“Daphnis and Chloe” by Long: pastoral drama as mystery and philosophical parable

The article offers a hermeneutic reading of Long’s novel “Daphnis and Chloe” as a semiotic structure where the pastoral ideal is intertwined with philosophical allegory and mystery symbolism. The author explores the key episodes and multi-layered symbolism of the text from the perspective of allusions to Plato’s dialectic of Eros and Orphic-Dionysian mysteries revealing its sacred and initiatory meanings. The analysis shows that the conflicts and trials on the path of the protagonists function as ritual obstacles that facilitate their transition to maturity and realization of the true nature of love. Music, dance and mythopoeic narratives structure their experience, preparing them for the final event. Based on an analysis of the text and contemporary interpretations, it is argued that “Daphnis and Chloe” is not just a pastoral but a philosophical parable in which nature and Eros form a harmonious unity transforming the genre into a mystery dedicatory text. In the context of ancient religious and philosophical traditions the novel reveals Eros as a mediator between the material and the divine. Thus Long’s pastoral idyll becomes a mirror of eternity where every gesture of the characters reflects the universal beauty and harmony.