Cæsar or Nothing

The narrative follows Cæsar Moncada, an ambitious man who moves between Rome’s salons and the provincial town of Castro Duro as he pursues social and political advancement. Early episodes sketch family origins, encounters with clergy, antiquarians, and society figures, and reflections on aesthetics and individuality; later sections trace grassroots organizing, electioneering, alliances, and confrontations with rival factions. The story juxtaposes intimate character study and public maneuvering, probing ambition, hypocrisy, moral compromise, and the personal costs of power, while offering satirical and observational portraits of institutions, local customs, and a variety of social types.