Reviews tagging 'Death'
The Splendor Before the Dark: A Novel of the Emperor Nero, by Margaret George
1 review
outsmartyourshelf's review
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed the second book of this duology even more than the first. In this one, Margaret George does a superlative job of humanising one of the most infamous figures in Roman history. It's packed with subtle detail - the first chapters which deal with the burning of Rome include Nero's account of his (albeit fictional) work with the Vigiles, those tasked with guarding Rome, where he encounters a group of men deliberately throwing lit torches into buildings & trying to prevent the flames from being put out. An account of the fire from Tacitus remarks on these groups, with one rumour being that the Emperor himself had ordered the burning of Rome. That version has always seemed rather unlikely to me, even taking into account the stated reason of clearing central space for his Domus Aurea, fire is a hard to control element & there was a real risk of Rome in its entirety being completed gutted.
Again in his marriage to Poppaea Sabina, the rumour of him having kicked her in a temper & causing a fatal miscarriage seems overstated. Nero was the last of the Julio-Claudian line of Emperors & a living heir would have been vital for both his family's grip on power & Rome itself. Stability was something the Empire lacked following Nero's death, with the Year of Four Emperors following, before a period of relative calm under Vespasian & the other Flavian Emperors. All in all, it seems like there had been a concerted campaign to malign aspects of Nero's personality & rule, but that is not to say that he was without fault.
He had people killed, including his mother (although to be fair she was trying to kill him too), his first wife (ditto), & many Christians (scapegoats for the fire). A lover & patron of the arts, Nero unfortunately let his passion for competing overrule wiser counsel - he may have been loved by the people but he was not liked by the Senate. His insistence in entering competitions thought beneath the dignity of the ruler of Rome, & his absences from the seat of power to compete in the Greek games created a power vacuum. Yes the doors of the temple of Janus were able to be shut during his rule, proclaiming peace across the Empire, but that very same Empire was built on war & conquest, & there was real danger from bored legions stationed far from Rome under competent commanders.
It's a lengthy book (almost 600 pages) & events move quite slowly as this is more about Nero the person & what could have led to his downfall. Recommended to readers who enjoy historical fiction full of rich detail.
Again in his marriage to Poppaea Sabina, the rumour of him having kicked her in a temper & causing a fatal miscarriage seems overstated. Nero was the last of the Julio-Claudian line of Emperors & a living heir would have been vital for both his family's grip on power & Rome itself. Stability was something the Empire lacked following Nero's death, with the Year of Four Emperors following, before a period of relative calm under Vespasian & the other Flavian Emperors. All in all, it seems like there had been a concerted campaign to malign aspects of Nero's personality & rule, but that is not to say that he was without fault.
He had people killed, including his mother (although to be fair she was trying to kill him too), his first wife (ditto), & many Christians (scapegoats for the fire). A lover & patron of the arts, Nero unfortunately let his passion for competing overrule wiser counsel - he may have been loved by the people but he was not liked by the Senate. His insistence in entering competitions thought beneath the dignity of the ruler of Rome, & his absences from the seat of power to compete in the Greek games created a power vacuum. Yes the doors of the temple of Janus were able to be shut during his rule, proclaiming peace across the Empire, but that very same Empire was built on war & conquest, & there was real danger from bored legions stationed far from Rome under competent commanders.
It's a lengthy book (almost 600 pages) & events move quite slowly as this is more about Nero the person & what could have led to his downfall. Recommended to readers who enjoy historical fiction full of rich detail.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Death
Moderate: Infertility and Infidelity
More...