# VII: How the Doctor Was Fitted with a Musket Under Captain Curmudgeon explained — The Adventurous Simplicissimus > Chapter companion for The Adventurous Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. ## What happens Simplicissimus, traveling through Lorraine and running out of wares, sells colored brandy as a gold water until he is captured by a picket from Philippsburg. Forced to pose as a doctor, he is taken to Philippsburg and compelled to become a musketeer against his will. He describes the miserable life of a garrison soldier and the various ways others supplement their meager rations. After being punished for fishing carp from the town ditch, he gains favor by curing patients and is allowed to go out to collect herbs, instead setting snares for hares. His success leads to permission to join plundering parties, resuming a life similar to his time at Soest. ## Themes in this chapter ### Deception and Appearance Simplicissimus is forced to maintain the false identity of a doctor, and he uses deception (colored brandy as gold water) to earn money before his capture. ### War and Destruction The chapter vividly describes the miserable conditions of garrison soldiers during the Thirty Years' War, including hunger, forced labor, and the desperation for survival. ### Fortune and Fate Simplicissimus's fortunes shift from being captured and forced into service to gaining favor through curing patients and catching hares, highlighting the role of luck and circumstance. ## Character check-ins ### Simplicissimus Narrates his capture and forced enlistment as a musketeer, his struggles with hunger, and his eventual success in catching hares and joining plundering parties. ## Key lines > So I bought me two measures of Branntwein and coloured it with saffron, and sold it in half-ounce glasses to the people as a gold water of great price, good against fever, and so my two measures brought me in thirty gulden. He purchased two measures of brandy, dyed it with saffron, and sold it in small glasses as a valuable gold water that cured fevers, earning thirty gulden. _Simplicissimus uses a simple deception to make money from the local people._ > So I came down from a horse to a donkey, and must become a musketeer against my will: which vexed me mightily, for want was master there, and the rations terrible small. He was forced to become a musketeer against his will, a great annoyance because hunger was rampant and the food rations were extremely meager. _Simplicissimus laments his fall in status and the harsh conditions of garrison life._ > At the last others’ misfortune proved my good luck. For having cured a few patients of jaundice and two of fever (all which must have had a particular belief in me), it was allowed me to go out of the fortress on the pretence of collecting roots and herbs for my medicines: instead of which I did set snares for hares and had the luck to catch two the first night. Eventually, the misfortune of others became his good fortune: after curing some patients, he was permitted to leave the fortress to gather herbs, but instead set snares and caught two hares on the first night. _Simplicissimus exploits his reputation as a doctor to gain freedom and improve his situation._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/vii-how-the-doctor-was-fitted-with-a-musket-under-captain-curmudgeon - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters