"Quo vadis" is a historical novel written by Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz.
The novel has been written from 1894 to 1896, upon completion of certain parts they were published in the periodical press. In 1896, the novel was released as a separate publication.
In no time it was translated into all major European languages and has brought world fame to the writer. The huge success of the novel in many ways contributed to the award of the Nobel Prize for Literature received by Sienkiewicz in 1905. The novel has been translated into more than 50 languages, including Arabic and Japanese. For many languages, the novel «Quo vadis» remains the only translated work of Sienkiewicz.
The novel has been filmed many times. The first film adaptation was made already in 1902.
The best known are three films: a screen adaptation of the 1951, US. directed by Mervyn LeRoy; Screen version of 1985, Italy-France-Yugoslavia - directed by Franco Rossi; and screen version of 2001, Poland, directed by Jerzy Kawalerowicz.
"Quo Vadis" is the only historical novel of Sienkiewicz not dedicated to Poland's history (though, one of the main characters - ligians – is the collective name of a number of tribes that inhabited the territory of modern Western Poland). The novel is developed in the Roman Empire during the reign of the Emperor Nero, and covers the period of 64-68 years.
The main theme of the work is the life of the first Christian community of Rome and the first persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.
