Marzio's Crucifix, and Zoroaster

In Short

This volume presents two distinct novellas that explore the corrosive power of suspicion and the tragic limits of human conviction. In the first, a silversmith allows his political grievances and domestic anxieties to spiral into a murderous obsession against his own brother. In the second, set in the court of ancient Persia, a high-minded ascetic finds his pursuit of divine wisdom undone by his love for a princess, leading to a violent reckoning involving kings and queens. These stories endure for their stark, unflinching look at how pride blinds men to the humanity of those they love.

The Story

In Marzio’s Crucifix, Marzio Pandolfi is a master silversmith in Rome whose radical, anti-clerical politics have curdled into a deep, irrational hatred for his brother, a priest named Paolo. Marzio’s life is defined by a series of perceived betrayals; he suspects his wife of spying for the Church, his daughter Lucia of favoring her suitor Gianbattista, and his brother of being the ultimate antagonist. He views his own existence as a "living lie" and becomes convinced that his domestic circle is an enemy encampment. As he works on a crucifix—a bitter irony, given his hatred of the clergy—his brooding thoughts transform from vague resentment into a calculated plan to murder Paolo. He imagines how he might hide the body in his cellar, yet the logistical reality of the crime begins to grate against his nerves. Ultimately, the tension is resolved through the quiet, steady influence of his family, who manage to navigate his outbursts, leading to a domestic reconciliation that leaves Marzio trapped in his own small, defeated world.

Zoroaster shifts the scene to the glittering, dangerous court of ancient Persia. Zoroaster, a young philosopher and disciple of Daniel, prides himself on his detachment from earthly passions and his commitment to mystic wisdom. However, his life is shattered when he falls in love with the princess Nehushta. Their secret romance is thwarted by the political machinations of the beautiful but ruthless Queen Atossa, who desires Zoroaster for herself. When Atossa uses a deceptive trick to make it appear that Nehushta has abandoned Zoroaster for the King, the philosopher is cast into a state of profound grief and disillusionment. Nehushta, caught in a web of duty and desire, eventually finds herself bound to the King, Darius, though she remains emotionally tethered to her lost lover. The narrative reaches a cataclysmic end during a rebellion. As the palace is overrun by invaders, Nehushta and Zoroaster are reunited in the chaos. In a final, brutal moment, they are both slaughtered in each other’s arms. The story concludes with the King, grieving the loss of the woman he loved and his most faithful servant, exacting a horrific vengeance upon the rebels, leaving their bodies crucified along the roadside as a grim testament to the havoc wrought by love and hate.

How It Unfolds

The simmering workshop Marzio Pandolfi rails against the "living lie" of modern existence while hammering at a silver crucifix, his resentment focused on his brother, the priest. He views every member of his household, including his daughter and apprentice, as potential conspirators working against him.

The descent into malice Marzio’s internal logic collapses into a series of imaginary grievances, convincing him that his brother is the source of all evil. He begins to meticulously plot a murder, weighing the risks of detection against the satisfying finality of disposing of his sibling.

The desert ascetic Zoroaster, a young man of noble intellect, finds his life of philosophical study interrupted by his intense, secret love for the princess Nehushta. His pride in his own detachment crumbles the moment he looks into her eyes, leaving him vulnerable to the trials of the world.

The queen’s web Atossa, the powerful and vengeful queen, manipulates the affection between the lovers through calculated deceit. She uses a letter and a staged embrace to drive a wedge between them, effectively destroying Zoroaster’s faith in Nehushta’s devotion.

The final reckoning During a violent uprising, the scattered characters are brought together at the palace in Stakhar. The conflict ends in a massacre, where Zoroaster and Nehushta find a tragic, fatal peace in their final moments together.

The People

Marzio Pandolfi is a man whose intelligence is warped by a "furious enthusiasm" for radical social change. His path is marked by a tragic transition from a talented artist to a man consumed by the belief that his wife, daughter, and brother are active agents in a conspiracy against him. Paolo, his brother, acts as the stoic, patient foil; he is a priest who remains remarkably calm in the face of Marzio’s vitriol.

Zoroaster begins as a figure of "cold pride," a philosopher who believes he has conquered the human urge for love. His encounter with Nehushta, a princess described as a "little lioness," shatters his intellectual sanctuary. Nehushta is defined by her dual capacity for fierce loyalty and the agonizing confusion of her circumstances, torn between her love for the ascetic and her duty to the King, Darius. Atossa stands apart from these as a character of "brutal frankness," driven by a desire to dominate others. She possesses a chilling ability to use the emotions of those around her as instruments of torture, ultimately finding a hollow triumph in the destruction of the lovers.

In Its Own Voice

"The whole of this modern fabric of existence is a living lie!"

Marzio Pandolfi begins the book by declaring his hatred for the social and religious order of Rome.

"He had never loved his brother, but he had loved his wife with all his heart."

The narrator explains how Marzio’s deep-seated suspicions eventually consumed his domestic affection, turning his wife into an object of distrust.

"I do not hate you, Zoroaster. You are beneath hatred."

Atossa, the queen, attempts to maintain her sense of superiority even while facing the man whose life she has systematically dismantled.

What It's Really About

These stories examine the fragility of the human ego when faced with the uncontrollable nature of love and the intrusive pressure of societal roles. Marzio’s struggle is one of isolation; he is a man who builds a prison of logic out of his own bitterness, unable to accept the reality of his family's loyalty. Conversely, Zoroaster explores the conflict between the ideal of the "philosophical life" and the inescapable reality of human passion. The author presents both as a warning: whether through the quiet, domestic resentment of a Roman workshop or the grand, violent tragedies of an ancient court, the refusal to accept the humanity and independence of others inevitably leads to destruction.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate a psychological study of the "unraveling mind" will find Marzio’s journey compelling. His transformation from a respected artist to a suspicious, near-homicidal recluse is handled with a cold, observational precision that feels remarkably modern. The second tale, Zoroaster, offers a stark contrast, moving away from the gritty streets of Rome into a world of high-stakes, epic tragedy. It is a dense, sometimes intense reading experience; the author does not shy away from the cruelty of his characters, nor does he offer easy comfort to the reader.

You will likely find the prose elegant and the pacing deliberate, characteristic of a period where character development was given ample space to breathe. However, those sensitive to depictions of violence or the period’s sometimes harsh, moralizing attitudes toward "barbarians" or "radicals" should be prepared for the characters’ uncompromising worldviews. The strength of the book lies in how it refuses to sanitize its conclusions. The ending is not one of restoration, but of a grim, definitive finality that lingers long after the final page. It is a book for those who want to see, without filters or sentimentality, how the most private, internal flaws of a man can manifest in the most public and devastating ways.