Arachne — Volume 08

The narrative follows a blind artist recovering his sight while surrounded by friends and patrons, as letters and visits reveal safety, romance, and career prospects. A devoted freedman and a fellow artist report on family fortunes, artistic commissions at Pergamus, and the opportunity to have a triumphal relief executed in marble. Hope of medical treatment in Alexandria and the possibility of joining a patron's household create tension between seeking cure and preserving liberty. Political and religious events at the Egyptian frontier provide a backdrop, and themes of art, friendship, love, and the struggle to regain physical ability shape the protagonist's decisions and future prospects.