Essay Questions

What does this novel tell us about political life in the First Century A.D.?

The novel is actually very illuminating in an historical sense; we learn, for example, that the main occupation of the day was being at war, and that acquitting oneself well during a battle was a surefire way to earn the respect of one's peers. The importance of being renowned for prowess at battle is introduced early in the novel when we learn that Callirhoe's father is a great war hero, and for this reason is the most powerful man in Syracuse politics. War is one of the main themes in the novel, and it does seem that in a very short space of time there are a great many wars. Callirhoe's father was a "veteran" of the Peloponnesian War, which pre-dated the time at which we get to know the characters. Chaereas is actually a very interesting character in the context of war because he is Greek, but fights on the side of the Egyptian rebels. From this we can deduce that the Greeks and the Egyptians feel the Persian empire is growing too large and threatening the stability of the region, and it is their goal to overpower this dangerous giant. We also see the reliance on subterfuge and secret alliances even at this early period in history It becomes increasingly clear that there has never actually been a workable peace to speak of in this region of the world, dating back to the earliest times on record (and probably before records began too.)

Callirhoe is both revered for her beauty and auvsed by her husband. What does this ssay about the life of women in First Century Greece?

Callirhoe's treatment by her husband is not a glowing indictment of the way in which a wife would be treated at this ancient time in history. We know early on in the novel that Chaereas is in love with Callirhoe; this is most likely a combination of physical infatuation and attraction based on her position in Syracuse society, as the daughter of the most important man in Syracuse politics, and also the social advancement that marrying her would bring. Chaereas is a jealous man, but this is no excuse for hitting his wife. Ancient Greece does not seem to be a place that respects women at all, and it seems that they are judged solely on appearances and their degree of beauty.

It is also surprising to us a present day readers of the novel that Callirhoe accepts Chaereas back as her husband when he tracks her down and asks her to return to Syracuse with him. Dionysius appears to be a benevolent and loving man and it is strange that she would rather return to a volatile and abusive husband when there is a more peaceful and respectful marriage offered to her. Women do not seem to have any purpose outside of marriage in first century Greece, which is a hard concept for the modern female reader to understand.

How does Chariton blend history, fiction and mythology in this novel?

The entire narrative is informed by Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. It is, after all, a love story, and from the first tie that the beautiful goddess is mentioned, when describing Callirhoe's beauty, to the final lines of the novel, when Callirhoe invokes her. Her influence on the narrative of the novel, and the lives of the characters within it, is clearly defined.

The historical side of the narrative comes from Chariton's re-telling of incidents that occurred in battles and wars that actually took place, and of his tendency to use real historical characters, despite the fact he uses a great deal of poetic license, placing them in events that they were never a part of and attributing characteristics to them that they never had. We do, nonetheless, gain great insight into the political and national situation that he is writing about.

The fictional part of the narrative is the romantic fiction that is woven between Chaereas and Callirhoe, which is romantic and clearly created rather than remembered from real events. However, by using real historical events and characters who really existed in the novel, Chariton weaves history and fiction together to make the entire narrative seem like a true account of something that had recently occurred. Scholars conclude that this novel is probably the first ever example of romantic fiction.