Super Short Summary

The Dream of Scipio by Iain Pears intertwines three stories set during pivotal historical moments, connected by the fictional text "The Dream of Scipio" by Manlius Hippomanes. The novel follows Manlius, a Roman aristocrat facing the fall of the Roman Empire; Olivier de Noyen, a 14th-century poet entangled in the Black Death and papal politics; and Julien Barneuve, a scholar navigating life under the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. The narrative addresses violence and persecution.