Daphnis and Chloe

A classic ancient Greek novel: “Daphnis and Chloe”—one of the five surviving ancient Greek romances and one of the most vivid examples of pastoral prose. The edition in the “Exclusive Classics” series includes the translation by S. P. Kondratyev and the commentary by M. E. Grabar-Passek, thanks to which you can enjoy a graceful love story while also better understanding the cultural realities of the 2nd century AD.

On the island of Lesbos, shepherds find two abandoned children—a boy and a girl—and, taking them in, name them Daphnis and Chloe. As they grow up, they tend the herds of their adoptive parents and gradually begin to develop feelings for one another, the meaning of which they cannot at first recognize. Innocent, bright attachment becomes for them a support and helps them overcome trials that fate brings their way.

Having nearly disappeared from the reading public during the Middle Ages, the novel was rediscovered in the Renaissance and is today recognized as one of the most important monuments of ancient literature. “Daphnis and Chloe” has repeatedly served as a basis for film adaptations, and it has also inspired creators of opera and ballet.