The River of Fire in the Byzantine Romance Velthandros

Bibliographic Data

ID17822296
AuthorsEleni Manolaraki (University of South Florida, corresponding author), Eleni Hall Manolaraki (0000-0002-6579-2905, University of South Florida, US)
Year2026
Volume15
Issue1
Pages51-74
Publication date2026-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePreternature Critical and Historical Studies on the Preternatural (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2161-2188 • E-ISSN: 2161-2196
PublisherThe Pennsylvania State University Press (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5325/preternature.15.1.0051
OpenAlexW7159680125
LanguageEN
References cited25

The article examines the symbolism of water and fire in the Byzantine romance Velthandros, focusing on a supernatural “river of fire” (flogopotamon). This river serves as a literal and metaphorical conduit, transporting the protagonist, Velthandros, from historical reality into a mythical realm. This study argues that the fiery river alludes to ancient traditions of the search for the Nile’s source, a quest associated with intellectual and spiritual discovery. The spectral presence of the Nile in the Byzantine flogopotamon interconnects themes of self-agency, emotional intelligence, and spiritual enlightenment. Linking Velthandros’s journey to explorations of the Nile situates Velthandros within classical tradition and enriches its interpretation with ancient epistemologies of wisdom

Byzantine architecture · Interpretation (philosophy) · Literal (mathematical logic) · Metaphor · Romance · Byzantine Studies and History · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies

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