Daphnis and Chloe By Longus

A novelist generally reproduces a slice of life, where he is judged by his realism, or else he expresses criticism of life, in which case he is judged by his philosophy.

In this novel, Longus does neither, he just tries to translate a beautiful picture into words, replacing the brazen world of actuality! Giving readers a bountiful nature-laden blissful experience.

“Daphnis and Chloe”, is a story of love, nature, adventure, and wedding bells!

Instead of dragging the reader through uninterrupted series of breathless adventures, Longus has alternated the passages of exciting action and passages of idyllic description!

It is a pristine pastoral romance fun-filled romantic tale of the 2nd century based on the Greek Isle of Lesbos, and has a tint of magical timelessness to it. It is a fun tale demonstrating the ancient art of falling in love.

This appealing tale of two charming youths, of undisclosed identities, raised by simple farmers in the countryside, was written in an era where people believed in the existence of nymphs, respected Gods, and believed in magic!

Raised as a shepherdess and a goat herder, Daphnis and Chloe, gambol in nature and innocence. They seek pleasure swimming in rivers, playing the pipes, and weaving garlands for the sea nymphs.

Longus has delved into the importance of nature and festooned this romantic tale with the novelty of nature.

Both grow into charming and strikingly beautiful humans. Subsequently, all the frolicking around and touching each other in nature starts awakening the sensual side of the two.

But they can’t recognize or understand their feelings.

When Chloe first falls for Daphnis, both of them are clueless about what is happening to them?

“She cared not for her food, lay awake at night and disregarded her flock; she laughed, then she cried; she sat down, then she leaped up; her face was pale, and then again it was fired red.”

 “‘Whatever did Chloe’s kiss do to me? Her lips are softer than roses, her mouth is sweeter than honey, but her kiss is sharper than a bee sting. I’ve kissed kids many times, I’ve kissed newborn puppies many times . . . . But this kiss is something new. I’m short of breath, my heart is pounding, my soul is melting away: yet I want to kiss her again.'”

 

The opening of the book is idyllic-

“While I was gazing on and admiring these and other love scenes in the painting, suddenly I was seized by a longing to write an idyll to describe it. So I found a man to explain it for me and I have written a story in four books, an offering to the god of Love and to the Nymphs and Pan, and a joy for ever to mankind to heal their sickness and soothe their grief, to recall the sweets of love to those that have tasted them and to initiate those who have not into its secrets.

 

 

There is a lot of drama and adventure, with a lot of impediments, threats and temptations, the intervention of God Pan and nature, other suitors, abduction, trickery, attempted rape, and a lot of other twists and turns. Do they end up being together? Read for yourself to explore!

I look forward to reading to more Greek adventures and ornate this beautiful tale of romance with 3.75 stars! 😊