XX: How He Gave the Faithful Priest Other Fish to Fry, to Cause Him to Forget His Own Hoggish Life explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Deception and Appearance

  Simplicissimus deliberately lies about his religious doubts to manipulate the pastor and conceal his own immoral conduct.

• Religion and Morality

  The chapter centers on a debate about true religion and salvation, while Simplicissimus uses it as a pretext to avoid moral accountability.

Characters to notice

• Simplicissimus

  The narrator and protagonist, who cunningly deceives the pastor to avoid being admonished for his lecherous behavior.

• The Huntsman of Soest

  Implied as the identity Simplicissimus is using while in the fortress, as he refers to his time in Soest.

Key passages

• “Yet was I not so drowned in lust nor so dull as not to take care to keep all men’s affection so long as I was minded to sojourn in that fortress, that is, till winter was over.”

  I was not so lost in pleasure that I forgot to stay in everyone's good graces while I planned to remain in the fortress until winter ended.

  Simplicissimus explains his strategic concern for maintaining social harmony.

• “I put on my considering cap, and the very next day I betook myself hotfoot to the said pastor, and told him in fine words such a heap of lies, how I had resolved to follow his advice, that he, as I could see from his carriage, was heartily rejoiced thereat.”

  I thought carefully and then hurried to the pastor, telling him a pack of lies about how I intended to follow his advice, which made him very happy.

  Simplicissimus deliberately deceives the pastor to gain his favor.

• “I will sooner keep off the roads altogether than take the wrong one: besides, there be yet other religions besides these here in Europe, as those of the Armenians, the Abyssinians, the Greeks, the Georgians, and so forth, and whichsoever I do choose, then must I with my fellow believers deny all the rest.”

  I would rather avoid choosing a religion entirely than pick the wrong one, especially since there are many other faiths in the world, and whichever I choose would require me to reject all others.

  Simplicissimus feigns a broad-minded skepticism to avoid committing to the pastor's religion.

• “And so can the reader judge what a godless, wicked rogue I then was: for I did but give the good pastor fruitless trouble, that he might leave me undisturbed in my vicious life, and thinks I, 'Before thou art ready with thy proofs I shall belike be where the pepper grows.'”

  Thus the reader can see how wicked I was: I only gave the pastor pointless work so he would stop bothering me about my sinful life, thinking that by the time he had his proofs, I would be far away.

  Simplicissimus admits his manipulation and anticipates escaping the pastor's influence.