Word: readers
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...hers. Her philosophy is Hedonistic; she proclaims herself a sensualist and not satisfied with the fast pace of the Romans she attempts to outdistance them. It is very plain that the author has carefully studied all of the vices of ancient Rome and is attempting to shock the reader by revealing them through the veil of satire. Seldom does he impress, amuse, or delight, but he always succeeds in disgusting the reader. Cleopatra in the passionate embrace of Antony, Cleopatra in the passionate embrace of Antony, Cleopatra stroking the "smooth dark, velvety skin" of her black African eunuch, Cinnabar, with...
...turn, Julius Caesar, Virgil, Antony, Cicero and Brutus become the subject of Cleopatra's unconventional commentaries and after each one has been sufficiently cheapened and demoralized beyond recognition the author turns to Roman stupidity, brutality and licentiousness which he riotously portrays without causing the reader to blnk an eyelash. His obstreperous satire becomes annoying when it is detected as so obviously blatant and artificial. It might be justifiable to sweep all of the heroism away from the character of Caesar, but there should be a motive for such an action. Satire without an objective is innate...
...they can look down upon me and laugh at my helplessness, I will show them that I, too, can laugh at myself. For together with my mortality, they have also given me a sense of humor. Otherwise I should have gone mad." Having read this and similar passages, the reader also is pleased that he has a sense of humor, for many are the possibilities of his going mad while reading the volume...
Cleopatra discusses everything from Greek philosophy to Tennessee evolution, and always she manages to insinuate the worst. Only at intervals does she make some mater-of-fact statement which catches the reader's fancy and conveys more truth then all of her long dissertations. For example, she says: "At the slave bazaar I also purchased a negro porter and a Greek philosopher. I paid five thousand sesterces for both of them --a most exorbitant price...
...with a first. There is plot without novelty, capable and charming description overdone to create a sense of mystery, a medley of characters, some drawn, with breadth, and reality, but others idly cast off or, worse still, caricatured from the conventional types used by the Victorian novelists. What the reader bent on analysis more than care free enjoyment most deplores, however, is the failure of the author to use great opportunities. Action takes place on an ancient but ill-kept farm, Saltacres, close by a marshy lake and near to a sleepy town. The farm has an aristocratic history...