Geza Tatrallyay's Reviews > Zeno

With Zeno, the sequel to his Calvus, Darryl Greer gives us yet another captivating work of historical fiction. Set in Nero’s Roman Empire, this is the story of young Zeno, who returns to Rome with his family after his father, Calvus, is crucified in Britannia for succumbing to the teachings of Christ, whose crucifixion he had witnessed. Zeno and his mother, Vipsania, and sister, Fannia, are accompanied by their slave attendant, Helena—who is more like a surrogate mother to the children—and Calvus’ best friend, Dalmatius, and loyal soldier, Buccio and go to live at his grandfather, Publius’ palazzo outside Rome. Zeno joins the army and distinguishes himself, after which he is temporarily assigned to guard the incarcerated follower of Christ, Paulus, with whom he becomes fascinated. After he saves a senator during a fire that destroys much of Rome, Zeno is promoted to centurion, and, as Nero blames the Christians for the devastation wrought on Rome by the fire, Paulus is executed, but not before he gives Zeno a letter to Yohannan a friend in Judea.

In Judea, the Jews revolt against Roman oppression, and Yohannan, a follower of Christ, decides it is unsafe for his flock of Christians to remain in Jerusalem, so they flee into the countryside. Nero sends an army under Vespasian to put down the rebellion, and Zeno joins this force to realize his ambition of getting out of Rome and getting to know more about Christus and helping his followers, including Paulus’ friend Yohannan. Zeno eventually comes upon Yohannan and his small tribe, and deserts from the army to join them. Back in Rome, there is lots of consternation and excitement regarding the talented centurion who has gone AWOL, and many efforts to find him and bring him to justice.

Much as in the precursor novel, Calvus, clearly a lot of meticulous research went into Darryl Greer’s work to paint this mesmerizing tale of the centurion Zeno that encapsulates the fraught early rise of a pacifist Christianity and the efforts by the Romans to do everything in their power to eliminate it. This a book well worth reading, not just once but several times.