Robert Harris. Lustrum

Since Imperium Robert Harris has committed himself to the subject of Roman History. Intrigued by the career of Cicero, he dedicated Lustrum as a finalization of his fictive biography in shape of a trilogy. Like the two volumes before, Harris is successful in designing a permanent tension according to the changing relations of Cicero, Caesar, Catalina and Pompeius.
Despite knowing that the drama takes place in the first century before Christ, the reader won´t be able to get rid of the feeling that many aspects of the political action taking place is well known to him and based on daily experience.
We see a rough and dirty pursuit of power, mainly masterminded by Caesar, who is arranging the different characters around like puppets on his strings. As a genius in strategic planning, he changes roles and political mandate to achieve his goals which have all in common to increase his personal power.
Cicero who successfully investigates the plans of a coup d´etat by Catalina can resume his consulship as tremendously effective. But while already enshrining his own achievements in a historiographical consideration Caesar conducts his next steps and outdraws the public figure of Cicero by opening new chapters of masterminded politics. At the end Caesar has gained a maximum of power and the last democratic icon of this period, Cicero, has to leave beloved Rome by night facing exile.
The value of reading the book is recognizing the connection between increasing power and the decline of social responsibility. Something we are nowadays as aware of as fellows in ancient times. And the reader cannot get rid of the idea that there has to be something in human nature that we never want to accept but always have to face: a very egoistic, greedy and reckless character as a precondition of political success.
Who is willing to accept the message and likes the historical hints should read this book.