A Historical Summary

"Star of the Sea."

Several passages are historical summaries of the Northern revolt. In particular, Chapter 9 is summary and nothing else. It begins:

"The months toiled on, slowly grinding down Burhmund's victory." (p. 543)

Burhmund led the revolt. (Romanized name known to history: Claudius Civilis. The Patrol has learned that his Germanic name was Burhmund.) Petillius Cerialis is the Roman general who resists the revolt:

"Petillius Cerialis was now in overall charge of the Imperial effort." (ibid.)

"Cerialis had one contretemps." (p. 545)

"Cerialis advanced..." (p. 546)

No one can stop Cerialis but he can neither engage the enemy nor receive reinforcements and his supplies dwindle as winter approaches.

In the second paragraph, the omniscient narrator comes directly on stage when he informs us that details are interesting but unnecessary and that:

"A sketch suffices." (p. 543)

Here we are conscious that we are being addressed whereas usually an omnipresent narrator is unobtrusive to the point of nonexistence.