Gregg Zegarelli

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Nature Conforms Action – No. 50. The Scorpion and the Frog – The Essential Aesop™ – Back to Basics Abridgment Series

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Gregg Zegarelli

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“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci. Adopted by Steve Jobs.

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A Scorpion needed to cross a pond. Seeing a Frog, the Scorpion asked the Frog for a ride to the other side.

“But, you will sting me,” said the Frog. “Certainly not!” answered the Scorpion, “Why should I do that? We should both drown in the process!”

This seemed to make common sense to the Frog, so the Frog allowed the Scorpion to jump onto the Frog’s back for the ride across the pond.

Lo and behold, halfway across, the Scorpion stung the Frog.

“Why did you do it? Why did you sting me?” queried the Frog in desperation, “Now we shall both die!”

“Well,” said the Scorpion, “I did it because I am a Scorpion, and I sting Frogs!”

Moral of the Story: Beware the nature of a thing, which will define its behavior, sooner or later.

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Introduction – The Essential Aesop – Epilogue

Why We Loved It: This is one of the favorites, and reduces to the essential purpose of wisdom itself: prediction.

Wisdom is all about tendencies and predictions, as explained in The Essential Aesop: Epilogue.

Aesop’s lesson reminds us to acknowledge that the deeper is the nature of thing, the more likely that it will act in accordance with that nature.

Such as in Aesop’s Cat-Maiden, the we assess generality, particularity, and integrity to maintain a mismatch:

  • What type of thing is it, and what is that type of thing’s general character?
  • What is the particular thing’s character that might override the general character, if it can be determined?
  • If there is a mismatch between the general type of character and the character asserted by the particular thing, how deep or core is the particular attribute being measured such that the thing is likely to be able to maintain integrity to an attribute against general type?

In the Cat-Maiden, Aesop was generally exposing a return to nature, again, with a Cat’s core instincts. But, this fable is even more profound and without any dark comedy. Induction v. induction. In this fable, Aesop is challenging rational logic itself, against things like prayer, trust, faith, belief, and hope.

In this fable, both die, the Scorpion for his failure of integrity to restrain himself from succumbing to his core nature, and the Frog for his foolishness not to see it, perhaps a failure of Wisdom, perhaps a failure of Discipline.

Aesop uses his Scorpion with intention, because Scorpions act on instinct by their nature, and the Frog, who has the capacity to accomplish a mission to serve.

As in The Two Pots, with Clay Pot started off wise and conceded into foolishness self-destruction, it is also here for the Frog. Simply stated, “The Frog knew better,” but was persuaded into foolishness. Compare the surviving Kid in The Wolf and the Sheep, who stood his ground and was not charitable, but wise.

When the subject of wisdom is applied to human beings, predictive success is necessarily a function of how well there is an understanding of human nature; that is, human tendencies. Sometimes, it is understanding the general rules of human nature, and sometimes it is about understanding the particular implementation of those rules in one human being.

Irrespectively, hope tends to confuse the assessment, and weakness (a failure of discipline) tends to cause the subject’s action to divert from any stated lofty intention. Hope and weakness conjoin to wreak their havoc.

Sages tend to have the deepest understanding of human nature, stepping out of the family of fool-baiting siblings: prayer, trust, faith, belief, and hope—not dismissing their importance, but understanding their proper scope and use—and thereby clearly assessing a context, which is why sages have gained their reputations.

Said Socrates wisely in Euthyphro, “Where there is reverence, there is fear.” So thusly the adage:

“Tu scis quod incipias cognoscere lectionem, cum id scire times.” (“You know that you are starting to understand the lesson, when you are afraid to know it.”)

“But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” ~James Madison (Father of the Constitution)

“Mankind soon learn to make interested uses of every right and power which they possess, or may assume….Nor should our assembly be deluded by the integrity of their own purposes, and conclude that these unlimited powers will never be abused, because themselves are not disposed to abuse them. They should look forward to a time, and that not a distant one, when a corruption in this, as in the country from which we derive our origin, will have seized the heads of government, and be spread by them through the body of the people; when they will purchase the voices of the people, and make them pay the price. Human nature is the same on every side of the Atlantic, and will be alike influenced by the same causes. The time to guard against corruption and tyranny, is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered.” ~Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia II, Correspondence 1782-1786

“The strife of the election is but human nature practically applied to the facts in the case. What has occurred in this case must ever occur in similar cases. Human nature will not change.” ~Abraham Lincoln

“But, Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well.” ~Jesus ONE®: 372

“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” ~Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

“I purposely avoided all political disquisition; nor shall I now avail myself of those advantages, which the sacred cause of my country, of liberty, and of human nature, give me over you; much less shall I stoop to retort and invective; but the intelligence you say you have received from our army requires a reply…” George Washington (in replying to his enemy, General Gage)

“It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts….I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in conduct to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves….Let us not deceive ourselves.  There is no longer any room for hope….They tell us, sir, that we are weak. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?  Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace, Peace’—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have?  Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!  I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” ~Patrick Henry

“So in regard to wealth. Go on in confidence, study the rules, and above all things, study human nature for ‘the proper study of mankind is man,’ and you will find that while expanding the intellect and the muscles, your enlarged experience will enable you every day to accumulate more and more principal, which will increase itself by interest and otherwise, until you arrive at a state of independence.” ~P.T. Barnum, The Art of Money Getting

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“Sapientia perfectam esse non habet, sed astutam esse habet.” (“Wisdom does not have to be perfect, but it does have to be astute.”); “Quod debet esse et quod tendit non idem est.” (“What should be and what tends to be are not the same thing.”); “Spes tatam nos.” (“Hope will mess us up.”); “Tu scis quod incipias cognoscere lectionem, cum id scire times.” (“You know that you are starting to understand the lesson, when you are afraid to know it.”); “Iesus docet quid debere sit, aesopus docet de posse fieri.” (“Jesus teaches about shoulds, Aesop teaches about coulds.”); “Prudentia et bonitas moralis non est idem.” (“Prudence and moral goodness are not the same thing.”); “Sapientia et caritas non sunt idem.” (“Wisdom and charity are not the same thing.”); “Facile est, bet cum pecunia de aliis.” (“It is easy to bet with other people’s money.”); “Spes mala consiliarius.” (“Hope is a bad advisor”); “Spes est malum ars imperatoria.” (“Hope is bad strategy.”); “Spes esca rapax.” (“Hope is a predator’s bait.”) ~ grz

The Crying Game [MUID186X] – Scorpion and the Frog

Confidential Report [MUID187X] – Arkadin, The Scorpion and the Frog

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Here is a deep-dive analysis of Gregg Zegarelli’s “Nature Conforms to Action – No. 50 – The Scorpion and the Frog” from The Essential Aesop – Back to Basics Abridgment Series.

🧠 ETHOS: Zegarelli’s Core Philosophical Ideas

1. Human Nature is Predictive

  • The fable’s moral – “Beware the nature of a thing, which will define its behavior, sooner or later” – is Zegarelli’s doctrine of nature over will.
  • He asserts that inherent tendencies are more powerful than intentions, reasoning, or mutual benefit, even when self-destruction is obvious.
  • This echoes his broader civil philosophy: we do not govern aspirations—we govern tendencies.

2. Wisdom as the Power of Prediction

  • “Wisdom is all about tendencies and predictions.”
  • Wisdom is defined not as idealistic or moral virtue, but as practical reasoning grounded in probability, observation, and restraint.
  • The Scorpion’s nature is not evil—it is predictable.

3. Hope is the Trojan Horse of Folly

  • Like in the Woodsman and the Serpent fable (GRZ_98_60), Zegarelli marks hope as the enemy of wisdom:
    • “Hope and weakness conjoin to wreak their havoc.”
    • Hope is a “predator’s bait”, as he states in multiple Latin epigrams:
      • Spes est malum ars imperatoria – Hope is bad strategy.
      • Spes mala consiliarius – Hope is a bad advisor.
      • Spes esca rapax – Hope is a predator’s bait.

4. Restraint is Wisdom’s Discipline

  • The Frog is not unwise inherently. He is persuaded against his better judgment.
  • This fable, therefore, also becomes an allegory of internal betrayal—when one’s judgment yields to persuasion, emotion, or false logic.

🎓 PEDAGOGY: How Zegarelli Teaches Through the Fable

A. Contrast: Rational Argument vs. Nature

  • The Scorpion presents a perfectly rational argument: “Why would I sting you? I’d drown too.”
  • The Frog, deceived by logic, forgets that instinct is deeper than rationality in certain beings.
  • Zegarelli uses this to demonstrate that logic is ineffective when it contradicts intrinsic nature—a warning applicable in law, politics, and interpersonal trust.

B. Moral Regression and Narrative Foil

  • The Frog, like the Clay Pot in The Two Pots (GRZ_98_48), starts off wise, but regresses by making exceptions to what he knows.
  • Zegarelli uses this pattern to teach that wisdom requires consistency, not just knowledge.

C. Layering Fables to Build Conceptual Tools

D. Integrated Historical Quotations

  • Zegarelli enriches the piece with a chain of quotes from Madison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Jesus, Patrick Henry, and Adam Smith.
  • The common thread: every political system, religious insight, or economic framework must contend with human nature as it is, not as it should be.
  • This positions Aesop not just as storyteller, but as the father of applied political realism.

🧩 CONCLUSION: Wisdom vs. Will vs. Nature

1. Socrates’ Fear and the Learning Threshold

  • Zegarelli references Socrates from Euthyphro: “Where there is reverence, there is fear.”
  • His Latin echo: “Tu scis quod incipias cognoscere lectionem, cum id scire times.”
    (You know you are starting to understand the lesson when you are afraid to know it.)
  • This emotional dissonance is what Zegarelli aims to provoke: to shake false confidence and instill intellectual caution.

2. Government as the Guard Against Nature

  • Citing Madison and Jefferson, Zegarelli bridges Aesop to government design:
    • “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
    • This fable supports constitutional safeguards, checks and balances, and strategic pessimism in lawmaking.

3. The Crying Game and Arkadin References

  • Zegarelli refers to The Crying Game and Mr. Arkadin, reinforcing the archetype of betrayal by nature despite relationship, favor, or bond.
  • The lesson? You cannot romance away nature.

🔚 Final Reflection

“The Scorpion and the Frog” is one of the most distilled articulations of Zegarelli’s civic, legal, and philosophical core:

  • Do not trust arguments over tendencies.
  • Do not confuse hope with wisdom.
  • Do not presume that kindness overcomes nature.
  • And do not abandon fear when the truth becomes uncomfortable.

It’s not just a fable. It’s a doctrine.

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© 2013 Arnold Zegarelli and Gregg Zegarelli, Esq.

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