Gore Vidal - Creation Apr 2026

: Encountered in India, he is portrayed as self-involved, with his concept of Nirvana dismissed as useless nihilism by the worldly Spitama.

Gore Vidal's (1981) is a sprawling historical novel that serves as a "crash course" in comparative religion and a biting critique of Western-centric history. Set in the 5th century B.C., it follows the life of the fictional Cyrus Spitama , a Persian diplomat and grandson of the prophet Zoroaster. Narrative Framework and Historical Subversion Gore Vidal - Creation

Vidal utilizes Spitama’s role as an ambassador for Kings Darius and Xerxes to place him at the heart of the "Axial Age," a pivotal era where the world’s major philosophical and religious systems were being formed. During his travels, Spitama meets: : Encountered in India, he is portrayed as