Trimalchio's Feast and other mini-mysteries
Encyclopedia
Trimalchio's Feast and other mini-mysteries is a collection of stories by Caroline Lawrence
, published in 2007 as part of the Roman Mysteries series. The stories are set in Ostia
and Rome
between AD 79
and AD 81
, in the intervals of time between the novels. In addition to the stories, the author includes a brief account of how she came to write each one, and at the end is an interview with Jon Appleton
in which she talks about the secrets of writing mysteries.
, part of the Satyricon
, although the Trimalchio in this story is a monkey.
, in diary form, and recounts the feelings and experiences of Jonathan when he was training as a gladiator
in Rome after the events of The Enemies of Jupiter.
say: "Hope will blossom when Ostia picks the crocus". While reserving judgement about whether a god could be talking through the statue, the detectives investigate other possible explanations for the prodigy.
. While the eventual report would clearly be an example of an unreliable narrator
, a more honest story emerges through the crossings-out. As Bato admits, the case is a good example of the four friends working together to solve a mystery - in this case, the shocking murder of a Roman senator. The story is set after The Slave-girl from Jerusalem; Bato makes a reference to his testimony in court and the new house it earned him. Bato also comments on Mordecai's broken appearance, though seeming unaware of his daughter's death. Bato's report apparently helped Titus to decide to send the children on the quest for the emerald, in The Beggar of Volubilis.
Caroline Lawrence
Caroline Lawrence is an English American author, best known for The Roman Mysteries series of historical novels for children. The series is about a Roman girl called Flavia and her three friends: Nubia , Jonathan and Lupus...
, published in 2007 as part of the Roman Mysteries series. The stories are set in Ostia
Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica is a large archeological site, close to the modern suburb of Ostia , that was the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, which is approximately 30 km to the northeast. "Ostia" in Latin means "mouth". At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but, due to...
and Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
between AD 79
79
Year 79 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Vespasianus...
and AD 81
81
Year 81 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silva and Pollio...
, in the intervals of time between the novels. In addition to the stories, the author includes a brief account of how she came to write each one, and at the end is an interview with Jon Appleton
Jon Appleton
Jon Howard Appleton is an American composer and teacher who was a pioneer in electro-acoustic music. His earliest compositions in the medium, e.g. Chef d'Oeuvre and Newark Airport Rock attracted attention because they established a new tradition some have called programmatic electronic music...
in which she talks about the secrets of writing mysteries.
The Case of the Missing Coin
This is a solo Flavia adventure, set between the first and second novels. Flavia solves the case based purely on a description of the crime scene.Trimalchio's Feast
This is an account of Lupus's disastrous birthday party, mentioned in The Enemies of Jupiter, and the events leading up to it. It explains why Lupus has no pet, although at one time he had three. The title is an allusion to the Roman text Cena TrimalchionisTrimalchio
Trimalchio is a character in the Roman novel The Satyricon by Petronius. He plays a part only in the section titled Cena Trimalchionis . Trimalchio is a freedman who through hard work and perseverance has attained power and wealth...
, part of the Satyricon
Satyricon
Satyricon is a Latin work of fiction in a mixture of prose and poetry. It is believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as a certain Titus Petronius...
, although the Trimalchio in this story is a monkey.
Jonathan vs. Ira
This is a first-person narrativeFirst-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, in diary form, and recounts the feelings and experiences of Jonathan when he was training as a gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
in Rome after the events of The Enemies of Jupiter.
The Case of the Citrus-Wood Table
This mini-mystery takes place in April AD 80, between The Gladiators of Capua and The Colossus of Rhodes. Flavia is hot on the search for clues when a surprisingly valuable table disappears, but Jonathan solves the case.The Case of the Talking Statue
The longest of the stories, this mystery is set in October AD 80, between The Charioteer of Delphi and The Slave-girl from Jerusalem, at a time of political campaigning in Ostia. It begins when Alma hears a cult statue in the shrine of SpesSpes
In ancient Roman religion, Spes was the goddess of hope. Multiple temples to Spes are known, and inscriptions indicate that she received private devotion as well as state cult.-Republican Hope:...
say: "Hope will blossom when Ostia picks the crocus". While reserving judgement about whether a god could be talking through the statue, the detectives investigate other possible explanations for the prodigy.
Death by Vespasian
This story is in the form of a draft of a report from Bato to the Emperor TitusTitus
Titus , was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own father....
. While the eventual report would clearly be an example of an unreliable narrator
Unreliable narrator
An unreliable narrator is a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised. The term was coined in 1961 by Wayne C. Booth in The Rhetoric of Fiction. This narrative mode is one that can be developed by an author for a number of reasons, usually...
, a more honest story emerges through the crossings-out. As Bato admits, the case is a good example of the four friends working together to solve a mystery - in this case, the shocking murder of a Roman senator. The story is set after The Slave-girl from Jerusalem; Bato makes a reference to his testimony in court and the new house it earned him. Bato also comments on Mordecai's broken appearance, though seeming unaware of his daughter's death. Bato's report apparently helped Titus to decide to send the children on the quest for the emerald, in The Beggar of Volubilis.