Near the end of Quo Vadis Petronius (Arbiter) writes a letter in reply to his nephew Vicinius who has fled Rome with his bride, Ligia. In the letter Petronius discusses his philosophy and his fate contrasting it with the Christian belief that Vicinius has accepted. He says:

"There are only two philosophers that I care about, Pyrrho and Anacreon. You know what they stand for. The rest, along with the new Greek schools and all the Roman Stoics, you can have for the price of beans. Truth lives somewhere so high that even the gods can't see it from Olympus."(QV, p. 566)

It is interesting to note that Pyrrho is noted for a philosophy of skepticism that claims the impossibility of knowledge. For him our own ignorance or doubt should induce us to withdraw into ourselves, avoiding the stress and emotion which belong to the contest of vain imaginings. This theory of the impossibility of knowledge suggests a sort of agnosticism and its ethical implications may be compared with the ideal tranquility of the Stoics and Epicureans (who were more popular among Romans). This certainly contrasts with the Christian spiritual view that emphasizes belief in the supernatural. It is a philosophy that, at least for Petronius, lets him face death unequivocally with a sort of stoicism that provides a potent example in opposition to the Christian view. It also is an example of the breadth of beliefs shown by Sienkiewicz in his portrayal of the culture and character of the Roman world.

This contrast of philosophies underlies the novel and made it more interesting to me than the simple love story that it also presents. In Quo Vadis we are presented with an historical novel of depth that shows us the corruption and depravity of Nero's Rome while it presents the worlds of aesthetics and skepticism represented by Petronius and that of the young Christian sect whose believers include Peter and Paul, of biblical fame, and Ligia, the barbarian princess who becomes the focus of young Vicinius' amour. It is perhaps not a coincidence that the nineteenth century had several writers (Bulwer-Lytton, Kingsley, and Wallace) including Sienkiewicz who reacted to the prevalence of anti-christian views among the romantics (Shelley, et. al.). This is seen in the pronounced admiration for the poor Christians and the sensational nature of the culmination of the story involving the Neronic destruction of many of the Christians in terrifically brutal games. In spite of this Sienkiewicz through vivid detail creates a believable historical setting for his love story; and overcoming his biased portrayal of the Christians and the contrast with the irrationality and evil of Nero, he succeeds in telling a moving and thoughtful portrayal of Rome in the first century A.D. ( )

A masterpiece!!! I would give 10 stars to this book if I could. It's the best book I've ever read, it's my new favourite book, I just couldn't put it down! I will force all of my friends to read it! :) No really, this book should be the first on your "Books to read" list, not only because you'll learn some ancient history (don't worry, it didn't appeal to me either when I heard it's about the Roman Empire and Nero) but also because this Sienkiewicz guy really knows the art of writing. If I didn't convince you yet that it worths your time, here's the last thing: this book won the Nobel prize. And with this being said, I rest my case.............. Enjoy!!!! ( )

Many of the classics seem timeless, and no matter how long ago they were written they're still revalent today. This historical novel is not one of those! It deals with the Rome of Nero and the early Christian martyrs, with the struggle of the Christians against paganism being the central plot. The life of ancient Rome is shown in all its decadent detail, which makes the story very interesting, although it still drags somewhat. But, it has a satisfactory ending, even though a little dated. ( )

This is an awesome novel! Recounts the persecutions of the Christians in Nero's time framed in an incredible love story. Examines the joy and completion available to Christians even amongst extreme persecution.
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A young man in Rome during the first century, comes of age and examines the world around him and its meaning. He finds it lacking until he meets up with the Christian faith. He also finds the love of his life and must needs deal with Nero and other persecutions.
I enjoyed this book, sadly it has been long since I've read it. I remember reveling in the discussions between the different Romans and the hero of the book on faith. ( )