Over the Wine Dark Sea
Encyclopedia
Over the Wine Dark Sea is a novel by H.N. Turteltaub (a pseudonym of Harry Turtledove
). It takes place in the 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.
. 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.
, Sophokles, Sokrates, and Platon
.
Harry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
). It takes place in the years shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, and centers on a pair of Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
cousins from Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, Menedemos and Sostratos, who work as sea-going traders. It is the first book of the so-called "Hellenic Traders
Hellenic Traders
Hellenic Traders refers to a series of historical fiction books published by TOR and written by H.N. Turteltaub . The books center around cousins Menedemos and Sostratos who work as seaborne traders in the years following the death of Alexander the Great...
" series of historical novels.
Plot summary
The plot of the book centers around the cousins voyaging around the Greek parts of the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. They trade a great many things on their ship, the Aphrodite
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
, 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.
Cultural references
The book contains several references to Classical Greek culture, including The Odyssey, The Iliad (both based on the author's own translations), AristophanesAristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
, Sophokles, Sokrates, and Platon
Platon
Platoń is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Czarnożyły, within Wieluń County, Łódź Voivodeship, in central Poland. It lies approximately west of Czarnożyły, north-west of Wieluń, and south-west of the regional capital Łódź.-References:...
.