Aquila – Can Silvanus escape that god?
Silvanus has no wish to be great. He merely wants to escape from his harsh father and discover the world. But the ever watchful god Aquila seems determined to thwart his dreams.
A violent storm and a mean villain’s treachery fail to conquer his spirit. With the help of kind merchants, he is remarkably successful at selling his wares. But money and raucous revelry almost lead to his downfall.
Homeward-bound, two unexpected characters break into his morose reflections – a runaway slave and an exiled bishop, living in a cave as a hermit.
Conflicts back home provoke him to run away, and in despair he returns to the jolly hermit, who introduces him to new insights of ancient wisdom. Can he allow these new ideas to influence him, or should he remain faithful to the family religion? The contrasting lifestyles and moral principles of Christian believers impress him.
But a villain dashes his hopes of riches, and the girl he loves eludes him. In his despair, his yearning for freedom tempts him to seek revenge and pursue lawless methods to shortcut the onerous labour of building his own boat.
Meanwhile, the bishop’s patient coaching continues to fascinate him and he learns deep principles of a satisfying life. When he finally wins his sweetheart’s hand and life looks brighter, his dying mentor commissions him with two challenging tasks. The second of these proves costly in the extreme…