A Re-examination of Some Structural Problems in Achilles Tatius' Leucippe and Clitophon

Abstract

This paper treats three structural problems in Leucippe and Clitophon. First Tyche and Eros vanish after book 6. Secondly the proleptic use of ecphrasis at the beginning of odd-numbered volumes disappears in book 7. Thirdly, the text never returns to the initial conversation. I argue that ecphrasis is analogous to Tyche cooperating with Eros to generate narrative and there­fore, when the story ends, this system also must end. However, Achilles Tatius did not finish his novel with the obvious happy ending, but left open the possibility of the continuation of the outer frame. For Clitophon's story is structurally analogous to one of the subordinate narratives common in nov­els, but in fact extends to occupy the whole; this facilitates the use of ego-narrative unique in the extant Greek romances.