Multiple Award-winning
historical novel
EPPIE Awards 2008 Historical
Fiction Finalist - POW! Awards
2008 Woman's Fiction of the Year,
- 2007 International JADA Awards
Historical Fiction Honorable
Mention
LANDS
OF THE MORNING™ Series, Book 7
By
Kristina
O'Donnelly
Dedicated to the Memory of
Louise Halley Forshaw
With the audience appeal of
The Grass Crown by Colleen
McCullough and The Last King
by Michael Curtis Ford, "Korinna -
Daughters of the Fire, I," is an
intense tour-de-force into the
history of Ancient Greece, Rome,
Anatolia, and the plight of women
in those times. Women who had no
say in the running of their own
lives, and women who only lived
for their men who were then slain
in battle.
Review:
"This powerful story tells of one
woman's attempt to discover her
past--and create her future, while
the whole world is falling apart
around her. Raised in the Temple
of Artemis, Korinna discovers that
the world outside the temple to
the virgin goddess can be very
dangerous--and very sexy. Set in
the turmoil of the late Roman
Republic, with King Mithriades
attempting to replace Rome as the
central power in Europe, KORINNA
is an adventure of a read. "
Rob Preece,
Author Veil of the Goddess
The
judges of the prestigious POW!
Award are professors and
teachers from Florida Community
College of
Jacksonville at North
Campus, but they prefer to
remain anonymous.
Anonymous Judges' reviews for
Korinna:
Judge
# 2: "Excellent storyline, and
exciting. Set in its time frame
perfectly."
Judge # 3: "Great story, loved it.
Very fast paced, action-packed
story."
Judge #
7: "Well written. Good historical
research/use in story. Very clean
writing."
Judge # 9: "Exciting literature.
Great story!" Judge # 16: "Liked
this a lot. Good story, moved
well. Cover very appealing. I am a
fan of O'Donnelly's work."
Locale and Time:
“Korinna
– Daughters of the Fire, I,”
begins during the first of the
three Mithriadic Wars fought
between the Kingdom of Pontus and
the Republic of Rome for control
of Anatolia/Asia Minor, from 89
B.C. onward. Ephesus, Sardis and
Pergamum, three famous cities of
Antiquity, provide the stage upon
which the novel revolves.
By Roman times, the matriarchal
religion of Anatolia had changed,
though the female principle was
still dominant. The original
mother-fertility goddesses were
now identified with the love
goddesses of Greece and Rome,
Aphrodite and Venus.
Korinna, an orphan novice of
Artemis, and the “Holy Women”
(priestess-prostitutes of
Aphrodite) Melitta and Chrysanthé,
born during a time of chaotic
transition in Anatolian history
that pitted not only nation
against nation, but parent against
child, were truly Daughters of
the Fire that had swept this
ancient land.
Cast
of Characters
(In order of Appearance)
Korinna:
Novice in the temple of
Diana-Artemis at Ephesus. Later,
owner of the Gracchus Gold Works
at Sardis. Lover of Tiberius.
Driven to defy a woman’s
traditional, unquestioningly
subservient role in order to be
independent, to chart her own
course in life. Proud of and
motivated by for being named after
Korinna, a 5th B.C.
Greek poetess. Of the bloodline of
the Trojan Andromache. Age 15 at
onset of the novel.
Nefru:
Korinna’s best friend and
protector. However, he is a cat,
and people assume he is her
familiar and she is a witch.
Thenis:
Mentor of Korinna,
High
Priestess of Artemiseion, Temple
of the Virgin Goddess
Artemis/Diana in Ephesus. Supports
King Mithriades. Age: mid-forties.
Tiberius:
Born in Rome, Italy, Roman
centurion in charge of spy
operations in Asia Minor. Lover of
Korinna. A man of honor and
courage, but also hot-tempered,
passionate, single-minded in his
pursuits, and self-righteous.
Devoted to Sulla. Son of the slain
Roman general, Marcus. First
cousin to Scaurus Gracchus of
Sardis. Age 25 at onset of the
novel.
Glaucus:
Molester of Korinna. Friend of
Tiberius. Overseer at Sardis gold
refinery. Secret enemy of Lady
Flavia Gracchus. Greek. Age: 30.
Septimus:
Blood
brother of Tiberius. Roman. Canny
business manager of the Gracchus
Gold Works in Sardis. Same age as
Tiberius.
Melitta:
Wealthy courtesan of Ephesus,
renowned for her beauty and
skills, addressed as Holy Woman
because she serves
Venus/Aphrodite. Spy for Greek
interests in Asia Minor. Has a
mysterious connection to Korinna.
Age 30 at onset.
Scaurus:
Cousin of Tiberius. Lover of
Melitta. Purchaser of Korinna;
owner of thriving gold refinery in
Sardis. Roman. Honorable,
courageous, with a gentle, loving
heart. Age 31.
Chrysanthé:
Powerful High Priestess of the
Venus/Aphrodite Temple in Ephesus.
Secret operative for Rome. Has a
mysterious tie to both Melitta and
Korinna. In charge of the Grove,
where devotees of the Love Goddess
– and young women in need to earn
a dowry – service men in Her name.
Age 44 at onset.
Ninus:
Cupid-faced eunuch at the
Artemiseion. Korinna thinks him a
brotherly friend, but he has other
ideas. Age: 15.
The Poet,
a.k.a The Summoner, a.k.a The
Recorder:
Lydian Greek. Elusive spy and
double-agent serving King
Mithridates. Has a mysterious tie
to Korinna. Age 43 at onset.
Althaia:
Wife of the Poet; a healer; Greek.
Age: late thirties.
Moira:
Daughter of the Poet; his
assistant theurgist and channeler
of spirits; later, lover of
Mithriades. Believes in that as
indicated by her name, moira/fate,
she is appointed as an instrument
of the Fates. Age 13 at onset.
Amynta:
Priestess and ambitious member of
the Council of the Ephesian
Venus-Aphrodite Temple. Greek.
Devotee of King Mithriades. Plots
to unseat Chrysanthé. Age: 25.
Flavia:
Mother of Scaurus, widow of the
Roman patrician Flavius brother of
Marcus; Lydian Greek origin, yet
loyal to Rome. Patroness of
Korinna. Age: 52.
Harmonia:
Devoted slave of Flavia, attendant
on Flavia and Korinna. Greek. Age:
mid fifties.
Isaura:
Orphan, mute, young household
slave. Greek. Age 10.
Valeria:
A
serene ghost in the house in
Sardis.
Chloris:
An ancestral spirit, hearkening to
Andromache.
Syra:
Former slave and mistress of
Tiberius, housekeeper for Korinna
in Pergamum. Gallic origin. Age:
25.
Sulla
(Lucius
Cornelius Sulla Felix)
Roman Consul, General, and
Dictator, Conqueror of Asia Minor,
battling to dethrone Mithridates
VI. Age: mid 40s at onset.
Manius Aquillius:
Roman Consul, General,
distinguished as having crushed a
slave rebellion against Rome, in
Sardinia. Commanding battles
against Mithriades. His star on
the fade. Age: late 40s.
Mithridates VI (or Mithriades):
King of Pontus, brilliant and
powerful enemy of Rome. Later,
grandfather of Cleopatra, Queen of
Egypt. Persian origin. Greek is
the original language of his
court; he endeavors to unite
various kingdoms of different
ethnic groups, under the umbrella
of Hellenism. Under his reign,
Pontus’s reach and power is
threatening to surpass that of
Rome. Age 44 at onset.
Read Chapter 1, for free
Historical
Background
FOR
A THOUSAND YEARS, the Greek
conquerors of Troy held colonies
in the land named Anatolia
(present-day Turkey) known in
Roman times as Asia Minor. The
Greek-speaking western coast and
the surrounding Aegean islands
were called IONIA, and the
northeastern land track of
Anatolia bordering on the Euxine
(Black Sea), was called PONTOS
(the main).
As time marched on, the tracts
claimed by the next conqueror,
Rome, included this Western coast
and most of the Aegean islands.
Administration was by a Roman
proconsul, with three legates
under him. Ephesus was the chief
seat of the provincial government,
with Pergamum a close second. Rome
reigned by military force and
commercial enterprises so that
taxation was soon levied by Rome,
instead of Athens.
The Romans’ political corruption
and usurious taxes bled the Greek
colonists until, by the time the
kings of Pontos/Pontus –
originally an ally of Rome – took
advantage of the internecine war
on the Italian peninsula, and
began seizing portions of the
province, the people were willing
to accept anyone who liberated
them from the Roman yoke.
The brilliant king of Pontus,
Mithridates VI, called Eupator
Dionysius, a.k.a. Mithridates the
Great, grew to fame as one of
Rome's most formidable enemies.
The Kingdom of Pontus had been
founded after the death of
Alexander the Great, around 302
B.C., by Mithridates I Ktistes,
son of Mithridates II of Kios
(Mysia). Pontus was henceforth
ruled by a succession of kings,
mostly bearing the same name,
until 64 B.C.
Mithridates VI Eupator was
ambitious, courageous, of great
physical strength, and able to
speak the languages of all the
twenty-two nations he governed at
his zenith. Among the territories
he added to his kingdom was
Crimea, and the northern shore of
the Black Sea became Mithridates'
protectorate. Then Colchis (modern
Georgia) was swallowed up and soon
after, western Armenia as well.
Mithridates’ army juggernauted,
expelling the Roman forces and
taking over the Anatolians
kingdoms of Bithynia, Cappadocia,
the Bosporus and the Black Sea. In
89 B.C., he spread his rule to
Rhodes and Greece. After Athens,
much of southern Greece was
brought under Pontic control, with
the local populations initially
happy to be free of Roman
influence.
In 88 B.C., Mithridates decided to
ensure the loyalty of his newly
won regional allies. In Ephesus,
he issued a proclamation ordering
the massacre of all resident
Romans in Asia Minor and
surroundings. As a result, 88,000
(by some accounts, 100,000)
Roman/Italian citizens, men,
women, and children, also 70,000
of their slaves and freedmen,
including any person who spoke
with an Italian accent, were
slaughtered ………….
THE
REMAINS OF EPHESUS, today, are an
important archaeological site,
located south of the modern
Turkish coastal city, Izmir. The
extensive ruins have been under
excavation for many years, and are
a lively tourist site. Portions of
the marble city have been
reconstructed on location. The
great temple dedicated to
Artemis/Diana, was one of the
Seven Wonders of the ancient world.
It
is believed that the Virgin Mary,
accompanied by St. Paul, came to
Ephesus at the end of her life,
ca. 37-45 A.D.
In
1967, Pope Paul VI visited the
site, where a chapel now stands
welcoming visitors, and confirmed
the authenticity of the legend. In
addition, the Basilica of St. John
is located near Ephesus. St. John
lived the last years of his life
here, and after his death, a
shrine was built over his grave.
Among other historical places to
visit are the Library of Celsus
and the Temple of Hadrian.
The golden city of SARDIS is
rooted in history, as well. The
semi-mythical, semi-historical
King Croesus ruled from the throne
of Lydian Sardis in the mid 6th
century B.C.
PERGAMUM
was already in existence around
1200 B.C. and claimed to have been
founded by refugees from the
Trojan War. In historical times a
statue of its reputed Foundress,
Andromache widow of Hector, stood
on the acropolis. (See:
“Andromakhe, An Epic Novel of Troy
and a Woman’s Triumphant Valor.”)
Parchment, in its refined form,
was first developed in Pergamum.
The word parchment is a form of
the name Pergamum.
Pliny the historian called
Pergamum the most illustrious city
of Asia. It was the educational
center of the region; the poet
Homer and "the father of history,"
Herodotus, studied and wrote in
Pergamum.
The ruins
have been incorporated into modern
Bergama, and are located a few
miles inland from the port of
Dikili.
READ
chapter one, for free
When you
travel to Turkey to walk in
Hector, Andromache, Agamemnon
and Achilles' footsteps, start
your tour at:
Anzac Hotel,
Troy, Turkey
OR RETURN HOME
midi: Enchantment
