The Philosopher's Wife

Docent emeritus Dalia Dilytė is a researcher of Classical and Lithuanian literature, as well as a prolific translator of Roman texts. In The Philosopher's Wife she explores the question: who wrote the tragedy Octavia? Although the piece is standardly attributed to Seneca, scholars agree that this is dubious at best. Drawing from her vast knowledge of Roman culture, Dalia Dilytė recreates an Empire in the last three years of the despotic Nero's reign. Against this grim backdrop, Seneca's young widow, Paulina, manages to preserve his work and to consummate it in her own creation, Octavia. Written from a woman's point of view and depicting the feminine role in Antiquity, The Philosopher's Wife acts as a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit.

Rokas Staškevičius

Translated from the Lithuanian by Jūra Avižienis