A gripping and vivid historical fiction that captures the full sweep of history during the fall of the Roman Empire through the eyes of a servant. Threatened by invaders on all sides, the Roman Empire in the sixth century fought to maintain its borders. Leading its defense was the Byzantine general Belisarius, a man who earned the grudging respect of his enemies, and who rose to become the Emperor Justinian's greatest military leader. Loosely based on Procopius' History of the Justinian Wars and Secret History, this novel tells the general's story through the eyes of Eugenius, a eunuch and servant to the general's wife. It presents a compelling portrait of a man bound by a strict code of honor and unrelenting loyalty to an emperor who is intelligent but flawed, and whose decisions bring him to a tragic end. Eminent historical novelist and classicist Robert Graves presents a vivid account of a time in history both dissolute and violent, and demonstrates one again his mastery of this historical period.
"A vigorous tale . . . a brilliant piece of scholarship."
Kirkus Reviews
"The scope of the book is massive-encompassing religious controversy and cultural developments as well as military history-yet, throughout, Graves succeeds in blending historical details with the development of his main characters."
