W/W: Happily Ever After: Berenice and Mesopotamia, Iamblichus' Babyloniaca

 The Christian author Photius preserved a summary of Iamblichus' novel Babyloniaca, a novel whose secondary romance plot involves the women Berenice and Mesopotamia. The relevant passages are listed here, but the entirety of the text (only a few pages long) is freely available elsewhere online. 

Cast of Characters:

Berenice, Princess [later Pharoah] of Egypt, and lover of Mesopotamia

Dama, a royal eunuch and Garmos' henchman

Euphrates, brother of Mesopotamia and who looks like Rhodanes

Garmos, King of Babylon, the antagonist

Mesopotamia, lover of Berenice

Rhodanes, Sinonis' lover and protagonist

Saca, a royal eunuch and Garmos' henchman

Sinonis, Rhodanes' lover and protagonist

Tigris, dead brother of Euphrates and Mesopotamia 

Zobara, Garmos' royal eunuch who rescues Mesopotamia

1. Personae ergo dramatis inducuntur Sinonis et Rhodanes, pulchra uterque forma et coniugii lege ut copulati, sic etiam invicem amantes. Garmus Babyloniae rex, amissa coniuge, Sinonidis captus amore, uxorem eam udcere maturabat: renuente vero Sinonide, aureo illa torque vincta est, et Rhodanes propterea (Damae et Sacae eunuchis regiis comisso negotio) tollendus in crucum erat. Verum studio Sinonidis inde liberatus, effugit uterque hic crucem, illa nuptias.

Εἰσὶ δὲ αὐτῷ πεποιημένα τοῦ δράματος πρόσωπα Σινωνὶς καὶ Ῥοδάνης, καλὴ καὶ καλὸς τὴν ὄψιν, νόμῳ γάμου ἐρῶντες ἀλλήλων καὶ δὴ καὶ ζευγνύμενοι,   καὶ Γάρμος βασιλεὺς Βαβυλῶνος τῆς αὐτοῦ γυναικὸς θανούσης εἰς ἔρωτα ἀναπτόμενος Σινωνίδος, καὶ πρὸς γάμον ἄγειν ἐπειγόμενος. Ἀνάνευσις Σινωνίδος καὶ δεσμὰ χρυσῷ τῆς ἁλύσεως διαπεπλεγμένης, καὶ Ῥοδάνης διὰ τοῦτο, Δάμα καὶ Σάκα τῶν βασιλικῶν εὐνούχων τὴν πρᾶξιν ἐπιτραπέντων, ἐπὶ σταυροῦ ἀναρτώμενος. Ἀλλ´ ἐκεῖθεν καθαιρεῖται σπουδῇ Σινωνίδος, καὶ φεύγουσιν ἄμφω, ὁ μὲν τὸν σταυρόν, ἡ δὲ τὸν γάμον

2. Narrat porro a re proposita nonnihil digrediens, de delubro illo, atqu insula, quam Euphrates et Tigris circumfluentes efficiant. Veneris ibi sacerdotis feminae tres fuisse liberos Euphratem, Tigrim et Mesopotamiam: vultu quidem hanc deformem genitam, sed a Venere post donatam venustate (tanta), ut de ips etiam lis exorta tres inter amantes fuerit, decretumque iudicium Bobocho, sive Borycho arbitro, qui suo saeculo diudicum praestantissimus habebatur. Addit contendisse hos res, iudiciumque subiisse, propterea quod huic quidem Mesopotamia cyathum, unde bibere solita, praebuerat; alteri deinde direptum capiti suo floridum sertum circumposuierat; tertio vero osculum tulerat: qui sane tertius iudicio victor cum esset, nihilominus contentionem viguisse, dum certantes mutuis se vulneribus confecissent.

Ὡς ἐν παρεκβολῇ δὲ διηγεῖται καὶ τὰ περὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ τῆς νησῖδος, καὶ ὅτι ὁ Εὐφράτης καὶ ὁ Τίγρις περιρρέοντες αὐτὴν ποιοῦσι νησῖδα, καὶ ὅτι ἡ τῆς ἐνταῦθα Ἀφροδίτης ἱέρεια τρεῖς ἔσχε παῖδας, Εὐφράτην καὶ Τίγριν καὶ Μεσοποταμίαν, αἰσχρὰν τὴν ὄψιν ἀπὸ γενέσεως, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς Ἀφροδίτης εἰς κάλλος μετασκευασθεῖσαν. Δι´ ἣν καὶ ἔρις τριῶν ἐραστῶν γίνεται, καὶ κρίσις ἐπ´ αὐτούς. Βόροχος ἢ Βόχορος ὁ κρίνων ἦν, κριτῶν τῶν κατ´ ἐκείνους καιροὺς ἄριστος. Ἐκρίνοντο δὲ καὶ ἤριζον οἱ τρεῖς, ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἡ Μεσοποταμία τὴν φιάλην ἐξ ἧς ἔπιεν ἔδωκε, τῷ δὲ τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐξ ἀνθέων ἀφελομένη στέφανον περιέθηκε, τὸν δὲ ἐφίλησε. Καὶ τοῦ φιληθέντος κρίσει νικήσαντος οὐδὲν ἔλαττον αὐτοῖς ἡ ἔρις ἤκμαζεν, ἕως ἀλλήλους ἀνεῖλον ἐρίζοντες

3.      Tigris et Euphrates [sacerdotis illius] filii, persimiles invicem erant, et Rhodanes utrosque forma referebat. Post alterum igitur illum filium, per rosam, uti diximus, enectum, Rhodanes in insulam una cum Sinonide traiecit: et mater Rhodanem aspiciens, inclamat natum suum exstinctum revixisse, filiamque pone subsequi eum iubet. Dissimulat haec Rhodanes, insulaorum simplicitatem ludificans. 

Ἀλλ´ ὅ γε Τίγρις καὶ Εὐφράτης οἱ παῖδες ἐμφερεῖς ἀλλήλοις ἦσαν, καὶ Ῥοδάνης ἀμφοτέροις. Τοῦ δὲ παιδός, ὥσπερ ἔφημεν, τῷ ῥόδῳ τελειωθέντος Ῥοδάνης πρὸς τὴν νησῖδα ἅμα Σινωνίδι περαιοῦται, καὶ βοᾷ ἡ μήτηρ τὸν τεθνηκότα αὐτῆς υἱὸν ἀναβιῶναι, εἰς τὸν Ῥοδάνην ὁρῶσα, καὶ Κόρην αὐτῷ ἐκεῖθεν ἕπεσθαι· συνυποκρίνεται Ῥοδάνης ταῦτα, τῆς τῶν νησιωτῶν κατεντρυφῶν εὐηθείας.

4.    Pater, idemque sacerdos Euphratem pro Rhodane habet appellatque. Fugit et soror Euphratis Mesopotamia. Dein ad Sacan Euphrates ipse adducitur, interrogaturque de Sinonide: pro Rhodane enim habebatur, atque examinabatur. Indicat ergo Sacas Garmo regi captum esse Rhodanem, captandam quoque propediem Sinonidem. Euphrates enim quasi Rhodanes esset, in iudicio respondet, Sinonida, dum ipse caperetur, fuguisse. Coactus nimirum et ipse Sinonida appellare sororem suam Mesopotamiam.

Συλλαμβάνεται Εὐφράτης, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ καὶ ἱερεύς, ὡς Ῥοδάνην αὐτὸν ὑπολαβών, οὕτως ἐπεκάλει· καὶ φεύγει Μεσοποταμία ἡ ἀδελφή. Καὶ πρὸς τὸν Σάκαν ἀπάγεται Εὐφράτης, καὶ ἀνακρίνεται περὶ Σινωνίδος· ὡς γὰρ Ῥοδάνης ἠτάζετο. Ἀποστέλλει Σάκας πρὸς Γάρμον ὅτι Ῥοδάνης συνείληπται καὶ Σινωνὶς συλληφθήσεται· ὁ γὰρ Εὐφράτης, ὡς Ῥοδάνης κρινόμενος ἔφη, τὴν Σινωνίδα συλλαμβανομένου αὐτοῦ πεφευγέναι, Σινωνίδα καλεῖν κἀκεῖνος ἐκβιαζόμενος τὴν ἀδελφὴν Μεσοποταμίαν.

5. Narratio deinde instituitur de Berenice Aegyptiorum regis filia, deque immani eius et infando amore, utque ad huius Mesopotamia colloquium ac familiaritatem pervenerit. Capta itaque post haec Mesopotamia a Saca, cum fratre suo Euphrate ad Garmum adducitur, qui, litteris aurifabri certior factus aufugisse Sinonida, et illum interfici, et omnes ad hanc custodiendam, atque adducendam lictores missos, una cum uxoribus ac liberis, defodi vivos iubet

Διάληψις περὶ Βερενίκης, ἥτις ἦν θυγάτηρ τοῦ βασιλέως Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ τῶν ἀγρίων αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκθέσμων ἐρώτων· καὶ ὅπως Μεσοποταμίᾳ τε συνεγίνετο, καὶ ὡς ὕστερον ὑπὸ Σάκα συνελήφθη Μεσοποταμία, καὶ πρὸς Γάρμον ἅμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ Εὐφράτῃ ἀπάγεται. Γράμμα δεξάμενος Γάρμος παρὰ τοῦ χρυσοχόου ὡς Σινωνὶς διαπέφευγε, προστάσσει ἐκεῖνόν τε ἀναιρεθῆναι καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ φυλακῇ ταύτης καὶ ἀγωγῇ σταλέντας αὐταῖς γυναιξὶ καὶ τέκνοις ζῶντας κατορυχθῆναι.

6. Interea Euphrates ad Garmum ducitur, quasi Rhodanes esset, et pro Sinonide Mesopotamia. Ducitur et Soraechus, verusque Rhodanes. Verum cognito Garmus Mesopotamiam non esse veram Sinonida, Zobarae eam tradidit, ad Euphratem fluvium capite truncandam, ne qua, inquit, alia Sinonidis nomen, eius exemplo, falso usurpet. Zobaras tamen Mesopotamiae possessus amore, servavit eam, et ad Berenicen Aegypti, iam patre exstincto, reginam unde ipse olim abductus fuerat, adducit, et Mesopotamiae nuptias Berenice facit. Qua etiam de causa bellum invicem Garmus et Berenice minantur.

Ἄγεται πρὸς Γάρμον Εὐφράτης ὡς Ῥοδάνης, καὶ ὡς Σινωνὶς Μεσοποταμία· ἄγεται καὶ Σόραιχος καὶ ὁ ἀληθὴς Ῥοδάνης. Καὶ διαγνοὺς ὁ Γάρμος μὴ εἶναι Σινωνίδα τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν, δίδωσι Ζοβάρᾳ παρὰ ποταμὸν Εὐφράτην καρατομῆσαι ἵνα μή, φησί, καὶ ἑτέρα τις τοῦ τῆς Σινωνίδος ἐπιβατεύσῃ ὀνόματος. Ὁ δὲ Ζοβάρας ἀπὸ πηγῆς ἐρωτικῆς πιὼν καὶ τῷ Μεσοποταμίας ἔρωτι σχεθείς, σῴζει τε ταύτην καὶ πρὸς Βερενίκην Αἰγυπτίων ἤδη, ἅτε τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτήσαντος βασιλεύουσαν, ἐξ ἧς ἦν καὶ ἀφελόμενος, ἄγει· καὶ γάμους Μεσοποταμίας ἡ Βερενίκη ποιεῖται, καὶ πόλεμος δι´ αὐτὴν Γάρμῳ καὶ Βερενίκῃ διαπειλεῖται.

--Photius, Bibliotheka, I.94 Translated into Latin by Christian Wolf et al. (1860)

1. The characters of the story are Sinonis & Rhodanes; they are a beautiful couple who love each other and are bound together in marriage.

When his wife died, King Garmos of Babylon catches sight of Sinonis, falls in love with her, and decides to marry her.  Sinonis does not consent to this, so she is bound in golden chains. Rhodanes is sent away to be crucified; the royal eunuchs Dama and Saca are hired to do the deed, but Rhodanes is freed through Sinonis’ quick thinking. Together they escape; she flees the marriage, he flees the cross…

[The lovers have various adventures; then Sinonis, thinking that they have been captured, stabs herself and needs medical care.  The couple decides to go to the Temple of Aphrodite to seek medical treatment.]

2. Then in a digression, the author describes the Temple of Aphrodite and the island it is situated on, which lies between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. One of Aphrodite’s priestesses there has three children: Euphrates, Tigris, and Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was born very ugly, but transformed into a beautiful person by Aphrodite. Because of her beauty, a conflict arose between three of her suitors, and Borychus presided as judge over the outcome.  One argued that Mesopotamia had given him the goblet that she drank from; the other argued that she crowned him with a flower crown that she was wearing; the third argued that she kissed him. Even though the one she kissed was declared the winner, it did nothing to stop the suitors’ quarrel, and ultimately, they killed each other...

3. The priestess’ sons Tigris and Euphrates looked alike, and Rhodanes looked like them, too. Tigris had been killed by [a poisoned] rose; when his mother saw Rhodanes arriving at the island with Sinonis, she shrieked and declared that her dead son had returned to life, with Persephone by his side. Rhodanes went along with this, mocking the islanders’ backwards ways…

[Trouble lurks around the corner: Dama, King Garmos’ henchman, arrives at the temple in pursuit of the lovers…]

4. Euphrates’ father the priest calls his son Rhodanes by mistake, and so Euphrates is captured. His sister Mesopotamia flees. Being mistaken for Rhodanes, Euphrates is sent to Saca, and they interrogate him about Sinonis. Saca sends word to Garmos that Rhodanes has been captured, and that Sinonis has escaped. And Euphrates, still being treated like he’s Rhodanes, responds that Sinonis—really his sister Mesopotamia—fled when he was captured…

[More misadventures occur involving a goldsmith and his daughter…]

5. Then there’s the story of Princess Berenice of Egypt, and her wild and unseemly love affairs, including her “closeness” to Mesopotamia. And when Mesopotamia is captured by Saca, she is sent back to Garmos along with her brother Euphrates. Garmos, receiving a letter by a goldsmith that Sinonis had fled, orders that that man [Euphrates] be killed, and that the fake Sinonis [Mesopotamia] be buried alive with the women and children of the men guarding her.

[Another misadventure involving Sinonis trying to kill a day laborer’s daughter in a fit of jealousy.]

6. Euphrates (still thought to be Rhodanes) and Mesopotamia (still thought to be Sinonis) are brought to King Garmos. Soraechus is also brought in, as well as the true Rhodanes. Garmos realizes that Mesopotamia is not Sinonis, and hands her over to Zobara to be executed on the banks of the Euphrates river, to make an of example of her lest anyone else pretend to be Sinonis.   But Zobara, drunk on desire for Mesopotamia and in love with her, saves her and brings her back to Queen Berenice, (where she had been taken from). Now that her father is dead, Berenice is the new Pharoah of Egypt; she marries Mesopotamia, and threatens war against Garmos.

IAMBLICHUS	MAP:
Name:  Iamblichus Date:  2nd century CE Works:  Babyloniaca	REGION  4
BIO:	Timeline:
Iamblichus was a Greek novelist who lived in Roman Syria during the 2nd century CE. His novel, the Babyloniaca, only exists in epitome form.	ROMAN GREEK LITERATURE

 

PHOTIUS	MAP:
Name:   Date:  9th century CE Works:  Bibliotheka	REGION  5
BIO:	Timeline:
Nobleman, clergyman and author Photius led the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople during the 9th century CE. His impact on Church history and literature is immense; he was canonized as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches. His work, the Bibliotheka, preserves epitomes of works that are no longer extant.	BYZANTINE / LATE GREEK