Characters

• Marcus Vinicius: A Roman military tribune who falls in love with Lygia and eventually converts to Christianity.
• Lygia (Callina): A Christian woman of royal Lygian descent, and the adopted daughter of Aulus Plautius and Pomponia Graecina.
• Petronius: Marcus's uncle, an influential courtier known as the “arbiter of elegance."
• Nero: The cruel and unstable Emperor of Rome.
• Poppaea Sabina: Nero's wife, who becomes jealous of Lygia.
• Ursus: Lygia's powerful bodyguard and fellow Lygian tribesman.
• Chilon Chilonides: A cunning Greek philosopher who is hired to find Lygia.
• Peter the Apostle: An outspoken Christian leader in Rome, who baptizes Marcus.
• Paul of Tarsus: The apostle who helps convert Marcus to Christianity.
• Aulus Plautius: The retired Roman general who adopts Lygia.
• Pomponia Graecina: The wife of Aulus and a secret Christian convert.
• Eunice: A beautiful Greek slave who is devoted to Petronius.
• Acte: A former mistress of Nero, who is sympathetic to Christians.
• Tigellinus: A corrupt prefect of the Praetorian Guard.
• Crispus: A zealous Christian leader in Rome.

Quick facts

• Quo Vadis was originally published in installments in Polish newspapers between 1895 and 1896 before being released as a book.
• Henryk Sienkiewicz devoted extensive study to ancient Roman history to accurately depict the time period in the novel.
• Quo Vadis has been translated into more than 50 languages, making it one of the most widely translated Polish novels.
• The title comes from the Christian tradition of Saint Peter asking Jesus, “Quo vadis, Domine?” ("Where are you going, Lord?"), as he fled Rome.
• Sienkiewicz was supposedly seized with inspiration to write the novel while sitting in the Church of Domine Quo Vadis in Rome.
• Quo Vadis contributed to Sienkiewicz winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905.
• Among numerous adaptations, Quo Vadis inspired a 1951 Hollywood epic directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Starring Robert Taylor and Deborah Kerr, the film received eight Academy Award nominations.
• The character of Ursus inspired a series of Italian “sword-and-sandal” films in the 1960s.
• A copy of the novel handwritten by Sienkiewicz is on display in Warsaw, Poland.
• The success of Quo Vadis made Sienkiewicz financially independent and internationally famous in his lifetime.

About the author

Henryk Sienkiewicz (1846-1916) was a renowned Polish novelist and journalist. Born into an impoverished noble family in Russian-ruled Poland, he rose to become one of the most popular Polish writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known for his historical novels, particularly his Trilogy set in 17th century Poland and his internationally acclaimed novel Quo Vadis, which takes place in ancient Rome, during the reign of Emperor Nero.

Sienkiewicz's writing career began in the 1870s with journalistic pieces, short stories, and popular accounts of his travels across the United States from 1876 to 1878. In the 1880s, he turned to writing historical novels, starting with With Fire and Sword, the first installment of his Trilogy, and culminating with Quo Vadis. These works established him as Poland's preeminent writer and brought him international fame. In 1905, Sienkiewicz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature due to “his outstanding merits as an epic writer."

Beyond his literary achievements, Sienkiewicz was known for his patriotism and philanthropy. He used his international reputation to advocate for the Polish cause, criticizing German policies of Germanization and cautiously calling for reforms in Russian-controlled Poland. He supported various educational and social welfare projects, often using his wealth from book sales to aid other writers and fund initiatives like tuberculosis sanatoriums. Sienkiewicz is commemorated throughout Poland with streets, schools, and museums named in his honor, solidifying his place as one of the country's most celebrated authors.