Vathek, the ninth Caliph of the Abassides, is a majestic figure, terrible in anger and addicted to the pleasures of the flesh. He is also insatiable for knowledge, inviting scholars to converse with him. If he fails to convince the scholar of his points of view, he attempts a bribe; if this does not work, he sends the scholar to prison. But for all his powers, Vathek wants even more. <p> Renouncing Islam, he engages in a series of licentious and deplorable activities designed to gain...
