3 out of 4 stars
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M. N. J. Butler’s The Fox is a complex and fascinating book, set in Sparta during the final decades of its independence. The story revolves around the heir to one of Sparta’s two thrones, Leotychides, who is regarded as a bastard and challenges his uncle for the throne after his father’s death. Due to many historical references and a huge number of characters and episodes, this book can be a little difficult for those who have never studied Greek history. However, Butler is very helpful with his amazing way of writing, and the glossary at the beginning comes in handy. Anyone who decides to read The Fox can be sure it is worth the effort.
Leotychides tells his story in the first person. It is interesting to notice that, right at the beginning, he refers to Lacedemonians’ proverbial laconicism. He states that he is "less generous with words" than Herodotus, the famous Greek historian who wrote The Histories. This detail alone is praiseworthy, because of its historical and psychological finesse. This is just the first sample of how Leotychides’s words make ancient history lively and personal. He offers his own point of view, but he also reports comments and opinions made by those who surround him. In this way, the reader has a comprehensive picture which goes beyond subjectivity.
Among the strong points of The Fox, the author’s knowledge of Greek history and mythology is the most remarkable one. It would not be possible to write a large-scale book like this without strong historical knowledge. There are references to past and contemporary events on every page and, occasionally, to myths and legends. Butler uses them as essential parts of the text and not as digressions. Thanks to this wise choice, anecdotes are not just a boring background for the story, but a mine of information for the reader, especially for the one who hears about them for the first time.
The representation of characters and places is charming. The characters are well-rounded, something that is indispensable considering their number. The portrayal of Leotychides’s mother, Timaia is one of the best for its subtlety and refinement. As for the passages dedicated to ancient customs and beliefs, they are extremely important not only for a reader who regards them as useful references, but for the narrator too. In fact, Leotychides refers to his own declining world and those customs are actually traditions he wants to preserve. There is no idle talk here.
Apart from these, more complex descriptions, the shorter ones are equally worth the attention. Butler is such a fine writer that he creates a complete portrait using two or three significant words. This is absolutely commendable.
Dialogues are another outstanding feature of The Fox. The conversations among the characters are usually vibrant and bring ancient history to life, especially when they discuss some important figures as Alcibiades or Lysander and the consequences of their actions. The beginning of the second chapter, which presents a long dialogue scene with no comments, is a good example of these poignant discussions. Furthermore, sharp and intelligent remarks intersperse both dialogues and narration, adding clarity and fun to the text.
The only downside I have found in The Fox is that at times Butler gets carried away by his own style and lingers too long on some details. This is a usual problem with authors who write well and know to write well, and he is no exception. But is this a flaw? Not really. I prefer to think about it as one of Butler’s characteristic qualities.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I would have rated it 4 stars, but it has several typographical errors. They are not completely unexpected, considering the size of this book (it is almost 600 pages long), but also the formatting is incomprehensible at times. It happens to find page breaks in the middle of a chapter and I do not understand the need for them when a new scene is always indicated with a blank line.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves history, thinks about history and appreciates intelligent writing.
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The Fox
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