Customer Reviews

Memoirs of Hadrian

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I tried to read this book in my 20's; the book fell from my hands. I tried again at 40. The book didn't exactly fall from my hands, but my eyelids kept closing. Now I am 70. The book is so close to my heart that I can barely put it down. I am healthy and not (I hope) near death, but in this reflection on life from a man nearing death, life and its joys and sadnesses stand out more vividly than in any other book I have ever read.

From page 13: "...the flesh itself, that amazing instrument of muscles, blood, and skin, that red-tinged cloud whose lightning is the soul." Has there ever been a better description of the loved one's body?

Seldom do we find a historical novel written with both so much scholarship and passion. Marguerite Yourcenar not only incarnates the soul and spirit of Emperor Hadrian but of his time as well (second century A.D.). Narrated in the first person, it is the written meditations of a sick man who holds audience with his memories. Suffering from gout, knowing that his remaining days are few, Hadrian leaves a testimony of his life, his accomplishments, his philosophical outlook on life, and some pieces of good advise for his successor Marcus Aurelius. Hadrian was an architect of peace as well as buildings, he felt responsible for sustaining and increasing the beauty of his world, and his duties forced him "to serve as the incarnation of Providence," to the point that he felt he was indeed divine. A lover of the arts, of Greek culture, of the occult, he was above all a pragmatic man whose motto was "Strength, Justice and the Muses." For him life was "like a horse to whose motions one yields, but only after having trained the animal to the utmost." His positive attitude in every life experience allows him to look back as a man fully satisfied... except in matters of love! His passion and tragic death of young Antinous reminds him that "love's play is the only one which threatens to unsettle the soul."

It is history and story written with superb craftsmanship, the end result of painful and laborious 15 years of work and research. It is a psychlogically penetrating portrait of an outstanding figure in history; a man who was able to capture the spirit of his time, which in turn has been recaptured by the genious of Marguerite Yourcenar.

For several years now, I had seen repeated references to this novel as being superbly written, with a masterful translation from the French, reaching such a level of excellence as to merit the much overworked designation of "masterpiece." Needless to say, I was a bit skeptical of all this hoopla. When I finally got around to reading the book, on long flights to and from Denver, I needed only to read the first two pages to discover how remarkable this book is. The writing is so absolutely gorgeous and rich, that the reader is immediately captivated. Even those with little background or interest in Roman imperial history (and here we are dealing with the first and second centuries A.D.) will become engrossed in some of the finest prose I have ever read in a novel. After a while, you almost begin to believe that Hadrian actually wrote these "memoirs," so skillfully does the author hypothesize the inner thoughts and feelings of the emperor. I immediately became curious about the author (1903-1987) and how she came to write such a remarkable story. Fortunately, this paperback edition contains a section designated as "Reflections on the Composition" in which the author recounts her travails in writing the novel, her research, and the actual drafting. Also included is an extensive historical bibliography and some wonderful photographic illustrations drawn from Roman coins, sculpture, tombs, and other sources which add immeasurably to the text. A joyful and thrilling read, emoting a wonderous experience in which all readers can join.

I read this book about twenty years ago, when I was at my first university year, and had very little money to spare - in order to buy the book, I gave up lunch for some two or three weeks. I read it first in very a good portuguese translation, and spent my lunch hours, starved but happy, reading, in a state of wonder, and so completly lost in what I was reading that by the time I had to stop and attend classes, I was dreamy, not realy knowing what time of day it was, or what day, or even where I was.

Years latter, I read it again, in french this time, and the wonder was all there. Both editions are now very old, dog eared, from beeing read, and read, and read... As I get older, I find more and more meaning in these extraordinary thoughts of an old man, who, in spite of being one of the most powerful men in the world, knows he is about to die, and runs his life before our eyes... it took almost a whole life to write it, and may take a whole life to completly enjoy it, so you can read it for ever and never get tired. Magnificent book!

Some editions of Memoirs of Hadrian say it is "by" both author Marguerite Yourcenar and Grace Frick, the translator. Normally, I would consider that a bit much -- like giving the frame maker partial credit for the painting -- but in this case it seems more than warranted, as Ms. Frick was the mind behind one of the best translation jobs I've ever come across.

If she hadn't managed it, Memoirs of Hadrian would have faded into obscurity for English-language readers. After all, the story line is not eventful: it is a series of letters from Roman Emperor Hadrian to future emperor Marcus Aurelius, who Hadrian had come to think of as a grandson.

What makes Memoirs of Hadrian great is the way the story is told. The book captures the candid language and thoughtful sentiments of a wise old man nearing death and offering his wisdom to his young heir. It is a kind of frank confession that is at once autobiography, philosophy, and psychology.

An example, from near the beginning, when Hadrian explains where his life stands: "Like a traveler sailing the Archipelago who sees the luminous mists lift toward evening, and little by little makes out the shore, I begin to discern the profile of my death."

Another example, when Hadrian describes a military victory: "Rome had prepared me a triumph. I no longer protested against these vain but venerable customs; anything which honors man's effort, even if only for a day, seemed to me a salitary in presence of a world so prone to forget."

And I could go on and on.

Obviously, the concepts and narrative come from Ms. Yourcenar. But the beauty of the language in English depends so much on Ms. Frick.

As a work of literature, I suppose it is possible that the rich language and profound sentiment would be enough to make reading it enjoyable. But I do think that a general knowledge of Roman history and European and Italian geography will immeasurably add to the enjoyment of it. It is not an easy read, but it is worth the effort.

(Interesting contextual information not completely explained in the book: Marcus Aurelius was 17 when Hadrian died at the age of 62, but Hadrian had already arranged for Marcus Aurelius to eventually become emperor. Hadrian's adopted son, Antoninus Pius, adopted Marcus Aurelius on Hadrian's insistence, and after Antoninus Pius' 23-year-reign, Marcus Aurelius became emperor himself, as Hadrian desired. The three men were the last of the five "Good Emperors".)

This book contains wonderous and perceptive insights. Yourcenar narrates as though she were Hadrian recalling his passing life. Throughout her narration, Yourcenar (as Hadrian) assigns meaning and significance to the events and people of a time long past- a significance that's aptly valid for our thoughts and our daily situations. Thought provoking quotes permeate the novel like,

"He had reached that moment in life, different for each one of us, when a man abandons himself to his demon or to his genius, following a mysterious law which bids him either to destroy or outdo himself."

"I knew that good like bad becomes a routine, that the temporary tends to endure, that what is external permeates to the inside, and that the mask, given time, comes to be the face itself"

"For my part I have sought liberty more than power, and power only because it can lead to freedom."

With quotes like these, the novel finds strength in creating an introspective thought provoking story, rather simply innumerating the historical events of Hadrian's reign. It's best read during reflective quiet moments when one needs insights rather than entertainment.

I first read this book 15 years ago, and was just blown away by its wisdom and thought-provoking paragraphs. It is by no means an easy read, and not for you, if you are looking for a plot-driven novel, but if you want to explore those questions we all ask at times, about life, and death, and the meaning of it all, then your search is over. I am rereading it again, and find that it has lost none of its power as I have aged. Whether the voice of Hadrian or Yourcenar doesn't really matter. A magnificent piece of timeless literature.

One of the most important skills a student must acquirer when learning history, amongst others, is the ability to evoke a state of empathy for the time period under study. Names, dates and events can only provide us with the obvious and superficial, however, in my opinion, to actually attempt to place oneself emotionally at a particular place on the time-line, can give us a greater insight and a much more profound understanding. Through this method, too, history is not merely words on a page, but something tangible and relevant.

~Memoirs of Hadrian~ conjures the world of ancient times through the eyes of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian, with such sensual accuracy that, wholly or in part, a conscious attempt at 'suspension of disbelief' is not necessary, because one can sit back and let the author do it for you...Yourcenar is a magician at literary prose. In her 'Reflection on the Composition', she writes a curious comment:

"Time itself has nothing to do with it. It is always surprising to me that my contemporaries, masters as they consider themselves to be over space, apparently remain unaware that one can contract the distance between centuries at will." (276)

This is a unique and somewhat mysterious skill to have, and a skill every historian should possess or at least learn, because history is so vital to the present day.

This is a magnificent novel because it combines historical erudition with a superlative prose style, placing the reader into the time of one of the most fascinating Roman Emperors of the second century. As is well known to students of ancient Rome, Hadrian came to power after Trajan, and stopped Rome's imperialist expansion, concentrating his efforts on domestic issues, enriching culturally, Rome and her colonies. Hadrian was an expert politician, man of letters, artist, visionary, philosopher, investigator of the divine, poet and lover. He is known as the travelling Emperor, because he spent most of his reign abroad, visiting Rome's many colonies.

The overall theme of this exquisite text is a man's confrontation with his mortality through recalling and narrating his life. Death is the central theme of this book. Hadrian is writing his memoirs to his benefactor, Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher Emperor, describing his life, and passing on what wisdom he thought he had gained over a long and full existence. Here is a man who confronted life with a fundemental curiosity, and wanted to face death with his eyes wide open...

This novel is a classic and a must for historians and lovers of literature.

This is one of the most brilliant historical novels ever written and you can tell that it is a labor of love. Yourcenar chose Hadrian because he was a great leader that pre-dated Christianity, whose mentality is so alien to our own, and spent decades researching and struggling to express her insights in the proper form. With him, you survey the Roman Empire in its multiple facets, from the excesses of its newly rich to the bloody revolt of the Jews that led to the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. I read it in French and found her prose flawless, clear, and evocative. Read it before visiting to Rome!

I purchased the Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, Grace Frick(Translator)on a chance it might be good. I was not let down. The book though fictional poses a very realistic intimate peak at Hadrian the man and the Emperor. Focusing on the man (rather than a whitewashed idealistic view of the Emperor), the author's attention to detail and painstaking research makes this work believable and thoroughly enjoyable. In the "Memoirs" you learn something about roman politics, psychology, and philosophy. Also, you get a closer look at the eternal issues of life and death, what every human must face.