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Colleen McCullough

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The October Horse: A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra Paperback – November 1, 2003

by Colleen McCullough (Author)

4.7 1,062 ratings

Book 6 of 7: Masters of Rome

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A SWEEPING EPIC OF ANCIENT ROME FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THORN BIRDS

With her renowned storytelling gifts in full force, Colleen McCullough delivers a breathtaking novel that is both grand in scope and vivid in detail -- and proves once again why she is the top historical novelist of our time.

In the last days of the Roman Republic, Gaius Julius Caesar is both adored and despised -- but his rule is unshakable. Forced by civil war to leave his beguiling mistress Cleopatra, Caesar turns his eye to the future: who is to inherit the throne of Roman power? But in the shadows of the empire, the talk is of murder. Who among his associates has the cunning and skill to fell the fierce leader -- and brave the dangerous consequences of that cataclysmic act?

Book 6 of 7

Masters of Rome
Print length

1110 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Pocket Books
Publication date

November 1, 2003
Dimensions

4 x 1.5 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0671024205
ISBN-13

978-0671024208
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Booklist [A] swiftly moving story....packed full of political intrigue, romance, drama, and war. -- Review

About the Author

Colleen Mccullough was born in Australia. A neurophysiologist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, then worked as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. Her writing career began with Tim, followed by The Thorn Birds, a record-breaking international bestseller. The author of ten other novels, McCullough has also written lyrics for musical theater. She lives on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific with her husband, Ric Robinson.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The October Horse

A Novel of Caesar and CleopatraBy Colleen McCullough

Pocket Books

Copyright ©2003 Colleen McCullough
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0671024205

Introduction

The Ides of October marked the end of the campaigning season, and on that day a race was held on the grassy sward of the Campus Martius, just outside the Servian Walls of Republican Rome.

The year's best war horses were harnessed in pairs to chariots and driven at breakneck pace; the right-hand one of the winning pair became the October Horse, and was ritually killed with a spear by the flamen Martialis, the special priest of Mars, who was god of war. Then the October Horse's head and genitalia were amputated. The genitals were rushed to bleed on the sacred hearth in the Regia, Rome's oldest temple, after which they were given to the Vestal Virgins to burn to ashes in the sacred flame of Vesta; later these ashes were mixed into cakes offered on the anniversary of the founding of Rome by her first king, Romulus. The decorated head was tossed into the midst of two teams of humble citizens, one from the Subura district, one from the Sacra Via district, who fought strenuously for possession of it. If the Subura won, the head was nailed to the Turris Mamilia. If the Sacra Via won, the head was nailed to an outer wall of the Regia.

In this ritual so old that no one remembered how it had begun, the very best that Rome owned was sacrificed to the twin powers that ruled her: war and land. Out of them came her might, her prosperity, her everlasting glory. The death of the October Horse was at once a mourning of the past and a vision of the future.

Copyright © 2002 by Colleen McCullough

Continues...
Excerpted from The October Horseby Colleen McCullough Copyright ©2003 by Colleen McCullough. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pocket Books; (1st,2002) edition (November 1, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 1110 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0671024205
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0671024208
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.16 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4 x 1.5 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,361,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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4.7 1,062 ratings

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Colleen McCullough was born in Australia. A neuropathologist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney before working as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. Her writing career began with the publication of Tim, followed by The Thorn Birds, a record-breaking international bestseller. She lives on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific with her husband, Ric Robinson.

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AntiochAndy

Great Finish To An Outstanding Series

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2007

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I'm a huge Julius Caesar fan, and have been ever since I first discovered him when I was in the seventh grade. The man was a true superstar. One of the most brilliant figures in history. Not only one of the greatest military leaders who ever lived, but also a consummate politician, gifted public speaker, and one of the greatest writers of latin prose ever. He excelled at everything he did. McCullough does an excellent job of portraying Caesar, and the other prominent players from the period of the decaying Roman Republic, in a way that makes their personalities and actions real and understandable. And they are all here: Cicero, Cato, Brutus, Cassius, Octavian, Labienus, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and all the rest. Caesar, however, is the star.

The writing is very good and McCullough's command of the actual history of the period is impeccable. She provides maps to help illustrate events. She has even sketched busts of the main characters which are, as far as possible, true to existing portraiture. She even explains her reasons for choices she makes in situations where the record is ambiguous or unclear. Her characters ring true. It's fiction because she invents conversations and conjures up personal incidents, but it is thoroughly researched and McCullough has full command of the factual material she is covering.

Sometimes, the writing is almost too real. As I approached Caesar's assassination, I knew perfectly well what was coming. Despite that knowledge, however, I found the hair on the back of my neck standing up straight as that brutal and tragic scene unfolded.

THE OCTOBER HORSE is the sixth and, regrettably, final book in McCullough's series about the life of Caesar and the collapse of the Roman Republic. The series is a long one, but it's well worth reading in it's entirety. It relates real events of genuinely epic proportions, and it is superbly done. I loved it and would recommend it to anyone. It is at least as entertaining as any fiction you'll ever read. Ten stars if I could give them.

5 people found this helpful

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Lauren

Great story, historically sound but very intereting

Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023

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This author loves Julius Caesar, but she makes him seem smart, interesting and very fair. He doesn't come off brutal or manipulating. The interactions between him and other historical figures seems very real. Loved the book.

One person found this helpful

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Mr. Robbie Fenlon

History as drama

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2023

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Brings Caesar and his contemporaries to life. Makes the battles and political intrigue feel modern and cinematic. Educates and entertains. Well researched and dramatically written. Gives an illuminating perspective on modern politics and war.

4 people found this helpful

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MFY

"Fall of a Titan".

Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2006

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Ms McCullough has done a deep historical research in order to write her "Roman Saga" started with "The First Man in Rome" (1990), continued with "The Grass Crown" (1991), "Fortune's Favorites" (1993), "Caesar's Women" (1995), "Caesar" (1999) and "The October Horse" (2002).

She delivers an accurate picture of the late Roman Republic, bringing to life historically characters with amazing detail.

The author follows and reveals step by step all the intricacies of that rich and complex era.

Does this mean that the book is boring? By no means, Ms McCullough is able to show daily life, dressing, feeding, religious rituals, political and social structures in a magnificent fresco and at the same time construct an engaging story that will trap the reader for hours.

The present volume starts in the year 48 BC in the aftermath of Pharsalus when Caesar is looking for Pompey. He arrives to Egypt and immediately starts to arrange everything to his convenience.

He meets Cleopatra and fight to consolidate Roman power in Alexandria. He then returns to Rome just to find Marc Anthony playing his own game.

March to Africa & Spain to end the last Boni resistance.

Finally he returns once more to Rome to meet his fate.

After Caesar's murder Octavius, an ailing youth, is able to marshal his own weakness and jump to the political scene to start an unstoppable career.

The author follows in detail al the steps and maneuvers performed by the "Kill Caesar Club", exposing all its members, giving the reader a clear picture of how the magnicide is planned and executed.

Last but not least the author has drawn beautiful busts of the main characters; detailed maps of different ancient scenarios where action takes place and very complete glossary.

I advise reading the first volumes of the series, but even if you don't do it, you may start here and consider it as a standalone volume.

I strongly recommend this book to any serious history aficionado! It is really a pity that Ms McCullough does not intend to follow Augustus life it will be joyfully received by all her fans (including me).

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

9 people found this helpful

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jrfs49

Masters of Rome The October Horse.

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2022

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The Masters of Rome series is truly great historical fiction, despite the authors' portrayal of every one of Caesar's enemies as all-around despicable characters even by Roman standards. Cato the younger is a drunken, unstable hypocrite, Titus Labienus a psychopath who tortures both Gallic prisoners and Roman soldiers and Brutus as a weak, infantile, loan shark, etcetera anyone who challenges Caesar. McCullough's tunnel vision adoration of Caesar diminishes the story by turning it into a morality play, not a complex historical turning point in Roman history. In her view, the Republic collapsed because Caesar's opponents were petty, resentful, incompetents who could not see or embrace Caesar's grand new vision. Overall still a great, entertaining, informative series.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Jonny Aiks

Arrived in perfect condition on time

Reviewed in Canada on July 6, 2023

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It was delivered in perfect (new) condition, quite quickly as per promised delivery time.
The book is one of a series of seven books - historical fiction, following events reasonably well (the author does good research in a difficult field), but the human portrayals and interactions of historical characters are by necessity fiction. Maybe a little too much modern social sensibility for historical accuracy - but they are meant to be good reading for anyone.

Paul@Aude_France

Outstanding historical fiction

Reviewed in France on October 21, 2022

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This was supposed to be the final installment in the author's towering First Man in Rome series before she reconsidered and wrote the 7th novel dealing with Anthony and Cleopatra. Thank goodness for that because this is such a brilliantly told story of the great generals of Rome who each contributed to the end of the republic. None more so, arguably, than Julius Caesar who has been the focus of the last three books. The whole series is fabulously researched and detailed while remaining entirely readable and entertaining. All the books are masterpieces of story-telling and historical fiction.

Laura

A great saga !

Reviewed in Germany on February 26, 2021

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An absolutely great saga of the world in transition. Huge knowledge and mountines of work involved. I do recommend for everyone interested in the Roman world and mechanisms of politics in general.

One person found this helpful

JulesLondon

A great addition to a great series!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

Having read all of the previous books I was keen to read this title. It didn't disappoint. As ever the wealth of historical detail surrounding the actions of the main characters sets the whole story in context of the time period. I have one more book in the series to read which I'm looking forward to. As with all good book series, it feels like a sense of bereavement when they come to an end!