The Persian Boy"In Fire from Heaven, Mary Renault followed the career of the young Alexander the Great, up to his accession when he was twenty. In The Persian Boy, we meet him six years later and follow him to his death in a superbly moving narrative told by his young lover and companion, Bagoas, a real historical person, who may well have influenced history. For the beautiful slave-boy Bagoas, bought plaything of Darius the Persian King, the invader's brilliant victories are at first mere palace rumor. Then, at the battle of Gaugamela, the empire crumbles about its ill-fated, ineffectual ruler. After his death, Bagoas, adrift and destitute, is rescued by a rebel satrap suing for pardon, brought as a peace-offering to Alexander, and taken into his household. Alexander is a man with little experience of sensuality, but a profound need of affection. Bagoas' famous beauty has been much exploited, but his affection has been needed by no one. Their meeting is irresistible to both. The adventures of Alexander's last seven years, some stirring, some tragic, are thus told by Bagoas, an expert courtier and courtesan, sophisticated far beyond his years, boyish only in his devotion. It is a tale rich in historical insight and detail, especially in Bagoas' view of Alexander's growing sympathy with his Persian subjects, a markedly different view from that of the victorious Macedonians, jealous of their status as master race. In a bold shift of narrator and style, Mary Renault finishes here her story of Alexander, leaving us with an incomparable picture of the conqueror and his world, and a picture of human involvement and affection that is rare in the art of fiction about the past."--Book jacket. |
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Common terms and phrases
Al'skander Alexander Alexander's arms army Artabazos asked Babylon Bagoas Baktrians battle beautiful Bessos blood Boubakes breath brought camp chariot clothes Darius dead Doriskos Ekbatana Eumenes eunuch eyes face father felt friends gave Gedrosia gold gone Greek guard hair hand harem head hear heard Hephaistion Hephaistion's honor horse Indian Kalanos Kallisthenes Kassandros keep killed King King's kissed Kleitos knew Kyros laughed learned lived looked lord Macedon Macedonians Marakanda Medes Nabarzanes never night Omphis once Oxathres Oxyartes Palace Parmenion Perdikkas Persepolis Persian Persian boy Peukestas Philotas Poros Ptolemy quiet remembered rest ride river rode round Roxane royal satraps Scythians seemed seen sent sleep smile Sogdian soldiers someone soon spoke squires stood supper Susa talk tell tent things thought told took troops turned voice waited wanted watched wine women word wound