This book reminded me reading "Thoughts for myself" of Marcus Aurelius, which I recommend to anyone else. Yourcenar succeeds somewhere feat materialize through his book Philosophy of Emperor Hadrian. His story is also addressed to Marcus Aurelius, his little adopted son. In the end, we do not know too well if you read a work philosophy or a novel, hand cares, magic! To me, Marguerite Yourcenar is perfectly arrival to carry his stone to the edifice of classical culture after ancient Greece - whose work of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, written in Greek, part - while delivering both a true classic (ie a book can take as reference the style by the content) of the French language.
Quotes from the book that I have loved: p97, "It's being wrong than being right too early." p121, "All pleasure taken tastefully seemed chaste"
