Quel combattant est le bouvier ? Les Boukoloi à la guerre dans le roman d’Achille Tatius

Abstract

Heliodorus and Achilles Tatius introduce cowherds into their novels; these are not peasants, but savages that live in the Nile delta. Their alterity expresses itseelf on several levels. This article studies the manner with which Achilles Tatius, through the voice of his narrator Clitophon, presents the Boukoloi when they fight. The moving portrait of the cowherd-warrior betrays Clitophon’s stance as historiographer, casting doubt on the sincerity of his account.

Keywords

• Greek novel
• war
• boukoloi
• Achilles Tatius
• narrative
• Clitophon