Day 18

Day 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been listening to the BBC production of the first five Falco books by Lindsey Davis with Anton Lesser as Falco. To my mind, Anton Lesser’s voice is the true voice of Falco. Christian Rodska reads the Audible version. He is very good, but he is not Falco.

Listening to this collection, (adapted by Mary Cutler, from Lindsey Davis’ originals) has reminded me of another Roman book by Davies that doesn’t feature Falco or Albia:

Master and God

The first thing I want to say about this book is that I enjoyed it. The second is that I have reservations about it. If you are expecting a Falco book you will be disappointed. This book is set in Rome a few years after Falco's time (though I suspect he is still alive). Vespasian is dead and so is his elder, more favoured son, Titus. Domitian the younger, less reliable son is emperor. This book tells the story of Domitian's rule . . . but it also tells the story of Lucilla and Vinius, and I don't think they work together.

I suspect that Domitian has fascinated Lindsey Davis for ages and that she really wanted to write about him but has been persuaded to add a love story to humanise it. Being Lindsey Davis the love story is excellent and Lucilla and Vinius are interesting and sympathetic characters. I should have much preferred two books - a historical account devoted to Domitian and a historical romance about Lucilla and Vinius. It is true that what happens to Lucilla and Vinius is controlled by what is happening in Rome, but their story would work with less historical detail and suffers because their love story is not fully fleshed out. Equally, their love story is a distraction when considering the Domitian story.

To look at the book in detail Vinius is a member of the Praetorian Guard, the army division who protect the emperor. Lucilla is a freedwoman who is one of the hairdressers to the court. They become involved when they share the lease of an apartment that neither can afford alone. They have met once before when Lucilla was very young. Vinius is married but is using the apartment as an investment and a place where he can hide from his wife. During the book we see their relationship grow and wane and grow again. Interspersed with their story are chunks of narrative history telling us what is going on in Rome.

These two elements never combine properly. The only characters who are fleshed out are Vinius and Lucilla. Other characters in their story flit about, but we don't know them. None of the people in the historical sections are treated as characters in a novel. Huge opportunities have been lost. Lucilla is a hairdresser to the empress, her relations and ladies. This relationship could have been explored and given us really interesting insights into the workings of the imperial court. Domitian is a fascinating character but he has not been imagined and humanised as a character in a novel. He is a character in a history book and he never really comes alive.

 

Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_isL0E-4TsQ

The love duet between Nero and Poppeia in the opera L’incoronazione di Poppeia by Monteverdi is very beautiful and very erotic. It is interesting that Monteverdi gave it to Nero and Poppeia, because they certainly weren’t love’s young dream.

Poppeia Sabina was Nero’s mistress and then second wife. History has blamed many of Nero’s crimes on Poppeia. Nero was her third husband. Nero murdered his mother because she disliked Poppeia and forbade the marriage, then he divorced his wife who then died from grief. Poppeia persuaded Nero to murder her enemies. However she came to a sticky end when in in a fit of temper Nero kicked her in the stomach, causing a fatal miscarriage.

Food

Abbacchio Alla Cacciatora

Hunter’s Lamb

·      1 onion, peeled and finely diced

·      1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced

·      1 stick celery, finely diced

·      6 tbsp olive oil

·      2 sprigs marjoram

·      2 sprigs rosemary

·      8 sage leaves

·      Salt and pepper

·      450g boneless lamb suitable for stewing, cut into 2cm cubes

·      200ml white wine

·      1 x 400g tin of tomatoes

·      1 small dried red chilli

 

Step One

Divide the herbs into two. Finely chop one half, leaving the rest whole. Put the chopped herbs with the diced onion, carrot, celery and olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan along with a pinch of salt. Gently fry over a very low heat until soft and fragrant – about seven to ten minutes. This mixture is the soffrito which is the base of many Italian sauces.

Step Two

Raise the heat a little, add the lamb, and cook, stirring, until browned on all sides. Raise the heat a little more, add the wine and let it bubble for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes, remaining whole herbs, chilli and a good pinch of salt.

Step Three

Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for an hour and a quarter, lifting the lid to stir from time to time and adding more wine if it seems dry.

Serve with potatoes or pasta and sprinkle with grated pecorino.

 

Today’s Picture

Amadeo Modigliani (1884 -1920)

Portrait of a Girl, 1917

Amadeo Clemente Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern style characterized by elongation of faces, necks, and figures that were not received well during his lifetime and he died in poverty.