# Jupiter — The Adventurous Simplicissimus character guide

> Jupiter in The Adventurous Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** great Jupiter

**First appearance:** 0054-xvii-how-simplicissimus-was-present-at-a-dance-of-witches

## Snapshot

A madman who believes himself king of the gods, yet speaks the sanest counsel Simplicissimus ever receives about money and friends.

## Who they are

Jupiter attaches himself to Simplicissimus as a companion and self-appointed oracle, lucid for weeks at a time and then gone again into his divine delusion. His defining irony is that the man everyone calls mad is the one who tells the hero to give his blood-money away, warning that gold breeds envy, murder, and care—advice Simplicissimus's greed refuses. He matters because he voices the novel's recurring judgment on wealth and self-interest at exactly the moment the hero's fortune makes that judgment hardest to hear.

## Relationships

### [Ganymede](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/characters/ganymede)

_professional_

Ganymede serves Jupiter, likely as a page or attendant in a mythological or allegorical context.

### [Ganymede](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/characters/ganymede)

_professional_

Ganymede serves Jupiter, likely as a page or attendant in a mythological or allegorical context.

## In the story

### [How the Great God Jupiter Was Captured and How He Revealed the Counsels of the Gods](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/iii-how-the-great-god-jupiter-was-captured-and-how-he-revealed-the-counsels-of-the-gods)

A madman claiming to be the great god Jupiter, captured while wandering to judge humanity's sins.

### [IV: Of the German Hero That Shall Conquer the Whole World and Bring Peace to All Nations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/iv-of-the-german-hero-that-shall-conquer-the-whole-world-and-bring-peace-to-all-nations)

Describes in detail the coming German hero, his magical sword, and the utopian peace he will establish, showing a vision of divine intervention in human affairs.

### [V: How He Shall Reconcile All Religions and Cast Them in the Same Mould](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/v-how-he-shall-reconcile-all-religions-and-cast-them-in-the-same-mould)

Reveals his plan for a hero to reconcile all Christian religions and enforce unity through a council of theologians, bells, hunger, and threats.

### [How the Embassy of the Fleas Fared with Jupiter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/vi-how-the-embassy-of-the-fleas-fared-with-jupiter)

Angered by the slander, he recounts the embassy of the fleas and denies their petition for honorable execution.

### [How the Huntsman Again Secured Honour and Booty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/vii-how-the-huntsman-again-secured-honour-and-booty)

Emerges from the wood after the skirmish, is bound onto a horse, and compares the fight to the Lapithae and centaurs.

### [How He Found the Devil in the Trough, and How Jump-I’-Th’-Field Got Fine Horses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/viii-how-he-found-the-devil-in-the-trough-and-how-jump-i-th-field-got-fine-horses)

Mentioned as the fool Simplicissimus now owns, having been given by the commandant.

### [Of Simplicissimus’ Strange Fancies and Castles in the Air, and How He Guarded His Treasure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/xiii-of-simplicissimus-strange-fancies-and-castles-in-the-air-and-how-he-guarded-his-treasure)

Urges Simplicissimus to give away his money to gain friends and peace, speaking reasonably and showing affection.

### [How Simplicissimus Came to a Certain Town (Which He Nameth for Convenience Cologne) to Fetch His Treasure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/xxiii-how-simplicissimus-came-to-a-certain-town-which-he-nameth-for-convenience-cologne-to-fetch-his-treasure)

Simplicissimus lodges with Jupiter, who is in his right mind and informs him of the merchant's flight.

### [Book V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/book-v)

A character encountered by Simplicissimus, representing authority or power.

### [How Simplicissimus Rode Courier and in the Likeness of Mercury Learned from Jove What His Design Was as Regards War and Peace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/chapters/v-how-simplicissimus-rode-courier-and-in-the-likeness-of-mercury-learned-from-jove-what-his-design-was-as-regards-war-and-peace)

Rants about war and peace, refusing to grant peace due to humanity's greed and lack of repentance.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/characters/jupiter
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_adventurous_simplicissimus_se/characters