Acte

"What sort of a man is this, who plays with tigers, who orders proconsuls around, and who blasphemes the gods!"

Acte (1838) is the first of many historical romances penned by Alexandre Dumas, père. The story opens in 57 AD in the ancient Greek city of Corinth, where the beautiful young maiden Acte meets a mysterious stranger by the name of Lucius, who has sailed from Rome to compete in the upcoming Nemean Games. She welcomes him into her home, where it soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems. The two quickly fall in love, and the whirlwind romance that then ensues takes them from the games in Corinth, where Lucius has soundly defeated all his challengers; then across the sea to Rome and the imperial court with its many intrigues, wonders, and atrocities; to the nearby catacombs where Saint Paul and the nascent Christian faith are taking refuge from the emperor's wrath; to Nero's bizarre wedding; to the terror and spectacle of the gladiator's arena; and finally, to the tyrant's downfall at the hands of one of his most intimate followers.