Allan Massie, who died earlier this month, wrote a tetralogy about major Roman figures, Augustus, Caesar, Tiberius and Mark Antony. Obviously there must be overlap between them, however Antony, the last to be written but the first I have read, gives no clue as to how Massie deals with it.
Antony certainly stands alone. It starts with Caesar's murder and ends with Mark Antony's suicide, a period of fourteen years in which Antony ruled half the empire, won, lost and won back Cleopatra and got through several wives. Yet it is a crisp, short book, only 210 pages. In practice it is two books with shared content. Antony, at the end of his career, is dictating a memoir to his slave and secretary Critias. Antony is depressed and drinking heavily. When he loses interest or passes out Critias takes over commentary and narrative. Critias has been in Antony's service from birth; he has been all over the Roman world with him; but Critias is a slave not a warror, he plays a part in the politicking but no part at all in the warmaking. Antony is an instinctive politician but a magnificent soldier. Critias is a fastidious homosexual. Antony is bi.
I was enthralled. Yes, I am reasonably familiar with all these Romans with complicated names, less so with some of the battles they are involved in. Massie is a reliable guide and an exceptionally gifted writer. I shall be reading more.
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