Virgil's Golden Egg and Other Neapolitan Miracles: An Investigation into the Sources of Creativity

Many cities have great moments of creativity, and then lose it. Naples has survived centuries of foreign occupation, widespread misery on a grand scale, the end of its role as a great capital city, repeated natural catastrophes, and terrible epidemics – and it shows no signs of slowing down. What accounts for Naples? The sorcerer Virgil is said to have created a Golden Egg to save Naples from natural catastrophe. Michael Ledeen examines the legend of the egg – now locked in an iron cage and buried beneath the “Egg Castle” – to suggest some surprising answers in this highly original exploration of Neapolitan life, death, and creativity.