This is the first American edition of this famous book. It was limited to 1000 copies privately printed for subscribers only. This is number 903. This is the author's first novel, originally published in France in 1896. It takes place in Ptolemaic Alexandria, during the climax of the Hellenistic Age. It details the star-crossed love story of uber-beautiful courtesan Chrysis and the terminally-bored but uber-handsome sculptor Demetrios. Well, this love story's not exactly "star-crossed." In fact it's downright twisted. Chrysis actually spurns Demetrios, a man who can have any woman he wants; instead, she demands he accomplish three tasks before she will give herself to him. These tasks embroil Demetrios in thievery, sacrilege, and murder, eventually ruining the lives of just about everyone. A compact novel, without any of the padding historical fiction usually suffers from. The prose is exquisite, the imagery sumptuous, an all around delightful reading experience. This book brings to life the erotic poetry of the courtesan's life, creating a subtle throbbing innuendo of sexual delight with every well-crafted word and image. The lesbian wedding ceremony should be the gold standard for centuries to come.
