The city of New Rome faces the duel between Cesar Catilina, a brilliant artist in favor of an Utopian future, and the greedy mayor Franklyn Cicero. Between them is Julia Cicero, with her loyalty divided between her father and her beloved.

Cesar Catalina is head of the Development Authority of New Rome. A master architect and city planner, he has a grand, Utopian vision for New Rome - Megalopolis. However, his vision and methods see him fall foul of the city's major, Frank Cicero, resulting in a bitter feud between the two. The major is not the only person Catalina needs to worry about: seeing an opportunity, Catalina's cousin undermines him at every turn in his own bid for power.—grantss