Callirhoe and Chaereas
This work is very often found under the alternative title Callirhoe and Chaereas which is more reflective of its nature as a romance. That romance blossoms between, as one might expect, those two title characters. Early on, metaphor to enhance a “cute meet” that actually comes off very much like, well, any romantic comedy, really. Except, things don’t turn out too comedic:
“Just then Chaereas was walking home from the gymnasium, radiant as a star. The flush of exercise bloomed on his beaming face like gold on silver. As chance would have it, the two walked headlong into each other at the corner of a narrow intersection—a meeting contrived by the god to make sure that they saw each other. They fell in love at first sight.”
Historical Allusion
The completely fictional love story is lent a certain sort of verisimilitude by the insertion of characters alluding to historical figures. The relationship between these versions and the actual real-life figures is slight at best but nevertheless does prove weirdly successful in giving the story a sense of authenticity. Even when metaphor is used to break that sense of truth:
“The women then went away, but that kiss sank deep into Dionysius’ heart like poison and he could no longer see or hear. He was completely taken by storm, and could find no remedy for his love.”
The Queen Bee
Though not a direct reference, metaphorical imagery is utilized to put across the idea of Callirhoe as endowed with some sort of unnatural quality of beauty far surpassing even others of greater than average looks. She possesses a superiority that, in the common vernacular, makes her the Queen Bee surrounded by drones:
“Then you could see that royalty comes by birth, as with the king in a swarm of bee, for they all of their own accord followed after her as though she had been elected to her beauty by their mistress.”
Plot Exposition
Metaphor is even an effective device for that most unpleasant of all writing in fiction: plot exposition. You know the type: when one character has to describe to another what has already happened. Usually, of course, this is also done for the sake of the reader. In its worst aspect ratio, however, exposition explains to another character what the reader already knows. Which may be writers latch onto metaphor to shorten the pain of the repetition:
“I have been sold in an isolated place and was not even brought to the city as any other slave might be, for you were afraid, Fortune, that if any saw me, they might judge me nobly born. That is why I have been handed over like a mere chattel to I know not whom, whether Greeks or oriental or brigands once more.”
Plot Machinations
Open expressions of plot machinations are also made through manifestation of metaphor. Part of those machinations involves crafting a façade of unfaithful in Callirhoe in order to manipulate the darker emotions associated with love bubbling within Chaereas:
“Elect me general of the campaign against Chaereas and I undertake to dissolve the marriage. I shall arm Jealousy against him, and she, with Love as her ally, will work serious damage.”
