It's not often that one of my favorite writers collides with one of my favorite stories, but that's exactly what's happened with Lavinia, the new novel by Ursula Le Guin.
Lavinia's title heroine is the princess of Latium-- stomping grounds of the most ancient Romans-- who is the prize in an ancient civil war, subject of the Roman poet Vergil's Aeneid.
Aeneas, survivor of the Trojan War, lands in Italy years after the fall of Troy with the remnant of his people. Aeneas is fated to become the father of the Roman race, and as a widower he can only become the father of the race if he has a new wife.
Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus, has been betrothed to Turnus, native son of the neighboring Rutulian tribe. But when Latinus finds out about the Aeneas prophecy, he is more than happy to re-gift his daughter to a genuine war hero and legend in the making.
Juno, goddess who hates the Trojans, tries to derail the marriage by inciting Turnus and his mother Amata against the Trojan/Latin alliance.
It's war, and in all the action we never find out much about Lavinia. She is a symbol and a plot device more than a person. Lavinia
The last I read of Le Guin was the Earthsea trilogy, which I loved and which I should read again, as I have a feeling it will help the writing of Healing Knowledge.
If you read the book, let me know what you think. I will, and I will.
