This article is about the fictional character. For the Stoic philosopher of the same name, see Apollonius of Tyre (philosopher).
Apollonius of Tyre is the subject of an ancient short novella, popular in the Middle Ages. Existing in numerous forms in many languages, the text is thought to be translated from an ancient Greek manuscript, now lost.
In most versions, the eponymous hero is hunted and persecuted after he reveals Antiochus of Antioch's incestuous relationship with his daughter. After many travels and adventures, in which Apollonius loses both his wife and his daughter and thinks them both dead, he is eventually reunited with his family through unlikely circumstances or intercession by gods. In some English versions Apollonius is shipwrecked and becomes a tutor to a princess who falls in love with him, and the good king gradually discovers his daughter's wishes. The major themes are the punishment of inappropriate lust—the incestuous king invariably comes to a bad end—and the ultimate rewards of love and fidelity.
Origins (Latin and Greek?)
The story is first mentioned in Latin by Venantius Fortunatus in his Carmina (Bk. vi. 8, 11. 5–6) during the late 6th century;[1] it is conjectured, based on similarities with the Ephesian Tale of Xenophon of Ephesus and the presence of idioms awkward in Latin but typical in Greek, that the original was a Greek romance of the third century.[2] Some fragments of Greek romance, however, point to the possibility of an even older date.[3] The earliest manuscripts of the tale, in a Latin version, date from the 9th or 10th century but are from late antiquity. Thus they show an intersection of Greek and Roman as well as pre-Christian and Christian influences.[4] Overall, the work is classed with other ancient Greek romance novels.[5]
Some scholars hold that the riddles with which the king tests the hero in many versions may be a later addition:[6] ten derive from the c. fourth-century Latin riddle-collection attributed to Symphosius.[7] Other scholars believe the incest story to have been a later addition as well, though others, including Elizabeth Archibald, see it as an integral thematic element of the tale.[8]
The most widespread Latin versions are those of Godfrey of Viterbo, who incorporated it into his Pantheon of 1185 as if it were actual history, Historia Apollonii regis Tyri and a version in the Gesta Romanorum.[9]
Translations
'Fifty to a hundred versions' of the story are known from antiquity into the early modern period, mostly European, including texts in English, Dutch, German, Danish, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Greek, and Latin.[10]
The earliest vernacular translation is an incomplete Old English prose text from the 11th century, sometimes called the first English novel. The existence of this unique text is unusual, as secular prose fiction from that time is extremely rare. The manuscript copy may only have survived because it was bound into a book together with Archbishop Wulfstan's homilies.[11] Various versions of the tale were later written in most European languages.
A notable English version is in the eighth book of John Gower's Confessio Amantis (1390), which uses it as an exemplum against lust.[1] It is described as being based on Pantheon, but it contains many details that work does not but the old Historia does.[12]
Its numerous vernacular versions, along with the Latin ones, attest to its popularity throughout the Middle Ages.[13] It appears in an old Danish ballad collected in Danmarks gamle Folkeviser.[14]
Robert Copland translated from the French the romance of Kynge Appolyne of Thyre (W. de Worde, 1510).
^ abOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Apollonius of Tyre". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 188–189.
^Stuart Gillespie, Shakespeare's Books (2001) p. 204.
^Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England, New York Burt Franklin, 1963, p. 170–171.
^Stelios Panayotakis, "Figuring the Body in The Story of Apollonius, King of Tyre." July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^B. P. Reardon, editor, Collected Ancient Greek Novels, 2008.
^Chauncey E. Finch, 'Codex Vat. Barb. Lat. 721 as a Source for the Riddles of Symphosius', Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association, 98 (1967), 173-79 (p. 173); DOI: 10.2307/2935872; https://www.jstor.org/stable/2935872.
^Elizabeth Archibald, Apollonius of Tyre: Medieval and Renaissance Themes and Variations, 1991.
^Christine Goldberg, Turandot's Sisters: A Study of the Folktale AT 851, Garland Folklore Library, 7 (New York: Garland, 1993), p. 18.
^Goolden, Peter The Old English Apollonius of Tyre Oxford University Press 1958 xxxii-xxxiv
^Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p165–6 New York Burt Franklin,1963
^Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p165 New York Burt Franklin,1963
^Laura A. Hibbard, Medieval Romance in England p168 New York Burt Franklin,1963
External links
Works related to Of temporal Tribulation (Apollonius of Tyre) at Wikisource, from Gesta Romanorum
Marcus Welser's 1595 Latin edition, "Narratio eorum quae contigerunt Apollonio Tyrio"
The 1682 reprint of Marcus Welser's 1595 Latin edition, "Narratio eorum quae contigerunt Apollonio Tyrio"
The Anglo-Saxon version in the 1834 Benjamin Thorpe English translation
The Latin Library edition of the Latin text
The Librivox audio edition of the Latin text
Elizabeth Archibald (1991). Apollonius of Tyre: Medieval and Renaissance Themes and Variations. ISBN978-0859913164. includes Latin text&translation of Historia Apollonii regis Tyri
February 22, 2023
apollonius, tyre, this, article, about, fictional, character, stoic, philosopher, same, name, philosopher, subject, ancient, short, novella, popular, middle, ages, existing, numerous, forms, many, languages, text, thought, translated, from, ancient, greek, man. This article is about the fictional character For the Stoic philosopher of the same name see Apollonius of Tyre philosopher Apollonius of Tyre is the subject of an ancient short novella popular in the Middle Ages Existing in numerous forms in many languages the text is thought to be translated from an ancient Greek manuscript now lost Contents 1 Plot summary 2 Origins Latin and Greek 3 Translations 4 Later versions and influence 5 Notes 6 External linksPlot summary EditIn most versions the eponymous hero is hunted and persecuted after he reveals Antiochus of Antioch s incestuous relationship with his daughter After many travels and adventures in which Apollonius loses both his wife and his daughter and thinks them both dead he is eventually reunited with his family through unlikely circumstances or intercession by gods In some English versions Apollonius is shipwrecked and becomes a tutor to a princess who falls in love with him and the good king gradually discovers his daughter s wishes The major themes are the punishment of inappropriate lust the incestuous king invariably comes to a bad end and the ultimate rewards of love and fidelity Origins Latin and Greek EditThe story is first mentioned in Latin by Venantius Fortunatus in his Carmina Bk vi 8 11 5 6 during the late 6th century 1 it is conjectured based on similarities with the Ephesian Tale of Xenophon of Ephesus and the presence of idioms awkward in Latin but typical in Greek that the original was a Greek romance of the third century 2 Some fragments of Greek romance however point to the possibility of an even older date 3 The earliest manuscripts of the tale in a Latin version date from the 9th or 10th century but are from late antiquity Thus they show an intersection of Greek and Roman as well as pre Christian and Christian influences 4 Overall the work is classed with other ancient Greek romance novels 5 Some scholars hold that the riddles with which the king tests the hero in many versions may be a later addition 6 ten derive from the c fourth century Latin riddle collection attributed to Symphosius 7 Other scholars believe the incest story to have been a later addition as well though others including Elizabeth Archibald see it as an integral thematic element of the tale 8 The most widespread Latin versions are those of Godfrey of Viterbo who incorporated it into his Pantheon of 1185 as if it were actual history Historia Apollonii regis Tyri and a version in the Gesta Romanorum 9 Translations Edit Fifty to a hundred versions of the story are known from antiquity into the early modern period mostly European including texts in English Dutch German Danish French Spanish Italian Portuguese Polish Russian Hungarian Greek and Latin 10 The earliest vernacular translation is an incomplete Old English prose text from the 11th century sometimes called the first English novel The existence of this unique text is unusual as secular prose fiction from that time is extremely rare The manuscript copy may only have survived because it was bound into a book together with Archbishop Wulfstan s homilies 11 Various versions of the tale were later written in most European languages A notable English version is in the eighth book of John Gower s Confessio Amantis 1390 which uses it as an exemplum against lust 1 It is described as being based on Pantheon but it contains many details that work does not but the old Historia does 12 Its numerous vernacular versions along with the Latin ones attest to its popularity throughout the Middle Ages 13 It appears in an old Danish ballad collected in Danmarks gamle Folkeviser 14 Robert Copland translated from the French the romance of Kynge Appolyne of Thyre W de Worde 1510 Later versions and influence EditThe story was retold in thirteenth century Castilian as Libro de Apolonio It is also a major inspiration of the chanson de geste Jordain de Blaivies Robert Copland wrote an early 16th century prose version William Shakespeare and George Wilkins s play Pericles Prince of Tyre was based in part on Gower s version with the change of name probably inspired by Philip Sidney s Arcadia Apollonius of Tyre was also a source for his plays Twelfth Night and The Comedy of Errors Notes Edit a b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Apollonius of Tyre Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 2 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 188 189 Stuart Gillespie Shakespeare s Books 2001 p 204 Laura A Hibbard Medieval Romance in England New York Burt Franklin 1963 p 170 171 Stelios Panayotakis Figuring the Body in The Story of Apollonius King of Tyre Archived July 26 2011 at the Wayback Machine B P Reardon editor Collected Ancient Greek Novels 2008 Laura A Hibbard op cit p 171 Chauncey E Finch Codex Vat Barb Lat 721 as a Source for the Riddles of Symphosius Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 98 1967 173 79 p 173 DOI 10 2307 2935872 https www jstor org stable 2935872 Elizabeth Archibald Apollonius of Tyre Medieval and Renaissance Themes and Variations 1991 Laura A Hibbard op cit p 164 Christine Goldberg Turandot s Sisters A Study of the Folktale AT 851 Garland Folklore Library 7 New York Garland 1993 p 18 Goolden Peter The Old English Apollonius of Tyre Oxford University Press 1958 xxxii xxxiv Laura A Hibbard Medieval Romance in England p165 6 New York Burt Franklin 1963 Laura A Hibbard Medieval Romance in England p165 New York Burt Franklin 1963 Laura A Hibbard Medieval Romance in England p168 New York Burt Franklin 1963External links Edit Works related to Of temporal Tribulation Apollonius of Tyre at Wikisource from Gesta Romanorum Plot summary Marcus Welser s 1595 Latin edition Narratio eorum quae contigerunt Apollonio Tyrio The 1682 reprint of Marcus Welser s 1595 Latin edition Narratio eorum quae contigerunt Apollonio Tyrio The Anglo Saxon version in the 1834 Benjamin Thorpe English translation The Latin Library edition of the Latin text The Librivox audio edition of the Latin text Elizabeth Archibald 1991 Apollonius of Tyre Medieval and Renaissance Themes and Variations ISBN 978 0859913164 includes Latin text amp translation of Historia Apollonii regis Tyri Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Apollonius of Tyre amp oldid 1092651627, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
