The Silver Branch and The Lantern Bearers, by Rosemary Sutcliff

The Silver Branch and The Lantern Bearers continue the story of The Eagle of the Ninth. The heroes of each book trace their lineage back to Marcus of that book. Neither Branch nor Lantern matches the beauty or richness of character development in Eagle, but they are wonderful historical romances taking place in an intriguing setting that is both familiar (if you've been to England) and strange. The Roman seaport of Rutupiae figures in all three of the books and is a weighty symbol of the Romans in Britain in the 600 years or so around the birth of Jesus. (In fact, Christianity is portrayed as a novelty in these two books--and not at all in the first one, which took place prior to the birth of Jesus.)

Rutupiae, at present-day Richborough on the English Channel (nearish to Dover) was a major defensive stronghold and also received and sent out news, goods, and people from elsewhere in the world. "Britain" at this time was under attack from Saxons and Jutes from across the channel and from Picts and other tribes from north of the great Roman construction called Hadrian's Wall. Its borders correspond for the most part with modern England.

The Silver Branch told the story of Aquila, a young doctor in the Roman Legion, and his arrival at Rutupiae to serve in Britain. In a bit too much of a coincidence, the first person he meets in Britain is a relative who becomes his best friend, Flavius. Flavius is from Britain; the farm where he lives is the one established by (his grandfather?) Marcus Aquila in The Eagle of the Ninth. The two young men accidentally become aware of a threat to the British Emperor's reign. The Emperor's agenda is to establish Britain as a nation able to defend its own borders and hold its own place in the world even without the fall of Rome. Rome is seen as insecure as a protector.

Aquila and Flavius become outlaws, spies, counter-terrorists, and leaders of the resistance movemnt when the Emperor is killed. At their darkest time, when inspiration is needed the most, they find the Eagle of the Ninth, which had been hidden away until it was needed again. The Eagle becomes their rallying point through battle and hardship as they struggle to survive until the Romans return to restore order.
[For information on the Roman defense of Britain, discussed extensively in Rosemary Sutcliff's books, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/defence_of_britain ]

The Lantern Bearers is a few generations further removed from Eagle of the Ninth. A young Roman soldier from Britain is forced to chose between the life he always dreamed of--rising through the ranks to command a legion--and defending his home. The book takes place at the time when the Roman army was abruptly removed from Britain, allowing all the various factions Rome had been controlling to battle it out among themselves. The light at Rutupiae represents the feeble light remaining in Britain when the Romans are gone. Aquila (yes, another Aquila) chooses to work for that faint light.

Aquila survives his family's slaughter by Saxons (the family farm is torn apart) only to be sold to a Jute as a slave. He is taken across the channel and works for the family for several years. No affection grows between them. (Sutcliff is pretty clear-eyed about slavery.) Aquila is both sustained and eaten up inside by the knowledge that his sister is also, somewhere, a slave.


This is a drawing of the Roman fortress of Rutupiae--note the signal light tower
dominating the other structures. Otherwise, this is a fairly typical layout for a
Roman fortress and its associated town outside the fort's walls.

When Aquila escapes, he finds that his sister is lost to him. In bitterness, he takes his skills as a soldier and offers them to the British king--also the remaining representative of Rome and all things Roman in Britain. This book seems to move somewhat underwater as Aquila moves from battle to battle. The British king prevails, but his rule is seen as fragile. The king's protege (not Aquila) is hinted to be the coming King Arthur, but this is not developed.

Aquila is difficult to like. He carries his hurts as a stronger armor than his steel breast plate. His relationships are cold and unsatisfying and the reader can see the hurt in the people around him. And, given his history, that makes sense. But it doesn't make easy fiction. In the end, Aquila sees that there has been a shape to his life. He has not restored Britain, but he has born the lantern through dark times--in fact, he lit that light.

One of Sutcliff's strengths is the variety of secondary characters she develops. Especially poignant is a servant who binds himself to the heroes of Silver Branch. He carries and plays an instrument from olden times, a tree branch of silver hung with bells. The silver branch represents the ancient life of Britain as the eagle represents the order and discipline of Rome. The new Britain must hold onto both. In such a world of upheaval and danger, Sutcliff''s sacred objects provide a deep continuity of history, character, and family.

The Picts, forerunners of the Scots, are represented by a hunter who helps Aquila and Flavius escape in Silver Branch. He joins up with them and is pivotal in their final battle. I get the feeling that Sutcliff may deal ably with the Picts in another book. [For information about the Picts [ancient Scots], go to http://halfmoon.tripod.com/.]

These are good books. I'm delighted to have discovered Sutcliff, who works with many of the themes of other mid-20th century writers, such as Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. I wonder if she figured in the magical cross-pollination of imagination that occurred at that time. Her Britain is very much a Middle Earth, a Narnia, but one that is viscerally connected with us, one that is physically present and whose artifacts can still be seen and touched. [For images of the Roman ruins of Rutupiae, at present-day Richborough, go to Google Images and type "Roman Richborough" in the search line.]