Aesop's Fables · Chapter
The Athenian and the Theban explained
An Athenian and a Theban debate the greatness of their respective heroes, Theseus and Hercules, with the Athenian's glibness prevailing until the Theban retorts with a wish that each city face the anger of its own hero.
What happens
An Athenian and a Theban debate the greatness of their respective heroes, Theseus and Hercules, with the Athenian's glibness prevailing until the Theban retorts with a wish that each city face the anger of its own hero.
Themes in this chapter
Pride and Folly
Both travelers boast excessively about their city's hero, revealing pride that leads to a petty and potentially dangerous wish.
Wisdom and Foolishness
The Athenian's glib argument wins the debate but provokes a foolish curse, highlighting the lack of true wisdom in their exchange.
Characters to notice
- Hercules
The Theban hero, praised as the greatest hero and a god, but criticized by the Athenian for having once been a servant.
Key passages
“Each of them was lavish in his praises of the heroes of his own city, until eventually the Theban asserted that Hercules was the greatest hero who had ever lived on earth, and now occupied a foremost place among the gods; while the Athenian insisted that Theseus was far superior, for his fortune had been in every way supremely blessed, whereas Hercules had at one time been forced to act as a servant.”
Both men praised their own city's hero extravagantly: the Theban claimed Hercules was the greatest hero ever, now a leading god, while the Athenian argued Theseus was better because his life was entirely fortunate, unlike Hercules who once served as a slave.
This captures the core argument and the Athenian's clever but petty rebuttal.
“And he gained his point, for he was a very glib fellow, like all Athenians; so that the Theban, who was no match for him in talking, cried at last in some disgust, “All right, have your way; I only hope that, when our heroes are angry with us, Athens may suffer from the anger of Hercules, and Thebes only from that of Theseus.””
The Athenian won the debate because he was a smooth talker, as Athenians are known to be. The Theban, unable to match his rhetoric, finally said in annoyance, 'Fine, you win. I just hope that when the heroes are angry, Athens faces Hercules' wrath and Thebes only Theseus'.'
This shows the Theban's frustrated retort, turning the debate into a curse.