"Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero" by Henryk Sienkiewicz is a historical novel written in 1895-1896. Set in ancient Rome during Nero's reign, it follows the forbidden romance between Marcus Vinicius, a Roman patrician, and Lygia, a Christian woman and hostage. As their love develops against the backdrop of imperial decadence, the Great Fire of Rome ignites, leading Nero to brutally persecute Christians as scapegoats. The novel weaves together personal passion, religious faith, and historical events in a gripping tale of survival. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
These books are free to read. Each is in the public domain in the United States; check your own country's rules before you copy or share one.