The Rise of Caesar

The First Man in Rome (1990) brought us the saga of Marius, and The Grass Crown (1991) unveiled the world of Sula, but now, Fortune's Favorites focuses its gaze on Caesar. This is the very Caesar whom Shakespeare would later immortalize, and McCullough vividly captures his essence. Introduced in The Grass Crown as an unwilling Flamen Dialis, Caesar bore the weight of becoming the high priest of Jupiter, thrust into this stifling role by a deranged Gaius Marius during his blood-stained seventh term as consul. Shackled by ancient rituals and religious edicts, young Caesar felt the chains that could stifle his destined greatness—a destiny foretold by the Syrian sibyl Martha to both him and Marius.

Yet, in this latest tale, Caesar shatters these bindings, triumphing in a test of wills with Sulla. Sulla glimpses in Caesar a reflection of his own greatness, stubborn force, and relentless ambition. Emerging as a formidable military, political, and intellectual powerhouse, Caesar bewitches the aged King Nicomedes of Bithynia and his Queen, inadvertently sparking scandalous—and false—rumors of an affair with the King, fueled by his striking looks. His military prowess unfolds as he hunts and crucifies pirates, leads citizen soldiers against Mithridates' forces, and demonstrates logistical brilliance. Commanding a legion of the seasoned Fimbriani, he crushes the rebellious Mytilene, earning the Corona Civica—just a notch below Sulla's own Grass Crown.

A charmer of women, with a penchant for cleanliness in his lovers, Caesar wins over Mithridatidis Nyssa, the virgin bride of Egypt's regent and daughter of Rome's adversary, Mithridates of Pontus. With his mother Aurelia's blessing, he embarks on a calculated seduction of Rome's elite wives, aiming to bolster his political standing and silence whispers questioning his sexuality. Despite personal tragedies—the loss of his wife and child in childbirth and the passing of Aunt Julia, the widow of Gaius Marius—Caesar's ascent remains unimpeded.

The Transformation of Sulla

The Sulla we encounter now is a far cry from the man we once knew. Stricken by a dreadful skin disease while waging war against Mithridates in the East, he is left grotesquely scarred. Additionally, his fluctuating weight and toothlessness have transformed him into a monstrous shadow of his former handsome, charismatic self. To numb the pain, he spirals into alcoholism, and his already merciless nature intensifies, making him capable of ordering the massacre of thousands during the proscriptions. The once "Fortune's Favorites" now feels like a cruel jest to him. His beloved son, perhaps the only one he truly loved, has been gone for years, and his cherished third wife Dalmatica succumbs to a phantom pregnancy. The sole flicker of hope for Sulla is his impending retirement.

Yet even this long-anticipated debauchery turns into a nightmare, as he dies after only a few months, choking on his own blood, his end witnessed by his fourth wife and former lover, the tragic actor Metrobius.

Aurelia's Unwavering Devotion

Aurelia stands alone in mourning Sulla's demise. An embodiment of common-sense elegance from the earlier novels, she bears the burdens of her husband's death, the tumult of Sulla's governance, and her unyielding commitment to guiding Caesar towards his destiny. Though adored by the Subura's humble residents, within whose neighborhood she chooses to dwell despite her wealth, she maintains a distant, composed exterior. Her love for Caesar is fierce yet disciplined, shaping him against life's adversities, including the stigma of his connection to Gaius Marius.

Despite her devotion, she keeps her emotions closely guarded, even from her beloved son for whom she lives.

The Enigma of Pompey

In this tale, Pompey emerges as a...