The Temptation of St. Antony (Gustave Flaubert, 1874)

Flaubert is much better known for Madame Bovary (on our Great Books reading lists in the late 1970s) and A Sentimental Education (discussed here). He took a stab at doing a - well, I don't know how to describe this, a fantasy? - early in his career. This was based on the famous temptations endured by St. Antony (one of those third-century saints who lived as a hermit in the desert, or was up on a pole for awhile, or perhaps both). But his friends told him the book was awful.

He came back to the idea in the 1870s - after tinkering with it from time to time, and after finding great success with the two books noted.

I didn't quite know what to make of it. St. Antony is weak with hunger, somewhat regretful of the path he took; endures a long night in which every type of temptation shows up. Flaubert must have been incredibly knowledgeable about ancient gods, old heresies, myths, etc.

Artists liked this story also, I include a painting attributed to Bosch.