Chimera (Barth novel) Chimera (Barth novel) Chimera is a 1972 fantasy novel written by American writer John Barth, composed of three loosely connected novellas. The novellas are "Dunyazadiad", "Perseid" and "Bellerophoniad", whose titles refer eponymously to the mythical characters Dunyazad, Perseus and Bellerophon (slayer of the mythical Chimera). The book is an example of postmodernism, which can be seen in its metafictional content and its incorporation of stylistic elements that go beyond the traditional novel genre. It shared the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction with "Augustus" by John Edward Williams. The Dunyazadiad is a retelling of the framing story of Scheherazade, the
Sinis (mythology) to be killed by Theseus as the hero was traveling from Troezen to Athens, in the very same way that he had previously killed his own victims. Theseus then slept with Sinis's daughter, Perigune, who later bore Theseus's son, Melanippus. Perigune later married Deioneus of Oechalia. According to Pausanias, Sinis's death tree was still alive and known during his times. Sinis (mythology) In Greek mythology, Sinis (Σίνις) was a bandit killed by Theseus on his way to Athens. An Isthmian outlaw, Sinis was the son of Polypemon and Sylea or of Canethus and Henioche. Sinis would force travelers to help