
In the opulent shadows of an imperial Roman villa, a sharp‑tongued noblewoman named Claudia returns to a home once built for the emperor’s daughters. Surrounded by flickering lamps and moonlit peristyles, she summons an old confidante to tend to the night’s rituals, hinting at a past tangled with betrayal, exile, and a secret loyalty that could cost a life. Her conversation with the loyal Longinus reveals a tapestry of family intrigue, forbidden love, and the lingering presence of the powerful Tiberius.
As they settle beneath the marble arches, Claudia’s witty banter masks a deeper quest for redemption and control in a world where power shifts like the flickering torchlight. The narrative weaves together sumptuous descriptions of Roman architecture, whispered legends of the imperial family, and the simmering tension between duty and desire. Listeners are drawn into a richly imagined past, where every glance and whispered secret may alter the fragile balance of loyalty and ambition.
Language
en
Duration
~11 hours (645K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Dave Morgan, Ron Box and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2016-07-26
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1900–1993
A longtime North Carolina newspaperman and historian, he wrote vividly about Charlotte and the wider South, turning local history into lively storytelling. His work reflects a deep attachment to place and to the people who shaped it.
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by Anatole France