Owls to Athens

Hellenic Traders #4

by H.N. Turteltaub, Harry Turtledove

After some long and perilous journeys, Menedemos and Sostratos finally head back to Athens just in time for the Dionysia, a bacchanalian festival of plays and celebrations. Like earlier installments in the series, Owls to Athens has the cousins going through various adventures, trade negotiations and sexual escapades, all set against a finely painted mosaic of Hellenic life in the fourth century BCE. However, this time, most of their time is spent in the City of Athens instead of sailing on the high seas. But even in the City, life can be treacherous, particularly when Menedemos decides to have an affair with one of the most influential and dangerous women in Athens.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adventure

384 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 2004

About the author

Pseudonym of Harry Turtledove.

Reviews

[Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

HN Turtletaub is, of course, Harry Turtledove, of alternate history fame. Under the Turtletaub name he writes historical fiction, principally the adventures of Menedemos and his cousin Sostratos, ship captain and traders on "the wine dark sea." The novels are not exactly plot-free, but they contain a wealth of information about life in the 4th century BCE. I just love them and eat up all the detail on the history of the day. I don't think many others do, but if you like this era, like to read about trade in the Med, and want to follow the adventures of a ladies man and his much more staid cousin, you just might like this series, too.

The fourth and most recent story in this series sees Menedemos and Sostratos take their akatos to Athens, where they see the Dyonisian Plays for the year 304BC, see Athens saved from one tyrant only to be replaced by another, make a boodle of dough selling truffles, truffles in olive oil, papyrus, and other goods. Just wait and see who Menedemos seduces this time!

I really like these stories. More perhaps for the setting and the culture than the doings of the protagonists.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this four book series. Sure hope there will be a fifth book, as I would love to know what happens next!

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this one the trading is not as central to the book, since almost all the trade goods were previously acquired and they stay most of the time in Athens trying to sell them. Truffle oil was a new one this time however.
Some meditation from both Sostratos and Menedemos on the limits your situation puts on your ambitions (philosopher historian and war galley captain) but they have to make a living and it is a good thing to spend your energy on.
The way Demetrios sneaked into the port of Athens was not explained, must have paid off somebody. The difficulty of acting like freemen once that habit is lost is clear from the Athenians response. Lots of fun vignettes in the book - the theater, the assembly, the invasion landing, the drinking party, etc. all of which help give a flavor for what life was like back then. The smell must have been really something though when the streets were open sewers.
A fun read.

[Blind Mapmaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 In each volume Turtledove finds newe and funny ways of showcasing the Hellenic world to the reader and making them anxious to learn more. There is some actual plot development and character growth here and some unexpected turns, but the Hellenic Traders series is probably never going to win an award for thrilling excitment or dashing heroism. But that's okay, it shows an interesting picture of life as it might have been instead of the author's usual "what if?" scenarios.

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the Hellenic Traders series. Continues the travels and trading of the cousins, their relationships with relatives, how bargaining is done, and key historical events happening. Fun historical series - but read these in order so the cousins's growth and maturing will be followed in order. Otherwise each book is mostly independent with new l0cations and adventures each year.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun adventure in the series. I really enjoyed all the historical detail and the episodes from real history (sycophantic Athens in particular) but got tired of all the "banter" between the two cousins.

[Liz V. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last in the series is more of the same and has worn thin. This time set in Athens, Alexander the Great's would be successors are still fighting, and the cousins get to watch the Athenians welcome "freedom" from one conqueror in trade for another.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good. I don’t think I liked it quite as much as the Sacred Land, but it was another good entry in this series, with the usual impressive commitment to and knowledge of the historical setting.

[Ushan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth and last installment in a series about two twentysomething Greek sailor-traders in the 4th century BCE. After Alexander died, his marshals divided up the oikomene, but the island of Rhodes stayed neutral and traded with everybody. In 307 BCE the two cousins sail to Athens, bringing perfume, papyrus, ink, beeswax and the like. They see the son of one of the marshals, Demetrios son of Antigonos, expel the deputy of another, and proclaim that he has restored democracy and independence to Athens. The Athenians were so grateful that they renamed a month after Demetrios, named the odd day between months a demetrion, renamed the Dionysia, the feast of Bacchus, into Demetria, and created two new tribes (electoral districts) named after Demetrios and Antigonos. Some democracy and independence. The cousins see a comedy by Menander; one of them visits his old teacher at the Academy of Athens; after they come back home, the non-academic cousin commands a fast war galley that goes after pirates. Like in the other books in the series, you get a glimpse of the ancient world: both everyday life and intellectual achievements (I didn't know that Aristotle already knew that dolphins are not fish). Turtledove is a skilled popular writer; he does not have the talent of a Robert Graves or a Gore Vidal, but unlike them, he has a Ph.D. in Byzantine history. One small nitpick: the phrase "salt of the earth" comes from the Sermon of the Mount; it is anachronistic in the mouth of a Phoenician merchant who lived 300 years before Jesus. Also, did the Phoenicians at the time already speak Aramaic? When did they abandon their own Canaanite dialect?

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth in "Turteltaub's" series following the adventurers of Rhodian merchants in the Hellenistic world, this volume takes out heroes to Athens. As always, well-researched and well-written, though occasionally the plot focus seems a bit fuzzy, sacrificed to exposition about the Hellenistic Greek world. Still, lots of fun . . .

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even less of a plot than the others because they spend most of their time in Athens. Interesting but rather flat writing.

[Solomon Zehnwirth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction

[Susan]

Set in 307 BCE, this time Menedemos and Sostratos travel to Athens. We get more on the Hellene culture of the time (the Dionysia with its accompanying theatrical productions of dramas and comedies) plus more of the post-Alexander squabbling between marshalls.

The book ends with discussion of going to Alexandria in the next spring. I wish the author would write that book - I am very interested in how life was in Alexandria at that time.