Theocrates is the protagonist of this historical fiction novel set in ancient Greece during the time of the Peloponnesian War. His turbulent life story weaves together themes of freedom and slavery, love and war, religion and magic. Theocrates is a mantis, or seer. His tale covers a span of three decades, as the action moves from Greece to Sicily to Turkey and back. Along the way, the reader is treated to a series of surprising twists, both fictional and historical, and a variety of interesting characters, including the philosopher, Socrates.
The elaborate plot revolves around the tangled lifelong relationship between Theocrates and the real-life Athenian general, Alcibiades, a villain who sometimes seems like a hero. The reader follows Theocrates into the silver mines of Laurion, and his adventures in the service of Agis, the Spartan king. His relationship with Alcibiades evolves from hatred to friendship, but how it will end is not foreseen even by the mantis.
In addition to being entertained, readers who enjoy history, culture, and politics will learn a great deal about this crucial period in the development of Western civilization.