What is the oldest known work of fiction?Understanding what these reference shortforms representOrigin of the...

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What is the oldest known work of fiction?


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What is the oldest known work of fiction that we know was meant to be taken as fiction? I mean to exclude mythologies; the audience of these was meant to believe they were true. What is the oldest work of fiction where it's truth was never considered?



An example of what I'm looking for: Lysitrata is a work of fiction, and it's audience knew that. The Egyptian creation myth is a work of fiction, but it's audience did not know that.










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    4















    What is the oldest known work of fiction that we know was meant to be taken as fiction? I mean to exclude mythologies; the audience of these was meant to believe they were true. What is the oldest work of fiction where it's truth was never considered?



    An example of what I'm looking for: Lysitrata is a work of fiction, and it's audience knew that. The Egyptian creation myth is a work of fiction, but it's audience did not know that.










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    Ryan_L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.























      4












      4








      4








      What is the oldest known work of fiction that we know was meant to be taken as fiction? I mean to exclude mythologies; the audience of these was meant to believe they were true. What is the oldest work of fiction where it's truth was never considered?



      An example of what I'm looking for: Lysitrata is a work of fiction, and it's audience knew that. The Egyptian creation myth is a work of fiction, but it's audience did not know that.










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Ryan_L is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.












      What is the oldest known work of fiction that we know was meant to be taken as fiction? I mean to exclude mythologies; the audience of these was meant to believe they were true. What is the oldest work of fiction where it's truth was never considered?



      An example of what I'm looking for: Lysitrata is a work of fiction, and it's audience knew that. The Egyptian creation myth is a work of fiction, but it's audience did not know that.







      classical-antiquity literature






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          I remember being taught that the oldest known work of fiction was the Ancient Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers.



          The story was one of those found on the Papyrus D'Orbiney, which has been dated to the 19th Dynasty (c 1215 BCE) and is now owned by the British Museum:



          Two brothers




          • Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


          The text is written in hieratic script, but a translation is available in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume II: The New Kingdom, pp 203-211.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

            – nick012000
            5 mins ago











          Your Answer








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          active

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          active

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          5














          I remember being taught that the oldest known work of fiction was the Ancient Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers.



          The story was one of those found on the Papyrus D'Orbiney, which has been dated to the 19th Dynasty (c 1215 BCE) and is now owned by the British Museum:



          Two brothers




          • Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


          The text is written in hieratic script, but a translation is available in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume II: The New Kingdom, pp 203-211.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

            – nick012000
            5 mins ago
















          5














          I remember being taught that the oldest known work of fiction was the Ancient Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers.



          The story was one of those found on the Papyrus D'Orbiney, which has been dated to the 19th Dynasty (c 1215 BCE) and is now owned by the British Museum:



          Two brothers




          • Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


          The text is written in hieratic script, but a translation is available in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume II: The New Kingdom, pp 203-211.






          share|improve this answer


























          • Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

            – nick012000
            5 mins ago














          5












          5








          5







          I remember being taught that the oldest known work of fiction was the Ancient Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers.



          The story was one of those found on the Papyrus D'Orbiney, which has been dated to the 19th Dynasty (c 1215 BCE) and is now owned by the British Museum:



          Two brothers




          • Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


          The text is written in hieratic script, but a translation is available in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume II: The New Kingdom, pp 203-211.






          share|improve this answer















          I remember being taught that the oldest known work of fiction was the Ancient Egyptian Tale of Two Brothers.



          The story was one of those found on the Papyrus D'Orbiney, which has been dated to the 19th Dynasty (c 1215 BCE) and is now owned by the British Museum:



          Two brothers




          • Image source British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)


          The text is written in hieratic script, but a translation is available in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature: Volume II: The New Kingdom, pp 203-211.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 4 hours ago

























          answered 5 hours ago









          sempaiscubasempaiscuba

          52.5k6179230




          52.5k6179230













          • Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

            – nick012000
            5 mins ago



















          • Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

            – nick012000
            5 mins ago

















          Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

          – nick012000
          5 mins ago





          Is that fiction or a religious document? The Wikipedia article notes that the Ennead show up part of the way through, and the story seems to have some similarities with the story of Osiris (e.g. genital amputation followed by resurrection).

          – nick012000
          5 mins ago










          Ryan_L is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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