This first novel in the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series introduces the main characters as well as establishes relationships that continue and grow throughout the series.
Falco stumbles upon a conspiracy in the trading of silver ingots, but not before it claims the life of a young girl (Sosia Camillina) Falco meets and is smitten with. Hired by Sosia's uncle, a senator, to find out who murdered her and by the Roman EmperorVespasian, to uncover the conspiracy, Falco finds himself on the next boat to Britain.
Once there he meets a lady way out of his class, Helena Justina, the daughter of the Senator who hired him, and Sosia's cousin. At first sight Falco and Helena loathe each other: He hates her class, and she hates his prejudice. Things are made no easier by Sosia's death, especially for Helena. Working under cover, Falco himself working down a silver mine, acting as a mine slave, Falco learns the meaning of hate, pain and abuse. After being rescued by Helena and a friendly centurion, Falco heads back to Rome, as the reluctant charge of the even more reluctant Helena.
After spending so much time together, and many arguments, misunderstandings and denials, Falco and Helena fall in love (and subsequently consummate this in a horse stable, in a public garden). Eventually, Falco sorts out the case and only has to bring the culprits to justice. However, there is no justice, as one of the culprits is Domitian, the Emperor's wayward son, and the only other surviving culprit is very close to Helena and her senator father.
After a final, bloody, retribution is carried out in the climax, Falco is offered a promotion to the equestrian rank. As an equestrian Falco would be upper middle class and could marry Helena without bringing her or her family shame, as would with his current meagre earnings. He refuses, seeing the offer as a bribe to keep the conspiracy hushed-up. After realising his mistake and how he must have insulted Helena, he returns to Vespasian and asks for the chance again, and while he is told that his name can be added to the equestrian lists, he must first raise the 400,000 sesterces himself in order to purchase the land of that value, which is the qualification for equestrian status. Vespasian came from an equestrian family that rose into the senatorial rank under the Julio–Claudian emperors, and although he fulfilled the standard succession of public offices, he had really made his name and earned his power in military service. Dejected, Falco returns to his dilapidated tenement in the Aventine Hill and there finds Helena waiting for him. She promises to wait for him for as long as it takes.
Charactersedit
In Regio XIII (The Aventine Sector)edit
Lenia – A Laundress.
Lucius Petronius Longus – Member of the Vigiles and friend of Falco.
Marcia – Daughter of Falco's deceased brother, Festus.
Marcus Didius Falco – Informer and Imperial Agent from the Aventine.
Smaractus – Falco's Landlord.
In Regio I (The Capena Gate Sector)edit
Decimus Camillus Verus – Senator, father of Helena Justina.
Gnaeus Atius Pertinax – Aedile, ex-husband of Helena Justina.
Helena Justina – Daughter of the Senator Decimus Camillus Verus, aged 23 years. Lover of Falco.
Julia Justa – Mother of Helena Justina.
Naissa – Maid of Helena Justina
Publius Camillus Meto – Younger brother of Camillus Verus, engaged in import/export trade.
Sosia Camillina – Daughter of Meto, aged 16 years.
Davis, Lindsey (2000). "Introduction". The Silver Pigs (Hardback (new) ed.). UK: Century. pp. xiii–xviii. (In this new introduction by the author, Davis comments that some corrections have been made and mentions recent research suggesting that the 'pigs' may not have been formed in the way previously thought, but 'it's possible that when Falco describes the process to Petronius, he is wrong.')
^Davis, Lindsey. The Silver Pigs. p. 1, Chapter XII.
External linksedit
lindseydavis.co.uk, Author's Official Website
May 03, 2024
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The Silver Pigs is a 1989 historical mystery crime novel by Lindsey Davis and the first book in the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series Set in Rome and Britannia during AD 70 just after the year of the four emperors the novel stars Marcus Didius Falco informer and imperial agent The book s title refers to 200 pound lead ingots pigs filled with silver ore and stolen from Roman Britain 1 which feature prominently in the plot 2 The Silver PigsFirst editionAuthorLindsey DavisCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishSeriesMarcus Didius FalcoGenreHistorical mystery crime novelPublisherSidgwick amp JacksonPublication date1989Media typePrint hardcover Pages258 ppISBN0 51 757363 6OCLC175283712Followed byShadows in Bronze Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Characters 2 1 In Regio XIII The Aventine Sector 2 2 In Regio I The Capena Gate Sector 2 3 At the Imperial Palace 2 4 In other parts of Rome 2 5 In Britain 3 Major themes 4 Awards and nominations 5 Adaptations in other media 6 Release details 7 References 8 External linksPlot summary editThis first novel in the Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries series introduces the main characters as well as establishes relationships that continue and grow throughout the series Falco stumbles upon a conspiracy in the trading of silver ingots but not before it claims the life of a young girl Sosia Camillina Falco meets and is smitten with Hired by Sosia s uncle a senator to find out who murdered her and by the Roman Emperor Vespasian to uncover the conspiracy Falco finds himself on the next boat to Britain Once there he meets a lady way out of his class Helena Justina the daughter of the Senator who hired him and Sosia s cousin At first sight Falco and Helena loathe each other He hates her class and she hates his prejudice Things are made no easier by Sosia s death especially for Helena Working under cover Falco himself working down a silver mine acting as a mine slave Falco learns the meaning of hate pain and abuse After being rescued by Helena and a friendly centurion Falco heads back to Rome as the reluctant charge of the even more reluctant Helena After spending so much time together and many arguments misunderstandings and denials Falco and Helena fall in love and subsequently consummate this in a horse stable in a public garden Eventually Falco sorts out the case and only has to bring the culprits to justice However there is no justice as one of the culprits is Domitian the Emperor s wayward son and the only other surviving culprit is very close to Helena and her senator father After a final bloody retribution is carried out in the climax Falco is offered a promotion to the equestrian rank As an equestrian Falco would be upper middle class and could marry Helena without bringing her or her family shame as would with his current meagre earnings He refuses seeing the offer as a bribe to keep the conspiracy hushed up After realising his mistake and how he must have insulted Helena he returns to Vespasian and asks for the chance again and while he is told that his name can be added to the equestrian lists he must first raise the 400 000 sesterces himself in order to purchase the land of that value which is the qualification for equestrian status Vespasian came from an equestrian family that rose into the senatorial rank under the Julio Claudian emperors and although he fulfilled the standard succession of public offices he had really made his name and earned his power in military service Dejected Falco returns to his dilapidated tenement in the Aventine Hill and there finds Helena waiting for him She promises to wait for him for as long as it takes Characters editIn Regio XIII The Aventine Sector edit Lenia A Laundress Lucius Petronius Longus Member of the Vigiles and friend of Falco Marcia Daughter of Falco s deceased brother Festus Marcus Didius Falco Informer and Imperial Agent from the Aventine Smaractus Falco s Landlord In Regio I The Capena Gate Sector edit Decimus Camillus Verus Senator father of Helena Justina Gnaeus Atius Pertinax Aedile ex husband of Helena Justina Helena Justina Daughter of the Senator Decimus Camillus Verus aged 23 years Lover of Falco Julia Justa Mother of Helena Justina Naissa Maid of Helena Justina Publius Camillus Meto Younger brother of Camillus Verus engaged in import export trade Sosia Camillina Daughter of Meto aged 16 years At the Imperial Palace edit Domitian Caesar Younger son of the Emperor Titus Caesar Elder son of the Emperor Vespasian Augustus Emperor of Rome In other parts of Rome edit Astia Drayman s floosie Glaucus Gymnasium proprietor Julius Frontinus Captain in the Praetorian Guard In Britain edit Aelia Camilla Procurator s wife younger sister of Camillus Verus and Publius Cornix Mine foreman Gaius Flavius Hilaris Imperial procurator Rufrius Vitalis Ex Centurion of the Second Augustan Legion living in retirement at Isca Dumnoniorum Simplex Medical officer to the Second Augustan Legion at Glevum T Claudius Triferus Holder of the contract to manage the Imperial silver mine at Vebiodunum Major themes editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2015 Learn how and when to remove this message Investigation into possible treason involving the imperial silver mines Developing relationship of Marcus Didius Falco and Helena Justina The influence of family relationships and of wealth in political affairsAwards and nominations editWinner of the Author s Club First Novel Award in 1989 Adaptations in other media editFalco BBC Radio 4 ISBN 0 563 52569 X Radio drama starring Anton Lesser and Fritha GoodeyRelease details editDavis Lindsey 2000 Introduction The Silver Pigs Hardback new ed UK Century pp xiii xviii In this new introduction by the author Davis comments that some corrections have been made and mentions recent research suggesting that the pigs may not have been formed in the way previously thought but it s possible that when Falco describes the process to Petronius he is wrong Davis Lindsey 2000 The Silver Pigs Paperback new ed UK Arrow ISBN 0 09 941473 2 Davis Lindsey 2006 The Silver Pigs Paperback new ed US St Martins Press ISBN 0 312 35777 X Davis Lindsey amp Donnelly Donal Narrator The Silver Pigs Audio cassette ed Recorded Books Inc OCLC 317850415 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link OCLC Number 317850415 References edit Review Silver Pigs Kirkus Reviews Davis Lindsey The Silver Pigs p 1 Chapter XII External links editlindseydavis co uk Author s Official Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Silver Pigs amp oldid 1211220519, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
