The Snake and Jupiter by Esopo
Esopo's "The Snake and Jupiter" is a fable about a snake who is saved by Jupiter from a group of birds who are trying to eat him. The snake, grateful for his rescue, asks Jupiter to help him repay the favor. Jupiter agrees, but instead of helping the snake, he tricks him into thinking he has already helped him and disappears. The moral of the story is that appearances can be deceiving and that one should not always trust others based on their words alone.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fantasy, Fable, Children's Literature · 101 words
First lines
A Snake suffered a good deal from being constantly trodden upon by man and beast, owing partly to the length of his body and partly to his being unable to raise himself above the surface of the ground: so he went and complained to Jupiter about the risks to which he was exposed. But Jupiter had little sympathy for him. "I dare say," said he, "that if you had bitten the first that trod on you, the others would have taken more trouble to look where they put their feet. "
What this Textopian page supports
The Snake and Jupiter is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1602 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: 1602 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Fable, Children's Literature, Mythology, Science Fiction
- Length: 101 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Snake 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 Snake and Jupiter?
- How does this fable by Esopo fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Mercury And The Man Bitten By An Ant by Esopo
- The Ass And The Dog by Esopo
- The Stag And The Lion by Esopo
- The Olive Tree And The Fig Tree by Esopo
- The Apes And The Two Travellers by Esopo
- The Wolf And The Lamb by Esopo
Genres
- Fantasy — The title implies a fantastical setting involving animals (snake) and cosmological bodies (Jupiter), a context often found in the Fantasy genre.
- Fable — Esopo is known for his fables, suggesting this story could follow the same genre. Fables often incorporate fantastical elements with moral lessons.
- Children's Literature — Like many of Esopo's works, they are often intended for children. Coupled with the fantastical elements, this could also fall under Children's Literature.
- Mythology — The reference to Jupiter might indicate links to Roman mythology, where Jupiter is a significant deity.
Tags
fable · mythology · animal characters · morality · deception · justice · consequences · wisdom · nature · allegory · Greek literature · storytelling