LA NARRATIVA D’AMORE E LA CENSURA A BISANZIO

Abstract

In his Bibliotheca, the Byzantine patriach Photius is very critical about Achilles Tatius’ novel, expressing a very harsh judgment because of the obscenity of the content and the indecency of the language. In the present paper this is confirmed by the analysis of significant passages, which demonstrate how licentious themes are not absent from the Libesroman. Despite of Photius’ censorship, the novel enjoyed a remarkable popularity during the Byzantine age, that was also legitimized by the assumption of the Suida Lexicon that Achilles Tatius became a Christian and a bishop towards the end of his life.