Marcus Aurelius in Love
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Book Overview
In 1815 a manuscript containing one of the long-lost treasures of antiquity was discovered--the letters of Marcus Cornelius Fronto, reputed to have been one of the greatest Roman orators. But this find disappointed many nineteenth-century readers, who had hoped for the letters to convey all of the political drama of Cicero's. That the collection included passionate love letters between Fronto and the future emperor Marcus Aurelius was politely ignored--or concealed. And for almost two hundred years these letters have lain hidden in plain sight.
Marcus Aurelius in Love rescues these letters from obscurity and returns them to the public eye. The story of Marcus and Fronto began in 139 CE, when Fronto was selected to instruct Marcus in rhetoric. Marcus was eighteen then and by all appearances the pupil and teacher fell in love. Spanning the years in which the relationship flowered and died, these are the only love letters to survive from antiquity--homoerotic or otherwise. With a translation that reproduces the effusive, slangy style of the young prince and the rhetorical flourishes of his master, the letters between Marcus and Fronto will rightfully be reconsidered as key documents in the study of the history of sexuality and classics.Related Subjects
Ancient Ancient & Classical Literature Criticism & Theory Essays & Correspondence Gay & Lesbian Gay & Lesbian Studies Greek History History & Criticism Humanities Letters & Correspondence Literary Literary Criticism & Collections Literature Literature & Fiction Nonfiction Rome Social Science Social Sciences Specific Demographics Writing Writing, Research & Publishing GuidesCustomer Reviews
Rated 4 starsMore interesting than anything else
As I understand it, the discovery of Marcus Fronto's collected letters caused a great disappointment among classical scholars as they seemed to resemble the quality his ancient reputation suggested far less than was imagined, and his part in this correspondance is no less disappointing for its generally boring quality than it is irritating for its pedantry. Though Marcus' role in the relationship granted him greater freedom...
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