Monday, September 6, 2010

Ancient Rome

I'm reading a book right now called Roman Blood by Steven Saylor.  He has written several books about Ancient Rome and I love them because they are so well researched, and interesting.  If you are interested in learning the history of Ancient Rome, but don't want to read boring history books, read Saylor's book Roma.  It covers the history of Rome from before it was a city to the end of the Republic.  He has another book called Empire that covers the time from the end of the Republic to the end of the empire.  SO GOOD. (Interesting Fact:  Saylor started his career writing erotic gay novels under a pseudonym.  If you're interested in that particular genre check out Flesh Fables or Tag-Team Studs: Wrestling Tales.  I haven't read them (yet) but he's such a good writer I'm sure they are good. [Flesh Fables got five stars on Amazon!])

Anyway, this book I'm reading now, Roman Blood, is the first in a series about an investigator named Gordianus the Finder.  He is kind of like the Sherlock Holmes of Ancient Rome.  People hire him to solve mysteries.  In this particular book Cicero, you know Cicero, has hired him to find out if his client is guilty of patricide or not.  Patricide was a particularly bad crime in Ancient Rome, and the punishment was to be flogged, then a crowd throws excrement at you as you crawl your way across a field and into a water-tight bag, and then they throw a dog and a snake and a rooster in there with you, (not kidding) and then you're thrown in the Tiber river.  Lesson:  Don't kill your dad.  So the main character in the book, Gordianus, is investigating whether Cicero's client is guilty, and he has the help of a slave boy named Tiro who is bright, but naive and innocent.  

You know how when you read a book and you get a picture in your head of what the characters look like?  Maybe it's somebody you know in real life, or maybe it's an actor or something, but you have an idea of what they look like.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) I have involuntarily pictured Gordianus and Tiro as Professor Peabody and his pet boy Sherman from the Rocky and Bullwinkle show.


I can't help it.  I've tried to make them into other people, but it always goes back to the Professor and Sherman.  I wish it would stop because Tiro (Sherman) has some sexual encounters and they are odd and slightly upsetting when I think of him as the pet boy, Sherman.  On the up side, in my head Professor Peabody looks very nice in a toga. 

6 comments:

  1. "They call me MR. Peabody." I'm not a stickler about much but when it comes to Rocky and Bullwinkle ...

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  2. Oh, I always assumed Peabody had his Phd. If he's just a regular dog with questionable credentials I don't know why people put so much stock in what he has to say. Must be the glasses.

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  3. I am sure there is a pill for that! LOL

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  4. Hey Sara,

    How do the books compare with I Claudius by Robert Graves?... also, have you seen Rome on HBO with Polly Walker, etc.? There are only 2 seasons, but I though they were pretty good. I especially liked the newsreader.
    Cynthia

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  5. Hi Cynthia! I have not read I Claudius, but it is on my list. I have seen Rome on HBO and I loved it! The newsreader was great. I liked when he had to read the ads. Titus Pullo was my fave.

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  6. I Claudius, you'll be happy to know, picks up pretty much where Rome season 2 left off. Livia is very busy making sure that her son Tiberius is next in line. I think Masterpiece theater did a 6 episode production which I can also recommend. The book of course, is better.

    The newsreader ads were hilarious!

    I bought a kindle <3 and am adding Fagles translations of Homer (I and O) as well as assorted tragedies. He doesn't do a literal translation, but pulls you in and ragdolls you with the stories. Will check out your guy too. I love good historical fiction!

    Cynthia

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