Over the Wine Dark Sea
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| Author | H. N. Turteltaub |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Saint Martin's Press |
| Released | November 2001 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 384 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-312-87660-2 (first edition, hardback) |
| Preceded by | Justinian |
| Followed by | The Gryphon's Skull |
Over the Wine Dark Sea, is a novel by H. N. Turteltaub. It takes place in years shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, and centers on a pair of Greek cousins from Rhodes, Menedemos and Sostratos, who work as sea-going traders. It is the first book of the so-called "Hellenic Traders" series of historical novels.
[edit] Plot summary
The plot of the book centers around the cousins voyaging around the Greek parts of the Mediterranean Sea. They trade a great many things on their ship, the Aphrodite, including, much to the chagrin of many on board, peacocks.
During their voyage they encounter pirates, other traders and get caught up in conflicts between some of Alexander's former generals, including Antigonos.
[edit] Cultural references
The book contains several references to Classical Greek culture, including The Odyssey, The Iliad (both based on the author's own translations), Aristophanes, Sophokles, Sokrates, and Platon.
