The Bee and Jupiter by Esopo (1627)
Esopo's "The Bee and Jupiter" is a fable about a bee who becomes overconfident after discovering that Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is only made of gas. The bee decides to fly to Jupiter, but ends up getting lost in space. The moral of the story is that hubris can lead to downfall.
By Esopo · First published 1627 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Classical Literature · 140 words
First lines
A Queen Bee from Hymettus flew up to Olympus with some fresh honey from the hive as a present to Jupiter, who was so pleased with the gift that he promised to give her anything she liked to ask for. She said she would be very grateful if he would give stings to the bees, to kill people who robbed them of their honey. Jupiter was greatly displeased with this request, for he loved mankind: but he had given his word, so he said that stings they should have. The stings he gave them, however, were of such a kind that whenever a bee stings a man the sting is left in the wound and the bee dies.
Evil wishes, like fowls, come home to roost.
What this Textopian page supports
The Bee and Jupiter is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1627 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1627 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Classical Literature, Folklore, Fantasy
- Length: 140 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Bee and Jupiter by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Bee and Jupiter?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Charcoal Burner And The Fuller by Esopo
- The Swallow And The Crow by Esopo
- The Birds The Beasts And The Bat by Esopo
- The Apes And The Two Travellers by Esopo
- The Flea And The Ox by Esopo
- Jupiter And The Monkey by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is known for writing Aesop's Fables, this story features anthropomorphized animals and a moral lesson typical of fables.
- Children's Literature — The book is easy to read with a simple storyline making it suitable for children.
- Classical Literature — Esopo's works are part of western classical literature and this particular one also falls into this genre.
- Folklore — Given that the story originates from a time when such stories were passed down orally, this genre is relevant.
Tags
fable · morality · nature · animals · mythology · wisdom · justice · deity · humility · power · humor · allegory