Chariton reinforced primarily pure adventure line of the novel, moving away from common in antiquity fiction and mystery. Mystery cults and widespread influence of beliefs of the East had shaken confidence in the national aboriginal Gods and had given them new, not peculiar to them earlier features, thus revealing a new attitude towards them by their admirers. The motive of persecution of heroes by envious fate or angry deity was very familiar to ancient tragedy and remained as a must for every love story. Although the influence of religious and mythological motifs did occur in the construction of the literary scene, it is not possible to establish a close relationship with the religious beliefs of the novel, as some of the researchers did (Keren, Merkelbach, etc.). For example, it was pointed out that the course of the story in the romance genre reflected the mystical story of the ancient Goddess Isis, searching for her lost and later new-found lover. It was believed that the rituals, associated with the cult of Isis, are reflected both in the subject matter and in the vocabulary of the novel.
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Since the beginning of the appearance of novels in the romance genre refers to a very distant time, the participation of a certain deity and his or her active involvement in the lives of people seemed quite natural in the eyes of a man of the era. Usually, these deities were Aphrodite or Eros, i.e. Gods, symbolizing some human emotions, such as love or passion, which play a crucial role in the lives of individuals. A new attitude to the inner world of a man not only diminished the power and influence of the Gods, but, on the contrary, gave them even more importance than before. That is why almost every ancient novel in the romance genre contains Aphrodite and Eros, so sovereignly managing the fates of the characters of a novel, and therefore they are given a special place by the authors.
In Chariton’s “Chaereas and Callirhoe” the power of Aphrodite and her son is strongly felt throughout the novel. The main heroes first meet at a public festival of Aphrodite with the assistance of Eros, and with his help the national assembly is in favor of the marriage of the couple. Aphrodite is everywhere: on the islands of Aradose and Paphos and in Syracuse, where Callirhoe returns at the end of the novel after numerous trials.
Let me remind a reader of the very beginning of the story, when Callirhoe was “smitten with love”… “The girl, for her part, fell at Aphrodite’s feet and kissed them. “Mistress,” she cried, “give me the man you showed me for my husband!”” (p.22) To my mind, the Goddess was the one to decide on whether to link the hearts and souls of those two, Chaereas and Callirhoe, or not. I, myself, find it difficult to believe in love from the first sight. I strongly believe that there is always something pushing a heart towards this wonderful feeling…
In Chariton’s “Chaereas and Callirhoe” Gods are to initiate all the actions, and are therefore paramount. And it seems like main characters realize this fact. “Callirhoe kneeled in front of Aphrodite and embraced her feet. “You were the first to show Chaereas to me,” she said. “You made a handsome couple of us, but you have not watched over us – and yet we paid you honor! But since that was your will, I ask one thing of you: grant that I attract no man after Chaereas.”” (p.40)
Not only could Aphrodite be manipulative and destructive in matters of the heart (“Aphrodite refused her prayer. After all, she is the mother of Eros, and she wаs now planning another marriage – which she did not intend to preserve either.” (p.40)), but also her domain extended far beyond desire and romance. Aphrodite wаs connected with maritime affairs, civic harmony, and even warfare. It is quite noticeable in the book that the Goddess was worshipped throughout the ancient Mediterranean by men and women, young and old…
However, the attitude towards the Gods becomes more and more “familiar” and has no mystical tone anymore. Callirhoe, for example, goes to the temple of Aphrodite, to express her disapproval, which means that Callirhoe is not afraid of being the immediate retribution by the offended deity.
Thus, we can see some gradual changes in the attitude toward religion, just like the changes in characters and some of literary works. From the images of the Gods and heroes authors go to the historical persons, praising their exploits, and then, with the development of the literary genre of pseudo-historical characters, replace them and finally create purely literary types that represent ordinary free people and even slaves. Similarly, along with the development of mystical beliefs there is a simultaneous reduction of religious sentiments: Gods no longer enjoy such a blind and unconditional worship, as in ancient times, becoming a creature, symbolizing the human senses.
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For novels in the romance genre such as “Chaereas and Callirhoe” it is quite natural to tell a reader about the lovers’ meetings, their emotional experiences and obstacles to their happiness. The screen scheme, a must for the entertaining story: meeting, separation and a happy ending, is now overgrown with a diverse range of events and adventures, often very realistic and far from any kind of mysticism.
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