the old man. And again we are presented with a series of clues provided dramatically from inside the narrative frame: partly through the satrap’s letter, which the reader of the novel reads through the eyes of a character in the novel (Hydaspes), and partly through the subsequent action, description of which is limited to what could have been seen and heard by those present, thus enabling the narrator to conceal his omniscience about the old man’s identity and motives. The contents of the letter, however, cohere so closely with events already narrated that it is plain that the daughter the old man is seeking is Charikleia. This is confirmed when he fails to find her among Hydaspes’ captives, since she has been removed after her recognition by her natural parents. But even when the reader has become sure that the object of the old man’s quest is the heroine of the novel, he may still be reluctant to identify the old man himself as Charikles, because of the sheer improbability of the priest of Delphic Apollo suddenly turning up in rags beyond the southern frontiers of Egypt -until, that is, he recognizes Theagenes and refers to the elopement from Delphi which took place six books previously. These clues are quite sufficient to enable the reader to work out who the old man is before Helio­ doros gives us the answer: Tressed by Hydaspes to explain more clearly what he meant, the old man (who was none other than Charikles) '.. . ’ (10.36.1). What must be noted here is that the reader can entertain and confirm the identification of Charikles only because he has a surplus of knowledge over the Ethiopians which is the result of his having read the novel so far and their having not. The riddle this time does not involve material from outside the text and is more than just an incidental piece of fun. The game which the reader is being invited to join is a riddle which not only tests his memory of earlier sections of the plot, but also has a crucial bearing on its future. For if the identity of Charikles is enigmatic, even more so is how he might affect the prospects of Theagenes; the hero is condemned to die as a human sacrifice, but the reader’s expectations are geared up to a reprieve, partly by the knowledge that romantic heroes do not get killed on the last page,5 but also, more specifically, by Theagenes’ exhibition of prowess in wrestling a runaway steer and an Ethiopian giant, and by suggestions that, despite her maidenly inhibitions, Charikleia is on the verge of coming clean about him to her parents. The sudden intervention

DOI link for the old man. And again we are presented with a series of clues provided dramatically from inside the narrative frame: partly through the satrap’s letter, which the reader of the novel reads through the eyes of a character in the novel (Hydaspes), and partly through the subsequent action, description of which is limited to what could have been seen and heard by those present, thus enabling the narrator to conceal his omniscience about the old man’s identity and motives. The contents of the letter, however, cohere so closely with events already narrated that it is plain that the daughter the old man is seeking is Charikleia. This is confirmed when he fails to find her among Hydaspes’ captives, since she has been removed after her recognition by her natural parents. But even when the reader has become sure that the object of the old man’s quest is the heroine of the novel, he may still be reluctant to identify the old man himself as Charikles, because of the sheer improbability of the priest of Delphic Apollo suddenly turning up in rags beyond the southern frontiers of Egypt -until, that is, he recognizes Theagenes and refers to the elopement from Delphi which took place six books previously. These clues are quite sufficient to enable the reader to work out who the old man is before Helio­ doros gives us the answer: Tressed by Hydaspes to explain more clearly what he meant, the old man (who was none other than Charikles) '.. . ’ (10.36.1). What must be noted here is that the reader can entertain and confirm the identification of Charikles only because he has a surplus of knowledge over the Ethiopians which is the result of his having read the novel so far and their having not. The riddle this time does not involve material from outside the text and is more than just an incidental piece of fun. The game which the reader is being invited to join is a riddle which not only tests his memory of earlier sections of the plot, but also has a crucial bearing on its future. For if the identity of Charikles is enigmatic, even more so is how he might affect the prospects of Theagenes; the hero is condemned to die as a human sacrifice, but the reader’s expectations are geared up to a reprieve, partly by the knowledge that romantic heroes do not get killed on the last page,5 but also, more specifically, by Theagenes’ exhibition of prowess in wrestling a runaway steer and an Ethiopian giant, and by suggestions that, despite her maidenly inhibitions, Charikleia is on the verge of coming clean about him to her parents. The sudden intervention

the old man. And again we are presented with a series of clues provided dramatically from inside the narrative frame: partly through the satrap’s letter, which the reader of the novel reads through the eyes of a character in the novel (Hydaspes), and partly through the subsequent action, description of which is limited to what could have been seen and heard by those present, thus enabling the narrator to conceal his omniscience about the old man’s identity and motives. The contents of the letter, however, cohere so closely with events already narrated that it is plain that the daughter the old man is seeking is Charikleia. This is confirmed when he fails to find her among Hydaspes’ captives, since she has been removed after her recognition by her natural parents. But even when the reader has become sure that the object of the old man’s quest is the heroine of the novel, he may still be reluctant to identify the old man himself as Charikles, because of the sheer improbability of the priest of Delphic Apollo suddenly turning up in rags beyond the southern frontiers of Egypt -until, that is, he recognizes Theagenes and refers to the elopement from Delphi which took place six books previously. These clues are quite sufficient to enable the reader to work out who the old man is before Helio­ doros gives us the answer: Tressed by Hydaspes to explain more clearly what he meant, the old man (who was none other than Charikles) '.. . ’ (10.36.1). What must be noted here is that the reader can entertain and confirm the identification of Charikles only because he has a surplus of knowledge over the Ethiopians which is the result of his having read the novel so far and their having not. The riddle this time does not involve material from outside the text and is more than just an incidental piece of fun. The game which the reader is being invited to join is a riddle which not only tests his memory of earlier sections of the plot, but also has a crucial bearing on its future. For if the identity of Charikles is enigmatic, even more so is how he might affect the prospects of Theagenes; the hero is condemned to die as a human sacrifice, but the reader’s expectations are geared up to a reprieve, partly by the knowledge that romantic heroes do not get killed on the last page,5 but also, more specifically, by Theagenes’ exhibition of prowess in wrestling a runaway steer and an Ethiopian giant, and by suggestions that, despite her maidenly inhibitions, Charikleia is on the verge of coming clean about him to her parents. The sudden intervention