Home Classical, Ancient Near Eastern & Egyptian Studies Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb

With an appendix on Seneca’s Troades , Act 3, and Jesus’ empty tomb
  • Michael Paschalis
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
The Reality of Women in the Universe of the Ancient Novel
This chapter is in the book The Reality of Women in the Universe of the Ancient Novel

Abstract

In Chariton’s Callirhoe the heroine’s tomb and burial receive attention unparalleled in ancient Greek novels. As the physical manifestations of apparent death, they point either to death or to (anticipated) “resurrection” or to both, with reference not only to Callirhoe but also to Chaereas. Of the two major reappearances of Callirhoe’s tomb, at Miletus and Syracuse, the former (real) reproduces and the latter (metaphorical) inverts the initial burial. There is a prominent association in the novel beween tomb and ship in terms of identification, reversal, and proximity, as well as an intriguing one between tomb and bedchamber. The narrative suggests that Callirhoe’s tomb encloses her bridal chamber, and later the heroine becomes aware that not only was she buried alive but carried Chaereas’ child in her womb and Chaereas’ image on her ring. This reality will later affect the lives of both Chaereas and the unborn child. The Appendix discusses Seneca’s Troades, Act 3, where Andromache hides her son Astyanax in Hector’s tomb, as a possibly contemporary parallel to Callirhoe’s tomb. It also rejects the widespread association of Jesus’ empty tomb and resurrection with Callirhoe’s empty tomb and “resurrection”.

Abstract

In Chariton’s Callirhoe the heroine’s tomb and burial receive attention unparalleled in ancient Greek novels. As the physical manifestations of apparent death, they point either to death or to (anticipated) “resurrection” or to both, with reference not only to Callirhoe but also to Chaereas. Of the two major reappearances of Callirhoe’s tomb, at Miletus and Syracuse, the former (real) reproduces and the latter (metaphorical) inverts the initial burial. There is a prominent association in the novel beween tomb and ship in terms of identification, reversal, and proximity, as well as an intriguing one between tomb and bedchamber. The narrative suggests that Callirhoe’s tomb encloses her bridal chamber, and later the heroine becomes aware that not only was she buried alive but carried Chaereas’ child in her womb and Chaereas’ image on her ring. This reality will later affect the lives of both Chaereas and the unborn child. The Appendix discusses Seneca’s Troades, Act 3, where Andromache hides her son Astyanax in Hector’s tomb, as a possibly contemporary parallel to Callirhoe’s tomb. It also rejects the widespread association of Jesus’ empty tomb and resurrection with Callirhoe’s empty tomb and “resurrection”.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Chapter 1. Frauen in Wirtschaft und Politik der griechisch-römischen Antike 1
  5. Chapter 2. Lo status giuridico della donna nel diritto romano della tarda Repubblica e del Principato (II secolo a.C. – inizi del III secolo d.C.) 16
  6. Chapter 3. Curare le donne nell’Egitto greco-romano 42
  7. Chapter 4. Realidad de la institución matrimonial en la ficción de las novelas grecolatinas 54
  8. Chapter 5. La expositio en Dafnis y Cloe 84
  9. Chapter 6. Consent in Greek and Roman marriage 99
  10. Chapter 7. Legal reality or storytelling? 107
  11. Chapter 8. Warrior women 127
  12. Chapter 9. Egyptian feminine anthroponyms in ancient Greek novels? 149
  13. Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb 159
  14. Chapter 11. The home life of a heroine 173
  15. Chapter 12. Chloe as learning subject in Longus’ Daphnis and Chloe 181
  16. Chapter 13. Achilles Tatius’ Leucippe as a puella docta 197
  17. Chapter 14. Le collane di Charicleia 206
  18. Chapter 15. The reality of women in ancient popular literature 230
  19. Chapter 16. Kidnapping in the ancient novels 244
  20. Chapter 17. Tarsia nel lupanare 260
  21. Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction) 277
  22. Chapter 19. Algunos aspectos de la mujer en la hagiografía bizantina 297
  23. Chapter 20. De opere illicito 329
  24. Chapter 21. Notes on women and the law in the novel  Los amores de Clareo y Florisea by Alonso Núñez de Reinoso 343
  25. Chapter 22. La ordalía en el judaísmo y Derecho rabínico 359
  26. Chapter 23. Semejanzas y diferencias entre las heroínas de la novela griega antigua y en la tradición sánscrita del Ramayana 374
  27. Chapter 24. Queens, heroines and slaves 382
  28. Chapter 25. “Parthian” women in Vīs and Rāmīn 396
  29. Chapter 26. Configuración neurocognitiva del ideal amoroso y castidad en las protagonistas de la novela griega 407
  30. Index locorum 416
  31. Abbreviations 447
  32. Contributors 448
https://doi.org/10.1075/ivitra.40.10pas

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Chapter 1. Frauen in Wirtschaft und Politik der griechisch-römischen Antike 1
  5. Chapter 2. Lo status giuridico della donna nel diritto romano della tarda Repubblica e del Principato (II secolo a.C. – inizi del III secolo d.C.) 16
  6. Chapter 3. Curare le donne nell’Egitto greco-romano 42
  7. Chapter 4. Realidad de la institución matrimonial en la ficción de las novelas grecolatinas 54
  8. Chapter 5. La expositio en Dafnis y Cloe 84
  9. Chapter 6. Consent in Greek and Roman marriage 99
  10. Chapter 7. Legal reality or storytelling? 107
  11. Chapter 8. Warrior women 127
  12. Chapter 9. Egyptian feminine anthroponyms in ancient Greek novels? 149
  13. Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb 159
  14. Chapter 11. The home life of a heroine 173
  15. Chapter 12. Chloe as learning subject in Longus’ Daphnis and Chloe 181
  16. Chapter 13. Achilles Tatius’ Leucippe as a puella docta 197
  17. Chapter 14. Le collane di Charicleia 206
  18. Chapter 15. The reality of women in ancient popular literature 230
  19. Chapter 16. Kidnapping in the ancient novels 244
  20. Chapter 17. Tarsia nel lupanare 260
  21. Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction) 277
  22. Chapter 19. Algunos aspectos de la mujer en la hagiografía bizantina 297
  23. Chapter 20. De opere illicito 329
  24. Chapter 21. Notes on women and the law in the novel  Los amores de Clareo y Florisea by Alonso Núñez de Reinoso 343
  25. Chapter 22. La ordalía en el judaísmo y Derecho rabínico 359
  26. Chapter 23. Semejanzas y diferencias entre las heroínas de la novela griega antigua y en la tradición sánscrita del Ramayana 374
  27. Chapter 24. Queens, heroines and slaves 382
  28. Chapter 25. “Parthian” women in Vīs and Rāmīn 396
  29. Chapter 26. Configuración neurocognitiva del ideal amoroso y castidad en las protagonistas de la novela griega 407
  30. Index locorum 416
  31. Abbreviations 447
  32. Contributors 448
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 6.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/ivitra.40.10pas/html?lang=en
Scroll to top button