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"The Sword of Pleasure" is an acclaimed historical novel by the British writer and classical historian Peter Green, written in the form of a fictional autobiography of one of the most controversial characters in Roman history — Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Set in the turbulent 1st century BC. BC, the novel delves deeply into the psychology and motives of a man who, in order to save the Roman Republic from disintegration and internal conflicts, assumed absolute power and introduced an incomparable wave of political violence and proscriptions. Through the convincing voice of Sulla, Green describes his life's journey: from a youth in poverty and debauchery to brilliant military victories against the Numidians and Mithridates. The author extremely precisely evokes the political intrigues, the bloody civil war with Mari and the complex social circumstances of the late Republic. Known for his extraordinary historical accuracy and vivid writing style, Green does not justify Sullus, but portrays him as a cynical but extremely intelligent pragmatist who holds power not out of mere greed, but out of a belief in the necessity of order. The depiction of Sula's voluntary departure from power is particularly striking, making the novel a fascinating study of the nature of power, morality, and the transience of politics.