The romance is
a simple narrative relating the adventures of legendary heroes, and
the trials of faithful lovers who are parted and have to face all sorts of
complicated situations before they are reunited in a happy ending. The
romances that have survived are the following: Kallimachos and
Chrysorrhoe, Belthandros and Chrysantza, Libistros and Rhodamne, Imberios and Margarona, Phlorios and Platzia-Phlora. As is easy to surmise, these are love stories, while, as their titles indicate, "The Trojan War" and "Achilleis", are heroic tales from antiquity. It is evident from the theme of the first three, that they followed the model of the Hellenistic sophistic novel, in accordance with the general trend towards a revival of classical studies. The others were modelled on French and Italian romances of the time, which had become familiar to the Byzantines as a result of the Latin occupation and contacts with the West. In the 15th century, popular literature turns to other subjects such as the conquests of various territories by the Turks.
The romance is
a simple narrative relating the adventures of legendary heroes, and
the trials of faithful lovers who are parted and have to face all sorts of
complicated situations before they are reunited in a happy ending. The
romances that have survived are the following: Kallimachos and
Chrysorrhoe, Belthandros and Chrysantza, Libistros and Rhodamne, Imberios and Margarona, Phlorios and Platzia-Phlora. As is easy to surmise, these are love stories, while, as their titles indicate, "The Trojan War" and "Achilleis", are heroic tales from antiquity. It is evident from the theme of the first three, that they followed the model of the Hellenistic sophistic novel, in accordance with the general trend towards a revival of classical studies. The others were modelled on French and Italian romances of the time, which had become familiar to the Byzantines as a result of the Latin occupation and contacts with the West. In the 15th century, popular literature turns to other subjects such as the conquests of various territories by the Turks.