Anthenor

Critical Literature

No critical literature available

The inset story appears in the following manuscripts

Manuscript	Language	Siglum (Version)	Language Group within Version
Bibliothèque nationale de France, français 573		M ('Male Marastre')	French

The inset story appears in the following versions and secondary versions

Version	Original Language	Branch of Tradition	Adapted from
M ('Male Marastre')	Old French	West	A (Seven Sages)

Anthenor, king of Arabia, has a wise and beautiful daughter, renowned for her cleverness and insight. He marries the queen of Armenia, who also has a young daughter. Word comes that Caesar wishes to marry Anthenor's daughter, and Anthenor rejoices. However, the queen of Armenia wishes for her own daughter's advancement. Before the Roman emmisaries arrive, she speaks to Anthenor in private, and tells him that his daughter is unable (or perhaps unwilling) to lie with a man. Saddened and distressed, Anthenor asks the advice of his counsellors, who tell him to speak to his daughter directly, and not to blindly trust his wife. However, the queen had already approached his daughter, telling her that Caesar himself was impotent. So when Anthenor speaks to his daughter, enquiring what she thinks about the possibility of marrying Caesar and bearing his children, she tells him that such a thing is impossible. Both Anthenor and his lords, believing his daughter to be unwilling to marry Caesar, agree that she shall not be forced to do so. Instead, Anthenor sends his step-daughter to marry the emperor, claiming it his daughter, but the marriage is unhappy and there are no children. Word soon comes from the king of Greece, who also desires the hand of Anthenor's daughter, and Anthenor goes to her to ask what excuse he should give this time. Confused, she asks why he should need an excuse, and he replies that her lack of desire for men is the issue. She explains that this was not the case, and the queen's plot is revealed. She marries the king of Greece and soon bears a son. Word of this reaches Caesar, who discovers the deception, and invades Arabia, destroying Anthenor and all his lands in retribution.