dangermousie | Hunky Romans and Virginal Christian Maidens...how could you go wrong?

I've had a really hard week so my method of relaxation?

I am going to watch the Polish movie version of Quo Vadis based on the famous Henryk Sienkewitz novel of the same name. I think this 1905 novel might be responsible for the start of the fiction cliche of 'pure Christian girl lures a sexy Roman hottie into faith and angst' but despite that, it's an awesome awesome novel. It used to be my favorite book when I was a teenager and is still one of my favorites. I am not a Christian, so clearly my love of it wasn't based on faith association: I thought it was an awesomely written story, with a tight plot, complicated characters, an interesting look at Roman society and two kick-ass love stories...

Anyway, very short version of the story is: Roman patrician Vinicius is smitten with Lygia, a Lygian hostage who grew up as a quasi-daughter in an upper class Roman home. Little does he know his passion for her will give him tons of hurt-comfort, angst, and oh yeah, character development and a different faith.

Fan-made trailer:

My favorite character in the novel (much as I adore the hot and angsty Vinicius) was always Petronius, Vinicius' worldly, sophisticated uncle. Huge fictional crush.