Arius the Libyan: A Romance of the Primitive Church

Set against the sun‑kissed cliffs of ancient Cyrene, this sweeping romance opens with the tragic tale of Phronime, a Cretan princess whose fate is sealed by betrayal and rescued by a daring merchant. Her son Battus, cursed with a stammer, embarks on a pilgrimage to Delphi, where an oracle’s cryptic advice sends him and a desperate king toward the uncharted lands of Libya. There, the fledgling colony of Cyrene rises from the desert’s edge, blossoming into a thriving hub of culture, philosophy, and medicine.

Centuries later, the narrative shifts to a quiet stone farmhouse perched between the Mediterranean and the Barcan mountains, where the eponymous Arius the Libyan lives a life of tranquil seclusion. As rumors of political intrigue and religious change stir beyond his fields, Arius finds himself drawn into the emerging currents of the early Christian church, confronting questions of faith, loyalty, and love. The story balances vivid historical detail with intimate human drama, inviting listeners to wander through a world where the past and the promise of a new faith intertwine.