The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner Flashcards
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Flashcard Review
Flashcards: The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner
What is the moral of "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner"?
The moral is that those who incite conflict are as guilty — or guiltier — than those who carry it out. The trumpeter never wielded a weapon, but his trumpet rallied soldiers to fight. Aesop warns that influence carries responsibility: enabling harm makes a person complicit in the harm itself.
Why do the captors say the trumpeter is guiltier than the soldiers?
The captors argue that without the trumpeter's call to arms, the soldiers would never have drawn their swords. In their view, the person who motivates and enables the violence bears more responsibility than those who simply respond to the call. The instigator sets the entire chain of destruction in motion.
What is the Perry Index number for this fable?
This fable is Perry Index 370. It is one of the rare Aesop fables featuring only human characters — no animals appear. The fable was retold in Latin verse by Phaedrus and later included in Joseph Jacobs's 1894 collection and George Fyler Townsend's 1867 translation.
How does this fable relate to modern concepts of complicity?
The fable anticipates modern legal and ethical discussions about complicity. Just as the trumpeter claims innocence because he "only" played music, modern enablers of harm often argue they were "just following orders" or "only" providing support. Aesop's point is that the enabler — whether a propagandist, a financier, or a rhetorician — shares in the guilt of those they empower to act.
What other Aesop fables teach about responsibility for harm?
Several Aesop fables explore accountability and the consequences of harmful actions. <a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-boys-and-the-frogs/" class="al-title">The Boys And The Frogs</a> warns that what is play to one may be death to another. <a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-miser/" class="al-title">The Miser</a> teaches that clinging to something you refuse to use is as good as not having it. And <a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-wolf-and-the-kid/" class="al-title">The Wolf And The Kid</a> shows that bravado without real courage is meaningless. Each fable, like "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner," insists that we own the consequences of our choices.
Is "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner" based on a real event?
There is no evidence the fable is based on a specific historical event. However, the scenario it describes — a non-combatant captured during a battle — was a real and recurring feature of ancient warfare. Trumpeters, drummers, and flag-bearers held important roles in military operations, making the question of their culpability both practical and philosophical.
What makes this fable unusual among Aesop's stories?
Unlike the vast majority of Aesop's fables, "The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner" features no animals at all. Every character is human, and the moral lesson is delivered through a realistic battlefield scenario rather than an animal allegory. This directness gives the fable an unusually modern and legalistic tone, which may explain its enduring appeal in discussions of ethics and law.
How does the trumpeter's role compare to <a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-lion-and-the-ass/" class="al-title">The Lion And The Ass</a>?
In <a href="/author/aesop/short-story/the-lion-and-the-ass/" class="al-title">The Lion And The Ass</a>, the ass boasts about its role in a joint hunt, claiming credit for frightening prey — much as the trumpeter might have boasted about rallying soldiers. Both fables explore the gap between self-importance and actual contribution. The key difference is that in "The Trumpeter," the enabler's role is taken seriously by others, while in "The Lion And The Ass," the boaster is simply mocked.