batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l3621-l3646
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg-l3621-l3646
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
passage_locator:
label: THE MILLER, HIS SON, AND THEIR ASS / THE STAG AND THE VINE / THE LAMB CHASED
BY A WOLF / THE ARCHER AND THE LION; lines 3621-3646
start: '3621'
end: '3646'
translation: Aesop's Fables; a new translation
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: Give a wide berth to those who can do damage at a distance.
summary: A lamb pursued by a wolf takes refuge in a temple and chooses possible
sacrifice over being eaten. An archer wounds a lion from a distance with an arrow;
the lion flees, reasoning that anyone who sends such a dangerous messenger must
be more dangerous himself.
language: English
quote_policy: quoted
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: A wolf chases a lamb.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: The lamb takes refuge in a temple.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The wolf says the priest will catch the lamb and offer it as a sacrifice on
the altar if it remains in the temple precincts.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The lamb replies that it prefers being sacrificed to being eaten by the wolf.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: An archer goes into the hills with his bow for sport, and the animals flee
at his sight except for the lion.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: The lion stays behind and challenges the archer to fight.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The archer shoots an arrow at the lion, hits him, and calls the arrow his
messenger.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: The lion runs away after feeling the sting of the arrow.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: A fox, having seen the event, urges the lion not to be a coward and to show
fight.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: The lion refuses to stay, saying that someone who sends such a messenger before
him must be terrible to deal with.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: The passage ends with a maxim advising a wide berth for those who can damage
others at a distance.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Wolf
description: Predator chasing the lamb and urging it out of the temple precincts.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Lamb
description: Pursued animal that takes refuge in a temple and chooses possible sacrifice
over being eaten by the wolf.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Priest
description: Temple priest mentioned by the wolf as one who may catch and sacrifice
the lamb.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Archer
description: Hunter with a bow who goes into the hills, shoots the lion with an
arrow, and describes the arrow as his messenger.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Lion
description: Animal that initially challenges the archer but flees after being struck
by the arrow.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Fox
description: Observer who urges the lion to stay and fight.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Animals
description: Collective group that flees at the sight of the archer, except for
the lion.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
roles:
- id: role:1
label: pursuing predator
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The wolf chases the lamb and tries to lure it from sanctuary.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: refuge seeker
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The lamb takes refuge in the temple.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: potential sacrificial victim
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: The wolf says the priest may sacrifice the lamb, and the lamb accepts that
risk.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: potential sacrificer
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The priest is mentioned as someone who may catch the lamb and offer it in
sacrifice.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: distant attacker
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The archer wounds the lion from a distance by shooting an arrow.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:7
- id: role:6
label: challenger who retreats
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The lion challenges the archer but runs away after the arrow strikes him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: role:7
label: observer and exhorter
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The fox sees the event and urges the lion to stay and fight.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:8
label: fleeing animals
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The animals flee when they see the archer.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: temple refuge
literal_form: temple and precincts
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: altar sacrifice
literal_form: sacrifice on the altar
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:3
label: bow
literal_form: bow
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: arrow as messenger
literal_form: arrow called a messenger
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: hills
literal_form: hills
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Lamb takes temple refuge from wolf
summary: A wolf chases a lamb; the lamb enters a temple, and the wolf warns that
remaining there may lead to sacrifice on the altar. The lamb says it prefers sacrifice
to being eaten by the wolf.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Archer wounds lion at a distance
summary: An archer goes into the hills with a bow. Most animals flee, while the
lion challenges him. The archer shoots the lion with an arrow and calls the arrow
his messenger.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Lion explains his retreat
summary: After being struck, the lion runs away. A fox urges him to fight, but the
lion says a man who sends such a dangerous messenger must be terrible himself.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: choosing a lesser danger over a greater predator
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The lamb weighs the risk of temple sacrifice against being eaten by the wolf
and chooses to remain in the temple.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This is a fable-level practical-choice motif rather than a named taxonomy
motif in the supplied list.
- id: motif:2
label: sacrificial victim at the altar
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The wolf explicitly describes the lamb being caught by the priest and offered
in sacrifice on the altar; the lamb repeats acceptance of sacrifice as preferable
to being eaten.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The sacrifice is threatened or hypothetical within the fable, not actually
performed.
- id: motif:3
label: distant weapon as messenger of greater power
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The archer wounds the lion with an arrow, calls it his messenger, and the
lion infers that the sender is even more dangerous.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is expressed as a fable action and moral, not as a supplied
taxonomy category.
- id: motif:4
label: prudence before remote harm
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The closing maxim advises keeping away from those able to do damage at a
distance.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The link to the broad taxonomy category 'wisdom' is general and should
be reviewed.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 3621-3624, THE LAMB CHASED BY A WOLF
quote_or_summary: A wolf chases a lamb, and the lamb takes refuge in a temple.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: quote
locator: lines 3624-3628, THE LAMB CHASED BY A WOLF
quote_or_summary: The wolf says the priest may offer the lamb 'up in sacrifice on
the altar'; the lamb replies it would 'rather be sacrificed any day than be eaten
up by a Wolf.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt from supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 3630-3635, THE ARCHER AND THE LION
quote_or_summary: An archer goes into the hills with his bow; the animals flee except
the lion, who stays and challenges him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: quote
locator: lines 3635-3638, THE ARCHER AND THE LION
quote_or_summary: The archer shoots and hits the lion, saying, 'There, you see what
my messenger can do.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt from supplied passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3638-3642, THE ARCHER AND THE LION
quote_or_summary: The lion runs away after feeling the arrow; a fox who saw it urges
the lion not to be cowardly and to fight.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary generated from supplied passage.
- id: ev:6
type: quote
locator: lines 3642-3644, THE ARCHER AND THE LION
quote_or_summary: The lion says that when the archer sends such a messenger before
him, he himself must be 'a terrible fellow to deal with.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt from supplied passage.
- id: ev:7
type: quote
locator: line 3646, THE ARCHER AND THE LION
quote_or_summary: Give a wide berth to those who can do damage at a distance.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/aesops-fables-vernon-jones.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt from supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: high
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif labels are descriptive;
only 'sacrifice' and broad 'wisdom' align with supplied taxonomy refs, and both
should be reviewed.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No comparison claims were added because the supplied passage does not itself establish a comparison with another text or tradition.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-aesop-fables-vernon-jones-gutenberg__l3621-l3646
passage_sha256=b3d6ae72c8f3c900c2afe53e54574e597b1bcdf027393f3748f1b94ef3a46f02