16th century, Europe, historical figure, Italian, Italy, primary source, quotes, stories
The Italian dwarf-jester Antonio da Trento, who went by the nick-name of Nanino (Little Dwarf), served Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua (1466-1519), by whom he was on one occasion threatened with irons and manacles if he did not control his mockery. His...
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...
16th century, England, Europe, historical figure, primary source, quotes, stories, Tudor
Clod was jester to Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603), and he puns on his own name as part of an elaborate wheeze to talk the queen out of riding in the rain, which none of her attendants felt like doing. This is a good example of the interventions jesters could make, and be...
5th century, dramatic character, India, play, primary source, quotes, Sanskrit, stories
In The Little Clay Cart (Mycchakatika, attributed to Sudraka) the vidusaka Maitreya, whom we met earlier, shows a perhaps even greater degree of familiarity, loyalty and irreverence than Kalidasa’s vidusaka. He stands by his master even when the latter has lost...
20th century, dramatic character, Europe, German, Germany, play, primary source, quotes, stories
Occasionally, more in fiction than reality, the king changes place with the jester, sometimes willingly, occasionally under compulsion. There is an example of this role inversion featuring George Buchanan about whom many anecdotes classify him as a jester, although...
6th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, Northern Qi, primary source, quotes, stories
Shi Dongtong 石動筩 (Moving Bucket), jester of Bei Qi Gaozu 北齊高祖 (r. 550-59), was exceptionally gifted in verbal wit and could run rings around scholars and clerics. The emperor had people read Xiao Tong’s 蕭統 (501-31) great Anthology of Literature 文選. He sighed...
12th century, China, Chinese, East Asia, historical figure, primary source, quotes, Song dynasty, stories
The jester Ding Xianxian 丁仙現 (Immortal Revelation Ding) was a Grand Commissioner of the Court Entertainments Bureau 教坊 at the court of Song Huizong 宋徽宗 (r. 1101-25). Early in the Chongning reign period (1102-06), his musical skills were called upon as arbiter of...
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...
