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Biographical Fiction
Ancient Greece
While The Confessions of Socrates was categorized under “Biographical,”
of course it is fiction; but what brilliant and well-researched Historical
Fiction it is.
Socrates languishes in a stinking prison
cell awaiting execution: death by drinking hemlock. Having been given a twenty-eight-day
reprieve (not by his vile accusers or the Council of Five Hundred, but due to
the observation of a festival period), he scribbles an account of his life on
scrolls smuggled in by a kind jailer. In it, he reveals himself to his sons
(and to the reader) not as the haughty Greek philosopher we have come to
believe he was, but as a fallible human being. His humble beginnings as a
stonemason surprised me (bringing into focus the book’s cover: even a hard
block of stone cannot suppress new life sprouting from it). I never knew he was
drafted for several military campaigns – albeit without much enthusiasm on his
part. He is an outwardly gruff sort of man, but his long internal struggles
with himself and toward his family, friends and foes at last expose him as
quite vulnerable and deeply caring; not that he admitted this to anyone until
the end of his life.
The author injects conversations and
philosophical arguments as they might have taken place during those heady days
of Athenian dominance; not an easy read, mind you, but so well executed I never
skipped even a paragraph. What a joy to read such brilliant and intelligent use
of language. While this novel is a literary gem, it is by no means devoid of
action, intrigue, and surprises with plenty human fallacies and insights.
I also appreciated the appended glossary
of Greek names, places and gods. It made me realize those times were real, as
were most of the people, their beliefs, continual wars and personal struggles.
While I am ashamed to say that the little I knew about Ancient Greece I had
almost forgotten, I am now inspired to re-acquaint myself with another great
ancient civilization, brought to its knees by Man’s forever impetus to wage
war.
The Confessions
of Socrates
is indeed a Discovered Diamond and I am giving it a sparkling and well-deserved
place on this Review Site.
© Inge H. Borg
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