The Impostor by Esopo (1605)
The Impostor, written by Esopo, is a literary work that explores the theme of deception and its consequences. The story follows a man who pretends to be someone he is not in order to gain wealth and status, but ultimately finds himself trapped in his own lies. The book raises questions about the nature of identity and the dangers of living a life built on false pretenses.
By Esopo · First published 1605 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 201 words
First lines
A certain man fell ill, and, being in a very bad way, he made a vow that he would sacrifice a hundred oxen to the gods if they would grant him a return to health. Wishing to see how he would keep his vow, they caused him to recover in a short time. Now, he hadn't an ox in the world, so he made a hundred little oxen out of tallow and offered them up on an altar, at the same time saying, "Ye gods, I call you to witness that I have discharged my vow. " The gods determined to be even with him, so they sent him a dream, in which he was bidden to go to the seashore and fetch a hundred crowns which he was to find there. Hastening in great excitement to the shore, he fell in with a band of robbers, who seized him and carried him off to sell as a slave: and when they sold him a hundred crowns was the sum he fetched.
What this Textopian page supports
The Impostor is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1605 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: 1605 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Fantasy, Children's Literature
- Length: 201 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Impostor 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 Impostor?
- 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 Figure In The Mirage by Robert Hichens
- The Wolf And The Horse by Esopo
- The Unfaithful Servant by Charles Kingsley
- The Thief And The Innkeeper by Esopo
- The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner by Esopo
- An Unpardonable Liar by Gilbert Parker
Genres
- Fable — Esopo is known for his fables, and 'The Impostor' is likely to incorporate elements of moral lessons taught through animal characters, similar to Aesop's other works.
- Fantasy — Being a fable, 'The Impostor' is likely to have elements of talking animals or other fantastical elements common in this genre.
- Children's Literature — Esopo's fables are known to be suitable for children and often used as pedagogical tools, hence 'The Impostor' might also be categorized as a children's book.
Tags
deception · identity · self-discovery · betrayal · trust · illusion · character · conflict · society · morality · truth · human nature