The Antagonists

I was excited to find this novel after having seen on Netflix the old Peter O'Toole "Masada" television drama [1981] which I had missed when shown on television originally. Both the original novel and its adaptation covered the siege of Masada and its shattering climax through the eyes of both the

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Roman and Jewish commanders, the titular "antagonists." After a long introduction to the setting and characters, the story moves quickly and inexorably to the siege from both Roman and Jewish sides and its immediate aftermath. Not much is known factually, so most of the novel is fictionalized. The author even admitted as much.

In spite of any differences in physical appearance of Flavius Silva, the Roman general and governor of Judaea between novel and teleplay, I couldn't visualize anyone but O'Toole as that figure. Eleazar ben Yair was presented as the stalwart military leader of the rebellious Jews, originally a fisherman, defending his people against Roman conquest, and trying to keep in balance the different Jewish sects with him but I felt the author was more sympathetic to Silva, whom he presented as a lonely middle-aged widower, only desirous of putting down this rebellion at Emperor Vespasian's orders, then dreaming of retiring to his villa near Rome, living in peace with his Jewish mistress. Even after 40-some years, this novel is still worthwhile reading.

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