It was translated into Latin as the Vita Thaisis ["Life of Thaïs"] by Dionysius Exiguus during the sixth or seventh century.

[6] In 1901 the Egyptologist Albert Gayet (1856–1916) announced the discovery near Antinoë in Egypt of the mummified remains of St. Thaïs and of Bishop Sérapion.

In her Vita a monk in disguise pays for entry into her chambers in order to challenge her and convert her, yet he finds that she already believes in God, from whom nothing is hidden.

Here is St. Paphnutius[12] addressing the abbess of the desert convent, concerning care for their new convert Thaïs: During the European Middle Ages, historical evidence indicates a widespread popularity for the life story of St.

[3] During the Renaissance, the Spanish painter Jusepe de Ribera (1591–1652), whose career was spent largely in Naples, produced his composition (above).

After the distinctive artistic lead of Gustave Flaubert (1821–1880) in his La tentation de Saint Antoine (1874),[15] there eventually followed, in a decidedly more skeptical, yet still historic-religious vein, the French novel Thaïs (1890).

Massenet's music was termed romantic, his being melodic, seductive, poetic, melancholy, "traits of the French lyric theater at its best".

The last scene's duet shows a reversal of rôles, in which the pious and touching phrases of Thaïs transcend the despairing ardour of Athanaël.

Chants of desolation, and later, return of the beautiful violin from an earlier symphonic méditation (first played during the intermezzo when Thaïs had converted) complete the final effect.

Written by the American Paul Wilstach (1870-1952), it starred Constance Collier (1878–1955) playing the title role and Tyrone Power, Sr. (1869–1931) as the hermit.

Between 1911 and 1917 there were apparently five silent movies entitled Thaïs, made in France, Italy, and America, yet not all followed the saint's story.

Later this "oriental dream sequence" was choreographed by Frederick Ashton and performed by Antoinette Sibley and Anthony Dowell at a 1971 benefit gala held at the Adelphi Theatre, London.

[25] The Thaïs of Chiparus is a bronze and ivory statue depicting a dancing figure, an elegant young woman in 'ancient' dress.

It was crafted in France (with a limited production run) during the Art Deco era by the Rumanian artist Demetre Chiparus (1886–1947).