• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Flavor of Italy

  • HOME
  • PODCAST
    • Food Episodes
    • Wine Episodes
    • Food & Wine Episodes
    • Travel Episodes
    • Lifestyle & Culture Episodes
    • Artists & Artisans Episodes
    • All Episodes
  • TRIPS & TRAVEL
    • My Top Travel Picks
    • When in Rome
    • Day Trips in Italy
    • Weekend Trips in Italy
    • Week-long Trips in Italy
    • Discover the Italian Regions
  • RECIPES
    • Trending Recipes
    • Antipasti (Appetizers)
    • Primi (First Course)
    • Pasta (First Course)
    • Secondi (Main Course)
    • Contorni (Side Dishes)
    • Breads
    • Desserts
  • ABOUT
  • EBOOKS
  • Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Post Type Selectors
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • HOME
  • PODCAST
    • Food Episodes
    • Wine Episodes
    • Food & Wine Episodes
    • Travel Episodes
    • Lifestyle & Culture Episodes
    • Artists & Artisans Episodes
    • All Episodes
  • TRIPS & TRAVEL
    • My Top Travel Picks
    • When in Rome
    • Day Trips in Italy
    • Weekend Trips in Italy
    • Week-long Trips in Italy
    • Discover the Italian Regions
  • RECIPES
    • Trending Recipes
    • Antipasti (Appetizers)
    • Primi (First Course)
    • Pasta (First Course)
    • Secondi (Main Course)
    • Contorni (Side Dishes)
    • Breads
    • Desserts
  • ABOUT
  • EBOOKS
  • Connect

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    April 26, 2022

    The Apollo and Daphne myth reimagined in The Latinist

    Mark Prins's debut novel The Latinist is a modern day reimagining of the Apollo and Daphne myth, a page-turning suspense novel of power, ambition, love and obsession. The plot is intertwined with ancient Roman archaeological sites, necropolises, ancient texts, and Oxford University academia.

    About Mark Prins

    The Latinist by Mark Prins

    The Latinist is Mark Prins's laudable debut novel, a suspenseful and gripping contemporary retelling of the Apollo and Daphne myth.
    Mark is originally from New York City and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
    Mark studied literature at Williams College and Exeter College, Oxford. He later graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop and stayed in Iowa teaching for an additional year. He wrote the first draft of The Latinist while in Iowa.
    Mark then returned to New York where he completed the final draft of the Latinist. Mark has a passion for Latin and studied it throughout middle school and high school which enabled him to compose the Latin poetry in The Latinist.
    Mark has received fellowships from the Truman Capote Trust, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference.
    Mark is now in the early stages of work on his second book.

    Bernini's Apollo and Daphne

    Bernini sculpture of Apollo and Daphne

    Gian Lorenzo Bernini's life-sized Baroque marble sculpture, Apollo and Daphne, was sculpted between 1622 and 1625. It's part of the permanent collection at the Borghese Gallery in Rome. It depicts the climax moment of the Apollo and Daphne story from Ovid's Metamorphosis. As Apollo relentlessly pursues Daphne she realizes she has no way to escape his aggression other than to make the ultimate sacrifice and transform herself into a laurel tree.
    The Latinist is a contemporary retelling of the Apollo and Daphne myth through the contorted and obsessive relationship between the book's two protagonists: Oxford classics professor and mentor Chris Eccles and PhD candidate and mentee Tessa Templeton.

    Ostia and the Isola Sacra necropolis site

    Ostia Antica and the Isola Sacra archaeological site

    The Isola Sacra necropolis is 30 km south west of Rome near Ostia Antica. It's not easy to find and best reached by car. The necropolis and cemetery date back to the first century A.D. and were in active use for about 300 years. A visit to Isola Sacra is well worth it if for nothing else than to see the exquisite mosaics.
    Mosaics tell the story about who is buried at Isola Sacra. Most of the families were well-known tradesmen and laborers: farmers, fishermen, blacksmiths. There are also some professionals like the surgeon Marco Ulpio Amerimno. He is depicted performing what can only be imagined as an amputation because of the knives surrounding doctor and patient.
    One of the protagonists in the Latinist, Tessa, spends time at the Isola Sacra working on an archaeological dig where she uncovers new facts (albeit fictitious) about Marius and Sepulcia, both ancient Roman poets.

    More about Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his Apollo and Daphne sculpture

    Bernini and His World is a unique exploration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini the sculptor, offering new insights into the artist and his approach to sculpture. The book is beautifully illustrated and due to come out May 2, 2022. The Apollo and Daphne sculpture is prominently featured in the book.
    There are a number of interesting books about the life of Bernini: Bernini the Sculptor of the Roman Baroque and The Artist and the Eternal City are two of them.
    Piazza Navona is one of Rome's most beautiful piazzas with three beautiful fountains including Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651).
    Flavor of Italy offers a Fountain Tour of Rome that features these three fountains and many more.

    Do you have a comment or something you'd like to share with me? Scroll down to the very, very end of this page to reach the Please Leave Your Comment section.
    I'd love to have your feedback and questions!

    Bernini three Rivers fountain Rome

    I earn a modest commission from purchases made via links on my website. Rest assured, prices remain the same for you. Choosing to buy through my links directly contributes to sustaining my efforts in providing you with exceptional recipes, podcast episodes, and valuable culinary and travel insights.

    You may also be interested in:

    Share On:

    More What to See and Do

    • The Conclave 2025
      Pope Leo and the People's Conclave: A New Era Begins
    • Bomarzo Monster Park
      Bomarzo Monster Park
    • Biblioteca Angelica
      Discovering the Biblioteca Angelica
    • Courtyard san paolo fuuori le mura - oldest churches in Rome
      The Oldest Churches in Rome: 5 Paleo-Christian Churches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie Hayes says

      July 06, 2022 at 12:44 am

      My husband and I were just talking about a trip to Rome and Sicily…..Will you be going there in 2023
      Your trips sound 😊

      Reply
      • Wendy says

        July 06, 2022 at 7:40 am

        Oh wonderful Debbie! Send me an email with details and we can talk about your trip! Flavorofitaly@gmail.com

        Reply
      • Wendy says

        April 03, 2023 at 12:16 pm

        How did I possibly miss your message Debbie? Anyhow, here we are already in 2023 and yes, please contact me if you'd like to have a custom trip to Sicily. I live in Rome so that's easy!

        Reply

    Please leave your comment here. Your feedback is important!Cancel reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Wendy at Roscioli
    I’m American and I’ve lived in Italy for nearly four decades with my Italian family. My passion and strength lies in sharing Italian stories, recipes and unique travel insights on my blog, my Flavor of Italy trips and tours, newsletter and podcast. Continue Reading...

    Follow Flavor of Italy

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Latest Additions

    • Pope Leo and the People's Conclave: A New Era Begins
    • Bomarzo Monster Park
    • Discovering the Biblioteca Angelica
    • Blue Crab Italy
    • The Glassmaker
    • How Cookbooks Travel Across Cultures
    • Exploring the Valtènesi Lake Garda Wine Region
    Generic selectors
    Exact matches only
    Search in title
    Search in content
    Post Type Selectors

    Footer

    Flavor of Italy

    Email: wendy@flavorofitaly.com

    • Home
    • Trips & Travel
    • When in Rome
    • Italian Cooking Classes
    • Privacy Policy

    Enter your email to receive our latest posts direct to your inbox. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for more insights, news and promotions by clicking here.

    © 2005–2025 Flavor of Italy

     

    Loading Comments...