Abstract: Traditionally it was considered that Cervantes was inspired by the Ethiopics or Theagenes and Chariclea by Heliodorus and Leukippe and Kleitophon by Achilles Tatius when writing his novel, The Liberal Lover, and for this reason this novel was included in the genre which has erroneously been called the “Spanish Byzantine Novel”. It is true that this novel by Cervantes largely follows the structure and various characteristics of the novels by both authors from the Hellenistic period, however, it is observed that in both its theme and structure, it is even more similar to the novel Rodanthe and Dosicles by the 12th-century Byzantine philologist and writer, Theodore Prodromos. The question which arises is whether Cervantes could have known about this novel in its original Greek, or in a Latin or Spanish translation now lost. In this case, the life of Cervantes is related to the Renaissance movement in Seville.

Authors: Morfakidis-Filactós, Moschos

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2021.14.2.98-108

Publication order reference: Professor Moschos Morfakidis-Filactós; University of Granada
Faculty of Arts, Department of Greek Philology, Centre of Byzantine, Modern Greek and Cypriot Studies, C/Gran Vía 9-2A, 18001, Granada, Spain; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2021, vol.: 14, issue: 2, pages: 98-108 (PDF file)

Keywords: CERVANTES’ NOVEL, THE HELLENISTIC NOVEL, THE BYZANTINE NOVEL

Language: ENGLISH