Anchoring Aesop in Delphi: Two Different Traditions About His Death

This study examines the accounts of Aesop’s death in Delphi, focusing on the differences between our sources, and starting with the oldest ones. Two separate traditions can be recognized. The first appears to come directly from the sanctuary of Delphi and involves a recognition of Aesop’s compatibility with the wisdom promoted and legitimated by the Pythian shrine. This acknowledgement is only partial, however, and emphasizes the elements that place Aesop on the fringes of the Greek institutional world. In contrast, another tradition originating from outside the sanctuary implies a more pronounced form of legitimation which, through the idea of a heroic cult, put Aesop on the same level as the wisdom of the great sages and poets. These differences reflect the ambiguous status of Aesop already in classical sources and may indicate tensions between different levels of culture.