The action of the first surviving Greek novels dates back to the 5th century. BC e. - the time of the highest power of the Persian kingdom, the Peloponnesian conflict, the Greco-Persian wars and many other historical events.

The beautiful Kalliroya, daughter of the famous Syracuse strategist Germocrat (historical person), and the young Herei fell in love. And although Kalliroi’s father was against this marriage, the lovers took the side ... The Syracuse People's Assembly (an unusual detail from a modern point of view!) And the wedding took place.

But the happiness of the newlyweds was short-lived. The intrigues of the rejected grooms (and there were many of the divinely beautiful Kalliroi) led to the fact that the Herey, jealous in nature, suspected his wife of treason. A quarrel erupts, ending tragically. Relatives mistook Kalliru for a long time as dead and bury him alive ...

The rich robber was seduced by the sea robber Feron. Already woken up by that time from a deep fainting of Kalliroi (a terrible awakening in his own grave!), He is captured by pirates who take her to the Asia Minor city of Miletus and sell them into slavery. Her master is the recently widowed, noble and wealthy Dionysius ("... the main man in Miletus and in all of Ionia").

Dionysius is not only rich, but also noble. He passionately falls in love with Kalliroy and asks a beautiful slave to become his wife.

But even the thought of it is disgusting to the captive Syracusan, for she still loves only Khereia and, moreover, is expecting a child.

In this critical situation (the position of the slave, which the owner wants to make mistress), smart Kalliroya, after much hesitation, falsely agrees, but, under various plausible pretexts, asks the wedding to be postponed ...

Meanwhile, in Syracuse, a robbed tomb was discovered in which Kalliroi was not. And her expeditions sent to Libya, Italy, Ionia ...

And at sea a boat with mourning items - jewelry from a robbed tomb - was detained. Here lies the half-dead Feron, the leader of the pirates. Brought to Syracuse, he confesses to his deeds under torture. The popular assembly unanimously condemned him to death: “After Feron, when he was taken away, there was a large crowd of people. He was crucified before the grave of Kalliroi: from the cross he looked at the sea, on which he carried the captive of the daughter of Germocrat ... "

And then from Syracuse to Miletus the embassy headed by Kherei is sent to rescue Kallira from slavery. Having reached the shores of Ionia and stepping off the ship, Kherey comes to the temple of Aphrodite - the culprit and his happiness and misfortune. And then he suddenly sees the image of Kalliroi (brought to the temple by the lovers of Dionysius). The younger priestess reports: Kalliroia became the wife of the Ionian lord and their common lady.

... Suddenly, a large detachment of barbarians attacked the peaceful ship of the Syracusans. Almost all of them died. Only Kherey and his faithful friend Polyharm were captured and sold into slavery.

All this is not a coincidence. Foka, the devoted housekeeper of Dionysius, having seen the Syracuse ship with the embassy, ​​realized what this threatened to his master. And sent a guard detachment to the arriving ship.

... And Kalliroya sees in a dream a captive husband. And, unable to restrain herself anymore, tells Dionysius that she had a husband, who probably died.

In the end, the economist Foka admits to the deed: the corpses of the Syracusans for a long time swayed in the bloody waves. Thinking that her beloved is also dead, Kalliroya exclaims bitterly: “The vile sea! You brought Kherey to death in Miletus, and me for sale! ”

... The delicate and noble Dionysius advises Kallirae to arrange a burial for Herea (the Greeks did this for no one knows where the victims were - they built an empty tomb "cenotaph"). And on the high bank near the harbor of Miletus, a grave is erected ...

But Kalliroya cannot recover and even calm down a little. Meanwhile, from her heavenly beauty, men even faint. This happened, for example, with the Kari satrap Mithridates, who saw Kallirou while visiting Dionysius.

Namely, Mithridates fell into slavery to Kherey and Polykharm. And - a new twist of fate: for imaginary participation in the riot of slaves, they face a crucifix on the cross. But by a happy coincidence, the faithful Polyharm gets the opportunity to talk with Mithridates, and Khereya literally at the last moment is removed from the cross ...

The satrap confirms what they already know: Kalliroia is the wife of Dionysius and they even had a son. But he (like everyone else) does not know that the child is not from the Ionian lord, but from Kherei. This is also unknown to the unfortunate father who exclaims, addressing the satrap: “I implore you, Vladyka, return my cross back to me. Forcing me to live after such a message, you torture me even more cruelly than the cross! ”

... Kherei writes Kalliry letter, but it falls directly into the hands of Dionysius. He does not believe that Heri is alive: that, they say, the insidious Mithridates wants to embarrass Kalliroi’s peace with false news about her husband.

But the circumstances are such that Artaxerxes himself, the great king of Persia, summoned Dionysius with Kalliroa and Mithridates for a fair trial ...

So, Dionysius and Kalliroa go to Babylon to Artaxerxes at the king’s headquarters. There, in a shorter way, through Armenia, Mithridates rushes.

On the way, the satraps of all the royal regions greet and honor Dionysius and his beautiful companion, the rumor about the unsurpassed beauty of which flies ahead of her.

Excited, of course, and the Persian beauties. And not without reason. For Artaxerxes himself at first sight falls in love with Kalliroy ...

The day of the royal court is coming. And Mithridates puts out his trump card - the living Khereya, whom he brought with him. And it turns out that Dionysius wants to marry a husband's wife ?! Or a slave ?!

But the king hesitates with the decision, postponing the hearing from day to day, as more and more falls in love with Kalliroya. And his chief eunuch reports this to the Syracuse. But she pretends that she did not understand, does not believe in the possibility of such sacrilege: with the living Queen Sostratus, the king makes her such an indecent proposal ?! No, the eunuch is definitely confusing something: he misunderstood Artaxerxes.

By the way, it was Sostratus who was instructed by the tsar to patronize Kallira and, thanks to the wise and tactful behavior of the latter, the women even managed to make friends.

... And the desperate Herey more than once was about to put an end to his life. But every time the faithful Polyharm saves him.

Meanwhile, the senior eunuch of Artaxerxes is already openly beginning to threaten Kalliroe, who does not agree to respond to the feeling of the great king ...

“But all the calculations and all kinds of amiable conversations were quickly changed by Fate, which found an occasion for the development of completely new events. The king received a report that Egypt had fallen from him, having gathered enormous military power ... "

The troops of the Persian king, urgently coming out of Babylon, cross the Euphrates and go towards the Egyptians. The Persian army and the detachment of Dionysius, who wants to earn the favor of Artaxerxes on the battlefield.

Kalliroya also rides in a large royal retinue, while Heri is sure that she has remained in Babylon and is looking for her there.

But there is no limit to the insidiousness of men in love with Kallira. A specially trained (and prudently left in Babylon) man informed Herey that, as a reward for his faithful service, the tsar had already given Kallieroy his wife Dionysius. Although this was not the case, the king himself still hoped to win the favor of the Syracuse beauty.

... And at that time the Egyptian took city after city. And in despair, Herei, to whom freedom was returned, having gathered a detachment of loyal compatriots, goes over to the Egyptian side. As a result of a brilliant military operation, he takes possession of the previously impregnable Phoenician city of Tire ...

Artaxerxes decides to speed up the movement of his huge army and, in order to continue to move lightly, leaves the entire retinue with Sostrata at the head (and with it Kallirou) in a fortress on the island of Arad.

And the victorious Egyptian, conquered by the military talents of Kherey, appoints him a Navarch, placing him at the head of the entire fleet.

... But military happiness is changeable. The Persian king throws new troops into battle. And everything was decided by the lightning strike of the detachment of Dionysius, who kills the Egyptian and brings his head to Artaxerxes. As a reward for this, the king permits him to finally become the husband of Kalliroi ...

And Herey, meanwhile, defeated the Persians at sea. But neither one nor the other knows about mutual successes and defeats and everyone considers himself a complete winner.

... Navarkh Herey with his fleet besieged Arad, not yet knowing that there was his Kalliroi. And Aphrodite finally had mercy on them: long-suffering spouses meet.

They spend the whole night in a hot embrace and tell each other about everything that happened to them during the separation. And Kherey begins to regret that he had betrayed the noble (as he believes) the Persian king. But what to do next ?! And, after consulting with his associates, Herey makes the optimal decision: to sail home to his native Syracuse! And Tsarina Sostrata with all her entourage, with honor (and with reliable protection), sends on a ship to Tsar Artaxerxes with a letter where she explains everything and thanks for everything. And Kalliroia writes words of gratitude to the noble Dionysius, in order to at least somehow console him.

... From the coast of Syracuse harbor residents anxiously watching the approach of an unknown fleet. Among the silent observers is the strategist Germocrates.

On the deck of the flagship is a luxurious tent, And when the canopy finally rises, those standing on the pier suddenly see Kherey and Kalliroya!

The joy of parents and all fellow citizens who have already despaired over the long months of uncertainty is unlimited. And the People’s Assembly demands that Heri tell about everything that he and Kalliroa experienced together and individually. His story evokes the most contradictory feelings among those present - both tears and joy. But in the end - there is more joy ...

Three hundred Greek warriors, selflessly fighting under the leadership of Kherey, receive the honorable right to become citizens of Syracuse.

And Herei and Kalliroya publicly thank the faithful Polyharm for the boundless devotion and support in the ordeals. The only sad thing is that their son remained in Miletus with Dionysius. But everyone believes:

over time, the boy will arrive with honor in Syracuse.

Kalliroya goes to the temple of Aphrodite and, hugging the legs of the goddess and kissing them, says: “Thank you, Aphrodite! You again gave me to see Herey in Syracuse, where I saw him of your own accord as a girl. I do not complain about you for the suffering I have experienced, mistress: they were destined for me by Fate. I beg you to: never separate me from Herea again, but grant us to live happily together and die for both of us at the same time. ”