Emma Orczy

"unto Caesar" Emma Orczy

This historical novel, set seven years after the crucifixion of Christ, takes place in imperial Rome during the reign of Caligula. Taurus Antinor is the praefect of Rome, beloved of the praetorian guard and known to hold himself aloof from the debaucheries and excesses of patrician Roman society. While supervising an estate slave auction, Taurus is crossed by the powerful Dea Flavia of Caesar's family. Proud and breathtakingly lovely, Dea expects Taurus to fall prey to her beauty-and is angered when he doesn't. But Taurus owes allegiance to a crucified Galilean, and will not prostrate himself at the altar of Dea's vanity. HE LOVED HER AND HE LOVED ROME!Taurus Antinor loved her, that she knew. The last four days had made a woman of her: she had tasted of and witnessed every passion that rends a human heart, love, ambition, cruelty, hatred! The man whom she loved, loved her with an intensity at least equal to that which even now made her heart throb at the memory of his kiss. He loved her, longed for her, would have laid down his life for her even at the moment when he tore himself away from her arms. BUT TAURUS ANTINOR HAD A GREATER LOVE!Dea Flavia was like a goddess of love in Classical Rome. Beautiful, young and rich, she was worshipped by men and envied by women. But then she met the handsome and mysterious Taurus Antinor -- and his mission. And her life changed forever. Could she survive the blood-crazed politics of Rome? Could she fend off the advances of a mad emperor called -- Caligula?The bread and circuses and romance of Ancient Rome brought to life by the author of The Scarlet Pimpernel.