Customer Reviews

Augustus

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While honeymooning in Scotland in 1992 I came across this fine book in a bookstore. At the time I was reading Virgil and admitted to myself I needed a break. In my readings I had read about the famous Roman emperor, Augustus, so this book sparked my interest. While Massie's book is a work of fiction, it seems to closely follow recorded information that has come across the centuries about Augustus. Massie has the rare writers' talent of weaving historical fact into a most interesting fiction. The story is believable, readable, and never once reminds the reader of a textbook. Destined to be made into a movie

Oh, my... I started reading Allan Massie's "Augustus" and I absolutely can't stomach it. Practically everything about it reads, and feels, "wrong" -- from the phony forward commenting on the supposed authentication and Massie's "translation" of the "newly discovered" autobiography of Augustus, to (and most especially) the very, very un-Roman personal habits, ways of thinking, attitudes, and very anachronistic preconceptions the author gives his characters and their conversations. This type of "historical fiction" is worlds away from the scholarly efforts of Graves, McCullough, Renault, and even Saylor.

It's so bad that it may be impossible for anyone with more than a passing familiarity with the actual ancient Rome (as opposed to the popular "Hollywood" version) to achieve the required "suspension of disbelief" necessary for enjoyment of historical fiction. I myself cannot, and so I will not be continuing with this book. It is because haven't finished it that I am giving the book the benefit of the doubt by awarding two stars instead of only one. If anyone here wants to read it, and hasn't bought their copy yet, I've got one for sale -- cheap!

His book Augustus is a vivid, detailed account from the view of Octavian. The book is brilliantly written, and while typical in its wavering authensity in the genre of historical fiction, at the same time, Massie manages to keep the facts straight. It's not exactly the same calibar as I, Claudius, which has that almost Dicksonian criminals likability index, Octavius still comes across as someone real, charming yet troubled, proud yet somewhat conflicted.

The character is well developed and the events follow smoothly one after the other. More importantly, Augustus is highly idealized in this book. So much so in fact, that with all the angst and success in his life, the reader is eased into sympathizing with him on every occasion. It is a very selective history, one aimed to popularize Augustus no doubt. A view that was somewhat shattered when reading the true, historical Caesar.

All in all, it's good fun, and the realistically described Roman settings, and supporting characters comes across without hiccups.

The writing style however, left something to be desired, though the use of Augustan expressions makes up for it.

The real Augustus was not a charming person, He was a cold Machiavellian prince. Not anything like that appealing Augustus from the TV miniseries"Empire". That is exactly how he is portrayed in this account: the ultimate politiican. Since the book is written in first person, ther are inaccuracies, but I am sure that the real Augustus maybe really believed this version of the truth. Yes this are a lot of modern anachronisms, but this book is really entertaining without being untruthful to the facts as have come down to the modern world. The Augustus that is portrayed is fascinating to study. I found myseld admiring what he had accomplished in the pax Romana even while wondering about the cost. maybe all "Princes" have to make those kind of decisions? The personal cost of power? Robert Graves's Livia is much more interesting, but then in Massey's version she isn't that ultimate poisoner and manipulator.
All in all this book is a thumbs up. if nothing else Book 1 fills us more thoroughly in on the period of time before Claudius's birth. You do have to wonder though how all those descendants of Augustus and Agrippa just happened to die so conviently.

I could never really get into this, although I did admire Massie's ambition. This is not just a sex/drugs/depravity in the Principate tale, but an attempt to reconstruct a world view. But its just very slow moving.

There are inevitably comparisons between this and the "Claudius" novels. They are only justified in subject matter, not quality. Whereas Graves' prose was mannered and interesting, Massie's is, well, clunky. He fails to convince the reader that Augustus himself actually wrote the book. If you're looking for something to read after "Claudius the God," try "Memoirs of Hadrian," or at least get this from your local library first. (Some editions are entitled: "Let the Emperor Speak: A Novel of Caesar Augustus)

The real Augustus was not a charming person. He was that "subtle tyrant", as Gibbon called him, who ruthlessly chased down Antony and Cleopatra until force them to commit suicide, then murdered their children. A great politician, indeed, though a cold manipulating [person]. In this novel, however, he seems to be telling us all the time: "What a nice, warm and understanding man, husband, father and grandfather I am!".

Besides, he was a winner, and winners never make good characters for drama. Everything seems so easy for him; he is so fortunate all the time, his enemies fall like flies in front of him. With a slap of his fingers the Roman Empire is solidly built. Why would such a lucky guy, we wonder, bother to write about his life instead of enjoying it? On the other hand, Claudius and Tiberius, both successors to him, were pathetic, therefore humans; they were splendid characters, the former in "I, Claudius", by Robert Graves, the latter in "Tiberius", by the same Allan Massie.

But the unattractiveness of the main character is not the only problem. Like Augustus himself, Massie's novel lacks emotion; it is cold, with no surprises. Verisimilitude seems to have been the author’s main concern, that's why he took the trouble to presume, in a long and unnecessary introduction, that those memoirs are real ones, discovered in a monastery and so on. Curiously enough, that introduction, apart from Augustus' very easy victories, is the less believable part of the whole book.

There is one moment, however, in which we sympathize with the main character: when he candidly confesses having suffered sexual abuse by Antony, thus revealing the real motive for his hatred towards Cleopatra's lover. But it's the only one in the whole story. Not enough.

Massie gives a a different view of Augustus Caesar and his world. He sticks with the basic facts known to all and does a wonderful job of fleshing out the complex character of Augustus. His take on Antony, Julius Caesar, Livia, et cetera, truly makes them come alive. While using a somewhat modernized language, it adds rather than detracts from the history. Well done, Allan Massie!

wow. really great novel. It gave me a HUGE rush when I read it in one week and I mentioned it in Classics class in Britain and my teacher had tried unsuccessfully to finish it. It *is* hard to get into, but it's definitely worth it! I love Alan Massie's work. Also highly recommended is Ted Hughes' "Tales from Ovid" my all-time favorite collection of poetry!

I have no idea if the Augustus portrayed by Allan Massie is authentic, and it doesn't bother me. I read this book by chance one day, having had no prior interest in Rome beforehand, and it's one of the few books I reread every so often. The characters, true to life or not, are complex and believable. The story captured my imagination, makng it a worthy tale in it's own right. It really is like reading a particularly well-written private diary. Especially loved the portrayal of the relationships between Cleopatra/Antony and Tiberius/Julia. I bought Tiberius by Massie as well because of this book.