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“Oh, Antonia Caenis...Welcome to
freedom - And welcome to me!”
chosen by reader, Helene Ilg
Plot Summary
A tantalising half-sentence in
Suetonius' biography says
that after his wife died, Vespasian 'took up again with Caenis, his former mistress and
one of Antonia's freedwomen and secretaries, who remained his wife in all but name even
when he became Emperor'.
To a would-be romantic novelist struggling to find an original
setting, this was the archetypal secretary-to-boardroom plot -- a true story, with a
decent hero, not to mention a heroine who must have had a sterling character. The
political events familiar from 'I, Claudius' are viewed from a close vantage point, but
without the traditional male, aristocratic bias which some people even today try to impose
on all things classical. A love story in which young lovers come together a second time in
their middle age would be highly unusual at any period.
Even though people who read this novel thought it my best, the
Roman setting deterred publishers for ten years. When it did finally appear in the UK,
many readers enjoyed it even more than the Falco series. The script was originally turned
down in America -- causing a unique protest from US readers who mobilised on the Internet
and forced a rethink; this may be a 'first'!
It was The Course of Honour that gave me the idea for
Falco. Most obviously, researching the historical background to Rome -- so vibrant and so
notoriously dangerous -- inspired his working milieu. In fact, though, professional writers are often
led by sheer desperation. I had given my all to Antonia Caenis, with whom I closely
identified: a single woman in a society geared to families, an intelligent woman working
in a hostile male environment, a sceptical woman viewing the idiocies of politics through
helping to administer them. When The Course of Honour went to the back of the
wardrobe, I was broke - but I had found my courage as an author. Without that, The
Silver Pigs would never have been written. Without Falco, my story of Caenis would not
have seen the light of day …
The book carries no formal dedication, but it is, in Veronica's
words, for all the girls in all the palaces who sleep on flea-ridden pallets on stone
ledges in cold cells, and who live by the hope that one day they will rise to a better
place. They will know who I mean.
Mysterious Press (U.S. Publisher) has an "Online Exclusive" on The Course of Honor
which you might also enjoy reading.
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Reviews
Caenis herself is cleverly drawn, as a spirited, original, strikingly
down-to-earth observer of a corrupt and corrupting world; and her whole story … is as
hard to put down as any of Davis's novels - Mary Beard, The Independent
Extremely good on banquets, street-life and domestic detail - as well
as being a convincing love story - Mail on Sunday - Mail on Sunday
Davis's tale of forbidden love against the backdrop of Rome's most
turbulent period is irresistible - The Good Book Guide - The Good Book Guide
With meticulous detail and powerful drama, Davis chronicles
Vespasian's remarkable rise to power and Caenis's equally compelling success in shaping
her own future. As presented in this intricate braiding of character and action, fact and
imagination, these two strong characters, bound by passionate and enduring love and parted
often by what Vespasian bitterly refers to as the "cursus honorum" deserve to
take their place in the pantheon of the world's great lovers." -Publisher's Weekly (U.S.)
Davis here transmutes a stray historical aside into a rich and
compelling piece of fiction. The full sweep of history in this turbulent period in the
Mediteranean basin is the background for casual details of what was eaten, what was worn,
and what daily life was like. Caenis is deeply intelligent, self-contained, and
no-nonsense; her love for Vespasian (and his for her) is developed in a way that makes
sense to both the head and the heart. Their trials and separations and reconciliations are
the stuff of great romantic reading. - Booklist. - Booklist
...the epitome of superb writing. - Rendezvous
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