JUPITER ET LES TONNERRES
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Long ago, a big king lived. His name was Jupiter. He lived high in the sky. The king saw people on Earth. They were not good. He felt very angry. "I will send these people away," he said.
The king called his helper. His helper was swift. "Go far below," the king said. "Find the angry helper. She is a very angry helper. Bring her to me. She will make people go away."
The king thought for a moment. He felt his anger calm down. It was good to wait. He was not so angry now.
His helper brought the angry helper. The angry helper was very happy. The king chose her! She felt special. "All people will go!" she said. She wanted to punish all.
The king heard the angry helper's words. "No, that is too much!" he thought. He did not like her plan. He sent the angry helper away.
The king decided to throw a big bolt himself. He wanted to scare the naughty people. But the king loved people so much. He loved them like a kind father. So, his sky bolt missed its target! It landed far away in the hot sand. People were just a little scared then.
People saw the king missed. They were still naughty. The other gods were not happy. They saw all. "Jupiter, you are too kind!" they said. "People do not learn."
The king heard the other gods. "Okay," he said. "I will make better bolts!" He said strongly. His new sky bolts would hit.
The other gods smiled then. They knew the king's kind heart. "Jupiter," they said. "You love people too much! Let someone else make the sky bolts. They will do it better for you."
Vulcan, the great maker god, helped the king. He made two kinds of bolts. One kind always hit its exact target. The other gods used these strong bolts. The other kind at times missed its way. The king still used these special ones. He used them because he still loved people. He loved them like a kind father.
The king was a great king. His heart stayed kind. Love makes strong people gentle.
Original Story
JUPITER ET LES TONNERRES.
Jupiter, voyant nos fautes,
Dit un jour, du haut des airs:
Remplissons de nouveaux hôtes
Les cantons de l’univers
Habités par cette race
Qui m’importune et me lasse.
Va-t-en, Mercure, aux enfers;
Amène-moi la Furie
La plus cruelle des trois.
Race que j’ai trop chérie,
Tu périras cette fois!
Jupiter ne tarda guère
A modérer son transport.
O vous, rois, qu’il voulut faire
Arbitres de notre sort,
Laissez, entre la colère
Et l’orage qui la suit,
L’intervalle d’une nuit.
Le dieu dont l’aile est légère,
Et la langue a des douceurs,
Alla voir les noires sœurs,
A Tisiphone et Mégère
Il préféra, ce dit-on,
L’impitoyable Alecton.
Ce choix la rendit si fière;
Qu’elle jura par Pluton
Que toute l’engeance humaine
Seroit bientôt du domaine
Des déités de là-bas.
Jupiter n’approuva pas
Le serment de l’Euménide.
Il la renvoie; et pourtant
Il lance un foudre à l’instant
Sur certain peuple perfide.
Le tonnerre, ayant pour guide
Le père même de ceux
Qu’il menaçoit de ses feux,
Se contenta de leur crainte;
Il n’embrasa que l’enceinte
D’un désert inhabité:
Tout père frappe à côté.
Qu’arriva-t-il? Notre engeance
Prit pied sur cette indulgence.
Tout l’Olympe s’en plaignit;
Et l’assembleur de nuages
Jura le Styx, et promit
De former d’autres orages:
Ils seroient sûrs. On sourit;
On lui dit qu’il étoit père,
Et qu’il laissât, pour le mieux,
A quelqu’un des autres dieux
D’autres tonnerres à faire.
Vulcain entreprit l’affaire.
Ce dieu remplit ses fourneaux
De deux sortes de carreaux:
L’un jamais ne se fourvoie;
Et c’est celui que toujours
L’Olympe en corps nous envoie:
L’autre s’écarte en son cours;
Ce n’est qu’aux monts qu’il en coûte;
Bien souvent même il se perd;
Et ce dernier en sa route
Nous vient du seul Jupiter.
XXI
Story DNA
Moral
Even the most powerful beings are swayed by paternal love, which can temper their justice and lead to leniency.
Plot Summary
Angered by humanity's faults, Jupiter initially plans to destroy them by summoning the cruelest Fury, Alecto. However, his rage is tempered, and he disapproves of Alecto's extreme vow. When Jupiter attempts to cast a thunderbolt himself, his paternal love causes him to miss his target, only frightening humanity. The other gods complain about his leniency, leading Jupiter to swear to create more effective thunderbolts. Ultimately, Vulcan creates two types: one accurate, used by the other gods, and another, less precise, still used by Jupiter, demonstrating that even divine justice is softened by paternal affection.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anger to tempered justice
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often drew upon classical sources and mythology to deliver moral lessons, frequently satirizing human nature and power structures through allegorical tales.
Plot Beats (10)
- Jupiter, observing humanity's faults from on high, declares his intention to replace them with new inhabitants.
- He sends Mercury to the underworld to fetch the cruelest Fury, Alecto, to carry out his destructive plan.
- The narrator interjects, advising kings to allow a night's interval between anger and its execution, implying Jupiter's own tempering of rage.
- Mercury brings Alecto, who, flattered by being chosen, swears by Pluto to destroy all human life.
- Jupiter, disapproving of Alecto's extreme oath, sends her away.
- Jupiter decides to cast a thunderbolt himself at a perfidious people, but his paternal instinct causes him to strike an uninhabited desert instead, only frightening them.
- Humanity takes advantage of this indulgence, leading to complaints from the other Olympian gods.
- Jupiter, the cloud-gatherer, swears by the Styx to create more reliable thunderbolts.
- The other gods smile, reminding him he is a father, and suggest he let other gods create the thunderbolts.
- Vulcan takes on the task, forging two kinds of thunderbolts: one that never misses, used by the other gods, and another that often goes astray, still used by Jupiter due to his inherent paternal bias.
Characters
Jupiter
A powerfully built, majestic figure of immense stature, radiating divine authority. His form is muscular and imposing, reflecting his dominion over the heavens. His skin is a warm, sun-kissed tone, indicative of his celestial nature.
Attire: Clad in a flowing, deep purple chlamys (cloak) draped over one shoulder, made of rich, heavy wool or silk, embroidered with golden thunderbolt motifs. Beneath, he wears a simple, yet elegant, white linen chiton, cinched at the waist with a broad golden belt. His feet are adorned with ornate, winged golden sandals.
Wants: To maintain order and justice in the universe, to punish humanity for its transgressions, but also to protect his 'children' (humanity).
Flaw: His paternal affection for humanity, which often prevents him from delivering full, impartial justice.
Begins with a fierce resolve to punish humanity severely, but his paternal nature softens his initial wrath. He learns that his personal involvement compromises justice, leading him to delegate the creation of impartial thunderbolts.
Impulsive, powerful, merciful (especially as a father), prone to anger, ultimately just but swayed by personal feelings.
Mercury
A slender, agile, and graceful young man, with a lithe and athletic build. He appears swift and light, embodying speed and movement. His skin is fair and unblemished.
Attire: Wears a short, light blue chiton, made of fine linen, allowing for ease of movement. Over this, he has a small, winged petasus (traveler's hat) and winged talaria (sandals) on his feet. He carries a caduceus, a staff entwined with two serpents.
Wants: To faithfully execute Jupiter's commands and serve as the messenger of the gods.
Flaw: Bound by the will of Jupiter, lacking independent authority in this context.
Remains a consistent, obedient messenger throughout the narrative, facilitating Jupiter's will without personal change.
Obedient, swift, diplomatic, persuasive, efficient, clever.
Alecto
A terrifying and gaunt female figure, with a lean, sinewy build that suggests relentless energy and cruelty. Her skin is a sickly, pale green or ashen grey, giving her an unearthly appearance.
Attire: Clad in tattered, dark robes of a coarse, rough fabric, perhaps black or deep crimson, stained with what appears to be ancient blood. The fabric hangs loosely on her emaciated frame, emphasizing her terrifying nature.
Wants: To inflict suffering and exact vengeance upon humanity, driven by an inherent desire for punishment.
Flaw: Her extreme cruelty and unyielding nature, which makes her unsuitable for Jupiter's tempered justice.
Her selection by Mercury inflates her pride, causing her to swear an oath of total destruction. She is then rejected by Jupiter for her excessive zeal, remaining unchanged in her cruel nature.
Cruel, merciless, vengeful, proud, eager for destruction, unyielding.
Vulcan
A powerfully built, muscular male figure, but with a noticeable limp or deformity, reflecting his forge work. His skin is grimy with soot and sweat, a testament to his labor.
Attire: Wears practical, durable working attire: a simple, sleeveless leather tunic or apron, stained with soot and grime, over a rough linen loincloth. His arms and chest are often bare, showcasing his powerful physique. His feet are bare or clad in sturdy, open-toed leather sandals.
Wants: To create and craft, to fulfill his role as the divine blacksmith, and to provide effective tools for the gods.
Flaw: His physical deformity, which sets him apart from the other gods, and perhaps a lack of social grace.
He steps forward to solve Jupiter's problem, creating two distinct types of thunderbolts, demonstrating his skill and reliability. His character remains consistent as the master craftsman.
Diligent, skilled, industrious, reliable, pragmatic, somewhat gruff.
Locations
Mount Olympus (Jupiter's Domain)
The celestial abode of Jupiter, high above the mortal world, from where he observes humanity and issues decrees. It is a place of divine power and judgment.
Mood: Majestic, powerful, sometimes wrathful, divine
Jupiter pronounces his initial anger at humanity, sends Mercury to the Underworld, and later receives complaints from the other gods.
The Underworld (Hades' Realm)
The dark, subterranean realm where the Furies reside, a place of shadows and dread. Mercury descends here to retrieve Alecto.
Mood: Gloomy, foreboding, infernal, ancient
Mercury visits the Furies, choosing Alecto to bring back to Jupiter.
An Uninhabited Desert Enclosure
A desolate, empty desert area, specifically targeted by Jupiter's thunderbolt as a warning, rather than a populated area. It is an 'enceinte' (enclosure) implying a defined, if barren, space.
Mood: Desolate, barren, momentarily terrifying, then calm
Jupiter's thunderbolt strikes here, demonstrating his wrath without causing actual harm to people, as he is a 'father' figure.
Vulcan's Forge (Implied)
The workshop where Vulcan (Vulcain) crafts the thunderbolts. It is a place of intense heat, fire, and metalworking, where divine weapons are forged.
Mood: Industrial (divine), powerful, dangerous, creative
Vulcan undertakes the task of forging two types of thunderbolts: one that always hits its mark, and one that often misses.