In the 2nd Century A.D., a period often considered a zenith for the Roman Empire but a trough for original Greek literature, an astonishing literary anomaly emerged. More than eighty works by Lucian of Samosata, a renowned satirist, have survived, with one particular text, ‘A True Story,’ frequently cited as the earliest known work of science fiction. This remarkable composition, which is briefly discussed in the accompanying video, offers a profound glimpse into ancient literary traditions, societal critiques, and surprisingly, the nascent stirrings of speculative fiction.
Historically, the 2nd century was not devoid of imaginative narratives; however, these often blurred the lines between fact and fiction, presenting fantastical tales as genuine travelogues or philosophical dialogues. Lucian’s brilliance lies not only in his inventive narrative but also in his meta-narrative approach, openly declaring his work as a fabrication. This act of disavowal was a direct challenge to his contemporaries, whose sensationalist writings often misled a credulous public. The intent behind ‘A True Story’ is understood to be a scathing parody of the popular genres of the time: the embellished travelogue and the pedantic debate.
Lucian of Samosata: A Master of Ancient Satire and Proto-Sci-Fi
Lucian of Samosata, born around 125 A.D. in what is now Turkey, was a prolific rhetorician and satirist. His writings, composed primarily in Greek, were known for their biting wit and exaggerated humor, often targeting the superstitions, religions, and political figures of his era. He delighted the educated upper classes of Greece, his primary readership, who were equipped to understand his referential humor and subtle digs at contemporary culture. It is frequently asserted that Lucian’s works, while appearing dated to a modern audience, were acutely relevant and entertaining to his original demographic. His ability to craft compelling narratives while simultaneously dissecting the flaws of society marks him as a literary giant.
The cultural landscape of the Roman Empire, where Greek literature thrived, was fertile ground for Lucian’s critiques. Travelogues, which purported to describe distant lands and exotic discoveries, were particularly popular. These were often a blend of genuine observation and fantastical exaggeration, with writers frequently fabricating details to maintain relevance and captivate audiences. Similarly, philosophical and political debates, characterized by their highbrow discourse and semantic squabbles over ultimately trivial matters, provided another rich vein for Lucian’s satirical genius. In ‘A True Story,’ these two prevalent genres are seamlessly woven into a single, cohesive, and utterly absurd narrative, designed to highlight their inherent deceit and superficiality.
“Truthfully, I Lie”: The Meta-Narrative of ‘A True Story’
The introduction of Lucian’s ‘A True Story’ is arguably one of its most innovative and enduring features. On the very first page, the author boldly declares his intention to lie, asserting, “I confidently pronounce that truthfully, I lie.” This explicit statement would have been profoundly disorienting for a 2nd-century reader, accustomed to travelogues that masqueraded as factual accounts. Lucian’s candor served as a direct indictment of the publishing practices of his time, where authors like Ctesias and Homer were implicitly accused of fabricating sensationalist stories for a “stupid readership.” Yet, with characteristic self-awareness, Lucian admits his own inability to avoid such tactics, choosing instead to be “more noble” by openly acknowledging his falsehoods.
This meta-fictional approach sets ‘A True Story’ apart from its contemporaries and positions it as a sophisticated work of literary criticism embedded within a fantastic narrative. The reader is invited to participate in a shared understanding that what follows is pure invention, a deliberate contrivance designed not to inform about distant lands, but to amuse and, more importantly, to critique the very act of storytelling and its reception. This self-reflexive quality is often attributed to much later literary movements, making Lucian’s work exceptionally forward-thinking.
A Voyage Beyond the Pillars of Hercules: The Adventure Begins
The narrative of ‘A True Story’ commences with Lucian gathering a crew of 50 men onto a large wooden ship, embarking from the Pillars of Hercules, known today as the Strait of Gibraltar. Their initial objective is to explore the Western Ocean, a journey stocked with provisions and guided by an expert pilot, signifying a conventional setup for a travelogue. However, the ordinary quickly devolves into the extraordinary. After a day and a night of sailing, the crew is engulfed by a terrifying tempest, which they endure for an astounding 79 days.
Upon the storm’s abatement on the 80th day, they discover an island. A scouting party of 20 men disembarks, leaving 30 to guard the ship. On the island, they encounter a bronze slab commemorating Hercules and Dionysus, alongside massive footprints, which serve as proof of divine presence. This initial encounter immediately establishes the blend of mythical elements with an emerging sense of exploration. Further into the island, a river of wine is discovered, whose fish, when consumed, induce intoxication. The crew’s exploration upstream leads them to grapevines shaped like women, speaking Greek. Two lust-stricken voyagers embrace these tree-women, only to be snared by branches and transformed themselves, a chilling warning against succumbing to primal desires. The party wisely retreats, abandoning the doomed men, and sails away from the island by noon.
From Whirlwind to Lunar Battlefield: Early Space Exploration
The true fantastical element is introduced when the ship is caught in a colossal whirlwind, pulling the entire vessel out of the water and launching it into outer space. This astonishing leap from maritime adventure to celestial voyage marks a definitive shift into speculative fiction. For seven days, the crew sails through space, believing there to be wind, a detail that humorously reflects the scientific understanding of the era. On the eighth day, they arrive at the Moon.
The Moon is depicted as a populated world with cities, leading to an immediate encounter with the Hippogypenes, or “vulture dragoons,” who serve as the Moon’s police force. Lucian’s party is arrested and brought before King Endymion, a human ruler who, conveniently, speaks Greek. Endymion welcomes them, revealing that his kingdom is embroiled in an interplanetary war with the Sun Kingdom over the colonization of Venus. King Phaeton of the Sun had dispatched “ant dragoons” to Venus first, leading to a fierce conflict. Lucian and his men, finding nothing better to do, agree to join the Moon’s war effort, being supplied with armor and giant vultures for aerial combat.
The Interstellar War: A Grand Satire of Military Prowess
The ensuing space battle is a highlight of Lucian’s imaginative prowess and satirical wit. One hundred thousand Moon soldiers, supported by nearly a million other “galactic allies,” confront the Sun army. The infantry includes bizarre creatures such as “grass-plumes” (birds with lettuce wings), “vulture dragoons,” and archers riding “elephant-sized fleas.” To facilitate the conflict, island-sized spiders are commissioned to weave a massive web in space, creating a makeshift battlefield. One such spider, “Owlett, Son of Fairweather,” is named, a detail that is likely another subtle jab at a contemporary author or a popular character, underscoring Lucian’s intertextual humor.
The Sun army is equally fantastical, comprising dragoons atop 200-foot-long ants, massive mosquitoes, men flinging poison radishes, warriors with asparagus spears and mushroom shields, and “puppy-corns” (representatives of the Dog Star) riding winged acorns. Lucian’s meticulous detailing of these absurd combatants serves to ridicule the grand, often exaggerated descriptions of armies and battles found in conventional epic poetry and historical accounts. A humorous critique of military mismanagement is included, with “slingers from the Milky Way” failing to appear and “cloud centaurs” arriving post-battle, provoking Phaeton’s wrath and a retaliatory firestorm on their homeworld. The battle culminates in a “glorious victory” for the Moon Kingdom, with clouds dyed red by the blood of the slain, an image both vivid and absurd.
Life on the Moon: Advanced Biology and Technology
Following the battle, Lucian and two companions are captured by the belated cloud centaurs and taken to the Sun, where they meet Phaeton. A peace treaty is eventually brokered, largely through Endymion’s pity for the Sun Kingdom, which was threatened with a cloud wall to separate it from the Moon, ensuring perpetual darkness. The terms of the treaty include the demolition of the wall, the release of prisoners, an agreement not to conquer stars, mutual aid, and an annual tribute of 10,000 gallons of dew from the Moon to the Sun. A joint colony on Venus is also agreed upon.
Upon their return to the Moon, Lucian and his friends are celebrated as heroes. Endymion even attempts to entice them to stay, offering his son’s hand in marriage, emphasizing, “There are no women on the moon.” Lucian declines, but during a week-long stay, he describes the bizarre biological and technological aspects of Moonite society. Moonites are described as not being born of women, but of men, with individuals serving as “wives” until age 25 and “husbands” thereafter. Pregnancy occurs in the calf of the leg rather than the belly. Other strange details include flying frogs (eaten fried), men with one toe on each foot, honey instead of snot, milk instead of sweat, bellies used as pockets, glass clothes, removable eyes, and leaf-like ears. These biological innovations are clear elements of early speculative fiction, pushing the boundaries of what might be possible.
Beyond biology, the Moon boasts an interesting piece of technology: a large plane of glass suspended over a shallow well, capable of telegraphing events on Earth. Lucian spies on his family through this device, humorously challenging the reader: “If you think that I am lying, go there yourself, and you will see that I am telling the truth.” This line, often attributed to his contemporary authors, is a direct parody, reinforcing Lucian’s satirical intent.
Further Adventures: Lamptown, Whales, and the Isle of the Blessed
Guided by the royal guard, Lucian and his men sail from the Moon to Lamptown, a city inhabited by sentient, floating lamps, each bearing the name of an Earth person. These lamps deliver nightly reports to a magistrate, with eternal extinguishment as punishment for dereliction of duty. Lucian’s interaction with his own lamp, inquiring about his family, adds a touch of personal connection to the absurdity. The voyagers quickly depart, passing by the unapproachable Cloud Cuckoo Town.
Returning to Earth’s ocean, the ship is attacked on the third day by giant sea monsters, eventually swallowed whole by a whale an astounding 187 and a half miles long. Inside the whale’s belly, a complete world exists, with forests, animals, and even civilizations of fish-people. Lucian and his crew encounter other swallowed seamen and become embroiled in the wars of six different fish-people kingdoms. After nearly two years of this subterranean existence, they devise an escape plan: setting the internal forests ablaze. After 13 days, the whale dies, and the men use beams to force open a crack in its mouth, through which they sail out.
The journey continues with a 30-day adventure on frozen ice, a hunting expedition on a desert island, a voyage through the Sea of Milk, an island made of cheese, and an encounter with the Cork-Feet, who possess the ability to walk on water. The most significant of these later destinations is the Island of the Blessed, an afterlife kingdom of gold and emerald walls. Here, Lucian encounters historical and mythical figures such as veterans of the Trojan War, Pythagoras, Homer, and other philosophers. A particularly “spicy” observation is made about Plato’s absence, attributed to his living in an “imaginary city under the constitution and laws that he himself wrote,” a sharp, pointed jab at Plato’s utopian ideals.
After six months on the island, a rebellion over an extramarital affair forces Lucian’s departure. The demigod Rhadamanthus assures him of a future return and points out six distant islands, beyond which lies “the great continent opposite the one which your people inhabit.” He instructs Lucian to pray to a marshmallow plant if ever in trouble. The rest of the book recounts the horrors faced on these six islands, with many men perishing in violent storms and shipwrecks.
Lucian abruptly concludes ‘A True Story’ by stating, “What happened on that island, I shall tell you in the next book.” This final remark, a notorious cliffhanger, is famously accompanied by a disgruntled scholar’s margin note in a surviving copy: “This is Lucian’s greatest lie of all,” as no sequel was ever written. Lucian’s ‘A True Story’ thus stands as a foundational text in the history of speculative fiction, a brilliant satire, and a testament to the enduring power of narrative invention, particularly when it dares to admit its own falsity.
Probing the Paradox of the Ancient Interstellar Epic: Q&A
What is “A True Story” and who wrote it?
“A True Story” is an ancient text written by Lucian of Samosata in the 2nd Century A.D. It is widely considered the earliest known work of science fiction.
Why is “A True Story” considered important in the history of science fiction?
It’s important because it features fantastical elements like space travel, aliens, and interplanetary war, which are common themes in modern science fiction, all written almost 2000 years ago.
What makes “A True Story” different from other popular writings of its time?
Unlike other popular travelogues that pretended to be factual, Lucian openly declared from the beginning that his story was a complete fabrication. This was a unique way to satirize the exaggerated tales common at the time.
What kind of adventures happen in “A True Story”?
The story involves a voyage to the Moon, where Lucian and his crew participate in a war between the Moon and Sun kingdoms, encounter strange creatures, and visit other fantastical places like a city of lamps and inside a giant whale.