A Victor of Salamis

"A Victor of Salamis" by William Stearns Davis is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative is set in ancient Greece during the dramatic days of Xerxes' invasion, featuring notable historical figures such as Leonidas and Themistocles. The central storyline likely follows Glaucon, a beautiful and athletic young Athenian, as he contends with personal and external challenges amidst the brewing conflict with Persia. At the start of the story, the setting is established during the Isthmian Games, where Glaucon is a contender. The opening scenes vividly depict the excitement of the games and the public's anticipation of the competitions, particularly the pentathlon where Glaucon seeks to prove himself not only as an athlete but also to win back his father's affection. The narrative introduces a range of characters, including admirers and rivals, as well as hints of political tension, foreshadowing the larger conflict with the Persian forces. The atmosphere is filled with a blend of both competitive enthusiasm and the undercurrents of loyalty, honor, and the high stakes involved in both athletic and military contests. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

William Stearns Davis was an American educator, historian, and author. He has been cited as one who "contributed to history as a scholarly discipline,. .. [but] was intrigued by the human side of history, which, at the time, was neglected by the discipline." After first experimenting with short stories, he turned while still a college undergraduate to longer forms to relate, from an involved (fictional) character's view, a number of critical turns of history. This faculty for humanizing, even dramatizing, history characterized Davis' later academic and professional writings as well, making them particularly suitable for secondary and higher education during the first half of the twentieth century in a field which, according to one editor, had "lost the freshness and robustness. .. the congeniality" that should mark the study of history. Both Davis' fiction and non-fiction are found in public and academic libraries today.