Threshold of Fire: A Novel of Fifth-Century RomeChicago Review Press, 1 aug 2005 - 255 pagina's In this vivid, dynamic novel, Hella Haasse has once more brought the past to life. This time she has chosen to illuminate a crucial, yet relatively obscure period of history: it is 414 A.D. and the once-powerful Roman Empire is in its death throes—split between East and West, menaced by barbarian hordes almost literally at its gates. The Emperor Honorius, an incompetent weakling, cowers in the marsh-bound city of Ravenna, where he has moved the government; he rarely "makes entry" into Rome. This is the brilliant canvas against which the characters in this drama interact. There is the Prefect Hadrian, a powerful official and fanatical Christian convert; there is Marcus Anicius, the pagan aristocrat who is clinging to a dying past, and there is the Jew Eliezar be Elijah, hemmed in by his own traditions and burdened by his dark vision of the future. There is the intrigue and uncertainty of life at Honorius's court, and there are the streets and tenements of Rome, pulsating with life and with corruption. |
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Pagina 12
... wall: in 388 a synagogue was burned to the ground in Callinicum, a small town on the Persian border, by a fanatical mob led by the local bishop. Theodosius demanded restitution from the bishop on behalf of the Jewish population, but ...
... wall: in 388 a synagogue was burned to the ground in Callinicum, a small town on the Persian border, by a fanatical mob led by the local bishop. Theodosius demanded restitution from the bishop on behalf of the Jewish population, but ...
Pagina 21
... walls of the former temple of Tellus. Now nothing of the outside world is visible except the light coming through the high window recesses. The only person in the room who does not look about, but keeps his eyes fixed on the floor at ...
... walls of the former temple of Tellus. Now nothing of the outside world is visible except the light coming through the high window recesses. The only person in the room who does not look about, but keeps his eyes fixed on the floor at ...
Pagina 37
... wall of living statues behind him underlining the atmosphere of impassive, dignified expectancy which befits his role as deputy to His Majesty. But that he makes no attempt to call his retinue to order, by tapping with the onyx on the ...
... wall of living statues behind him underlining the atmosphere of impassive, dignified expectancy which befits his role as deputy to His Majesty. But that he makes no attempt to call his retinue to order, by tapping with the onyx on the ...
Pagina 47
... walls hold an echo? Aren't the coldest phrases charged with passion, and doesn't that passion remain even after the words themselves have died away forever? Then — ten years ago — Hadrian had scarcely been able to control the trembling ...
... walls hold an echo? Aren't the coldest phrases charged with passion, and doesn't that passion remain even after the words themselves have died away forever? Then — ten years ago — Hadrian had scarcely been able to control the trembling ...
Pagina 50
... wall, the dull blot of his own opacity. He always thinks of Claudius Claudianus as a dead man, because the verdict he had pronounced upon him (exclusion from water and fire and thus hunger, thirst and homelessness; complete isolation ...
... wall, the dull blot of his own opacity. He always thinks of Claudius Claudianus as a dead man, because the verdict he had pronounced upon him (exclusion from water and fire and thus hunger, thirst and homelessness; complete isolation ...
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Threshold of Fire: A Novel of Fifth-Century Rome Hella S. Haasse,Anita Miller,Nini Blinstrub Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2005 |
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
able accused Alexandria Arcadius asked Aulus Fronto Balcho barbarians become believe bishops blood calls himself Niliacus Christian City Claudius Claudianus cock corner court crowd darkness death dream dwarf Egyptian Eliezar Emperor Honorius Emperor Theodosius Empire entry everything eyes face feeling Flavius Stilicho Forum of Trajan friends galleries gesture goddess gods Goths Hadrian hand head hold honor Honorius's interrogation justice hall Klafthi knew later light living longer look Magister Militum magistrate Mallius marble Marcus Anicius Rufus memory Milan mime move Muneral never Nile officials Olybrius Olympiodorus once pagan palanquin perhaps person poet praetorian guard Prefect prefecture prisoner Pylades realize recognized retinue Roman Rome Rufinus sacrifice secret Serena shoulder silent slave someone standing statue stink stood Subura tablinum temple Theodosius things thought tion turn Urbanilla villa voice waiting wall words