Extracts
Themes: (top)
A purely historical novel, with very few, if any, fantasy elements, despite the presence (or the absence?) of a dragon (or more than one?). The real theme is the great identity crisis the Western world was going through after the fall of the Roman Empire: the best and worst of a changing society, the clash and synergy of cultures, and the universal, timeless tragedy of human efforts versus destiny.
It was inspired by the desire to find a meaning in our current strife-filled times, and by a quote by JRR Tolkien from "The Monsters and the Critics":
There are in the poem some vivid touches of the right kind... in which this dragon is real worm, with a bestial life and thought of his own, but the conception, none the less, approaches draconitas rather than draco: a personification of malice, greed, destruction (the evil side of heroic life) and of the undiscriminating cruelty of fortune that distinguishes not good or bad (the evil aspect of all life).
The setting - late 5th century Italy - allows to tap into that reservoir of little-known myths that is the saga of Dietrich of Bern, traditionally identified with King Theodoric the Great. (But see these posts and Thidrek's Library for more info.) The story draws from some elements of it, speculating on how this contaminatio between history and legend might have happened, and investigating a saga as worthy as that of King Arthur and intriguingly tied to Italian folklore.
And of course there are swordfights, torrid passions and tender loves, religious and political strife, male bonding and murderous plots, under the merciless, incumbent shadow of History in the making...
Plot: (top)
A.D. 490, Cisalpine Gaul (Northern Italy). The Ostrogoths are ravaging the plains as Theodoric and Odoacer struggle for the possession of the kingdom. In a small village among the mountains, seven people get together by chance for a bizarre quest, driven by different needs and even working towards different goals. Only for a few days, history stops in a bubble of mystery and wonder. But a web of violence and betrayal and death is slowly tightening around them, and the quest hurtles towards the awful final confrontation...
Characters: (top)
Aelfwine – A scholar from Britannia, a lover of knowledge, searching for the dream of a lifetime. He has known war and has become more compassionate for it. Cheerful, trusting, affectionate, he is practically asking for a broken heart. Reluctant champion of the ultimate struggle for civilization.
Quote: "You have not seen *me* angry yet, Master Hildebrand."
Valeria – The local innkeeper, a Roman woman, world-weary, tough enough to do a man's job but vulnerable to bouts of deep sadness. Her little brother is all she has, and she would do anything to shield him from the war a little longer.
Quote: "Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. And from Goths. Amen."
Michaél – A Gallo-Roman mercenary, former centurion, fed up with Odoacer, he hates barbarians of all kinds. Sullen and laconic, he says he's in it for the money. Meanwhile, he works for the village and teaches the local kids to protect themselves.
Quote: "You have a big sword, but can you use it?"
Brida – A young pagan priestess. Her intuition skills set her apart from everybody else, and her strict devotion to the truth is usually called amorality. Yet she is ready to pay the price for it, and will discover that even the wise have some growing up to do.
Quote: "I do not want you to take me anywhere. I want to make love to you, tonight."
Brother Joanni, nicknamed "Apocalypse" – A young, fiery monk, sent to investigate demonic happenings. Diffident, short-tempered, rude, prejudiced; however he draws the line at hypocrisy and won't compromise his beliefs.
Quote: "Do you not remember the Beast of the Apocalypse?"
Tarquinius – A middle-aged Roman bureaucrat, timid and ordinary. All he wants is to carry on with his work in a well-ordered kingdom. Instead his companions drag him across ruins and barrows, looking for eyes in the dark. It keeps him young, but still...
Quote: "To the most excellent and merciful Emperor Zeno. If you are well, it is good; I am well. The weather is fine, the landscapes are stunning, and last night I ate a remarkable roasted deer. PS Still no trace of the dragon."
Wilthabair – A simple and quiet Ostrogoth warrior, with an eye for lovely Roman girls and an absolute loyalty to Theodoric. These two things will collide devastatingly.
Quote: "You are a stubborn bastard. How about it? My king is a stubborn bastard, and I love him."
Hildebrand – A living icon. Theodoric's sword master. Gruff, solid, kind to women and children and animals and a mortal danger to the world at large.
Quote: "No, my son. *I* would have killed *you*."
Stefano – Valeria's brother. A sweet kid teetering on the verge of adulthood in a world at war. Fascinated by warriors and kings, much to his sister's dismay.
Quote: "I'm almost fourteen. I'm a man."
Cònaro – The pagan village chief. Provided with common sense and fairness, his age and bad health prevent him from being really effective in the crisis. He speaks only Gallic.
Quote: "Ask him how much he wants from us to go away."
Theodoric – Beguiling, frightening, wicked and naive. A mystery to everybody. His soul is the true bereaved battlefield of civilization and barbarism.
Quote: "I miss that world where a man would die for a friend, and would kill that same friend with his hands if he betrayed him."
About Theodoric (top)
To be added.
Chronology (top)
The precise ages of the characters are not that important in the story, but are important for the author.
(source: Timeline of Early British Kingdoms)
- 429: Pelagian heresy being fought in Britain.
- 440-456: St. Patrick active in Britain
- 450? Hengest in Britain. Aelfwine's father Aelfred comes to Britain as foederatus of Wyrtgeorn.
- 454: Michaél is born. About the same time or a few years earlier, Theodoric is born.
- 461: Aelfwine is born.
- 462: Valeria is born.
- 476: Odoacer seizes the throne. Stefano is born. Valeria is 14. Possibly other brothers and sisters in between, who died. Aelfwine begins fighting bands of invading Saxons.
- 481: Valeria (19) is sent to a monastery or the like (to be researched). Stefano is 5. Aelfwine (20) leaves Britain.
- 487: death of Valeria's parents. She comes back to the village, at 25 (an old maid). Stefano is 11.
- 490: the action takes place.
- 493: Death of St. Patrick.
- 526: death of Theodoric the Great. Aelfwine is 65.
- 534: death of Athalaric, grandson of Theodoric. Aelfwine is 73.
- 535: death of Amalasuntha, daughter of Theodoric. Aelfwine is 74. He begins to write his account.
Chapters (top)
1. Strangers at the inn
2. Watched pots
3. The emperor's envoy
4. The blaze of truth
5. By the sword
6. Steel and Silver
7. The price of knowledge
8. Consequences
9. Tu regere memento
10. Dangerous words
11. Ashes to prove it
12. Reflections
13. Eyes in the dark
14. The final junction
Epilogue
Current status:
- June 2004: halfway through 5, very difficult, the turning point of the adventure. But 10 and Epilogue are almost complete. Better to know where one is going! But this is just the draft. It will need lots of revision and research. Optimistically finished by the end of 2005.
- July 2004: 5 complete. Beginning 6. The one with *s*e*x*. All eight lines of it.
- August 2004: finishing 8. The tragedy unfolds. Added a new chapter by dividing differently the others, tentatively titled "Ashes to prove it". Apart from the fact that Meat Loaf was not in fashion back then, I have no idea how to render it in Italian, but I love that title to death. It refers to the aftermath - of everything. What Wilthabair has proven to Theodoric, what Theodoric has proven to Brida, what happened once to the village and won't happen this time. "You've been through the fires of hell - And I know you've got the ashes to prove it."
- Sept 2004: finishing "Ashes to Prove It", now titled "Reflections". The title still makes sense - the symmetries between the current situation and what happened back then, between Joanni and his friars, between Aelfwine and Theodoric. Very difficult chapter, very political. Till now I'm not being very subtle with references to our world.
- Oct. 2004. I'm gathering material for "Eyes in the Dark". It sounds powerful. I love how Brida is turning out. I re-arranged chapters once again; now it's almost one chapter per day of story.
- Dec. 2004. "Eyes in the Dark" is finished. Just one chapter and the Epilogue to go. Then... rewrite it all with the new ideas I've had in the meantime.
- Jan 2005. Finished. Writing "Cliff Notes" to post on my site and help me see the themes and structure more clearly.
Random notes (since I've exhausted my journal quota)
- No bad guys in this story. Except the usual "Orcs" without a personality, and some idiots who even have a reason for what they do. Theodoric is no bad guy, he's a man of his times with his own problems. I guess that, if I want to depict the struggle between Good and Evil, then Evil is not human. It's not the Devil either. It's a power that takes control, but it's not personified. I think I'm wading in deep waters here.
Extracts (top)
1. Meeting the dragon
There he stood at the mouth of the tunnel, a torch in one hand and his sword in the other, half-turned to look at the ground. Then he glanced at him sideways without lifting his head, his eyes glaring from under the hair hanging over his face. He smiled. "Greetings, Aelfwine," he whispered. How could he even be out of bed, in the state he was? "I found you. It was easy. You left torches all over the place. I just had to follow the fire." It was a low hiss, and his teeth glinted as he threw away the torch. It rolled on the floor trailing sparks, but it didn't go out.
Aelfwine felt his shoulders drop with immense sadness. "You should not be here. Come. Let me guide you back."
"Oh no, Aelfwine. You will let me pass. You will let me end my search, and come with me, or else..."
"Or else, then," Aelfwine said, and drew his sword.
2. Valeria and Theodoric
Valeria strode angrily through the bustling Gothic camp, Theodoric's brown cloak tight about her as though that made it less conspicuous. She advanced on Wilthabair who was taking care of his horse. "Where is he?" she barked.
The young man did not need to understand Latin. Wide-eyed, he pointed towards the tallest tent.
The woman slapped her hand on the canvas and did not wait for an answer before barging in like a Fury. Sitting on his stool, Theodoric was dictating a brief to a scribe. She stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. "Why did you do it?"
"Good day to you too, frowe" the Goth replied pleasantly, dismissing the scribe with a wave of his fingers. "No, of course you do not disturb me. Yes, thanks, I am well, and you?"
"I have spent the day and part of the night settling controversies between farmers, disputed fields, one stallion who jumped the fence and impregnated the wrong mare, a payment for a dog bite and two cases of marital infidelity. I had to hire Domitia full time and promise I will pay her I do not know when. This is too much for me!"
"Come back to me when you want to juggle two empires and a dozen of neighbouring kingdoms, Valeria. I would not mind to be in YOUR place."
"But why ME?"
Theodoric grinned widely. "Because you are lovely when you get angry."
In the effort to hide her anger, Valeria's ears almost burst. "You just wanted to get back at me," she hissed.
Theodoric looked at her in all innocence. "Why? I was not aware your actions had touched me somehow."
"Let us go out," Valeria burst out, exasperated.
"Do you want to deal with it like a man?" the Goth asked, interested.
"I do not want to remain alone inside a tent with you! People already talk enough about me."
Theodoric got up from the stool. "You are right, I need to protect my reputation," he replied, never so close to being knocked out by a woman. He held the flap open for her with a mocking bow, and they went out in the sun.
Outside, Theodoric's banter fell from him like a winter cloak. "I had no option, Valeria, after the mess you all stirred up," he replied sternly. "I was wrong that day at the Thermae. Here there are still Romans who are worthy of respect. Mattheus is a good man, but hardly assertive. Tarquinius and Michael too, but they lack the experience. Aelfwine has common sense, but he is no Roman. Only you remain. Simple."
"I do not deserve this," Valeria sighed.
"You must deserve it. Because if you can hold the reins of this tiny village, maybe a daughter of mine will one day be able to hold the reins of the West."
15 Articles
The Lay of Theodoric,
Oct 26, 2006 - 04:16
An Italian poem that fuses the Germanic and Catholic legends about the death of Theodoric. Featuring the Black Horse.
