That’s an interesting observation! While there’s no direct evidence that Sir Walter Scott explicitly drew from Aethiopica (The Ethiopian Tale by Heliodorus) when writing Anne of Geierstein, there are striking similarities between the two novels.

Both stories revolve around a noble heroine with a concealed royal identity—Anne in Scott’s novel and Chariclea in Heliodorus’ tale—who navigate political intrigue, exile, and danger while proving their virtue. Both also feature themes of fate, prophecy, and supernatural elements guiding the protagonists’ journeys.

Given Scott’s extensive knowledge of literature, it’s possible he encountered Aethiopica directly or indirectly, as the novel was widely admired in European literary traditions. The influence of ancient Greek adventure and romance narratives on later European literature is well documented, and Scott, being a master of historical fiction, may have been inspired by such works, even if subconsciously.

If you’re researching this connection, it might be worth exploring how Greek romance novels influenced early modern and Romantic-era writers, as Aethiopica had a notable impact on European storytelling traditions.

Hope this helps, and I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on this!

Thanks. Very insightful. Let me think about what you said, and I will respond later. Again my thanks!