ABSTRACT 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.
Eleni Manolaraki (Sun,) studied this question.