The Ancient Ocean Blues
Page 14
As for myself, when I returned, I was prepared for the most withering lecture from Gaius. After all, it had taken me six months to complete my mission, and most of that had been spent planting barley. Gaius, however, was more than satisfied that there would be no alliance between Cicero and Pompey, and he hosted a grand victory banquet for me; his only real disappointment was that the pirates hadn’t won. Caesar depends on him more than ever, now.
It was Homer, as you might expect, who had the last word on our adventures. He wasn’t coming back with me and Paulla, but he did walk out to the Dipylon Gate to wish us luck on the journey home. There he presented us with one of the very first copies of Spurinna’s memoirs, rolled on a beautiful silver handle. He was very pleased with it. Yet he seemed reluctant to say farewell.
“I’ve been thinking, sir,” he said at last, “have you considered writing an account of our trip to Greece?”
“Certainly not,” I replied.
“I only ask,” he went on, “because there does seem to be a growing interest in these, well, these romantic novels. Not as much interest as in Hesiod, of course, and rightly so; but still, I think there is money in it, and my copyists are nearly finished with the Spurinna book.”
“Any title in mind, Homer?” asked Paulla mischievously.
“Well, madam, I was thinking perhaps The Tale of the Gallant Publisher, or maybe –”
“Homer,” I interrupted severely, “you’re not suggesting that I should write a Greek romance novel?”
“Well, sir, as you must admit, our adventures did present some similarities to that, ah – to that type of story. I mean, there was the shipwreck, and the plantation, and the pirates, and Tragias, and the battle, and the, well, the happy couple at the end. Really, sir, what could be more suitable?”
“Homer,” I said, “you’re mad. Deranged. Insane.”
Nonetheless, we got out of there as quickly as we could.
Historical Note
The Ancient Ocean Blues is set in the years 63 and 62 BC. The main historical event is Pompey the Great’s campaign against the Cilician Pirates; the chronology of this has been adjusted, however, as it actually took place four years earlier (67-66 BC). Julius Caesar’s election as High Priest (pontifex maximus) took place in 63 BC, very much as described in the first two chapters, though the detail of the bread is speculation. Gaius Oppius was one of Caesar’s most loyal henchmen: he would later write the history of Caesar’s victory in the Civil Wars (49-45 BC). T. Pomponius Atticus was indeed Cicero’s best friend and a long-time resident of Athens: a biography of him survives, along with a good deal of his correspondence with his famous friend. Zeno of Sidon and Anaxilaus of Larissa were real philosophers of the period; the latter was later banished from Rome by Augustus, apparently for practicing magic. The Aemilii Paulli were one of Rome’s most aristocratic families, but apart from her name Paulla is not based on a specific historical character. Marcus, Homer, the Captain, Aulus, and Brasidas are invented, though the worlds of political intrigue, book publishing, maritime commerce, naval warfare, and plantation slavery that they inhabit have been depicted as faithfully as possible.
The ancient novels that remain to us date from 100 to 200 years after this book takes place, but it is supposed here that they reflect an earlier, perhaps less sophisticated tradition – amply endowed though they are with pirates, bandits, disguise, coincidence, shipwreck, and adventure. Readers interested in a real ancient novel might try Chareas and Callirhoe, by Chariton of Aphrodisias. For the previous adventures of Homer, Aulus, and Tullia, you might enjoy The Roman Conspiracy, by the author of this book, also available from Tundra: this is the “Spurinna memoir” often rescued by Homer in The Ancient Ocean Blues.
For more historical information, including maps of Marcus’s and Paulla’s travels, please visit www.ancientoceanblues.com.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my family for their moral support while I was writing this book. Kathy Lowinger and Kathryn Cole were of great help in improving the text, and it has been a pleasure to work with their colleagues Catherine Mitchell, Alison Morgan, Pamela Osti, Melissa Reeve, and Lauren Bailey at Tundra Books. Many thanks especially to Terri Nimmo for the striking cover design. I first read the Greek novels in Wade Richardson’s excellent course at McGill in the year 2001.
ALSO AVAILABLE BY JACK MITCHELL
The Roman Conspiracy
With the Roman Republic crumbling, Aulus Lucinus Spurinna finds his own family’s world turned upside down. Together with his faithful servant, Aulus must travel to the great city of Rome to seek help from his family’s Protector. But Rome is more dangerous than he could have imagined: a conspiracy of ruthless aristocrats and bloodthirsty gladiators threatens the survival of the Empire, and soon Aulus finds himself involved. Even with the friendship of the beautiful Tullia, Aulus faces deadly danger and mystery at every turn. Who can help to save his family’s land? Who can be trusted with the future of Rome?
PRAISE FOR
The Roman Conspiracy
“The Roman Conspiracy is a good strong adventure
story in the tradition of Rosemary Sutcliff and Geoffrey
Trease, with lots of action, a likeable hero, a feisty girl
(who actually does most of the thinking as well as a
good deal of the acting), and an historical setting about
which the reader is unlikely to know a great deal.”
– CM Magazine
Highly Recommended
“The Roman Conspiracy is a fast-paced adventure story
with interesting characters and interwoven plots.”
– Resource Links
Recommended
“Mitchell’s classical adventure rivals Caroline Lawrence’s
The Roman Mysteries (Millbrook) or Jane Yolen’s Young
Heroes series (Harper Collins). Raised by his aunt and
uncle, Aulus Spurinna wants more than anything to see
the great city of Rome. This wish comes true under
tragic circumstances when his uncle mysteriously
dies Fast-paced action, an authentic setting, and
realistic characterization all work together to make this
an exciting journey to the ancient world.”
– SLJ
“Jack Mitchell’s The Roman Conspiracy is a compelling
drama that sweeps readers into [the] historical moment
with great verve. He does this partly by choosing an
outsider to tell the story. Like the reader, Aulus, a boy
from the provinces, is seeking Rome and all its wonders
for the first time. Mitchell also cleverly integrates
historical details into this story. And the novel’s well-
drawn teen characters, particularly Tullia, definitely
make the novel much more accessible to contemporary
readers.… Mitchell is a good writer, and this book, like
Karleen Bradford’s Crusades novels, is a valuable
contribution to Canadian-authored historical fiction.”
– Quill and Quire
“… a marvelous tale with the forward drive of a
chariot.… The Roman Conspiracy should find a place
alongside books by such esteemed writers as Rosemary
Sutcliff and Geoffrey Trease. Jack Mitchell is a welcome
new voice in… writing for young people.”
– Bill Richardson
Text copyright © 2008 by Jack Mitchell
Published in Canada by Tundra Books, 75 Sherbourne Street, Toronto, Ontario M5A 2P9
Published in the United States by Tundra Books of Northern New York, P.O. Box 1030, Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Library of Congress Control Number: 2007943133
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system
, without the prior written consent of the publisher – or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency – is an infringement of the copyright law.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Mitchell, Jack, 1977-
The ancient ocean blues / Jack Mitchell.
eISBN: 978-1-77049-069-7
I. Title.
PS8626.I838A65 2008 jc813′. 6 C2007-907602-5
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) and that of the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Media Development Corporation’s Ontario Book Initiative. We further acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program.
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