The Adventurous Simplicissimus · Chapter
XX: Is Pretty Long, and Treats of Playing with Dice and What Hangs Thereby explained
Simplicissimus's governor, an old man skilled in physiognomy, discovers that Simplicissimus is not truly a fool.
What happens
Simplicissimus's governor, an old man skilled in physiognomy, discovers that Simplicissimus is not truly a fool. He confronts him privately, and Simplicissimus reveals his life story. The governor, using palmistry, warns him of future imprisonment and advises him to keep his fool's coat for now. They then visit the camp's gaming-place, a chaotic scene of dice players, cheating, and blasphemy. The governor delivers a lengthy moral condemnation of gambling, detailing its sins and dangers, and explains why authorities tolerate it despite its evils.
Themes in this chapter
Greed and Money
The gambling scene illustrates greed as players cheat, steal, and risk everything for money, while the governor condemns the covetousness inherent in gaming.
Religion and Morality
The governor's lecture frames gambling as a sin against God's commandments, emphasizing blasphemy, theft, and the peril of losing one's soul.
Folly and Wisdom
Simplicissimus's feigned folly contrasts with the governor's wisdom; the gamblers' behavior is portrayed as senseless folly despite their hopes of winning.
Characters to notice
- Simplicissimus
Reveals his true intelligence to the governor and recounts his life story; is warned of future imprisonment.
- The Governor
Discovers Simplicissimus's secret, uses palmistry to foresee his fate, and delivers a moral lecture against gambling.
Key passages
“I know thou art no fool as thou pretendest, and that thou hast no desire to continue in this miserable and despised state.”
The governor tells Simplicissimus he knows he is not truly foolish and does not wish to remain in his lowly disguise.
Governor reveals his discovery of Simplicissimus's secret.
“Whosoever goeth to the gaming-place to play, the same committeth himself to the danger of losing therein, not only his money, but his body and his life also; yea, what is most terrible of all, there can he lose his own soul.”
Anyone who gambles risks losing not just money but also their physical well-being and eternal soul.
Governor's moral warning about the dangers of gambling.
“I will not say 'twas because our officers themselves take part therein, but for this reason, that the soldiers will not—yea, cannot—do without it.”
The governor implies that gambling is tolerated because soldiers are addicted to it, and officers also participate.
Explanation of why authorities permit gambling despite its evils.