Marcus States To Esca example essay topic

I have read "The Eagle of The Ninth" by Rosemary Sutcliffe. Roman history has always had a particular appeal to me, especially the mysteries of its era. When I discovered that it was about a lost Roman Army - The Ninth Legion, i was pleasantly surprised not only from the historical point of view, but the fact that the story would not be set in some unfamiliar, far off foreign country but in Northern England and Scotland. Some parts of the novel are in lands only a stone's throw away from our school. The main character in this novel is a quite young and in-experienced soldier named Marcus Aquila. He is the son of a high ranking Roman soldier, who was second in command of the Ninth Legion.

Throughout the novel, Marcus has shown that he has a very ambitious and determined. He seems to have his entire life, from the next day till his retirement all planned out. .".. one day, when he had finished with the Eagles when he had made an honourable name and become prefect of his Egyptian Legion, he would go home to the Etruscan hills, and perhaps buy back the old farm... to retire to". However, even though all of this ambition does appear to be a healthy attitude, it often leaves him rather disappointed when he cannot progress or improve himself any further. This happened after a serious injury after which he was no longer able to be a soldier. This left him very depressed. Marcus achieved the rank of Second Cohort, which left him in charge of a fort on a northern frontier near Carlisle.

Unfortunately, not long after he arrived it was attacked by the native tribes. He was very badly injured in the attack, and was unable to walk for weeks". Marcus lay in his bed for hours on end, staring at the ceiling and listening to the wind blowing through the window, but the pain in his leg was drowned out for the anguish of his lost career was too great". In this way the author compels you to pity Marcus, in one night, in a split -second, he had lost all that had been dear to him.

However, Marcus had not lost all of his ambitions and dreams, his prime motivation was to find the eagle of his father's lost legion, and despite this huge set back, he is still determined to go north of Hadrian's Wall to retrieve it and restore the Ninth Legion. In a sense that takes a lot of bravery to do that, considering an entire legion was lost going north, and he is only bringing his slave along with him. He has already shown his bravery in the way he conducted himself on the battlefield, in more ways than one. The best example of his bravery in the novel is when him and Esca are confronted by the tribe members who, at that time, knew they had stolen the eagle. Marcus wittingly manages to dissuade them by lying point blankly to their faces. Fortunately for him and his companion Esca, his lies worked, and soon the tribe members were no longer pursuing them.

"We do not have your worthless idol, but if you are so sure we have stolen the Red Crests' god, you have but to search our gear, and you will surely find it. Search, then". Another aspect of Marcus' character is his compassion, and the way he can begin to trust a person quickly and with ease. This appears to happen on more than one occasion, but in a couple.

At the beginning of the novel, when he is in command of the fort, he befriends a local tribesman, Cradoc, and goes hunting regularly with him. However, during the night of the attack, Marcus sees the hunter and is obviously very disappointed in him for betraying his trust. "Marcus looked up, and met the cold, grey eyes of Cradoc and suddenly ceased to move... his eyes pin-pricked in shock". Marcus display again, that he is a character who can be very easily befriended. During his recovery time, he meets a girl called Cotta. The girl hates Roman rule in Britain, and she hates the constrictions that Roman rule brings upon her people.

Marcus' very roots are in these principals that she hates, and yet they form such a good friendship". 'Can i come and see you again Marcus?' 'Of course you can. ' " However the most profound example of Marcus' friendly character is found when Marcus employs a slave who lost an arena game. Marcus, saved the slave's, Esca's, life, although Roman tradition would have him killed for it.

After a few days together, they both find each other compatible, and make good friends. Esca is always there to help Marcus with the healing of his leg, and to offer very helpful advice. A very shocking and surprising moment comes in the novel when Marcus states to Esca that when they return from Scotland with the eagle, he would grant Esca his freedom. By anyone's standards, this is a very compassionate thing to do. "After we return home with the eagle, i shall grant you your freedom, Esca". The overall impression of Marcus' character is a honourable one.

From the beginning of the book, he can come across as being rather arrogant, and doing only what is in his best interests, personally, i even thought he was a selfish person. However when you progress further into the novel, you discover that this is not the case. You discover that he is a caring, deep and passionate person. His crusade for his father's eagle and to find out what happened to the Ninth defines Marcus as someone with unbelievable sense and courage.