The Tale of Electius: A Moral Fable for Modern Times
Electius believed himself above the gods.
Electius believed himself above the gods.
As ruler, he began to apply his “signature” to different pages of law books, religion, and history, having them evicted from the official state annals.
He wanted no precedents, no lessons, and no moral warnings, believing them to be frivolous.
But he angered the gods by so doing this, and Electius’s people began to suffer.
Disease spread, fish and crops failed, and long wars plagued the people and lands of Electius…
Years passed.
In the throws of death pangs, Electius asked to be taken to the palace steps to breathe his last while looking upon his kingdom.
He was terrified and shocked to see a blood-red sky, people running screaming across the streets, only to be overcome with fear and die before him, or captured by invading slave pirates.
The groans of pain from the dying were a horror to him, and the more he saw, the more he became aware of a morality, finally growing in his chest and mind.
His eyes failed, and he cried out, “What have I done!?”
“I sought to free the people from morals, and have instead enslaved them to all the terrors of mankind.”
“I see,” says he, with his final breath, “I see now with my heart that good cannot exist without the knowledge and fear of evil!”
