4th century BCE, ceramic, Europe, figurine, fooleum, Greece, primary source
Some of the early antecedents of European jesters can be found in Greek and later Roman comic actors and mimes, some of whom would step out of the script and shoot their wit from the hip. This endearing group of terracotta comic actors from an Attic burial has been...
4th century BCE, Europe, Greece, Greek, primary source, quotes, stories
Philip, who pitches up at Xenophon’s symposium in search of a decent meal, seems to be a fall-flat flailing fool, and bears some resemblance to the parasite dinner-guest who sings (or jokes) for his supper. I love Philip’s sulking stance when nobody...
4th century BCE, Europe, Greece, Latin, primary source, quotes, stories
An unusual account of a Greek jester who was persuaded to invite the artist Apelles of Kos (4th century BCE) to dine with the king despite knowing they had been estranged. When the artist was asked by the nonplussed king to identify who had invited him, he sketched a...
4th century BCE, biography, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure
Chunyu Kun 淳于髡 (‘Baldy Chunyu’) is one the jesters included in Sima Qian’s (145-c. 86 b.c.) ‘Accounts of Jesters’ in the Historical Records. He served at the court of Weiwang of Qi (c. 356-319 BCE) and used wit and other forms of...
4th century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
Riddles are one technique in the rag-bag of fools’ tools and can prove a playful, indirect way of bringing someone round to another view. First they focus the person on solving the riddle, allowing a moment for the real meaning to sink in quietly. The decoy of...
4th century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
This account of a Chinese jester is from what may be the earliest study of their exploits. It highlights a common technique for influencing behaviour – not through confrontation but by lightly indirect means, allowing the king to draw his own conclusions.In the...
4th century BCE, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories
A common theme in the interactions between fools and kings is the need to rein in regal carousing or other forms of distraction from the affairs of state.On one occasion Chunyu Kun (Baldy Chunyu 淳于髡) used a riddle to talk Weiwang of Qi (c. 356-319 BC, whose name has...
