“The Tale of the Love of Kharya and Kalliroi” by Khariton in a brief summary
The first of the surviving Greek novels dates back to the 5th century. BC. e. – the time of the highest power of the Persian kingdom, the Peloponnesian conflict, Greco-Persian wars and many other historical events.
The beautiful Kalliroya, the daughter of the famous Syracuse strategist Germokrat, and the young Hereey fell in love. And although Kalliroe’s father was against this marriage, the side of lovers accepted… The Syracuse national assembly and the wedding took place.
But the happiness of the newlyweds was short-lived. The intrigues of the rejected suitors led to the fact that the jealous by nature of Harey suspected his wife of treason. A quarrel is over, which ended tragically. For a long time Kalliroya, who has lost consciousness, is mistaken for her dead and buried alive…
A plentiful burial tempted by the sea robber Feron. Already awakened by the time of a deep faint Kalliroya is captured by pirates who take her to the Asia Minor
Dionysius is not only rich, but also noble. He passionately falls in love with Kalliroya and asks a fine slave to become his wife.
But even the thought of this is repugnant to the captive Syracusian, for she still loves only Kharya and is also expecting a child.
In this critical situation, the clever Kalliroya after a long hesitation agrees, but under various plausible pretexts, the wedding asks to postpone…
Meanwhile, in Siracusa, there was found a robbed tomb in which there is no Callioro. And expeditions to Libya, Italy, Ionia are sent for her search…
And here in the sea a boat with mourning objects – ornaments from the robbed tomb was detained. Immediately there lies half-dead Feron – the leader of pirates. Brought to Syracuse, he under torture confesses to the deed. The People’s Assembly unanimously condemns him to death: “After Feron, when a large crowd of people was leading him, he was crucified before the grave of Kalliroi: from the
And then from Syracuse to Miletus the embassy headed by the Kharyem is sent – to rescue Kalliroya from slavery. Having reached the coast of Ionia and descended from the ship, Kherey comes to the temple of Aphrodite – the culprit and his happiness and misfortunes. And then he suddenly sees the image of Kalliroi. The younger priestess reports: Kalliroya became the wife of the Ionian ruler and their common mistress.
… Suddenly, a large group of barbarians attack a peaceful ship of Syracusans. Almost all of them died. Only Kherey and his faithful friend Poliharm were taken prisoner and sold into slavery.
All this is not a coincidence. Fock, a faithful economist Dionysius, seeing the Syracusan ship with the embassy, realized what it would threaten his master. And sent a guard detachment to the ship that arrived.
… And Kalliroya sees a captive husband in a dream. And, unable to restrain himself any longer, tells Dionysius that she had a husband who probably died.
In the end, the economist Fock confesses to the deed: the bodies of the Syracusans have long rocked on the bloody waves. Thinking that her beloved is dead too, Kalliroya exclaims woefully: “The infamous sea! In Miletus you brought Kherei to his death, and me for sale!”
… Delicate and noble Dionysius advises Kallieroy to arrange the burial of the burial. And on the high bank near the harbor of Miletus a grave is erected…
But Kalliroya can not come to himself and at least calm down a bit. And in the meantime, from her heavenly beauty, men even faint. So it happened, for example, with the satyr Mithridates of Kari, who saw Kalliroya while visiting Dionysius.
Namely, to Mithridates, Kherey and Polykharm fall into slavery. And – a new twist of fate: for imaginary participation in the rebellion of slaves they face a crucifixion on the cross. But by a lucky coincidence, the faithful Polyharm gets the opportunity to talk with Mithridates, and Khereya is literally removed from the cross at the last moment…
The satrap confirms what they already know: Calliroia is the wife of Dionysius and they even had a son. But he does not know that the child is not from the Ionian ruler, but from Khereus. This is also unknown to the unfortunate father, who exclaims to the satrap: “I beg you, my lord, return my cross to me.” Forcing me to live after such a message, you torture me even more cruelly than the cross! “
… Kerelye writes a letter to Kallieroy, but it falls directly into the hands of Dionysius. He does not believe that Kherey is alive: it’s supposedly the treacherous Mithridates wants to embarrass Kalliroe’s peace with false news about her husband.
But the circumstances are such that Artaxerxes himself, the great king of Persia, summons Dionysius with Kallioroy and Mithridates for a fair trial…
So, Dionysius and Kalliroy go to Babylon to Artaxerxes at the king’s rate. There, too, Mitridat rushes through Armenia in a short way.
On the way the satraps of all the tsarist regions are greeted with honor and accompanied by Dionysius and his beautiful companion, the rumor of the unsurpassed beauty of which flies ahead of her.
Excited, of course, and Persian beauties. And not without reason. For even Artaxerxes at first sight falls in love with Kalliroya…
The day of the royal court is coming. And Mithridates lays out his main trump card – the living Kherey, which he brought with him. And it turns out that Dionysius wants to marry his wife! Or slave?!
But the tsar hesitates with the decision, postponing the trial from day to day, as more and more falls in love with Kalliroya. And his chief eunuch reports this to the Syracusan. But she pretends that she did not understand, does not believe in the possibility of such sacrilege: with the living queen Sostratus, the tsar makes her such an indecent proposal?! No, the eunuch definitely confuses something: he misunderstood Artaxerxes.
By the way, it was Sostratus who was entrusted by the tsar to patronize Kalliroya and, thanks to the wise and tactful behavior of the latter, the women managed to even make friends.
… And the desperate Kherey was more than once going to end his life. But every time he is saved by the faithful Polyharm.
Meanwhile, the senior eunuch of Artaxerxes openly begins to threaten Kallieroy, who does not agree to respond to the feeling of the great king…
“But all calculations and all kindly conversations quickly changed Fate, which was the occasion for the development of entirely new events.” The king received a report that Egypt had fallen away from him and had collected a huge military force… “
The troops of the Persian king, urgently stepping out of Babylon, cross the Euphrates and march towards the Egyptians. As part of the Persian army and the detachment of Dionysius, who wants to win the favor of Artaxerxes on the battlefield.
Kalliroy also travels in the numerous royal retinue, while Herei is sure that she stayed in Babylon, and is looking for her there.
But there is no limit to the deceit of the men in love with Culliro. A specially educated man told Khayri that as a reward for his faithful service the tsar had already given Kalliroya to Dionysius’s wife. Although this was not, the king himself still hoped to win the favor of the Syracuse beauty.
… And at this time the Egyptian took the city out of town. And desperate Kherey, to whom freedom was returned, having collected a group of devoted compatriots, moves on to the Egyptian side. As a result of a brilliant military operation, he seized the impenetrable Phoenician city of Tire…
Artaxerxes decides to accelerate the movement of his huge army and, in order to further move light, the whole suite with Sostrata at the head leaves in the fortress on the island of Arad.
A victorious Egyptian, conquered by the military talents of Kharya, appoints him a navarish, putting the whole fleet at the head.
… But military happiness is changeable. The Persian king throws new and new troops into battle. And all decided the lightning strike of the detachment of Dionysius, who kills the Egyptian and brings his head to Artaxerxes. In reward for this, the king allows him to finally become the husband of Kalliroi…
Meanwhile, Kherei defeated the Persians at sea. But neither one nor the other does not know about mutual successes and defeats and everyone considers himself a complete winner.
… Navarh Kherey with his fleet besieged Arad, not yet knowing that there – his Kalliroya. And Aphrodite finally relented on them: long-suffering spouses meet.
They spend the whole night in hot embraces and tell each other about everything that happened to them during the time of separation. And Kherey begins to regret that he betrayed the noble Persian king. But what to do next?! And, having conferred with colleagues, Херей makes the optimum decision: to swim home in native Сиракузы! And the tsarina Sostratus, with all his entourage, Kherei sends with honor to the Tsar Artaxerxes on the ship, with a letter explaining everything and thanking him for everything. And Kalliroya wrote words of gratitude to the noble Dionysius, in order to somehow comfort him.
… From the shore of Syracuse Harbor residents are anxiously watching the approach of an unknown fleet. Among the silent observers is the strategist Hermocrates.
On the deck of the flagship there is a magnificent tent, And when the canopy finally rises, those standing on the pier suddenly see Kherei and Kalliroya!
The joy of the desperate for many months of the unknown parents and all fellow citizens is boundless. And the People’s Assembly demands that Kherey tell about everything that they and Kalliroya experienced together and singly. His story makes people present with the most contradictory feelings – both tears and joy. But in the end – more fun…
Three hundred of the Greek soldiers who selflessly fought under the leadership of Kherey receive the honorable right to become citizens of Syracuse.
And Kherey and Kalliroya publicly thank the loyal Polyharm for their unlimited devotion and support in the grievous trials. Sadly only that their son remained in Miletus with Dionysius. But everyone believes:
Over time, the boy will arrive with honor in Syracuse.
Kalliroya goes to the temple of Aphrodite and, embracing the legs of the goddess and kissing them, says: “Thank you, Aphrodite, you once again let me see Kherei in Syracuse, where I saw him as a girl at your own will.” I do not grumble at you for the suffering I experienced, Mistress: they were destined for me by Destiny, I beg you: never again separate me from the Kharya, but grant us to live happily together and die both of us simultaneously. “
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