Quo Vadis?

While staying at my daughter’s house post Hurricane Ian, I have done lots of knitting, but I thought it was a good time to do some reading too.  I pulled Quo Vadis off her bookshelf, knowing it was a classic and having some vague idea that it dealt with the Roman Empire.  I guess my clue was the title in Latin, which means “where are you going?”  I did not realize the extent to which it is a romance.

The story is set in the first century during the time of Nero, who is portrayed as a nasty and unstable tyrant.  Living in this era, is Marcus Vinitius a wealthy young member of the aristocracy.  While visiting another aristocratic family, he catches a glimpse of a beautiful young woman named Ligia.  She is a member of royalty in a European tribe, and has been brought to Rome as a captive, although not a slave.  She lives with the aristocratic family as a sort of foster child.  The mother in the family Pomponia is a follower of Christ, and Ligia becomes one also.

Initially Vinitius’ interest in Ligia is motivated totally by lust because of her beauty.  He scorns the Christians, as do many Roman citizens.  Over the course of the story, he gradually and with much struggle comes to realize the truth and value of the Christian faith and becomes a Christian himself.  This changes his entire attitude towards Ligia, and he comes to love her in a genuine way.

This is a long book and is heavy into both philosophy and theology.  Petronius, who is Vinitius’ uncle, is a man of culture and good taste.  He is educated and witty and unflappable.  He has no use for Christianity and steeps himself in pleasures.  He is a confidant of Nero.  His discussions with Vinitius about his changing attitudes and with Nero allow for much of the philosophical discussion in the book.  Later in the book both Peter and Paul are introduced.  Their interactions and the contrast between them and the very judgmental Crispus help to define the theology of the book.

As Nero descends into madness, Rome is burned either at his suggestion or direction.  Which is not clear.  But, it is decided to blame the Christians.   Ligia is caught up in the persecution, and Vinitius is desperate to find a way to save her.  Nero knows of his love for her and delights in taunting Vinitius and watching his agony.  The horrors of this time for Christians are described in gory detail, as Nero and his advisor Tigellinus think up increasingly terrifying ways to kill Christians.

Although she nearly dies in prison and does end up in the arena, Ligia is spared in a miraculous way.  Petronius is eventually forced to commit suicide with no indication that he ever comes to faith in Christ.

The theology presented in the book is in keeping with scripture.  The one bit that is uncomfortable to me is that it is a set-up for the papacy being centered in Rome and Rome being viewed as the capital of the church, just as Rome was viewed as the capital of the secular world.

The author of Quo Vadis, Henryk Sienkiewicz, is a masterful writer.  His descriptions put the reader in the setting surrounded with input from all of one’s senses.  His dialog as Petronius debates and discusses is very thought provoking.  One ponders:  What is beauty? What is art? What is truth?  What is to be most valued in life?  Is there life beyond this one?  Is flattery ever warranted?  What does real love look like? Should one meekly accept one’s fate or fight it?  And a host of other questions.

This was a book worth reading, even considering the difficulty presented by my current blurred and double vision.