Aesop for Today, February 5

Aesop for Today, February 5

In reading this new resource (Keith Hopkins) about the relationship between the Philosopher Xanthus and his newly acquired slave, Aesop, there arises a conflict in the story. As I have in the past several articles about Aesop stories, I have to warn you that most likely these tales are derived from the material written by Planudes, and its innacuracies abound. However, reading them is entertaining. So these are written
for your enjoyment, not so much for their historical accuracy.

Aesop is portrayed in these stories as mischievous, spunky, outspoken, and sometimes a little indiscreet in his role as slave. For several reasons, Aesop has irritated Xanthus by his pranks and frank warnings about his wife's immoral lifestyle. So Xanthus, being a reasonable slave owner, tries to find ways to punish Aesop for genuine reasons. Thus ensues a battle of wits that's truly fun to read about. Let's think of the battles of wits in terms of rounds.

Greek bath, archeological dig

 In round 1 Xanthus has decided to makes attempts to gain better control over his slave by the use of explicit and direct instructions. He warns Aesop to "do nothing more or less than what you are told." Aesop says says to himself: "Masters who are overdemanding with regard to the services they want have only themselves to blame for what goes wrong."

Xanthus informs Aesop to "take the oil flask in your hands, and the towels, and let's go to the baths." So Aesop picks them up, and without putting any oil in the flask, follows his master.

Keith Hopkins writes, "The comedy lies in the predictability of conflict, in our knowledge of whom the fictional victor will be, in the unrealistic patience of the master, who is by inversion the fall-guy."

Xanthus gets undressed, hands his clothes to Aesop, and says: "Give me the oil flask". Aesop gave it to him. Xanthus took the oil flask, turned it upside down, found that there was nothing in it, and asked: "Aesop, where is the oil?"

Aesop said: "At home".

 Xanthus demands: "Why?"
 
And Aesop answered: "Because you said to me 'Bring the oil flask and the towels', but you didn't say anything about oil. You had told me not to do anything more than I was told, or else, if I broke that rule, I was likely to be beaten." And then he kept his peace. End of round 1.

In the next round, Xanthus tries to be even more careful and precise. He meets some friends at the bath and plans to invite them to dinner, so he sends Aesop back home: "Aesop, go on back home ... and cook lentil for us. Put it in the pot, put some water in with it, set it on the cooking range, put wood under [the pot], light it; if it goes out, blow on it. Now, do exactly as I say".

Aesop says: "I will". And he goes back to the house, into the kitchen, tosses one lentil into the cooking pot, and cooks it. Meanwhile back at the baths, Xanthus (as befits a stereotypical philosopher) is making a parade of his simplicity, and asks his friends back home to eat a modest snack. They accept.

Xanthus brings his friends to the house and says to Aesop: "Give us something to drink for men straight from the bath". So Aesop runs to the baths with a pitcher and fills it up from the outlet, handing it with a flourish to Xanthus, who is overcome by the stench of it and asks "Phew, what's this?".

And Aesop says "Something to drink straight from the bath." 

End of Round 2!

Eventually, when Xanthus and his friends have been drinking wine for a time, Xanthus asks Aesop whether the "lentil" is cooked. Aesop replies that it is ready. Xanthus, just to make sure, asks to try it. So Aesop brings him the one lentil on a spoon. Xanthus eats the lentil, and says: "That's fine; it's well cooked. Bring in the food and serve it". So Aesop gets a large dish, pours in the boiling water, and says "Bon appetit; it's well cooked". When his master expostulates, Aesop explains that he has eaten the one cooked lentil, and that he had originally ordered "lentil", not "lentils"; "the one is singular, the other plural."

End of round 3!

So the pedantry is volleyed back, the master is mastered. The slave relents and says: "You shouldn't have laid down the law so literally, or I would have served you as best I could. But don't mind, master ... you've learnt not to make similar errors in lectures."

And since Xanthus can find no proper reason for flogging Aesop, he says nothing.

About Greek Baths 

Resource: "Novel Evidence for Roman Slavery" by Keith Hopkins
Past & Present (history publication)
Issue: February, 1993.

Part 13 lists Parts 1-12: Aesop for Today, February 4