() of Aphrodisias, a town of Caria, is the name by
which one of the Greek erotic prose writers calls himself; but the name is probably feigned
(from χάρις and Ἀφροδίτη), as the time and position of the author certainly are.
He represents himself as the secretary (ὑπογραφεύς)
of the orator Athenagoras, evidently referring to the Syracusan orator mentioned by
Thucydides (6.35, 36) as the
political opponent of Hermocrates. The daughter of Hermocrates is the heroine of Chariton's
work, which is a romance, in eight books, on the Loves of Chaereas and Callirrhoe, under the
following title, Χαρίτωνος Ἀφροδισίεως τῶν περὶ Χαιρέαν
καὶ Καλλιρροὴν ἐρωτικῶν διηγημάτων λόγοι ή. The work begins with the
marriage of the heroine, which is presently followed by her burial. She comes to life again
in the tomb, and is carried off by robbers. After various adventures, she is restored to
Chaereas.
Assessment
The incidents are natural and pleasing, and the style sinple ; but the work as a whole is
reckoned inferior to those of Achilles Tatius. Heliodorus, Longus, and Xenophon of Ephesus.
Nothing is known respecting the real life or the time of the author. The critics place him
variously between the fifth and ninth centuries after Christ. The general opinion is, that
he was the latest of the erotic prose writers, except perhaps Xenophon of Ephesus.
Editions
There is only one known MS. of the work, from which it was printed by James Philip
D'Orville, with a Latin version and notes by Reiske, in 3 vols. 4to. Amst. 1750.The commentary of D'Orville is esteemed one of the best on any ancient author.It was reprinted, with additional notes by Beck, 1 vol. 8vo. Lips. 1783.A very beautiful edition of the text was printed at Venice, 1812, 4to.
Translations
The book has been translated into German by Heyne, Leipz. 1753, and
Schneider, Leipz. 1807.
Into French by Larcher, Par. 1763 (reprinted in the Bibliothèque des Romans
Grecs, Par. 1797), and Fallet, 1775 and 1784.
Into Italian by M. A. Giacomelli, Rom. 1752, and others.