Dirty Love: The Genealogy of the Ancient Greek Novel (Onassis Series in Hellenic Culture)

Some of the world's earliest large-form fictional narratives--what would today be called novels-are found in ancient Greece. Dating back to the first century CE, these narratives contain many of the elements common to the novelistic genre, for instance, the joining, separation, and reunion of two lovers. These ancient works have often been heralded as the ancestors of the modern novel; but what can we say of the origins of the Greek novel itself? This book argues that whereas much of Greek literature was committed to a form of cultural purism, presenting itself as part of a continuous tradition reaching back to the founding fathers within the tradition, the novel reveled in cultural hybridity. The earliest Greek novelistic literature combined Greek and non-Greek traditions. More than this, however, it also often self-consciously explored its own hybridity by focusing on stories of cultural hybridization, or what we would now call "mixed-race" relations. This book is thus not a conventional account of the origins of the Greek novel: it is not an attempt to pinpoint the moment of invention, and to trace its subsequent development in a straight line. Rather, it makes a virtue of the murkiness, or "dirtiness," of the origins of the novel: there is no single point of creation, no pure tradition, only transgression and transformation. The novel thus emerges as an outlier within the Greek literary corpus: a form of literature written in Greek, but not always committing to Greek cultural identity. Dirty Love focuses particularly on the relationship between Persian, Egyptian, Jewish and Greek literature, and explores such texts as Ctesias' Persica , Joseph and Aseneth , the Alexander Romance, and the tale of Ninus and Semiramis. It will appeal not only to those interested in Greek literary history, but also to readers of near eastern and biblical literature. Where Does The Greek Novel Come From? This Book Argues That Whereas Much Of Greek Literature Was Committed To A Form Of Cultural Purism, Presenting Itself As Part Of A Continuous Tradition Reaching Back To Definitively Greek Founding Fathers, The Novel Revelled In Cultural Hybridity. The Earliest Greek Novelistic Literature Combined Greek And Non-greek Traditions (or At Least Affected To Combine Them: It Is Often Hard To Tell How ‘authentic’ The Non-greek Material Is). More Than This, However, It Also Often Self-consciously Explored Its Own Hybridity By Focusing On Stories Of Cultural Hybridisation, Or What We Would Now Call ‘mixed Race’ Relations. This Book Is Thus Not A Conventional Account Of The Origins Of The Greek Novel: It Is Not An Attempt To Pinpoint The Moment Of Invention, And To Trace Its Subsequent Development In A Straight Line. Rather, It Makes A Virtue Of The Murkiness, Or ‘dirtiness’, Of The Origins Of The Novel: There Is No Single Point Of Creation, No Pure Tradition, Only Transgression, Transformation And Mess. The Novel Thus Emerges As An Outlier Within The Greek Literary Corpus: A Form Of Literature Written In Greek, But Not Always Committing To Greek Cultural Identity. Dirty Love Focuses Particularly On The Relationship Between Persian, Egyptian, Jewish And Greek Literature, And Covers Such Texts As Ctesias’s Persica, Joseph And Aseneth, The Alexander Romance And The Tale Of Ninus And Semiramis. Preface -- Abbreviations -- Prelude -- First Movement Hellenism And Hybridity: 1 Dirty Love -- 2 An Essay On The Origins Of The Novel -- 3 What Is A Novel? -- 4 Epic And Novel -- 5 Sourcing Callirhoe -- Second Movement Persians: 6 The Romance Of Zarinaea And Stryangaeus -- 7 Who Was Ctesias? -- 8 Persian Love Stories? -- 9 Media Studies -- 10 Cyrus’s Sex Life -- Third Movement Jews: 11 Return To Joseph -- 12 The Jewish Novel -- 13 Joseph In Love -- Fourth Movement Egyptians: 14 ‘the Long Hellenistic’ -- 15 Alexander In Kohl 1 -- 16 Whose Paradigm? -- Fifth Movement: How Greek Is The Greek Romance? -- 17 How Greek Is The Greek Romance? -- 18 Romancing Semiramis -- 19 Dirty Love In Late Antiquity -- 20 Conclusion -- References -- Index Tim Whitmarsh. Previously Issued In Print: 2018. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Some of the world's earliest large-form fictional narratives--what would today be called novels-are found in ancient Greece. Dating back to the first century CE, these narratives contain many of the elements common to the novelistic genre, for instance, the joining, separation, and reunion of two lovers. These ancient works have often been heralded as the ancestors of the modern novel; but what can we say of the origins of the Greek novel itself?This book argues that whereas much of Greek literature was committed to a form of cultural purism, presenting itself as part of a continuous tradition reaching back to the founding fathers within the tradition, the novel reveled in cultural hybridity. The earliest Greek novelistic literature combined Greek and non-Greek traditions. More than this, however, it also often self-consciously explored its own hybridity by focusing on stories of cultural hybridization, or what we would now call "mixed-race" relations. This book is thus not a conventional account of the origins of the Greek novel: it is not an attempt to pinpoint the moment of invention, and to trace its subsequent development in a straight line. Rather, it makes a virtue of the murkiness, or "dirtiness," of the origins of the novel: there is no single point of creation, no pure tradition, only transgression and transformation. The novel thus emerges as an outlier within the Greek literary corpus: a form of literature written in Greek, but not always committing to Greek cultural identity. Dirty Love focuses particularly on the relationship between Persian, Egyptian, Jewish and Greek literature, and explores such texts as Ctesias' Persica, Joseph and Aseneth, the Alexander Romance, and the tale of Ninus and Semiramis. It will appeal not only to those interested in Greek literary history, but also to readers of near eastern and biblical literature. Where Does The Greek Novel Come From? This Book Argues That Whereas Much Of Greek Literature Was Committed To A Form Of Cultural Purism, Presenting Itself As Part Of A Continuous Tradition Reaching Back To Founding Fathers Within The Tradition, The Novel Revelled In Cultural Hybridity. The Earliest Greek Novelistic Literature Combined Greek And Non-greek Traditions (or At Least Affected To Combine Them: It Is Often Hard To Tell How 'authentic' The Non-greek Material Is). More Than This, However, It Also Often Self-consciously Explored Its Own Hybridity By Focusing On Stories Of Cultural Hybridisation, Or What We Would Now Call 'mixed-race' Relations. This Book Is Thus Not A Conventional Account Of The Origins Of The Greek Novel: It Is Not An Attempt To Pinpoint The Moment Of Invention, And To Trace Its Subsequent Development In A Straight Line. Rather, It Makes A Virtue Of The Murkiness, Or 'dirtiness', Of The Origins Of The Novel: There Is No Single Point Of Creation, No Pure Tradition, Only Transgression, Transformation And Mess. The Novel Thus Emerges As An Outlier Within The Greek Literary Corpus: A Form Of Literature Written In Greek, But Not Always Committing To Greek Cultural Identity. Dirty Love Focuses Particularly On The Relationship Between Persian, Egyptian, Jewish And Greek Literature, And Covers Such Texts As Ctesias' Persica, Joseph And Aseneth, The Alexander Romance And The Tale Of Ninus And Semiramis. It Will Appeal To Those Interested Not Only In Greek Literary History, But Also In Near-eastern And Biblical Literature. Este libro sostiene que mientras que gran parte de la literatura griega estaba comprometida con una forma de purismo cultural, presentándose como parte de una tradición continua que se remonta a los padres fundadores dentro de la tradición, la novela se deleitó en la hibridación cultural. La primera literatura novelística griega combinaba tradiciones griegas y no griegas, y a menudo también exploraba conscientemente su propia hibridez centrándose en historias de hibridación cultural, o lo que ahora llamaríamos relaciones "mestizas". Este libro hace de los orígenes de la novela una virtud de la oscuridad o "suciedad": no hay un solo punto de creación, no hay tradición pura, sólo transgresión, transformación y desorden. La novela surge así como un elemento atípico dentro del corpus literario griego: una forma de literatura escrita en griego, pero no siempre comprometida con la identidad cultural griega. Se centra particularmente en la relación entre la literatura persa, egipcia, judía y griega, y abarca textos como Persica de Ctesias, José y Asenet, el romance de Alejandro y la historia de Ninus y Semiramis Where does the Greek novel come from? This book argues that whereas much of Greek literature was committed to a form of cultural purism, presenting itself as part of a continuous tradition reaching back to Homer, the novel revelled in its hybridisation with Persian, Egyptian and Jewish culture. Where does the Greek novel come from? This text argues that whereas much of Greek literature was committed to a form of cultural purism, presenting itself as part of a continuous tradition reaching back to Homer, the novel revelled in its hybridisation with Persian, Egyptian and Jewish culture