Baring-Gould’s sources: Modem Roman Martyrology, introduced by Baronius from the Greek Menseas. Authority: — The Acts in Metaphrastes. These are a late Greek Romance, a poor continuation of the Clitopho and Leucippe of Achilles Tatius.] One of the most popular romances of the later Greeks was that of Clitopho and Leucippe, by Achilles Tatius. Clitopho, engaged in marriage to his half-sister Caligone, resided in his father’s house in Tyre, whither his cousin Leucippe came to seek refuge from a war which was at that time raging in her native country, Byzantium. These young relatives became mutually enamoured, and Clitopho eloped with Leucippe, accompanied by a friend, Clinias, to Alexandria. The vessel was wrecked, but Clitopho and Leucippe, adhering with great presence of mind to the same plank, were driven ashore near Pelusium, in Egypt At this place they hired a vessel to carry them to Alexandria, but the boat was attacked by robbers, and rescued by the Egyptian regular forces headed by Charmides. In a short time this commander became enamoured of Leucippe, as did also Georgias, one of his officers. Georgias gave her a potion calculated to inspire her with reciprocal passion; but which, being too strong, affected her with madness. She was cured, however, by Chaeras, another person who had fallen in love with her. Taking Chaeras along with them, Clitopho and Leucippe sailed for Alexandria. But a band of robbers suborned by Chaeras carried off Leucippe. Clitopho pursued the vessel, but when just coming up with it he saw the head of a person whom he mistook for Leucippe struck off by the robbers. Disheartened by this incident, he relinquished the pursuit, returned to Alexandria, and married a wealthy Ephesian widow named Melitta. But on the marriage day he discovered Leucippe among his wife’s slaves, and Melitta’s husband, whom she had supposed to be dead, turning up unexpectedly, the story ends satisfactorily with the reunion of the lovers.

Achilles Tatius has been much blamed for the immorality of his romance, and it must be acknowledged that there are particular passages which are extremely exceptionable; yet, however offensive some of these may be considered, the general moral tendency of the story is good. Tatius punishes his hero and heroine for eloping from their father’s house, and afterwards rewards them for their long fidelity.

The romance could not fail to remain popular in the East, even after the East became Christian. Clitopho and Leucippe became general favourites, and invested with a sort of real existence, so that Christian novel readers felt regret that two such charming creatures of fiction should have remained heathen. Accordingly the romance was provided with a clumsy continuation. Clitopho and Leucippe reappear, living still in Phoenicia, but at Emessa instead of Tyre. They are married now, and the romance of courtship is at an end. Leucippe is charming, but Clitopho is disposed to grumble because she is childless. In the days SS. Galactio and Episteme.

of Alexander Severus, when persecution against the Christians was raging, a hermit named Onuphrius came in tatters to the door of their house asking alms. Leudppe was crying because her husband had reproached her for her barren womb, and she paid no attention to the hermit But when he persisted in his entreaty for a piece of bread, she rose, called him in, fed him, and told him her trouble. Onuphrius seized the opportunity to preach to her the Gospel, and to assure her that if she would receive baptism, God would look on her and grant her a son. She gladly prepared for and underwent the sacrament of regeneration, and when she felt she was about to become a mother, she revealed the joyful news to Clitopho, and at the same time explained to him the mysteries of salvation. Clitopho became a Christian, and had the gratification of becoming the father of a boy with a complexion as white as milk; on this account he had him baptized by the name of Galactio. The child was a marvel in every way. His beauty was dazzling. Still more dazzling was his genius. Whilst still a mere child he surpassed all his masters in learning. When he had reached the age of twenty-four, Leucippe died, and his father advised him to marry Episteme, a maiden of exquisite beauty, noble birth, and overflowing wealth. Galactio consented, but with the resolution of becoming a husband only in name.

Here transpires the purpose of the author of this continuation of the romance of Tatius. The second part of Faust was written by Goethe to exhibit his hero finding in philanthropy that satisfaction which he had sought in vain in sensual pleasure, as depicted in the first part The romance of Clitopho and Leucippe shows earthly love, refined indeed, but still earthly, triumphant. The second part was written to counteract the effect produced by the first. Clitopho and Leucippe are not happy together, human passion had blinded the eyes of both lovers during courtship, and marriage reveals to them their mutual defects. Clitopho is querulous and discontented, Leudppe is barren. The marriage undertaken from passion does not lead to happiness. Thenson Galactio, painted as being beautiful as his father, seeks happiness in the conquest of passion, and finds it. The loves of Galactio and Episteme are held up as the converse to those of Clitopho and Leucippe.

It is unnecessary to follow the romance writer in his description of the efforts made by Episteme to seduce Galactio from his resolution. They fail, and she is converted and baptized by her husband. Then both embrace the monastic life, and retire to the deserts of Sinai. Three years after, they are arrested and brought before a magistrate. Episteme is ordered to be stripped. At her prayer, fifty-three officers who are looking on are struck with blindness. Sharp reeds are thrust under the nails of the martyrs, their fingers, hands, and feet are cut off in succession; and finally they are decapitated. It is needless to add that there never were such martyrs, they had the same sort of existence as Clitopho and Leucippe — are phantoms of the imagination.