dryad
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Reged: 11/02/2008
Posts: 151
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OF MERCHANTS AND HEROES Paul Waters
A passion for Ancient History drew me to this novel which is set at the end of the third century BC. The narrator of the exciting story is a young Roman. His father’s tragic death sets him on a path to revenge; along the way he meets men driven by greed, vanity and power and others who strive for what is honourable in life, particularly in politics and war. This quest for excellence encourages the reader to consider what mattered then, what matters now and whether time has made any difference at all. Paul Waters writes with remarkable eloquence; his debut novel is a joy to read.
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dryad
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Reged: 11/02/2008
Posts: 151
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Of Merchants and Heroes is also about athletic contests. Here is an extract (abridged) about ‘a foot-race’.
‘The herald stepped up and proclaimed the name of each runner. When I heard, ‘Menexenos, son of Kleinias, of Athens,’ I yelled out with the rest. The judges spoke some words; the athletes, turning as one, advanced to the line. They crouched, seeking the scored stone with their toes. There was a pause. The crowd waited.
Then, sharp and clear, the umpire barked out ‘Go!’ and they leapt forward, like hounds unleashed. And then, like a golden dart, came Menexenos. In an instant he was in front, moving with a calm steady power, like wind across the sea. And then he was at the line, and the whole stadium surged to its feet, shouting and cheering and punching the air.
He turned and saluted them with his raised fist, and broke into a broad smile; and the crowd roared back at him.’
Menexenos reminds me of a certain Olympic athlete who has been in the news this week!
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