Ernst Eckstein
The Chaldean Magician
An Adventure in Rome in the Reign of the Emperor Diocletian
"The Chaldean Magician" by Ernst Eckstein is a historical novel set in the late 19th century. The story unfolds in ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, focusing on the intense and intricate relationship between two young friends, Lucius Rutilius and Caius Bononius. Their lives become complicated by the presence of a Chaldean magician, Olbasanus, who casts a dark prophecy that threatens their happiness and love interests. The opening of the novel introduces us to a captivating scene on a beautiful October evening in A.D. 299, where Lucius Rutilius encounters his friend Caius Bononius while grappling with new, tumultuous feelings for a woman named Hero. Tension escalates when Lucius reveals that he is deeply in love with Hero, only to be met with the ominous warning from the Chaldean magician regarding their ill-fated future together. They soon learn of a dark prophecy that predicts misfortune, particularly for Lucius, stemming from his affection for Hero. This sets the stage for a journey filled with emotion, moral dilemmas, and the supernatural, as the friends seek to navigate the fallout of Olbasanus's foreboding declarations.