Chariton
(Χαρίτων) 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. Works Χαρίτωνος Ἀφροδισίεως τῶν περὶ Χαιρέαν καὶ Καλλιρροὴν ἐρωτικῶν διηγημάτων λόγοι ή
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.
Into English by Becket and de Hondt, 1764. [P.S]
(Χαρίτων), an oculist, who lived in or before the second century after Christ, as one of his medical formulae is quoted by Galen (De Antid. 2.13. vol. xiv. p. 180), and also by Aetius (4.1, 18, p. 620). Ie is also mentioned in an ancient Latin inscription, which is explained at length by C. G. Kühn, in his Index Medicorum Oculariorum inter Graecos Romanosque, Lips. 1829, 4to., fasc. ii. p. 3, &c. See also Kühn's Additam. ad Elench. Medic. Vet. a J. A. Fabricio, &c. exhibitum, Lips. 1826, 4to., fasc. iv. [W.A.G]
(Χαρίτων). An erotic prose-writer of Aphrodisias in Caria, whose date is uncertain, but probably not earlier than the fifth century A.D. He was the author of a romance entitled The Love Adventures of Chaereas and Callirrhoé (τὰ περὶ Χαιρέαν καὶ Καλλιρροὴν ἐρωτικὰ διηγήματα), in seven books. Only one MS. of this is known to exist. A Latin version with notes was published by Reiske, 3 vols. (Amsterdam, 1750); a commentary by Beck (Leipzig, 1783); and a beautiful edition of the text in 1812 at Venice. A good French translation is that of Larcher in the Bibliothèque des Romans Grecs (Paris, 1797). It was rendered into English by Becket (London, 1764).