Written in the form of a testamentary letter from the Emperor Hadrian to his successor, the youthful Marcus Aurelius, this work is as extraordinary for its psychological depth as for its accurate reconstruction of the second century of our era. The author describes the book as a meditation upon history, but this meditation is built upon intensive study of the personal and political life of a great and complex character as seen by himself and his contemporaries, both friends and enemies. Marguerite Yourcenar reconstructs Hadrian's arduous early years, his triumphs and reversals, and his gradual reordering of a war-torn world.
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"In her brilliant 'psychological novel and meditation on history,' Marguerite Yourcenar has written an imaginatively daring and artistically persuasive 'self-portrait' of Hadrian."--Orville Prescott
About the Author
Marguerite Yourcenar wrote stories, plays, poems, criticism, and novels. She was the first woman to be elected to the Academie Francaise, in 1980. She died in 1987.
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My dear Mark, Today I went to see my physician Hermogenes, who has just returned to the Villa from a rather long journey in Asia. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
My dear Mark, Today I went to see my physician Hermogenes, who has just returned to the Villa from a rather long journey in Asia. Read the first page
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Format:Paperback
In a long letter to his successor Marcus Aurelius, the old emperor Hadrian, sick and close to death, tells the story of his life, his intense presence on Earth, over which he left traces from Scotland to Iran. Born in Spain, Hadrian is taken at a a very young age to study in Rome and Athens, where he falls in love with all things Greek. Actually he would do much to re-hellenize Rome. Then comes military life in Orient (what we call now the Middle East) and Panonia (roughly Hungary-Czech Rep.), where he acquires and comes to appreciate military values. After Hadrian is made governor of Syria, Emperor Trajan dies and appoints him as his successor. His reign begins, against his will, with the murders of four enemies. Hadrian stops Trajan reckless expansionist wars and consolidates the Empire at its highest point in wealth, power and size. Then come the happy years, when he wanders the Empire, governing and enjoying the company of his young and beloved Antinoo, who would suffer a tragic death. At an old age, he retires to his villa in Tibur, where he supposedly writes the long letter that forms this most engaging book.
This masterpiece creates a living human being, one who transmits greatness, intelligence, cultivation, sensitivity and unique statesmanship abilities (not so common these days). Hadrian is, of course, a man with a big ego (how to be Emperor of Rome and not have one?), yet he is anything but vain or naïve about himself. He does not swallow the tale about emperors' divinity: he knows himself to be mortal, vulnerable and his religiosity is vague and sober. He learns to know Man. He abhors the Coloseum carnages, but shows up because he understands their role in alleviating the people's lives.
The abundant lamentations over Antinoo are not very enticing for non-homosexual readers, but they are critical in revealing Hadrian's vulnerable side and consequently help humanize him.
Full of memorable sentences, this book runs like water. The years and years of research and meditation aren't felt, since the prose is rich, fluid and terse, which is one of the major merits of this great book.
By Sam Bickens
Format:Paperback
This book is well-written, well-translated, well-informed, and a wellspring of insight into human nature. Written as a series of lengthy letters to Marcus Aurelius from Emperor Hadrian, it reads as an extraordinary historical narrative. At the same time, it builds a complex and convincing portrait of a fascinating character and bestows upon the reader a wealth of notable and quotable thoughts on human nature, human relations, politics, leadership, and nature.
Why and how Ms. Yourcenar wrote this book is a bit of a mystery to me, but I'm glad she did and glad I discovered it. I'll undoubtedly come back to read it again.
Why and how Ms. Yourcenar wrote this book is a bit of a mystery to me, but I'm glad she did and glad I discovered it. I'll undoubtedly come back to read it again.
By John Kwok
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Marguerite Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian" is one of the finest examples of historical fiction I have read, and without question, the best that's been told through the eyes of its protagonist, the Roman emperor Hadrian. Yourcenar's superb accomplishment is a fictitious memoir of Rome during the early years of the 2nd Century A. D. that is as mesmerizing as any work by the likes of genuine Roman historians such as Tacitus or Suetonius. Her memoir offers us a man who was truly one of the most liberal, and far-sighted, of Rome's early emperors; a philosopher-king who bequeathes his wisdom and knowledge to his adopted nephew and successor, the young Marcus Aurelius, in the form of a lengthy letter that is the text of Yourcernar's novel. This is an admirable, compelling portrait of a man who chose to rule wisely and well, forsaking the wars of conquest waged by his immediate predecessor Trajan, for a reign noted for its peace and prosperity and a successful effort to "re-hellenize" Rome by a devout admirer of Greek history and culture. This terse book is told in fluid, often lyrical prose ably translated into English by Yourcenar and her long-time companion, the American Grace Frick. Following the novel's conclusion, Yourcernar provides some compelling vignettes recounting how she finally wrote this book.
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Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
the horse's mouth
So many reviews have commented on how remarkable this book is that it's difficult to add anything to what has been said. It is a wonderful book, one to read again and again. Read more
Published on April 3 2003 by marzipan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Confronting death through life...
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. Read more
Published on Mar 21 2003 by C. Middleton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Work of profound scholarship
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... Read more
Published on Feb 15 2003 by Esther Nebenzahl
5.0 out of 5 stars
The most perceptive, thought provoking book...
This book contains wonderous and perceptive insights. Yourcenar narrates as though she were Hadrian recalling his passing life. Read more
Published on Oct 22 2002 by Mark Allen G. Garzon
5.0 out of 5 stars
A top 100 book
A panel of 100 writers from 54 countries assembled by Norwegian Book Clubs picked the 100 best works of fiction in existence and this book was on the list so I thought I would read... Read more
Published on July 21 2002 by Schmerguls
4.0 out of 5 stars
Memoirs of Hadrian
Written in the form of a letter, memoir-tutorial to his nephew, the young Marcus Aurelius. Succeeding the stern super-centurion, Trajan, the Emperor comments on a wide variety of... Read more
Published on May 13 2002 by Richard Cunningham
5.0 out of 5 stars
At your service, my emperor and my friend...
That's how we feel after reading this masterpiece that took a lifetime to craft. We become Marcus Aurelius, the recipient of the last letter of the old and noble Imperator... Read more
Published on April 20 2002 by Anibal Madeira
5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional novel about an exceptional man
Emperor Hadrian is truly one of the most fascinating, intelligent, and passionate individuals in history. Read more
Published on Feb 22 2002 by "avk3"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ever wondered what a good ruler would be like?
How often have you found yourself complaining about your boss or your politician. Ever wondered what a good leader would be like? Read more
Published on Feb 18 2002 by dinadan26
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insights for human nature and leadership
I got interested in this book through an article from the Harvard Business Review. In the article Franco Bernabe, the CEO of an Italian conglomerate ENI, discusses the challenges... Read more
Published on Jan 17 2002 by Benjamin Yeh
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