Quintus Claudius: A Romance of Imperial Rome. Volume 1

Please note the publisher's decision to place footnotes at the bottom of each page, as well as the author's note on this topic in the Preface. In keeping with his intent, notes here have been moved to the end of each chapter.

Please consult the endnotes at the bottom of this text for more details on the handling of textual issues.

WORKS

ERNST ECKSTEIN.

=CYPARISSUS.= From the German by Mary J. Safford. One vol., paper, 50 cts.; cloth, 75 cts.

=HERTHA.= From the German by Mrs. Edward Hamilton Bell. One vol., paper, 50 cts.; cloth, 75 cts.

=QUINTUS CLAUDIUS.= From the German by Clara Bell. Two vols., paper, $1.00; cloth, $1.75 per set.

=PRUSIAS.= From the German by Clara Bell. Two vols., paper, $1.00; cloth, $1.75 per set.

=NERO.= From the German by Clara Bell and Mary J. Safford. Two vols., paper, 80 cts.; cloth, $1.50 per set.

=THE WILL.= From the German by Clara Bell. Two vols., paper, $1.00; cloth, $1.75 per set.

=APHRODITE.= From the German by Mary J. Safford. One vol., paper, 50 cts.; cloth, 90 cts.

=THE CHALDEAN MAGICIAN.= From the German by Mary J. Safford. One vol., paper, 25 cts.; cloth, 50 cts.

ECKSTEIN'S ROMANCES,

12 volumes, cloth binding, in box, $9.50

QUINTUS CLAUDIUS

A ROMANCE OF IMPERIAL ROME

ERNST ECKSTEIN

FROM THE GERMAN BY CLARA BELL

IN TWO VOLUMES—VOL. I.

REVISED AND CORRECTED IN THE UNITED STATES

NEW YORK GEO. GOTTSBERGER PECK, PUBLISHER 117 CHAMBERS STREET

Copyright, 1882, by WILLIAM S. GOTTSBERGER

THIS TRANSLATION WAS MADE EXPRESSLY FOR THE PUBLISHER

PREFACE

TO THE FIRST GERMAN EDITION.

It was in Rome itself, in the sublime solemnity of the Colosseum, among the ruins of the palaces of the Caesars and crumbling pillars of the temples of the gods, that the first dreamy outlines rose before my fancy of the figures here offered to the reader's contemplation. Each visit added strength to the mysterious impulse, to conjure up from their tombs these shadows of a mighty past, and afterwards, at home, where the throng of impressions sorted and grouped themselves at leisure, my impulse ripened to fulfilment.

I will not pause here to dwell on the fact, that the period of Imperial rule in Rome bears, in its whole aspect, a stronger resemblance to the XIXth century than perhaps any other epoch before the Reformation; for, without reference to this internal affinity, we should be justified in using it for the purpose of Romance simply by the fact, that hardly another period has ever been equally full of the stirring conflict of purely human interest, and of dramatic contrasts in thought, feeling and purpose.

I must be permitted to add a word as to the notes.[A]

I purposely avoided disturbing the reader of the story by references in the text, and indeed the narrative is perfectly intelligible without any explanation. The notes, in short, are not intended as explanatory, but merely to instruct the reader, and complete the picture; they also supply the sources, and give the evidence on which I have drawn. From this point of view they may have some interest for the general public, unfamiliar with the authorities.

LEIPZIG, June 15, 1881. ERNST ECKSTEIN.