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Aesop's Fables · Chapter

Hercules and Minerva explained

Hercules encounters a small apple on the road that grows larger each time he strikes it.

What happens

Hercules encounters a small apple on the road that grows larger each time he strikes it. Minerva appears and explains it is the apple of discord, which only swells when attacked with violence.

Themes in this chapter

  • Wisdom and Foolishness

    Minerva's counsel represents wisdom, while Hercules' violent reaction exemplifies foolishness.

  • Pride and Folly

    Hercules' pride in his strength leads him to attack the apple, which only worsens the situation.

Characters to notice

  • Hercules

    Travelling along a narrow road, he stamps on and strikes the apple of discord, causing it to swell.

  • Minerva

    Appears to Hercules and advises him to leave the apple alone, explaining its nature.

Key passages

  • “Leave it alone, my friend; that which you see before you is the apple of discord: if you do not meddle with it, it remains small as it was at first, but if you resort to violence it swells into the thing you see.”

    Do not interfere with it; the apple of discord only grows when you try to crush it by force.

    Minerva's lesson on the futility of aggression.

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