Who would ever want to read a long historical novel, set in the first century AD and written in the late nineteenth in Polish? After reading the following five reasons, I hope your question will become: who wouldn’t want to read Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz?!
1. It’s a good story!
It’s got it all: romance, intrigue, drama. And the romance between Marcus Vinicius, a young Roman commander, and Lygia, the daughter of a barbarian king held captive in Rome, is not sickly-sweet, making it palatable to male readers too! It’s the kind of romance in which Vinicius’ initial uncontrollable lust gets slowly but surely turned into steady, faithful love for Lygia. The narrative flicks back and forth between their intimate personal story and the larger story of what was happening in the court of Nero in Rome at the time (64-68 AD), and manages to maintain the reader’s interest in both storylines.
2. It’s written by a Nobel Prize winner
How often can you say you’ve read a Nobel Prize winner? Though this does mean you have to put in a bit more work when reading this than for instance Dan Brown or a Mills&Boon… But who doesn’t need a bit of brain gym now and again?! Plus, according to Aristotle, we are what we repeatedly do. (Kind of like: “you are what you eat”, generalised.) Reading quality literature influences the quality of your thinking and speech.
3. It’s recommended by Fr John Hardon sj on his “Catholic lifetime reading plan”
Reading lists abound. Fr Hardon’s list tries not to be “simply a useful guide to the great Catholic literature of the ages”, but:
“… a carefully planned method of self-education whose goal is
to acquire the mind of Christ
through having our minds influenced by the great minds
of the Church’s two thousand years of literary history.”
I think the reason that Quo Vadis made it onto Fr Hardon’s list is because it provides such an historically accurate portrayal of early Christianity. Reading Quo Vadis reminded me of how shocking Christianity was for the first Romans and Greeks. How shocking the idea of forgiveness can be, and purity, and freedom through obedience.
4. It might be set 2000 years ago, but it’s very relevant
The contrast between the decadent, immoral Romans and the ascetic, virtuous Christians, is like putting a mirror up to our own times. We strive so much after comfort, and the satisfaction of our own lusts and desires, instead of striving for truth. The romance in the book is not just between Vinicius and Lygia. It’s also between the first Christians and Christ. We could do with a bit more of that romance.
What’s more, Quo Vadis gives a very good picture of martyrdom. What inspires martyrs, and what consoles them. What a holy death looks like. In reading about these martyrdoms and while being grateful for their witness, I couldn’t help thinking of all the martyrs now. There are more Christian martyrs now than even in those early centuries. This book reminded me to pray for them and to ask for their prayers.
5. Quo Vadis – Where are you going, Lord?
The novel gives a good picture of conversion. But what touched me the most was how each of the characters truly lives – even the scoundrels! I think we’ve started living too much in our heads. We’re too self-absorbed in our own internal lives. This book includes self-absorbed characters too! But they spend a lot more time acting and a lot less time in self-analysis. A bit of self-knowledge is good. But do not lose the urgency of action.
“Where are you going?” – am I on the move, and where to?
Where is the Lord going, and am I following Him?
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