The October Horse : A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra

Julio Cesar (100-44 AC) al terminar la guerra civil que mantiene contra Pompeyo Magno (106-48 AC) y Caton (95-46 AC) se enfoca en una serie de reformas encaminadas a la creacion de un imperio amparado en su poder absoluto y dictatorial para acabar con la mentalidad y el proceder del senado romano de todos los privilegios para Roma y sus ciudadanos dejando al margen al resto del mundo conquistado por ellos; ademas de consolidar una alianza politica con Egipto a traves de su contacto personal con la reina Cleopatra VII (69-30 AC) y perdonando a sus oponentes politicos restaurandole todos sus privilegios y emplazandolos en puestos administrativos estrategicos a modo de conciliacion de facciones, error este que le cuesta la vida. Rapidamente despues de la muerte de Cesar, una figura silenciosa que habia crecido a la sombra y proteccion de este emerge como heredero de su inmensa fortuna y su politica imperial, Octavio (63 AC-14 DC) que demuestra ser un excelente estratega con mucha sangre fria enfrentandoce a su unico oponente y pretendiente a la herencia economica y politica de Cesar, Marco Antonio (83-30 AC) y terminar con el ultimo bastion republicano. Esta novela es la ultima de 6 volumenes que abarca un largo periodo de la historia de Roma, desde mucho antes del nacimiento de Julio Cesar hasta el conflicto de Octavio contra Marco Antonio por el poder y la supremacia. Una novela muy bien escrita que nos recrea el ultimo periodo de la Republica de Roma de una forma amena, entretenida.

Since 2004 Ediciones B has launched a pocket book collection "Byblos" with no specific genre defined. Fortunately for us, history buffs, some volumes pertain to historical novel genre, allowing us to access a very inexpensive and high quality product. Ms McCullough has done a deep historical research in order to write her "Roman Saga" started with "The First Man in Rome" (1990), continued with "The Grass Crown" (1991), "Fortune's Favorites" (1993), "Caesar's Women" (1995), "Caesar" (1999) and "The October Horse" (2002). She delivers an accurate picture of the late Roman Republic, bringing to life historically characters with amazing detail. The author follows and reveals step by step all the intricacies of that rich and complex era. Does this mean that the book is boring? By no means, Ms McCullough is able to show daily life, dressing, feeding, religious rituals, political and social structures in a magnificent fresco and at the same time construct an engaging story that will trap the reader for hours. The present volume starts in the year 48 BC in the aftermath of Pharsalus when Caesar is looking for Pompey. He arrives to Egypt and immediately starts to arrange everything to his convenience. He meets Cleopatra and fight to consolidate Roman power in Alexandria. He then returns to Rome just to find Marc Anthony playing his own game. March to Africa & Spain to end the last Boni resistance. Finally he returns once more to Rome to meet his fate. After Caesar murder Octavius, an ailing youth, is able to marshal his own weakness and jump to the political scene to start an unstoppable career. The author follows in detail al the steps and maneuvers performed by the "Kill Caesar Club", exposing all its members, giving the reader a clear picture of how the magnicide is planned and executed. Last but not least the author has drawn beautiful busts of the main characters; detailed maps of different ancient scenarios where action takes place and very complete glossary. I advise reading the first volumes of the series, but even if you don't do it, you may start here and consider it as a standalone volume. I strongly recommend this book to any serious history aficionado! It is really a pity that Ms McCullough does not intend to follow Augustus life it will be joyfully received by all her fans (including me). Reviewed by Max Yofre.

This is the culminating sixth volume of one of the most important historical novels of our generation. Beginning with "The First Man in Rome" and continuing through "The Grass Crown," "Fortune's Favorites," "Caesar's Women," "Caesar: Let The Dice Fly" and finally "The October Horse: A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra", McCullough has carried us from just before Julius Caesar's birth on through the civil war following his death. In this extraordinary series it is possible to see the crisis a hegemonic power faces whose political system is incapable of coping with the opportunities and threats which unparalleled power have brought to it. The corruption and decay of the Roman Senate, the rise of outside interests seeking to bribe and corrupt Rome, the growing crisis for Italians as reactionary elements in Rome refuse to extend citizenship and the reversion of violence both in the street and with the Army all serve as sobering examples for modern citizens to contemplate as they watch the kaleidoscopic changes in our world and our times. McCullough has the natural story teller's ability to surround big ideas with living, breathing, plotting, conniving, loving and hating people who remind us that politics and history are made by humans, not by anonymous trend lines. In "The October Horse," Caesar is finishing the civil war against Pompey's forces (especially against Cato the Younger), developing a liaison and an alliance with Cleopatra in Egypt and returning to Rome to begin to reform the system until his enemies assassinate him in the Senate. The book ends with his nephew Octavius and Mark Antony taking on the assassins in a victorious second civil war followed by the initial murmurings of competition between Octavius (Caesar Augustus to be) and Antony. This novel is a rich feast of people, scenes and maneuvering that is well worth reading in its own right. While I like "The October Horse" very much, I strongly recommend that anyone interested in seeing our own time in the context of historic developments first go back and read "The First Man in Rome" (Caesar's uncle Marius) and work their way through all six volumes. This is a work of genius and it deserves to be very, very widely read.

Colleen McCullough has entertained and educated millions to the intricacies of politics in the late Roman Republic, and her touch hasn't failed in this last and perhaps most difficult of her books. Caesar has illumined the series from its first book, although Marius, Sulla, and the robust characters of the early books rightly took center stage. Caesar is McCullough's conduit character through whose eyes and actions much of the collapse of the Republic occurs. Now she must deal with his murder. How to do this and yet keep the flow of the book going?We all know what will happen on the Ides of March, but it's how to do it that presents the challenge. I thoroughly enjoyed how McCullough deals with every aspect of Caesar's last years. She handles his achievements and disappointments fairly and, interestingly, comes up with arguable explanations for many of Caesar's last actions which argue that he never intended, indeed, to become king, and does wonderfully drawing the various sordid and idealistic motives (more of the former than latter) which motivated the assassins. As usual, the plot is action-packed, the characters vivid and varied, and based upon substantial research into original historical sources. Caesar's murder is so well done that you almost forget how the action will end.McCullough takes risks in her portrayal of several characters, but has enough understanding of the sources to back herself up. Cleopatra's character and her love affair with Caesar - which, during the Egyptian war, essentially takes up the first third of the book - is the antithesis of conventional Hollywood casting, but the Queen is far more compelling than any mere sex kitten. Caesar's motivations are similarly not romanticized. Brutus, Cassius, Decimus Brutus, Antony . . . all but the latter follow patterns discernable in earlier books, but McCullough takes major risks with her reading of Antony's character and - while I don't quite agree - it makes a great deal of sense in terms of the known history. Finally, Cato - whom I've always loathed - becomes almost a sympathetic character in his final great days and much relatively obscure history is made fresh and vivid while doing so. And even clucking, insecure Cicero will find his finest hour in this book.One by one we watch the beloved familiar characters exit the stage. One by one, McCullough sketches the new world that will soon control Rome now that Caesar is gone. Of these, her triumph is her portrayal of young Octavius Caesar, soon to become Octavian, later Augustus. She makes him as fascinating a character as the young Caesar, although very different. Her insights into his character, courage, and weaknesses strikes me as remarkably perceptive. You find yourself wishing she'd write another six books to carry us through the long Augustan age, and yet she finds a natural FINIS to her saga following the Battle of Phillippi, when Caesar's death is avenged and the obvious struggle between Antony and Octa