14 AD Agrippa Postumus, grandson of the recently-deceased Augustus, tries to avoid death at the hands of the next emperor, Tiberius At his disposal: a couple of old manuscripts, a lamp, and a recalcitrant slave
And a powerful knowledge of the Art of Venus Genetrix, of course—the magic eventually known as the Lavori d'Aracne A work of interactive fiction written by Emily Short
