Published in 1995: These three 14th century medieval Greek romances, which are presented here for the first time in English translation, form part of a curious and previously neglected corner of literature.

These three 14th century medieval Greek romances, which are presented here for the first time in English translation, form part of a curious and previously neglected corner of literature. While they owe much to the ancient and medieval Greek novel, the romances have obviously been influenced by Western romances, which were introduced to the Greek world after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 to the Fourth Crusade. Their position at the beginning of modern Greek literature is due in no small part to their disregard of the stuffy formalism of many Byzantine authors. The three poems translated here are original compositions, not adaptations of Western romance. The mannered presentation of courtly love which they show, sometimes with a distinctive Byzantine flavor, provides a fascinating reinterpretation of the Western tradition. A general introduction examines the genre and the unusual circumstances in which it began. Individual introductions analyze the particular features and problems of each poem.

First published by CUP in 1989, The Medieval Greek Romance provides basic information for the non-specialist about Greek fiction during the period 1071-1453, as well as proposing new solutions to problems that have vexed previous generations of scholars. Roderick Beaton applies sophisticated methods of literary analysis to the material, and the bridges of the artificial gap which has separated `Byzantine'literature, in a form of ancient Greek as both homogenous and of a high level of literary sophistication. Throughout, consideration is given to relations and interconnections with similar literature in western Europe. As most of the texts discussed are not available in English translation, the argument is illustrated by lucid plot summaries and extensive quotation (accompanied by literal English renderings). For this edition, The Medieval Greek Romance has been revised throughout and expanded with the addition of an `Afterword' which assesses and responds to recent work on the subject.

Mystery surrounds the parentage of Alexander, the prince born to Queen Olympias. Is his father Philip, King of Macedonia, or Nectanebo, the mysterious sorcerer who seduced the queen by trickery? One thing is certain: the boy is destined to conquer the known world. He grows up to fulfil this prophecy, building a mighty empire that spans from Greece and Italy to Africa and Asia. Begun soon after the real Alexander's death and expanded in the centuries that followed, The Greek Alexander Myth depicts the life and adventures of one of history's greatest heroes - taming the horse Bucephalus, meeting the Amazons and his quest to defeat the King of Persia. Including such elements of fantasy as Alexander's ascent to heaven borne by eagles, this literary masterpiece brilliantly evokes a lost age of heroism.