Asterix the Legionary
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| Asterix the Legionary | |
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| French Title: | Asterix Legionnaire |
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| Story: | Rene Goscinny |
| Illustrations: | Albert Uderzo |
| French Edition: | 1967 |
| English Translation: | 1970 |
| Preceded by: | Asterix and the Normans |
| Followed by: | Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield |
Asterix the Legionary, the tenth Asterix book in the comic book series by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. It was first published as a serial in Pilote issues 368-389 in 1966.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
The book begins with a now familiar scene of the indomitable Gauls' village. Asterix and Obelix have just returned from a fruitful hunt, when at the entrance to the village they pass a beautiful blond young lady by the name of Panacea who has returned to the village after studying in Condatum. Obelix immediately falls in love. After a few scenes of Obelix embarrassing himself, Panacea receives word that her fiancé Tragicomix has been conscripted into the Roman army and shipped to North Africa. Asterix and Obelix promise Panacea that they will return Tragicomix to her, even though it breaks Obelix's heart.
Asterix and Obelix head for Condatum where they learn that Tragicomix has already left for Massilia, the Mediterranean port from which the soldiers depart. They then decide to enlist in the Roman army and end up training with a Goth, a Briton, a Belgian, a Greek, and an Egyptian tourist who is on holiday and does not realise what he had got himself into.
After completing training (which is rather relaxing for the conscripts while very stressful for the Centurions), the newly formed unit sets off as reinforcements to Caesar who is fighting a losing campaign against a rival Roman faction headed by Caecilius Metellus Scipio in alliance with Afranius and King Juba I of Numidia. Asterix and Obelix soon find out that Tragicomix has gone missing in action after a skirmish.
Asterix and Obelix desert and set out to search for him leading to them raiding Scipio's cam and successfully rescuing the young man. However, due to their actions Caesar and Scipio each believes that the other is attacking and they both prepare for battle. In the confusion that follows, Caesar achieves a great victory (the historical Battle of Thapsus, 6 February 46 BC). The Gauls are cornered by Caesar, but released and sent home for the service they provided — Panacea is reunited with Tragicomix and everybody is overjoyed.
In gratitude, Panacea kisses both Asterix and Obelix. Obelix faints and Asterix spends the customary banquet sitting on a tree hopelessly in love, as well.
[edit] Notes
- Panacea's kiss can instantly tame the jealous & antagonistic Dogmatix, knock down the unstoppable Obelix, and leaves a smitten Asterix sitting out the final banquet in a love-struck daze.
- In this story Obelix begins to refer to bashing Romans as "being polite," based on Asterix's earlier behaviour where he recommended that behaviour but ended up beating them up.
- When the pirates are first sunk, the ship's remains parody the 19th century painting The Raft of the Medusa.
- The hair of the Belgian legionary resembles that of the Belgian comic character Tintin.
- Just as in Asterix in Britain the notoriously terrible British cuisine is referenced.
- Throughout the story the Egyptian (named 'Ptenisnet') makes comments in hieroglyphics about hairy body parts — this is in fact a (annoying) child's game in France: to repeat back a rhyme of whatever was last said in the form of "old hairy (body part)."[citation needed]
- This is the first Asterix book where either Asterix or Obelix show any interest in women and being in love is a recurring joke throughout the book. Whenever any of the characters breaks down in tears, someone remarks "In love, is he?"
[edit] Film adaptation
Elements of the plot of this story were blended with Asterix the Gladiator for the animated movie Asterix Versus Caesar.
[edit] In other languages
- Dutch: Asterix als legioensoldaat, formerly Asterix en het 1ste legioen
- Finnish: Asterix legioonalaisena
- German: Asterix als Legionär
- Italian: Asterix legionario
- Polish: Asteriks legionista
- Portuguese: Asterix legionário
- Spanish: Astérix legionario
- Swedish: Asterix drar i fält
