, to wander and recognize faces, names, temples, shops, and roads, those Roman roads, those old Roman roads still standing the test of time today.
I find myself contemplating how, no matter time or place, mankind, at its very core, is still much the same.
I am thankful McCullough’s passion for the ancient world has presented such a palatable presentation for those of us whom dabble with infantile skills into the realm of scholars. Her love of the period and everything Roman shines through, basking the reader in a warm glow, a true legacy to a writer of immense talent and accomplishment.
Do not be daunted by the size or breath of this series. Like any journey worth traveling, take one step at a time, one page, one chapter, one book. Carry those you’ve come to know and walk on. Consider the Appian Way and the Via Appia will not disappoint, each stone a foothold as your toes find purchase and eyes seek the horizon, soaking in the colors of a culture, vivid and riveting, burgeoning, unfolding. As we all know, “Rome was not built in a day.”
And perhaps, along the way, we shall meet, side by side, somewhere between Pompey and Sulla or Caesar and Quintus. Let’s head for the Crossroads College, the one by Aurelia’s insula and the home of Julius Caesar’s youth. Perhaps, Lucius Decumius will offer his protection, for I hear Ancient Rome is a dangerous place to be. “When in Rome…”
May the road rise up to meet you and may the sun set before you. Travel like a true Roman, “Veni, vidi, vici,” and the spoils will leave you rich in body, mind, and spirit.
Safe travels my friends.
However, the thoughts do come at the completion of such a novel. And as this is my third of the series, a bit of a rebel, I read the 4th book in the series first, Caesar’s Women 67-59 BC, a baptism by fire of sorts for a first foray into Roman history, I feel a familiarity with the author, her style, whit, humor much like picking up with a lifelong friend after a long absence. In stride in no time.
For me, it is the dialogue that brings the period, culture, and characters to life and McCullough is a genius at revealing her story through secondary characterization. Dialogue, letters, and the reactionary behavior, verbal and non-verbal, of a cast of characters paint a moving picture. I chuckle, laugh, grimace, and sigh as history plays out over 815 pages, always something around the corner, my thoughts traveling to the next page, and the next, and the next.
A bookend book for sure, yet, I find myself reaching for the next in the series, Fortune’s Favorites 83-69 BC.
We all know the true hues of history fade with time and, in life, rarely is it an absolute matter of good against evil. Roman culture is no different. From infancy to the Republic, Empire, to its devastating fall, Roman culture has memorized generation after generation with both light and dark, heights and depths, good and evil. And while, as a whole, the culture may be idolized or hated, it is the intimacy with which McCullough tells her story that I find myself identifying and commiserating with characters and culture that walk off the page and into your life. Oh, to have a sip of wine with Julia, to listen to Young Caesar in the other room, to hide from the evil eyes of Sulla, to stand on the Rostra and feel your purpose, to wander and recognize faces, names, temples, shops, and roads, those Roman roads, those old Roman roads still standing the test of time today.
I find myself contemplating how, no matter time or place, mankind, at its very core, is still much the same.
I am thankful McCullough’s passion for the ancient world has presented such a palatable presentation for those of us whom dabble with infantile skills into the realm of scholars. Her love of the period and everything Roman shines through, basking the reader in a warm glow, a true legacy to a writer of immense talent and accomplishment.
Do not be daunted by the size or breath of this series. Like any journey worth traveling, take one step at a time, one page, one chapter, one book. Carry those you’ve come to know and walk on. Consider the Appian Way and the Via Appia will not disappoint, each stone a foothold as your toes find purchase and eyes seek the horizon, soaking in the colors of a culture, vivid and riveting, burgeoning, unfolding. As we all know, “Rome was not built in a day.”
And perhaps, along the way, we shall meet, side by side, somewhere between Pompey and Sulla or Caesar and Quintus. Let’s head for the Crossroads College, the one by Aurelia’s insula and the home of Julius Caesar’s youth. Perhaps, Lucius Decumius will offer his protection, for I hear Ancient Rome is a dangerous place to be. “When in Rome…”
May the road rise up to meet you and may the sun set before you. Travel like a true Roman, “Veni, vidi, vici,” and the spoils will leave you rich in body, mind, and spirit.
Safe travels my friends.
