David Toscana

David Toscana is a Mexican writer currently in the news due to his latest novel, inspired by the Skylitzes Matritensis manuscript. The novel explores the historical event of the Bulgarian defeat where Emperor Basil II blinded 15,000 prisoners. Toscana's work delves into the psychological and philosophical implications of this act of cruelty, focusing on the weight and significance of blinding as a form of torture, even more impactful than death. He discusses the methods of torture, drawing parallels to Seneca's Oedipus, and contemplates the control and lethality involved. The novel's release and Toscana's insights into the historical and philosophical context are the reasons for his current newsworthiness.