Beloved and God : The Story of Hadrian & Antinous Hardcover – October 19, 1984

This is a rare book, written by a rich old Brit who had a passion for this ages-old love story. It's well-researched, and very vividly detailed. Lambert is a pretty good storyteller. How Antinous died is pure conjecture at this point, given that it wasn't clear even during the time that it occurred, and that almost 2,000 years have passed since, but Lambert provides for all the possibilities and makes each one of them interesting. One thing I can say about this book is that I literally felt the chronological distance between now and then while reading it (i.e., in very trite terms, I was "transported back" to the early second century, in my mind). It's that well-done.

This is the only in-depth scholarly account of the life and death of Hadrian's Antinous. Well written and well documented.

There are two very detailed and comprehensive reviews of the absolute love of Hadrian and Antinous. To say the story deals in absolutes is an understatement!The wealthiest, most powerful man in the ancient world loves the most beautiful boy. The ulitimate sacrifice. The most inconsolable grief. The most statues,coins,temples,towns,poems to honour a most beautiful boy.I believe that the evidence illustrated by Lambert shows to me the ultimate self- sacrifice for love was given by Antinous. Whether I am right or wrong is left up to each reader.More importantly for me,the story comes through to us like an unstoppable force from the past!Lambert did an excellent job of taking the reader through the times and life of Hadrian and Antinous,even though the evidence is so scarce. But there is enough to know Hadrian's grief was beyond reproach.The censorship of this culture relationship between a man and boys in the ancient world for over 1000 years is blown away by the unstoppable force of love! Love between a man and a boy. Common then. Uncommon love now!Here is the power of love! The power of loss! The power of unequalled grief for the unenexpected death of a beloved. The fact that it is same sex means nothing - and everything.It is the beauty of men in love with the beauty of boys in the ancient world. It is the beauty of Hadrian with Antinous. It is the ethereal beauty of Antinous reaching from the past to dazzle our eyes!Oh how I wish it didn't end like it did. Oh how I wish I hadn't learned of this love! Oh how I wish my eyes hadn't beheld the beauty of Antinous.But we in modern times are richer for the knowledge of love it gives us. It is sensual,erotic and tender all at once.Thank you to my friend Anton for lifting the veil and showing me a love and loss I never dreamed existed!

To love this book as much as I did you may need a pre-existing interest in the subject matters of the mystery religions of ancient Rome, and the history of homoeroticism. Short of loving the book, if you have an interest in History and/or Gay studies, then you will certainly at least like it a great deal.For those that aren't simply history buffs, it describes what can only be called one of the most romantic gay love stories in history...the story of the Emperor Hadrian and his beloved Antinous. If your Gay and care at all about your history this book is a must read. Hadrian loved Antinous so much that he started a religion based on him...a once very popular religion it would seem. Upon seeing the many photos of sculptures of Antinous in the book, you may be tempted to worship him yourself! Love, amazing beauty, tragedy, and real history...it doesn't get any better than this.

There is some good information here, but the style is a bit overwrought. I wish it were either more scholarly or more fun. But it provides necessary information if you are interested in knowing more about the emperor and his lover.

A definite must. Beautiful book!.

A unique read,the author did extensive research covering Antinous, Hadrian, political implications of Antinous, the god,and sculptural analysis of antinous among other things. After visiting Villa Adriana, a clearer picture of Hadrian's purposeful architectual plan emerged from reading your book. The book was not too emotional, yet easy to read with an intensive effort to be unbiased, particularly considering the age,amount,and variety of information available.

i love this book, its packed with so much info

This is 'the' bible for anyone who wants to know about Antinous and the emperor who loved him, Hadrian. it takes you, step by step through their relationship, the evidence for it. Simply brilliant.It has helped enormously in helping me research and frame my novel about Hadrian and Antinous - The Love God by Martin Campbell

Having heard a little about these two whilst in Rome, I was determined to find out more. Rome itself, being the seat of Catholicism and all, was a little light on it, but this book was amazing.Manages to really bring the past alive, and I loved it.

古代ローマ帝国の「五賢帝」の一人、ハドリアヌスとその愛人だった少年アンティノウスに関する本。三島も唸ったマルグリット・ユルスナールの名著『ハドリアヌス帝の回想』のネタにもなった有名な関係である（逆に、あの本のせいで有名になった可能性もある）。この本については一言しかない。「これは無理だよ〜」である。なんとなればアンティノウスに関する資料が圧倒的にないのである。そんな中で著者が様々に想像（妄想）を働かせてアンティノウス語りをするのだが、読みながら「でも資料が何もないんじゃなぁ」と延々と呟き続けることになった。アンティノウスの出自を探る下りなど萎える。一般に言われるような奴隷の身分ではなく「地方豪族の子息」と主張したところで根拠が何もないのである。いや、奴隷だろーがボンボンだろーが私にはどうでもいいのだが、根拠薄弱な主張をされるのはイヤである。着眼点は良いと思う。権力者は好きなように性愛の相手を選択するが、歴史には性愛の対象になる側の視点が欠落している。近代以前の性愛語りには「する側」の視点しかない。単純な話、「相手も人間だからイロイロ感じたり考えたりしてるんだけど」という視点がない。「美少年は良きかな」と詩人だか詩心のある権力者だかが謳ったところで、美少年にも好みはあろうし選びたい筈。しかし、繰り返しになるが、アンティノウスの人間像、ましてや心情を探る上での手掛かりは何もないのだ。この少年の一言の言葉さえ歴史は記憶していない。この状況で本一冊書くならば、視点をもっとシャープにすべきだ。あくまで例えばだが、ベタなところで性愛史とか。本書は茫漠たる古代蜃気楼ワールドに終始している。どうやらアンティノウス幻視を試みるならば、もはやフィクションの世界しかないようだ。マルグリット・ユルスナールは正しかった。という訳で、退屈な一冊だった。