Just Finished Reading: Odysseus – The Oath by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (FP: 2012) [357pp]

It was, when he thought about it, all his fault. Or maybe it was the gods playing a trick on him to show his friends and the rest of Greece that he wasn’t half as smart as they thought he was. Not that any of that made much difference now. It had all started, as these things often did, with a beautiful girl. Despite being just a girl, and not yet of marriageable age, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was, without doubt, dangerous. Not only was she almost too painful to look at she knew full well the effect she had on men and would use that to get what she wanted. Odysseus knew full well that meant men would die, both for her and to possess her. Her very existence was a threat to the whole of Greece. If only he could think of a way to stop her attaining of marriageable status leading to an inevitable bloodbath. His idea, so he thought, was both elegant and brilliant. He would get her father to break tradition and allow Helen to choose her own husband and then force everyone, before the choice was made, to make an unbreakable oath to protect her and her husband come what may. As everyone would, naturally, think that they could (or even would) be the lucky one they each and every one pledged their sword to Helen – the most beautiful woman in the world…. And she chose – Menelaus. After the shock the celebration. Odysseus had averted a war and all was well with the world. No doubt the gods themselves laughed at the pride of mankind. When Helen was abducted and taken to Troy Odysseus was beside himself, appalled at the consequences of this thoughtless act. Menelaus wanted her back, of course, and now had an oath he could call on to gather the largest army to world had ever seen to back his claim. Meanwhile his brother Agamemmon saw an even bigger prize than Helen – the destruction and sacking of the richest city in the world. The Trojan War had begun…..  

I think just about everyone knows the basic outline of the Trojan War – even if only from blockbuster films and TV series. In this interesting novel we have what ‘really’ happened from an historical rather than mythical standpoint. Naturally it covers the same ground but although the gods are talked about, invoked and even ‘seen’ in dreams and visions it is the story of men’s ambitions, men’s desire for immortality and ultimately men’s lusts for power, wealth and the possession of a beautiful woman. Of course knowing the broad outlines of the story meant that some of the tension of the tale was missing. We pretty much know who lives, who dies and the wars outcome from the start. What is interesting though are the details and working out how ‘history’ became legend and then became the myth we know. Of course with a story that has lasted this long and which has had such an impact on the western psyche there’s plenty of excitement to go around and the siege of Troy itself is well handled as are the fights between the opposing heroes. All very nicely done and I shall be looking forward to part 2 as Odysseus makes his way home – the long way round. Recommended.   

Translated from the Italian by Christine Feddersen-Manfredi