The Wife of King Candaules

The Wife of King Candaules by Theophile Gautier is a novella that tells the story of the ancient King Candaules of Lydia and his beautiful wife, Nyssia. The king is so proud of his wife's beauty that he wants to show her off to his trusted friend, Gyges, by inviting him to secretly observe her while she is undressed. However, Nyssia discovers the plan and decides to take revenge by making Gyges kill her husband and become the king himself, with her as his queen. The story is set in the ancient world and explores themes of power, betrayal, and desire. Gautier's writing style is rich and poetic, drawing on classical mythology and history to create a vivid and sensual atmosphere. The novella is both a romantic tale and a cautionary one, warning against the dangers of pride and the consequences of seeking to possess another person. Overall, The Wife of King Candaules is a timeless story that continues to captivate readers with its timeless themes and elegant prose.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.