Achilles Tatius' Leucippe and Clitophon Books 5-8 Study Questions

Be prepared to identify: Chaireas, Melite, Thersandros, Sosthenes.

Book Five

1. How is Alexandria praised?

2. How are the omen and the painting on p 234 related?

3. Compare Melite with other romantic rivals we have met.

4. Where else have we seen girls with their hair cut off?

5. How is Leucippe persuaded of Kleitophon's fidelity?

6. Why does Kleitophon at last give in to Melite's entreaties?

Book Six

1. How does Kleitophon escape Melite's house?

2. Compare Thersandros to his wife.

3. What claim does Leucippe make that Thersandros finds hard to believe?

4. How does Leucippe show a heroic nature?

Book Seven

1. What role does story-telling have in this novel?

2. In what way is Kleinias a better reader of novels than Clitophon?

3. How does Kleitophon subvert the trial?

4. What happens to save Kleitophon from being tortured on the rack?

5. Where are the lovers reunited at the end of this book?

Book Eight

1. What central question must now be resolved?

2. What detail does Kleitophon leave out of his tale of his adventures? Is he a reliable narrator?

3. What myth is told by the priest of Apollo to explain the syrinx? How do its details correspond to the story of the novel?

4. How does the priest assassinate Thersandros' moral character?

5. How does Melite escape the charge of adultery?

6. What theatrical scene confirms Leucippe's virginity?

7. How is Kallisthenes transformed?

8. What is the effect of the lack of a closing frame to the narrative structure of the novel?