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When Chariclea, the daughter of Ethiopan royalty, is born with white skin, the queen gives her away for fear she will be accused of adultery. Taken to Egypt, she is raised to be a priestess. When Theagenes visits Delphi, the two fall in love. The Adventures of Theagenes and Chariclea is an ancient Greek novel by Heliodorus of Emesa.
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Heliodorus of Emesa (c. 3rd-4th century C.E.) was a Greek novelist and possibly an early Christian bishop. Born in Emesa, modern day Syria, Heliodorus is known for writing Aethiopica, the most complete extant novel in the ancient world. Also referred to as
The Adventures of Theagenes and Chariclea, the novel is an ancient Greek romance that was rediscovered in manuscript form in the city of Buda in 1526. It has since been translated and republished countless times, and further codices copying the text of the novel have been discovered. Although not much is known about Heliodorus, it is believed that his father's name was Theodosius and that the family came from a line of solar priests. Some scholars, including Socrates of Constantinople in the 5th century and Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos in the 14th century, have claimed that Heliodorus of Emesa converted to Christianity and became bishop of Trikka before being pressured to resign from the role, but his identity and religious background remain uncertain.
