Lucius Flavus
Lucius Flavus is a historical novel by the Swiss writer Joseph Spillmann , which was published around 1890 by Herder Verlag in Freiburg . Today the book is only available as an antiquarian. It tells the story of a young Roman named Lucius Flavus against the background of the Jewish war , the fighting for Jerusalem and the time of the first Christians.
Origin and background
It is in Lucius Flavius one of the first and most successful novels Spillmanns. Known for his exciting, instructive and general educational books, not least based on Christian truths and church history, the writer had, before Lucius Flavus, already had people and fates from the time of the French Revolution, the rule of Napoleon, the settlement and discovery of northern and central and South America as well as New Zealand and Australia, the Boxer Rebellion in China or the history of Europe and the Orient. Lucius Flavus is his only work that takes place in the time of the Roman Empire.
For this book, Spillmann mainly used the works of the eyewitness Flavius Josephus to help. He writes:
“Of course (...) was the main guarantor (...) Flavius Josephus; In his well-known historical work De bello judaico he described in detail the uprising of the Jews and the whole war, which ended with the complete destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, as an eyewitness and fellow trader. "
He expanded on additional remarks. He drew all historical figures as authentically as possible through detailed research. He himself writes:
"I tried to portray the historical personalities as faithfully as possible."
Various legends from that time were also brought in. The book also makes great reference to the Bible , especially the four Gospels . People who are mentioned incidentally or consciously in the Bible get a permanent place, for example Rhode, Petrus' prison guard, the gardener of Lazarus or Malchus . In addition, there is Saint Veronica (not mentioned by name in the Bible) .
The whole book clearly represents the Catholic religion, its teaching and meaning as well as its desires and logics. The thought-provoking book in this and other respects ends with a word from Pope Linus addressed to Thamar and Lucina :
“(...) New storms will soon follow, and much more blood will flow until the Church of Christ is victorious. Yes she will have to fight to the end of time! But victory is certain. Christ is victor, Christ is king, Christ is ruler of the universe!
The Pope's word has been fulfilled. All whom he addressed have won, and the Church has won and will win forever! "
Spillmann clearly advocates Catholicism in the book , as for example in this section. He shows the ways in which one can stand up for the good by peaceful means and remain steadfast until death. For readers with Christian convictions, this book is a wonderful, also religious experience. For those who are not interested in this or even atheists , individual passages may be a bit disturbing, but they too are enthusiastic about the exciting, informative and skilfully rousing narrated story.
Despite the anti-Semitic opinion that was common in Spillmann's time and was rooted in prejudice , there is nothing to be seen in Spillmann's case.
Lucius flavus is closely linked to the published time for similar book Judas end of De Waal . Spillmann writes:
"When the present work had already begun, Msgr. De Waals" Judas Ende , historical story from the beginnings of Christianity in Rome "(Berlin, published by Julius Becker ) appeared. The ingenious portrayal (...) already presupposes the destruction of Jerusalem in this book (...) and tells the aftermath in Rome, so that only my "conclusion" touches the subject of his beautiful story. So I don't think I should stop the work I have started. Msgr. De Waals "Judas Ende" offers, as far as the relationship between Titus and Berenice is concerned, to a certain extent the continuation and conclusion of "Lucius Flavus". "
Lucius Flavus was published several times and translated into several languages. The novel is only available in German.
content
action
First book: The Passover of the year 66 AD
AD 77: The Jewish Rabbi Sadok is on the journey to Jerusalem with his eleven-year-old son Benjamin and his sixteen-year-old daughter Thamar and their nurse Sara. Shortly before Bethany they are led astray by a robber disguised as a camel driver and attacked by the gangs of Ben Gioras . Sadok is badly wounded and Benjamin and Sara are kidnapped. A young Roman centurion named Lucius Flavus comes to their aid. He saves Thamar, drives the robbers to flight or kills them, but he does not manage to save Benjamin and the wet nurse. He takes her to Bethany to see Eusebius, who turns out to be a Christian, in care. He turns down Sadok's reward.
He brings the prisoner Ben Gioras, on whose head a high reward is set, to the governor Gessius Florus , who refuses him the reward and instead makes him liable for his safety. Florus, however, allows himself to be bribed by the friends of the famous robber, releases him at night and imprisons Lucius, who is released again after Florus is deposed.
Meanwhile Benjamin hears from the robbers that Tamar is engaged to Eleazar , the grandson of the former high priest Caiaphas , according to her father's will . Ananus, the father of the bridegroom, is only after Thamar's wealth and incited the robbers to make her the sole heir by murdering Thamar's relatives, since the house of Caiaphas is heavily in debt. The robber captain Ben Gioras now wants to blackmail Ananus with Benjamin. Through Sara, who was sent to Bethany as a negotiator, Thamar learns of these events and also that her bridegroom is a criminal, which is not true, since only his father is involved in the matter. What few people know is that Eleazar is actually already married to Rachel, a good but hated woman.
Meanwhile, Thamar and Sadok learn that their innkeepers are Christians. Because of this excitement, Sadok suffers a severe hemorrhage and his daughter thinks he is death. She also writes to Lucius Flavus about the danger that Ananus and Ben Gioras pose to her. He brings her to his patroness Berenice , Herod's granddaughter , just in time before the people of Ben Gioras and the people of Eleazar break into the house. Eusebius, who is not in the house at this time, comes back later. The people of Eleazar, however, take their old nurse Sara with them instead of the absent Tamar. However, after this error was discovered too late, she was released.
Benjamin is meanwhile taken to the house of Caiaphas, Thamar flees to Masada with Berenice's sister Drusilla . Eleazar, who doesn't want to give her up, finds her trail, fetches her back and brings her to the temple maidens. Ananus grants her a conversation with her brother Benjamin, who has already been bought by Ananus.
After his return to Bethany, Eusebius brings Sadok, who is actually still alive, to Jerusalem. He slowly gets well again, but leaves the caretaker again because he believes that he is doing idolatry. In fact, it is about the veneration of the handkerchief of Veronica .
The uprisings in Jerusalem are on their way. Eleazar and Ben Gioras, who are celebrated alternately as Messiah, fight for popular favor and gather followers. Finally, the Antonia Castle is attacked. The Romans surrender and let the Jewish victors promise them free withdrawal and immediate dismissal. But these break their word and destroy all Romans, with the exception of Lucius Flavus, whom Eleazar secretly takes with him to take revenge on him, because he had withheld Thamar several times and made him apostate.
Second book: The uprising
Lucius enters the dungeon of the mad Caiaphas. Thamar, who finds out about this, flees the temple maidens' enclosure at night to free Lucius with Benjamin's help. In front of the locked dungeon door, however, it becomes impossible for the siblings to continue their liberation, Thamar and Lucius say goodbye for life and confess their love to each other. But finally Benjamin finds the key and the three of them flee through the neighboring gardens to the next house.
This happens to be the accommodation of the Christians, who also include Eusebius, and the three of them are happy to be hidden and taken in. Thamar, who is injured, is being cared for. Paulinus, the nephew of Saint Paul , teaches the whole household in Christian doctrine. Thamar, who had already been half and half converted, allows herself to be accepted into the catechumens .
Lucius, Thamar and Benjamin are wanted everywhere. Finally, they plan to escape over the wall using a basket. This is impossible for Thamar because of her injury, so that only the other two dare to flee together with Paulinus.
Third book: In Caesarea and in Rome
In Caesarea, Lucius meets his former comrades in arms and Berenice. As the only eyewitness to the terrible events in Jerusalem, the one who was believed to be dead now has to tell exactly what happened there. At Cestius Gallus , Lucius meets Rabbi Sadok, who was believed dead. The latter initially insults and curses him because he considers him to be the concealer of his property. But after he has learned everything, he thanks him and promises him the hand of Thamar. Lucius will soon get him together with Benjamin and the two will celebrate their reunion.
Lucius, however, is given the rank of tribune and the task of bringing the accused, former governor Florus to Rome so that he can be convicted by Nero. In addition, he obtained from his friendly and good-humored Gallus the payment of the money that had been placed on Ben Gioras' head and that Florus had withheld from him.
In the evening Berenike takes him to the house of an Egyptian fortune teller. This shows the two of them a picture in which Lucius is depicted with Berenike, in the background the burning Jerusalem and a crown in his hand. The Sibyl interprets the picture with the fact that Lucius has been called to the emperor and Jerusalem will not exist much longer. Lucius now suppresses the impressions from Jerusalem, the face of Thamar and the Christian teachings and begins to dream of power, career and triumph.
Sadok brings Benjamin into the house of the shipowner Jonas, who treats the boy badly, so that Benjamin runs away. Sadok himself has to travel to Greece with a Jewish embassy who wants to ask mercy from Nero. Lucius and Paulinus sail to Rome. On the ship, both discuss the Christian faith, with the Levite painfully realizing the new prospects of the Tribune. Paulinus is able to prevent an attack by Florus on Lucius, but is seriously wounded himself.
Once in Rome, Lucius brings Paulinus to his mother and sister. These have meanwhile also become Christians. Tigellinus, the Prefect of the Praetorians, has long been jealous of the favor that Lucius receives everywhere. He overhears a conversation between Lucius and his sister Lucilla about Christianity, in which a secret meeting of Christian heads, including Peter , is mentioned. Lucius sends his sister and mother to the Sabine Mountains for protection .
Tigellinus surrounds the house during the night. Lucius and the entire Christian assembly in the house, including Pope Peter , are captured and incarcerated under the circus. Letters to Berenice, strangely enough, remain unresponsive. Lucius is given a cell with an older man he does not know. He receives a visit from Paulinus. This tells Lucius that it is Saint Paul of Tarsus . In the near future he will teach Lucius, who will be baptized after a while. After Pauli and Petri have been executed, Lucius is placed in a worse chamber.
Meanwhile the war with Jerusalem is just around the corner. Vespasian's son Titus (who happens to be an old school friend of Lucius') is supposed to lead the campaign. In a meeting in which the name Lucius Flavus is mentioned, there is a discussion about the Christians who are capable of fighting and Vespasian determines that these should be merged into a punishment center. All are stripped of their titles and honors. Lucius is one of them. On Titus' advice, he initially wants to take his own life, but then changes his mind because of his faith. From there Títus shows him all contempt.
Book Four: The End of Jerusalem
The punishment center is placed under the command of the cruel Centurion Bilosus Vaser. Now she has to do the heaviest work everywhere, dig trenches, and get less to eat. After arriving in Jerusalem many collapse, but immediately have to dig the trenches again and fortify the camp. Lucius, who can no longer watch his comrades' exhaustion, is punished and put on half the ration.
Titus goes on a scouting ride without much covering and although none of the cohorts has yet arrived. The Jews make a sortie under Eleazar, but Titus is only surrounded by a few men and has to succumb. Lucius takes over the command of the punishment centuria and they come to the aid of the emperor's son without sword, shield or armor. Since they were putting up the camp walls, they can only use their spades to help. Lucius saves Titus' life by knocking down Eleazar, who is attacking from behind. Almost half of the punishment center are killed, but they manage to withstand the enemy until armed reinforcements arrive. Titus, who, after all the insults and abuse, expected Lucius to stab him on occasion, suddenly looks at him with completely different eyes.
"" Lucius Flavus, "he said," I thank you and your companions for life. This is no Roman revenge! " - "No, that is Christian vengeance," replied Lucius with a shining look. "
Titus rewards the survivors of the punishment centuria royally and installs them in their old honors and ranks. Lucius Flavus is specially rewarded for his courage, receives the office of adjutant to Titus and is allowed to live in the general's tent. Bilosus Vaser, who wanted to prevent Lucius from doing the bold act until the end and then regulated him, is assigned to the transport of provisions.
After a while, Berenike, who is now ensnaring Titus instead of Lucius, comes to visit. Since the name that the Egyptian Sybille had given was not Flavus but Flavius, she now sees in Titus the realization of her dreams and punishes everyone around her who mentions this error or Lucius Flavus in general.
In order to appear equal to the men, she disguised herself like an amazon, but faints at the smell of the corpses, luckily she can catch Lucius at the last moment. The siege takes its course, Jerusalem's generals, who are still engaged in rivalry, do not come to the unified resistance.
After being wounded by Lucius' spade, Eleazar is taken to the Building of David in Jerusalem, where Eusebius has set up a hospital for the wounded. His actual wife Rachel only finds out later, but is sent away by the seriously wounded man. Thamar, whose foot has healed again, veiled to help Eusebius with the care.
Benjamin has meanwhile returned to Jerusalem after fleeing from the shipowner Jonas. He succeeds in getting back into the house of Christians, as does Paulinus a little later. These two are then instructed to leave Jerusalem again and Benjamin is chosen to save Veronica's handkerchief to Bethany. Paulinus is seized at the gate and put among the fighting, but since he refuses to curse the Romans, his own people stoned him to death. The Christians find him some time later, notice that he is alive and take him to Eusebius' wounded camp.
The slowly recovering Eleazar incorrectly suspects a love affair between Thamar and Paulinus. After a while he goes home again, but a while later he surprises Thamar on the street and brings her to Rachel's house. She makes good friends with this and Eleazar's brother Natanael and works as a missionary. She despises Eleazar but is forced to take an oath not to flee.
In the meantime Benjamin was seized by Roman spies on his escape, luckily Lucius joins him, who takes him under protection and lets him live with him. One day Rabbi Sadok comes to the camp to ask for the temple to be kept and offers Titus half of his property. Titus agrees. Benjamin, Sadok and Lucius meet again in the camp.
In the fight Eleazar is again badly wounded by Lucius, this time unsaved. At a Roman army show he shoots the still ardently hated Lucius with the bow. But this act is again harmful to himself, since excitement and hatred destroy him. Thamar and Rachel look after him in the temple.
Berenike, who has withdrawn from the Roman soldiers out of shame, asks Titus to preserve the temple for her sake and as a memorial to her love. When Lucius pointed out that Jesus Christ said that no stone would be left unturned in the temple, he too made this decision to convict Christianity, which he sees as a dangerous power, to lie. This does not happen as hostility to Lucius, but only as a diplomatic necessity. However, Titus will neither be able to fulfill the promises made against Sadok and Berenike nor to comply with his own wish.
The siege is now very advanced. Lucius is promoted to legate because of his bravery. When the temple burns, Rachel and Thamar stay with the dying Eleazar. In his last hour he accepts Christianity and is baptized by his wife. Escape is now almost impossible for the two of them. Rachel faints walking down a smoky hallway. Thamar, who does not want to leave her, collapses. Natanael, Eleazar's younger brother, runs for help. In the burning temple he meets Lucius, who accompanies him immediately. When he arrives at the top, all ways back are blocked. Lucius carries the two women onto the temple roof, from where there is no exit either.
Meanwhile, upon seeing the burning temple, Rabbi Sadok realizes the truth of the teachings of Jesus.
The four refugees are seen. Nathanael jumps on a distant, small ledge from where he succeeds in the life-threatening descent over a ladder. He brings a message from Lucius to Titus, who, like all Romans and the people, watches Lucius. Titus then sends a decurio up with a ladder to help Lucius get the two women to the ledge and to the ladder. Afterwards Lucius gets permission from Titus to fetch all friends in Jerusalem. Together they all go to Bethany, to the house of Eusebius. Lucius and Thamar get married.
After the end of the war, Lucius was appointed Prefect of the Praetorians by Titus, making him the second highest man in Rome. Out of gratitude for everything, Titus promises him that he will never persecute a Christian for his faith. Lucius knows, however, that after Titus his brother Domitian would become emperor and that then his death and the death of all Christians would be inevitable. During the triumphal procession in Rome, in which he was given the place of honor on horseback next to Titus, he met his mother and sister who had returned from the mountains.
After a while he moves to Italy with his wife and all relatives (that is, Sadok, Benjamin, Lucilla, Lucia, Paulinus, Rachel and Natanael) in a large, beautiful country house on the lake.
Attachments
Closing narrative
Thamar is already the mother of two children. Sadok, who, like everyone else in the family, has become a Christian, now devotes himself to reproducing the Bible and the letters. Nathanael and Benjamin help him. Pope Linus comes to visit, discusses Christianity and the state with Lucius, then you find Thamar and Lucius talking. The reader learns what has become of everyone. Berenice's vision had not been fulfilled and she had fallen from step to step. Her sister Drusilla, however, had now also become a Christian.
Further information
In a precise list of the references made in the book, Spillmann goes into detail on various expressions, places and events and reveals interesting details. A detailed afterword deals, among other things, with the genesis of the book.
Side dishes
The work includes all maps of the Herodian Temple and the city of Jerusalem as well as a detailed plan of the siege by Titus.
Subdivision
The book is divided into four books, which in turn have been divided into two volumes. The appendices are not found in all editions.
Some persons
- Lucius Flavus (the title character of the book) is a young Roman, son of Lucina and brother of Lucilla. He is described as a very good fighter, exceptionally handsome, tall, skillful, honorable and truthful. In the course of the book he rises from the centurion to the tribune and legates to the prefect of the Praetorians. He marries Thamar, the daughter of Rabbi Sadok, and has two children. At the beginning of the book he was still convinced of Roman ethics and was baptized by Paul in the course of the second book. His father was a Roman knight and senator.
- Thamar is the daughter of Rabbi Sadok from Antioch and Benjamin's sister. She is sixteen at the beginning of the book and is described as very beautiful. At first she is a devout Jew, but then converts to Christianity. Actually engaged to Eleazar, she later marries Lucius Flavus and has two children.
- Benjamin (Benjamin Ben Sadok) is the son of Sadok and brother of Thamar. He is bold and courageous, and is considered spoiled by some. Together with Thamar, he was baptized in Jerusalem. He is a good friend of Natanael. His good ideas and his courage often help out of difficult situations.
- Sadok is the father of Benjamin and Thamar and a wealthy scholar and rabbi. He is considered to be very wise and in the course of the book is a strict Jew, albeit not entirely without prejudice, especially against Christianity. He loves his children very much and eventually becomes a Christian like them.
- Lucina is the mother of Lucius and Lucilla, a convinced, steadfast woman of Greek origin. She too is baptized.
- Lucilla is the sister of Lucius and the daughter of Lucina. She is described as very beautiful, of which Tigellinus is particularly convinced. He intends to bring her to Caesar for entertainment, whereupon she flees.
- Natanael is the son of Ananus and the brother of Eleazar. Unlike the rest of his family, he is more honorable, cheerful, and very devout. He was later baptized. He is a good friend of Thamar and Benjamin.
- Eleazar is the grandson of Caiaphas and son of Ananus. Actually engaged to Thamar, he definitely wants her to be a wife even after his machinations have been revealed, since she is first beautiful and then rich, requirements that his first and actual wife, Rachel, did not meet. He is quick-tempered and not very Bible-proof. To the end he harbors feelings of revenge against Lucius and Paulinus, since he considers them to be rivals to Thamar. Lucius is imprisoned several times, he also manages to wound this, but is then fatally injured by Lucius in the fight. At the hour of death he is baptized by Rachel.
- Ananus Ben Kaiphas is the father of Eleazar, Benjamin and Ruth. He has almost completely lost his Jewish faith, is an agitator against Christianity, is heavily in debt and earns his money in odd ways. During the siege of Jerusalem, he tries to flee with a sack full of temple gold, but is seized by the Romans and crucified
- Caiaphas is the former high priest under whom Jesus was crucified. The man who has gone mad is held captive in a cellar by his son. During the siege, he throws himself into the flames of the temple.
- Ruth is the sister of Eleazar and Natanael, she is seriously ill and has visions of Jesus Christ . Shortly before death, she is baptized by Eusebius.
- Rachel is the first and actual wife of Eleazar. He married her because of her wealth as she was not beautiful. But since he sank with a ship, he treats her badly and like a slave. She sacrifices her sufferings for Eleazar's salvation and is lucky enough to baptize him at the last hour.
- Martius is a Decurion of the twelfth legion, a grizzled soldier and good fighter, a friend of Lucius. With his help, Thamar and Rachel can be saved from the fire.
- Claudius Lysias is a Roman tribune. Since he and Lucius take care of Queen Berenice, who is pleading for her people, both are imprisoned by Florus. In prison, Lysias is baptized by Lucius. When the Jews are betrayed, he confesses his faith and is then murdered.
- Sara is Benjamin and Thamar's wet nurse. For Thamar's salvation, it is passed off as this once. Sara is old, good-natured, friendly and full of love for her protégés, but not particularly brave.
- Titus Vespasian is the general of the Jewish war, an old schoolmate of Lucius and the son of Emperor Vespasian.
- Tigellinus is the prefect of the Praetorians under Nero. He betrays Lucius and his family because of Christianity. Lucius later takes his place under Titus.
- Pomponius Papilio is a tribune, a good friend of Lucius and Berenice.
- Berenice (actually Berenike, in the book Berenice) is the granddaughter of Herod and sister Agrippas and Drusillas . At first she played herself as the patroness of Lucius, later of Titus. With their help, she wants to ascend the throne of an empress, but is disappointed. She was previously married to the son of Tiberius Alexander . Berenice is considered in the book as one of the most beautiful women in the world at that time.
- Drusilla is Berenice's sister. Initially in a relationship with governor Felix, she is confronted by Paul. She is very fond of Christianity, but is baptized late. In everything Drusilla seems to be the opposite of her sister. She is a good friend of Thamar's.
- Helena is Drusilla's slave, she is a Christian and comes from Greece. For Drusilla she is more of a friend than a slave. After their impoverishment, she remains the only one loyal to her.
- Tiberius Alexander is a Jew who went over to the Romans who, under Titus, helped subjugate Jerusalem.
- Paulinus is the nephew of Saint Paul and is almost stoned to death by the Jews out of hatred of Christianity. He instructs the housemates in the catechism and later works on the reproduction of the Bible under Sadok's direction.
- Eusebius is a Christian from the Manasseh tribe. He is a well-known surgeon and is ordained a priest during the time of horror, after which he practices abstinence with his wife Salome. He is the administrator of the property in Bethany, where Lazarus used to live.
- Salome is Eusebius' wife, is being held hostage by Ben Gioras and only released after a long time because of her good culinary skills.
- Rhode is a maid in the Marienhaus in Jerusalem, where Lucius, Thamar and Benjamin are hiding. She already served there in Petri times and it was she who opened it to him when the angel had freed him from prison.
- Simon Ben Gioras is a robber chief from Galilee, he is celebrated as the Messiah and is one of the three main leaders of Jerusalem when the uprisings break out.
- Next to Eleazar and Ben Gioras, John of Gischala is the third rebel leader in Jerusalem.
- Eupolemos is Berenice's slave, flattering and dishonest.
- Martha and Mirjam are the nieces of Eusebius. Shortly before the siege, they leave Bethany.
- Malchus is a former servant of the high priest, now a zealous Christian. Back then, Jesus healed his ear in the oil garden. Today it is the only one he still listens to.
- Malchus jr. (Son of Malchus) took the place of the prison guard under Florus, at that time the prisoner Peter escaped from him . See main article Acts
criticism
"(...) The presentation and implementation of the novel are, as one cannot expect otherwise from Spillmann, excellent, the content solid, mind and heart forming, stimulating the imagination, combined with a beautiful form with a simple, clear narrative tone."
“The plot is clear and extremely exciting, in a word: masterfully told! (...) The description is always warm, the drawing of historical people and places real and vivid .. "
“... the work is reminiscent of the so-called professorial novels: the plot is very broad, and the scientific material has not been processed by a poet's spirit and shaped into a work of art. Furthermore, the main thing for the author is not the presentation of the conquest of Jerusalem, but the conversion of a number of people to Christianity. The religious element also emerges from the fact that too large a number of persons have been taken from the Passion of Christ or from the Acts of the Apostles, or that they are descendants of those who were related to Christ's life. The author lacks the poetic ability to make this clear and above all probable. After all, the pictures of the Madonna, the handkerchief of Saint Veronica, the martyrdom of Peter and Paul, the appearance of the Pope and the like all too show the Catholic author. The characters are little deepened ... "
Others
Due to the genre, the book has many similarities in theme and design with the novels Quo Vadis (published 1895) by Henryk Sienkiewicz and Ben Hur (1880) by Lew Wallace .
Remarks
- ↑ The historical novel as a companion to world history . Hachmeister & Thal, Leipzig [1921/1922], pp. 31-32.