The First Ancient Greek Novel

What is the Love Affair from Lesbos REALLY About?

Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,

“Too many books. Not enough time”.

Thus read the inscription on my beloved grandmother's favorite sweater. She was a librarian her entire life…She even set one up in her retirement home before she gave up the ghost.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that I love books. I suspect, because you are here reading this, then you do too.

In fact, I know that we have many, many book aficionados among our readers because of the huge outpouring from Monday’s article: A Book a 100 Years in the Making. 

I’ve been blown away by how international the responses have been. From the Philippines to France, Colombia to Colorado, Australia to Austria, and everywhere in between...people want to be a part of this project.

I’m truly honored… I love knowing our community covers the globe because (and forgive me for a moment if I sound a little sentimental) it reminds me that our mission, to promote and preserve the classics, is a truly global endeavor. 

This is because we are all part of this ongoing project called civilization… all doing our bit to contribute to humanity and we all know its important. 

So, if you didn’t get a chance earlier to learn more about the history of this book, and what it means, you can do so here:

A Book a 100 Years in the Making

I hope you can take part.

In the meantime, I have a more light hearted article for you to end the week, a charming love story set on the island of Lesbos as well as the very first ancient Greek novel. It’s a beautiful, heart warming tale… but its true topic may surprise you.

Read below to learn how Daphnis and Chloe were so influential and ever lasting.

All the best,

Anya Leonard

Founder and Director

Classical Wisdom

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Ancient philosophy for modern leadership:

This Saturday

Classical Wisdom has volunteered a lot of time and resources to the Plato’s Academy Centre…. This is because of our continuing commitment to the preservation of the ancient world.

Plato’s Academy Centre aims to restore the archeological site of Plato’s original school - the first of the ancient world - to its former glory. Not only will this help bring the due respect and acknowledgement to this incredibly important site, it will also help reinvigorate a much needed area in Athens. 

If you’d like to learn more about Plato’s Academy Centre’s mission, or enjoy this Saturday’s conference on ancient philosophy for modern leadership, you can register here. 

I’ll be speaking on mythology and leadership as well as co-hosting… until Argentina and Australia play in the World Cup, because frankly it will be too noisy. 

*please note: all donations go to the restoration of the archeological site. 

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Daphnis and Chloe: A Lesbian Novel

By Ben Potter 

“What her passion was she knew not, for she 

was but a young girl and bred up among cIowtis, 

and as for love, had never so much as heard the 

name of it. But her heart was vexed within her, 

her eyes, whether she would or no, wandered 

hither and thither, and her speaking was ever 

Daphnis this and Daphnis that.”

― Longus, Daphnis and Chloe 

Today we will tackle a love story from the languid prose of Longus. It’s the original bucolic tale of star-crossed lovers, Daphnis and Chloe. 

But first, let us begin with its author. 

Island of Lesbos

Very little is known about Longus, this ‘Greek’ author with a Latin name. While he could easily have been a migrant to the island of Lesbos, it is more commonly accepted that he was a freed slave of a Roman family. This means, however, that he could have originated from anywhere and just happened to have an usually firm grasp of the Greek language. 

Regardless, his knowledge and description of the beautiful island of Lesbos (most famous for Sappho and her laissez-faire attitude to sexuality) is such that he must have spent a considerable amount of time there. 

Slightly mysteriously, Longus has become something of a forgotten man of the ancient world and far from the household name he should be. Perhaps this is because of his mongrel or slavish status or because Roman eyes in the 2nd century AD looked West and not East. Alternatively, it could have been that that particular hundred years was one of relative literary lull (considering what had preceded it)... or maybe it was just one of those things! 

Daphnis and Chloe by Francois Boucher

That said, he has not been without influence. His work is well remembered in both art and music by no lesser men than François Boucher and Maurice Ravel respectively. Also, Daphnis and Chloe may have been the inspiration for that swashbuckling Rob Reiner masterpiece, The Princess Bride. 

But Longus was important for much more than that...