RexLegendi reviewed Mémoires d'Hadrien by Marguerite Yourcenar
Review of "Mémoires d'Hadrien" on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Astonishing endeavour by Belgian author Marguerite Yourcenar (1903-1987) to capture life through the eyes of the 60-year-old terminally ill Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138). Mémoires d’Hadrien is crafted as a letter to Marcus Aurelius, his adopted grandson and successor, in which he reflects on his ambitions to bring peace to a war-hungry empire, his passion for Greece, and his shortcomings and deteriorating health. Along the way, Hadrian describes daily political affairs in ancient Rome, including the Empire’s approach to Christian and Jewish groups.
Yourcenar’s Hadrian comes across as resigned, accepting his place and fate. (How could one not think of [b:The Death of Ivan Ilyich|29410489|The Death of Ivan Ilyich|Leo Tolstoy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457022930l/29410489.SX50.jpg|234915] here?) I am in awe of the considerable research the author undertook to develop this novel. In this respect, she set the tone for later authors such as Pat Barker ([b:The Silence of the Girls|41728452|The Silence of the …
Astonishing endeavour by Belgian author Marguerite Yourcenar (1903-1987) to capture life through the eyes of the 60-year-old terminally ill Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138). Mémoires d’Hadrien is crafted as a letter to Marcus Aurelius, his adopted grandson and successor, in which he reflects on his ambitions to bring peace to a war-hungry empire, his passion for Greece, and his shortcomings and deteriorating health. Along the way, Hadrian describes daily political affairs in ancient Rome, including the Empire’s approach to Christian and Jewish groups.
Yourcenar’s Hadrian comes across as resigned, accepting his place and fate. (How could one not think of [b:The Death of Ivan Ilyich|29410489|The Death of Ivan Ilyich|Leo Tolstoy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1457022930l/29410489.SX50.jpg|234915] here?) I am in awe of the considerable research the author undertook to develop this novel. In this respect, she set the tone for later authors such as Pat Barker ([b:The Silence of the Girls|41728452|The Silence of the Girls|Pat Barker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1538246577l/41728452.SY75.jpg|59693763]).
Une chance analogue à celle de certains jardiniers m’a été départie : tout ce que j’ai essayé d’implanter dans l’imagination humaine y a pris racine. Le culte d’Antinoüs semblait la plus folle de mes entreprises, le débordement d’une douleur qui ne concernait que moi seul. Mais notre époque est avide de dieux ; elle préfère les plus ardents, les plus tristes, ceux qui mèlent au vin de la vie un miel amer d’outre-tombe.