Living Catholicism: BOOK REVIEW: Quo Vadis by Henry Sienkiewicz

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September 30, 2006

BOOK REVIEW: Quo Vadis by Henry Sienkiewicz

I’m always looking for great Catholic literature and I finally made it around to reading Quo Vadis by the Polish author Henry Sienkiewicz. Typically on lists of recommended Catholic literature this book is in the top 10 or 20 and I would argue it absolutely deserves to be.

Sienkiewicz deftly pulls together action, suspense, and a little romance in this story about the fall of Rome and the beginnings of Christianity. The story takes place during the reign of Nero when real persecution of Christians first begins. It takes you on a captivating tale of the early Christian church growing in Rome under the leadership of St. Peter who was still Pope at the time. But the quick pace and lively characters drive the story in a way that makes it hard to put down. I enjoyed it tremendously – and it might be my favorite book with a pure Christian theme.

One of my favorite passages occurs when Nero (Caesar) is traveling through Rome:

These voices did not anger Caesar overmuch, since he did not wear a beard, for long before he had devoted it in a golden cylinder to Jupiter Capitolinus. But other persons, hidden behind piles of stones and the corners of temples, shouted: “Matricide! Nero! Orestes! Alcmaeon!” and still others: “Where is Octavia?” “Surrender the purple!” At Poppaea, who came directly after him, the shouted, “Flava coma (yellow hair)!!” with which name they indicated a street-walker. Caesar’s musical ear caught these exclamations also, and he raised the polished emerald to his eyes as if to see and remember who uttered them. While looking thus, he glance rested on the Apostle [Peter] standing on the stone.
For a while these two men looked at each other. It occurred to no on in that brilliant retinue, and to no one in that immense throng, that at that moment two powers of the earth were looking at each other, one of which would vanish quickly as a bloody dream, and the other, dressed in simple garments, would seize in eternal possession the world and the city.

St. Peter is a secondary character in the book, but important enough to be a significant part of it. The central story involves a man who falls in love with a Christian woman (this is before Christianity was known in Rome). And through the process of trying to develop a relationship with her, delves into Christian thought.

The story includes several detailed scenes explaining the persecution that Christians went through at that time. It provides a stirring example of faith in the eyes of a terrible death. I can’t recommend the book enough. The title, which means “Where are you going” comes from a key passage that explains it’s meaning:

About dawn of the following day two dark figures were moving along the Appian Way toward the Campania.
One of them was Nazarius; the other the Apostle Peter, who was leaving Rome and his martyred co-religionists.
[snip]
Then the sun appeared over the line of hills; but a once a wonderful vision struck the Apostle’s eyes. It seemed to him that the golden circle, instead of rising in the sky, moved down from the heights and was advancing on the road. Peter stopped, and asked, -
“Seest thou that brightness approaching us?”
“I see nothing,” replied Nazarius.
But Peter shaded his eyes with his hand, and said after a while, -
“Some figure is coming in the gleam of the sun.”
But not the slightest sound of steps reached their ears. It was perfectly still all around. Nazarius saw only that the trees were quivering in the distance, as if some one were shaking them, and the light was spreading more broadly over the plain. He looked with wonder at the Apostle.
“Rabbi! What ails thee?” cried he, with alarm.
The pilgrim’s staff fell from Peter’s hands to the earth; his eyes were looking forward, motionless; his mouth was open; on his face were depicted astonishment, delight, rapture.
Then he threw himself on his knees, his arms stretched forward; and this cry left his lips, -
“O Christ! O Christ!”
He fell with his face to the earth, as if kissing someone’s feet.
The silence continued long; then were heard the words of the aged man, broken by sobs, -
“Quo Vadis, Domine?” [Where are you going, Lord?]
Nazarius did not hear the answer; but to Peter’s ears came a sad and sweet voice, which said, -
“If thou desert my people, I am going to Rome to be crucified a second time.”
The Apostle lay on the ground, his face in the dust, without motion or speech. It seemed to Nazarius that he had fainted or was dead; but he rose at last, seized the staff with trembling hands, and turned without a word toward the seven hills of the city.

And St. Peter returned to Rome to be crucified.

Quo Vadis is a powerful Christian read that leaves you wanting more. I highly recommend it – if you haven’t read it, be sure to add it to your reading list. You can get it from Amazon.com here. However, I read the version translated by Andrzej Karcz, which was phenomenal. I’ve heard from others that it is the best translation, but I believe it is only available at Barnes & Noble.

God bless,
Jay

Posted by jay at September 30, 2006 09:16 AM