Customer Reviews

The Mask of Apollo: A Novel

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One of the things that make Mary Renault such a great historical novelist is that she opens doors you never thought existed and gets you wanting to explore and learn more. I had to read several Greek plays in high school but they were always kind of ho-hum until Renault brought them vibrantly to life in "The Mask of Apollo" in the character of Nikeratos, an Athenian actor in 4th-century BC Greece who learns his craft from the ground up and brings us onstage and backstage into his world of great drama. Nikeratos travels from Greece to Sicily and back, acting in plays by such immemorial dramatists as Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, and bringing life to his art and art into his life and the lives of those he interacts with. Parallel with the story of Nikeratos is the story of Dion of Syracuse, a real historical figure who successfully brought down the dictatorship of Dionysios the Younger, only to install his own dictatorship in its place. "The Mask of Apollo" brings to life historical figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Speusippos (an enigmatic character I would have liked to know more of) and many others that we only read about in history texts, and makes them become real and personal. She also makes us live in ancient Syracuse with its sights and sounds, its political intrigues and dangers. (Contrary to what one reviewer said, however, Renault gave only one line in passing to the Athenian defeat at Syracuse during the Peloponnesian War and the tragic aftermath; that was treated at length in "The Last of the Wine" but not in this book.) After finishing this book, I headed straight to the bookstore for a good translation of "The Bacchae" by Euripides, which I'd never heard of before Renault relates how brilliantly Nikeratos acts the leading role, and devoured it at one sitting. Renault does her readers a double favor: she not only gives them a gem of a book, she sends them on a treasure hunt to find some more.

"The Mask of Apollo" is Mary Renault's warmest, friendliest book--and I don't say that lightly. While Renault wrote books that draw the reader into new worlds, few of her narrators have been what I'd consider ordinary people. While I would love to sit and chat with Alexander or Simonides, I'd probably get tongue-tied and die of embarrassment if I actually got the chance. Nikeratos the actor is a protagonist you can picture taking home for dinner and a beer.

Niko is an actor, reared to the craft from childhood, and the title of the book refers to an antique mask (Greek actors wore masks; none went barefaced on stage) of the god Apollo that he keeps at first for luck. Niko himself is a man who always seems to come out well of every situation; when the book opens, he is fatherless and working with a struggling troupe when his grace under pressure (Spartans are seen heading for the town he's in while he's acting in a play, and Niko continues acting to keep the crowd quiet) gives his career a boost. A rival's attempt to kill him some time later ends unsuccessfully, and this leads to his meeting with the man who becomes his hero and his shadow.

Dion of Syracuse, nephew to the tyrant Dionysius, is also a disciple of Plato. He is a Sicilian aristocrat, a man who seeks to lessen the tyrant's iron grip on the people of Sicily. Niko is awed by his presence and convictions, but clear-eyed when it comes to seeing how many of Dion's ideas--fed to him by Plato--will impact his craft and the society he moves in for the worst. Without ever saying so, Renault makes a stern criticism of Platonic philosophy, which is one of the beauties of the book.

The death of the first Dionysius and the ascendance of his son, the second Dionysius, are told by Niko in a voice by turns cynical and amused. Niko is a keen observer, and drops devastating sarcastic bombs with lethal accuracy. (His "toast" to Dion on discovering Plato's views on the theater is one explosive moment). But Dionysius II turns out to be worse than his father, and Niko finds himself supporting Dion even as he wonders if his friend and idol knows what he's getting into. The climax of the story shows Dion at the moment of his greatest glory--and Niko's wish for him is painful in its prescience.

"Mask's" central premise is how the powerful and the performers wear masks to woo an audience. Niko is fortunate; he knows when to woo and when to take the mask off and go home. Never taking his craft for granted, he not only likes his audiences, he understands them. Dion, on the other hand, sees himself as a liberator and teacher. His audience is the mob, and the mob are to be led like sheep. A man of dignity, Dion is willing to let the devotion of his people carry him to the highest rank, but once there he cannot take off his mask and stop playing the role he's set for himself. And so we wonder, who is more corrupt--the tyrant who crushes dissent with an iron fist, or the politician who promises freedom and then scrabbles for the safety promised by the tactics of the old regime?

Renault cannot resist tweaking the readers with the end of her book. Niko is nearing the twilight of his career when, after portraying Achilles, he is met backstage by a young prince from Macedon and his best friend. Alexander and Hephaistion make their first appearance, and Niko's sorrowful musing on what might have happened had Plato had Alexander instead of Dion to work with ends the book on a bittersweet note.

I began reading Mary Renault's novels at the age of 17, having found her book about Theseus by chance in my school's library. As fast as I could I read all her other Greek novels and have never found another writer who comes close to Renault's fascinating depiction of the ancient world. I have learned so much from her novels; however, not only are they superbly written with magnificent characterisations, they are a joy to read and I have re-read them all many times. This novel's depiction of the Athenian disaster at Syracuse and the subsequent treatment of the Athenian prisoners is superbly drawn but just one high point in the book.

Reading through the other reviews, I just wish I had been lucky enough to study this kind of book at school, but do feel a certain level of maturity is required before tackling them. As it was, Mary Renault's novels are a major reason for me undertaking Ancient History at college and she has instilled in me a lifelong love of Greece.

I would recommend this and indeed any of her Greek novels without hesitation.

As a foreigner reader, I would like to state my view on "The Mask of Apollo". Wonderful book, almost from first to last line. Nikeratos, the protagonist, has a sweet and accurate way of talking about his relationships, and they are among the biggest world has ever seen: Platon (Plato), Aristotle (a dull figure) Alexander, Aristophanes, Dionisyus and Dion of Siracuse. It is a book that tell stories of friendship , love, adventures (no Rambos, please!); of people who lived a life worth living. Renault tries to tell us that ancient Greece was all but dull, the first time men (and women) had the right to exist for themselves, eventhough they were no kings or Pharaohs. Renault's books should be read by everyone who believes in democracy and the surviving of humans on earth.

There are three elements that make this a great novel. First is Renault's ingenious device to critique Plato and Dion through the eyes of an actor. Plato's greatest intellectual flaw, to many, is his devotion to logic at the expense of the passions. The actor, who earns his bread through the inspiration of passion, can see instantly the weaknesses and where they will ultimately lead.

Second, in this book more than any other, Renault makes you feel the presence of the gods. She does this with subtlely, and one is always left wondering whether Nikeratos the actor is imagining (or, indeed, scripting) the voice of Apollo coming from his mask. But in his heart the reader knows that the voice is genuine and that it always leads Nikeratos to his best self.

Third, this is the novel in which Renault really situates herself in a past, present and future. She even makes subtle jokes about it. (Nikeratos, in a fever, dreams of playing Hamlet -- although if you didn't know Hamlet you'd never get the joke.) In this novel, much more so than in those that preceded it, she makes up her mind that all Greek history leads to or from Alexander. This is the novel she wrote just before Fire From Heaven and she has already decided where she is going.

This was a beautifully written novel. The pervasiveness of homosexual relationships depicted in the story eloquently exposes our own society's morals as arbitrary. Our customs were not established at the dawn of time nor are they immutable as we might suppose. Also the gods were portrayed as spirtually significant powers that really shaped lives. I have thought of them as entertaining mythical fantasies and assumed that the ancients, at least the educated, did as well. But their gods were as powerful and real to them as our God is to us. The colorful caste of characters- Roman soldiers, Gauls, Sicilians, and a few famous figures - really brought the ancient Mediterrannean world to life in all its variety.

Mary Renault has vividly recreated the world of the actor in ancient Greece, set against a backdrop of love, betrayal, and war. As a part-time actor, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the similar traits of actors and practices in ancient Greece that still exist today. Although production methods are very different, personalities and "egos" seem to remain the same. I found plenty of smiles on my face as I devoured this rich, lush novel. A must read for actors, historians, and lovers of good fiction

The Mask of Apollo is a beautifully detailed historical novel concerning actors and acting traditions from ancient Greece. Mary Renault fills in the unknown details to explain conventions of ancient theatre,while making the characters as funny and human as any modern actor. This book is a treat for anyone interested in the history of theatr

there are many reviews of ms. renault's work here already, so i will keep this very brief: the reason mary renault is my favorite author is that she can bring the emotional and human quality of her characters to the surface. she makes these long dead people with strange names come alive. she gives them a quotidian life. she makes them human, and humane. true, her knowledge of the ancient greeks is encyclopedic. true, her descriptions are wonderous, but her deep empathy for the people in her novels is what separates her from other historical writers. she also handles homoeroticism/homosocial behavior with a sweetness and sensitivity that demonstrates the value of the delicate bonds that men should be encouraged to explore and nurture. her compassion for the human experience is sometimes overwhelming.

This truly is a novel written with patience and love - with a fascinating peek into obscure moments in the evolution of ancient theatre and philosophy! The protagonist, Nikeratos, is a tragic actor. Through him, we see momentous events of ancient history evolve. The characters are drawn in such a way that makes them timelessly endearing - the language is subtly poetic and conjures images of the age. After reading this novel, I made it my quest to read more on the subject matter - including Plutarch's LIVES and the writings of Plato. Mary Renault's studies of Alexander the Great are equally fascinating. Yet I must say that her "Mask of Apollo" sits quite sturdily, albeit inconspicuously, among my all-time favorite books!