ABSTRACT
The theme of reward and punishment continues in three variations on the tale of the Innocent Slandered Maiden. Leucothoe and Clytie ends in plant metamorphosis for both the innocent rape victim Leucothoe and her malicious rival the unkind Girl Clytie, driven mad in her passion for the sun; the wronged Phronime is saved from drowning by a trick against a background of historical legend concerning the birth of Battus, founder of Cyrene. The most elaborate version opens a full-length historical novel: Callirhoe is framed by jealous unsuccessful suitors, left for dead and saved by a tomb-robber, who pays for his trafficking with crucifixion. Here we have an unusual variant, less well-known than versions in which the girl victim is enabled to pass judgement on her slanderers.
