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Stealing Athena by Karen Essex  |
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Stealing Athena by Karen Essex (Anchor Books, 2009) was released this year in paperback following its successful initial hardcover release in June 2008. This book is a work of historical fiction detailing the rise and fall of one of the ancient wonders of the world, the Parthenon, and the two women behind the men involved with it.
Essex’s story centers on the Parthenon of Athens and two couples that affected its history. Her main character is Mary Nisbet of Scotland; a young wealthy heiress who falls in love with and marries the handsome Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin, and newly appointed ambassador to Constantinople in 1799.
The second leading lady is Aspasia of Miletus. As a young woman she was brought to Athens by her brother-in-law after he married her sister. Once in Athens he attempted to get rid of her, claiming she burdened his household. Aspasia found herself sold to the most powerful man in Athens, Perikles. Before Aspasia’s arrival in Athens, Perikles had passed a law forbidding Athenians from marrying foreigners. When Perikles took Aspasia, he considered her his courtesan, or concubine, and she lost any standing as a woman of honor.
Both Elgin and Perikles were ambitious men and patriots of their countries. They sought to honor their countries through the arts. Elgin initially wanted to bring back to his country from Greece sketches and molds of what were considered the greatest artistic achievements of any civilization. Perikles wanted to build the most beautiful temple to Athen’s patron goddess, Athena, to honor all she had done for her city.
Both Mary and Aspasia supported the endeavors of their men and fought for them where they could. Despite their efforts, both women paid harsh prices for their roles in the world of men. One man succeeded while the other failed and only one man stood by his lady through it all. Essex plays the devil’s advocate for all parties, seeking to tell all sides of the story as well as bring attention to the plight of women in history who could be persecuted by the mere whims of men.
Essex’s story is engaging and the Elgin Marbles, as the treasures spirited away from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin are still called, continue to arouse controversy. Anyone traveling to either London or Athens will find this book an excellent companion for viewing and contemplating the Parthenon. The marbles are on display at the British Museum and the Greek government has been trying to get them back for over 150 years now. In June 2009 the Acropolis Museum opened its doors and is waiting for the artifacts to be returned to Greece and housed in this new facility.
Essex, a journalist and screenwriter, without a doubt timed her book to coincide with the opening of the Acropolis Museum (originally planned for 2008) to bring attention to the marbles. While Stealing Athena paints a strong historical picture, there are some clichéd references that distract from the two time periods she covers. For one, the initial description of Aspasia’s wardrobe invokes images of 1970s disco rather than ancient Athens. Another is the near harlequinesque references of relations between Lord and Lady Elgin and Perikles and Aspasia. The history of the marbles is interesting enough without the cheap Hollywood theatrics.
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