Aethiopica
The Aethiopica (
Author
The author of the Aethiopica identifies himself upon ending his work in this manner:
Τοιόνδε πέρας ἔσχε τὸ σύνταγμα τῶν περὶ Θεαγένην καὶ Χαρίκλειαν Αἰθιοπικῶν· ὃ συνέταξεν ἀνὴρ Φοῖνιξ Ἐμισηνός, τῶν ἀφ' Ἡλίου γένος, Θεοδοσίου παῖς Ἡλιόδωρος.[5] |
Here ends the history of the Ethiopian adventures of Theagenes and Chariclea written by Heliodorus, a Phoenician of Emesus [modern Homs, Syria], son of Theodosius, and descended from the Sun [aph’ Hēlíou génos]. |
—Translated by Thomas Underdown[4] |
According to Richard L. Hunter,
The Emesenes were a culturally complex group, including
Elagabal which inspired the emperor Heliogabalus).[6]
In the words of Tim Whitmarsh, ἀφ' Ἡλίου γένος (aph’ Hēlíou génos) "looks like a claim to hereditary priesthood," although "uncertainties" remain.[7] According to The Cambridge History of Classical Literature, "the personal link here established between the writer and Helios has also a literary purpose, as has Calasiris' flashback narrative"[8] . The later tradition maintaining that Heliodorus had become a Christian bishop is likely fictional.[7][a]
Circulation and Western rediscovery
The novel continued to circulate during the Middle Ages amid the Greek readership in the Byzantine Empire. For example, it is mentioned in the will, dated 1059, of protospatharios Eustathios Voilas, to be bequeathed among several of his books to a monastery which he had founded.
The Aethiopica was first brought to light in Western Europe during the Renaissance in a manuscript from the library of Matthias Corvinus, found at the sack of Buda (now the western part of Budapest) in 1526, and printed at Basel in 1534. Other codices have since been discovered.[9]
It was first translated into French by the celebrated Jacques Amyot in 1547. It was first translated into English in 1569 by Thomas Underdown, who used the 1551 Latin translation of Stanisław Warszewicki to create his Aethiopian Historie. It was printed several times by Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari in the Republic of Venice (1556, 1560, 1586) in an Italian translation from Greek by Leonardo Ghini.
Style
The Aethiopica is indebted to the works of Homer and Euripides. The title is taken from the fact that the action of the beginning and end of the story takes place in Aethiopia.[9]
The work is notable for its rapid succession of events, the variety of its characters, its vivid descriptions of manners and of scenery, and its simple, elegant writing style.[13] But what has been regarded as most remarkable is that the novel opens in the middle of the story ("in medias res"), and the plot is resolved by having various characters describe their prior adventures in retrospective narratives or dialogues, which eventually tie together. Homer utilized this technique in both his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. This feature makes the Aethiopica stand out from all the other ancient Greek romances.[citation needed]
Plot summary
Chariclea, the daughter of King Calasiris and Queen Persinna of
Theagenes, a noble Thessalian, comes to Delphi and the two fall in love. He runs off with Chariclea with the help of Calasiris (kalasiris), an Egyptian who has been employed by Persinna to find Chariclea. They encounter many perils: pirates, bandits, and others. The main characters ultimately meet at Meroë at the very moment when Chariclea is about to be sacrificed to the gods by her own father. Her birth is made known, and the lovers are happily married.[9]
Influence and adaptations
Heliodorus' novel was immensely influential and was imitated by
The early life of Clorinda in Torquato Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered (canto xii. 21 sqq.) is almost identical with that of Chariclea.[9]
The structure, events, and themes of the European adventure novel of the first half of the seventeenth century—
The work's influence continued to be felt in the eighteenth century novel (especially in those having a "tale within a tale" structure).
Canadian writer Alice Munro refers to the novel in her short story "Silence" which also explores the theme of a mother detached from her daughter. The story was published in the book Runaway (2004).
Editions
- Heliodoros, Aithiopika, ed. Robert Mantle Rattenbury, Thomas Wallace Lumb (Paris: Les Belles Lettres, three volumes, 1935–1943)
See also
Other ancient Greek novelists:
- Chariton – Chaereas and Callirhoe
- Xenophon of Ephesus – The Ephesian Tale
- Achilles Tatius – Leucippe and Clitophon
- Longus – Daphnis and Chloe
Notes
References
- ISBN 9781789253276.
- OCLC 162165677.
- ^ Lane Fox, Robin (1989). Pagans and Christians. p. 118.
- ^ "Elfinspell". Archived from the original on 2017-04-02. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
- ^ Ηλιοδώρου Αιθιοπικών (PDF). Vol. 1. 1824. p. 446.
- ^ Hunter, Richard L. (1998). Studies in Heliodorus. p. 97.
- ^ a b Whitmarsh, Tim (2008). The Cambridge Companion to the Greek and Roman Novel. p. 72.
- ISBN 0521359848.
- ^ a b c d e public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Heliodorus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 223. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ Holzberg, Niklas. The Ancient Novel. 1995. p. 78
- ^ Bowersock, Glanwill W. The Aethiopica of Heliodorus and the Historia Augusta. In: Historiae Augustae Colloquia n.s. 2, Colloquium Genevense 1991. p. 43.
- ^ Wright, F.A. Introduction to Aethiopica. n.d.
- ^ Chisholm 1911.
- ^ Heliodorus, Aethiopica book 4
- ^ Heliodorus, Aethiopica book 8
- ^ Margaret Anne Doody, The True Story of the Novel (Rutgers University Press, 1996).
- ^ Tüchert, Aloys (1889). Racine und Heliodor (in German). Buchdr. von A. Kranzbühler. p. 4.
- ^ Racine, Jean (1639–1699) (1870). Oeuvres de Jean Racine, précédées des Mémoires sur sa vie, par Louis Racine, nouvelle édition, ornée du portrait en pied colorié des principaux personnages de chaque pièce. Dessins de MM. Geffroy,... et H. Allouard. p. 5.
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External links
- Æthiopica – full text (English translation)
- Books 1–5 of History. Ethiopian Story. Book 8: From the Departure of the Divine Marcus (World Digital Library) features Aethiopica and dates back to the 15th century.
- Thomas Underdowne, transl., An Æthiopian History, W. E. Henley, ed. (London, 1895)