Birth Amidst War

Alexias is born during the Peloponnesian War, a time when Athens is beset by plague and Spartan invasion. His father, Myron, nearly exposes him at birth, believing him weak and unlucky, but his mother's compassion saves him. The family is marked by loss: the plague claims Alexias's mother and brother, and the city is filled with refugees and fear. The shadow of death and the uncertainty of survival shape Alexias's earliest memories, instilling in him a sense of being unwanted and a deep awareness of the fragility of life. This beginning sets the tone for a life lived in the shadow of war, loss, and the search for meaning and belonging.

Childhood Shadows and Learning

Alexias's childhood is marked by loneliness, a harsh Rhodian nurse, and the absence of his father, who is often away at war. He finds solace in the stories of his uncle and in the city's rituals, but also experiences cruelty and neglect. His first real connection comes through Sokrates, who treats him with kindness and respect, answering his questions and offering him a sense of worth. The city itself is a place of both beauty and threat, with the ever-present danger of Spartan raids and the scars of plague. Alexias's early years are a struggle for affection and understanding, shaping his character and his longing for connection.

Coming of Age in Athens

As Alexias becomes an ephebe, he is drawn into the vibrant life of Athens: the gymnasia, the festivals, and the political debates. He witnesses the city's preparations for the Sicilian Expedition and the tensions between democracy and oligarchy. His friendship with Xenophon and his encounters with Sokrates and other philosophers open his mind to new ideas. The mutilation of the Herms shocks the city, revealing deep divisions and fears. Alexias's own ambitions and insecurities come to the fore as he seeks to define himself in a world of shifting loyalties and values.

The Herms Are Broken

The mysterious mutilation of the Herms, sacred statues of Hermes, throws Athens into turmoil. Accusations fly, and the city is gripped by paranoia and fear of divine retribution. The event becomes a symbol of the city's moral and political crisis, as old certainties are questioned and the boundaries between piety and impiety blur. Alexias observes the chaos with a mixture of fascination and dread, sensing that the city's fate is bound up with its ability to maintain order and justice. The incident foreshadows the unraveling of Athenian society and the personal trials that lie ahead.

Sokrates and Friendship

Sokrates becomes a central figure in Alexias's life, offering guidance, challenge, and a model of integrity. Through Sokrates, Alexias meets Lysis, and their friendship deepens into a passionate and formative bond. The two young men navigate the complexities of Athenian love, honor, and ambition, striving to live up to the ideals of courage and excellence. Their relationship is both a refuge and a crucible, testing their values and shaping their identities. Sokrates's teachings on virtue, self-knowledge, and the examined life become a touchstone for Alexias as he faces the challenges of adulthood.

The Sicilian Expedition

The Athenian expedition to Sicily is launched with great fanfare and high expectations, but is soon beset by omens, political intrigue, and mismanagement. Alexias watches as the city's leaders, including Alkibiades and Nikias, are caught in a web of suspicion and rivalry. The expedition ends in catastrophe, with the destruction of the Athenian fleet and the loss of thousands of lives. The news reaches Athens through rumor and the testimony of survivors, plunging the city into grief and recrimination. The failure marks a turning point, exposing the limits of Athenian power and the dangers of overreaching ambition.

Love, Loss, and Rivalry

The bond between Alexias and Lysis is tested by rivalry, misunderstanding, and the pressures of war. Their love is both a source of strength and a cause of pain, as they struggle with jealousy, pride, and the expectations of their society. The athletic contests at the Isthmian Games become a stage for their ambitions and insecurities, culminating in Lysis's defeat and the erosion of their youthful idealism. The intrusion of family, the return of Alexias's father, and the hardships of siege and famine further strain their relationship. Through suffering and reconciliation, they learn the complexities of love and the necessity of forgiveness.

The City Besieged

Athens is besieged by Spartan forces, cut off from supplies and wracked by hunger. The city's social fabric unravels as desperation drives people to betray, exploit, and abandon one another. Alexias's family is torn apart by loss and hardship; his mother dies in childbirth, and he is forced to expose his infant brother. The struggle for survival reveals the best and worst in people, as acts of kindness and sacrifice are set against cruelty and selfishness. The experience leaves Alexias marked by guilt and grief, and the city itself is transformed by suffering and the erosion of its ideals.

The Tyranny of the Thirty

After Athens's surrender, the city falls under the rule of the Thirty Tyrants, led by Kritias. The new regime is marked by purges, executions, and the suppression of dissent. Friends and neighbors turn against each other, and the values of justice and democracy are trampled underfoot. Alexias witnesses the corruption of power and the complicity of those who benefit from the new order. The persecution of Sokrates and the murder of innocents reveal the moral bankruptcy of the regime. The city's soul is in peril, and the hope of redemption seems remote.

Exile and Resistance

Driven into exile, Alexias joins Lysis and other democrats in Thebes, where they plot the overthrow of the tyrants. The camaraderie of the exiles, their shared hardships, and their commitment to the city's restoration forge bonds of loyalty and purpose. The capture of Phyle and the subsequent campaign against the Thirty become a test of courage and resolve. The struggle is not only against external enemies but also against despair, doubt, and the temptation to become what they oppose. The hope of a free Athens sustains them through adversity and loss.

The Battle for Athens

The final battle for Athens is fought in the streets of Piraeus and Munychia, pitting the exiles against the forces of the Thirty. The fighting is brutal and personal, with old friends and rivals meeting on the field. Alexias confronts Kritias and avenges his father's death, but the victory is bittersweet, marked by the loss of Lysis and others dear to him. The restoration of democracy is achieved at a terrible price, and the survivors are left to reckon with the consequences of violence and the challenge of rebuilding a just society.

Aftermath and Endings

With the return of democracy, Athens seeks to heal the wounds of civil strife. Amnesty is declared, and efforts are made to restore justice and order. Alexias takes responsibility for Lysis's widow and family, and tries to find purpose in the aftermath of loss. The city honors its liberators, but the scars of war and tyranny remain. The memory of the dead, the lessons of suffering, and the enduring questions of virtue and happiness haunt those who survived. The end of the war is not the end of struggle, but the beginning of a new search for meaning.

The Meaning of Athens

Alexias contemplates the legacy of Athens: its ideals of freedom, excellence, and civic responsibility, and the ways in which they were betrayed and defended. The city's greatness lies not in its power or wealth, but in its commitment to reason, debate, and the pursuit of the good. The failures and tragedies of the past are a warning and a challenge to future generations. The story of Athens is the story of the human soul: its capacity for greatness and folly, for love and hatred, for creation and destruction. The city endures in memory and in the striving for excellence.

The Last of the Wine

The title's metaphor comes to the fore: Alexias and his peers are the last of a vintage, the final representatives of a way of life that is passing. The wine of youth, hope, and idealism has been consumed, leaving only the dregs of memory and regret. Yet there is also a sense of fulfillment: to have lived, loved, and struggled in such a time is itself a kind of victory. The story is both an elegy and a celebration, a recognition of loss and a tribute to what endures. The last of the wine is offered in gratitude and remembrance.

The Price of Excellence

The pursuit of arete—excellence—demands sacrifice, discipline, and the willingness to endure pain and loss. Alexias reflects on the lessons of Sokrates, the example of Lysis, and the fate of those who sought to live nobly. The city's decline is mirrored in the erosion of personal virtue, but also in the resilience of those who refuse to surrender to cynicism or despair. The price of excellence is high, but it is the only path to true happiness and fulfillment. The story ends with a meditation on the meaning of virtue and the hope that it may yet be renewed.

Fathers and Sons

The relationship between fathers and sons—biological, spiritual, and civic—is a central theme. Alexias's struggle with his father, his longing for approval, and his eventual acceptance of responsibility reflect the larger question of how each generation inherits and transforms the legacy of the past. The failures and achievements of the fathers shape the possibilities of the sons, who must find their own way in a changed world. The story is both a lament for what is lost and a call to carry forward what is best.

The End of an Era

The memoir closes with the sense that an age has ended: the world of Perikles, Sokrates, and the old ideals is gone, replaced by a new and uncertain order. Yet the memory of what was achieved, and the example of those who lived with courage and integrity, remain as a guide and an inspiration. The last of the wine has been drunk, but the story endures, inviting each new reader to reflect on the meaning of Athens, the nature of excellence, and the challenge of living a good life in a troubled world.

Characters

Alexias

Alexias is the narrator and central figure, whose life spans the last years of the Peloponnesian War and the fall of Athens. Born into a family marked by loss and conflict, he is shaped by the violence and uncertainty of his times. His journey is one of self-discovery, as he seeks meaning through friendship, love, athletic achievement, and philosophical inquiry. His relationship with Lysis is both formative and fraught, teaching him about love, jealousy, and forgiveness. Alexias is introspective, often torn between duty and desire, and haunted by guilt and regret. His development is marked by a growing sense of responsibility, a commitment to justice, and a longing for excellence. Through suffering and loss, he comes to understand the complexity of virtue and the necessity of compassion.

Lysis

Lysis is Alexias's closest friend and lover, a model of athletic and moral excellence. Handsome, courageous, and generous, he inspires admiration and affection in those around him. His relationship with Alexias is central to both their lives, offering joy and challenge, support and rivalry. Lysis is committed to the ideals of honor, friendship, and civic duty, but is also vulnerable to pride and disappointment. His defeat at the Isthmian Games marks a turning point, leading to self-doubt and estrangement. In exile and in battle, he proves his loyalty and courage, ultimately sacrificing his life for the cause of justice. Lysis represents the best of the old Athens, and his loss is both personal and symbolic.

Myron

Myron, Alexias's father, is a man of strong convictions and deep flaws. Once celebrated for his beauty and athletic prowess, he is hardened by war, loss, and disappointment. His relationship with Alexias is fraught with misunderstanding, conflict, and a longing for approval on both sides. Myron's return from Sicily brings further strain, as he aligns himself with the oligarchs and becomes complicit in the city's decline. His inability to adapt to changing times, and his harshness towards his family, reflect the larger tragedy of Athens. Yet he is also capable of love, sacrifice, and a belated recognition of his own failings. His death at the hands of the Thirty is both a personal and a civic loss.

Sokrates

Sokrates is the guiding spirit of the narrative, offering wisdom, challenge, and a model of integrity. He is both a public figure and a private friend, shaping the lives of Alexias, Lysis, and many others. His teachings on virtue, self-knowledge, and the examined life are a constant reference point, even as the city descends into chaos. Sokrates's refusal to compromise his principles, his courage in the face of persecution, and his commitment to reason and dialogue make him a beacon of hope and a measure of what is lost. His eventual execution, though not depicted directly, casts a shadow over the story and underscores the cost of excellence in a corrupt world.

Lysis's Wife (Thalia)

Thalia, Lysis's young wife, is a symbol of the city's vulnerability and the suffering of the innocent. Married at a young age, she is thrust into a world of hardship, loss, and moral compromise. Her attempts to provide for Lysis during the famine, even at the cost of her own dignity, reveal both her courage and the desperation of the times. After Lysis's death, she becomes the focus of Alexias's care and responsibility, embodying the challenge of rebuilding in the aftermath of destruction. Her story is one of endurance, adaptation, and the hope of renewal.

Xenophon

Xenophon is Alexias's childhood friend, a model of the old Athenian virtues: courage, loyalty, and a commitment to order. He is less philosophical than Alexias, valuing action over speculation, and is often skeptical of Sokrates and his circle. His experiences in war, captivity, and exile shape his outlook, making him both resilient and conservative. Xenophon's choices, including his eventual service with the Spartans, reflect the complexities of loyalty and the challenges of living with integrity in a changing world. His friendship with Alexias endures despite differences, offering a counterpoint to the more introspective characters.

Phaedo

Phaedo is a former slave and prostitute, rescued and educated by Sokrates and his friends. His experiences of suffering and degradation make him both skeptical and compassionate, and his intellect is sharpened by adversity. Phaedo's friendship with Alexias and Plato is marked by honesty, challenge, and a shared commitment to the pursuit of truth. He is critical of easy answers and false consolations, insisting on the necessity of doubt and the limits of knowledge. His story is one of transformation, resilience, and the search for meaning in a world marked by suffering.

Plato (Aristokles)

Plato appears first as a young wrestler, then as a student and friend of Sokrates. He is marked by intellectual ambition, a passion for excellence, and a capacity for both love and grief. Plato's development is shaped by the events of the war, the tyranny, and the loss of friends and mentors. His relationship with Sokrates is both formative and challenging, as he seeks to reconcile the demands of philosophy with the realities of politics and suffering. Plato's eventual withdrawal from public life and his commitment to teaching reflect the enduring legacy of the Athenian tradition.

Kritias

Kritias is a brilliant, ruthless, and ultimately tragic figure. Once a student of Sokrates, he becomes the leader of the Thirty Tyrants, presiding over a regime of terror and injustice. His intelligence and eloquence are matched by a capacity for cruelty and self-deception. Kritias's betrayal of his friends, his city, and his own ideals is both personal and symbolic, representing the dangers of unchecked ambition and the corruption of power. His death at the hands of Alexias is both an act of vengeance and a moment of reckoning.

Alkibiades

Alkibiades is a figure of fascination and controversy: beautiful, gifted, and fatally flawed. His rise and fall mirror the fortunes of Athens itself, as he moves from triumph to exile, from democracy to oligarchy, from hero to outcast. Alkibiades's charm, ambition, and recklessness make him both a leader and a destroyer, inspiring loyalty and resentment in equal measure. His death in exile is a symbol of the city's lost greatness and the dangers of hubris.

Plot Devices

Memoir Structure and Historical Immersion

The novel is structured as a retrospective memoir, allowing the reader to experience the events of the Peloponnesian War and the fall of Athens through the eyes of Alexias. This device creates intimacy and immediacy, while also providing historical perspective and irony. The use of first-person narration allows for the exploration of memory, regret, and the search for meaning, as Alexias reflects on his own life and the fate of his city. The memoir form also enables the blending of public and private events, showing how the great movements of history are experienced in the lives of individuals.

Foreshadowing and Symbolism

The novel is rich in foreshadowing, with omens, dreams, and rituals signaling the approach of disaster or change. The mutilation of the Herms, the eclipse, and the recurring references to sacrifice and the gods all serve to create a sense of inevitability and the workings of fate. Symbolism is used to connect personal and civic events: the wine of the title represents both the pleasures and the losses of youth, the dregs of memory, and the end of an era. Athletic contests, religious festivals, and philosophical debates are all invested with deeper meaning, reflecting the values and anxieties of the city.

Dialogue and Philosophical Inquiry

Dialogue is central to the novel, both as a means of character development and as a way of exploring philosophical questions. The Socratic method—questioning, refutation, and the pursuit of definitions—shapes the interactions between characters and the unfolding of the plot. The tension between reason and passion, tradition and innovation, individual and community is played out in conversations about love, justice, and the good life. The novel uses these dialogues to dramatize the challenges of living with integrity in a world of uncertainty and change.

Interweaving of Public and Private

The novel constantly interweaves the public events of war, politics, and social change with the private lives of its characters. The fate of Athens is mirrored in the fortunes of Alexias and his friends: their loves, losses, ambitions, and failures. The collapse of the city's ideals is reflected in the erosion of personal virtue, and the struggle to rebuild is both a civic and a personal challenge. This device allows the novel to explore the ways in which history is lived and felt, and the ways in which individual choices shape and are shaped by larger forces.

Irony and Retrospective Judgment

The memoir form allows for irony and retrospective judgment, as Alexias looks back on his own actions and those of his city with a mixture of understanding and regret. The contrast between youthful hope and adult disillusionment, between the ideals of the past and the realities of the present, is a constant theme. The novel invites the reader to reflect on the limits of knowledge, the dangers of certainty, and the necessity of humility. The ending, with its sense of closure and loss, is both an elegy and a warning.

Analysis

The Last of the Wine is a profound meditation on the collapse of a civilization and the enduring quest for meaning in the face of loss. Through the eyes of Alexias, Mary Renault brings to life the final years of Classical Athens, capturing both its brilliance and its tragedy. The novel explores the tension between public and private, reason and passion, tradition and change, showing how the fate of a city is mirrored in the lives of its citizens. The story is both a celebration of excellence—arete—and a warning about the dangers of hubris, factionalism, and the erosion of civic virtue. The relationship between Alexias and Lysis, and the mentorship of Sokrates, embody the ideals of love, friendship, and the examined life, even as they are tested by suffering and betrayal. The memoir form allows for a nuanced exploration of memory, regret, and the search for redemption. In the end, the novel is both an elegy for a lost world and a call to remember what is best in the human spirit: the courage to strive for excellence, the humility to accept failure, and the hope that, even in the ruins, something of value endures.

Last updated: October 26, 2025