Apollonius of Tyre is the subject of a popular medieval story, existing in numerous forms in many languages.

In most versions, the eponymous hero is hunted and persecuted after he reveals a king's incestuous relationship with his daughter. After many travels and adventures, in which Apollonius loses both his wife and his daughter and thinks them both dead, he is eventually reunited with his family through unlikely circumstances or intercession by gods. The major themes are the punishment of inappropriate lust—the incestuous king invariably comes to a bad end—and the ultimate rewards of love and fidelity. Incest among humans is sexual activity between close family members. ...

The story is first mentioned in Latin by Venantius Fortunatus in his Carmina (Bk. vi. 8, 11. 5-6) during the late 6th century; it is conjectured, based on similarities with the Ephesian Tale of Xenophon of Ephesus, that the original was a Greek romance of the 3rd century. The riddles with which the king tests the hero in many versions may be a later addition to the story. Some scholars also believe the incest story to have been a later addition, however, many experts such as Elizabeth Archibald (author of, amongst other works, "Apollonius of Tyre: Medieval and Renaissance Themes and Variations") see it as an integral thematic element of the tale. Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus (c. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... The Ephesian Tale of Anthia and Habrocomes by Xenophon of Ephesus is a novel belonging to the mid second century of the Common Era. ... Xenophon of Ephesus (fl. ... // Overview Events 212: Constitutio Antoniniana grants citizenship to all free Roman men 212-216: Baths of Caracalla 230-232: Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east 235-284: Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire 250-538: Kofun era, the first... A riddle is a statement or question having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. ...

The earliest manuscripts of the tale, in a Latin version, date from the 9th or 10th century; the most widespread Latin versions are those of Gottfried von Viterbo, who incorporated it into his Pantheon of 1185 as if it were actual history, and a version in the Gesta Romanorum. The earliest vernacular translation is an incomplete Old English prose text from the 11th century, sometimes called the first English novel; the existence of this text is something of a mystery, since secular prose fiction was extremely rare at the time. Various versions of the tale were subsequently written in most European languages. As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... Gottfried von Viterbo (c1125-1202). ... Events April 25 - Genpei War - Naval battle of Dan-no-ura leads to Minamoto victory in Japan Templars settle in London and begin the building of New Temple Church End of the Heian Period and beginning of the Kamakura period in Japan. ... Gesta Romanorum, a Latin collection of anecdotes and tales, was probably compiled about the end of the 13th century or the beginning of the 14th. ... Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... // Early novels in English See the article First novel in English. ...

A notable English version is the eighth book of John Gower's Confessio Amantis, which uses it as an exemplum against incest. Robert Copeland wrote an early 16th century prose version; Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre was based in part on Gower's version, with the change of name probably inspired by Philip Sidney's Arcadia. It was also a source for Twelfth Night and The Comedy of Errors. John Gower shooting the world, a sphere of earth, air, and water (from an edition of his works c. ... Confessio Amantis (The Lovers Confession) is a 33,000-line Middle English poem by John Gower, which uses the confession made by an ageing lover to the chaplain of Venus as a frame story for a collection of shorter narrative poems. ... An Exemplum (latin for example, pl. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Robert Copeland (born May 26, 1981) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Title page of the 1611 quarto edition of the play Pericles, Prince of Tyre is a play written (at least in part) by William Shakespeare and included in modern editions of his collected plays despite some questions over its authorship. ... Philip Sidney. ... Arcadia or Arkadía (Greek Αρκαδία; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. ... Twelfth Night has at least three meanings: Twelfth Night (holiday), celebrated by some Christians Twelfth Night, or What You Will, a comedic play by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night (band), a progressive rock band This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... The Comedy of Errors is an early play by William Shakespeare, written between 1592 and 1594. ...

External links

• Old English translation
• Plot summary