Marius the Epicurean: His Sensations and Ideas, in Two Volumes

242, [1]; 223, [2] pp. Volumes two and three of a ten volume set of Pater's works. Historical philosophical novel, his only completed full-length fiction, following Marius's intellectual development. Marius is a young man living in Rome in the 2nd century AD, a time when the classical traditions of philosophy were in their maturity. The educated man gravitates from one school of philosophy to another, and even enjoys a stint as secretary to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, himself a stoic philosopher. As his mind encounters successive cerebral challenges and acquires evermore knowledge, Marius grows curious about the emergence of a new religion - Christianity. The discovery of the Christian creed marks a new phase in Marius' search for sensation and insight, wherein he is amazed by the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The tight-knit community of early Christians, whose beliefs are not permitted in the Roman Empire, makes a striking impression upon the young fellow.